Buying Advice Buying a Zero-Turn Mower

[stoyan79]

I am not aware of better machine at $5K. Puts to shame the TSC Bad Boy for few hundred more.

Wasn't familiar with this model, but after looking at it this does seem like a good one to consider.

 

[stoyan79]

Nope.

FR=residential, lots of plastic parts, would not buy
FS=commercial - decent motor
FX=same as FS, with upgraded air filter

FX - True Commercial Motor - Look at a True Commercial $8k Plus and they have the FX
FR - Commercial but not as high end as FX
FS - A good residential motor

 

[2ndhalf]

Nope.

FR=residential, lots of plastic parts, would not buy
FS=commercial - decent motor
FX=same as FS, with upgraded air filter

Not according to this link.. FR Series Professional-grade power gets personal | Critical Power by Kawasaki Engines

Looks like the FS/FR are the same except FS has dual stage air filter.. everything else is the same.. The FX is the True commercial and that is why you see it on the Hustler super z's, Scags etc.

Though I do agree with one thing you say, the OP should consider snapper also.. seems like a nice mower for the money.

 

[stoyan79]

OK, how about that.

FR = good
FS = better
FX = best

In reality, all 3 are probably very similar, or maybe the same, with the only difference being the air filtration.

Not according to this link.. FR Series Professional-grade power gets personal | Critical Power by Kawasaki Engines

Looks like the FS/FR are the same except FS has dual stage air filter.. everything else is the same.. The FX is the True commercial and that is why you see it on the Hustler super z's, Scags etc.

Though I do agree with one thing you say, the OP should consider snapper also.. seems like a nice mower for the money.

 

[2ndhalf]

OK, how about that.

FR = good
FS = better
FX = best

In reality, all 3 are probably very similar, or maybe the same, with the only difference being the air filtration.

I think from everything I have read, that is right.. I think you would be pretty happy with all of them. You have to pay a lot extra to get a machine with the FX, for a commercial guy might be worth it but not for me.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Which one of those Kawasaki's has the plastic timing gears that fail? OR have they corrected that by now?

SR

 

[2ndhalf]

Which one of those Kawasaki's has the plastic timing gears that fail? OR have they corrected that by now?

SR

Prior to 1998 JD 400 series was putting in a FD Kawasaki that had a plastic came shaft that was failing at around 1000 hours. If that is what your talking about.. they switched to steel in 1998.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Prior to 1998 JD 400 series was putting in a FD Kawasaki that had a plastic came shaft that was failing at around 1000 hours. If that is what your talking about.. they switched to steel in 1998.

Thanks, I knew two guys locally that had failures one at 500 and the other at 600, so that's probably what happened.

I never saw the engines...

SR

Now that I'm thinking about it, the two I know of, weren't "that" old, so ???

 

[aczlan]

Prior to 1998 JD 400 series was putting in a FD Kawasaki that had a plastic came shaft that was failing at around 1000 hours. If that is what your talking about.. they switched to steel in 1998.

We had that with a Exmark Lazer Z (no idea of the year, pretty sure it was early 2000s) which had a 25HP water cooled Kawasaki on it. It was somewhere between 900 and 1200 hours when it failed IIRC.

Aaron Z

 

[stoyan79]

I was told by a dealer that FR has plastic internal parts. FS and FX do not. My Snapper Pro S125XT, which is a true commercial machine, has the FS engine. Many other commercial mowers come with FS engines, only the high end commercial mowers come with FX.

Which one of those Kawasaki's has the plastic timing gears that fail? OR have they corrected that by now?

SR