Zero turn mowers ?'s

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I am in no way trying to bad-mouth Kohler, just passing along info I've received. I'd venture to guess there are Kaw's out there that are hard to start as well.

You're right. When I bought my mower, the Kawasaki engine was a considerable upgrade, if I recall correctly. Any manufacturer is bound to put out a problem-child from time to time. Mine is about 11-12 years old now and even though it seems to have lost a little umph, it still starts and runs pretty good.

 

[JRPLANE]

I have a Grasshopper 720, 20 horse 61" deck, I mow like I stole it, Its never stopped or failed in anyway. I wish it had more power so I could mower faster. But if I had more power I could have a bigger deck, and then need more power, Make it stop!

 

[teddy12b]

I am in no way trying to bad-mouth Kohler, just passing along info I've received. I'd venture to guess there are Kaw's out there that are hard to start as well.

I'll bad mouth Kohler for you if you don't want to. The engine in my garden tractor was a Kohler, and I followed the break in period to the "T" and that engine would stall out, or if you had to go inside real quick and shut the engine off it may not have restarted at all. It took a lot of convincing to get me to buy another piece of equipment with a Kohler engine, but I went out on a leap of faith and the Gravely that I have with the 27hp Kohler has been outstanding. Kohler just makes different levels of quality in their engines. If you buy something of commercial quality then you should be good to go.

 

[BobDaniels]

I'll bad mouth Kohler for you if you don't want to. The engine in my garden tractor was a Kohler, and I followed the break in period to the "T" and that engine would stall out, or if you had to go inside real quick and shut the engine off it may not have restarted at all. It took a lot of convincing to get me to buy another piece of equipment with a Kohler engine, but I went out on a leap of faith and the Gravely that I have with the 27hp Kohler has been outstanding. Kohler just makes different levels of quality in their engines. If you buy something of commercial quality then you should be good to go.

I have no personal experience with Kohler, just what the FIL tells me about his.

My personal experience with crap motors has always been briggs and stratton. After roughly four pieces of equipment with b&s engines being a steaming pile of garbage, I will never buy one again.

 

[teddy12b]

I have no personal experience with Kohler, just what the FIL tells me about his.

My personal experience with crap motors has always been briggs and stratton. After roughly four pieces of equipment with b&s engines being a steaming pile of garbage, I will never buy one again.

I wouldn't blame you for never wanting another B&S again. Personally, I'd have rather gotten the Kawa engine in my gravely but it was at an event and I could only get the better pricing on the one day.

 

[Arm America]

I'm on my second Ferris. First was a 61" deck with 10-years of trouble free service. Sold it with the house and property 21-years ago. I still see it being used. My second Ferris has now seen 10-years of service. It's a 36" walk behind w/sulky. Bought both from Ricks Lawnmower in Martinsville. If I needed another mower, I'd run my needs past him again.

 

[kawtech87]

I'm on my second Ferris. First was a 61" deck with 10-years of trouble free service. Sold it with the house and property 21-years ago. I still see it being used. My second Ferris has now seen 10-years of service. It's a 36" walk behind w/sulky. Bought both from Ricks Lawnmower in Martinsville. If I needed another mower, I'd run my needs past him again.

Rick's is no longer an authorized Ferris dealer.

 

[CTC B4Z]

I picked this up this passed summer for about $3200. cut my mowing down by 3 hours. I have about 3 acres I mow

 

[SMiller]

I have never had a Kohler Command V-twin let me down, best motor ever installed on a zero turn mower.

 

[TWalker]

Another +1 for Scag. A little over 2000 hours on one and it still runs like a champ. 61"in deck turf tiger 27hp kawasaki. The muffler rusted a hole into it, had to rebuild the hydraulic pump ( they say it can't be done) Let someone borrow it and somehow they managed to break a weld on the front right wheel housing. Broken multiple spindles. Replaced the seat. It had to sit outside for a few winters. It still stripes the yard like a baseball field. I bought the $500 striping kit but I've seen them built and added for significantly less money. Oh and buy the solid front tires, regardless which mower you choose. I also agree with the buying used commercial over new residential, huge difference.

 

[JStang314]

In your price range check out the husqvarna MZ or MZT series. You get a lot for the money with them. I've got the m-zt 61 and couldn't be happier. Was planning on buying hustler but got a better engine, better hydros, bigger tires etc going husqvarna.

 

[kawtech87]

I have never had a Kohler Command V-twin let me down, best motor ever installed on a zero turn mower.

A lot of people don't know this yet but Kohler moved most of there manufacturing to China a few years ago. Almost all there engines, including the Command series are now manufactures entirely in China.

Also Briggs gets a lot of crap, but they are the largest manufacturer of small engines in the world more than Kohler and Kawasaki combined. They get a bad rep because companies like Husqvarna and Craftsman will come to Briggs and ask them to build an engine strictly to meet a price point. They don't care about longevity or reliability they just want an engine cheap. So Briggs being of the capitalistic mindset takes the contract and builds the cheap engines with a bunch of cast and plastic parts to meet the price point required by the third party. Then when the end consumer has an issue with the engine it's Briggs that gets blamed and not the third party that ordered the cheap engine to begin with. So there are "Briggs engines" and then there are Briggs Engines. Briggs also in my experience also has about the best warranty and customer service I've ever dealt with in the small engine world. The Commercial series and Vanguard lines will go toe to toe with anything else out there and have a better warranty while doing it.

This is based on my personal experience as a mechanic in the small engines and powersports world for the last 10 years but it is however still just an opinion with a little fact thrown in there.

 

[kawtech87]

Just so you can see what goes into a real Briggs & Stratton engine

https://youtu.be/zcAm37IOPNU

https://youtu.be/WWUnkR9scPc

https://youtu.be/z6BzdYKRA80

Yeah those are corporate videos made by Briggs to highlight the product. This one is from Wright doing a tear down of a Vanguard showing why they use them on their equipment.

https://youtu.be/9_iQNCciojk

I don't know why I can't embed videos anymore....

 

[HoughMade]

On a somewhat different note (not Z-turn), anyone have any experience with a Ventrac 3000 series? I'm thinking one of those with the front mower and a snowblower (and maybe more) would be just the ticket for a few acres.