I just made this exact move...well, I went with a 60" rear mower on a B2301. 3 mows in I am pleased with the change. The mower (FDR1660) does just as nice a job mowing on my hilly yard...if not a little better. The cut looks more even to my eye with the floating deck, and no rows of grass clippings to deal with. The old ZT (sold) was a simplicity 23hp (baby ferris, even had 4 corner suspension) and was also no slouch.
- Was the ZT faster?...yes, but negligible for the 1 acre I mow
- Could it trimmer better?... a little, by the 3rd mow I was feeling much more comfortable using the mower.
- Was the ZT more comfortable? ...not sure yet. Both can be jarring...the limited suspension on the ZT seems to be about even with the larger tires on the tractor.
Tractor is much more versatile, and I can push snow, do landscaping, grade the driveway...and mow.
Highly recommend the FDR1660....the B2301 whines a little pulling it up hills in medium range, and sometimes requires 4wd when backing up a hill. The thing weighs nearly as much as my old ZT! The deck and blades are super HD...and will last me a lifetime. I personally went with a 3pt mower instead of a belly mower for ease of hookup and service. Aside from the PTO hookup...a draw in either cases...a Pats quick hitch makes hookup super easy.