Road trip for a Hustler Super Z!

[JLC]

Let me be, I believe, the first one on Lawnsite to announce that I've got a Hustler Super Z! I made a trip to Hesston, Kansas were I took delivery of a 60" Super Z with a BAC VAC catcher Monday afternoon from Paul Mullet, president of Excel Hustler, and the guys at the factory. They were kind enough to take me through the plant and show me the makings of the machine from the raw steel to the finished product rolling off the line and everything in between. Let me just say I've now got first hand knowledge that this machine is built very well. If their commitment to customer service I've spoken about before doesn't mean anything to you, then their factorys commitment to making a top quality product should. I had time to talk with their production supervisor and it was obvious that he and the other employees work very hard at and take pride in what they produce. Once again, similar to my thread about the Hustler Hydro Walkbehind I purchased, the Hustler personel outdid themselves with their hospitality! I am very anxious to use the machine! I'm sure I will love it and will keep you updated on how it works out for me.

Ben Johnson
Johnson Lawn Care

[racerdave]

Congrats Ben,
I live about an hour from Hesston. It looks like I should try to make a trip there also.

Good luck with your new equipment, I look forward to hearing what you find with it.

David

[HOWARD JONES]

I have some contacts in Kansas, also - were you able to demo a machine at Hesston?

[JLC]

I actually demo'd the machine in 72" in my hometown. Read my thread "Bought a Hustler Hydro Walkbehind...with a twist". It explains the details of the Super Z. I'd put the link in, but have time to find it right now.

[bruces]

How was the price?

What does this machine compare to (Exmark, Dixie, Toro?).

What made you buy this vs: the others?

Just curious for future reference.

Any info will be appreciated.

[awm]

that thing will outdrag a chevy.:D i do like the smooth controls
but you can get that on the regular z

[JLC]

Bruces, the price was fair considering that I bought two mowers at a time (within a week and half of each other). Talk to your dealer and I'm sure he will quote you a good price. I bought the machine because it is quite overbuilt and uses very good components. It is assembled with high attention to detail and I believe it will be a long lived machine. The quality of cut is excellent so far (1 hour on the machine). The people that make Hustler account for a big amount of my trust in the machine. I believe they would do about anything for me, or anyone for that matter, to keep me cutting and happy.

Awm, one of the nice feature of the Super Z that persuaded me to it were the dual hydro coolers and the cooling fan. After the trouble I've had with my Scag hydro pumps and wheel motors I wanted a machine that was engineered to keep the hydro oil cool. To me this is important and worth the upgrade to the Super Z.

[mowerconsultant]

JLC,
You have got to be loving that Super Z !!!
Good to hear you got it.
I think you are the first person here on Lawnsite to get one !!!
Let us know what your production times are now that you have it.

Later
Pj

[PWM]

I just want to thank Ben for making the long trip to Hesston, Kansas in the middle of August. I believe he will have a tremendous business in Central Iowa in the near future.

I would also like to personally invite anyone on the Lawnsite to come visit us, meet our people and see how we produce the Hustler Z and other products. Just let me know ahead of time by phone or Email and we will make all the arrangements for you.

Thanks,

Paul

[Dodgeboy]

How do you like your Hustler Hydro Walkbehind. I have been looking at purchasing one myself. I have been thinking about starting a lawn care business. From what I have seen everyone say about Hustler. I think a Hydro 37" walkbehind might be a good mower for me to start with. There isnt a Hustler dealer within 2 hours of where I live though. I am sure the 2 hour drive would be worth it though.

[peewee]

With all this hustler love you've been posting I'll bet they gave you the z just for the advertising!:D

[JLC]

Dodgeboy, I really enjoy my Hydro Walkbehind. The controls alone are enough to buy the machine, very easy to learn and use day in and out. I would definitely demo it and see how you like it. There are others on this site that use the walkbehind and I'm sure they would be happy to share their findings with you.

PeeWee, I'm just calling it as I see it. I believe that when a company does something good it deserves mentioning. All too many companies seem to be more concerned with selling machines and forget about the folks that have to buy and use them.

[Chuck Sinclair]

Originally posted by PWM
I just want to thank Ben for making the long trip to Hesston, Kansas in the middle of August. I believe he will have a tremendous business in Central Iowa in the near future.

I would also like to personally invite anyone on the Lawnsite to come visit us, meet our people and see how we produce the Hustler Z and other products. Just let me know ahead of time by phone or Email and we will make all the arrangements for you.

Thanks,

Paul

Paul,

Any dealers on the west coast?

[mowerconsultant]

Dodgeboy,
Where are you in West Virginia ?
I am the territory rep for that state.
I would like to talk to you a little bit about dealers.
This is one state that I am working on getting more dealers in.
Please e-mail me @ hustler@twcny.rr.com
I would be glad to bring a demo unit to you and let you run it.
In fact I am in West Virginia today (Huntington area).........
Let me know what I can do for you.

Later

Pj

[JLC]

I've got a few hours on the machine now and am still impressed. The controls are sooo much smoother than the Scag I was using. Other Scag folks here have taken it for a spin and that is the first thing they comment on. The cut quality is good and the stripes are excellent. If I had a digital camera I'd have some nice pictures to post. I'll see if I can borrow one and get some photos uploaded. It also is truly a slope master. I can put it on some nasty stuff. Plenty of power. My back also really appreciates the suspension seat. The 15 mph is AWESOME for transport!!

[crazygator]

JLC,
Way to go! Im glad you were treated like a customer, or even a part of their family. Its also nice to see the service from the top down, like it should be. Thanks to all the guys at Hustler for giving us a great product and for standing behind what you produce and sell. I look forward to working with you for a long time too!
And Paul, if your giving mowers away, I'll take a Super Z and the 48" walkbehind!

[JLC]

I've been using the Bac Vac for the Super Z for the last several days to pick up leaves. So far the setup has worked great! Most lawns under 12000 square feet are taking only one dump (9 bushels). Dumping is great with the vac, I just back onto the trailer, WITHOUT leaving the seat I pull a lever which opens the hopper and the debris falls out and I pull away while closing the hopper back up WITHOUT leaving the seat. Now its 15 MPH back to where I left off. Couldn't be simpler. This machine is all about production, even with the Bac Vac. Very good engineering on the catching system. Once again I'm having trouble thinking of anything bad to say about the machine or the Hustler people. It makes me happy to think about it. Any questions, shoot.

Ben

[Eric ELM]

Originally posted by crazygator
JLC,
I look forward to working with you for a long time too!


I have one, are you two partners now?

[JLC]

Eric,

I'm not exactly sure what your question is. I think crazygator was making the comment to Hustler, not me. I think he was just referencing his comments to me in the first 3 sentences. Crazygator and I are not partners if that was your question. Maybe you're on to something though Eric, perhaps I should open a new branch in Nashville. Nah, that would be too many miles on the Cummins each week.:p

[MOW ED]

Here is the site link;

http://www.excelhustler.com/

How is the weight distribution with a full bac-vac?
I know you are carring leaves now and they are relatively light. Have you filled it with wet or heavy grass?
Do you feel it will be distributed well for hill climbing?

Tech q's for Hustler - Is the hydraulic oil petrol based or synthetic? If not synthetic, are there any problems changing to synthetic? What is the recommended hydro oil change interval for this unit?

I think its a neat machine and I just have a few q's. Thanks

[JLC]

Ed,

The weight distribution is good. I have indeed collected on a few lawns where there was a lot more of the heavy fall grass than leaves and it bags that with no trouble. No plugging unless you try and go to far before you dump the hopper. If it plugs just pull the transfer tube off and clear the obstruction (1 minute of time). When it has been full of wet grass I swear it would climb the steepest hill in reverse. If I had really steep hills that I wanted to climb up and down, instead going across, I would feel more comfortable with a relatively empty hopper. It will do the same hills with the bagger as compared to without.

Oil is petrol based. I was told I could switch to synthetic if I desired, but the setup was not requisite of synthetic. I'm not sure whether I will change over or not.

[AztlanLC]

how much $$$ did you pay, please don't answer a fair price.

[JLC]

Pic of the Super Z with bagger on a cleanup day.

[Eric ELM]

That looks like a very nice vac system. I see you have your brakes on. ;) That was a very well thought out design.

[JLC]

Another picture for fun. You can see my primitive leaf system on the front of the trailer. Next year I'm going to try and find an old grain truck like Lawngodfather. With the box full it takes me an hour to unload.

[Kevin]

The vac system looks good. I was curious if you considered double blade set up instead of bagging? Anyone who has a eXmark Lazer, I put on Dixie Chopper blades without a notch cutout and was pleased with my stripes. I will be doubling up soon(I know it wears out the clutch). Kevin

[JLC]

I've thought about trying it on the new machine, but haven't. I used to run them on my Scag in the spring and didn't notice any appreciable difference. Around here everyone likes their leaves caught and removed. I've mulched in the past and it would take about as much time at each job as catching as I'm doing now, depending on the leaf volume. This was without doubles so I don't know if they would have sped up the system. I know there are exceptions, but this method is working for me. I like the appearance of the bagged lawn as well, especially when the lawn was covered with so many leaves the machine looks like a plow compared to a mower. Don't want to argue over what is better, just stating how I do it.

[MOW ED]

JLC,
Are the front sides of the trailer welded on? No not the plywood.:D I have a similar setup that I use for the Walker when I have a full pickup. The front of the trailer on the drivers side is in stake pockets and made out of 2 x 4's and 1 x 2's. I have a high gate (4')in the fall and spring and a low gate for mowing(2'). The other side (4') is in stake pockets too but it is attatched to the front gate with angles. Front gate is roughly 5'.
I use a big blue tarp and throw it over the front and sides of the trailer. I fill it up as full or more than what you have there. When I get to the dump I take the gate off and if it is real heavy I pull some of the junk off. I leave enough free tarp on the passenger side to come over the top of the debris and I tie it together to let me pull it off the trailer. I can unload a full trailer in around ten to firteen minutes.
I know the best would be a dumper but I am a small operation and its hard to justify that expence right now.
If you need more info, let me know.

[mowerconsultant]

Jlc,
Looks like your Super Z has no problem filling up that trailer.....:)
How many pounds of leaves are you getting loaded ?
And how many trips with the Super is it taking to fill your trailer ?

Later
Pj

[JLC]

I can fill the trailer in about 3 hours depending on the work I'm doing. This year I've trimmed the sides down a little to fit in the garage. I just loaded it today with 31 dumps and it was FULL. If the Bac Vac truly holds 9 bushel (I believe), that would be 279 bushel. Whether it does or not, let me tell you it is a LOT of weight.

The Super Z is holding up well and I still like it.

[The Mowerdude]

Well, so far I'm really tickled with mine. Here's a photo of me doing my leaf thing with my Super Z. This thing works better than my Chariot/Peco could ever dream about doing.

[The Mowerdude]

And here's a little bit of a before and after pic