Yes and I would recommend just about anything over those units. Just about the worst setup I’ve ever worked on. That being said some people loved them, but not me.
I remember reading a repair manual for one but that was a long time ago & was not sure if it was Dixon or Dixie.
And yes after reading the manual I hoped I would never see one
Both of the factories down here that make friction drive mowers played with friction drive ZTR's but AFAIK they both abandoned them
The Cox cone clutch style worked but required excessive force from your arms so was very fatiguing to use and the Greenfields cork plate unit was just too big to fit behind the engine