Need Advice "Stamped or Fabricated"?

[trum979]

I am thinking about buying a ZG222 ZTR. Would like some thoughts on whether to go with a stamped of fabricated deck. What are the advantages of disadvantages of each? Why is the fabricated $400 more? Better bearings,
heavier gauge, or what? Will it last longer? Is it worth the extra bucks? Would appreciate any and all feedback on this subject. Thanks.

 

[jlsmith]

I am thinking about buying a ZG222 ZTR. Would like some thoughts on whether to go with a stamped of fabricated deck. What are the advantages of disadvantages of each? Why is the fabricated $400 more? Better bearings,
heavier gauge, or what? Will it last longer? Is it worth the extra bucks? Would appreciate any and all feedback on this subject. Thanks.

The fab deck is a heavier and stronger deck that will last longer. Also if you bump into something its not gona dent like the stamped deck will. It will also last long in a sandy lawn better than the stamped.

 

[6thgpSF]

Fab is way better than stamped.best way is for you to go and look at the two and you'll see right away that the fab. deck is built with heavier material,the spindles are better,belts are better etc. russ

 

[OrangeRidge]

Does this have the "re-badged" Kohler gas engine ?

 

[trum979]

From what I can determine, it has a kubota built gas engine. I also looked at the mid grade line of Gravely ZTRs which seem to be substantially built with kawasaki engines. I can get the kubota at 15% off list plus they have reinstated their 60 month 0 % financing on the ZG models. The kubota is about 30% more but I figure it will hold its resale much better.

 

[JJT]

Get the fabricated deck, well worth the $400. I'd also consider upgrading to a diesel unit. More acres/gallon, less maintenance and it will outlast you. I'm very happy with my zd21, it's 5 or 6 years old with 400+ hours. You're going to love the zero turn, it makes mowing fun.

 

[OrangeRidge]

The kubota is about 30% more but I figure it will hold its resale much better.

If you cut for 30 - 40 hrs a year for , say 8 years , the resaleable price
at this age is too difficult to guess . As for diesel engines/price/fuel use :
not worth the $1700 extra , and on an old machine , nobody is
bothered with your engine , only what they can get for a few grand ......
DO GET the correct width deck first time !

 

[whistlepig]

I am thinking about buying a ZG222 ZTR. Would like some thoughts on whether to go with a stamped of fabricated deck. What are the advantages of disadvantages of each? Why is the fabricated $400 more? Better bearings,
heavier gauge, or what? Will it last longer? Is it worth the extra bucks? Would appreciate any and all feedback on this subject. Thanks.

Stamped metal is metal that has been work hardened by the stamping process. It doesn't take much bouncing around on stamped metal before it starts getting stress fractures. I had an all stamped 72" RFM mower once. It started disintegrating at the end of the first season.

 

[trum979]

Thanks for the replies. Most of you just reafirmed what I had sctually been thinking thinking. However here is another thing I am curious about. Their speck sheet shows the ZG 227 as having 27 hp. How do they get 5 more hp out of an engine of the same displacement with the same rpm rating. Just curious!

 

[OrangeRidge]

do they get 5 more hp out of an engine of the same displacement with the same rpm rating.

Different carb . Same as with cars . These are Kohler numbers : ask
if they are the base-model rubbish with non-metal valve train parts .
This engine range is one of the reasons the T series Kubota don't sell.
I'd look at Kawasaki engine equip IMHO . Hustler etc .

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

... they are not Kohlers. These run Kubota engines. They are slowing rolling their own gas engine in and getting rid of the Kohlers with stickers.

 

[OrangeRidge]

Do you have a pdf for this engine ? Kubota JP page doesn't list it ........

 

[Johnbro]

I concur with the HD deck. It's built like a tank. That Kubota ZTR mower, with or without diesel, is a great mower.

 

[trum979]

It just occured to me that, aren't all the mowing decks on the B-BX belly mowers stamped decks? Don't know what gauge steele they are, but they seem to hold up just fine. Just curious!

 

[Kevinc2004]

The 48 in fine cut mid Mount Mower deck on my new BX1860V weighs more than what I want to pick up. I guess 3 to 400 lbs, It has a pto driven gearbox on it.

 

[art]

From what I've seen it is easier to get a stamped deck to cut better then it is a fabricated deck. Wind doesn't like square corners!!!!!

We never had fabricated decks until they started watering lawns in Florida and they needed to get cut all year. The sand that they test the decks on in the winter blasts them clean and leaves the metal with a sandblasted clean look.

Here in the northeast it is rare to find a deck that can't last more then ten years that is stamped unless they are grading the lawn.

 

[mcrimm]

I've had my 222 for 2 seasons and about 50 hours. I have the stamped deck. In fact I've had stamped decks for nearly 30 years on 4 different mowers. I've never had a dent, rust or any failure. My current home has about 2.5 acres of lawn. I can knock it down in about 1.5 hours with a mulch attachment (very good by the way) and my ipod pumping tunes through noise cancelling headphones. As a homeowner, I don't think a fab deck is gonna add any life to my mower - or my pocketbook. The mower is exceptional. It's fast, accurate, bulletproof and just plain fun to run.

Almost as much fun as my Honda s2000..........Just do it

Mike