New 61 Scag Tiger Cat II 61"

OrangeMuscle · Jun 25, 2019

I just purchased the a new Scag Tiger Cat II 61" EFI Kawasaki. I never rode a zero turn before but purchased this for my 2 acres because they had a great promo for $8,999

I have mowed 3 times with and love it. I need to get under the deck cleaned out. Does anyone know if this machine need a 500LB mower jack or a 750LB? It weighs 1260 LBS. Just want to be safe. Does everyone else take the time to jack their mowers up and scrape clean? My garage smells like rotten moldy grass because its caked underneath so badly.

Also, Im debating getting the nice big grass collection bin that has the auto dump feature. Just not sure if its the best idea. Does this help eliminate the need to clean under the deck because it gets vacuumed out before it can stuck to the underbelly?

What speed is the best. 5MPH? Im in no hurry, but its seems easier to keep a nice line at a brisker clip?

Does the engine have to be at full RPM's when mowing?

Thank you for helping a dopey homeowner!

Shaneard · Jun 25, 2019

If it's brand new and getting caked on the bottom of the deck I'd be asking what is going on with it. Have you been mowing when the grass is wet or damp?

I had a Great Dane with a 61" deck and it was awful about getting caked on and you could always tell cause the cut wasn't good at all when the deck was full but it had 1,700 hours on it. It could be the large deck but I would hope not.

jmt1271 · Jun 25, 2019

Wet grass clumps. On any machine I've ever used.

I clean mine once mid year and at end of season. Take 10 minutes with a putty knife.

I drive my scag up on ramps. Jack seems like overkill.

I have a Tiger Cat with the 61 inch velocity deck. It's a freaking monster on my 5 acres of lawn. Only a 25 horse Kohler but it devours anything I have put in front of it. Sharpen the blades and maintain the machine, they're absolute beasts.

Eta- as for mowing speed, mine is determined by the terrain and the material being mowed . Some areas near the house I can go full speed, other areas I have to slow way down or the ride gets a bit sporty lol.

Rcso · Jun 25, 2019

You do need to be at full throttle while mowing.....

EddieWalker · Jun 26, 2019

Congratulations. I bought my 61" Scag Wildcat with the 26hp water cooled Kawasaki motor in 2010. First couple of years it was flawless. My only complaint was the amount of dust the came out the front of it when I hit a dirt patch while mowing. Eventually I learned that there is a piece of metal on the front lip that you can lower to stop this. I also experimented with a variety of blades and eventually went back to the factory Scag blades. They last the longest and I get the best results from them.

https://www.scagmowerparts.com/ seems to have the best prices that I've found so far.

I scrape my deck when I change my blades, which is about every other month.

I keep my at full throttle and I mow as fast as conditions will allow. If you go too fast, you will see it in the quality of your cut. You'll know when it happens.

The thing that I hate about my Scag mower is all the safety switches. They will all fail on you and it's a nightmare figuring out which one it is. After a few years of this, I bypassed all of them and now I start it with two wires that hang out by the key. I turn on the key, touch the wires together and it fires up. Other then the electrical nightmare of hoping it will start and then wasting all day to figure out why it wont start this time, once it's running, it's awesome.

OrangeMuscle · Jun 27, 2019

Great info, thank you all. Im looking into the clamshell bagger with the dump feature. Seems pretty cool. I ordered a 750 mower jack from Amazon and can't wait to get this thing lifted up and cleaned out. I had a landscaper tell me that you can get a moldy fungus growing under there that can infect your lawn. That sounds like something I'd like to avoid!

4get gto · Jun 27, 2019

"I had a landscaper tell me that you can get a moldy fungus growing under there that can infect your lawn"

While I guess anythings possible, I never heard of this before.
Landscapers know best.!!!!!

QRTRHRS · Jun 27, 2019

This is the second year for my Turf Tiger II, 61 inch with the 35hp Briggs. I need to clean my deck at least every other time I mow my four acres. I don't mow when the grass is wet but maybe the humidity is the issue? I also tend to run slow while at full throttle due to rough conditions and my aches and pains, lol!

I tried ramps for cleaning but I usually just straddle a depression and set the deck at it's highest position and crawl under it. I keep the mower in a barn with a dirt floor but a concrete floor with a mower lift is in the future plans.

I followed Eddie's suggestion and set my front plate to it's lowest position which does help but I have taken to wearing a face mask. The mask helps me with the seasonal allergies and asthma issues that I have developed in the last couple of years.

OrangeMuscle · Jun 27, 2019

I went out to mow for the first time and was shocked at the dust and debris I was inhaling and getting stuck in my eyeballs. Quickly purchased a nice breathing mask, ear protection, and goggles with a seal to keep my eyes clear. I look stupid, but I get off after mowing with clear eyes and a dirt free nose.

I will see if I can figure out how to lower the front piece on the deck that was mentioned. Is there a benefit to keeping it up high which is the factory default?

OrangeMuscle · Jul 8, 2019

Is it bad to engage and disengage to blades many times in a cutting. There are lines that I have that continue to very dirty dusty areas that I dont want to kick up massive dust storms. Its also a bit rocky with vines and roots. I like to drive down and turn around in these dirt areas. Makes for much better lines. In order to do this there are some areas which require this to be done 20 times. Is this overly abusive to the mower, or does it not matter. I always reengage at 3/4 power.