PB's ZTR Shopping Blog
- Thread starter PBinWA
- Start date
PBinWA
Member
Aaargh!
God plays some mean tricks on us!
So after shopping on Craigslist and eBay for a month and not finding anything that is close to what I want I decide to buy new.
I'm supposed to pick up my new mower today and sure enough a two year old Ferris 25HP/61" deck shows up on Craigslist in the same small town as me for half the price of the new one!
I'm just going to tell myself that this used one must have been abused and a total POS.
On the good news side, I should be picking up my new mower today and will post pictures and a review after I play with it for a while.
God plays some mean tricks on us!
So after shopping on Craigslist and eBay for a month and not finding anything that is close to what I want I decide to buy new.
I'm supposed to pick up my new mower today and sure enough a two year old Ferris 25HP/61" deck shows up on Craigslist in the same small town as me for half the price of the new one!
I'm just going to tell myself that this used one must have been abused and a total POS.
On the good news side, I should be picking up my new mower today and will post pictures and a review after I play with it for a while.
Once you made up your mind to order a new one was the time to stop carusing ebay and craigslist. I know, easier said than done, but it keeps the what if's and doubts out of your head. They'll drive you crazy!!!!!
Congrats on the new one. It's good to splurge once in awhile. I buy used cars, trucks and boats, but from my experience with used mowers ....I never ever plan to buy a used mower again. Every used mower I got had issues. Mowing is a tougher task than I thought at first, the wear and tear on the mowers does show with age. Buying new, you get to break her in right and keep her a good long time. .....Make you feel any better.
Congrats on the new one. It's good to splurge once in awhile. I buy used cars, trucks and boats, but from my experience with used mowers ....I never ever plan to buy a used mower again. Every used mower I got had issues. Mowing is a tougher task than I thought at first, the wear and tear on the mowers does show with age. Buying new, you get to break her in right and keep her a good long time. .....Make you feel any better.
PBinWA
Member
I got the mower!
Of course, when I showed up at the time the salesman had said it would be ready - it wasn't. I had to install the Mulch Kit, the lights, and the Gator Blades last night. The mulch kit was a hassle as I had to remove the deck and actually drill holes to put it on. I sure don't like having to drill holes in a brand new mower but needless to say it has been done.
I also spent some time trying to level the deck.
In the few minutes I had it I managed to just about flip it backwards by hitting a limb with the rops while going up a little bank. - Doh!
Otherwise, it is fast and I need some practice. I'll post pictures later today.
Of course, when I showed up at the time the salesman had said it would be ready - it wasn't. I had to install the Mulch Kit, the lights, and the Gator Blades last night. The mulch kit was a hassle as I had to remove the deck and actually drill holes to put it on. I sure don't like having to drill holes in a brand new mower but needless to say it has been done.
I also spent some time trying to level the deck.
In the few minutes I had it I managed to just about flip it backwards by hitting a limb with the rops while going up a little bank. - Doh!
Otherwise, it is fast and I need some practice. I'll post pictures later today.
PBinWA
Member
I started out a little rough, after I put the mower belt back on I must have not checked it very good as it popped off and got caught as soon as I engaged the PTO. It shredded the belt a bit but it is still usable.
The ride is pretty good. I can honestly get this thing flat out (~10 mph) on some stretches of lawn if the grass is not too long. If the lawn's a little long then I get some stripes but if I slow down a bit then there are no stripes.
On my most bumpy pasture areas the ride is still pretty rough. Dargo says it takes a while for the shocks to break in on these so the ride may be rough for a while.
The Kawasaki engine is strong.
I only whacked one T-post with the deck and probably killed 2-3 small Douglas Firs but after an hour or two I think I've got it.
I need to be aware of turns that go down hill as the mower can sort of get away from me since I need to pull back on the steering arms a bit before taking the corner.
I get about 75% of my "k-turns" right but then there are some that sucked pretty bad.
I mowed that patch of lawn in 15 minutes! That's better than half the time it usually takes.
There are some hills that I'm a little scared to take it on still. I think I'll be sticking with the Craftsman for the steeper hills and banks. It has lots of weight on it and has proven itself to be a good hill machine. The ZTR just seems too light in the front end so it starts to pop wheelies whenever you try to go up a steep hill.
The ride is pretty good. I can honestly get this thing flat out (~10 mph) on some stretches of lawn if the grass is not too long. If the lawn's a little long then I get some stripes but if I slow down a bit then there are no stripes.
On my most bumpy pasture areas the ride is still pretty rough. Dargo says it takes a while for the shocks to break in on these so the ride may be rough for a while.
The Kawasaki engine is strong.
I only whacked one T-post with the deck and probably killed 2-3 small Douglas Firs but after an hour or two I think I've got it.
I need to be aware of turns that go down hill as the mower can sort of get away from me since I need to pull back on the steering arms a bit before taking the corner.
I get about 75% of my "k-turns" right but then there are some that sucked pretty bad.
I mowed that patch of lawn in 15 minutes! That's better than half the time it usually takes.
There are some hills that I'm a little scared to take it on still. I think I'll be sticking with the Craftsman for the steeper hills and banks. It has lots of weight on it and has proven itself to be a good hill machine. The ZTR just seems too light in the front end so it starts to pop wheelies whenever you try to go up a steep hill.
B
bczoom
Guest
Congrats on your new mower.
Give those hills a shot (carefully). Although the front end seems light, I've taken mine to the same steepness as my garden tractor could handle before it would get light and start bouncing in the front.
Can you define a "K-turn" for me? I know there's a few techniques for turning but I don't believe I use that one.
Give those hills a shot (carefully). Although the front end seems light, I've taken mine to the same steepness as my garden tractor could handle before it would get light and start bouncing in the front.
PBinWA
Member
Actually, I can't. I for some reason had thought U-turns were called K turns but can't remember where I read it. I think I was just confused from information overload.
B
bczoom
Guest
Thanks Mith,
That's pretty much what I expected.
For a tractor, that's the way to do it but I don't believe it's necessary for a ZTR.
To prevent scuffing, you obviously can't pivot on one tire. If you have both rear tires turning, no scuffing will occur. I just turn around with one rear tire going backward and the other going forward at the same speed. Thinking of it in terms of the controls, just push one control arm forward and pull the other back at the same rate.
That's pretty much what I expected.
For a tractor, that's the way to do it but I don't believe it's necessary for a ZTR.
To prevent scuffing, you obviously can't pivot on one tire. If you have both rear tires turning, no scuffing will occur. I just turn around with one rear tire going backward and the other going forward at the same speed. Thinking of it in terms of the controls, just push one control arm forward and pull the other back at the same rate.
PBinWA
Member
I do know it takes practice to adjust for slopes and hills. Even the slightest slope can affect the dynamics of the turn. If one wheel loses traction then the turn is shot.
I let my perrenial rye grass get long in the summer so it doesn't need as much water but it still makes a slick surface for the turf tires.
I would try to move the inside wheel backwards but it would just spin out especially if the outside wheel was going towards the downhill side of a slope.
I let my perrenial rye grass get long in the summer so it doesn't need as much water but it still makes a slick surface for the turf tires.
I would try to move the inside wheel backwards but it would just spin out especially if the outside wheel was going towards the downhill side of a slope.
B
bczoom
Guest
You'll get the hang of it.
Oh, don't head straight for a tree going down hill. As already mentioned, control and stopping isn't like a regular tractor...
PBinWA
Member
I took off the Gator Mulcher Magnum blades and mowed with the stock blades and the cut quality was much better and there was less clumping. A big improvement.
I've also realized that I need to re-think my standard mowing practice.
Good turns are possible at the top and bottom of hills but forget trying to get a good turn while sideways on even a slight hill. I just can't get the reversing wheel to get any traction if it has to try and go up hill and in the other direction the forward wheel is too fast. I think it can be done sideways but I think I just need to try and mow up and down instead of side to side. Which is fine because the areas are largely square so it's not a big deal either way.
This thing is fast! I love the suspension - I'm sure I'm hitting 8-10 mph on the straight aways when the grass isn't too long. I'm actually working to slow down a bit but it's hard to not just hammer it for the fun of it!
I've also realized that I need to re-think my standard mowing practice.
Good turns are possible at the top and bottom of hills but forget trying to get a good turn while sideways on even a slight hill. I just can't get the reversing wheel to get any traction if it has to try and go up hill and in the other direction the forward wheel is too fast. I think it can be done sideways but I think I just need to try and mow up and down instead of side to side. Which is fine because the areas are largely square so it's not a big deal either way.
This thing is fast! I love the suspension - I'm sure I'm hitting 8-10 mph on the straight aways when the grass isn't too long. I'm actually working to slow down a bit but it's hard to not just hammer it for the fun of it!
Yep, the speed is kinda fun! 
They do make more aggressive tires for them. But ... I find myself spinning if I try to turn to fast on a hill. If I ease it into power I can get traction. If that's the case you'll get used to it. If not, new tires are always an option.
They do make more aggressive tires for them. But ... I find myself spinning if I try to turn to fast on a hill. If I ease it into power I can get traction. If that's the case you'll get used to it. If not, new tires are always an option.
B
bczoom
Guest
When the downhill tire doesn't get traction, I get the uphill tire turning a little first then I can get the downhill tire to start moving.