Mowing PT 4xx Finish Mower Cut Quality

[Charlie_Iliff]

Bubenberg, MossRoad, PtRich,Reds & other PT400 operators:

Time for an unfair question: In your "objective" opinion , is the quality of cut of the PT 60" finish mower as good as that of the professional lawn/golf course ZTR and walk behind mowers? I am referring to the top end commercial Exmarks, Scags, etc., which usually have baffles and channels underneath, high blade tip speeds, high lift blades, often doubles, and usually a faily high horsepower to cut width ratio.
I have been asked that question about PT mowers generally, but since I haven't even put the finish blades on the 72" rough cut deck, and haven't lowered the cut height, my current cutting is not lawn quality, and not nearly as nice as the Jacobsen 72" front mower.
I am asking only about the look of the finish cut. I think the quality of construction of the PT is equal to or better than anything else I've seen on any machine, and certainly the front mount convenience is unbeatable, not only for hooking and unhooking, but for mowing, as well. You can see where you're cutting, can mow under bushes, etc. and go nearly as fast as a ZTR. But would the most finicky lawn owner like the look as well as that of the good commercial decks?
Does anyone know the tip speed of the blades?
Anyone have experience with Gator or other high-lift blades, doubles, different sharpening methods, etc?
MossRoad: Your pictures look great, but how does the cut compare to a pro ZTR doing a similar area? (He can't pick up the flower pots or dig the holes, but is his finish cut just a little bit smoother and more even -- or not as good as ours?)
To put the question in TBN context: The PT will cut better than any compact or subcompact tractor, but will it cut with a professional ZTR?

 

[MossRoad]

I just don't know! The cut looks comparable to any walk behind done lawn in the area. But I have never had the chance to operate one, or a ZTR. I think Bubenberg would have first hand experience with this.

I do know, that if the lawn is really thick, I have to slow down a little or I'll get a windrow on the right side of the deck. It is a small windrow, but it is there. A quick going over of every other row eliminates it completely. I have solved this by doing the lawn twice a week at a higher speed. Takes me about 18 minutes on Wednesday and about 25 on Saturday or Sunday, when I get real close to everything. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[PTRich]

I had a Toro ZTR 60" with a 24hp Onan. An excellent machine. It had about 900 hours on it. My wife was using it one day and drove it over to where I was workin and said it was running funny. My male ego kicked in and I told her it was because she did not give it enough throtle, nail the gas and keep going. She hit the gas hard and the engine instantly burst into flames. The tractor was trashed. The ZTR made windrows but was excellent for stripping. I think cutting speed is about the same, the ZTR was faster on flat smooth and the PT is faster on bumpy lawns (my property is both). I think if you mow a lot of property with many things to go around a ZTR would be better. I like the rear discharge of the PT but you can't add a collection system if you wanted one. Each machine excels in different ways. The ZTR turns sharper and quicker but it will dig up the grass if you are not careful. I think if all I was going to do was mow grass I would probably go with a ZTR. But it only takes one simple task to turn the tables. At one time we had many gas motors on different things and was looking for a machine that would slowly eliminate some of them (or all of them).
PTRich

 

[bubenberg]

i think the secret is to keep the ground speed to the level that maximum output can go to the hydraulic motor of the mower deck. yes, there are better ztr mowers out there. i would rank the pt cut with a number six ztr.
my best ztr is a exmark 60 inch and national very well acclaimed mower deck, number two i don't own that machine. number three i had and sold it for a new kubota z21d, but had to add a modification to the gear box to get an optimum tip speed.
charlie, non of my large customers have ever complained about the quality and combo pt 60 inch deck (now with gator blades) and the two acrease 57 inch mowers.
SHARP BLADES is a must with the pt.

 

[doggman]

Charlie's question is an important one. The issues is not so much is the PT as manuverable as the ZTR but rather when the lawn is done how does the lawn look? In my mind the issue is not whether it is striped but rather is the cut even and crisp? I am hearing that the quality of cut from the Kubota BX is quite good. I would be happy to hear how the cut of the PT425 compares to the cut of the Kubota BX.

What is the experience out there?

doggman

 

[bubenberg]

doggman here is the question that charlie asked:
Time for an unfair question: In your "objective" opinion , is the quality of cut of the PT 60" finish mower as good as that of the professional lawn/golf course ZTR and walk behind mowers?

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

Richard:
Does the Power Trac cut look as good as the ZTR's? I know that's subjective, but does it look as even and smooth?

I prefer the out front mower, and certainly only one more function makes the Power Trac a better choice, but how do they compare purely on quality of cut, with no other considerations?

For sure, a ztr wouldn't be much good for what I did tonight with the 1845. Using a grapple hook, chain and a boom on the quick attach, I dragged some logs around. I also picked up a couple with the Lackender hoe to decide how long I can leave them and still load them into a trailer. I want to be sure I have a concensus of the experienced guys on the board, however, before I start claiming that the cut quality of the 418, 422 and 425 is as good as the ZTRs and commercial walkbehinds.

 

[PTRich]

A sharp blade is sharp no mater what brand, any decent mower will cut the grass very well if the blades are kept sharp. Any body who has a new tractor will tell you how well it cuts the grass. The speed will vary according to a tractors ability to manuver, blade speed, ability to handle rough terrain and blade torque (ability to keep blade speed under load).
PTRich

 

[PTRich]

It is as smooth and even. The quality is as good.
PTRich

 

[MossRoad]

THAT'S the answer we wanted to hear!!! (now lets go over to the other forum and flame the ZTRs /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif )