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Anyone have any experience with Bad Boy zero turn mowers. How is the support? How do they compare with the competition?

http://www.badboymowers.com/

I know that EverythingAttachments.com sells them and they speak very highly of them... have seen their videos on YouTube that show off the features and talk them up pretty good. :tongue:

I have a Bad Boy ZT with a 27hp Kohler. I will say this, it's built rugged but there are a couple of things I would change. I would have bought the next size up in the commercial grade of mower. I keep hearing bad things about the Kohler Courage Pro. I have about 30 hours on my engine and I have experienced one thing so far with my mower. When I put it on a pretty steep grade with the discharge shoot on the high side, it looked like a mosquito sprayer had been turned loose. I mowed this same bank with a Craftsman Garden Tractor for 10 years and never had a smoking issue with the engine. It had a 20hp Briggs Twin and it was still running strong when the transaxle went bad. I would also like to have the swing out fuel tanks along with a striper kit and better trailer hitch. These things are not available on the ZT. When you get this thing on level ground, it mows beautifully. It will run about 8mph wide open and it will mow wet grass 10" high as fast as it will go and not leave anything behind. The only other complaint I have so far is when I make a turn at the end of a row, it will take the sod up on the inside tire. I think this is just a characteristic of a zero turn mower. Would I buy a Bad Boy again at this point. Yes! I think for the value, it is a great mower but like I said, I would move up in the world and get a few more options. Check out your engine wisely and do a lot of research. I thought I had and then when I started to use it, I found all kinds of negative things about the life of this motor. I'm hoping and praying I've got a good one but this issue with the smoke has me concerned. One more thing I've done to mine since I've bought it is, Bad Boys come with a rubber extension tube to assist in draining the oil. Mine only had a pipe plug in the end of it which leaked. I couldn't get it tight enough to stop it so I added a ball valve and put a plug in the end of that so now all I have to do is remove the plug and open the valve to drain my oil. It's routed out the back of the mower. I also added a filter relocation kit and put it on the inside of the engine guard on the back of the mower. Now I can change the filter without making a mess on the motor deck. That was a little pricey at $113.00 but I'm a stickler for clean and I want to give this motor every chance I can. I hope this helps a little, I could give you a little more info but it would just be from what I've found so far and what the other units can do. I have no experience with other ZT mowers but did research on an options based price comparison and nothing even came close to any of the Bad Boy mowers option for option.

I have the Bad Boy Lightning Z, 26hp LC Kawasaki, 60" deck...I bought it last year and have mixed feelings. First, I had a short in the starter fuse block (Bad Boy sent me a new one...I installed it myself), Second, I had to spend an inordinate amount of time leveling the deck (not an easy task for one 'not-so-mechanically-inclined'...the shop that sold it to me was 34 miles away, so I adjusted it myself), Third, I keep throwing my drive belt...I know it's an adjustment problem, but a mower with less than 50 hours shouldn't need constant adjusting, and Last, this thing collects enough grass under the deck to fill a 5-gallon bucket with each cutting of my 2-acre lawn. I don't know why, it just does. There is no way to clean it, unless you drive it up on a pair of automobile ramps and use a pressure washer to blow away the 'accumulated sod' it gathers with each mowing.

The TWO greatest things about this mower are: (1) This thing cuts ALL the grass at 15 miles per hour (and I DO mean ALL the grass...it's like a having your own private 'lawn-barber'...beautiful job...always!), and (2) It has fewer moving parts, which should always equal 'fewer repairs'. It's built like a tank and is very solid-feeling while mowing.

Would I ever buy another one??? I did an immense amount of comparison-shopping prior to pulling the trigger on the Bad Boy. I don't think you can duplicate the quality of the machine, for any less money. True, I've had a couple of irritating problems, but all-in-all this thing is the bomb! Nothing can keep up with it while mowing...NOTHING! Speed isn't everything...but a manicured lawn behind it is...I was completely convinced after the first cutting! I stand by my first impression.

Anyone know how to ease the amount of push needed to move the steering arms? My wife struggles due to upper body strength.

Nam said:

Anyone know how to ease the amount of push needed to move the steering arms? My wife struggles due to upper body strength.

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I asked the same question, I did not like the amount of effort necessary to steer this thing I was worn out just after an acre.
Its the gas struts that make it difficult, I looked it over and just saw no point in them being there unless I'm missing something. So I disconnected them, now its like I have power steering the arms move like butter. There maybe a reason for them but I can't find it unless its to build upper body strength. I just unbolted the front ends of the struts and left them lay where they were.

YooTeeAyud said:

I have the Bad Boy Lightning Z, 26hp LC Kawasaki, 60" deck...I bought it last year and have mixed feelings. First, I had a short in the starter fuse block (Bad Boy sent me a new one...I installed it myself), Second, I had to spend an inordinate amount of time leveling the deck (not an easy task for one 'not-so-mechanically-inclined'...the shop that sold it to me was 34 miles away, so I adjusted it myself), Third, I keep throwing my drive belt...I know it's an adjustment problem, but a mower with less than 50 hours shouldn't need constant adjusting, and Last, this thing collects enough grass under the deck to fill a 5-gallon bucket with each cutting of my 2-acre lawn. I don't know why, it just does. There is no way to clean it, unless you drive it up on a pair of automobile ramps and use a pressure washer to blow away the 'accumulated sod' it gathers with each mowing.

The TWO greatest things about this mower are: (1) This thing cuts ALL the grass at 15 miles per hour (and I DO mean ALL the grass...it's like a having your own private 'lawn-barber'...beautiful job...always!), and (2) It has fewer moving parts, which should always equal 'fewer repairs'. It's built like a tank and is very solid-feeling while mowing.

Would I ever buy another one??? I did an immense amount of comparison-shopping prior to pulling the trigger on the Bad Boy. I don't think you can duplicate the quality of the machine, for any less money. True, I've had a couple of irritating problems, but all-in-all this thing is the bomb! Nothing can keep up with it while mowing...NOTHING! Speed isn't everything...but a manicured lawn behind it is...I was completely convinced after the first cutting! I stand by my first impression.

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You would be a LOT better off using a blower to clean your deck instead of water.

I have a ZT elite 48" cut.

Everything about the mower has been good. The toggle switch to raise and lower the deck went bad. Not a problem. However the one thing that is bad about my unit is it will NOT cut the grass. It always leaves a section of grass maybe 3" wide in the middle of the deck uncut. I have to mow over 75% of my grass at least two times to get the grass cut cleanly. I took it back to the dealer and their response was your blades need to be sharpened so we did that. It made no difference when I got it back home.
When this was happening, my wife was terminally ill with Ovarian cancer and I did not have the extra time to leave her and go fight with the dealer. So I still have a problem with this deck. I have changed/sharpened the blades and replaced the belt with no improvement.

I am open to suggestions.

I had the same issue. Sharpened the blades and finally after I replaced factory blades with high lift blades it finally cuts "all" the grass after one pass. I also noticed the new blades were a little longer than original.

I have a Bad Boy ZT Elite, 60 inch Deck. Got got it after I had a serious accident and broke my hip. I was hoping for comfort while mowing. WEll that did not turn out good for me. Well the seat broke after one year, took it back to the dealer, and even with a three year warrenty, the seat is not covered under warrenty, because it has nothing to do with how the mower runs and operates. So I just have to rig it or pay hundreds of dallors for a new seat.
Otherwise, this is one fine operateing zero Turn mower, My first one. Everything works good except the one main thing when it comes to mowing grass. HOW GOOD OF FINISH IT LEAVES ON YOUR MOWING.
And this is what makes this mower the absolute worse, next to worthless zero turn mower. It leave ruts in the finish of the cut, Like where the blades meet under the deck. A dozen blade changes, trying different types of blades even mulching, even Gator blades. Blades from different manufacturers, and many dealer recommended blades. I would bet I have $500 to $1000 in blades spent on this mower. The dealer wont suggest or do anything, its like he thinks I am lieing. The manufactureer claims I am the first indivitual to even suggest such a thing, so i assume he thinks i am lieing about it too. Well Its been six years, and I have saved just about enough to buy a new zero Turn mower. Believe me, it will not be a Bad Boy. I had three White Outdoor 50' cut garden tractors when I mowed lawns for a living. The finish was perfect. I have a Cub Cadet 50" and a Cub Cadet 46 inch or something like that, and it leaves a beatuiful cut lawn behind. But they take almost Twice the amount of time to cut my 3.25 acres of lawn.

About the support. I have written them, called them on thephone, sent them emails, posted on Facebook about the mower, Twitter about the mower for six years. Never got any assistance from the manufacturer or from the dealer in ofallen Mo. Western Lawn something. I won't buy a oil change from the business. Took them six yes 6 weeks to change the oil, hydrolic oil, blades, belts, and ajust everything they mentioned in a package deal they offered. Over $500. After six weeks of grass growing, let me tell you, its was unbelievable to cut it, With a 60 inch mower, I could only cut maybe 24 inchs at a time, then rake the grass up, cut it again is a different direnction, rake the grass up again, Oh you should have seen the bon fire from that. Then New blades. I had to hire someone to get the blades off to replace them. No tool i had would do it.
So support, Bad Boy Mower company does not know what support is they are all talk, I meanall talk. The gal they have promoteing the lline of equipment sure is good looking thou. LOL

Believe it or not. I emailed them about 8 days ago, again, and they answered me for the first time in six years. Then I got a call from Bad Boy Mowers, and they are going to send a representtive to check out my complaints. Well I still have one acre I have not cut this year. Good thing I saved it for demo purposed.

I was looking hard at the Bad Boy brand , it looks bullet proof , I have always used as is 20 year old junk so I would be easy to please, but being ignored by dealer and Bad Boy customer service is enough to caution me enough to keep reading before buying . I do not want to get involved in the growing pains of a new company. I thought buying new was all about not buying my own parts and doing the work . Please let us know if the Bad Boy rep give you a hat and a hand shake or stands behind that machine,

Well he is not due to arrive till next week. If he shows I will post on here what came of it. When I first bought a zero turn mower. I was very excited and when I saw all the postings on Bad Boy mowers, and all the videos they produced, and all the praise they gave themselves. I should have ran and hid from Bad boy Mowers. The finish cut, is the main reason to be picky about a mower, well in my opinion the finish cut tells the story best. Oh it handles great, rides great, thou I would recomend a different seat, since mine broke down with in a year. The welds on the seat just did not hold and the metal frame made the seat fall appart. So noting to lean back on. Who cares if it has arms rest, if the back of the seat is broken and the arm rest are atached the the back of the seat. if you see my point.
Anyway. It does have to have adjustments as it breaks in, thats why you have a dealer. or you do it yourself if your capable. Bad Boy Mowers has been out a long time now, and sold a lot of mowers, Thou if you go to a independnat mower repair, they have nothing good to say about the mower. I went to three before going back to the dealer for adjustments, simply because I knew the other mower repair people. They all hated working on a Bad boy zero turn mower. ANd that in and of itself is not a good recomendation.

ervinsmith1024 said:

Well he is not due to arrive till next week. If he shows I will post on here what came of it. When I first bought a zero turn mower. I was very excited and when I saw all the postings on Bad Boy mowers, and all the videos they produced, and all the praise they gave themselves. I should have ran and hid from Bad boy Mowers. The finish cut, is the main reason to be picky about a mower, well in my opinion the finish cut tells the story best. Oh it handles great, rides great, thou I would recomend a different seat, since mine broke down with in a year. The welds on the seat just did not hold and the metal frame made the seat fall appart. So noting to lean back on. Who cares if it has arms rest, if the back of the seat is broken and the arm rest are atached the the back of the seat. if you see my point.
Anyway. It does have to have adjustments as it breaks in, thats why you have a dealer. or you do it yourself if your capable. Bad Boy Mowers has been out a long time now, and sold a lot of mowers, Thou if you go to a independnat mower repair, they have nothing good to say about the mower. I went to three before going back to the dealer for adjustments, simply because I knew the other mower repair people. They all hated working on a Bad boy zero turn mower. ANd that in and of itself is not a good recomendation.

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Bad Boys have improved all their mowers in the last 6 years. As far as the cut itself, there are a few things to look for and correct, the 5 main things are : deck level - deck rake - good and sharp blades (not worn out) - deck clean of debris (bottom) - blade speed (most people don't even consider this)