Make or break features on a zero-turn?

[Natan Ruman]

What are some of the biggest things to you when choosing a zero-turn? Other than deck size. What do you have to have, wish your mower had, or wish a ZTR would have?

Full transparency, I help an OPE manufacturer get user feedback and send it to our R&D team to make the best zero-turn we can, for real people.

 

[GearHead36]

Last year, I bought a ZTR. My checklist was as follows:

Because I have slopes:
- Steering wheel
- ROPS

Beyond my need to handle slopes, I wanted:
- Fabricated deck
- Serviceable hydros
- Suspension seat
- V-twin engine

I think that the feature that has resulted in the most improvement in comfort while mowing is the suspension seat. I won't have another ZTR without one.

 

[Natan Ruman]

Last year, I bought a ZTR. My checklist was as follows:

Because I have slopes:
- Steering wheel
- ROPS

Beyond my need to handle slopes, I wanted:
- Fabricated deck
- Serviceable hydros
- Suspension seat
- V-twin engine

I think that the feature that has resulted in the most improvement in comfort while mowing is the suspension seat. I won't have another ZTR without one.

ROPS 100% - have heard too many horror stories. ROPS up, seatbelt on at all times.
The steering wheel is a good one. Haven't looked too deeply into them, but will let our engineers know.

 

[RayMcD]

ROPS 100% - have heard too many horror stories. ROPS up, seatbelt on at all times.
The steering wheel is a good one. Haven't looked too deeply into them, but will let our engineers know.

JMHO< if you feel like you need ROPS and seat belts all the time, you need to be looking at a different design machine to do your cutting needs...

 

[MParr]

Easy access to the rear of the engine. It’s a pain in the rear to remove the rear end of the mower just to adjust the carburetor or adjust the valves.

 

[ILENGINE]

Easy access to the rear of the engine. It’s a pain in the rear to remove the rear end of the mower just to adjust the carburetor or adjust the valves.

Or in some cases even change the spark plugs.

 

[MParr]

Or in some cases even change the spark plugs.

Those 65 degree Yamaha V-Twins on Gravely were a nightmare to change plugs. Possibly the worst engine ever made.

 

[Tiger Small Engine]

What are some of the biggest things to you when choosing a zero-turn? Other than deck size. What do you have to have, wish your mower had, or wish a ZTR would have?

Full transparency, I help an OPE manufacturer get user feedback and send it to our R&D team to make the best zero-turn we can, for real people.

1) How does the mower ride and handle
2) Reliability and longevity
3) Cut quality
4) Cost and features

Note: If you really ever need a roll over protection system, then things have gotten into fluke territory. 1st thing most commercial guys who mow do is either completely remove ROPS bar, or put all the way down. Gets hung up in trees, etc.

 

[MParr]

I for one am not thrilled with the so-called smart key pad starting systems. There is a need for some sort of monitoring system for the EFI engines. For the carbureted engines, the key is all that’s needed.
Keep regularly scheduled maintenance as simple as possible for the end user.

 

[Missouri]

I have two ZTRs, a Grasshopper 924D and a Husqvarna MZT-61. The GH has a front deck and as a result, has a long wheelbase with a much better ride than the H, which beats me to death on my rough acreage. On the other hand, inexplicably the gas H is much more powerful than the GH and can more easily cut tall grass, which is suprising to me given that the GH is a higher hp diesel than the gas H. Yes, of course the GH has a 72" deck vs. the H's 61" deck. Also, the H runs faster than the GH, but uses more fuel than the GH. All that said, I prefer the much higher dollar GH. All that said, comfort/ride reigns.