Exmark vs SCAG

[augs dad]

I thought I had made my mind up to guy an Exmark 48 "Lazerz HP rider until yesterday when the dealer parked a 48" SCAG Tiger cub next to it. Obvious the SCAG is built like a tank... and their spindles are supposedly the strongest. Price on both is within a few hundred bucks. Somewhere I heard the SCAG is built well but is somewhat clumsy and does not cut as nicely as an Exmark ? In central PA SCAG still rules but Exmark is starting to be seen on more trailers. Would appreciate some OBJECTIVE feedback from those of you who have used both brands...thanks much...Gary in Harrisburg

[CSRA Landscaping]

I can't say much about eXmarks, since I haven't run one, but i can tell you that I like the Tiger Cub. I've been running a 48" 19HP Kaw Cub for over a year now and it's been a good machine, good cut, etc.

[kroll]

I run Scags advantage deck with hi lift blades
for 3 yrs. have been very pleased. I have thought about trying The Exmarks but if it ain't broke don't fix it. either one will make you a fine mower. All you see here (central In.) is DC's a couple Grasshoppers 1 very large LCO uses Toro's

[KJC Landscaping]

I actually run both. I have two tiger cub's 52" 23hp Kaw. They are great. When I bought a new WB, I went to Exmark because of the ECS. Any way I have tried the Lazer Z, same quality of cut, but in my opinion the Scag is built heavier. They are both great machines, so either way you will be happy.

[lamblawnscaping]

I can't say anything about ZTRs because I don't own one but I do have both an exmark 48 and a scag 48. Yes the scag is built tougher for the most part (the deck on the exmark seems to be better built than on the scag), but the exmark cuts alot cleaner. If you will be using the machine yourself I would go with the exmark. If you have to trust employees with it I would buy a scag. Hope this helps.

[lawnkid]

If the final cut from either mower is not to your satisfaction, just put together a striping kit. Scags are like tanks and run very nice but I have to admit th Exmark cuts nicer. Just add a striping kit to the Scag and they will have the same cut.

[TLS]

Originally posted by lawnkid
If the final cut from either mower is not to your satisfaction, just put together a striping kit. Scags are like tanks and run very nice but I have to admit th Exmark cuts nicer. Just add a striping kit to the Scag and they will have the same cut.


Lawnkid,
Cut quality isn't just the ability to stripe. Far from it! It is the ability to cut every single piece of grass, have a nice strong vacuumed suction, and disperse the clippings evenly. Stripes are just the icing on the cake and have nothing to do with quality of cut.

Augs Dad,

You would be much happier with a 52" Lazer HP rather than the 48". Is there a reason for a 48"? (ie: many 49" gates?) The 52" HP gets you a larger engine, and a faster ground speed, not to mention the 4" increase in cut = LOTS more production. But MOST IMPORTANT is the deck offset! The 44's and 48's have a minimal amount of deck sticking out past your rear tires. Trim around a mulched tree ring, and your rear tires will be in the mulch! Trim up next to a building and you have to take a gradual exit turnout or risk the rear sidewall scuffing the building. These things can be avoided with the larger deck. On Exmarks, the bigger the deck, the more offset you get.

SCAGS do "appear" to be built better, but whens the last time you saw a ZTR break??? All that extra beef on a SCAG probably isn't necessary, and only adds up to make a HEAVIER mower that will get stuck quicker and rut up a wet lawn.

Price out a 52" or better yet, 60". There not too much more $

Good Luck

[LexingtonKYcutter]

I agree totally with TLS!!!! .... But this of course has nothing to do with me being an Exmark guy! HAHAHAhA

[Downeast]

Hi Gary , I am in the same boat as you . I have been looking into the Toro / Exmark z I00 series. I went to the New England Grows show today and saw the Scag Tiger Cub . It looked like a very well built machine . It was very compact . I have not heard of much bad talk of them on this site . The Exmark seems the most popular by far . The Exmark lazer hp series looks larger but here goes . The Toro z100 series 23kawi52" = 909lbs Scag Tiger Cub 23kawi52"=980lbs . The Gravely 250z the larger of the two 23kawi50" =1050 lbs . the scag weighs 71lbs more than the Toro hence the steel and a few other things . I am going to call the local scag dealer and chat it up on Monday , and see about a test drive . the drive controls on the Scag were very tight , I liked that . Ah decisions , decisions . Just think if we lived in Russia we would have one choice , and that would be issued if you were the local lawn guy. Ain't America Beautifull ? I think so .

[leaflawnandlimb]

Alot of members here have complained about hydro failures on the scags. do a search and see for yourself

[CSRA Landscaping]

Larry, I personally e-mailed Scag and asked them about that very thing. I was surprised - I got a response to me, very personal, not one of these 'our dealers bla bla bla,' and found out that Scag uses the same hydros as many other commercial Z's. I think the problem, if there was one, has been remedied on the newer models. I'm telling you guys, you don't know what you're missing, these things are awesome! (I esp. like the marbane blades that come stock on their mowers.)

[65hoss]

I agree with the above post about getting a 52" instead. I have the 52" Lazer HP and the trim side has plenty of overhang to get extremely close to fences, houses, buildings, landscaping, etc. The 48" has a little over hang, but the 44" has NONE.

Your looking for something with quality and great cut. Not looking to mount a gun on and go to war. The scag may be a heavy mower, but when I demo'd them the cut just wasn't as good as it should have been. In this business you don't need extremely heavy, but quality and beautiful cut.

[augs dad]

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR THE 'been there done that' ADVICE! This site is a great resouce for newbees like me.

Thomas

Your perspective was very helpful...the offset issue with tree beds and bldgs I didn't consider...dah. Reason I was trying to stay with a 48 is my exp. in my own yard. I have numerous large ornamental beds...some are rather close together and between 2 of them a 52 won't fit...so when I looked at the productivity chart at the back of the brochure there is not alot of diff. peracre/hour between the 48 and 52 and since my jobs will avg 1/2 to 1 acre for both res. and comm, I thought I would trade the extra productivity for those one or two jobs where it won't fit. Get my drift?

None of you guys mentioned the spindle issue where SCAG says they are superior. One large LCO owner here in town told me rather bluntly that this is Exmarks shortcoming...based on what most of you have said, that doesn't seem to be an issue.

Thanks again!...Gary in Harrisburg

[65hoss]

I've never put 1 ounce of greese in the spindles. Both exmark machines were bought new in 2000. All spindles are still solid with no problems. By sealing the system eXmark takes the guess work out of the equation. You no longer need to worry about do I have enough or too little, or too much. There are people on this site that have many more hours on exmarks than me and they will also tell you the same thing.

[CSRA Landscaping]

I can't tell you a whole lot about spindles, so that's why I didn't address it. What I can tell you is that I've been running doubles on my tiger cub almost the whole time that I've had it, Dec. 2000 (against the advice of my dealer, but that was for the clutch) and haven't had any trouble at all. I don't grease them every day but usually once a week or so.

[hubb]

I have the Tiger Cub 48" 19 Kaw and the only problem that I've ever had is the drive spring that holds the tension on the idler pulley broke. The dealer said he had never seen that problem but one other time. He had me up and running in less than an hour and I got a free hat out of him!:p
As far as the cut goes, I've been running doubles as long as I have been on this web site (thanks to Eric) and I've never had a problem. I get alot of comments on how well it cuts from my customers. I have seven apartment complexes that I cut and the residents of them even comment on how nice the strips are and how the leaves seem to disappear after I mow. I really like that machine. However if I was to do it over I would've gone for the 52" for the exact reasons mentioned above.
Another thing to look at is dealer quality. Will he have parts and manpower to work on it? Will he give you a loaner? etc. etc.
As far as wheel motors go, I think Exmark uses Ross Parker wheel motors and I know my Scag has Ross Parker's on it too. So maybe Scag got ahold of some bad ones or something but I've never had a problem with mine and I know several other crews around here that use Scag and they have told me that they never heard of any problems with them either.
Don't get me wrong, I think you would be smart buying either one of these fine machines. I like Exmark too. If the dealer that I bought mine off of would'nt have been so well recommended, I probably would've gone with the X.
Sorry for the long post.
Hope this helps.

[Mark]

I was one of the most negitive people on this site about the Scags. Mainly because i used a 52" loaner for my dealer and it broke down the two days i used it, Two weeks ago i went to buy a exmark but was very unhappy with the dealer. Well i went back to my reagular dealer Scag and Toro and ended up buying a new Scag SWZU 52" walkbehind,the new ones have the advantage decks 5" in depth and with runing doubles i get a great cut when mowing at 6mph. Im also going to get the new mulch-kit so time will tell how the machine holds up. But the main reason for this sell was the dealer,hes the best around my area and ive delt with him now for 12yrs. Marks Mowing Service........i really had my heart set on the exmark, but his dealership is far from what i expected.

[LexingtonKYcutter]

I have had Exmarks with the new sealed spindles since they came out. No problems yet! Still cuts as beautifull as the first day I got them. Another reason why Exmark is #1.

[JSG]

I don't like any mower with a tapered roller bearing. In my
experience they don't last any longer than a regular roller
bearing. They are also alot more expensive to replace. With
an exmark you can replace the bearings without removing
the spindle. In 25min. or so your done. With a Scag you have
to remove the spindle. Remove the old races. And adjust the
the big nut so the bearings are not too tight or too loose. The
spindle pulley is also more time consuming to re-install. The
scag spindle looks a lot beefier but in my opinion is alot more
work to rebuild. Sooner or later all spindles need to be rebuilt.

[Mark]

Kycutter exmark might be #1 down there in Ky but come up here to Evansville and youll see 10 Scags to every 1 exmark. You would have seen a exmark on my trailor except the exmark dealer up here is a few cards short of a full deck. Marks Mowing Service ps Truth is both machines cut very well

[LexingtonKYcutter]

Mark I afree whole heartedley. Either way, if a guy goes with Exmark or Scag he is getting a superior machine to most of the competition. Like you were saying about your dealer, my exmark dealer is the one guy in town that has a good service dept. Has 8 mechanics in his lawn and garden/ commercial service dept. Great parts stock. He also sells Grasshopper and Great Dane so I have other machines to pick from. Been in business for I think 30 years, so hes not going anywhere. So the dealer has made me an Exmark man!