The Green Industry's Resource Center

GMLC · #21 10-07-2012, 07:49 AM

Good video's, thanks. Those are typical NH lawns. When people on LS say they mow above 10-12 mph I always think the lawns have to be smoother than ours.

I would suggest demoing the new Gravely 400 series with air seat and rubber isolated platforms. In my opinion its the best riding machine in the industry and the only reason I can go 10 mph+ in NH. You wont be disapointed.
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GMLC · #22 10-07-2012, 07:55 AM

Here is a video of my Gravely Pro-Turn 452 on a typical rough NH lawn. Its noticably smoother than the Super Z in your vids.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw7u6vDT5Co

greenology · #23 10-07-2012, 07:58 AM

http://youtu.be/iYZtByjeg9E

without back on back rest

Realslowww · #24 10-07-2012, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenology

Hmm so the scag tt is also rough, the cheetah was the model I was considering. Starting to sound like all larger sized machines are rough? I have not used machines larger than 52" before, those machines have all been like driving in a car in comparison to the super Z. I have owned a 2005 dixon and a 2010 dixon, also used a ferris non-suspension, john deere zero turn, the ferris was 61" cut and quite good, only had the up and down movement, no front to back jerking.

I have put tires down to 8 psi in rear, didnt help at all unfortunately.

I would only be losing out by trying to sell this hustler and going for another machine, but at the end of the day it may be necessary for health issues. I cant understand why im the only one with such an issue, my lawns must all have a lot of rough sections compared to others, but in saying that im comparing it all from 4 yrs and 700hrs of zero turn mowing.

The hustler suits me perfectly with the strength, the power, but problem lies with the apparent speed. The biggest reason for me upgrading was to increase my productivity, however the rough ride of this machine has forced me to use it quite slow, therefor I am not getting through lawns any quicker than my old small machine.

No I have heard the new Super rides bad stock, As stated the 400 series Gravely or Cheetah, my Supers are 15 MPH nice ride stock in most all conditions here. The old super in it's day was considered by most the best ride at the time without getting into suspension.

A lighter z will always be more nible and agile,weight is your enemy overall.

puppypaws · #25 10-07-2012, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenology

http://youtu.be/iYZtByjeg9E

without back on back rest

My friend, your problem is coming from a washboard property in this video, believe me this is not rocket science, anyone looking (as Mick did) at the mowers movement knows this property is extremely rough. The washboard affect would not come into play as much if the peaks and valleys were not so close together. Mow up and down (parallel) to the ridges your mower is bouncing across, and it will be totally different. When you watch the mower and see that the flex forks do not have time to activate properly because of the high and low places being so close together. This means no ztr will ride good in that scenario, a fully independent suspension such as the one Ferris uses will by far give the best ride in a situation of that type, but nothing will be great.

Go into my post and find where I used a new IS3100 Ferris and compared it against my Super Z with the flex forks and flex seat. You will see where I talked about the washboard affect, such as you have in the video, and how the fully independent Ferris suspension does make a difference in this type situation.

I own and operate a new 35/72 Super Z, and have one area I could make the mower do the same as yours in the video, so what that means to me is I know I must slow down for the mower and flex forks to operate as designed.

I honestly can't believe you have not figured this out, and yes, I run both my Super Z mowers at full stick the largest majority of the time I'm cutting grass, but there are places such as in this video where I must slow down.

Mickhippy · #26 10-07-2012, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenology

Mickhippy, when your riding over the rough terrain, do you feel the forward to back motion in your upper body? without your back against back rest. Or are you only feeling up and down movement over the ruts?

With the idea of removing the springs from the deck, I have thought of this and would like to try it if its not a big job to remove them, I havnt had a good look at it but is it a matter of just removing the tensioner nuts and then sliding the springs off? I will have a look tomorrow at that.

Only time I have issues with movement is on this lawn... http://youtu.be/XjR5pDmJHXY You can tell by the camera shake how rough this place is and Im going very slowly. Millions of ant nests!
I can rarely sit back in the chair on any lawn. Maybe Ive just learnt how to move with the motion!!! lol

Try adjusting the back rest for more angle away from your back.

Im not really sure whats involved with taking the springs off. I personally wouldnt do it. Id adjust what ever I could before going down that road and theres a reason for them. That said, I would assume taking them off would be a real pain. No doubt it would mess up the deck level etc so is something I would get the dealer to look at. Levelling an SZ deck is no fun at all!

TLS · #27 10-07-2012, 09:11 AM

OK...

I've never videotaped myself or others mowing before, so I don't know how I or others look while mowing.

I watched all of your videos...

That being said, your culprit is that when you bounce (or your lady), your bouncing your arms and jerking the sticks back and forth. This is then jerking the machine more and then your hit the next bump and jerking it back. If you were to ViseGrip the levers still (do NOT try this, but imagine it) your ride would be smoother.

I drove your exact machine on two separate occasions, about a year apart. Both demo periods were multiple day. Go back and search under my username. The first demo, it was brand new....never cut a blade of grass. It had standard forks and those same run-flats that all the new ones did.

My main complaint was the stiff riding run-flats.

The next season, I demo'd it again. This time the dealer installed a set of flex forks. It was a totally different machine. Rode great. Way better than my older rigid forked, air tired, flex seat XR-7 SuperZ.

I did notice the absence of the flex seat that I was so used to, but I was able to go faster and ride smoother with this new machine with flex forks.

Couple of things...

Both demo periods, the mowers came to me with 20psi in the rear tires (which may be what is posted on the sidewall of the tire). Both times I aired them down to 10psi, as 8-10 is the Hustler recommended pressure.

As for the deck bounce...

Hustler re-engineered the geometry of the lift mechanism on this new SuperZ. They lift a LOT easier then the older models did. This new deck is heavy, and to counter that they made the springs do a lot of the work. You look to be cutting low (under 3"). I would re-adjust the spring tension as at your lower cutting heights, the spring is almost FULLY compressed and giving you almost all it's upward pushing power. Loosen them up to where your comfortable with the leg pressure needed and the bounce to almost go away.

And lastly... slow down! Or get some smoother lawns. I'd bet that if your other mowers could do 15mph, that you'd ride just as rough!

Any other mower with similar wheelbase and 1.5"x3" frame rails will ride exactly the same. Your rear suspension is your rear tires after all.

Realslowww · #28 10-07-2012, 01:35 PM

He claims even going slower his older mowers run smoother.

Realslowww · #29 10-07-2012, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TLS

OK...

I've never videotaped myself or others mowing before, so I don't know how I or others look while mowing.

I watched all of your videos...

That being said, your culprit is that when you bounce (or your lady), your bouncing your arms and jerking the sticks back and forth. This is then jerking the machine more and then your hit the next bump and jerking it back. If you were to ViseGrip the levers still (do NOT try this, but imagine it) your ride would be smoother.

I drove your exact machine on two separate occasions, about a year apart. Both demo periods were multiple day. Go back and search under my username. The first demo, it was brand new....never cut a blade of grass. It had standard forks and those same run-flats that all the new ones did.

My main complaint was the stiff riding run-flats.

The next season, I demo'd it again. This time the dealer installed a set of flex forks. It was a totally different machine. Rode great. Way better than my older rigid forked, air tired, flex seat XR-7 SuperZ.

I did notice the absence of the flex seat that I was so used to, but I was able to go faster and ride smoother with this new machine with flex forks.

Couple of things...

Both demo periods, the mowers came to me with 20psi in the rear tires (which may be what is posted on the sidewall of the tire). Both times I aired them down to 10psi, as 8-10 is the Hustler recommended pressure.

As for the deck bounce...

Hustler re-engineered the geometry of the lift mechanism on this new SuperZ. They lift a LOT easier then the older models did. This new deck is heavy, and to counter that they made the springs do a lot of the work. You look to be cutting low (under 3"). I would re-adjust the spring tension as at your lower cutting heights, the spring is almost FULLY compressed and giving you almost all it's upward pushing power. Loosen them up to where your comfortable with the leg pressure needed and the bounce to almost go away.

And lastly... slow down! Or get some smoother lawns. I'd bet that if your other mowers could do 15mph, that you'd ride just as rough!

Any other mower with similar wheelbase and 1.5"x3" frame rails will ride exactly the same. Your rear suspension is your rear tires after all.

TLS I know the newer mower is a good bit better but how much do you think a BB engine would help the older XR7 Z's. I tried a 60 XR7 with a 31 850 and the hydros responsiveness worked alot better from a small ride.

What do you like about the older model compared to the new one or vice versa because a guy locally complained to me about the new Super as well but it was stock ?, he traded his XR7 on it and said it was a mistake because of the deck chatter like in the video.