Got my Cheetah in FINALLY...small review

[slowleak1]

Little update, been busy ever since Isaac.

I had a cop friend radar the cheetah in both high and low. In low, scag says it does 12, it did under 10 (radar gun doesn't pick up anything under 10). In high, scag says it should do 16, and it did 14. I am dropping it off at the dealer tomorrow so they can make it go the speed it is supposed to.

As for cut quality, so far so good. I will also be getting the mulching plate installed tomorrow, so we will see what happens.

Lots of people ask about the visibility of the deck...well...that all depends on how you have the seat adjusted. It tilts back for enough to make you want to fall asleep. it also slides forwards and backwards a good ways, so I dont see any reason for anyone to have any issues at all seeing the edge of the deck. I will update more as I get some more seat time.

[TLS]

Your RPM's are likely low. If in fact the gun is calibrated for such slow speeds.

That'd be like checking the PSI of a basketball with a 200 PSI truck tire gauge.

Is this on level ground, and on asphalt, not grass.
Posted via Mobile Device

[slowleak1]

Originally Posted by TLS

Your RPM's are likely low. If in fact the gun is calibrated for such slow speeds.

That'd be like checking the PSI of a basketball with a 200 PSI truck tire gauge.

Is this on level ground, and on asphalt, not grass.
Posted via Mobile Device

We verified the gun with 2 other trucks, and also checked it against another gun.

Flat concrete, zero wind. It is a long private driveway, probably about 2,000 feet long. Completely level. Also PTO was not engaged.

I will post back with more tomorrow.

[orangemower]

Originally Posted by slowleak1

We verified the gun with 2 other trucks, and also checked it against another gun.

Flat concrete, zero wind. It is a long private driveway, probably about 2,000 feet long. Completely level. Also PTO was not engaged.

I will post back with more tomorrow.

Hey, don't forget the pics.

[puppypaws]

Originally Posted by slowleak1

We verified the gun with 2 other trucks, and also checked it against another gun.

Flat concrete, zero wind. It is a long private driveway, probably about 2,000 feet long. Completely level. Also PTO was not engaged.

I will post back with more tomorrow.

I will be very interested in knowing if you dealer gets more speed from your Cheetah. The only Cheetah I know of that was checked accurately, because of being done by a certified land surveyor, did meet the advertised 16 mph speed.

The police radar should be very accurate as well, so it will be interesting to see if your speed is changed by the dealer.

I just spoke with my nephew which is a NC Highway Patrol Officer, he told me their radar was accurate to within 1 mph, not as accurate as I would have thought.

[All_Toro_4ME]

Great thread.

subscribing...

[slowleak1]

Originally Posted by puppypaws

I will be very interested in knowing if you dealer gets more speed from your Cheetah. The only Cheetah I know of that was checked accurately, because of being done by a certified land surveyor, did meet the advertised 16 mph speed.

The police radar should be very accurate as well, so it will be interesting to see if your speed is changed by the dealer.

I just spoke with my nephew which is a NC Highway Patrol Officer, he told me their radar was accurate to within 1 mph, not as accurate as I would have thought.

I called the dealer today, since I didnt have time to bring it in, just to ask some questions.

I was informed that per scag, the term "up to" means it doesnt HAVE to do 12/16, but just somewhere close. I was told they will look at it but not necesarily do anything about it. I ahve a friend with a tachometer, and tomorrow we are going to check rpm's.

I am still extremely pleased with the cut quality. It doesnt chop up the grass very well but it cuts it very quickly and cleanly and spreads it very evenly. I now have about 6 hours on the machine and the blades still look brand new, and there is minimal clumping on the underside of the deck.

I also experimented with the seat some today. I have it adjusted a good bit back and I can still see the deck edge. I have VERY good depth perception so untill I read about other people's issues with seeing the deck I never realized that I didnt even look at mine. It was a bit weird cutting today and trying to look at the deck but I am starting to get used to it.

I also started off on 2 full tanks of gas over the weekend, to check fuel consumption. So far I am not pleased, as the gauge is saying I have burned almost half a tank in just 2 hours.

[puppypaws]

Originally Posted by slowleak1

I called the dealer today, since I didnt have time to bring it in, just to ask some questions.

I was informed that per scag, the term "up to" means it doesnt HAVE to do 12/16, but just somewhere close. I was told they will look at it but not necesarily do anything about it. I ahve a friend with a tachometer, and tomorrow we are going to check rpm's.

I am still extremely pleased with the cut quality. It doesnt chop up the grass very well but it cuts it very quickly and cleanly and spreads it very evenly. I now have about 6 hours on the machine and the blades still look brand new, and there is minimal clumping on the underside of the deck.

I also experimented with the seat some today. I have it adjusted a good bit back and I can still see the deck edge. I have VERY good depth perception so untill I read about other people's issues with seeing the deck I never realized that I didnt even look at mine. It was a bit weird cutting today and trying to look at the deck but I am starting to get used to it.

I also started off on 2 full tanks of gas over the weekend, to check fuel consumption. So far I am not pleased, as the gauge is saying I have burned almost half a tank in just 2 hours.

The Velocity Plus Deck is design to do just what you are seeing, process a large amount of grass very fast, get it out of the discharge opening and spread it evenly. This is why you see the longer pieces, unlike what you would see with a deck such as the Exmark Ultra Cut, one that processes the grass more, and discharges it in much smaller pieces.

Your deck will handle wet grass and a wider variety of cutting situations better than a further processing deck. You will not clean grass from underneath your deck nearly as often as you would with the Ultra Cut, but nether will you get the manicured cut of the Exmark deck.

Don't depend too much on any gas gauge used on a mower, most are not that accurate. I'd say you are in the 1.8 to 2 gph range, depending on what you are cutting.

[StanWilhite]

Originally Posted by slowleak1

I called the dealer today, since I didnt have time to bring it in, just to ask some questions.

I was informed that per scag, the term "up to" means it doesnt HAVE to do 12/16, but just somewhere close. I was told they will look at it but not necesarily do anything about it. I ahve a friend with a tachometer, and tomorrow we are going to check rpm's.

I am still extremely pleased with the cut quality. It doesnt chop up the grass very well but it cuts it very quickly and cleanly and spreads it very evenly. I now have about 6 hours on the machine and the blades still look brand new, and there is minimal clumping on the underside of the deck.

I also experimented with the seat some today. I have it adjusted a good bit back and I can still see the deck edge. I have VERY good depth perception so untill I read about other people's issues with seeing the deck I never realized that I didnt even look at mine. It was a bit weird cutting today and trying to look at the deck but I am starting to get used to it.

I also started off on 2 full tanks of gas over the weekend, to check fuel consumption. So far I am not pleased, as the gauge is saying I have burned almost half a tank in just 2 hours.

You mean the Cheetah doesn't come with a tach?! I'm surprised that one of Scag's top of the line mowers doesn't have one....would have never thought that.

[TLS]

Dixie is the only brand that I know of that came with a tach.

But for $40, I have had one on every mower since my Dixie.
Posted via Mobile Device