Cub Cadet Pro Z - Any Experience?

[nh15201]

How would you rate the B&S engines on the Ferris vs the FV series Kawasaki. From what I could see - the B&S commercial series gets good reviews as does the Kawasaki. The little 9 / 9.5 HP FE290 Kawasaki in our 1995 Club Car helped me decided on the FV series Kawasaki in our 560 Cub Cadet. That little thing never ceases to amaze me. I wanted to dump the Club Car and get my wife a Kubota UTV for her yardwork and running the trails - she told me that unless I wanted to start doing all the cooking and cleaning around the house to forget it.

 

[Shears]

Should not shudder anymore then any other hydro would which they shouldn't!!!

Thanks didn't think it should shudder

 

[nh15201]

I let my wife make her solo today on her new 560 Cub. It was her job to mow the yard today entirely on her own. I was busy mowing our bottom area. She did it all and a darn good job I have to say. She loves mowing and is getting comfortable with her new Cub. She even had it blown off, wiped off and fueled by the time I got back to the house. In all my years as a Plant Manager, it never ceased to amaze me how good training, letting the employee do the job hands on and the right support paid off in end.

 

[Rdrcr]

^^^^
Excellent! Good to hear!
I mowed with my 560S yesterday. I’m thankful to have such a capable and fine machine.

Mike

 

[art]

How would you rate the B&S engines on the Ferris vs the FV series Kawasaki. From what I could see - the B&S commercial series gets good reviews as does the Kawasaki. The little 9 / 9.5 HP FE290 Kawasaki in our 1995 Club Car helped me decided on the FV series Kawasaki in our 560 Cub Cadet. That little thing never ceases to amaze me. I wanted to dump the Club Car and get my wife a Kubota UTV for her yardwork and running the trails - she told me that unless I wanted to start doing all the cooking and cleaning around the house to forget it.

I'd take the Kawi any day! For pro's they burn less fuel with more torque then the higher horse Briggs. Typically last longer too!

 

[nh15201]

I will have to double check the fuel tank capacities on our 560 KW S. I have my wife mowing at full throttle. She burns through roughly 1/2 tank on a mowing session. The FX850 27 HP is breaking in nicely with 16 hours on the meter and I'm wondering if the fuel consumption will improve with additional break in? I typically run ethanol free 90 or 91 octane in my equipment, straight and 2 cycle. Kawasaki engine on the Cub is using so much fuel that I am running 87 octane pump gas in it during the weekly mowing season and then plan to switch back - on empty tanks - to the ethanol free for final run and storage. I don't like standard pump gas, but figure since we are running it through and switch tanks every week thar we'll be ok for summer mowing? Any thoughts?

 

[stevem5215]

My Briggs 27hp engine on the Simplicity Citation XT with the 61" deck is about 2.5 gals for a 4 acre (or so) cut. It holds 5 gal in there so I can cut twice on one tank if i want (usually don't and fill at each start).

 

[Rdrcr]

I will have to double check the fuel tank capacities on our 560 KW S. I have my wife mowing at full throttle. She burns through roughly 1/2 tank on a mowing session. The FX850 27 HP is breaking in nicely with 16 hours on the meter and I'm wondering if the fuel consumption will improve with additional break in? I typically run ethanol free 90 or 91 octane in my equipment, straight and 2 cycle. Kawasaki engine on the Cub is using so much fuel that I am running 87 octane pump gas in it during the weekly mowing season and then plan to switch back - on empty tanks - to the ethanol free for final run and storage. I don't like standard pump gas, but figure since we are running it through and switch tanks every week thar we'll be ok for summer mowing? Any thoughts?

How long are your mowing sessions?

My old boss has a BB Rouge (?) with the 999cc FX Kawasaki engine.
I demo’d his mower on my property before making my decision to go with the 560 KW S. The 999 FX drinks fuel.
I thought, and we figured the 850 FX wouldn’t be as thirsty and perhaps it’s not, but fuel consumption is close. Closer than I wanted.

My mowing sessions are 1 1/2 hours (down from 2 1/2 hours on my old tractor w/ MMM). I go through about 3-4 gallons of treated premium 92 octane fuel per session.

Mike

 

[nh15201]

I'd have to say 1 1/2 to 2 hours on average per mowing session. There are places in the yard where we only mow every other week or so depending on rain and time of year. We switch tanks every other mowing. After 2 sessions I filled both tanks and still had approximately 1 gallon left out of an over full 5 gallon gas can. So a trifle over 2 gallons per session. I'm running untreated 87 octane pump gas with 10% ethanol during the mowing season then plan to switch and run both tanks with non-ethanol 90 octane for fall and winter downtime. This is with my wife running WOT and still learning. I would use the same amount of fuel if I took the time to mow with either of my JD 140 with a 46" deck - but at least an hour longer to do the same job.

 

[Rdrcr]

^^^^
You may be doing better than I with fuel consumption. It’s worth noting, I do mow steep hillsides, so that may also increase my fuel consumption a bit.
And, because of the hillsides, I fill both tanks and keep the fuel lines open on both, to make sure I don’t starve the engine of fuel when traversing steep terrain.

Mike