Finally demoed a SCAG Cheetah today......REVIEW

[ProStreetCamaro]

I bet some of you are cutting shorter than you think you are. How many of you have actually set your mower on level smooth concrete and measured your blade tip to verify it is the same as what the indicator is set at? I checked mine for the first time this year and I was actually cutting WAY shorter than what I thought I was.

[orangemower]

Originally Posted by ProStreetCamaro

I bet some of you are cutting shorter than you think you are. How many of you have actually set your mower on level smooth concrete and measured your blade tip to verify it is the same as what the indicator is set at? I checked mine for the first time this year and I was actually cutting WAY shorter than what I thought I was.

You mentioned most of your lawns are cut at 3.5in Was this before or after you checked it?

My Scag is off by about 1/4in. So when I'm cutting, I have to keep that in mind. I tried to adjust it out but it wouldn't without sacrificing transport position. In other words, to get the cut height exact as the setting says, I couldn't lock the deck into transport. Weird but it cuts great and stripes great too so I left it alone.

[TLS]

Yeah, for the most part, OEM height indicators are good for a couple hundred hours at most.

4-6 chain links, two bolts or eyelets, plus a host of different linkages all add up to wear that is noticeable.
Posted via Mobile Device

[sjessen]

Originally Posted by orangemower

You mentioned most of your lawns are cut at 3.5in Was this before or after you checked it?

My Scag is off by about 1/4in. So when I'm cutting, I have to keep that in mind. I tried to adjust it out but it wouldn't without sacrificing transport position. In other words, to get the cut height exact as the setting says, I couldn't lock the deck into transport. Weird but it cuts great and stripes great too so I left it alone.

Slightly off topic but just got a new Vantage and had the same problem with locking the deck transport as above.

[ProStreetCamaro]

Originally Posted by orangemower

You mentioned most of your lawns are cut at 3.5in Was this before or after you checked it?

My Scag is off by about 1/4in. So when I'm cutting, I have to keep that in mind. I tried to adjust it out but it wouldn't without sacrificing transport position. In other words, to get the cut height exact as the setting says, I couldn't lock the deck into transport. Weird but it cuts great and stripes great too so I left it alone.

We cut most lawns between 3 to 3.5". We lean toward 3" in the spring then 3.5 once it starts to get hot out. At 3" it WAS actually cutting at 2 1/4". I always thought it seemed kind of short but the lawns looked good and nobody ever asked us to cut higher and they honestly did not brown out any faster than any other lco's lawns. It was just a couple weeks ago I bought the john deere deck leveling tool and almost shat myself when I checked our 160Z. I went ahead and leveled it up and got it set to where it is cutting 3" when it is in the 3" setting. From now on I am going to inform any dealer I am purchasing from that as soon as I get the mower home I am checking the cut height, pitch and level. If they are off it will be brought right back to them so they can set it correctly. That way they make a point of setting it up correctly before I pick it up.

[Dylan's Lawn Care]

[/QUOTE]

If that picture was done with one pass i would say the scag does a pretty good job at mulching. I have seen a few post where people say the scags cant mulch.

[orangemower]

Originally Posted by ProStreetCamaro

We cut most lawns between 3 to 3.5". We lean toward 3" in the spring then 3.5 once it starts to get hot out. At 3" it WAS actually cutting at 2 1/4". I always thought it seemed kind of short but the lawns looked good and nobody ever asked us to cut higher and they honestly did not brown out any faster than any other lco's lawns. It was just a couple weeks ago I bought the john deere deck leveling tool and almost shat myself when I checked our 160Z. I went ahead and leveled it up and got it set to where it is cutting 3" when it is in the 3" setting. From now on I am going to inform any dealer I am purchasing from that as soon as I get the mower home I am checking the cut height, pitch and level. If they are off it will be brought right back to them so they can set it correctly. That way they make a point of setting it up correctly before I pick it up.

LOL that's what I was wondering. How does the cut look now that you're at the correct height?

[reath1]

Originally Posted by Dylan's Lawn Care

If that picture was done with one pass i would say the scag does a pretty good job at mulching. I have seen a few post where people say the scags cant mulch.[/QUOTE]

That is definitely one pass. And whoever said that Scags can't mulch is clearly wrong.

[Ridin' Green]

The Deere Z's I've owned have come set almost perfect, but I check them anyway, and adjust if needed, especially if I need to adjust the pitch.

I have also checked to make sure that when I turn the dial for the HOC from the height position at which I checked it against the actual cut height, that each position is what it is supposed to be, and so far the Deere system is very good about being on at all positions. It gives me piece of mind knowing that in case I have to switch HOC for someone in particular from my normal HOC.

[snow4me]

Originally Posted by ProStreetCamaro

I am with you here Jason. Why in the hell would somebody be cutting at 4.125? He is cutting the same type of grass that we cut and 3 to 3.5" is the typical summer cut height for northern fescue. I have never seen any mower leave a smooth carpet like cut at that height. The picture of the stripes above makes the stripes look good but look how shaggy the actual cut looks.

That was the same thing I thought. My Turf Tiger is great at laying grass down while my Exmark actually cuts it...

Then again if you are mowing at 4.5" and grass is thin and wispy this is gonna happen with any mower/deck combo.