Husqvarna R322T AWD mower. Any Good? Got one?

[SandyMushFarms]

I've been using the flail deck to mulch the tall (12") dead grass around my windbreak trees. Today I'll put the 48" side discharge mowing deck back on for the first lawn cutting of the season. Looking forward to it.

One tip I learned last year. Keep an extra deck belt on hand. After a lot of flail cutting last year, the belt got pretty stretched out. Because there aren't many of these machines out there, the local dealer only had one on hand. I got lucky.

I just ordered a spare belt (HUS 535411901) from PartsTree.com. My dealer didn't have one on hand. There are other Husky parts dealers on the web. I'm not sure if the one I ordered is the best price, but at least I'll have a spare.

 

[eric5899]

Thanks for getting that part number posted for future reference. I did a quick search online and prices were $26-35. I think it was about $35 at my local dealer. I did find this reference on one parts site. P/N: 5354119-01, 535411901; 5354119-01 has been discontinued by Husqvarna; 5354119-01 has been replaced by 5850345-01. I still found the original part number listed on the other sites.

 

[eric5899]

If anyone needs to find a part number, there are a few websites with the diagrams available. Here is one: Parts and Diagrams for Husqvarna R322T AWD - 966785801 (2012-03)

 

[ten87]

My R322T AWD was delivered last Monday, and I had a chance to put it through its paces on Saturday. We just moved, and our yard has a large detention basin and some pretty steep hills to mow. I researched the best mower for the job and ended up deciding on the Husqvarna because of the AWD system, and because the next step up with AWD was almost twice the price. It took me a while to come up with a solution that worked well, and the grass was a little higher than I wanted it to be (took two weeks to get the mower in at my local dealer.) There were a few tense moments, including one where I felt the mower start to tip, quickly activating the extended leg anti-roll system! Because there is no flat area at the top of the banks of the detention basin, I quickly realized I cant turn around and mow back down. I had to back down to take another pass. Eventually I will do some excavating and create a less steep turn around area at the top of the hills which should make things easier. It does walk right up the hills, though, and I never felt like I was going to loose control going down hills, because the AWD system effectively gives you brakes on all four wheels! The engine was working hard going up the hills, but the grass was long and slowing me down. It also seemed to run better after I filled it up with non-ethanol gas. I'm sure the dealer put in regular junk. Hopefully it will be easier next time, because I have the technique worked out, and I won't let the grass get as long. My only complaint is that I wish the track was a little wider, so it would be more stable. Other than that, it's a blast to drive! I'm hoping this thing holds up for a few years. I know this is a tough lawn to mow, but I'm not ready to go to a compact tractor...I just can't afford it, not even used! If the hills prove too much for it, I'll probably investigate a robot mower and/or lots more ground cover!

 

[anrbob]

I finally got my R322T with a 48-inch side discharge deck the other day. After having a heck of a time getting the drive belt on, I was able to get in my first mow.

PROS: It can handle my hill with ease. I was even able to mow a circle around a small tree that is located on the steepest side of the hill (I know, not the smartest thing to do, but I wanted to put it through as much as possible to see what it can do). It does tend to slow down a bit going uphill on the steepest portions, but that is fine with me. Also, I was able to run the mower parallel with the hill. There is definitely some leaning, but I never felt too uncomfortable and it felt much more stable than a garden tractor. Going downhill is fine, just some getting used to (slow and steady wins the race).

I will have to figure out how to properly adjust the deck, but the initial cut was still very nice. I even had some professional landscapers (mowing the neighbor’s house) tell me that my mower was very interesting and the cut looked awesome. It only bogged once when I tried to run over a massive clump of clippings.

Cutting around trees and tighter areas is great. I can see where I want to go and as long as I take it a slow, I can get around almost anything I want. I am able to get to areas I know a ZTR or a garden tractor would never be able to get.

I love the fact that can have the mower blades still run when going in reverse.

CONS: Nothing too big, but going in reverse with an articulating AWD mower is definitely taking some time to learn. This issue isn’t bad for a simple back-up on the ground, but when I am trying to come off a trailer with a steep ramp, it’s almost like trying to direct a go cart with a trailer attached.

Another thing is the lack of power steering. I have absolutely no problem with it (since it as AWD, it sometimes feels like I do have power steering), but I can see it maybe being a problem for some.

The owner’s manual is very vague about some aspects, like putting the drive belt on. After some searching, I managed to download an exploded-view parts list off the Husqvarna website since the manual didn’t come with one.

The cutting height adjustment has a scale of 1-10, but it is not in any defined measurement like inches or centimeters. It’s a guessing game as to how high you are cutting.

My first cut; while learning all the controls and figuring out the lay of my land, it took me about 1.5 to 2 hours for my 1.1 hilly, bumpy, obstacle filled, high grass lot. I am sure after a few more mows I will be able to get it around an hour or under.

So far, I am pretty pleased with my purchase. I have yet to use the flip deck option due to the belt was so hard to get on. Hopefully, over time, the belt will loosen up and I can start cleaning out the deck with some ease.

 

[eric5899]

My belt goes on/comes off pretty easily once I remove tension on the pulley. I switch between decks throughout the season. Side discharge/flail.

 

[anrbob]

My belt goes on/comes off pretty easily once I remove tension on the pulley. I switch between decks throughout the season. Side discharge/flail.

When I got mine, the belt seemed to be too short. We no tensioner on it, the belt looked like it was about an inch short. I called up the dealer where I bought it and the tech there said he was used to this issue and you had to just play with the belt to get it on. He said after a while the belt would loosen up. I had to hand feed it around the deck pulley with a screwdriver and spun the blade. How can you remove the tension from the pulley (an not just the little cord tensioner)?

 

[eric5899]

When I got mine, the belt seemed to be too short. We no tensioner on it, the belt looked like it was about an inch short. I called up the dealer where I bought it and the tech there said he was used to this issue and you had to just play with the belt to get it on. He said after a while the belt would loosen up. I had to hand feed it around the deck pulley with a screwdriver and spun the blade. How can you remove the tension from the pulley (an not just the little cord tensioner)?

I did have my flail deck on the new belt first so it is possible the flail stretched the belt enough to let it go on the side discharge deck pulley easier. I can take it on/off the front pulley with two fingers once tension is off. Here are some things I made note of. You've probably already seen them but I might as well document for future reference for new visitors:
*There is a wire loop on the front of the spring the little tensioner cable connects to. Once the cable had slid around to the back of that loop while tension was off and it made the tensioner cable very tight when I dropped the cable end into it's slot. That tension would be passed on to the belt through the pulley.
*I tried to take the belt on/off with the deck in the lowered position. That also increased the tension.
*There is a chain (similar to a bike chain) that raises/lowers the deck. Mine has an extra link or two hanging down near the belt path. When raising/lowering the deck and working with the belt, I have had the belt end up on the wrong side of that link. That would also add additional tension on the belt. Probably heat up the belt too.
I couldn't see anything else that would change the belt tension if those items are already okay.

 

[DHD]

eric5899
I have been thinking about getting a flail mower for my Rider 322T,
but I have a few questions about the flail mower that I thought you might be able to answer for me, if you don't mind.

1. )What cutting height will the flail mower adjust to ?
2.) Have you replaced or sharpened any blades on your flail mower yet ?
3.) I understand on larger flail mowers there is an issue of proper balance, to insure fewer vibrations.
Have you encountered any need to balance your flail mower ?
4.) What is the largest diameter bush that you've cut with your flail mower ?
I've read one user cut bushes up to 1-1/2" diameter.
How would you cut bushes this big ? Would you just push these large bushes over with the flail mower so they lay flat and cut them ?

thank you

 

[eric5899]

1. I think the height range is about 1-3" using combinations of the washers/bushings on the front wheel vertical shafts. That is with the deck sitting on its wheels and no lift coming from the numbered deck height adjustment. It's a heavy deck so I don't try to use the deck height adjustment to mow with it off the ground. With the deck height lever set at 3, there is no pressure on the lifting rod. I have mine cutting at 2" and will attach a photo.
2. I haven't touched the flail blades yet. I've probably got 10 hours on it but it's still cutting well.
3. I have not.
4. I've cut up to 1" diameter annual weeds but for woody plants that large, I use my bush hog rotary mower. For hemlock, pigweed, ragweed, even volunteer corn it works great because it can mulch green plants. For woody plants (like any apple tree pruned limbs I missed on the ground), it basically skins them rather than chopping them up so each pass they get a little smaller.

Hope that helps!