Movin' on UP!

[MikeA57]

This week I'm buying a 2010 JD Z920A 54" cut, with a Kaw 26 hp mower to replace my 2000 Great Dane Surfer 52" cut with an 18 hp Kohler. I really love the compactness and maneuverability of the Dane, but the only blade adjustment is by adjusting washers on the blades, Also, the engine is now burning oil like crazy (not much smoke, just have to refill the oil every time I pull it out of the shop) and I can tell it's losing compression. I've spent a lot of money the past few years trying to keep this mower running and it's just time to replace it.

The 920 has 142 hrs on it and looks and drives like new. I got to thinking this morning though, "How the heck am I going to get the blades off that tank to sharpen them?" With the Dane it's easy: slide the Jungle Jim Lift under the lip of the deck and pop her up. (The Dane weighs 860 lbs and the Z920 tips the scales at 1263!)

So how do you guys that are running the JD Z900 series remove the blades for sharpening? Also, are there any tips or suggestions I should know about this mower? I'll be cutting 1.6 acres of lawn and occasionally another 1.6 acres of field grass although I've got a tractor and bush hog for that.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[LarryD]

Got an FEL on that tractor?
I've got a Husqvarna ZTR and removing the deck is a real PITA. I just loop a strap under the front of the mower and raise it enough to service the deck / blades from underneath. You won't be lifting the whole 1200lbs. A 4x4 prevents the mower from falling on me.

 

[MikeA57]

No I don't but that's a good idea. Wish I did!

 

[djdicetn]

MikeA57/LarryD

Check out the link below. Best $200 you'll ever spend for your ZTR's. It's calle a mojack and makes removing/replacing blades a snap!!!

Shop MoJack Tractor Lift at Lowes.com

 

[MikeA57]

djdice - Not a bad idea! I'll see how my Jungle Jack does and if I struggle getting the mower up with it I'll probably look into that.

Well, I finally got the new mower home Saturday afternoon and my son and I cut the yard in about 2/3 of the time it usually takes us. Then I took it out to the lot out back and cut "the hill" which is a large pile of dirt about 6-7' high and about 30' diameter that came from dig out of a pond the next door neighbor had done. The owner of the lot then was going to use it for fill when he built his house but he sold the lot to me instead. Cutting that area has always been a pucker moment on the tractor because of the slope on it but the 920 handled it with no problems what so ever. And if we had sharpened the blades before we cut with it, it would have taken a single pass over it I'm sure. As it was, some of the tougher weeds took a couple of times going over them to get them cut. No matter though, I was having FUN!!!

Here's some pix of the old machine and the new one.

I'll get the blades off this week and sharpen them so I'll be able to see how the Jungle Jack works too.

 

[djdicetn]

djdice - Not a bad idea! I'll see how my Jungle Jack does and if I struggle getting the mower up with it I'll probably look into that.

Well, I finally got the new mower home Saturday afternoon and my son and I cut the yard in about 2/3 of the time it usually takes us. Then I took it out to the lot out back and cut "the hill" which is a large pile of dirt about 6-7' high and about 30' diameter that came from dig out of a pond the next door neighbor had done. The owner of the lot then was going to use it for fill when he built his house but he sold the lot to me instead. Cutting that area has always been a pucker moment on the tractor because of the slope on it but the 920 handled it with no problems what so ever. And if we had sharpened the blades before we cut with it, it would have taken a single pass over it I'm sure. As it was, some of the tougher weeds took a couple of times going over them to get them cut. No matter though, I was having FUN!!!

Here's some pix of the old machine and the new one.

I'll get the blades off this week and sharpen them so I'll be able to see how the Jungle Jack works too.

Nice looking machines....I can see how an adjustment would be necessary going from a Stander like the Great Dane to the JD ZTR. Do you mind sharing what you gave for the JD ZTR? I looked at new JD ZTR's last fall when I was looking to buy, but the only ones they had in my price range($6k-$7K) were the Z6XX series and their build, components & features didn't hold a candle to the Gravely Pro-Turn XDZ100 Commercial I purchased.