Got my new Husky rider

handirifle · Feb 5, 2015

Monday AM they delivered our new riding mower. It's a Husqvarna GT52XLS with the 24HP Kawasaki motor, and the fabricated deck. All I can say is WOW! Never owned a new rider before, started off with a 10yr old Murray, that lasted me literally ONE DAY. That was $500 well spent. I cobbled it back together many times and got about one year's usage out of it. It was a 20HP side valve B&S, with a 54" cut. I always thought it was very powerful, when it was running.

Finally got to the point I couldn't get half the power from it, and parked it. Got a 15HP Craftsman from a neighbor, and used it for 2 years, and the bearings on ALL the pulleys and spindles crapped out on the deck, so I said heck with this, tired of used crap, so I broke down and bought the husky.

Best move I ever made. Does the job so much faster than either of my mowers ever did, and with the foot operated hydr tranny, it's a breeze to maneuver.

Why did I wait so long.

Here's the new one as the dealer is hauling away the old Murray. He takes parts for several to make one. More hassle than I want.

murphy1244 · Feb 5, 2015

She sure looks purty.:thumbsup:

mddorange · Feb 5, 2015

Nice looking machine. Nice looking grass also. Our grass sure is not green here.

murphy1244 · Feb 5, 2015

mddorange said:
Nice looking machine. Nice looking grass also. Our grass sure is not green here.

Yea really, I ain't seen green grass since I don't know when.

s219 · Feb 5, 2015

Sure looks nice! How do they compare to other brands like Deere? Are they made by Husqvarna, or one of the spinoffs that come from the same factory that cranks out most of the other brands?

Gem99ultra · Feb 6, 2015

I have a similar mower, a GTH26V52LS with the Kaw motor and fabricated deck. yeah, it's a Hoss for sure. Blades are probably 1/4" thick. If you can drive over it, it'll cut it without hesitation.

I'm hoping that it'll hold up like my Husqvarna Rider 155 which is 13 years old and >2500 hours on it even though it does have a skimpy 15hp Kohler motor. Still runs great. The Rider makes a much finer, smoother cut than the GHT, but it won't handle the heavy stuff out away from the yard. I can't say enough good things about that powerful Kaw power plant.

I've had the Big Boy for only 2 seasons and it has only about 80 hours on it. So far, no problems at all. Like the Rider, I do a complete maintenance on it twice a year. That cuts down on problems in the future.

I'm considering switching the drive tires out for some mud grips to navigate the 25-degree banks along my pond. The Husqvarna has plenty of power but on that steep grade it will lose traction.

I hope you enjoy yours as much as I do mine. The Husqvarna quality is definitely worth the bucks.

handirifle · Mar 24, 2015

s219
Not sure honestly. I know this model cannot be had by the big box stores and like Gem99 says, if you can drive over it, it will digest it.

It's not the greatest for traction, especially if wet. A locking diff would be a dream come true for an add on. I am tempted to rig up an axle brake and see if I can apply the brake to the slipping side and cause the other wheel to drive. Might be worth a shot.

As for the grass, we are opposite of you guys here in CA. The winter is our rainy (when we actually GET rain) season and thus the grass and hillside are beautiful. I have mowed 3 times already, about 1.5 weeks apart, and it's about due again. Come the summer it will all be golden brown. The people aren't the only weird thing about CA.

handirifle · Mar 24, 2015

I looked a Kubota's but with only a 48" cut, not a huge difference, and a stamped deck, it seemed sub par. JD's here are too much money. Also the Kubota has a belt tension blade engagement, and only 2 blades. The Husky has 3 blades and an electric PTO clutch, just like an auto AC uses on the compressor.

Nothing else seemed like it was built as heavy.

The Kubota I would like to have is the GR series, but at over $10K it was out of the question. Plus they have had some problems over the years.

I really wanted to sell my Massey Ferguson 1010 tractor, and buy a Kubota BX series, with loader, drag box, and a belly mower. Then it would be diesel, 4x4 and I would have only one vehicle to maintain, but I couldn't find one I liked for under 12K, and I would only get about 4K for the MF1010.

I am very happy with this mower nonetheless.

tk tom · May 22, 2015

The Husqvarna tractors are made by Husqvarna. Dollar for dollar they tend to bring better value and performance over the Deere models. They are engineered against the 100 series Deere's. The GT52XLS is in a league not matched by Deere. It's better and heavier duty than any 1 series, but not quite like an X series mower.

There's nothing wrong with stamped decks. Typically the cut quality and performance is better than a welded/fab deck due to airflow and engineering in shape. Decks using 10ga or heavier metal will be just fine. More important on the deck are the bearings and spindle housings, along with quality of blades. I have tried many aftermarket blades, and while they fit fine and mow fairly well - they do dull seemingly faster and the edges on the lift wings wear out faster as well. OEM parts typically don't cost much more and sometimes less than the aftermarket products available.

Gem99ultra · May 22, 2015

tk tom is right on about the Husqvarna GT52 series mowers.

I did get the fabricated deck, and as expected, it does seem to be inferior to the stamped decks. On the other hand, I mow a lot of rocks, sticks, and bull weed, so the fab deck fits my needs better than the lighter weight stamped deck. Which deck would be a personal choice. So - bottom line: Smooth cut = stamped deck. Rugged heavy duty deck = fabricated deck.

My only 'complaint' is the turf tires that Husqvarna (and others) put on all of their mowers. They are ideal for mowing lawns, but they do lack traction for slopes and mud. My preference is either a knobby tire or an all-terrain tire. I chose to replace the drive tires with all-terrain tires, which totally eliminated the traction problem.

I sure wish they did have locking differential when I bought my GTH26V52LS 4 years ago. However, with the all-terrain tires and the Hydro-Gear transmission, traction is no longer a problem.