Does anyone have "zero turn regret"?

[DK35vince]

I've owned my Hustler Super Z (72" deck with 35 HP Kawasaki) for 4 years now.
Still impresses me how fast this thing will mow every time I use it.
Mows my 8 acre yard in 2 hours.

 

[Wasmeneh]

I've had an early Hustler rear discharge 52" ZERO TURN and currently have an older rear discharge with anger Toro and a 48" Bobcat. The Bobcat is the simplest to work on I bought them all used and they would,be considered commercial models. The rear discharge is nice Because you can go around things in both directions. I wouldn't buy a Residential model I don't think it would take the beating I give them.

If your land is relatively flat go for it if it's hilly go rent one and see if it works for you.

 

[tcreeley]

I have a Craftsman ZTR. I beat on it. It is fast- handles everything- from rough trails for riding to the lawn. My wife handles it fine (65), just not as speedy as I am.
Much better than the little 24 hp craftsman garden tractor I have for speed and easy use.

 

[Dredwolf]

I am lucky that my local Cub Cadet dealer is less than 5 miles away.
I dropped by there again today to pick up a new set blades for the Hardee rotary mower, and looked at the Z Force LX closer. I thought I wanted a foot pedal deck lift, but apparently the Cub Cadet one is spring-assisted. As I was looking at the spindles and deck linkage, I was raising and lowering a fabricated 54" deck with one hand, in a less than optimal position to apply full strength. And I got to inspect the frame closer, its not the rectangular tube frame like the Husky or Graverly, but its not wimpy either.
And the idea the spindles have grease fittings appeals to me, while the Graverly does not. I am not a stranger to a grease gun.

But I am noticing so far, nobody is saying owning a zero turn was a terrible decision. I got the hang of operating one quickly, and managed to not leave any divots in the yard around the house.

 

[xring100]

I hated the build quality of my Turd Cadet RZT-22. Rear Deck attachments broke and deck fell off around 10 hours. Took 3 months while they re-engineerd the deck to get it fixed. The cut quality was around 0.5 stars out of 4. Deck baffling was non existent and it always blew the grass down between the middle and right blade. Seat frame broke due to high stress concentration and beer can thickness sheet metal. The idler pulley had vibration issues from day one. My rough yard caused cracking at the front axle attachment to frame. Briggs Engine started leaking oil from valve covers. Exhaust had no heat shield if stopped in the grass for more than a few seconds it would burn and kill the grass in a nice rectangular pattern.

Overall it was the biggest disappoint of any piece of equipment I have ever owned. Bought a ZD-1211 and not regretted it. I generally have high expectations for my equipment. I bought the turd cadet with significantly lowered expectations. And it constantly found ways to fail to meet them. Like many people with boats the two best days of ownership were the day I bought the cub and the day I sold that pile of crap for $300

Cub may have been a good brand and one time they may still sell some good models but MTD has ruined another good name in my opinion.

 

[Loadstar]

I have seen in some forums where zero turn owners have even started using lug tires. I had a little slippage on the RZT I borrowed, but I could tell what was happening quick and compensated. I even cut the sides of the graded bowl my older barn sits in, but if its too bad, thats what the LTX-1050 will be kept for.

I run them on mine and would never go back. They hook up and do less damage. Finally talked a buddy into it with a large scag that has a large steep dam to mow. His quote "my god, it's not even the same machine it just hooks and goes"

 

[Dredwolf]

I hated the build quality of my Turd Cadet RZT-22. Rear Deck attachments broke and deck fell off around 10 hours. Took 3 months while they re-engineerd the deck to get it fixed. The cut quality was around 0.5 stars out of 4. Deck baffling was non existent and it always blew the grass down between the middle and right blade. Seat frame broke due to high stress concentration and beer can thickness sheet metal. The idler pulley had vibration issues from day one. My rough yard caused cracking at the front axle attachment to frame. Briggs Engine started leaking oil from valve covers. Exhaust had no heat shield if stopped in the grass for more than a few seconds it would burn and kill the grass in a nice rectangular pattern.

Overall it was the biggest disappoint of any piece of equipment I have ever owned. Bought a ZD-1211 and not regretted it. I generally have high expectations for my equipment. I bought the turd cadet with significantly lowered expectations. And it constantly found ways to fail to meet them. Like many people with boats the two best days of ownership were the day I bought the cub and the day I sold that pile of crap for $300

Cub may have been a good brand and one time they may still sell some good models but MTD has ruined another good name in my opinion.

I understand your feelings towards them, I guess I have been lucky with the LTX-1050. We have put 275 hours on it, and other than rear tubes, a drive belt, a deck belt, two scalping wheels, changing the oil, oil filter and air filter, it's needed little other than fuel. I bought a spare set of blades, sharpen with a flap wheel on a grinder, and change twice a season. The finger/stone guard that broke would have been a pain to pay $40 to replace, but in 45 minutes of fabrication and welding, I repaired and reinforced the broken one.

I would like to have a quality unit, but at this time, my budget says $5K and under. But I will drop by the local dealer and check them out.

 

[xring100]

I understand your feelings towards them, I guess I have been lucky with the LTX-1050. We have put 275 hours on it, and other than rear tubes, a drive belt, a deck belt, two scalping wheels, changing the oil, oil filter and air filter, it's needed little other than fuel. I bought a spare set of blades, sharpen with a flap wheel on a grinder, and change twice a season. The finger/stone guard that broke would have been a pain to pay $40 to replace, but in 45 minutes of fabrication and welding, I repaired and reinforced the broken one.

I would like to have a quality unit, but at this time, my budget says $5K and under. But I will drop by the local dealer and check them out.

Have you looked at any of the hustler or big dog entries. I know several people with versions less than 5k or just above they look to be built fairly well. Gravely makes a pretty nice mower as well. If at all possible i would try to avoid the EZT or lower hydros. The 2800 would be more desirable with serviceable filters

 

[Wasmeneh]

I saw a very nice looking Big Dog at Tractor Supply the other day, looked very well built and was less than $5000. I believe it was a 54" cut.

 

[xring100]

I saw a very nice looking Big Dog at Tractor Supply the other day, looked very well built and was less than $5000. I believe it was a 54" cut.

I think TSC sells bad boy mowers ive seen a lot of people with quality issues with those on this site
Http://www.badboymowers.com

Big dog is made by the same parent company as hustler. Excel industries
Commercial and residential BigDog ZTR zero turn… - BigDog Mower Co.

 

[HillStreet]

Can't say I regret buying the Kubota Z125S but right now I am just a bit PO'd with it. The mower belt came off for the second time in as many months and it is a bit*h to get it back on. First time it came off the engine pulley, this time it came off the idler pulley.

I will try to get the pulley loosened so I can slip it back on behind the snubber. The spring tension is not bad as I use a ratcheting strap attached to the Kubota tractor. The grass was tall so maybe that caused it but what the heck, I will have to slow down when I cut the big stuff.

 

[dragoneggs]

I love my little Kubota Z122 42in cut. I am pretty hard on it even though I don't have a huge amount to mow. Only thing I wish I had is something that could handle steep slopes better. But I can't justify the much higher cost for such a unit when I can tough it out with a walk behind self propelled Honda pusher.

 

[GBHRPS]

dragoneggs,

I have a 46 degree slope in one section of my lawn. Its 25 foot wide and 40 foot tall. I have cut it with my CC Z Force 48 for years, by cutting going straight up the hill, moving over one deck width, and then cutting going down the hill in reverse. It can be done safely, when the grass is absolutely dry, and only when doing so at a slow speed, so that the drive wheels don't bounce and lose traction, which would make for a very interesting and rapid reverse ride down the hill. ROP would help immensely in such a situation. I did the same thing with my JD 175 Hydro for years before I bought the CC.

Gene

 

[Creamer]

I run them on mine and would never go back. They hook up and do less damage. Finally talked a buddy into it with a large scag that has a large steep dam to mow. His quote "my god, it's not even the same machine it just hooks and goes"

I ran two sets of turf tires before I made the jump to AT101s. That machine is now a billy goat - it will hold any hill including ones I do not want to ride on. It will go up it down, sideways, diagonal it does not matter. I am never going back.

As for your wife having a real hard time getting used to the handles - NOT! My wife is as much city and non-mechanical as they come and it took her a couple of minutes and she was very comfortable. She would never go back to a steering wheel.

I personally would never have a mid mount. Commercial guys like them because they take less room up on a trailer but I much prefer a front deck because you can get up next to things without you being in it. It cuts my trimming dramatically - down to almost zero. (I do not like the look of dead around everything.) It also makes easy deck access for cleaning and blade sharpening.

I have a three wheel tractor on it and I am going to get the split wheel kit for the back so I am not bouncing on one little wheel - let it average between two.

For you nothing smaller than a 60" deck. that is what I have an wish I had gotten a 72". The 22 hp Kohler has plenty of power but does seem a bit thirsty.

Mine is a Deines. Not a common brand but they run heavy duty Eaton Hydros that are readily available. They do not have many dealers - they are kind of like a mail order machine and you need to be able to work on them or find someone who will. The advantage is that you are getting a very strong machine for a lot less money and their parts are not special but they are so cheap I usually get them from the factory and have them shipped. For instance I get the #60 chain from them at a lower cost than I can buy it at TSC. I am on the 19th year with it and three years ago I put a blade clutch in it - the first time I ever did anything other than tires and blades and battery. It was only the year before that when i first tightened the deck belt. It is amazingly trouble free, does a nice job cutting and distributing the grass, and is a full commercial type mower for a lot less money.

 

[ruffdog]

My dad's neighbor has a nasty (hill) yard to mow. He had dealers bring out their equipment to try everything out. Some refused to unload the mowers, some crashed through the rock garden below. The best one he found was the CC with the steering wheel and it is the higher end one.

 

[warment]

I currently own a CC RZT 54 with kawasaki 24 hp motor. My opinion is that the deck is probably the crappiest part of the mower. The motor and zt2800 hydros are great. I do regret not getting a zero turn with a foot pedal for deck height adjustment. I currently have 275 hours without any major problem. The deck baffle did have to be replaced...it came loose and struck a blade.

 

[warment]

 

[BukitCase]

Warment, that looks familiar - I have the RZT50 with 22 horse Kawasaki, wish it had a real deck AND real hydros - had I known just how much I prefer doing my yard area in 2 HOURS instead of 2 DAYS I woulda put up with even MORE OT before I retired, and bought a $6-7K machine instead (my ONLY "zero turn regret") -

So now, I beat it to death and resurrect whatever dies, heavier than before - previous deck repair involved reinforcing rings around spindles (posted here when I did it, next time I ordered spindles I was offered MY design for $10 each - guess somebody wanted to pay fer their new plasma table...) Anyway, some of these pics will look familiar to you :laughing:...Steve

(Note in the last pic, the 1/4" thick radiused plate that replaced the "reynolds wrap" "brace" across the mouth of the discharge)

 

[warment]

IMO, it was def worth the extra $$$ to get the Kawasaki and zt2800 hydros with reservoir. Like you, if I could do it over, I would have spent more cash and got something with a fabricated deck. One of my hydros is missing its fins now...I have a replacement fan, but it looks like a pain to replace.

 

[BukitCase]

I have an under-powered 60" Swisher pull-behind mower (13 horse B&S) that has a fabbed deck and (maybe) cast iron spindles, considering grafting THAT onto my RZT 50 when there's not enough "stamped reynolds wrap" left to weld to...

Replaced one of my fans a couple years ago, apparently having sticks thrown up into that area isn't a good plan - IIRC, I had to pull the wheel/hydro/belt to get at it. Still have the "castelated" 3/4 drive socket I made to get enough twist on the belt tensioner to put it back -

Also, I would NOT recommend putting this off - my manual warns to keep the engine at full throttle regardless of travel speed, because the fans are needed for hydro cooling... Steve