TZ owners

Robert_in_NY · Nov 4, 2005

How do you guys like your machines? We are still looking to get a new lawn mower and can buy the TZ 25 thru A plan and tax exempt (3pt and pto make it possible). We would most likely get the 60" mmm also. Pros and Cons of the TZ line?

spencer200 · Nov 4, 2005

I love my TZ18 plenty of power and great to operate, but my opinion my be bias since I sell them to begin with.

Robert_in_NY · Nov 4, 2005

I have been wondering about saving a few bucks and dropping down in size but the way I am I would have to find a use for it somewhere else on the farm also so I don't know if I want to give up too much power. However, I don't see myself using it for much other then mowing a yard as it is too small and light to handle even my empty kicker racks. What size mower do you have on your 18 and how does it handle it? My dealer has two 22's sitting on the lot. One has a 54" and the other a 60" deck.

spencer200 · Nov 5, 2005

The tractor has a 54" deck and a 50" snowblower and handles both with no power loss at all. I can really find no complaints for this model.

SacandagaBrad · Nov 6, 2005

From a HP standpoint, I run the 60" deck on my TC24D through heavy grass at fairly quick pace (usually use high range) and it never bogs down.

Brad

bandit67 · Nov 7, 2005

I think the TZ/Case DXE models make great mowers - I love the quality of cut I get from my 60" mmm. But overall, I'm a bit dissapointed in the build quality of my machine. I've had a handful of minor issues that have been inconveniences that have left me unable to use the machine until either I or the dealer fixed it (anywhere from a few hours to a week), and it always seemed to happen at the worst time.

A number of failed welds on the FEL have been the latest issues. When I take a look at the Kubota BX welds on my neighbor's machine that I also use, I find that the CNH welds seem to be an issue of overall poorer weld quality from the factory. I had to have to the sleeves that hold the bucket pins re-welded after one of the rollback/dump piston sleeves broke away from the bracket on the bucket. The latest issue is the weld on the bracket that connects the bucket hyd. piston to the loader cross bar. Apparently, the strenght of the hyd. piston while rolling back the bucket with a load has started to pull the bracket away from the crossbar. I don't think it's an issue of abuse, as if I were trying to pick up something too heavy, the bucket and loader pistons would not be able to lift/rollback, etc. Since that hasn't been the issue, I can only assume it comes down to the welds. I'm sure I push the machine a bit, but I usually don't push it beyond what it seems to be able to do under it's own power. I have just under 160 hours.

Robert_in_NY · Nov 7, 2005

Thanks, I expect to have a few glitches with a new machine. I will not be getting a loader though as I have two already and all I will use this tractor for is mowing our yard and our apartments. I might use it in the winter to clear some snow but the 1920 is better suited for clearing snow. So what were the mechanical problems you had other then the welds on the loader.

bandit67 · Nov 7, 2005

( So what were the mechanical problems you had other then the welds on the loader. )

A pinched FEL joystick hydraulic coupling o-ring let go and started dumping hyd. fluid at 8 hours late on a Saturday, so machine was down till the following week. Couldn't even turn on the engine to move the tractor without a stream of hyd fluid pouring onto the ground.

Main FEL hyd line wore through after rubbing on foot deck.

Forward/reverse pedals came out of adjustment causing the machine to creep. Greasing the zerks didn't fix it, so dealer had to pull it apart to make the adjustment.

Exhaust pipe weld gave way and broke off the muffler.

PTO slipped out of adjustment, so tilling and mowing were shut down while adjustments were made that didn't take, then the case was cracked open to check the PTO clutches, but it turned out to be nothing more than an external adjustment issue. This took 3 trips to the dealer to get figured out.

At 50 hour service, a CNH part number mixup caused the service dept to put on a larger TC/DX series hyd fluid filter, so when I hooked up the mower deck and lifted it for transport, it crushed the filter, and dumped a couple of gallons of fluid.

The little expansion type split pin that connects the PTO engage lever to the engage switch on the case worked its way out into the new lawn during a tilling operation. I replaced it with a 10 mm machine bolt and nut, which is still holding up. I did get a spare pin in case the machine bolt gives. That seems like a poor design detail.

Then the weld breaks happened. I'm still waiting for the welder to come out, so I haven't been able to do much with it the last few weeks.

Mostly a lot of inconvenience type things. I end up having to borrow the BX22 to get jobs done that I can't finish due to a breakdown on my machine. My dealer sells Kubota, Case, & New Holland, and another local one sells Kubota & New Holland, and both tell me that they sell more of the orange machines by a good margin, but see more of the CNH compact models in the service depts.

RickB · Nov 8, 2005

Robert, if you buy a TZ with MMM for use as a mower, it will do just fine. However I think they are a poor substitute for a tractor. The 3pt geometry is terrible. Without a MMM the hydro cooling fan is exposed to tall grass which will destroy the fan blades. The frame is wimpy; raising an installed loader to height and rocking the bucket side to side will flex the main frame of the "tractor". They are an absolute nightmare to service as compared to any NH compact you choose to name. You can buy the same chassis as an MC Commercial mower with a front mount deck. That was the original design use of the TZ chassis. MC's are decent machines, and there is little temptation to extend an MC's uses far beyond its capabilities as can be done with a TZ. One man's opinion; your mileage may vary.

bandit67 · Nov 9, 2005

( The frame is wimpy; raising an installed loader to height and rocking the bucket side to side will flex the main frame of the "tractor". )

Interesting comments. I've definitely seen that on mine, whereas I haven't seen it so much on a Kubota BX.