Beast 54ZB Commercial ZTR

[rwaters]

Originally Posted by Capemay Eagle

Yeah I know it is not commercial grade, but I was speaking in more sense to the average homeowner with little knowledge of these machines will certainly get a better machine in the Airens over some of the machines they have sold over the years!

yeah but what is truly sad is you can buy the Ariens at a dealer cheaper then you can at home depot. Why would anyone buy a mower with no support when you can buy from a servicing dealer for less money.

[dbear]

Originally Posted by rwaters

yeah but what is truly sad is you can buy the Ariens at a dealer cheaper then you can at home depot. Why would anyone buy a mower with no support when you can buy from a servicing dealer for less money.

You can't in my area. I was quoted the same price for a Max Zoom 60 at a dealer that HD sells them for ($4999). Actually, the dealer told me the MSRP was something like $5399 so he was already giving a "discount". Gravely dealer told me the same story about their ZT HD 60.

[GrassGuerilla]

Originally Posted by Capemay Eagle

The Airens will certainly be a good mower for HD. This mower does resemble the Gravely ZT.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...ocStoreNum=943

I hope your right, but history says otherwise. The problem is, by the time the manufacturer (including JD among others) whittled their product down to meet Home Depots price point. What's left is just the pretty green paint. Case in point: about 6 years ago I bought a JD L 130. 48" cut 23 hp kohler command. As typical of under $5000 hydros they used a tuff torq transmission. Unfortunately they decided to strip it down to a bare minimum. While other manufacturers have the same unit Many have features like
1) a drain plug
2)a remote reservoir
3)synthetic oil
4) dealer service available (tuff torq sells parts and re-build kits, JD won't service them.)

To meet the price point JD made it a disposable $650+ labor tranny. No drain or fill plug (sealed case). And used non synthetic oil.
Other things they just left out like zirc fittings on the deck spindles (replacement spindles came with zircs).
This you expect from Wal-schmart mowers, but I expected (and trusted) JD to build nothing but quality. Once the box stores sell it, quality disappears.
Only exception has been with the Echo stuff (in my experience at least).

I'd wager a drain/fill plug and synthetic oil would double or quadruple the life of that hydro, at a cost of what $20?

I hope I'm not reading similar stories about HD Ariens mowers in a couple years (or less).

My point is, HD has a history of taking top manufacturers and beating them into making cheap junk.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Popeye77]

Originally Posted by GrassGuerilla

I hope your right, but history says otherwise. The problem is, by the time the manufacturer (including JD among others) whittled their product down to meet Home Depots price point. What's left is just the pretty green paint. Case in point: about 6 years ago I bought a JD L 130. 48" cut 23 hp kohler command. As typical of under $5000 hydros they used a tuff torq transmission. Unfortunately they decided to strip it down to a bare minimum. While other manufacturers have the same unit Many have features like
1) a drain plug
2)a remote reservoir
3)synthetic oil
4) dealer service available (tuff torq sells parts and re-build kits, JD won't service them.)

To meet the price point JD made it a disposable $650+ labor tranny. No drain or fill plug (sealed case). And used non synthetic oil.
Other things they just left out like zirc fittings on the deck spindles (replacement spindles came with zircs).
This you expect from Wal-schmart mowers, but I expected (and trusted) JD to build nothing but quality. Once the box stores sell it, quality disappears.
Only exception has been with the Echo stuff (in my experience at least).

I'd wager a drain/fill plug and synthetic oil would double or quadruple the life of that hydro, at a cost of what $20?

I hope I'm not reading similar stories about HD Ariens mowers in a couple years (or less).

My point is, HD has a history of taking top manufacturers and beating them into making cheap junk.
Posted via Mobile Device

Good Post, Thanks

[samendolaro]

Took delivery of the 26hp S75X today (well actually my brother did, I won't get my hands on it until this weekend).

I had the Mulch kit installed by the dealer , turns out that this incarnation of the S75X requires that holes be drilled into the deck for the baffels to be installed. I am told that future versions of the S75 will have the deck "Mulch kit ready" but that isn't the case now.

From my brothers run he mentioned that it takes a bit of getting use to. The finger/hand controls are very sensitive (compared to using your arms) . But once he got it he was happy with it. He said he couldn't even tell when he was mowing grass. The mower seemed oblivious that it was sliceing & diceing. No Bogging at all

I'll fill in more when I see it this weekend.

[Popeye77]

My S50x had to be drilled for the mulch kit also.

[samendolaro]

BTW... Looks like the Beast mowers are back in stock online at Home Depot.. Perhaps they sold them all and were waiting for new shipments to come in.

[IS500Z]

Originally Posted by samendolaro

BTW... Looks like the Beast mowers are back in stock online at Home Depot.. Perhaps they sold them all and were waiting for new shipments to come in.

Both of them?

Really want to hear what you think of the new Snapper Pro. I am still interested in the Evolution but it is such a radical design I would like to here from an owner.

[XLS]

OK i compared the Zoom to our 2760HD gravely and its identical in all major parts and the only differance was the kawi engine it cost $1000.00 less then our units so it may be in the cost of the engine or it may not be i dont know but all the major items are identical .

[samendolaro]

Originally Posted by IS500Z

Both of them?

Really want to hear what you think of the new Snapper Pro. I am still interested in the Evolution but it is such a radical design I would like to here from an owner.

Yea all three of them. the 62, 54 and 48.


I don't see the Evolution being a radical design. The only thing different is where the operator sits and the movement controls.

I have a retention pond in my back yard and there is one area which is about 20-25 degrees . The walkbehind actually will give some trouble back there. By brother took the S75 over it (slow for sure) but he also was able to use his body to lean at the same time. Something you can't do from the lower seated position of a standard ZTR. So the operators position allows them to use their weight .

I've never driven one before so I'll give a first hand next week.