ZTR purchase/second thoughts

[Ken45101]

My biggest complaints have to do with the steering method. It is sometimes annoying to have to use both hands all the time. It makes it difficult to scratch an itch, take a drink, remove the june bug that landed on my forehead, or anything else without stopping.

Rob,

I have the ZD321. The left steering arm is stiff enough that I can do a quick scratch without stopping :laughing: I need to grease the linkage, I guess.

I've also found that I can straddle both controls with one hand for a quick itch.

Ken

 

[HappyOne]

I used a rider for a while, then got a Ransoms BobCat commercial ZTR. That thing mows in a hurry. I mow around 10 acres, mostly flat and the only thing that will out do it is my LandPride AFM 4211 behind my L4350 gives a much nicer cut and obviously cuts faster since it's twice the width. If you factor in all the time required to grease the AFM, it's almost a wash. Biggest difference is the ride quality. The ZTR will beat you to death in some places, where the tractor is smooth sailing.

If you have hills, it's a completely different story. It's not as safe on a ZTR.

Still, I would not trade the ZTR on anything but a full suspension Ferris ZTR. I would probably sell the AFM first.

 

[Ken45101]

If you have hills, it's a completely different story. It's not as safe on a ZTR.

Is that accurate? Most ZTs are low center of gravity and wide vs. a compact tractor. Yes, a ZT has trouble with control on a hillside, but they seem safer to me than a tractor.

Now if I was mowing a hillside at the top of a cliff.....:confused2:

Ken

 

[mow4fun]

A ZTR has only 2 wheels that run it in the back and front are just casters. On a hill, if the front casters catch a downhill path then it's story over. It will slide all the way to the bottom or just flip.

Some ZTRs are wide and very low to help with slopes and hills but they are still to be used carefully on such areas and slowly.

 

[HappyOne]

On a ZTR if going up a hill, it's possible to pull the front wheels off the ground and possibly flip over backward. I never had mine go over, but did scare the heck out of myself once when the wheels came up about a foot. I stopped, shut the deck off and reversed down the hill. I stay on level ground now with it.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

If you want to move on past a ZTR for ride, cut and one handed comfort then get a Kubota F. It comes in 2WD and 4WD. Not as cheap as a ZTR but worth the difference, to me.

 

[Leozepolusa]

I've got a 72" Exmark ZTR for mowing about 10 of my 15 acre property which is a combination of steep hills, flat prairie, and heavy trees in areas. I can't imagine anything mowing faster than a powerful commercial 72" ZTR in these diverse conditions. I carefully attack the steep hills at diagonals. The wide deck greatly reduces flip risk. Quality of cut is dependent on using he right blades and deck settings. These machines are built like tanks and deal with dead wood and rock very well. I probably shave several hours from my grass cutting time than a MMM which leaves me that much more time on my Kubota. Good used commercial trade in ZTR's are often available for 1/3 original cost.

 

[Ken45101]

On a ZTR if going up a hill, it's possible to pull the front wheels off the ground and possibly flip over backward. I never had mine go over, but did scare the heck out of myself once when the wheels came up about a foot. I stopped, shut the deck off and reversed down the hill. I stay on level ground now with it.

Sounds like bad design. With proper design, it should lose traction before it goes up something too steep, just like it should lose traction sideways before rolling over. What brand was this?

Ken

 

[Ken45101]

If you want to move on past a ZTR for ride, cut and one handed comfort then get a Kubota F. It comes in 2WD and 4WD. Not as cheap as a ZTR but worth the difference, to me.

How do those compare for turning radius to a ZTR?

Ken

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

How do those compare for turning radius to a ZTR?

Ken

I can't speak for the ZTR, never had one but the F will turn around its self in a circle but the rear is sticking out and you have to be aware of where it is. The 6' deck is out front to mow ahead of you and not under you for what that's worth. For me perfect visability and cutting on both sides with rear discharge. One hand and a foot does it all. It can also accept other implements on the front instead of just the mowing deck. Again, it's not as cheap as a ZTR but it's also not just a mower, just the best mower that also can do other jobs for a bit more money. $13000 if that's your next question for the 2wd. Yes, some ads indicate ZTR will do like 50MPH and the F will only do like 48MPH but I've never been able to hold on to it in the fastest of the Rabbit/slowest speed. I think it will probably do wheelies in high which I've never tried. Maybe if I was mowing a drag strip I'd use the faster speed and floor it but not on my yard that's not perfectly smooth. Maintenance just look at it. Stand the mowing deck up and sharpen the blades. I smile when I use it and I don't really care for mowing and I'm always getting people offering to help me mow since I have it.

 

[rglaser]

If you want to move on past a ZTR for ride, cut and one handed comfort then get a Kubota F. It comes in 2WD and 4WD. Not as cheap as a ZTR but worth the difference, to me.

Hi JT. I would certainly prefer an F to my ZTR. My question is why would the ride and cut be better on an F? Just because it goes slower? Is there suspension on those?

Thanks,
Rob

 

[Flatheadyoungin]

As I edged along the road last night, I was thinking about how much I loved the ole' Bolens and the later Troy Bilt riding mowers. The GTX20 comes to mind.

I thought to myself, I honestly don't think I could cut grass with one again. I'm serious. As much as I loved their style, power, quality of cut and sentimental value, I just couldn't do it.

My Ferris IS3000 will just flat cut circles around one, cut around things much better, access to the engine is so easy, ride is great (maybe not quite as good as the old style but, then again, you are going several mph faster on the ZTR). When I was out to the property the other day, I blew through about 4 acres in about 1.5 hours- these areas are VERY rough. I think they were plowed 50 years ago and never disc. When I first started cutting, I was thinking I needed to hook up the 88" flail mower. Shoot, by the time I went and got the tractor, wrestled with the getting them together, I was about half way done!:confused2: I really didn't intend on cutting that much, it's just so easy. Before I knew it, I had the whole field cut, all the paths and was looking for more. ......and I don't care for cutting grass.

For all of you guys that are having trouble on hillls, listen to me, get you a set of ag treads for your ZTR and try them. They will climb up and go across more than you feel safe doing it. I cut the hill behind my house going up as far as I feel comfortable and then backing down slowly. Last night, for the first time, I hit it by going across it. Always before, I felt as though it wouldn't do it. It did it with ease and the ground was wet from two days worth of rain. Grant it, I cut from the base of the hill up. While I was at her uncle's, I had the mower with me one day. He wanted me to back it off of there and show him what it would do. Some dealerships told him he couldn't cut his yard and some told him he could. He lives on top of a hill so when you are cutting close to the edge, if you go over, you aren't going to get control back. I was puckered the whole time even though the mower handle all of his hills fine. I would have been almost as puckered on a regular riding mower. He was shocked when i came straight up his steepest part and the front end didn't even lift. I told him the decks are heavy on the front, the ag tires are what made the difference (I wouldn't even consider his yard with turfs...at all!!!) and if he'd load the tires, he'd have no problems. Now he wants one.

Honestly, every time I use the mower, I get better at it and making it become part of you. Don't get on one and poo poo a ztr the first time out. I did that. It was me, not the mower.

edit: the worst thing about them is the price.....

get the high lift gator blades and the lawn will look great....keep them real sharp too

 

[la200o]

Anyone ever think about selling zero turn and going back to a regular style lawn mower?I like the maneuverability and quickness of the zero turn.But I like the way my old tractor cut the lawn.I have 4 acres of yard - No hills or trees.Any 2nd thoughts?

Never. I have a Hustler 54" FasTrak that I'd only part with to buy an even bigger one.

Bill

 

[asmithcars]

I went from a Woods RM660 finish mower behind an old Massey Fergurson
TO35 to a Kubota ZG327(ZTR), and am having some second thoughts about the switch. I have 6+ acres of rolling hills and one steep hill and did fine 'cept for having to weed-wack around the trees, etc. to get a finished look using the Massey/Woods.

The ZTR has two drawbacks for my property: 1) no suspension makes for a bumpy and sometimes less than a straight line cut unless I slow down to a speed slower than I prefer, and 2) on my steep hill its almost impossible to use the best feature of the ZTR - zero turning around tress, etc. - because the ZTR's loses traction and slides in directions I don't want to go (it doesn't matter that it can be absolutely dry grass - it still loses traction and slides downhill.)

I'm going to keep the ZTR thru this summer and see if I can master the steep hill issue. If not, I'll go back to a finish mower off the back of the tractor
(B3030) using the PTO.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Hi JT. I would certainly prefer an F to my ZTR. My question is why would the ride and cut be better on an F? Just because it goes slower? Is there suspension on those?

Thanks,
Rob

I guess it's the seat that makes it more comfortable and I guess the speed of the blades makes the cut better. Don't know the whys of it. I have the rear discharge deck and grass comes out shredded fine and spread out and not rowed so it may be recutting somewhat like a mulching mower. It doesn't mow slower than a ZTR. I can't ride it at quarter speed on ground while mowing but sales brochures indicate top moving speed of ZTR's as slightly more than the F as a "it's faster than a F" but in practical application no one runs a ZTR full out while mowing or if they do they don't have one that goes as fast as this F or their ground is golf green smooth. I guess it's "why is a Lexus better than a Camry when Toyota makes both of them"? Try each one and you'll know the difference even if you can't tell it. Guess that's why Kubotas F is several thousand dollars more than their ZTR. I chose to pay the difference and if it saves me from back pain and a few hours a year then it's worth it to me at my age. I don't think any ZTR can mow faster than an F, I just believe a ZTR may beat an F in the parking lot but I'd have to see it.

Edit add: The reason I bought an F is after watching one on a golf course. I've noticed the front deck mowers seem to be the mower of choice at golf courses, where they do major mowing, for some reason.

 

[Gizmo2]

For all of you guys that are having trouble on hillls, listen to me, get you a set of ag treads for your ZTR and try them. They will climb up and go across more than you feel safe doing it. I cut the hill behind my house going up as far as I feel comfortable and then backing down slowly. Last night, for the first time, I hit it by going across it. Always before, I felt as though it wouldn't do it. It did it with ease and the ground was wet from two days worth of rain. Grant it, I cut from the base of the hill up. While I was at her uncle's, I had the mower with me one day. He wanted me to back it off of there and show him what it would do. Some dealerships told him he couldn't cut his yard and some told him he could. He lives on top of a hill so when you are cutting close to the edge, if you go over, you aren't going to get control back. I was puckered the whole time even though the mower handle all of his hills fine. I would have been almost as puckered on a regular riding mower. He was shocked when i came straight up his steepest part and the front end didn't even lift. I told him the decks are heavy on the front, the ag tires are what made the difference (I wouldn't even consider his yard with turfs...at all!!!) and if he'd load the tires, he'd have no problems. Now he wants one.


Honestly, every time I use the mower, I get better at it and making it become part of you. Don't get on one and poo poo a ztr the first time out. I did that. It was me, not the mower.

edit: the worst thing about them is the price.....

get the high lift gator blades and the lawn will look great....keep them real sharp too

I went and bought the AG tires for my Z the beginning of spring one year and thought they were the greatest. Summer came and the ground hardened up and the tires were by far worse than the originals. Been using these for a long time now?


I will agree, a Z takes some time to get use to. I had a dealer drop off a demo unit to use, I never even finished my lawn and parked it. Two years later I bought one, can not get the wife or kids off of it now.

 

[Ken45101]

For all of you guys that are having trouble on hillls, listen to me, get you a set of ag treads for your ZTR and try them. They will climb up and go across more than you feel safe doing it.

Do they tear up the lawn?

Ken

 

[mow4fun]

Do they tear up the lawn?

Ken

Oh yes, there is a steep learning curve.

It all depends on how much of a turn you are doing and handle balancing and incline of area.

 

[Gizmo2]

I can say I have found the original tires on my Z seemed to tear up my lawn more than the AG tires did and more than the tires in the above picture. Seems I was always spinning the tires and the more you get use to the Z the faster you go and the more you spin the tires.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I went from a Woods RM660 finish mower behind an old Massey Fergurson
TO35 to a Kubota ZG327(ZTR), and am having some second thoughts about the switch. I have 6+ acres of rolling hills and one steep hill and did fine 'cept for having to weed-wack around the trees, etc. to get a finished look using the Massey/Woods.

The ZTR has two drawbacks for my property: 1) no suspension makes for a bumpy and sometimes less than a straight line cut unless I slow down to a speed slower than I prefer, and 2) on my steep hill its almost impossible to use the best feature of the ZTR - zero turning around tress, etc. - because the ZTR's loses traction and slides in directions I don't want to go (it doesn't matter that it can be absolutely dry grass - it still loses traction and slides downhill.)

I'm going to keep the ZTR thru this summer and see if I can master the steep hill issue. If not, I'll go back to a finish mower off the back of the tractor
(B3030) using the PTO.

You really need to get a Ferris dealer to bring out a unit for you to try. You would be amazed at how well the suspension works. I think your issue is not so much ZTR or no ZTR, its you bought the wrong one.

As for the one hand operation look at Country Clipper. They have a single handle much like a FEL valve.


Chris