[AT] Semi-off topic Zero Turn mowers
charlie hill
charliehill at embarqmail.com
Sun Apr 27 09:58:40 PDT 2014
Thanks Steve.
You make some good points.
Charlie
-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Offiler
Sent: Sunday, April 27, 2014 12:40 PM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: [AT] Semi-off topic Zero Turn mowers
Hey Charlie:
I haven't read this whole thread but I'll jump in anyway. Forgive me if
this input is redundant.
Mine is a Gravely 48XL. Why? This is what my favorite local dealer sells.
Researching, I learned the two critical areas are the hydro units and deck
construction. In short: get serviceable hydro's with spin-on filters. Get
a welded steel, not stamped, deck. That's pretty much all you need to know.
Engine? Yep they all have one. Mine happens to be a 24HP Kawasaki v-twin.
Fine engine. Starts very easily from cold. Emissions or not, it has a real
choke judging from the puff of rich black smoke when it fires. But any
engine that YOU are comfortable with is going to do the job which is why I
boil it down to the deck and the hydro.
I mow about 2 acres and little of it is straight and flat. I have little to
no steep slope and I don't mow if it's wet. It used to take 4 hrs with
either a CC 1812 (44") or my 17HP DR brush mower w/ optional 42" finish
deck. I am down in the 1.5 hour range now.
SO
Sent from my iPhone
> On Apr 27, 2014, at 10:58 AM, "charlie hill" <charliehill at embarqmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> 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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