Impressions: newGT48XLSi

[motoman]

Two more hours mowing today. The seat bracket is chintzy . While the seat unit is ok the main hinge bracket flexes like a tin can lid when raising seat. Also I am still bothered by the one bolt hold down of the seat to its frame. Nothing has broken or loosened, but I can not help noting the contrast between the seat bracket and the deck with its Humvee armor plate and electric weld seams. Guess like cars the bean counters had to attack somewhere,

I had accidentally engaged the diff locker and was lamenting the poor turning radius and the tendency for the tractor to understeer (wheels turned , but goes straight) and diminished radius turning. This went away when the dash locker switch was turned off. I did not tear up any grass , BTW, as some have reported, with the diff locked. Probably cause I was going really slow with my healing hip. I did use the locker once purposely when tractor drive wheel fell into a wet rut. Turned on the dash switch and two light jabs of go pedal had me out in a jiffy...VERY SWEET ...and what I was hoping for after 12 years of slipping and sometimes having to shovel out.

I mentioned the nice little dash flush float bat charger connector and the dedicated Husqy-sold CTEK ( I think) , but I had committed to a Schumaker float charger (Walmart} which I like. It came with a nice little pigtail jumper harness with battery bolt- sized eyelets so I put that on and can now more easily charge the beast.

Edit: The air cleaner is a "sock" type with a round pleated paper body bonded to a black flexible "neck." After years of catering to the old Intek paper/sponge flat inserts and a very long rubber perimeter seal (rectangle) which just barely worked I checked the Husqy air filter before mowing. The lid has the same two captive pinch and turn screws, but that lid just covers the sock. The sock's rubber neck is pulled off and pushed on to a spout. I don't like the feel of the installed neck on spout. It did not come with a clamp, but I will put one on. The fact that you can pull it off bothers me (tight seal?). I did not see any dust tracks from the first mows, but I want a seal. Perhaps Intek (or Husqy?) was afraid users would complain of "bonding" which might require extra effort or even cutting the neck to remove (like a radiator hose). I will risk it. A clamp goes on. Credit due to the attempt to improve installation.I wonder about filter life under dusty weed duty as I used to clean the foam insert after even one mow. Better buy about 6 of the socks. The filter does go on in about 1/10 the time.

 

[Bicklebok]

Thank you for the update. That locker feature sounds like a handy feature that would come in handy.

Glad you discoverd the shulmer charger. You can buy extra pigtails on amazon and install them on other equipment too. Thats what i did.

 

[motoman]

Thanks for the tip

 

[bertsmobile1]

Bert, Yes I am leery of the hose cleanout also as I have run over mostly damp to wet grass for 12 years with my lowly stamped deck on the dyt 4000 with no spindle changeout or perforation. I do, however, sharpen about 3 times summer and end up chiseling adobe coating from the deck (mud and dried weeds/grass) . The load I typically get from that excercise is about 5-6 flat shovel-fulls. I feel that has retarded rust and allowed the deck to dry . Re gauges...I understand how pros who constantly repair needless damage of clients' machines develop a kind of cynicism (maybe for all mowers). But for the odd ball minority gauges can prolong life of the big box machines. motoman

Edit. I have an air compressor and an H Frt quick attach "wand" of about 2 feet with trigger which I clean up the tractor with after every mow. You can reach into the chute opening and the diffused 100 psi will detach the thatch also if moist enough. I always direct the air accross the front of the intek carburettor and the pointy tip allows blast into little openings in the air shrouding, as well as cleaning up the weeping oil points for closer inspection. When done there is a big ring of debris and grass around the tractor. I have read others do this too. From the volume of grass and weed clippiings I dislodge around the deck pulleys it would seem these masses could end up stretching or damaging the drive belts if not removed.

Could overheat the belt however will catch alight.
Next to restarting a mower with fuel splashed around everywhere or refuling a running mower, excessive grass build up on the deck starts a lot of fires and is real hard to put out under the pulley covers.
Next problem is the wet grass is quite acid and attacks any bare metal, promoting wear . Once you get a scratch in the powder coating wet grass will lift the paint in no time flat and eat through the deck.
So yes blow it off.
Blowing off the underside of the deck and keeping it clean will aid the airflow under the deck and yield a better cut.
A pair of flat topped ramps to run the front up will give you a nice height to get the air duster under the deck particularly if you can find a longer one.
I got a 4' one from a truck supply shop, bought a case of them and flog them to my customers.

 

[motoman]

Another hour mowing , and getting adjusted to this mower. At first I was pressing the go pedal too hard making drag race starts, some of which removed skin from forehead as I plowed through low hanging , scraggly branches of my fruit trees. I have learned that the pedal is calibrated very well...press lightly and go slowly, press hard and (almost) do wheelie. Also this pedal has excellent braking feature when letting off the machine stops without application of the brake. The reverse pedal is very small and relatively difficult to engage. It seems Husqy has gone to great pains to inhibit accidental backup with this action AND the smart button flashing red. OK, I guess, it it saves a terrible accident, but kind of a pain compared with my old Craftsman.

In case you had read my earlier comment about the sharp, shave- ready edge of the hitch plate...Husqy (unwittingly I'm sure) has built in a second razor blade edge on the rearward seat plate. I can still see the engineering boiler plate statement on all mechanical drawings..."break, remove all sharp edges..." This oversight is not major, but clearly shows a painter ( or coater) somewhere hanging and painting parts with his bandaged hands without a word to the (missing?) quality dude. Doubtful this would happen in Japan, Yes, these edges can be removed with several file strokes by the consumer, but why should that be?

EDIT; The oil level has stayed up since new. On the stick it looks like 30W. I guess this shows good ring seating. (I know they did not pour Bon Ami into the engine to achieve this).

The droning still bothers me ,, a kind of whum, whum , whum, instead of an audible constant whir I am used to on the Craftsman.

Please note I am pretty happy with the new machine.

 

[Bicklebok]

Glad youre enjoying it. Im still gettimg used to a Hisqvarna PZT48 I bought used a few weeks ago. Just put new blades on it and it is exceeding my expectations!

 

[motoman]

Good to hear your new machine is well.

 

[motoman]

Got off my backsides and downloaded the operators and parts manuals, over 60 pp. Learned a couple things. (Why wasn't the manual, at least, included with the new purchase?)

I beefed earlier about the oil plug and drainage being blocked. The manual shows that what I called a grill they call a "dash cover," and what seemed like plastic rivets are sliding ?buttons" which allow the covers to be removed We'll see. Noticed the parts manual shows a cross over bracket holding the battery down. And puzzling is the exploded pic of the K 66 trans with what looks like a fillable tank. Is that an expansion tank? The text in the manual says no service possible, sealed at factory. There is a schematic of the same zerks I have on the dyt 4000 with no instruction on the bolt- on deck covers.nor intervals.

 

[BlazNT]

Got off my backsides and downloaded the operators and parts manuals, over 60 pp. Learned a couple things. (Why wasn't the manual, at least, included with the new purchase?)

I beefed earlier about the oil plug and drainage being blocked. The manual shows that what I called a grill they call a "dash cover," and what seemed like plastic rivets are sliding ?buttons" which allow the covers to be removed We'll see. Noticed the parts manual shows a cross over bracket holding the battery down. And puzzling is the exploded pic of the K 66 trans with what looks like a fillable tank. Is that an expansion tank? The text in the manual says no service possible, sealed at factory. There is a schematic of the same zerks I have on the dyt 4000 with no instruction on the bolt- on deck covers.nor intervals.

Go to manufacture web site and down load the manual. It will give the oil change times.

 

[motoman]

Blaz, You are saying the tank is a filler spot and that Husqv is wrong about "sealed?" I do have a page from Tufftorque which shows the oil specs. Thanks