So what's wrong with an RZT54 KW?

[WSJ]

An update after 14 or so hours:

Mows nicely and is faster than the Deere garden tractor, but only when things are dry. Which so far has been just twice this miserable wet May. When it's wet and the grass and assorted clover, ground ivy, etc., are deep the deck quickly clogs up and fails to move the silage like clumps of clippings very well. Part of it may be deck depth and the other thing is probably the fact that the open arbors that I think asllow good air flow and lift when things aren't gooey simply clog up and stop working per deisgn.

The Deere on the other hand just chugs along and slings out green-chop windrows quite nicely.

The engine is smooth as butter and starts and runs perfectly so far.

It mows well in reverse these days (thanks for insight here).

Everything else is working as it should and no complaints. Arm rests would be nice.

Hope to get a chance to cut several acres with it down in PA in couple weeks, side by side with a friend's Ferris, just for comparison. (This sort of thing used to happen with motorcylcles, cars and trucks but has devolved to tillers, mowing toys, guns, cameras, etc. It's **** to get old . . . .)

-WSJ

 

[warment]

I own a Cub Cadet RZT54 and would like to find out the best way to disable PTO disengagement when traveling in reverse.

 

[WSJ]

sent you a PM

 

[warment]

Thanks!

 

[warment]

I tried unplugging just one side. The blades still cut out. It seemed like they cut out even more frequently. I am gonna try removing the screws on the switches and leaving them dangle with a zip tie next.

It would be nice if CC offered "plug in" bypasses...

 

[warment]

Update...I simply broke off the little metal ears that make contact with the reverse cutoff switches. I love my RZT again! No more reverse disengagement...

 

[wrath]

Old thread resurrect alert.

I purchased one of these this past weekend. They're on sale for $3299 and I had a $100 coupon. Not sure how they can afford to sell them for that. That's the cost of the engine and wheel motors.

For effectively $3400 out the door at the local independent dealer, I couldn't find anything that compared. The Exmark Quest at $4k but a narrower deck that was pseudo-fabricated (sorry, 10-12 gauge steel layered just means you couldn't afford a press to stamp them as far as I'm concerned). The Gravely ZT 54 XL was a nice mower but still had the same parts as the RZT 54 but cost $1k more and certainly isn't a 25% nicer mower. Deere has a couple that have the same parts but bigger tires (so it goes faster).

I don't have any complaints thus far. It's definitely worth a few hundred bucks more than the RZT 50. I have a difficult time believing they're making any money on the RZT 54s.

 

[warment]

I too think that they are one of the best deals out there. Really, so far, my only main complaint is that the rzt 54 doesnt have a foot pedal deck height adjustment...

 

[JTKub]

I don't have any complaints thus far. It's definitely worth a few hundred bucks more than the RZT 50. I have a difficult time believing they're making any money on the RZT 54s.

A great mower for the money for sure!

It is always shocking when you compare the retail price of the parts compared to the cost of the whole machine when bought new.

What would sell me on the RZT54 KW is the better, more serviceable Hydrogear ZT-2800 drives. That's a much needed upgrade.

As much as fabricated decks are nice, they're more of a marketing gimmick on non-commercial/farm grade equipment if you ask me. Other stuff is going to fail upstream of it.

Try to keep that deck from riding on the ground, give it a 'reach-under scrape out' and a blow-off with a leaf blower after each use and that baby will last a looooong time.

Joel

 

[tleggette]

I have the same annoying problem with PTO cutoff in reverse. Will someone email me fix for this.

Thanks