Any of you guys own and mow with a Dixie Chopper ZTR???? Mother-in Law has one and she asked me to look at it. The belt that runs from the engine to the deck was broken. I got a new one and put it on. The mower runs fine. I go to try it out and the blades slow way down as soon as you get going in the grass. I tightened the tensioner and it was better but still not right. The blades slow down, not the engine. The speed over ground seems fine when you are moving from point A to point B.
I always heard these things were amazing grass cutting machines. This one seems to bog the blades in grass way too easy. I tried tightening the tensioner more and burned up the new belt. I would have thought that a mower like this would have no problem making 8-12 inch tall grass 4 inch grass but it wont do it. I realize it aint no bush hog but are these things not made to cut thick grass??? I know it is the "fastest" mower made but this one at least is not the most powerful when it comes to grass that's a little long.
Either there is something wrong with this thing or Dixie Chopper aint quite what it's cracked up to be...I don't like John Deere but my 925 ZTR blows this thing out of the water. Any ideas???? Thanks in advance for any info.

I know that "they" say it's the best but?????????

My Hustler will cut anything height wise, but I always cut tall grasses in a couple of passes to prevent clogging the deck and putting stress on the blades/spindles. I also lift the grass chute up so grass clippings can exit easier when doing the tall stuff. You might try cutting that tall stuff at about 3 or 4" at a time and making multiple passes. Are you sure the deck is clean and not clogged up already?

Pete

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Don't tread on me

Sounds like the blades are dull. I'd check there first. Half the "pros" (people who make a living cutting grass) use them around here. Joe

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Behavior Creates Destiny

Thanks for the info guys...after having worked on and using this thing I cannot see how anyone {in their right mind} would call a Dixie Chopper the "best." Personally, I think it is kind of cheesy myself. Like I said, I am not sold on John Deere, but I like a lot more things about mine over this thing. I had a Ferris before and loved it. I think Dixie's claim to fame is it's speed...I can't find anything else.
That said, yes...the deck is clean and the blades are freshly sharpened. The deflector {for lack of a better term} at the opening of the deck chute is completely open. Maybe I am just expecting too much out of the machine...but I have always heard people rave about these things. Come to think of it, the folks I know that rave do not own one!!!

Are you positive belt is put on right. Seen it many times after a belt change.

Straight up answer is no, I am not...and I really want it to be the belt not on correctly, because that would explain a lot. But, I am way more mechanical than the average bear and given the length of the belt and the pulley arrangement, there really doesn't appear to be another way it could go on. I could be wrong though...there is a little belt diagram right there on the deck. The diagram does not match up with the layout of the pulleys. This is strange because there is no other way the pulleys could be and the diagram is factory.
I don't know, maybe I finally got the belt tensioned enough to keep the blades spinning in normal length grass and tried to cut stuff that was too small. Maybe the tension on the belt is really critical...I want to believe it is something I did, stupid or not. I just can't believe all these people swear by these machines yet this one is so sorry. Has to be more to this...thanks for all info so far fellas!!!!

When I was still working for the city we had about 10-12 Dixie Choppers and at any given time at least four of them were in the shop. Often more.
Constant problems with belts usually caused by bent, bad or off center pulleys and blade shafts. With the belts off, check each pulley for slack or roughness in the bearings. Be sure to regularly grease blade spindles. Also check the shaft that the tensioner assembly mounts on. They have a bad habit of working loose or bending the deck where they come through. Check the spring to make sure it provides enough tension. Be sure to check the clutch assembly and pulleys on the engine as well.
Oh and YES! It is entirely possible to put the belt on wrong. The mistake usually comes from routing the deck drive belt through the tensioner assembly the wrong way.

Yep, the Dixie Chopper folks just loved us. We spent a whole lot of money with them on parts.
I assure you, the feeling wasn't mutual.

When I first looked at this machine I did in fact find that the stud the tensioner pivots on was bent. I straightened it and found that the tab the lever to engage the deck mounts to was also bent. So I straightened that too. I might have found the problem...I cannot stand for something to not work right, so I pulled up the factory manuals online. It appears that some idiot switched the tensioner pulleys, so that the Vee pulley is in the front and the flat pulley is in the back...opposite of what the manual shows. I have the new belt and will reverse the pulleys tomorrow. I will post whether or not this was the problem asap. Thanks again for all the info and ideas guys!!!!!

I've got one and won't have another. I'd trade this one off except no one but Dixie chopper will give me any trade value for it. Mine does an excellent job of mowing. The problem is it's not very durable and service at the closest dealer not real great.

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What would Josey Wales do?

I have a very close friend with one of these. He cuts a acre and a half of Bahia with it weekly, and more when it's really rainy season.

It doesn't look like anything special but that JOKER will flat cut some grass. If I'm not mistaken they told him a few years ago when he bought it ....... that the Hydraulic's are strong enough to snap a shaft if he bogged it bad enough. Don't know if that's true but sometimes it looks like a hay field before he can get to it, and it's still going strong.

Dan

This is a 2000 model 17hp that I used 10 years and never replaced a belt. Only threw the drive belt a couple times. It wasn't a bush hog but it was one hell of a lawn mower. My dealer was world class and my mower was just right when I got it and I kept it that way.

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God spelled backwards is dog.

Thanks again for all the posts...sure enough, it was the way the belt was routed and the two idlers switched. I corrected those issues and it works fine. This one is the 6 foot deck model with a 33 HP generac motor. I agree that these are not very tough machines...in fact kind of fragile. Just about everything that could be bent on this thing was. It took me 3 hours of piddling around with this thing to get it right enough to go cut some grass. It is fast and it will cut some grass, but it is not very good on a hill for ZTR, especially one that is as wide as this. I would never buy one and I would never suggest anyone buy one for commercial use, they are just too fragile for anyone but the person who paid for it to use. I will add one more tip...because the speed over ground is higher you have to keep the blades as sharp as possible or it will miss grass stems. Thanks again fellas !!!

Dixie Chopper started the zero turn craze back in 1980. They ruled for 20 years but then Scag, Ferris, Hustler, Bob-Cat, Grasshopper, Gravely, Great Dane, Deere, Toro, Husqvarna, Snapper, Simplicity, et al figured out how to build high quality machines while DC rested on their laurels. Still a good mower but there were better and mid by 2000 DC mowers were kind of hit or miss. My dealer dropped DC about 2007. I understand there is new management and at last years power expo DC was by far the top dog promotion wise. They had about a 5 acre test course and had most of their mowers on hand for demos.

The old mower I had had a 3 gallon gas tank, my Bobcat has 14 gal but the 37hp Kaw uses about twice as much as the 17hp kohler. DC height adjustment was by inserting link of chain into slot on deck foot lift. Awkward and slow, always a good oportunity for a blood blister, too. Bobcat you just put the pin in the hole. Little tires and no padding seat made for a jolt wagon ride. Bobcat has elastomeric seat on spring platform, the footrest platform is on springs and shock absorbing bushings , ride is like a Cadillac compared to old DC. The Dixie Chopper's pto clutch was foot operated mechanical and that was a good thing. Engage it gently and deck belts will last forever compared to the jolt of an electric pto.

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God spelled backwards is dog.