Its Demo Time..Exmark Lazer Z

[AltaLawnCare]

I'm getting ready to demo a 2001 60" Lazer Z 23 Kaw.:D

I checked out Dixie, and although the controls were super smooth, I just can't get over the deck height adjustment.
I only ran the Dixie in the lot of the dealers and there wasn't nothing to mow, the controls were smooth, but the deck height adjustment....:(

I have a Toro 52" ....so I know how it cuts.

The Exmark deck makes the Toro's deck look like a joke.
The Exmark brochure makes Toro's look like a joke.
The Emark Website,....well you get the picture.

Exmark is here, and I've noticed they give very good support - even on weekends.

MWS Lawn bought 2 Exmarks, he really likes his, and he has quite a few hours logged on commercial equipment.

I'll report back....

[awm]

i may not get back tonite ,but whats wrong with the dixie deck lift.
iive never seen one except on a trailer on the way to charlotte.

[AltaLawnCare]

The deck lift on a chopper is a foot pedal - a small one too, that ratchets - you stomp on it - click-click-click, until the deck is at the right height - then let it down...
reminds me of using a come-a-long. If you get used to, I guess it would be OK- but no where near the foot assist and lever on the Lazer.
I don't think the chopper I drove was set up 100% correctly either, I think they're more sensitive to tire pressure, and other fine adjustments.
The chopper I drove was, well choppy. On rough ground it bucked back and forth violently....I felt like Gene Wilder on the mechanical bull in 'Stir Crazy" !!

On to the demo...
The '01 didn't have the 'excaliber blades', but it mowed down dandelions at full speed much beter than the Toro, although I hadn't tried the new high lifts under the Toro on heavily dandelioned lawns yet.
And much to my surprise 9.5 MPH felt slower than 7 MPH on the walk behind. This is where the weight of the machine is an advantage - on bumpy ground. I only had to slow down slightly in really bumpy areas. The Velky used to beat me to death.
The grass was pretty short so I couldn't get a good comparison on the clippings
The last time I mowed this property was in the rain on the Toro,I didn't see any windrowing, but a little clumping, although I did double cut it.

[AltaLawnCare]

I wanted to demo on this particular prop. because it has some steep banks. I just knew I would have to use the Toro for half of it. As it turned out I never used the Toro at all.
I ran all the banks side to side, one time I hit a bump and the whole mower slipped about 2 inches down hill - but it was no problem. The Z felt very safe and sure footed on all the banks - I was going really slow.
On the steepest bank, the Toro would always slide the uphill tire, so I would hve to hold against it to keep it from shooting down hill.
I used to dread mowing it - this time it was soo easy it was fun!

The '02 has different hydros, I think. The hydros on this didn't feel very smooth, and were noisy. This is the only bad thing I could find.
I like the separate choke knob (something the Toro lacks).

This was a public property, and people started raining in. A guy wondered into the open field (the first area I mowed with the dandelions) and started driving golf balls, and some kids started playing baskeball on the opposite end of the parking lot.
So, I cranked up the LawnBoy and hit the small spots with that...
with people around I like to look like I'm working harder.;)

[TLS]

Alta,

You WILL be happy with the 60" Lazer. My only suggestion would be to go for more HORSEPOWER!!! The 23 is ideal for the 52", but on the 60" you will be marginal when you get into heavy stuff!

(Just remembered, they dont offer a 23 on the full size Lazers. Are you sure its a 23hp?)

Today I was mowing a customers "meadow" . First cut of the year. The grass/weeds were over top of the caster bearing caps (at least a foot high!) I was cutting at 4" and never saw the RPM's drop below 3550 (3750 normally). This would not have been nearly as much "fun" with the 23hp Kawi :(

I agree 1000% about the deck lift on the DC. It was cumbersome in '97 and now they went ahead and made it even harder to work with some type of lock or something? Plus its 5/8" increments on the DC while Lazer has 1/4".

Think TORO's website is a joke....Ever visit DC's??? Its not much better than their owners manuals!

[AltaLawnCare]

TLS,

The 23 Kaw isn't available, but the Kohler is - with the cool new air cleaner assembly..:cool: Its the LZ23KC604.

This brings me to PART 2, heavy growth..
There is a open approximate 2 acre field on my property. Last few years I've finished mowed it with the JD towing the Toro..:rolleyes:
Its about 18" to 20" tall now (haven't mowed it this season at all, was going to bush hogg it because I hate mowing so much.
I put the Lazer in it when I got home at 8:20, mowed until pitch back and the dew was getting it wet.
Only in the thickest places did it pull the govenor in - it handld it better than I expected, I did slow down and it will have to be re-cut, but this stuff was tall and thick. They must have those things set up to get as much power to the blades as possible.:)
I almost finished it (9:00) when it was just too dark, and I was covered with grass. I hope the Kohler has this much power.

I bet the 25 and larger are impressive. I'll put the Kohler (mine..;) ) in it this weekend and report on the comparison between the two.

The 23 is all I can afford the Kohler 25 is 600.00 more, and Kawasaki 25 is 800.00 more...:(

[AltaLawnCare]

Toro's website is a joke. On the front page there's a homeowner flying a kite - I don't know what that has to do with commercial equipment.
I think Toro is going more after the homeowner market competing against Dixon, Cub, JD...

Toro owns Exmark, so I don't think they are putting much energy into their commercial line anymore. But maybe they'll sell millions of those $4999.00 Timecutters and homeowners can mow at 7MPH!!:p

The deck height adjustment worked great - very easy to lift up to trailer load.
On the Toro, I have to stop, cut it off, lift the heavy @zz deck and move 4 pins.
I didn't smell like exhaust since the engine was behind me, and didn't get nearly as much blow back and dust from the deck.

The ability to back up is like a whole new dimension. I purposely 'stopped tire zereoed turned' and turned uphill trying to slide the braking tire like the Toro does, but it never did.

Running the straight ways was fun because it was going soo fast. Turning around at the end was even funner. I would head left, slowly stop and pull the left stick back farther putting that tire in reverse and ease the right side forward...
I think this what you all are talking about a "K" turn..:D

Can't waituntil tomorrow.. I'll go by the car wash, clean up the demo and take it back to the dealer and pickup my 23Kohler '02..with those excaliber blades.:D

[GREENMANAGEMENT]

All I can say is demo the 26efi Kohler. One bad machine. Have one, love it! Lots of power and a great cut. May cost a little more (about 8500) but I can assure you it will pay for itself in no time. :D

[SLS]

Exmark stopped offering the 23 Kawasaki for 2002 on the 60" versions. It was available on the 2001's.

I have one....and just hit the 500 hour mark today.

The only thing that I have replaced so far, besides oil and filters, is the mule drive belt. I did it last sunday.

So far this has been an excellent machine. Horsepower has not been a problem for my application as I cut mostly eack week and have a few that go 10 days. Even the thick, wet stuff is done nicely...although I do have to slow down a little. I've had to double cut only when I've gotten behind...but that was to eliminate clippings...not stringers, etc. It also handles a double-blade setup with no problems.

Too much horsepower is never a bad thing and the next one will probably be a 25 or 27 (heck, I would shoehorn a 426 HEMI into it if possible)....but I have no regrets for buying the 23 Kawasaki.

I LOVE this machine!

I hope you have enjoyed the demo thus far. :D

[awm]

good report on the evaluation.
this is the type info that help us all.

[AltaLawnCare]

Picked up the Kohler 23 60" Lazer Z today. Right off the hydros felt alot beter than the demo ('01) - I've got a tread on the Exmark forum asking about this.
Still a lot of whine, but I think this will pass over time.

Could'n't get him down on th eprice, but scored a set of Excaliber blades and an Exmark hat..:D

The owners manual is laid out great and very informative........
beats the Tors by far, the Toro manual doesn't even do a good job of explaining how to adjust the drive belts!

Some very good points from the Exarm manual:
Cold engine, throttle at 1/2 choke on,
Warm Engine, throttle at 1/2 choke off,
PTO engagement, throttle at 1/2
shut down, throttle at 1/2

Glad I read this, I figured it to be engage at WOT and shut down at idle.
Got to mow a 3 acre church this evening (7 day growth - level ground), so I' ll report back after this.:)

[Tomslawncare1]

I bought a Lazer Z last year. 60" 27hp Kow liquid cooled. All's I can say is WOW! ! ! ! I should have bought it years ago.

[AltaLawnCare]

Just as I was in route to the property, a rain shower struck.

So part three is wet grass cutting...
The Lazer had .4 of an hour on it when I loaded at the dealer, set up with "notched foil blades" - I think is what they're called.

I couldn't start until 6:45; sat inthe truck waiting for the rain to stop reading the owners manual and other literature.
The storm blew over, and I went to a big open field first.

I ran about 3/4 full speed (probably avg 6-8 MPH). It didn't mow dandelions as cleanly while wet, but there weren't many around anyway. Making straight runs (stripes ;) ) over the long field was hard. In the wet grass was a good condition to practice turning - I was able to make it slide the back tire by turning against a slope hard, but it never locked the tire and tried to go straight like the Toro would. The field took 49:28 minutes,(stopped 3 times to get up trash) I can't remember the size of the field - I'll measure it tomorrow.
I mowed with the shoot down at 3", most of the growth still wasn't very heavy. One area which grows at a higher rate (other side of property) was pretty thick, I probably mowed a little over 1/2 the blade off. The clippings remained even and well dispersed. I came to a noll, about 100ft long, hiked the deck up 1/2 inch and strattled it; very smooth.

I finished at 8:30 with exactly 2.4 hours on the hour meter.(2.0 hrs straight on this property). It will take about another 30 minutes to trim.

My best time on this property, during light summer growth last year was 4 hours.

Manuvering in tight areas with the 60" deck was alot easier than the 52" Toro.

The biggest advantage is afterwards, I'm not beat to death, and smell like engine fumes!

[MWS LAWN]

Hey Billy,

Congrats on your new mower. I would have gotten back to you sooner, but this past week has been very busy. With all the fertilizer and the rain we are getting every thing is growing so fast. The Exmarks are performing great. My help really enjoys the w/b, so do I. As for the Lazer-- I love it, much faster and better cut than the J.D. I do have to say the J.D. will hold a hill better than the lazer. I think it's because the front mount distributes it's weight better- the length is longer. I really like the air filter on the kohler, I plan on getting one for the kawi. when they come out. We'll have to hook them up and drag'um to see which one is the fastest. HaHa. If you beat me we'll have to race the w/b's, my help totted the front tires the first time he took off in 5th gear. Good thing he was holding on good. The best thing about it, it cuts just as good in 5th as it does in 1st. Love these machines.

[P&J Lawncare]

MWS I got the donaldson air cooler for my 25 kaw last week (it was for my super z) so it is availible right now.

[AltaLawnCare]

Mike,

I saw you zipping across a yard this morning on that new Z. :D

The canister airfilter requires half the service than the other type.

Mowing is fun now! - Well, except for the dust.

BTW, the Toro is going up for sale. :o

[HOWARD JONES]

You will be happy with your purchase. However, I think you compared a new Laser to your old Toro. As you stated, Toro now owns Exmark and they share some designs - that foot lift assist you love was on Toro first. I have one and I love it - gets me out of bad situations quite often.

[MWS LAWN]

P&J,

Do you know if it will fit on the 23 kawi.? I have heard something about changing things in the carb.? If it will fit how much did it cost, and did you put it on- how much trouble getting it on. Last- did the performance increase? I'll have to post something on the exmark forum about it.

[P&J Lawncare]

It wasn't that hard but I did have to cut a hole into my spoiler (super z) so that the tube could go through it. It will fit 23 kawasaki's but some of the motors (I believe older models) you have to replace the carb all together, the newer motors you have to change the jets in them, it sounds complicated but the instructions are excellent (PICTURES) and pretty much everybody could install one. It took me 1 1/2 hours to install but I had to cut through my spoiler so that took some time because I wanted to make sure that I didn't screw that up. The price I think is $130 and my performance increased the most when in tall grass and I haven't had to clean my air cleaner yet which is worth the $130 alone. If you have a 25 kaw all you have to change is the jets on your carb takes 5 minutes to remove outside bolts and remove the jets (you need VERY VERY small screwdriver to remove jets).