[AT] Semi-off topic Zero Turn mowers
charlie hill
charliehill at embarqmail.com
Sun Apr 27 07:58:45 PDT 2014
Thanks Cecil. The Hustlers are good machines, no doubt.
Charlie
-----Original Message-----
From: Cecil R Bearden
Sent: Sunday, April 27, 2014 10:15 AM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: [AT] Semi-off topic Zero Turn mowers
Many years ago I bought a Hustler with a 72in deck from a state surplus
auction. It had been used on a golf course and had a lot of hours on
it. It also was stuck. I broke the pistons free with penetrating oil
and ran it for 2 years by adding a quart of oil every time I used it.
My Dad decided to mow one day and ran it for 4 hours and I had to
overhaul the Kohler engine. Nearly $400 in parts. Mowing around our
trees and junk on 2 acres of yard took nearly 3 hours before with a 36in
cut riding mower. The Hustler took only an hour. My wife loved it and
mowed with it all the time. I even mowed some lots for the bank. I
still have it but I need to replace the seals on the engine as the
ridiculous dipstick arrangement on the Kohler engine broke off and I
never could get the oil level right. I over filled it and it blew the
seals. Kohler wanted nearly $100 for the dipstick & tube assembly. I
love Kohler engines and have many of them, but if you ever need parts
that cannot be bought aftermarket, you have to make a trip to the bank
first.
The Hustler I had used a variable piston pump that was actually 2 pumps
built together and separate levers to control the swash plate. There
were separate wheel motors. I never could stop the wheels. The state &
municipalities use these to push snow and anything else you can hook up
to the PTO and the lift arms.
I would try to find a used Hustler. I have a couple of Hustler mowers
that need engines transplanted, but never got the time to work on them.
Cecil in OKla
On 4/27/2014 7:57 AM, R Fink Sr wrote:
> Charlie I have solved the lawn problem we mow 2 1/2 to 3 A. I just
> keep
> old JD 214 running good and wife does all mowing.
> R Fink
> PA
>
>
> On 04/27/14, charlie hill<charliehill at embarqmail.com> wrote:
>
> Thanks Mike. Yeah I've seen the ZTR's with ATV tires on them before.
> It seems to help a lot but can tend to tear up the turf too.
> Charlie
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mike
> Sent: Sunday, April 27, 2014 12:02 AM
> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
> Subject: Re: [AT] Semi-off topic Zero Turn mowers
> Charlie, I'm in the same boat you are in. I mow about 3 acres and do
> so
> on a 1995ish Simplicity Sovereign with a 48" deck. It's a good old
> mower, but I practically live on the thing in the summer. I've looked
> at
> the Bad Boy mowers at TSC, and they look like they are built really
> well, but as someone else mentioned, no local dealer support. I looked
> at the Scag TigerCat, but can't justify 8K for mowing my lawn. I am
> leaning heavily toward the John Deere Z series, local support and
> people
> love them. A friend of ours has an older Z series, and readily admits
> that he uses it like a brush hog. The only thing he's needed to change
> is the belt. We used to live in a more hilly area and lawn care guys
> that would mow slopes put ATV tires on the their machines, no more
> sliding around.
> Mike M
> On 4/26/2014 11:14 PM, Bill Bruer wrote:
> > Charlie, I've been running a Hustler FasTrak for 6 years. The
> FasTrak
> was
> > their "homeowner" line when mine was new. The main difference
> between
> it
> > and the pro mowers at that time was that the FasTrak has an
> integrated
> > pump
> > and motor unit for each rear wheel while the pro series had a
> central
> pump
> > with separate motors. I don't know what is in their current lineup.
> >
> > Mine is only a 44" deck because that is what fits best around and
> between
> > the obstacles in my yard. I got the optional Honda v-twin engine (18
> HP)
> > though I've heard nothing but good about the standard Kawasaki
> engines. I
> > have had absolutely no trouble with the mower. I do my own
> maintenance.
> > The mower has right at 400 hours on it now. I regularly mow about 3
> acres
> > and a few times have used it in some fairly tough stuff that it
> probably
> > wasn't designed for. It tops out about 7 MPH but that's as fast as I
> care
> > to mow.
> >
> > I see mostly Hustlers on the commercial trailers around here. A
> friend
> > who
> > runs a lawn care business in south Florida swears by Exmark. Both
> brands
> > are very similar in design and build; I've even heard some people
> claim
> > they
> > are made by the same company (they aren't). When I was buying the
> local
> > Exmark dealer was just too high on price. I expect my mower to
> outlast
> > me.
> >
> > Bill Bruer
> > Murfreesboro, TN
> > [1]bill_bru at bellsouth.net
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: charlie hill
> > Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2014 1:45 PM
> > To: Antique tractor email discussion group
> > Subject: [AT] Semi-off topic Zero Turn mowers
> >
> > I'd like to hear peoples opinions of different
> > brands of ZTR mowers. I'm not interested in
> > particular brands or what is cool or popular.
> > I'm looking for the most bang for the money
> > in terms price, reliability and serviceability.
> > Cheaper is better but price isn't everything.
> > I don't want a small machine and I don't want a
> > huge one. I do place some importance on speed.
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Charlie
> >
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>
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