Recommendations/Warnings - Cub Cadet ZTXS5 Series ZT Mowers

[Mtsoxfan]

I saw Rhino35's post about backs...
I can no longer ride my small JD lawn tractor as all the small bumps in the yard jar the living daylights out of my back, causing pretty decent pain ( for a hour or so) with 20 minute ice time.
Will a zero turn be a significant better ride?

 

[drumminj]

My salesperson wrote me this inside quotation marks, with my comments in parenthesis;

"Buying that suspension seat assembly through parts costs at least half of the price jump to the next size mower (this being from the ZTXS5 to the ZTXS6), so most people who want the suspension seat just buy the 6. The seat upgrade is sold through Cub for $1,100 (you have to buy the seat and suspension assembly as one part). Both the 5 and 6 have the same seat, with the same padding, but the 6 sits on something like this;

https://www.northerntool.com/products/k-m-low-profile-mechanical-seat-suspension-model-6081-23435?cm_mmc=Bing-pla&utm_source=Bing_PLA&utm_medium=Farm + Acreage > Seats > Seat Accessories&utm_campaign=K & M&utm_content=23435&cmpid=53403379&agid=3200075889&tgtid=pla-4576923311672367&prdid=23435&ogmap=SHP|PLA|BING|STND|c|SITEWIDE||Farm Acreage - SC|Farm Acreage - SC||53403379|3200075889&msclkid=4374a32120a81983fbe4c5664e8a8d7b&gclid=4374a32120a81983fbe4c5664e8a8d7b&gclsrc=3p.ds

(If you went to that link you saw a sorta box spring assembly) "You could probably fit the seat on the 5 with something like this and it would get you the same thing for $200 instead."

(For those of us inclined to tinker and take a chance it would work, or who could return the part to Northern Tool if it didn't, the aftermarket mechanical suspension seat would be an economical upgrade.)

That's exactly what I just finished installing, except I got it through Amazon rather than Northern Tool (looks like the same assembly at least).

In retrospect, I should have removed the C-channel part of the seat frame and put the sliding tracks directly on the mower to account for the added height of the suspension assembly. Will have to go back and do that.

Lots of little details to sort out to get it all to fit right -- spacers to make the seat presence sensor fit, swapping the sliding rails so the release lever is out of the way, etc. If anyone else decides to get one of these, reach out and I can save you time/effort/mistakes with some pointers!

Edit: yep, looks better without that c-channel. Attached updated images.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I have to admit, stand on mowers are very easy on your body. Your legs and knees are made for absorbing shock, not your spine directly. They are also more compact. I'm considering one

 

[Rhino35]

That is my understanding as well. This tire size thing mystifies me. CC says the tire size is 23 x 12 x 12. However, looking at the Parts section of the CC web site, they say the rim is a "12 x 9". The tires are listed as Carlisle (now Carlstar) Turfmaster Plus, but Carlstar says the dimension of the tire is 23.9 x 11.5 x 9.5.

The reason I'm even looking at these numbers is because I'm thinking ahead what I might do if I see any traction problems with stock tires. Looking for something knobbier than the stock tires, but not having much luck finding the size.

Thinking of something like this Versa Turf Versa Turf Tire, but in order to get the same actual dimensions as the stock tire, you have to get the one Carlstar lists as 24 x 12R12.

I'm completely confused. Guess I need to just see how the stock tires work and go from there.

Drumminj and Runner and All,

I've really enjoyed this thread. My dealership did not have a ZTXS6 in stock, and a look around other dealerships didn't look promising.

Went to the dealership yesterday and revisited options. My wife went with me. They had a new ZTXS5 in a crate, and one we could sit in, but no ZTXS6 readily available. Wife echoes the guestion posed earlier here...why spend an extra $1,000 for the 6 when we can buy the suspension seat for $180? The salesperson agreed with her practical-minded observation, and said the 5 will last as long as the 6 given our weekly mowing of 4 acres. Like, 20 plus years.

So we pulled the trigger and bought a ZTXS5, like Runner just did, and now you, Drumminj, have figured out how to install the seat on your ZTXS4 (I see it on Amazon too, and will buy it there). This is great news! So when I get the ZTXS5 sometime later this week I'll check the measurements against the seat manufacturers template, and if they're fine (I'm almost positive they will be thanks to you) I'll order the seat.

I would appreciate any detailed instructions you can share - thanks in advance for the offer. I downloaded your photos - if you have more sorta step by step? I am a questionable mechanic, but I'm up for this seat install. I saw the manufacturer's install video, which was good, and a couple of reviewers owning other mower makes said they had to use some PVC pipe, or longer bolts, and some said their seat sensor wire had to be lengthened, to install the seat. I'm hoping you found you didn't need to go to extra lengths with your Ultima ZTXS4 - which I think is essentially the same chassis and seat as the ZTXS4. I'll PM you and hopefully we can compare notes. Or, perhaps post here?

Best,

Rhino35

 

[Runner]

Drumminj and Runner and All,

I've really enjoyed this thread. My dealership did not have a ZTXS6 in stock, and a look around other dealerships didn't look promising.

Went to the dealership yesterday and revisited options. My wife went with me. They had a new ZTXS5 in a crate, and one we could sit in, but no ZTXS6 readily available. Wife echoes the guestion posed earlier here...why spend an extra $1,000 for the 6 when we can buy the suspension seat for $180? The salesperson agreed with her practical-minded observation, and said the 5 will last as long as the 6 given our weekly mowing of 4 acres. Like, 20 plus years.

So we pulled the trigger and bought a ZTXS5, like Runner just did, and now you, Drumminj, have figured out how to install the seat on your ZTXS4 (I see it on Amazon too, and will buy it there). This is great news! So when I get the ZTXS5 sometime later this week I'll check the measurements against the seat manufacturers template, and if they're fine (I'm almost positive they will be thanks to you) I'll order the seat.

I would appreciate any detailed instructions you can share - thanks in advance for the offer. I downloaded your photos - if you have more sorta step by step? I am a questionable mechanic, but I'm up for this seat install. I saw the manufacturer's install video, which was good, and a couple of reviewers owning other mower makes said they had to use some PVC pipe, or longer bolts, and some said their seat sensor wire had to be lengthened, to install the seat. I'm hoping you found you didn't need to go to extra lengths with your Ultima ZTXS4 - which I think is essentially the same chassis and seat as the ZTXS4. I'll PM you and hopefully we can compare notes. Or, perhaps post here?

Best,

Rhino35

Congrats on your purchase! If you don't have any 91 octane gas, you might want to go buy some since that's what the manual says to use. I only had 87 but it still seemed to run OK, but maybe it makes a difference.

I sure hope someone at Cub Cadet is watching this forum...

On the suspension seat deal, I haven't looked real close at it, but seems like it would have been a good idea to have spaced the two springs apart, rather than together right in the middle. That way, the seat wiring could go straight down and people wouldn't have to mess with the wiring or add spacers under the seat. That surely must be a problem with other brands too, besides CC.

Maybe there's no good way to do that within the space allowed. Just armchair quarterbacking....

 

[drumminj]

On the suspension seat deal, I haven't looked real close at it, but seems like it would have been a good idea to have spaced the two springs spaced apart, rather than together right in the middle. That way, the seat wiring could go straight down and people wouldn't have to mess with the wiring or add spacers under the seat. That surely must be a problem with other brands too, besides CC.

Maybe there's no good way to do that within the space allowed. Just armchair quarterbacking....

This is a factor, and yes would have been nice. Not sure why it's built how it is, but presumably there's a reason

Oddly, I just found a part on cub cadet's website that is a "seat suspension kit". Honestly looks like the same product: Seat Suspension Kit - 590-583-150 | Cub Cadet US

 

[Rhino35]

This is a factor, and yes would have been nice. Not sure why it's built how it is, but presumably there's a reason

Oddly, I just found a part on cub cadet's website that is a "seat suspension kit". Honestly looks like the same product: Seat Suspension Kit - 590-583-150 | Cub Cadet US

Does look like the same product. $70 more, and I think it said out of stock.

 

[2manyrocks]

I saw Rhino35's post about backs...
I can no longer ride my small JD lawn tractor as all the small bumps in the yard jar the living daylights out of my back, causing pretty decent pain ( for a hour or so) with 20 minute ice time.
Will a zero turn be a significant better ride?

I don't think there is that much difference in the ride between the riders and ZTRs I have owned. My Dixon ZTR came with a better seat OEM than the others.

One thing you might try is to upgrade your seat and see if that helps. I changed out the OEM seat on my Yanmar tractor and that really helped my back.

If a seat or suspension upgrade makes it more comfortable to mow for the next 10 summers, that seems like a pretty good investment.

 

[Runner]

I guess it might also be worth trying the "old Indian" tractor trick of just airing down the tires a little too. I still haven't even checked the tire pressure in mine, just kicked the tires and lit the fires....

 

[drumminj]

I guess it might also be worth trying the "old Indian" tractor trick of just airing down the tires a little too. I still haven't even checked the tire pressure in mine, just kicked the tires and lit the fires....

I aired mine down -- the dealer delivered them filled over spec. Didn't really notice a difference after, but I just lowered it down to spec, vs "airing down"