ZTR pro's & cons

[1grnlwn]

I am starting to research a third ztr for my stables. I thought it would be neat if we could list the brand, model/HP, year of our ztrs, along with 3 pros and 3 cons. I will Start.

Dixon 5422 1997 42"16hp

cons
Sticker says comercial it isn't
spindles and bearings poorly designed
front tires always comming off rim &flats
poor traction
pros
gate entry potential good
handles foot tall weeds well
small fits anywhere

Ferris IS 1999 61" 23hp

pros
Handles well on hills
Good ride fast speeds
Good striping @3.25" or below
cons
on 2nd blade drive belt 350hrs $75
seat was really bad
23 not enough hp
a lot of grease zirks
Thanks!

[awm]

LAZER 52 W 20 KOHLER. exmark come out with this machine again as supposedly it was a good seller. similar is the hp version which is
made on a more compact scale. these are get it done machines.
good on hills ,good trim, fast in open area. stripe well if set up for it.

[kutnkru]

ZTRs pros:
** increased productivity
** better mulching capabilities due mainly to larger hp engines
** less operator fatigue

ZTRs cons:
** wont damage the turf as much from operator inexperience
** limited to medium-larger sized properties
** increased maintenance expense

[edward hedrick]

you might look at Gravely Fa 310 as an alterntive it does 9 mph
might make you more flexible. I use a Scag Sthm w/ a modified
deck. :blob3:

[Andy Lewis]

Hi! I have a Kubota ZD-18 ($8600.00) Diesel, 54" Deck , Hydro everything, I love it. Go try it! Pros: easy on fuel, comfortable,fast,low deep sound, like a Lexus for the lawn. Cons: not cheap, got to go to tractor dealer where every one almost laughs as a ZTR is about the smallest thing they have(but they are fun and hospitable), there is so few I NEED someone to talk to about them. Andy.

[Flex-Deck]

ZTR pros - quicker on inside corners - no stopping
ZTR cons - 80% of my jobs have deep and steep ditches, and they can't handle the 30 degree slopes. Thats why I also run 455's.

[lee b]

M665 Deere ztr pro's: great cut, very comfortable, speed. cons: cost, fuel consumption, everybody on Lawnsite makes fun of Deere ztr's. Mowing Dentist, I kept my 335 JD [slightly smaller version of your 455's] because I mow a lot of ditches and steep slopes, but I've found out that my z will handle much steeper slopes than my tractor mower. I don't know what brand of ztr you're using but my M665 will hold [as long as it's not wet] a slope way better than any tractor type lawn mower I've ever drove.:blob3:

[Andy Lewis]

The JD ZTR does not get the credit it deserves. I almost bought one liked the Kohler 25. I wish JD would have put a diesel(yanmar) thats why I went with Kubota ZD-18. I really liked the JD and the dealership. Andy.

[Eric ELM]

Andy Lewis,
I've had 3 different Yanmar powered mowers. A 332 JD, a 430 JD and my XWD2600 Dixie Chopper. That is a great engine to have on anything. ;)

Since I am now posting in this thread, I guess I better give my Pros and Cons on my Chopper.

Pros
1. I can run it 2 days with out refilling the fuel tanks, 3 quarts an hour.
2. I've never had any hydro problems in close to 10,000 hours of total DC usage.
3. I like all the filters and coolers that are standard to help longevity.

Cons
1. It's ugly to some :(
2. Can't think of anything else
3. Same as number 2

[bkd]

Ferris IS3000 61" 2001 model:

Pros:
1. Built very strong (tank)
2. Love the 25hp Kaw. engine
3. Low center of gravity; holds steep inclines really well.

Cons:
1. Very heavy 1200 lbs.
2. Does not seem to stripe as well as some (probably new operator).
3. Had some minor electrical problems in the beginning, but dealer was very eager to please and fixed problem.

[edward hedrick]

Congrats on your Ferris we looked at them at Ct. show, also
looked at Derby which is an IS3000 with a simplicity deck. Ferris
shows a vac blower in their latest ad:blob4:

[LoneStarLawn]

Originally posted by kutnkru
...
ZTRs cons:
** wont damage the turf as much from operator inexperience
...

Isn't that a pro?

[kutnkru]

yes. :rolleyes:

LOL!!!
Kris

[John DiMartino]

2000 Dixie chopper XW2500. Pro's,- 1,lots of extra filters,they will extend the life of the major($$) components.2,Good cut at high speeds,very fast by anyones standards.3,Simple to work on,everything is accesable.
Cons-1,Expensive,costs more for what you get from competitors.2,Not enough adjustments,seat could use adjustments,deck needs more height adjustments.Adjusting the belts so they are all tight,and the deck one wil still disengage,but not slip when in thick grass is tough,it could use more adjustment rooom on the deck belt tensioner.3,Spotty build quality/attention to detail.Mine had tons of little problems as delivered,the only fluid that didnt leak when I bought it was the gas.I know of others who have the same mower,beat it hard,and have no trouble at all.

[Elmer]

2001 Zipper
22hp kohler 64" cut

Don't see Zipper mowers mentioned much here so I thought I would crow a little about mine.

Pros!

1). Front deck design flips up.
2). Substantially cheaper than grasshopper ($7550).
3). Heaven when compared to my old Ford lawn tractor.

Cons!

1). Neighbors continually wanting to "test drive"
2). Slopes are a challenge (all of the weight is on the rear wheel and the drive wheels don't have any traction).
3). Dealers are sparsely distributed.

[FrankenScagMachines]

yea it would be neat, lets talk about your dixon :rolleyes:

[1grnlwn]

Well my dixon is like the first child. You know how that is right?They do more things wrong than the other kids but you just don't care because they were your first. Kind of like you first woman. He He now you know what I mean, right? She is a little flakey on steep hills and can't speed out of muck. But she will go through gates and brings lots of luck. On a good day it will leave a small stripe, mows the grass good forget all the high speed hype. She has a plow that will push dirt for miles, my quads are a hurting but can't stop my smiles. When it was just her, the trac vac and dew, i'm pretty sure I had more than you. Thanks another post I am proud of.

Mark

[e-RoK]

Does anyone use the 3-Wheeled outfront mowers? We used to have one and I loved it. It was more comfortable over bumpy lawns than the ZTRs we have. I didn't have to dodge as many trees & bushes. I thought it was more stable. Although it was slower and sometimes I don't think it turned as well because of the little back tire slipping. Also I didn't like the 3rd wheel mark while turning. But overall I prefered it over the Z. I just wish it went a little faster. This was a SCAG 61". I don't remember the HP. Do any of you guys have outfront mowers?

[1grnlwn]

I use to have a yazoo. Loved cranking the wheel and doing a tail whip. It was left for dead in the garage of the house we bought. I took winter to rebuild. Transmission was super complicated and parts were ridiculously expensive. It had 16 hp single cylinder and it shook like a Harley. Went kind of nuts when I polished the oil pan and transmission. (aluminum) To start I had to wrap cord around flywheel piece (polished too) And give her the heave. Here is pic.

[rodfather]

PROS

Fast
Don't take up a lot of room
Stripe nicely

CONS

Don't hold hills as well as a WB
Can leave divots when turning
Harder to jump curbs than a WB

[bommaritro]

1grnlwn


I love the pull behind wide area cutters.

Ron

Ps. How much does your helper charge per hour ;)

[imograss]

i run a 2001 john deere m665 mid mount ztr.
25hp kohler
60"cut

pros

great cutting mower

excellent dealer support

plenty of speed and power

cons

poor parking brake design still honored under original warranty

doesnt stripe as well as w/bs

green and yellow aint cheap

[IBGreen]

Husqvarna no pros all cons.

[1grnlwn]

Necessity is the mother of invention.

[Alan Bechard]

99 or so Dixon 60 with 23 horse Kohler
Pro
Has been very dependable except for the kohler.
Fairly easy to service
stable machine easy to operate and easy to put new operators on.

Con.
4" or so deck lift, shorter tires and longer tailgates needed.
Crap Dealer
did I mention Crap dealer?

01 or so Exmark Lazer Z 60 with Kawasaki 23

Pro
very fast and smooth cutting
easy to maintain / little maintenace needed
has been super dependable rarely need a dealer

Con
why can I not have zerks in the front wheel bearings??? Stupid stupid stupid.
Who on earth ever got one of those silly plastic drain plugs / units to work well and not pee oil all over the place?
Man, $150 retail for a rear tire! Dont tear up two at once!

02 Cub Cadet M48 Tank

Pro
Great dealer had it on the floor 50" or less was the requirement
Great warranty length have not had to use it yet though
Plenty of Zerk's well thought out covers, deck lifts controls, hour guage.
Great financing if we read the dates correctly, I think I spent too long in europe.

Con
Sits tall
no aftermarket blades
not mutch trim edge

[Husker1982]

John Deere 757

Pros
Everything!

Cons
I don't have more of them!