Worlds biggest Ventrac Mower!! (Not clickbait)!

[@dalebargen]

Great job!

[@Vinman833]

You're awesome bro

[@JohnDiMartino]

Vincent DiMartino Thanks Vin!

[@michaelmactavish1728]

poor veny wont have a deck at least those decks are pretty cheap like kubotas

[@justindailey4265]

This is so awsome! Amazing how well it cuts in the deep grass with just 1 pass! U should build and sell these!

[@billlangdon193]

That's an awesome build. Definitely cutting mowing time down. Nice work John.

[@JohnDiMartino]

Thanks Bill I appreciate the kind words!

[@steverone7623]

Great video I saw one with a lawn tractor and a pair of push mowers towed behind. Your setup is badass sir like you said 11’6” 53hp mower

[@bluecordterrainsolutions]

I remembered seeing this in another forum. I'm glad someone posted the link here!

[@silverback3541]

You did a great job. Props. I need a local fabricator to bring my ideas to fruition.

[@MustangsTrainsMowers]

I bought a used Swisher 60” finish cut pull type in 2016. I tried it on my neighbors big lawn, pulling it with their Toro commercial 52” ZTR. The Swisher had a shallow deck and really sucked in anything that was tall. I also tried it on the farm lawn which is cut twice a month. And again the Swisher sucked trying to mow a healthy farm lawn. I tried mowing another part of the farm lawn with trees spread out. And I barely reduced my cutting time. With the pull type mower you slow down and have to watch where it’s going along with where the tractor you are on is going. You really need a large open lawn with little to no obstacles to mow around for a pull type to be worth your investment. I sold the Swisher in the fall before winter. The shallow deck was I think it’s worst downfall.

[@JohnDiMartino]

You just reinforced why I didn’t buy a Swisher. My pull behind outperforms anything you’re going pull it with . I’ve pulled it with my 50 hp 72 inch turbo diesel zero turn and the pull behind it still outperforms it. You can see in my videos I have large open lawns it works very well for me, I agree that it isn’t for every location , I usually start the main mower make one or 2 passes around the house and around some obstacles and then I hook onto the side mower and do the rest.

[@MustangsTrainsMowers]

The Swisher deck was maybe 2” deep if you measured from blade tip up. You need capacity for the deck to clean itself out and have air flow.

[@ront8261]

Thats amazing!!! Really cool project John!! I've always heard Ventrac's and Steiners were amazing machines, but you adding a Ventrac deck behind yours was a great idea!! I'm guessing your Dad John was the John D. of Sled Shed fame; spent some time down there in the late 60's/early 70's when I had an Arctic Cat sled.

[@JohnDiMartino]

Ron Trent Yes that is my dad! He’s in the video at the end on the Steiner in a few old pics ! Thank you for the kind comment!

[@kevint.9837]

Man I’ve thought about doing something like this for a wile I even have a second deck sitting around the only problem is 98%of what I mow with the ventrac is on the side of a hill and I can bearly hang there to begin with

[@kimkennedy4169]

Inspirational!

[@curtshelp6170]

Nice build. I'm starting an even cheaper version using 2 Craftsman 60" decks and one tractor.

[@JohnDiMartino]

Thanks I got a third deck and a Kubota D1105 Diesel engine in a Jacobsen fairway mower ..so it may end up being a 17 footer…. I think that D1105 diesel can run both decks . I hope you video your build I’d love to see it all done !

[@garygriffin3114]

Nice fabrication job with axle and motor mount clean job, excellent results. Cool pics of your older builds. Was that 158" the belt size on the one unit? Thanks for the share I have thought of doing a similar build, yes just thought but you did it !!

[@JohnDiMartino]

Glad you enjoyed it. Yes the Steiner deck that is a B158 belt that was a 60 inch mower Steiner set up ran 2 60 inch deck’s together. The Ventrac 72 inch deck’s use a B180.Because I used rusty old steal my prep time took the most time. I just leave it all out on jackstands and in my head and the finished product came out pretty goodAs did the first one I built close to 20 years ago.I fabbed the first one before I had digital camera..

[@joshuajones7384]

Pretty good setup really did a good job

[@JohnDiMartino]

Thanks , I’m going to redo the hitch otherwise I’m still happy with it after almost a full seasons use.

[@robertmcdonnold3038]

I am impressed. It's amazing how it cuts through deep grass. Maybe I missed it if you said so, is it self propelled or strictly a trailer.

[@JohnDiMartino]

Thank you. It is a monster and no it’s not self propelled,but just about anything with an engine will pull it,it has very low drag.Ive used a golf cart ,and a zero turn and both pull it effortlessly.

[@truckguyjoe]

Awesome

[@BillCoSmith]

Nice mower build. What is the estimated cost as shown? And build hours Thanks John

[@JohnDiMartino]

Bill Smith 72” Mower decks run about 3600-4200 new . I bought used about 1600.00. Engine I about 730 with tax and probably 225.00 in a belt , battery , cables fuel line bolts and nuts. I had the trailer axle , wheels and tires and steel. HD welding rod and fuel can. It’s a well built unit, will Last a long time and it will keep up with any ztr. I towed it at about 15-17mph with a golf cart to see how it would do and it still cut great .....

[@justanotheraviator2357]

I put a Lycoming IO360 on my eBay ventrac deck for fun, had to do alot to keep it from destroying the frame I built. Nice to know I'm not the only mower improvement officer 😉. I pull behind a atv for brush cuttin.

[@jethroimhoff2759]

What size metal is that dolly built with?

[@sammypresser471]

That's awesome you should add another one on the other side lol

[@JohnDiMartino]

I d like too, I’d need to power it off the other unit or use a rear discharge deck up front because the clippings all end up being dumped onto that unit and it would quickly overheat

[@carlballard7802]

Make a duplicate put on other side...wow

[@JohnDiMartino]

I’ve run one on that side . The issue with it is the front mower deck unless you have a real discharge on it it’s going to discharge into the right side deck. The engine will quickly load up with grass clippings clogging the cooling system. I thought about using a larger engine on the left side and belt driving the right side that is a lot more feasible, This way it wouldn’t matter how much crash course on the right side of the deck because the engine will be on the left only.

[@Pipe-Layer]

WoW !!! 😎

[@luvsoap]

They now have a 95” cut deck for the 4500

[@JohnDiMartino]

I know they do , they didn’t when I started this and let me tell you I could build 3 of these for what it costs , and my setup is harder to maneuver but will absolutely smoke that 95” deck . Remember mine has 53hp ... the entire 95” deck runs off the main engine and one B series belt . You would have to crawl almost to a stop to try to cut the thick grass mine eats thru. They both have there place for sure .

[@emrythompson]

John DiMartino, I agree, I don’t think that the motor of the Ventrac would have enough power to cut 95” going fast

[@robertm_50]

Buy a wide area mower

[@JohnDiMartino]

It wasn’t out when I built this . Mine will handle deep grass way better and all in I’m around 2100.00 . In addition the Wide area mower won’t fit in my enclosed trailer

[@JohnDiMartino]

Used a WAM , a Toro 4000D , they are great on dry grass , they are as heavy as a truck, even with 4wd they get stuck very easily and make deep ruts .Mowing with a wide area mower in March through May and again in September until November is sometimes tough when it’s wet , this will go through anything anytime of the year, floats right thru soft areas , will hold side hills and climb like a mountain goat even with the trailer mower .

[@bluecordterrainsolutions]

Someone is going to do this with a WAM, it's just a matter of time

[@MrJames_1]

Wow 👍😀⭐️