justjeepin86
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2005
- Location
- Winston-Salem, NC
Modern Mowers....
- Thread starter ghost
- Start date
ghost
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 25, 2006
- Location
- Hartsville/Camden,SC
Yes. I actually just used it today. Been so busy working on things and work I haven’t had much time to do it. Today after the kitchen work the wife said “I can’t believe you haven’t played with your new mower..” so I mowed the whole yard faster than I ever had.
ghost
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 25, 2006
- Location
- Hartsville/Camden,SC
First trip to the MIL’s to mow. Fits nicely on my small trailer. Need some oil I noticed it was low.
New motors do use oil so keep checking. Keep air filter clean too so it doesn't pull more oil past rings.
ghost
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 25, 2006
- Location
- Hartsville/Camden,SC
skyhighZJ
Gov retirement < needs to live
- Joined
- May 31, 2012
- Location
- Aberdeen, NC.
My gravely uses 20-50 also I get it off Amazon for reasonable as no one in town carries it.
Yeah, I have a 2011 48" MZ with 27 hp brigs. It's been good to me as long as I kept up my end of the deal with regular maintenance. It's had a fairly rough life and often gets rode hard and put up wet. Next time I have to change the bearings in the center arbor, I'm cutting a hole in the floor but pulling the deck isn't terrible but almost necessary to get a wrench to the top of the arbor. I don't like the sealed transaxles. They're loud when it's cold but other than that I haven't had any issues with them. The briggs is smoking a little on start up but other than that, she's solid.
LBZ_Duramax
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2011
- Location
- Benson, NC
maulcruiser
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2005
- Location
- Bladenboro/Wilmington, NC
I am curious about the joystick functions. When Snapper used to make mowers, they had a joystick machine, but sidehills were a problem due to the way they made the linkages and such function. You couldn't overdrive the downhill side to keep you on the slope, and it would turn downhill no matter what. How well does yours perform on sidehills?
ghost
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 25, 2006
- Location
- Hartsville/Camden,SC
So when I was at the dealer he told me they use to make them for snapper but then Snapper went another route and that's where country clipper came from. I have a small grade in the back and a short steep grade up front. I've had no issues with drift on the rear grade and as long as you keep it straight it goes straight. I mow the front hill up and down. I can go as slow or as fast as I want on the grade. Which I go real slow up since to me it's steep. I haven't dug into it but I suspect there is some sort of drive by wire going on.
justjeepin86
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2005
- Location
- Winston-Salem, NC
I can mow on a decent grade with mine. You just push the joystick towards the hill a little. It drives it like any other zero turn, pushing the bottom tire a little faster than the top.
That being said, I don't like steep hills on any zero turn but a walk behind.
paradisePWoffrd
Recovering Project Junkie
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2005
- Location
- Newton, NC
My dad had a guy in Charlotte "rebuild" the kawi in his ZT, if you need someone I can likely dig up his contact info.
How many hours would this mower have to have (or not have) to be a good deal? Or is this a bad idea at any price?
winstonsalem.craigslist.org
Zero Turn used mower - farm & garden - by owner - sale - craigslist
Fair condition Kawaski engine 52"
justjeepin86
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2005
- Location
- Winston-Salem, NC
That's really close to the same mower I have, but mine is a briggs. I paid 2250 for mine 6 years ago with around 150hrs. I would imagine it's a 55-6k mower new now. I would get the engine model and do some research on that.How many hours would this mower have to have (or not have) to be a good deal? Or is this a bad idea at any price?
Zero Turn used mower - farm & garden - by owner - sale - craigslist
Fair condition Kawaski engine 52"
ghost
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 25, 2006
- Location
- Hartsville/Camden,SC
Yes. Mine was $5600.
Croatan_Kid
How's your hammer hangin'?
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2007
- Location
- New Bern
I'd be looking for a Briggs or literally anything else to replace it. I've had four Kawasaki motors and every one of them have locked up or decided the block needed a window. One Ferris, two JD 435s, and a Husqvarna. It was a shame...they all ran great until they didn't. They didn't really have an excessive amount of hours on them either.
Dad talked to local lawn mower man and said he wasn't a fan of a Briggs...not sure why though. He did get it apart yesterday to find the rods and caps laying in pieces. I think it had about 900 hours on it..
More and more the Briggs Vanguard engines are showing up in equipment. The Kaws and Kohlers come with common issues and not so good legacies. I have 2000+ hr Kaw and Kohler engines in two mowers and neither are without issue. Both are air filter and fuel type sensitive and I change oil and filter very regularly and only use 90 octane non ethanol fuel. Aerator has a Briggs and so far it's ok (3 years in but only seasonal use).
I wish Honda engines were in more equipment, they are smooth.
I wish Honda engines were in more equipment, they are smooth.
Croatan_Kid
How's your hammer hangin'?
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2007
- Location
- New Bern
Newer Briggs aren't what they used to be, that much is true. The one I have now is a 2013 and it's been a trooper. It's a 28 horse Briggs "commercial pro" on a Ferris IS700. My buddy's got a 2008ish Ferris IS2000 with a 27 horse Kohler. That thing has 5800 hrs on it and keeps right on keepin' on! Must have been a Tuesday or Wednesday motor, for sure. I think his IS700/Briggs is just over 3000 hrs too.
An interesting thing I noticed is the Ferris mowers only register hours when the blades are spinning. That's a LOT of mowing!
I would agree. Honda motors would be nice! I've decided if I ever have to get another mower, I'd find something diesel.
An interesting thing I noticed is the Ferris mowers only register hours when the blades are spinning. That's a LOT of mowing!
I would agree. Honda motors would be nice! I've decided if I ever have to get another mower, I'd find something diesel.
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2005
- Location
- Stanley, NC
What ^ said. Briggs used to be shit, and Kawi and Kohler were rock solid. In the past 10-15 years, things seemed to have flipped and the newer Briggs are pretty solid and the Kawi and Kohler have both little issues and bigger long term longevity issues.
I loved my diesel Kubota mower. Had a 7 gallon capacity and I would fill it up about every other month. But the suspension on the Ferris I have now is worth the fuel
justjeepin86
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2005
- Location
- Winston-Salem, NC
That goes in the, side hills till it doesn't, category......
Croatan_Kid
How's your hammer hangin'?
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2007
- Location
- New Bern
Zero turns love ditches. High level of attraction between the two.
I've gotten to the point that I don't even bother wondering if I can mow a ditch bank. If I have to think about it, then it's a no from me dawg! I always seem to get stuck as absolutely far away from my truck as possible too and the walk of shame is never fun.
Did the intake go under? That would just add insult to injury!
I've gotten to the point that I don't even bother wondering if I can mow a ditch bank. If I have to think about it, then it's a no from me dawg! I always seem to get stuck as absolutely far away from my truck as possible too and the walk of shame is never fun.
Did the intake go under? That would just add insult to injury!