Looking for ZTR mower advice...

[BoneDigger]

I realize you get a lot of these advice threads and I do apologize for posting yet another one, but $4000 is a lot of money and I could use some advice.

I have 2-acres of very sandy soil that I need to mow in east Texas. For the last 12 years I have been using a Craftsman lawn tractor with a 42" deck and a 15.5 Kohler engine. It has been a pretty good mower for the most part. I have never had the engine repaired in any way. The problem is that it takes forever to cut my two acres, which are for the most part wide open with few trees. Also, I have replaced the thin metal deck three times and it is needing it again. I'm also having a hard time finding parts and they all have to be ordered online. So, after 12 years of using the Craftsman, I'm ready to invest in a new mower.

After researching a bit, I think I would prefer a zero turn of some kind, and one with a fabricated deck. The sand around here is hard on decks. I would like to stay under $5000 and keep in mind that this is personal use, not commercial. Usually I cut once a week during spring and once every two weeks during summer.

We have most major brands represented locally but the ones I have looked at, in my price range are: Bad Boy ZT, Cub Cadet Z-Force, Toro Timecutter, Dixon Ultra, and Exmark Quest. There is a Hustler as well, but a little out of my range.

Of the units I have looked at, the Dixon seems like the best bang for the buck. It has a heavy 52" deck with a lifetime warranty, Kohler Commander Pro V-twin engine, and just seems well built. The Cub Cadet is 600 less, but reviews seem spotty. The Bad Boy is nice but is at the very top of my range and 400 more than the Dixon.

So, given my needs, do you think the Dixon is best, or should I look elsewhere? BTW, these units are at dealers, not box stores. Aside from that I know little about the dealers themselves. Is there any concern that Dixon, now that they are owned by Husquvarna, may be phased out all-together in the future making parts hard to get? I want this mower to last a LONG time.

I appreciate any recommendations.

Todd

 

[djdicetn]

Bonedigger,
I'm in the market and looking for almost exactly the same as you(with a $4K-$5K budget in mind). I started ou looking at the Husqvarna MZ5424S(you can check out the specs at Husqvarna Lawn & Garden Equipment for Homeowners) but it had a 12 gauge stamped deck. Aside from that, though, the MSRP is $4,299(just went up in the last week...was $4,199) and a local dealer offered to order me one at $3,799. Even with the stamped deck, not a bad mower for the money. I really want ,kinda like you, a residential ZTR with more commercial features(like the welded/fabricated deck) and I am considering going as high as $6,000 if it will get me an "entry level" commercial model. I am going this weekend to check out the Dixon(Ultra52 Residential or DX152 Commercial). Both have the Hydro-Gear ZT3400 trannie which is a deal at the Dixon prices. The dealer also carries the Bad Boy(ZT5000 residential at MSRP $4,500 snd commercial Outlaw5400 at MSRP $6,699). I sure would like to get in the Outlaw for $5,500-$6,000 if the dealer can negotiate. But, like you I am impressed with the Dixon(really looking forward to seeing those) and the commercial DX152 @ $6,399 MSRP is also very attractive if the dealer will make me an offer i can't refuse. Good luck finding the right ZTR and I'll check back and see how you are doing and share anything I can(I'm a newbie at this ZTR stuff too:0)

 

[BoneDigger]

Thanks for the response. I like the specs on the Dixon Ultra although the deck is 11 gauge rather than 10 gauge like many, but with the lifetime warranty on the deck hopefully I won't need it. I am considering pulling the trigger soon so if anyone has any more comments please let me know.

Todd

 

[foreman Etexas]

I purchased this one earlier this year(from NewHolland dealer) and it has done me and I let my parents use it very well. We are mowing basically every other week about 4acres if we mow it all(around 25acres so far since new). It does however having a small tank but the mower sure can mow circles around the 54in. craftsman I have,and the v-twin can sure cut. I paid $2400

I have owned Ex-mark,gave it to the in-laws just a 32in.cut,brother has a 60.in and it hasnt had a problem in 4yrs,but with these mowers comes a price and my 2,400 mower has cut the grass just the same,heck could buy 3 for what the 60.in cost.

Moneys the limits in ZTR's with each brand,they basically use the same motors in each one and everyone has the upgraded decks but cant see any being that much better than the other,just whatever one you think looks best. DixieChooper makes a cool one. RedHat rentals in Fairfield has some up there I seen a big 72in. and it would be cool to have...

Sandy soil I would suggest the wider tires on witch ever you deside or its going to dig in when turning

 

[djdicetn]

It's good to hear first-hand from a Husqvarna owner. You got a good deal on that RZ5424!! Lowe's has a RZ5426 which is exactly the same, just with a 26hp Kohler for $3199. I figured the MZ5424S was worth the extra $600 bucks from a dealer in my area since it has the Hydro_Gear ZT3100 commercial trannie upgrade from the residential EZT and the Kawasaki 24hp engine. But sounds like yours has proven that even the Huskie residential models are good ZTR's. I still may end up getting the Husqvarna. My current lawn tractor(a 5-yr-old Craftsman YS5400) which is made by Husqvarna has been a good one aside from the 24hp Briggs & Stratton that had the choke cable break inside the carb after 3 years.

 

[Bird]

Todd, they're probably all pretty good machines. The dealer may be more important that the brand of mower. I've stayed with Toro because a good dealer is close. I did consider the Dixon, but there's only one dealer within a reasonable distance and I don't know anything about him or what the chances are that he'll stay in business.

The dealer from whom I bought a new Kubota tractor in 1995 and another in 1999 used to also be a Dixon dealer. Every time I was there in 1995-96, they had a bunch of Dixons in the shop for repairs, which kind of made me a little reluctant to consider Dixon, but I really believe it was because they all belonged to commercial operators. And that dealer also had Cub Cadet and sometime before 1999, they dropped both Dixon and Cub Cadet. Of course that may have been just to devote more time to the tractor business.

But whatever I buy, I'd hope to not need the dealer to work on it, but I'd also hope the dealer would still be around and have a good service department if I do need it.

 

[foreman Etexas]

It's good to hear first-hand from a Husqvarna owner. You got a good deal on that RZ5424!! Lowe's has a RZ5426 which is exactly the same, just with a 26hp Kohler for $3199. I figured the MZ5424S was worth the extra $600 bucks from a dealer in my area since it has the Hydro_Gear ZT3100 commercial trannie upgrade from the residential EZT and the Kawasaki 24hp engine. But sounds like yours has proven that even the Huskie residential models are good ZTR's. I still may end up getting the Husqvarna. My current lawn tractor(a 5-yr-old Craftsman YS5400) which is made by Husqvarna has been a good one aside from the 24hp Briggs & Stratton that had the choke cable break inside the carb after 3 years.

Mine has the Kohler,I cant really say to much bad about it,maybe a larger fuel tank and its alittle loud but I wear earplugs anyways just use to them from work. We have alot of bahia in yard so im on the second set of blades,wasnt bad changing them out. The difference in the controls over my exmark,I dont find it bad they dont return back to center but I cant say I like it better or not,just not that big of deal to me. It gets the job done,didnt cost all that much and I would buy another. Oh yeah I probaly got the good deal cause I spent 36,000 with the dealer,never even seen it,its the one he recommended

 

[BoneDigger]

I appreciate all of the advice. Today I picked up my new Dixon Ultra 52. For the price I simply couldn't find anything to really compete. I played around with it some today and it'll take some time to get accustomed to mowing this way, but it'll definitely shave time off my cutting. It does seem harsher riding than my old Craftsman mower, but that's probably because I was going way faster!

Todd

 

[Bird]

I think you'll enjoy that mower, Todd.

 

[J_J]

I have used Dixie choppers for about 20 years.

I used them in my business and fan them for 6 to 8 hr a day, using Kohler engines.

I purchased two 60 in Dixie Choppers used from a landscape company, with 1000 hrs on them and ran them until I retired several ago.

The Dixie Choppers are tuff as are many of the others.

Most of the decks use in Florida are eat up by the speed of the blades and sand, probably same where you are.

3/16 in to 1/4 in decks should be the norm, but no one seems to make them that thick, and I have gone through 4 $500 decks.

I would stick with the Kohler or Kawasaki engines.

I always kept the green slime stuff in the tires for tire punctures, etc.

You can get cheap, and big bucks son't mean it is always better.

If it is something you can work on and get parts, or a good repair center.

A lot of the Zero turns use motor oil for the hydraulics. I also used Mobile one synthetic .

If you can find a product with a 1 or 2 micron bypass oil filter, you will be happy with the cleanness of the engines.

Several of my Dixie Choppers also had hyd oil coolers and engine oil coolers.

For hills etc, you can get aggressive bar type tire treads, and for flat lawns, the standard turf tire.

I would say get the most bang for your bucks if you are fully informed.

Other people will tell you good things about mowers they have owned, and that is just what I am putting out here for your consideration, with over 20 years of experience.

I just sold one of my Dixie Choppers, the Flat Land Model, 13 MPH. Time is money.

Good used Dixie Choppers will cost about $3000 to 6000, but the new price is about $13,000.

 

[djdicetn]

I appreciate all of the advice. Today I picked up my new Dixon Ultra 52. For the price I simply couldn't find anything to really compete. I played around with it some today and it'll take some time to get accustomed to mowing this way, but it'll definitely shave time off my cutting. It does seem harsher riding than my old Craftsman mower, but that's probably because I was going way faster!
Todd

Bonedigger,
I agree with user Bird that you will probably be very happy with that ZTR. I looked at my final choices today(including the Dixons) and am going to be making offers to the dealers this week. My final choices in order of preference are:
1)Gravely Pro-Turn 152 XDC-Kawasaki 22hp FX691 engine & ZT3400 HydroGear trannies.
2)Dixon DX152-Kawasaki 22hp FX691 engine and ZT3400 HydroGear trannies.
3)Bad Boy Outlaw 5400-Briggs & Stratton 30hp Commercial Cyclonic engine and ZT5400 HydroGear trannies.
4)Bad Boy CZT5000-23hp Kawasaki FR730 engine and ZT3400 HydroGear trannies.
5)Hustler Fastrak Super Duty 54-Kawasaki 24hp FX(not sure of the model) engine and ZT3100 HydroGear trannies.
6)As alternates I am still considering the John Deere Z655 EZtrak, Gravely ZT HD 52 and Husqvarna MZ5424S.

I will most likely end up working out a deal on the Dixon, which even though they are now made by Husqvarna, they are a lot of ZTR for the money. From what I saw I was most impressed with the construction of the Gravely & Bad Boy although the Hustler is also a very well built mower. I was also considering the Dixon Ultr52, but shied away from the Kohler Courage. Hope yours turns out to be one of the good ones!!! Wish me luck on my endeavor to purchase my first ZTR. There sure was a LOT to learn about these machines to make an informed decision.

 

[Bird]

I was also considering the Dixon Ultr52, but shied away from the Kohler Courage.

According to Dixon's website the Ultra52 has the Command Pro engine while the Ultra61 has the Courage. Is that not true? And of course I know the Courage is the lower end, but I hope it's a good one since that's what I currently have on my little Toro.:laughing:

 

[BoneDigger]

Actually, the website needs updating. The Dixon Ultra 52 does indeed have the Kohler Courage Pro engine. But, I take care of my stuff and I'm taking a chance on this one. Plus, I don't spend a lot of time on the tractor. Hopefully I can get 10-15 years out of it then if it blows I'll put a new one on it. A lot of companies are using this engine, including Bad Boy, Cub Cadet, and others so hopefully it'll stay in working condition.

I got a good deal on the Dixon at 4500 which was better than anything comparable I could find. Everything else in this price range had cheaper drive parts, etc.

I do have a good dealer do hopefully if anything goes wrong they will take care of me.

Todd

 

[djdicetn]

Actually, the website needs updating. The Dixon Ultra 52 does indeed have the Kohler Courage Pro engine. But, I take care of my stuff and I'm taking a chance on this one. Plus, I don't spend a lot of time on the tractor. Hopefully I can get 10-15 years out of it then if it blows I'll put a new one on it. A lot of companies are using this engine, including Bad Boy, Cub Cadet, and others so hopefully it'll stay in working condition.

I got a good deal on the Dixon at 4500 which was better than anything comparable I could find. Everything else in this price range had cheaper drive parts, etc.

I do have a good dealer do hopefully if anything goes wrong they will take care of me.

Todd

BoneDigger,
That Ultra52, with the HydroGear ZT3400 and 11 gauge fabricated deck is indeed a steal at $4,500. I had the dealer offer to sell me the entry level commercial DX152 for $5899 and it has the Kawasaki FX commercial engine, 11 gallon tank versus the Ultra52's 5 gallon and the commercial spindles and weighs about 160 lbs more. I am going to offer him $6,100 for an out-the-door cash sale price and this will be $900-$1,000 less that the initial prices I've gotten on similar mowers(Gravely & Bad Boy). That being said, the Dixon is a steal for the entry level commercial model as well. Even though I considered the build on the Gravely & Bad boy to be a little heavier-duty I think the Dixon will do me well(it has a 3yr consumer bumper-to-bumper and 2 year commercial warranties). From what I've gathered, if the ZTR has a Commercial Warranty that pretty well says it is well made.

 

[heviduty]

Bought my wife a Snapper 400Z back in the spring. She was having trouble starting the JD318, and hearing her grind on the starter grated on my brain. I have no trouble with the old Onan, but it is sort of a one man tractor and trying to tell my wife how to set the throttle and choke, then what to do when it fires up to keep it running ... it just wasn't working out. I went with Snapper because the local dealer has a full service and parts department. For the money it appears to be a well made machine and has a fabricated deck. She has had no issues with it and says it is like mowing in an easy chair.

 

[djdicetn]

Actually, the website needs updating. The Dixon Ultra 52 does indeed have the Kohler Courage Pro engine. But, I take care of my stuff and I'm taking a chance on this one. Plus, I don't spend a lot of time on the tractor. Hopefully I can get 10-15 years out of it then if it blows I'll put a new one on it. A lot of companies are using this engine, including Bad Boy, Cub Cadet, and others so hopefully it'll stay in working condition.

I got a good deal on the Dixon at 4500 which was better than anything comparable I could find. Everything else in this price range had cheaper drive parts, etc.

I do have a good dealer do hopefully if anything goes wrong they will take care of me.

Todd

BoneDigger,

Well, the dealer accepted my offer for the Gravely Pro-Turn 152 XDC, which was my favorite of all that I looked at, and I got it for almost $1,000 less out-the door than the MSRP(plus taxes). It was a little more than I started out planning to spend(and about $650 more than the Dixon DX152) but I believe I will be very pleased with this mower. Again, thanks to those that offered advice that helped me make an informed decision!!!

 

[Gary Fowler]

It's good to hear first-hand from a Husqvarna owner. You got a good deal on that I still may end up getting the Husqvarna. My current lawn tractor(a 5-yr-old Craftsman YS5400) which is made by Husqvarna has been a good one aside from the 24hp Briggs & Stratton that had the choke cable break inside the carb after 3 years.

I think if you Google MTD you will find that they now own just about all the box store brands including Husqvarna. Maybe there is some difference in them but with one company producing all of them, I would think that they would share the parts and quality of what is dictated by the parent company. I believe all of the box store brands patronize the typical homeowner with 1/4-1/2 acre lots and their mowers are designed for that duty and 5-10 years of service (in most cases). I dont think any of the box store brands have a fabricated deck on them but I could be wrong.

 

[djdicetn]

I think if you Google MTD you will find that they now own just about all the box store brands including Husqvarna. Maybe there is some difference in them but with one company producing all of them, I would think that they would share the parts and quality of what is dictated by the parent company. I believe all of the box store brands patronize the typical homeowner with 1/4-1/2 acre lots and their mowers are designed for that duty and 5-10 years of service (in most cases). I dont think any of the box store brands have a fabricated deck on them but I could be wrong.

Gary,

If you consider Tractor Supply Company a "box store" they do carry the Bad Boy MX48 and ZT60 mowers which do have a fabricated deck, but that's the only place I've seen one. Yeah, I'm not crazy about "MTD quality" because I bought a Troy-Bilt 4-Cycle Gas trimmer only to have the cable that drives the head strip out just out of warranty. I'm glad I decided on the Gravely Zero Turn, which is now owned by Ariens Company. At least both of those companies are known for "quality products" and there won't be any "MTD parts" on my mower:0)

 

[genusCastor]

Hey BoneDigger, where you at in East Texas? I'm near Cleveland...

I have a Dixie Chopper with the Kohler Courage engine, it's been fine so far (2 yrs old). Seeing you're in east Texas, I'll be interested to know if you have any problems cutting Bahia grass. A detailed explanation of my saga is posted here.

- djb

 

[foreman Etexas]

Hey BoneDigger, where you at in East Texas? I'm near Cleveland...

I have a Dixie Chopper with the Kohler Courage engine, it's been fine so far (2 yrs old). Seeing you're in east Texas, I'll be interested to know if you have any problems cutting Bahia grass. A detailed explanation of my saga is posted here.

- djb

Gotta love that Bahia....Keep good blades,the one thing better about the ZTR's the blade speed helps with cutting it over my rider....