View Full Version : couple of questions about my new lazer z
marley
10-02-2002, 01:06 PM
I picked up my new lazer z "60 27hp l/c yesterday and have a few questions.
- what is a good way to get under the deck to service the blades?
- how many of you guys take off the grass shute?
- with the throttle at full after about a minute or so of driving around the dealership the throttle lever and rpms would go back down to maybe 80%. anyone ever expeience this?
-makes a lot of hydralic noise(compared to my hydro viking). Is this normal?
I will probably have more questions for you guys as this is my first ztr. I am excited to get out and use it asap. If you guys have any pointers for me about this mower I would appreciate them, thanks alot!
Expert Lawns
10-02-2002, 01:40 PM
i have an exmark z hp 48''. to change the blades, i drive my back wheels up onto car ramps, the jack up the front to the even height. i put the ramps up against the wall and then brace the jack with something as well. (safety reasons, prevents slipping)
i do the same when changing the oil.
mine makes a lot of hydrolic noise too. i guess its normal, that's what i've heard. good luck and have fun with your new toy
Jimbo
10-02-2002, 01:57 PM
Leave the discharge guard in place. Why?
1. Safety reasons
2. In the dry summer months you will wish you had a bigger guard do to all the dust blowing back on you. I could not imagine running without one in the summer.
Yes, there are times when having the guard removed would be nice (Throws clippings further).
What I have done is drilled a hole in the tip of the chute, and attached a bungee cord to it. I can raise and lower the guard from the drivers seat as necessary.
Jim;)
Expert Lawns
10-02-2002, 02:12 PM
good idea jimbo. right now i keep a long hook-like stick on board with me to pull it up and down. i like your idea better :p
kppurn
10-02-2002, 05:46 PM
To change blades I pull up on the left side of my trailer with the left side of the deck overhanging. Put the parking brake on and lay on the ground to change the left and center blades. Then I lay on the tailgate to change the blade on the right through the chute opening. When I have to scrape the deck I usually do the left side as I said, then pull up the tailgate on the right so I can lay on the ground and have better access to the right side.
Yes, the hydraulic's do make a lot of noise.
I removed my grass chute so I could install the director from York Sheet Metal. Very good purchase. You can control the grass clippings from completely open, although way to closed with two settings in between.
You may have to tighten or adjust the throttle lever.
Expert Lawns
10-02-2002, 06:19 PM
kppurn...
i tried your method,but didn't trust it. ever had any slippage while torquing on your blades? when i used my trailer, my mower seemed wobbly and unsafe. but, to each their own, i'm sure there dozens of ways to do it
:cool:
Turtle II
10-02-2002, 06:27 PM
The best thing I've seen is an electric hoist and chain.
Put a long steel bar between the front caster wheel arms, connect the chain to the bar and raise it up.
At my base they do this----then they roll under the deck on a board and sharpen the blades with an electric hand grinder....Dont even have to take the blades off.......
These mowers cut huge feilds everyday 5 days a week......They change the blades about two times each season-----I know this is not the best way to treat blades,,,,but these mowers cut huge fields vs. putting a finishing touch on a residential lawn......
Turtle II
:cool:
mdb landscaping
10-02-2002, 06:29 PM
to change my blades, i just drive the lazer up onto two car ramps, but with the front casters instead. Then i use a car jack to jack the deck up a few more inches. you have just the right amount of clearance you will need to change the blades.
longviewlawncare
10-02-2002, 06:30 PM
the throttle is an adjustment. I demoed the same mower you are talking about. They built it and brought it out and i ended mowing with my calf holding the throttle lever up. Talk to your dealer and should get it adjusted right.
marley
10-02-2002, 08:04 PM
thanks guys
AltaLawnCare
10-02-2002, 08:17 PM
I use a car ramp with a jack too.
I like my chute on,....you can always flip it up.
If you don't have one, get a tach so you can monitor RPMs. After its broke in, you might want to turn it up a little..;)
TLS has that same mower, you can probably compare notes with him.
:)
PartsGuy
10-02-2002, 08:24 PM
Check with the dealer you purchased the unit from. Have them doublecheck and see if they installed the updates to that unit. There are at least 3 updates available for that model, depending on the serial number. One of the 3 updates takes care of the noise problem from the hydros.
We just recently installed the updates for a school district that has the identical mower you have. Their first comment was how much quieter the mower seemed to be.
Good Luck!
Parts Guy
When I had my 52" Lazer Z I used a hoist connected to a stud in my garage ceiling. It worked great. I would just hook on, crank it up and set one of the front wheels on a block for saftey. I could then crawl under and do what I needed to do with plenty of room. I would think an electric hoist would be even better. Good luck.
lee b
10-02-2002, 10:49 PM
To change the blades on my M665, I just pull it to the front of my trailer, reach up under the deck and have no trouble changing the blades. No laying on the ground, no worries about something slipping and the mower falling on me. I change my blades everyday and this is the easiest way I've found.
I use a Jungle Jack to change/sharpen my blades. It is fast, safe, and easily transportable. I used to use a 1-ton hyd. floor jack...never again. The Jungle Jack is much quicker and and safer. It acts as a jack and jackstand...all in one unit.
No need to remove the chute...just flip it up when needed. "The Director" is next on my accessory list though. According to all I've read on here about it...it is awesome.
Can't help you with the hydro noise...I have not had that problem with my Lazer (knock on wood!)
65hoss
10-03-2002, 06:03 AM
Originally posted by Turtle II
At my base they do this----then they roll under the deck on a board and sharpen the blades with an electric hand grinder....Dont even have to take the blades off.......
These mowers cut huge feilds everyday 5 days a week......They change the blades about two times each season-----I know this is not the best way to treat blades,,,,but these mowers cut huge fields vs. putting a finishing touch on a residential lawn......
Turtle II
:cool:
:dizzy: I hope you guys reading this don't decide to start sharpening blades this way. Every so often I get really saddened by the direction this site seems to have taken.:(
Marley,
Same problem with mine, throttle keeps backing off. Starting to piss me off. buy a new machine and they can't even set it up right!
Turtle II
10-03-2002, 10:33 AM
65HOSS
Dont feel sad.......This is an awsome site........
Look, I am a green newbie.........Have not even started part time yet...........
If it was not for this site, I wouldnt have known better about sharpining blades and may have did what I seen on my base. It is govt work........And the 72" ZTR's cut hundreds of acers each week........
Here I can read and learn knowledge, learn about what others do, etc............I've learned that the blades need to be perfectly balanced so the spindles wont get worn out, etc........
Hope everyone is doing well,
:cool:
65hoss
10-03-2002, 11:23 AM
Originally posted by Turtle II
65HOSS
Dont feel sad.......This is an awsome site........
Look, I am a green newbie.........Have not even started part time yet...........
If it was not for this site, I wouldnt have known better about sharpining blades and may have did what I seen on my base. It is govt work........And the 72" ZTR's cut hundreds of acers each week........
Here I can read and learn knowledge, learn about what others do, etc............I've learned that the blades need to be perfectly balanced so the spindles wont get worn out, etc........
Hope everyone is doing well,
:cool:
Ok good. I was getting worried we were going to have people trying to put this out as a great method again. Spend as much time reading the "old" posts. There is some great info that will help you get started.
Blessed 1
10-03-2002, 03:46 PM
Originally posted by marley
I picked up my new lazer z "60 27hp l/c yesterday and have a few questions.
- what is a good way to get under the deck to service the blades?
- how many of you guys take off the grass shute?
- with the throttle at full after about a minute or so of driving around the dealership the throttle lever and rpms would go back down to maybe 80%. anyone ever expeience this?
-makes a lot of hydralic noise(compared to my hydro viking). Is this normal?
I will probably have more questions for you guys as this is my first ztr. I am excited to get out and use it asap. If you guys have any pointers for me about this mower I would appreciate them, thanks alot!
Get a Z Stand from your dealer. They come stock on Toro's. Great to change the blades with:D
Runner
10-03-2002, 07:36 PM
First of all, before we address any of the questions, I just have to say, that the "garage" method is some of the worst and unsafe advice I've ever heard conveyed on here - for ANYthing - not just sharpening blades. DO NOT EVER get under any sort of machinery that is just hanging from something without having something on SOLID GROUND holding it up. I don't care WHAT's holding it up. Do a search on here and enter the words John Deere and killed, and you'll come up with a thread I posted of yet ANOTHER person that was killed when a piece of machinery came down on him. Hoists and chains fail all the time.
As far as the questions go, well, they were all well answered already.:)
Originally posted by TJLC
When I had my 52" Lazer Z I used a hoist connected to a stud in my garage ceiling. It worked great. I would just hook on, crank it up and set one of the front wheels on a block for saftey. I could then crawl under and do what I needed to do with plenty of room. I would think an electric hoist would be even better. Good luck.
Before I would EVER crawl under a mower for anything I would have it sitting on a GOOD SOLID SUPPORT as I stated above. For the mower to fall it would have to snap the cable AND crush the stone block. I guess anything is possible, though.
Turtle II
10-03-2002, 08:24 PM
:cool:
Runner---I can appericate that advice....
& so I wont even get into how the garage/work shop is built......
To quote another post:::::::
Know Safety
No Pain
No Safety
Know Pain
I have no desire to be in the middle of one of these pissing contest that ocasianally surface here
#1. I try to read/appericate/learn from almost all post I read.
#2 . You are definetly correct about SAFETY........
I just gotta say this though-------because we really arent a bunch of "knuckle heads"----------we put two wooden blocks under each side of the deck.....They are about 24 or 30 inches high......wide base so they cant be tipped. If the chain ever did break-----it would only scare the S*** out of the poor soul......
The back wheels with engine weight stay on the ground. Only the front half is hoisted up.........No one should ever be under there without using the "SAFETY" blocks........
But I definetly understand SAFETY and your point too......
Everything we all do has a risk factor......
Knowing the risk is half the battle.....(stress 1/2).....
There are studies that prove most fatal accident victims dont even see it comming......
They are unaware.....No sistuational awareness.....
Kinda like 80% of fatal motorcycle accidents happen with in the first 6 months of ownership.
Sorry if this sounds offensive.....or like a tangent.....I've had safety drilled into my head over and over for 18 years........
Hope everyone is doing well :cool:
The leaves are just starting to turn and fall here.....
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