New 2024 Cub Cadet Ultima ZTXS5 54

[5030]

Total opposite for me. Mowing and taking care of this place is basically a hobby for me. If I didn't enjoy it, would just move back to a suburban lot.

Some hobby...lol I farm and that is my hobby. Lawn care isn't and never will be. Grew up in the city and moved to the sticks and I'll never go back. I dislike concentrations of people anyway.

 

[RjCorazza]

Total opposite for me. Mowing and taking care of this place is basically a hobby for me. If I didn't enjoy it, would just move back to a suburban lot.

I'm the same. I retired 11 years ago and now mow 30+ acres of large residential lawns in the immediate area as a hobby. 4-5 hours a day, 4 days a week and it has paid for all of my equipment (including tractor, commercial diesel mowers, and pole barn).

 

[Runner]

Some hobby...lol I farm and that is my hobby. Lawn care isn't and never will be. Grew up in the city and moved to the sticks and I'll never go back. I dislike concentrations of people anyway.

Reminds me of when I was in college. I attended a "farm college" and many of my classmates were from farms. They all couldn't wait to get away from the farms they grew up on. I remember thinking they were crazy and how much I would have loved living on and working on a family farm. Maybe I'd feel differently if I actually did grow up on a farm, but I doubt it.

 

[Runner]

I mulch the leaves with Gator blades and collect them with the TracVac. Usually, 20-24 loads a season make a 16-yard pile that composts down to maybe 5-6 yards in two years. Then, I use that for top dressing the beds and yard.

Mostly red and white oak trees - big leaves that need to be shredded to compost - used to add 10-10-10 to increase the composting, but now its 20$ a 40Lb bag so dont do this anymore.

My compost pile.

 

[Runner]

I am curious as to what all of you do with the leaves and clippings from the bagger...

I make dirt out of mine. I also put cardboard, kitchen waste and paper into the pile to recycle on-site. I'm not a big tree-hugger, but I figure as long as I'm composting, might as well throw it in....

If you're doing it right, it doesn't smell much at all. My pile is about 300 feet from the house anyway.

 

[Carl_NH]

The big pile is this year then last year next to it which I will use next spring

 

[Runner]

View attachment 2092670

The big pile is this year then last year next to it which I will use next spring

I'll bet there's millions of little microbes having a great big Christmas party in there right now!

 

[Carl_NH]

I'll bet there's millions of little microbes having a great big Christmas party in there right now!

Cold Microbes! It was 3* yesterday and today its a toasty 33* so yes they might wake up as it warms up. I used to tarp the piles and they would get to 140F

 

[Runner]

Not much going on with the CC since fall cleanup. Machine now has 32 hours. Not happy to report that there is still oil dripping off the right front corner of the engine. This is in the general area where the oil fill and drain are located, but I can't find anything that appears to be leaking. The oil just seems to be magically appearing over time on the pan around the corner of the engine, then drips down between the pulleys onto the tie bar between the transmissions, then onto the floor.

I keep drying the area off, hoping to spot where the leak is originating, but so far, no joy. I guess this may just be something I have to live with. I'll just keep a piece of carboard under it when parked...

Are oil leaks a known issue for Kawi 2 cylinder engines or Cub Cadet ZTR's in general? I have a Kawi 1 cylinder on my old JD lawn tractor that has never leaked a drop.

On the rough-ride issue - I tried significantly dropping the tire pressure from what it was delivered with (which was as shown on the sidewalls). I dropped them from 20 in the front to 10 and from 22 in the rear to 15. Test drove and the ride is better, so I will start with that for spring mowing and see how it goes.

I'm thinking I might even drop the rears down to 10 just for fun....

 

[5030]

The Kawalski engines have a push in interference fit dipstick tube than can get loose and leak, especially if you use a motor oil that foams excessively or is probe to hot vaporizing. Running slightly below full will mitigate the issue. What I did with the one on my traded in M50 tank.