Bought a Z-Force 44"..

[JTKub]

Good luck with your new mower...just say'en it looks a lot bigger than a 44" cut. I can't drive anything without a cup holder.

You're right. It almost seems like a 48" with a 44" sticker slapped on it, but is seems real similar width of cut wise to my 2544. It's got a big'ol cup holder too, the "fake" gas tank to the left is actually a storage pod. It's basically an open rectangular bin with a cup holder recess to the front.

Joel

 

[micman32]

That's one sweet ride Joel! You'll have it figured out in no time!

Michael

 

[JTKub]

You know it figures. It's rained every day since I got the darn thing. Quite a bit of rain too.

Joel

 

[JTKub]

The rain let up and I was able to mow for the second time with the Z-Force yesterday. Aside from the excruciatingly loud roar from this fabricated steel 44" I also found out large lawn surface irregularities can cause the deck height adjuster to lock itself in the fully upright position. Any time the deck moves up/down, the foot pedal adjuster moves along with it. Not a good design IMO. I found somewhat of a work around by raising my cutting height a bit, it won't 'ride' as much. In regards to the roar from the deck, the noise seems to resonate through the steel of the machine. Earplugs aren't enough for me. I need some quality muffs for this sucker. My other problem is the tailpipe on the exhaust vibrated itself loose! The darn thing is only held onto the muffler by two small sheet metal screws. The screws won't hold anymore. Whadda MTD design . I'm not sure which way to attack this exhaust issue. There's no way I'm taking the whole machine back to the dealer for this. I may bring them the tailpipe, explain the situation and see what they'll do. I'll remove the muffler from the machine and have them weld the tailpipe back on if need be.

Joel

 

[JTKub]

I stopped into the dealer today with my exhaust pipe in hand and explained the situation to them. They really didn't have any clue what to do. The woman behind the counter popped up the on-line parts diagram and looked for any service bulletins, but of course their aren't any. She suggested maybe they could weld it, but the owner quickly walked by and chimed in with "No.. we can't weld that... Don't have the right welder" (guy's a real Richard Cranium BTW). I suggested notching the pipe and clamping it onto the muffler. She nodded and walked back to talk to the mechanic and he agreed that's the best option. Thing is, I'd have to remove the muffler, take it in and leave it with them for a few days. Heck with that. I'll fix it myself as I normally do. Have I told you how much I really don't like dealerships? They had very little interest in making this right for me. This is a high volume, high sales place on top of that. I noticed the "Tank" series ZTR they had on the floor had the same exhaust system as my Z-Force and the tailpipe on the Tank flopped like a wet noodle just like mine. Unreal.

 

[Alan L.]

Rather than weld a part that is supposed to be replaceable, it it were me I would make the dealer fix it even if they have to put a new engine on it to do it. Then they will suddenly find a solution.

 

[JTKub]

I hear you Alan. If it were the off season, I'd consider that. I just can't be without the machine for 2 weeks for such a minor issue. I wound up taking my 4-1/2" angle grinder with an 1/8" cut-off wheel and cut a slit in the pipe, then clamped it onto the muffler with a stainless steel hose clamp. It clamped down nice and tight and looks good. 100% better than how it came. I've got about 5hrs on it so far. I'll do my first oil change after the next use.

Joel

 

[EuropaChris]

Nice unit, Joel! I hope you get as good of service from it as your 2544. I'm amazed, though, at the "MTD-isms" that actually make it into production (your tailpipe). I'd look at that design and reject it immediately as completely deficient. Not to be prejudiced, but I'm sure MTD employs some "cut-rate" engineering staff who have probably never driven a lawnmower or worked on any sort of mechanical equipment. They just don't understand how stuff goes together or stays together when put into a complete system.

My neighbor almost (ALMOST!!!) sucked me in on his Ferris ZTR - a 1500 series I believe - not sure on the deck size but 48" seems right and Kawasaki engine. He bought it for a mowing job that fell through and now just uses it to mow his 1 acre yard. He was looking to sell it and get something cheaper. It's a beautiful unit and really smokes across his yard. But it sure is easy to tell when he's mowing because that thing really winds up. But I just like my "tractor" too much - it's not about getting done fast.

chris

 

[JTKub]

..But I just like my "tractor" too much - it's not about getting done fast.

chris

I hear you Chris. The ground speed of a ZTR isn't a factor for me because of my property. I can go full bore in some areas, but it's only a few swipes. Although you can't tell by looking at it, the majority of my lawn is hard packed topsoil that is very bumpy, so I've got to go slow or it just beats up me and the machine. The seat and seat suspension is awesome on the Z-Force, as is the pivoting front axle, but it does ride rougher to a slight degree than the 2544 did. I've used lawn rollers, but need a SERIOUS roller or a lot of other work to smooth things out. I'm thinking of trying a plug aerator to loosen things up, then roll some time. The cool thing with the ZTR for me is the maneuverability and the fact you can mow any pattern or direction you want. They are simpler to work on as well. Easy access to everything. I dunno that I'd recommend one to anyone with rough country property though.

Joel

 

[billsranch]

Hi Joel, just wondering about the deck height control. You mention the foot pedal moves up/down with the terrain. With my CC 1864 tractor I am used to adjusting the deck height on the go, depending on the grass. Can the z-force deck height be changed on the go? If not can you see a work around for this?
Bill.