ZTR recommendations?

[Pks]

Ipwanab,

If you get sick of the bone jarring ride of the Scag, try a Hustler Super Z with a 66 width. I tried both the Wildcat and Super Z 60in on the lawn at a local dealership. The Huster's ride was silky smooth compared to the Scag. I have a spine problem and that Scag felt like it was going to cause some problems. That was the chief reason I'm buying the Hustler.

I did note the tire pressures were about the same on the two machines. The Wildcat just bounced a lot more and those bounces were hard. I drove the same path with the Super Z and it didn't bounce. The front wheels stayed on the grass (not so with the Wildcat). It might be that the Scags have a weight bias that make them light in the front. It's a guess. But I do know the front wheels on the Wildcat came off the ground where as the Hustler's wheels did not.

I then demoed the Super Z at my house and again it was smooth. My wife had a great first experience with it too. I chose the Hustler Super Z.

Maybe you could arrainge a trade with your dealer or at least a test drive of a Hustler.

 

[art]

To talk of ride the tires air pressure is important the same as having a roperly adjusted suspension if so equipped as well as the quality of the seat!

 

[wushaw]

ya i agree, i was really worried about that exact thing after reading some comments in other forums about ztr's and hills. I found my to plant firmly and mow great. K turns are the key along with the tire pressure to keep from rutting up a yard also if it you get stuck your stuck, at 1700 lbs its not something easy to push out. I have used a come a long once and my b3030 3 times to pull me out. the rain just wont quit around here and a ztr isnt the best choice for a wet lawn.

great mower i also have the 326 pro and it makes me alot of money and its so easy to change the blades on and clean the deck.

I just had to laugh when I read this....I stuck my 322D Grasshopper when I got too close to my back pond edge last week....that's twice now that I've used my Jeep to pull a lawnmower or tractor away from the edge of the pond....I am waiting for the day I will be pulling something out of the pond itself

 

[Dargo]

I am waiting for the day I will be pulling something out of the pond itself

My wife has pictures of me doing exactly that.

 

[HeyNow]

I mow around a 3 acre pond with my Scag Tiger Cub. It's new, I'm new to ZTR's and have used it several times now. It was a little hairy at first, I just slowed down and stayed away from the edge of the pond. I also mow around the exit stream.

During a recent outing it happened....I felt the tires giving way and tried to do a 180 to get out of the soft spot. When I did I slide sideways headed for the stream bed, about a 3 foot drop off. I had my seat belt on and my ROPS up....as with many other "accidents" it always seems to happen in slow motion... I thought to myself..."well, let's see how good the ROPS and seat belt are going to work, because I KNEW I was headed for the stream bed sideways....Off I went....when I came to rest the mower deck saved me from turning over......

I popped the seat belt climbed out and then went and changed my underwear before getting my JD tractor and pulled it out. No damage cept my wife kept giving me that "look"...you all know the one....(what a dumb ar$$).

Go slow and expect the worst! Leason learned. I have had to pull my Tiger Cub off the soft bank around the pond several times. I just chuckle now....

 

[coobie]

I just had to laugh when I read this....I stuck my 322D Grasshopper when I got too close to my back pond edge last week....that's twice now that I've used my Jeep to pull a lawnmower or tractor away from the edge of the pond....I am waiting for the day I will be pulling something out of the pond itself

DITTO on this,When I had my ferris ZTR I also stuck it good by my pond,nothing the old dodge cummins diesel could not get out.LOL.I would hate to stick this new kubota 326 in the same spot.coobie

 

[firemanpat2910]

has anyone tried the older snapper zturn with the single joy stick control lever? my old boss had one and it was great, but I have not seen any more like it. He bought it new back in around 97 or 98. He has passed away since so I cant get the exact year or model # but I remember how easy it was to drive it and you only needed 1 hand

 

[workinallthetime]

even if the zd326 is heavier than the competition i think its a solid unit, and how much more does it weigh than another diesel zero? the guy at the dealer told me that the ferris was around 2000lbs for a diesel unit. I think the weight is as much a bad thing as it is a good thing. not good for wet soil / great for slopes due to heavy and low center of gravity. the ride really isnt that bad to me and i mow some pretty rough yards with it, with the adjustable tension on the seat and 10-12 lbs of air in the tires its really not that bad unless im mowing full bore and hit a section of lawn whoops. This is a commercial unit and not a residental mower. i think if i remember right the ferris uses a kubota diesel and so does the old toro.
happy mpwing all, it hasnt stoped raining for a month here

 

[Buster57]

"Incidently these things will cut on a slope that would turn a tractor over with out slipping a tire"

The JD-717A had real problems on a hill. I have never been on a Scag but I plan to see if it as good on a hill as you say it is.
I will try one out this Saturday.
Thanks.

 

[coobie]

even if the zd326 is heavier than the competition i think its a solid unit, and how much more does it weigh than another diesel zero? the guy at the dealer told me that the ferris was around 2000lbs for a diesel unit. I think the weight is as much a bad thing as it is a good thing. not good for wet soil / great for slopes due to heavy and low center of gravity. the ride really isnt that bad to me and i mow some pretty rough yards with it, with the adjustable tension on the seat and 10-12 lbs of air in the tires its really not that bad unless im mowing full bore and hit a section of lawn whoops. This is a commercial unit and not a residental mower. i think if i remember right the ferris uses a kubota diesel and so does the old toro.
happy mpwing all, it hasnt stoped raining for a month here

A comparable 2007 ferris ZTR I looked at had the 33 hp.Cat.diesel in it.What turned my away from the ferris was it was $3,000 bucks more the the kubota 326 pro