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I just joined this site b/c I'm losing my mind trying to choose a mower.

We just bought a new home in November so this is the first time mowing this lawn. It's 3.7 acres but I'm estimating the grass to be a little over 2 acres, mostly flat with little obstacles to deal with. I was going to hire a landscaper who charge $115/cut to mow, trim, and blow grass clippings.

I got a demo unit from a local dealer to time myself to see what I'm getting myself into. It took me about a little over 2 hrs the first time but this was my first time ever working one of these. I'm sure I could shave a lot of time off once I get better operating. This was also a monster Exmark Lazer Z E series with 60" deck (it's all they had to demo.) This machine cost about 9k so I'm not even considering that.

What I need help is the level of zero turn I need; I'm considering the category below this demo unit. Here are the following I'm reviewing but need help to see which ones are overkill vs. just about right for the property. My number one goal is speed. I don't mind doing it, but I want to get done as fast as possible and I'm willing to pay extra for it. I'm looking at the following:

-SCAG Freedom Z Pro, 60" $6699
-SCAG Freedom Z, 52" $5365
-ExMark Pioneer 60" used (not too excited about a used model) around $5000
-Kubota Z125 E 54" Briggs engine $5469
-Kubota Z125 S 54" Kohler engine, suspension seat (i think), and LED lights $5919

A few other questions:

-what engines do you stay away from?
-how important is deck size (54 vs 60 a big deal?)

Welcome. Had same issue a few years back. All those listed are solid makers. Folks here can share opinions and some times it is like the ford vs Chevy vs dodge I.e. What you own is what they recommend. That said all likely will agree. There are a few things to compare... 1) dealer who you trust to fix and maintain your purchase 2) hydros. 3400 or better is a good thing 3) the deck. Stamped vs fabricated. 4) wheel base. Larger usually means better smoother ride. 5) engine. 6) what you feel good on. Demo what you can. I personally am an Exmark guy. I have 3-4 acres plus some of my father in laws yard to mow. Looked at gravely, hustler, bad boy, and kabota but ended up with 2013 Exmark pioneer s 60 inch cut with kohler engine and have never looked back. Bought it new. Love it. Had the key things for me. 3600 hydros. Solid deck. Larger tire base than most at time. Was fast. Dealer is close and awesome to work with. Was just shy of profession level. Not sure if the one you mentioned used is same, but is hours are low, and it was well maintained, would be worth the money. Ultimately go with what feels good to you as it is an investment and all listed are good. As for engine...I go kohler then Kawasaki, then Briggs at this point. All here will offer differed opinions. Deck size depends on where you mow. I went bigger to get done faster and still have awesome mow when done. But if you have gates or obstacles close together deck size comes into play.

Thanks for the info!

I'm looking to pull the trigger soon. Anyone else have any opinions on deck size?

Deck size depends on size of yard. Too big and you can scalp and miss spots.

I don't know if this is in time or of value to you but, I operate two Tiger Cat Scags and a ZG222 Kubota commercially. I traded in a Kubota ZD326 last year. FOR MY OPERATION, I have not found a mower that touches the Tiger Cat Scag with a 52" deck. I cut small properties, and I cut at times upward of 20 acres in one day.

I have had excellent experience with the Kawasaki motors.

The Velocity deck is incredible especially if you cut stemmed grass like we have in South Alabama. Bahia grass in July and August is tough stuff.

I have had good success with my ZG222 Kubota but it WILL NOT cut grass with the quality of the Scag. The ZD 326 Diesel would not either or the one I ran would not. I have talked to numerous other operators that say the same thing for them. Others swear by them.

I am not sure of the difference in price of the Freedom Z or the Tiger Cat but I know that the Tiger Cat is one tough little mower.

I have a friend that has a Tiger Cub also that is 19 years old that he uses for his personal use and it is running great after all of those years. He could easily run it several more.

The advantages of the Scag over the Kubota are several in my opinion. Blade change is easier.

I have one with about 800 hours on it and one with about 650 or so hours on it and they have been incredibly reliable. Scag is one great mower.

jekjr said:

I don't know if this is in time or of value to you but, I operate two Tiger Cat Scags and a ZG222 Kubota commercially. I traded in a Kubota ZD326 last year. FOR MY OPERATION, I have not found a mower that touches the Tiger Cat Scag with a 52" deck. I cut small properties, and I cut at times upward of 20 acres in one day.

I have had excellent experience with the Kawasaki motors.

The Velocity deck is incredible especially if you cut stemmed grass like we have in South Alabama. Bahia grass in July and August is tough stuff.

I have had good success with my ZG222 Kubota but it WILL NOT cut grass with the quality of the Scag. The ZD 326 Diesel would not either or the one I ran would not. I have talked to numerous other operators that say the same thing for them. Others swear by them.

I am not sure of the difference in price of the Freedom Z or the Tiger Cat but I know that the Tiger Cat is one tough little mower.

I have a friend that has a Tiger Cub also that is 19 years old that he uses for his personal use and it is running great after all of those years. He could easily run it several more.

The advantages of the Scag over the Kubota are several in my opinion. Blade change is easier.

I have one with about 800 hours on it and one with about 650 or so hours on it and they have been incredibly reliable. Scag is one great mower.

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Thanks so much; very helpful!

I think I'm going with the Scag freedom Z pro with 61" deck. It may be a little overkill for my property of slightly more than 2 acres, but I don't want to be disappointed with a slower/less quality mower. Time is a key factor for me and when I jumped on the smaller models for a test drive, I could really notice the slower ride. I know you can't blaze at 10mph the whole time, but I do have a wide open flat area that is the bulk of the property. This site has been so helpful. Thanks all!

You will have to throw some pics up when you come home with.

jac233 said:

Thanks so much; very helpful!

I think I'm going with the Scag freedom Z pro with 61" deck. It may be a little overkill for my property of slightly more than 2 acres, but I don't want to be disappointed with a slower/less quality mower. Time is a key factor for me and when I jumped on the smaller models for a test drive, I could really notice the slower ride. I know you can't blaze at 10mph the whole time, but I do have a wide open flat area that is the bulk of the property. This site has been so helpful. Thanks all!

Click to expand...

I don't know anything about the Freedom Z. I do know that the Tiger Cats are bullet proof. We can cut 4 acres with 2 in about 2 hours or less normally. We run 52" decks. If you are only cutting your own property and it is where you can get in and out with the 61" then by all means go for it. The 52's for us work incredibly because they will go into so many tight places and come back out.

I do highly recommend the Velocity deck. If you are going to cut any kind of stemmed grass it will definitely be worth your while.

jekjr said:

I don't know anything about the Freedom Z. I do know that the Tiger Cats are bullet proof. We can cut 4 acres with 2 in about 2 hours or less normally. We run 52" decks. If you are only cutting your own property and it is where you can get in and out with the 61" then by all means go for it. The 52's for us work incredibly because they will go into so many tight places and come back out.

I do highly recommend the Velocity deck. If you are going to cut any kind of stemmed grass it will definitely be worth your while.

Click to expand...

Does anyone know the difference between the Velocity deck and the deck on the Freedom Z Pro? I don' think it has that deck but I'm trying to understand the differences.

Update--so I went with the Freedom Z pro 61". So far I've cut my lawn twice and it's been great. I can definitley notice some of the perks on the Exmark Lazer Z that I used on demo, but it was also 3 grand more.

One thing I noticed this weekend were serveral patches that looked like I missed but I definitely did go over those sections. Usually it was just a small patch here and there but I noticed more and more the next day.

Can anyone tell me if this is normal? If not, what would be the cause? Going too fast? Grass was too high? Just wondering if I need to tweak anything or if this is normal. I didn't notice the first time around.

Thanks!

Usually it is going too fast or running the engine less than full throttle.
While you are getting used to the mower, use you left hand to control the speed and the right hand to steer.
Concentrate on the right hand and in no time flat you will be two hand steering.

Any advice on blade removal and sharpening? I bought an extra set of blades to swap out when needed and figure I will drop off at the dealer for a sharpening. I would like to learn how to do it myself but there seems to be many opinions on what to use; file or grinder? Also-when tightening the new blades on, can you just hand tighten or do you need air wrench?

I'm only mowing my own lawn and it's about 2 hours each time once a week.

Sharpen every 20-25 hours.

Lift front end of the mower to have enough room to work under it.

I use an impact gun to remove the blades. That way I don't have to wrestle with unbolting the blades and holding them.

To sharpen them, use an angle grinder or bench grinder. I like to use the flap wheel for this. Sharpen the blade while keeping a 45 degree angle. This is very important. You don't need to sharpen them until they are razor sharp. They will get dull after the first cut. You could use a file. It is the best way, but a very slow way.

Te reinstall, I use the impact until the bolt is snug. Then, I give a few more pulses to get it tight. Don't forget that blades tighten while turning.

Don't forget to scrape the deck clean when you are under there.

While some blade sharpening angles of 40 to 45 degrees are used, variations are possible, I'd check with the blade's manufacturer to obtain the exact degree measurement before sharpening. For most standard mower blades, 30° is the most common. As a general rule, always consult your owner's manual.

Magna-Matic Blade Sharpeners are offered in two models. The MAG-9000 is ideal for conventional flat/straight blades, allowing you to dial in a consistent 30° The MAG-8000 is ideal for both conventional flat/straight blades and curved mulching blades, allowing you to dial in a 25-45° angle in 5° increments.

And invest is a blade balancer.
The little pryamid on a pin style will be good enough
Ric posted a while back you can get zinc ones for under $ 10
It is very important to balance the blades or the $ 10 you saved from having the shop do them becomes $ 200 for a set of spindles very quickly.
A quik rub with a wire brush is a good place to start then check the balance so you will know if one side needs more metal off than the other.
I rarely sharpen blades as it is not cost efficient for me to do so unless I buy some expensive gear and most of the time when I see a mower the blades are beyond sharpening.

Flap wheels on a 4" or 9" angle grinder seem to be the most forgiving and is what I use then finish off with a file to do the final balance.

Some one posted a good little video nere a few days ago, although he favoured a sharper edge than most would recommend.