Zero Turn Mower advice

[TOM BECKWITH]

I have decided I need(????) a zero turn mower. The two I am seriously considering are:

SCAG Freedom Z Pro 52" with a Kawasaki FS691 23 HP V-twin 835# 3yr 500hr

Hustler Fastrack 54" with Kawasaki FR730 24 HP V-twin 860# 4yr 400hr

Would appreciate any PROs or Cons on either. Selection based on service availability and talking with lawn folks (but often as prejudice as pickup guys - Ford, Chev., and Dodge)

I do cut about 4.5 acres of rolling yard.

 

[G-Mac]

Ferris are pretty popular around here with the commercial guys. They're made in Munnsville, N.Y. Briggs and Stratton now owns Ferris. Neighbor just bought a brand new 37HP Ferris for home use....that thing RIPS!!!!!

 

[doublesharp]

Both good but I'd take the Hustler, all other things being equal. Hustler Hydrogear 3100 transmission is a step up from the Scag's Hydrogear 2800 but both are serviceable. Stay away from the basic Hydrogear EZT trans. It is a throwaway but still rated at 1000 hours if I'm remembering correct. 2" bigger cutting deck, bigger drive tires, a little more power and the steering stick brake is a very handy feature I wish my Bob-Cat had.

Hustler (Excel mfg) started the zero turn mower craze back in the 1960s and make some of the best mowers in the business. Dane Scag wasn't far behind and Scag mowers are some of the best in the business. I don't think you'd be disappointed in either but you'll be glad you bought the Hustler every time you change the mowers cutting height. Hustler has the easiest, most user friendly system I've ever seen.

Ferris is a dandy mower and they are gaining market share all the time.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

I'd go with SCAG. I mean what a great name

 

[Oldiron]

I don't own one but I have fixed my youngest son's cub a couple of times and a couple of Toros for GS camps. Since the engines are all pretty much the same my suggestion is to make sure you buy one that has the fabricated deck. The stamped ones just don't have enough metal. Problems seem to be belts, blades and folded up/ripped out metal in the decks. My $.02 Larry

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I mowed about 3+ acres with a different brand 50" cut with a 23 HP Kawasaki, change oil at 20 hours and very 50 after that. Grease the zerks fittings at the beginning of the season and run trouble free! Mine did not have a seat belt, I wish it did, I saw mounting slots bot not a listed accessory. I found a 48" trash grabber at Home Depot last year and mounted clips to hold it in place, It made getting junk, sticks and paper out of the way so much easier than the stand 36" grabber. (Also handy for picking up your hat when a limb knocks it off). I let others talk about brands that I know nothing about. :0 Ivan

 

[psjoe]

Hi-
I have been running commercial mowers for 15 years on my lawn just because I like them. First was a 52" Ferris, now I run a 2010 61" BobCat ProCat.
Here are some things to consider:
- Both of the machines you listed are homeowner grade not commercial, even though they are marked as PRO.
- With 4.5 acres you should consider a larger deck. At the dealer the 61" will look huge but out on your lawn it will seem just right.
- Any of the big name commercial brands are good. Concentrate on the engine and transaxle and you will get a good mower. For engines any Kawasaki with the external canister air filter is usually an indication of a commercial grade unit. For the transaxle separate pumps and wheel motors, not unitized, was the indication for full commercial. However Parker makes a commercial unitized unit as does hydrogear (zt5400) - I am not well versed on the unitized units so I would research them to see how they have held out. (but separate pump and wheel motor is still the gold standard)
- lawnsite.com is a good place to research.
- Full commercial mowers will hold their value.
- Don't be afraid of used machines once you know what you are looking for. Many can be found on craigslist. Good to buy from another homeowner not commercial operator.
- Good luck and have fun, they are fun to run.

 

[Faulkner]

I just bought a Kubota Z-Series with 54 inch deck with 27hp Kubota engine and HST with shaft drive. I wanted one that would last 20+ years.

 

[doublesharp]

We've got much in common, psjoe. I bought my first ztr in 2000, a 50" Dixie Chopper, kept it about 10 years and then Grasshopper came out with a budget commercial mower mod 226V that had more creature comforts than the DC. I bought one of the first ones off the line and it was a lemon. I cussed it for 3 years and traded it to a 2013 Bob-Cat Predator Pro 61", pretty much the same as your Procat.

I use a 48" Big Dog every week, which is made by Hustler. Same as the Fastrac, just painted red. It's a very good mower and perfect for the 3/4 acre treed lawn I mow. Absolute good fit but it's not suitable for even light bushhog work. Yesterday I mowed a 2 acre lot for the first time this year and it was above knee high of lush spring growth. I mowed in transport position and never bogged down. The ground was so rough that slow is how you go but I did the 2 acres in about 1 1/2 hours and that included several shutdowns to pick up limbs. I've done the lot in an hour when its dry.

The commercial mower gives you options to do the rough stuff that the estate mowers can't but they will all make a regularly mowed lawn look like a putting green with a little user effort.

Good advice on Lawnsite.com. I checked my statistics and I've been a member there since 2001 and still check in regularly.
Good Forum. Kinda like this place, it can cost ya $$$.

 

[TOM BECKWITH]

Thanks to all for the thoughts/ideas. Sounds like I'm in the right direction. Reason for not considering a 61" is scalping - not a real manicured type lawn.

 

[WhitleyStu]

Thanks to all for the thoughts/ideas. Sounds like I'm in the right direction. Reason for not considering a 61" is scalping - not a real manicured type lawn.

I am using a Kubota with a 60" deck. The outboard and front center anti-scalp wheels keep the deck from ever scalping. I mowed a parcel we own in a housing addition at 2.5" and not a single blade strike.

 

[pharman]

Cub Cadet Z-Force SZ 60" is way to go!

I have a POND...I can NOT use the zero turn mowers with the normal steering levers. On this type of mower, the front wheels are on casters. If you get near bank of pond and the front starts to go down, you have NO CONTROL on the steering. Hence I went with the Cub Cadet Z-Force SZ 60" with a STEERING WHEEL! I mow 7 acres and it cut my mowing time down considerably. And I do NOT have to worry about putting it in the pond. Check one out before you buy anything else! And NO I am not a Cub Cadet dealer!