Anyone use Ferris mowers?

[Pigglet]

We've just aquired a pretty big garden and it's pretty rough so I reckon a decent pedestrian rotary mower is required. I've been looking at the Ferris hydrowalk machines as a second hand buy. Has anyone got any experiance of them?

I've also looked at the Bobcats and the Scags but the ferris looks better made than the bobcats and better value than the Scags????

[easy-lift guy]

Ferris is a good machine, service after the sale will be important unless you are buying used. If you are buying new make sure everything about the function of the mower is explained, this is important for the dealer to understand so he will hopefully know that you are an informed consumer.If you are buying used go over the mower with a fine tooth comb. Remember it's your money and investment. Good hunting.

[Pigglet]

Thanks for that. Is there anything on particular to look for such as weak parts or failure prone areas?

[caledonian bob]

They're fantastic mowers. I bought mine second hand 14 years ago and all I've done to it is service it and sharpen the blades. My lawn is about 3/4 of an acre so while the mower hasn't been overworked it has had a fair bit of abuse.

[Badgermert]

Thanks for that. Is there anything on particular to look for such as weak parts or failure prone areas?

 

Hi Pigglet

 

I have used Ferris mowers for years and they are very good but secondhand would of had a hardlife.

 

Flail mowers are prone to the blade lugs being broken off the rotor and then being welded back on, this will put the machine out of balance leading to rotor bearing wear/failure and bad vibrations for machine and the user!

 

Rotary machines may show signs of cracks in the mower deck around the blade spindle/bearing housing this also is vibration evidence.

 

Feel free to ask away if you have any questions.

[Pigglet]

Thanks for the replies guys. Bob, thats very encouraging to hear:001_smile:

 

Badger, It's a rotary not a flail I was thinking of so I will have a good gander at the deck and blades. I'm reasonably competent at sussing out the mechanical condition of things having worked on plant and landscaping machinery in the past so whilst I appreciate they are comercial machines and as such will of been used in such an environment, I was intending to buy something that looks as though it's not had too hard a life, something like this...????

Ferris 13hp 32" rotary pedestrian mower ride on size | eBay UK

[tractorboy1]

Thanks for the replies guys. Bob, thats very encouraging to hear:001_smile:

 

Badger, It's a rotary not a flail I was thinking of so I will have a good gander at the deck and blades. I'm reasonably competent at sussing out the mechanical condition of things having worked on plant and landscaping machinery in the past so whilst I appreciate they are comercial machines and as such will of been used in such an environment, I was intending to buy something that looks as though it's not had too hard a life, something like this...????

Ferris 13hp 32" rotary pedestrian mower ride on size | eBay UK

 

Don't think you will go far wrong with that machine:001_smile:

[Mortimer Firewood]

We use a ferriss bought it second hand 3 yearsa ago and if it can drive in to it it will cut it. The other mower to look out for is the etesia atilla i think there the best ruff cut mowers on the market ive driven in to brambles 6ft high and its just munched the lot good second hand ones are hard to come by.

[kevwrenn]

I've done a fair bit of mowing with various different brands of large walk behinds, mostly flails though... the ferris was one of the best, but also worth a look, if they do a rotary deck, is the aebi.... that ferris doesn't look like its been overworked though so could be a good buy at that price.

[Badgermert]

Hi Pigglet

 

It looks tidy. The Kawasaki engine is almost bomb proof, brakes are simple, hydro system never gave me any problems except when the plastic cooling fan (on top of the gearbox) got damaged by a piece of wood.

 

Get someone to sit on the handle bars (remove the ignition key) so you can look under the mower deck. Rotate the blades by hand but watch the tip of the blade as it passes a fixed point, the other end of the blade should pass in the same spot (not higher/lower or nearer/further away) if it doesnt something is bent. Also check where the two blades almost meet in the centre of the deck. Again same height and level, if not you will get an uneven finish on your grass cutting and again something is wrong. There shouldnt be any signs of blade contact with the deck. Vee belt pulleys may wear/tilt over time. Jockey wheel bearing often get missed with the grease gun and just rotate on the bolts instead. Keep the jockey wheel arms/height spacers greased as this makes streering easier. Agri tyres are availiable for more extreme mowing.

Good luck.