Too Many Hours for F525?

[Cyclone Jake]

I have been looking for an F525 and found a nearby dealer with one at what appears to be a great price. I have not talked to the dealer yet, nor have I heard it run. It is a 1997 with 915 hours. That seems like a lot, but I have no idea how long these last if maintained. Can anyone let me know what an approximate life is for these mowers?

Thanks

 

[zzvyb6]

I have about 1300 hrs on mine. Its been retired since I went to an F-935. All I ever had to fix on it was a battery (froze in winter) and the pto clutch. I liked the 'nearly zero-turn' ability for cruising around my rows of young pine trees. I hooked up a towed leaf vacuum trailer and sucked leaves and grass clippimgs up without any problems ever. I added a headlight for night mowing.

The only quirky thing that I ran into was the tendency to lose the gas cap when mowing next to the bigger pines along the road. Somehow it got loosened up and fell off several times. Then the pine neeles would get into the tank which requred a tank removal and cleanout. There was half a tree in there!

If you have any steep sidehills, be carefull. The 3 leggers can get up on two wheels and your natural reaction is to grab outboard for the edge of the mower deck.

The Kawasaki gas motor is very strong and starts easily every time. This was one of the first 'zero' turn mowers which had a steering wheel as I recall. Rear sheet plastic hood is often seen with pieces missing because of backing into things. You can get a snowblower for it too as I recall. They are selling on Craigslist in my neck of the woods for about $800 to $1000 with cosmetic issues.

 

[Cyclone Jake]

Thanks for the reply. My dad had one of these for a number of years until he replaced it about five years ago with a zero turn. I am not a big fan of the two lever zero turns and prefer a steering wheel. He never had any major problems with his other than a small leak at the oil drain which he probably caused.

I did drive up to the dealer to take a look at it today. There are some scrapes and scratches, but none of the body panels appear to be broken. The only thing it is missing is the plastic chute for the grass discharge. Normally, I have seen these around here going for between $1000 and $1500, but they are only asking $495 for this one.

 

[chad33]

I added a headlight for night mowing.

Any ideas where I could find a headlight? They don't seem to make them any longer.

Thanks!

 

[zzvyb6]

I bought a single butterfly pattern car driving light at AutoZone and stuck it on the front steering column. I bought the JD switch for it, though. Just knock out one of the headlight location slugs and you are ready to install it.

 

[chad33]

Thanks for your quick response. I am not sure what a butterfly pattern headlamp is. I will pop into AZ and see if they can help. How did you fasten it to the knock out location? Maybe it will make sense, once I know what a butterfly pattern light is.