Scag vs Bad Boy

[TSO]

I would also agree ... If ride quality over rough terrain is the highest concern, I would think Ferris first. I have a Hustler commercial mower that I'm very happy with, but there are times that I think about what it might be like with the Ferris suspension platform.

That said... Between the two you mentioned, my buddy has a commercial Scag and is very happy with it.

Good luck

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

I drove a Ferris IS2000 and another ZTR without suspension around a rough, bumpy gravel parking lot. The difference was amazing. The ride of the Ferris is in a different league.

For cutting performance, the ICD deck on the Ferris and Snapper Pro (Snapper owns Ferris) is supposed to really good. A lot of pros say the best decks for cutting in any condition, wet or dry, are the Scag Velocity Plus deck and the John Deere 7-Iron Pro (not the Mulch-On-Demand) deck.

 

[gladehound]

I would make sure the one I bought did not have the integrated drive system. Much better with 2 pumps and individual wheel motors. My :2cents:

View attachment 425875

There was a time when transaxles were light duty and separate pumps / motors were the only heavy duty option. But now the largest offering from hydro gear is quite beefy and the parker integrated pump / motors are outstanding. I'm partial to the Parker myself. I think Bad Boy Outlaw XP uses the Hydrogear 5400. This is a far cry from the transaxles in homeowner ZTRs . I don't know which separate pumps / motors Scag uses but I'd be surprised if they weren't good. I wouldn't be too concerned about having a beefy transaxle vs. separate pump / motors.

OP - see if you can demo both units.

 

[TSO]

There was a time when transaxles were light duty and separate pumps / motors were the only heavy duty option. But now the largest offering from hydro gear is quite beefy and the parker integrated pump / motors are outstanding. I'm partial to the Parker myself. I think Bad Boy Outlaw XP uses the Hydrogear 5400. This is a far cry from the transaxles in homeowner ZTRs . I don't know which separate pumps / motors Scag uses but I'd be surprised if they weren't good. I wouldn't be too concerned about having a beefy transaxle vs. separate pump / motors.

OP - see if you can demo both units.

My Z diesel uses Parker, I believe ... But I don't know what advantages or disadvantages that gives me compared to the other options out there. Does anyone know?

 

[coobie]

I drove a Ferris IS2000 and another ZTR without suspension around a rough, bumpy gravel parking lot. The difference was amazing. The ride of the Ferris is in a different league.

For cutting performance, the ICD deck on the Ferris and Snapper Pro (Snapper owns Ferris) is supposed to really good. A lot of pros say the best decks for cutting in any condition, wet or dry, are the Scag Velocity Plus deck and the John Deere 7-Iron Pro (not the Mulch-On-Demand) deck.

Pappy,not to correct you but I thought Briggs & stratton company(Basco)owned ferris,simplicity,snapper and a few others?

 

[Chef Pa]

Pappy,not to correct you but I thought Briggs & stratton company(Basco)owned ferris,simplicity,snapper and a few others?

Not sure about other than Ferris, but they are owned by B&S. Only concern I had when looking at the Ferris was the Kaw motor wasn't available without a very extended lead time, and thought maybe it was a 'fabricated' lead time issue, maybe to sell more B&S engines. Dealer was pretty firm the Kaw lead time was legit, and his service history on the Vanguard Briggs was good. So far, happy with the Briggs, and more than happy overall. Prior to the Ferris I dread cutting grass, and how my back felt afterward; it was downright painful. Not so with the Ferris, think I could mow all day if I had to.

 

[Tomtint]

I own 2 Scags. They are built to last and deliver a nice quality cut. Also own a Walker GHS, that leaves a better looking stripe but is also more needy with maintence. Scag has both Kohler and Kawi options on many of their mowers. If the one you are looking at is available with the Kawi, get that one. We have one of each and the only issues ever, are with the Kohler.

 

[LD1]

You are debating between two very good mowers. My decision would be based on factors other than what the brand is. You need to go with a dealer you are comfortable with, and you need to demo each unit. Controls and ergonomics are different, you have to get one that you are comfortable riding on.

Good comparison is I have a scag wildcat 61" cut. Dad has a very similar bobcat 223. There are things I like better about mine, and things I like better about his. All my controls are on the left side, his are on the right. Just what you are used to. My scag has pretty heavy shocks on the control levers. So they have alot more resistance to moving. His take no effort. Easier on the arms, but more difficult to hold straight IMO. Mine has much wider front wheels. Thats a big plus in soft ground. And probably the largest difference is deck lift. Mine is foot operated, which I like cause I can feather it if ground is uneven. His is hand operated. But by design and mechanical an advantage, Mine is considerably more difficult to lift for a female.

I know these are two completely different mowers than you are looking at, but just giving you an idea of some of the ergo differences. You really need to try out both of them, and make a decision based on that and the dealer, rather than the brand of the machine.

And as far as 61" vs 54" deck. With only 1.5 acres, you should be able to have that done in 30 minutes, which is a reasonable demo time. Mow your whole yard with the 61. IF you have any problem areas or scalping issues, maybe try the 54" model of the other brand the following week. Then bick the brand you liked best, with the deck size you feel does better for YOUR property

 

[Oldgreybear]

After destroying 3 homeowner grade yard tractors and 1 home owner grade ztr in 5 years, I purchased a 61" Scag Cheetah with a rear (not side discharge deck). I now have about 350 hours on it. My yard area is about 8.5 acres with approx 175 plantings on it. I love the scag. I got it for the speed, and the fact it seems better built then the BadBoy + it has rear discharge. This enables me to mow up to plants and such on either side. As for ride, air down to 12 psi and good to go. Yes I considered an air ride seat, but as yet my 70 year old butt has not needed it.

 

[gladehound]

My Z diesel uses Parker, I believe ... But I don't know what advantages or disadvantages that gives me compared to the other options out there. Does anyone know?

Hydro-gear uses and integrated pump / motor / gear set to drive the wheel. A small fast motor spins faster than the wheel and gear reduction is used to get the necessary torque. They make 6 models that I know of from the cheapo transmissions in the home depot ZTRs to light commercial and heavy duty commercial units. I found this really nice illustration of how they work on their web site (see link). I believe hydro-gear started with the cheapo units and later expanded into heavier and heavier duty markets. So there was an initial (and probably correct) perception that you don't want a transaxle and separates are better. Just not sure that holds up anymore.

ZT-5400 Powertrain® Internal Components & Operation

Parker Integrated pump / motor transmissions are exactly that. Think of a separate motor and pump. Get rid of the hoses that connect them and bolt them directly together. Compared the hydro-gear, the motor is larger and spins slower. The motor spins the wheel directly with no gears. Because there are less moving parts, and no hoses adding resistance like with a separate pump / motor set up, these are the most efficient option. In theory, this leaves more power for your deck and saves fuel. In the real world, I don't know if it's a difference you can notice or not. The advantage that you definitely can feel is that they are supper smooth and controllable. They also have fewer leak points than separates.

I think Parker still makes separates as well as do others and I'm sure there are many that are good.