Please help me purchase a new mower to mow 1/2 acre. I have specific requirements.

[1striper1]

Hours have nothing to do with it, Hydro Gear themselves in there pdf Page 11 say:

The EZT Transaxle is a sealed unit and does not require oil maintenance. However, in the event of oil contamination or degradation, oil addition or change may alleviate certain performance problems.
1. Remove the transaxle from the vehicle.
noTe: if removing the wheel from the
transaxle, do so by removing the four (4)
lug nuts. do not remove the axle/hub nut.
2. Clean the oil fill port area of any debris.
3. Remove the oil fill port fitting.
4. Position the transaxle so the oil will drain
completely out of the housing.
5. Fill the transaxle at the oil fill port according
to Figure 4.
6. Install the oil fill port fitting.
7. Purging will be required. Refer to the purging
procedures on Page 12.
8. Recheck the fluid level once the unit has
been operated for approximately 1 minute.

As far as the 50" deck goes the op posted a link for the XT1 42" with the 18hp Kohler and that's what I commented on and it's probably enough for what he needs.

Hours on a unit have nothing to do with it.

OK Rick...no matter what I post you will have a comeback that puts a spin on things that you want to see. But that's how you operate on this board.

Enjoy your day inside on your PC. :drink:

 

[Ric]

Hours on a unit have nothing to do with it.

OK Rick...no matter what I post you will have a comeback that puts a spin on things that you want to see. But that's how you operate on this board.

Enjoy your day inside on your PC. :drink:

I guess on that unit hours don't make any difference when the company themselves say there a sealed unit and don't require oil maintenance. I posted page 11 off your PDF for you and it explains it with 8 steps, it's not my spin as you say it's what the company says. Sorry but I don't drink

 

[Carscw]

You do not have to remove a EZT drive from the mower to change the oil.
It's called a oil pump.

 

[bertsmobile1]

The EZT Transaxle is factory sealed and does not require oil maintenance. says that in the pdf . If something happens to the oil and it needs to be replaced you have to remove the drive system completely from the mower dump the oil out and replace it. Now with that said if the oil is contaminated you really need to find out why and for that you have to take apart the case and find out why and keep in mind that all the seals will need to be replaced. Personally I'm not going through all that when all I have to do is pull an oil filter and drain a unit and replace the filter and refill the unit on the machine.

Reality check.
1/2 acre. 1 hour a week for about 20 weeks a year, 1 hour a fortnight for 10 more weeks.
It ain't going to kill the hydros being used exactly as they were designed for being used.
You kill them when you try to make a lightweight domestic 40hrs/year mower go commercial & do 40 hrs a week.

Having said that I have a commercial customer with a JD 225 who does a lot of residentials and the only problem he has ever had was the deck hanger tearing away at the weld which is not uncommon for this deck and the deck lift also fractured but now he is a lot more aware of the effect of running blunt unbalanced there have been no more problems.

 

[Carscw]

My EZT drives had over 2000 hard hours on them
Before I put a conversion kit in them.
Never had any trouble with them.
Like most things with a mower they are there so you can say they are.

 

[Alaska_Guy]

So the consensus is that I get the cub cadet for my price point?

I am very mechanically inclined, I have a welder, a bunch of tools etc in case the thing breaks down. I have rebuilt many an engine before. I am more worried about getting a decent unit with a good engine as I imagine that is the most expensive part to fail?

This is going to be used specifically once a week or maybe once every 2 weeks to mow. I only have 5 months of mowing, so that equates to 30-45 hours a year for my sized yard? It will be stored in doors and well maintained. I don't mind getting the honda with the electric start as it is cheaper and on the higher end of the scale for a push mower... I just want to make sure I am spending my money wisely is all.

Thanks again for all the input fellas.

Oh, I am in Chugiak if that helps.

A Toro Z4200 just came available locally, he wants $1600 for the ZT, he says it has about 200 hours.

 

[bertsmobile1]

My EZT drives had over 2000 hard hours on them
Before I put a conversion kit in them.
Never had any trouble with them.
Like most things with a mower they are there so you can say they are.

And there is is 2000 hours = 20 years of domestic use.
More than good enough regardless of weather you can service them or not.

 

[1striper1]

So the consensus is that I get the cub cadet for my price point?

I am very mechanically inclined, I have a welder, a bunch of tools etc in case the thing breaks down. I have rebuilt many an engine before. I am more worried about getting a decent unit with a good engine as I imagine that is the most expensive part to fail?

This is going to be used specifically once a week or maybe once every 2 weeks to mow. I only have 5 months of mowing, so that equates to 30-45 hours a year for my sized yard? It will be stored in doors and well maintained. I don't mind getting the honda with the electric start as it is cheaper and on the higher end of the scale for a push mower... I just want to make sure I am spending my money wisely is all.

Thanks again for all the input fellas.

Oh, I am in Chugiak if that helps.

A Toro Z4200 just came available locally, he wants $1600 for the ZT, he says it has about 200 hours.

Yes with the twin cylinder Kohler.....if you go the garden tractor route.

You're not to far from my son. I'll tell him to wave as he flies over Chugiak.

 

[Alaska_Guy]

Thanks fellas. A buddy of mine came across an old Cub Cadet 2166 that he said is 100% servicable and the guy is asking a very fair price. The unit has only 1.5 hours as it was stored all its life. So I am going to go look at it tonight and if it checks out I will be purchasing it.

 

[Alaska_Guy]

Well, I am super excited to say the least. This thing is near mint condition, almost museum quality! My buddy owns a 3000 series cub cadet with all the attachments and his tractor is in pretty good condition, but this unit was show room quality. The knobs on the tires were even still there, all the factory stickers, original mower blades still had paint on them, oil looked brand new, air filter, etc etc etc. This was a real find!

I walked away with the 2000 Series tractor for $630! My buddy told me as soon as we left that he would buy it off of me because he wanted a smaller tractor for his lawn. I told him I would let him keep it over night but that was it. Haha! I couldn't be happier. The thing looks like it rolled off the factory floor except for a small dent in the front grille , but no paint removed from the front grill area. I am hoping I can bend it back in place and make it look new. This is a shaft drive unit, everything is serviceable, the deck must have weighed 100lbs.

After looking at the new units made today and this unit, I could tell a night and day difference. One of my best purchases to date.