Zero turn ? what should I buy ?

[dtanner]

ggggrrrr

 

[jdiederichs]

I wouldn't be concerned about the die cast aluminum housings, they will retain alot less heat than cast iron. On the hills the hydro units run warm, so that may be a good advantage having the aluminum there.

After about 20-30 hours I would recheck the attaching hardware and make sure it is tight, just as a precaution.

 

[aaytay]

Don-
You've got yourself a real nice rig there.

Here's one I picked up last week for good friend of mine that doesn't own a trailer...

It's an Airens "Zoom 42" I posted about earlier. It's got the 20hp Kohler Command Courage and a 42" deck. It's a nice unit, but I don't think it's quite as heavy duty as the one you bought.

<font size="-2">Then again it was only $2,499!</font>

 

[kide]

Don - even though it's not a Scag (

) you did good. Toro Commercial is well built stuff. Be careful on sidehills when you first use it and you'll find its limitations...

 

[dtanner]

Gerry Ide
Well I found the limitations of the zturn coming down a steep slope lol. the right wheel broke free and was sliding, so to keep it from turning I had to increase speed on the other wheel to keep it going straight.Next thing I know I`am cutting rhubarb lol.The three gallons of washer fluid in each tire helped but down steep grades are tricky to say the least.The owner just LOL and rolled on the ground wile I was thinking I was in big trouble. It had went to seed so no problem he said.I will have to mow that area up hill from now on .I will post a picture of the area later this week when I mow again, when I say this is a steep hilly lawn you won`t believe just how steep it is.Takes the owner with his 1862 over three hrs and I did it in 1 hr 40 minutes.Action pictures Wednesday or the next dry day.

Off today to find a deal on a cargo trailer with the rear ramp door so I can store the zturn in it and have one less thing in my shop.

 

[jdiederichs]

http://www.carlisletire.com/products/atv/hd_field_trax/index.html

Text from a user:When I purchased my X500 with HDAP tires the dealer brought it with turfs for me to use until the HDAP's came in.
My yard sounds similar to yours with a steep, short ditch.
When I was on a side hill and turned up the hill the turfs would spin. Then I would have to backup, square up, use the diff lock and start up hill again. With the HDAP's this doesn't happen.
I probably had to use the diff lock over a two dozen times with the turfs. With the HDAP's the diff lock is used less than a dozen times. I don't see any turf damage in tight turns but my yard is a little rough (for now).

 

[bjamison]

Don - I'm late to this thread. My Dad bought a zero turn mower when he retired (his expensive retirement gift). It was a Simplicity badged Ferris - a very nice machine. At the time, his house was nothing but steep hills. He had mowed with a JD lawn tractor for years and struggled with traction and side to side stability. The zero turn, he thought was the ticket. Lots of trees to mow around, with separate hydro motors at each wheel = positive traction, and a wide track. He got that zero turn on some of those hills and lost traction. Once the traction is gone, so is the steering. After a few uncontrolled plummets to the bottom of the hill, he sold it. As scary as that was, his biggest gripe was after almost 50 years of a steering wheel, the levers were hard to get use to. He bought a Simplicity Prestige and is a happy retiree.

OTOH, my Brother mows with a zero turn where he works. He uses an Xmark (which I think Toro owns). He loves it - fast mower too.

I've seen several lawns mowed that looked steep with zero turns, but the ones I've seen up close doing it were Grasshopper zero turns. They had some kind of funky chevron tread rear tires. So the hill traction problem might be solved with a combination of tires and weight.

One thing I really like that a lot of these zero turns do is stripe the grass. Do you have a striping kit for your Toro? Also, having owned Wheelhorse tractors (which were bought and destroyed by Toro IMHO), the one thing the do well is with documentation online - parts, manuals and repair manuals.

FWIW, I also think these new heavy duty zero turns are the reason we don't have serious garden tractors by every manufacturer today. The heavy duty that went into Cub Cadet and other makes back in the day is still present - just in a zero turn.

How's that for a long post?

Good luck with your zero turn mower.

 

[dfrisk]

BILL J. - We were discussing resale value on Cub Cadets on another forum about a month or so ago. Guy out in MO said the new zero-turn mowers have KILLED resale value on garden tractors, the better ones, because people will spend the money to mow faster, as opposed to using a tractor that can do more than mow... The cheap big box store mowers are what sell now I guess. I guess instead of a Cub Cadet with 10 HP, hydrostatic drive and a 38 or 42 inch deck, the new mowers that have those tiny 8 inch rim dia. rear tires, 25 HP, and a 42 inch deck, Ohhh and two cup holders... are what people want... or NEED according to the marketing poeple at the manufacturers. I can make a REAL strong argument how Marketing people have ruined just about everything they've touched in the last 40-50 yrs, but that's off-topic.

 

[cmwkrill]

Bill- It makes me wonder why Grasshopper makes zero turns like the ones below-

When they make ones like this-

IMHO- these 729s can do everything the 120 can, and then some. And do it better. (I learned while working at Tom's that you can take the deck off the front and put on a tiller, a snow-blower, a sprayer, and (supposedly) a blade on the front of them.)

 

[dtanner]

Bill Jamison

I looked at the stripe kit and found it is a round roller with 18 lbs of sand it it.The one property I do mow wants me to get the kit and he will pay for it. So I guess I will have to get one to please him. I added 3 gallons of winter washer fluid to each tire and found that gave me some extra traction and do plan to get a little more aggressive thread tires for next year.I had a chance to mow alongside a cheap lawn tractor last weekend and the owner could not believe that I could mow three times more than him and he shut his new toy off and let me finish the job.I went back a forth so the stripe would show and he liked that and now wants it done . I`am looking at a cargo trailer in the morning for the zturn so I won`t have to unload it after every use, The cargo trailer will be home for the zturn. Looking at a 14' so I will have plenty of storage room .

 

[mgwin]

I know the feeling. Mine don't like slopes too well either. I would say the weight may have an influence on the problem. The dry weight (without fuel and rider) is around 1200 lbs. Add the rider (200 lbs.)and the fuel (9 gal.@ 8 lbs.)puts it close to 1500 lbs.
I'm not complaining though, because my mowing time went from 3 hours to 30 minutes! I have had my mower for 7 years, and all I have done to it is put gas in it and change the oil.

 

[kide]

Marty:
Try a 48" Tiger Cub with the optional blower (about 40 pounds) for the large 180 pound back dump grass collector, plus the four 35 pound counterweights on the front.... with all the weight mostly on those two drive wheels while the front wheels swivel. No wonder they slide sideways.

BTW - +1 on the full face helmet ! Michigan just went helmetless and insurance rates are already going up for all of sso the few can enjoy their "right"..

 

[mgwin]

Gerry,
Man, that stuff costs big $$$! I bought the SCAG before I discovered cub cadets, and now my money goes toward them and their accessories. I checked on a clamshell catcher for the SCAG, and they want 3 grand for it!

Didn't check on anything else after that.

I did go and buy a Harley about a year ago.

That slowed down all other money projects!

You know what HD stands for don't you,...Hundred Dollars!

The full face helmet is for cooler weather. I have a half helmet for warm weather. I wouldn't even consider riding without head protection. My head is hard, but not that hard!
"Asphalt... world's best tatoo remover!"
P.S. That's not my Harley the helmet is hanging on, that's my Honda.

 

[kide]

Marty - I agree on the Scag $$, but it all works just like it's supposed to. When I bought it, before I retired in '07, I thought I might be mowing a few lawns in the area, didn't work out. There's days I'd dump it in favor of one of th tight turning lawn tractors, but then I use it for something like pulling my utility trailer ( I can back the trailer in anyplace when it's behind the Tiger Cub) and decide that it's too handy to get rid of.

I used to ride with a full face Bell (actually Vetter 100), went to an open face when riding the Cushmans and the Yamaha, but now, with the STreet Glide and how it seems to want to push the envelope, I'm using a modular full face with flip down sun shield in it.

 

[mgwin]

Gerry,

I've got the SCAG, but have opted out on the accessories. I just turn the chute toward the woods and blow the grass over in the trees.

Even a full face helmet wouldn't have helped me this morning. Something got wedged between my pullover shirt and neck and stung me six times before I could get it out. My neck still hurts!

 

[rkelm]

Gerry, I noticed the Scags come in B&S, Kawasaki and Kohler motors, what is the best and curiosity has gotten me - what is the cost of one of these machines?

 

[mgwin]

Rodney,

Make sure you look at the commercial grade SCAGs. They make a slightly cheaper residential series now. The commercial grade should have a Kawasaki engine. Mine is a 48 inch cut Tiger Cub with a 19hp Kawasaki. I bought the 48" so I could get into smaller places. I got it for $6400.00 in 05'. You can check all of them out on the SCAG website.
That slightly out of focus picture about five posts down is mine.

 

[rkelm]

Marty,
Thank you for the information. I have a small pecan orchard and am looking at a easier way to mow -- the price doesn't seem too bad, I have looked at a series 1 JD with an underbelly mower - it has more potential with adding a bucket, etc. but the Tiger would allow closer mowing. Just have to weigh out what I may need -I have to remember want and need are two different things.
Thank you for the information. Rodney

 

[kide]

Rodney - sorry for the delayed response, been on the road again

.. I am only familiar with the commercial model with the Kaw engines - I like 'em. My 48" Tiger Cub came with a 19 Hp Kaw, the only thing I could wish for is a couple of extra horsepower when the sweeper vac/blower attachment is installed, as the 19 will almost stall when cold...

 

[mgwin]

Gerry,

Were you riding your bike or out buying more cubs?