Ok sorry, back on topic......
Jan did the yard and one pasture last week between thunderstorms - finished in ~4.2 hrs and used ~1/2 tank (~3.2 gal) off-road diesel ($2.65/gal). The x540/54 would have taken at least 6 hrs, and used ~1 1/2 tanks (~7.5 gal) regular gas ($2.79/gal). She's very pleased with the x748's lack of vibration and smooth ride - the air seat and big tires really help out on neck & back strain.
Jan's comments: hydro pedals VERY stiff ('course we're spoiled by the 4720 e-Hydro), and it's BIG - taking some practice to get in & out of the barn. Otherwise, maneuverable, tight-turning, quiet, and she didn't have to mess with stopping to refill the tank (diesel smell on the hands might be a future complaint....
)
Got my turn yesterday.....
After outwitting the seat interlock and RIO, spent ~2.5 hrs & ~1/3 tank off-road fuel along our gravel road plowing through weeds on steep, rough ditch slopes. Mowed these ditches a few times with the 4720/MX-5 - the slope tilt factor is
really scary, and I didn't feel comfortable doing it again. The x748/62c took it down, all 18" - 32" tall of it, but needed two passes - deck lift up and then at normal 3" cut. Yeah I know, this is more than the Yanmar & mower are designed to handle - it labored a few times and engine temp crept up, but slowing down and backing up occasionally to clear grass out the chute helped. The cut ended up clean and uniform (for a ditch). The x748 was a breeze here - never felt any hint of instability, and was easy to shift weight uphill, though the armrest brackets poked the back a lot. AWD and the HDAP tires maintained traction at all travel orientations uphill, downhill, diagonally cross-slope. Did notice when starting up from stopped in a hole or with the front turned sharp to either side, the hydro surged a bit and seemed to hesitate to get moving (again, used to the 4720 MFWD that won't stop for anything). The x540/54 was a good machine, but couldn't do this job, even with shorter grass/weeds - it hung up repeatedly on ruts and had trouble with the steeper side-slopes, even with the diff locked.
Next ran the fence perimeters to clear weeds and grass from the lower wires. The x748/62c was great here - low deck profile, sharp turning radius and extended cut out to the very edge of the left side let me get under the low bottom wire without snagging anything. Even loaded up some fence tools and drove down to hook up the temp cow electric - my own one-person Gator!
My comments: hydro pedals ARE very stiff - like leg-cramping stiff. Have to look into if maybe there's a spring adjustment or something. Seems a perfect application for e-Hydro - too expensive probably, but this is a premium machine, and the pedal force is really annoying. Hydro pedals are too close together - my boots hang up between forward & reverse. The radiator air intake screens are low, at the base of the steering/engine cowl, so they get clogged up with grass real fast - easy enough to just brush off by hand, and the temp gauge tells you when you need to, but not the best arrangement.
Now, please don't think I'm a zealot here......I'll report any and all shortcomings as they come up. So far though, the 748SE's supremely comfortable ergonomically, fuel efficient, quiet, and does exactly the jobs we need it to do in superb fashion.
