Shopping for heavy duty mower

[Shughes717]

I sure like my Hustler Super Z . Very well built mower.
Here is a video of the Super Z Hyper Drive
Hustler Super Z 3D Animation - YouTube

The super z is one of my favorite mowers. It is well built. Ranks with the ferris is2100 IMO.

 

[caryalsobrook]

Okay I am only mid 40's, I suffered a severe spinal injury to my neck and back. I can longer work and wished I could go back to work everyday of my life, I am in constant pain some days and to rate my pain I have bad days and I have worse days since I have never felt a good day in years.
With the pain I live with, the JD 960R with the Comfort and Convenience package has many advantages of most if not all other manufacturers thus allowing me to mow in comfort.
Things I do not have to do like you do with 95% of the mowers out there today on the market:
1. I do not have to bend over while in a setting position to adjust, pull, pin, start, throttle, or anything.
2. I do not have to push a pedal to lift my deck up or down, nor I do not have to use a foot pedal to adjust deck height.

Things that JD has the advantage of over most others while operating:
1. The Emergency Kill switch is for the Deck only and is located on the end of the controller, thus allowing you to stop the deck without removing your hands from the controller and it is faster to kill the deck in an emergency instead of hitting the deck engagement / pto switch.
2. Deck lift is on the other controller so I can lift the deck up and down with the push of the button.
3. Deck height and lock is on the instrument panel, so I do not have to remove my arm from my arm rest to adjust anything with the deck.
4. John Deere's strength which is a plus and also a negative, the construction and strength is legendary and speaks for itself, however unfortunately the strength also comes with additional weight which is easier to get stuck.
5. One piece deck design, eliminates seams, welds, etc.
6. Cross port hydraulic cooling system




Yep I guess so, but anyone would be when you purchase a top of the line mower and folks not knowing what they are talking about are saying all you purchased was paint.


Let's see a show of hands, who has one of the following units?
JD 960R
Gravely 460
Ferris 3100Z
Exmark Lazer Z X Series

Boy does that post let all know where you are coming. Couple of questions. Can you explain the cross port hydraulic cooling system and do you think that independent suspension would have been better for you had JD had that? I think you explained everything else quite well.

 

[Shughes717]

Okay I am only mid 40's, I suffered a severe spinal injury to my neck and back. I can longer work and wished I could go back to work everyday of my life, I am in constant pain some days and to rate my pain I have bad days and I have worse days since I have never felt a good day in years.
With the pain I live with, the JD 960R with the Comfort and Convenience package has many advantages of most if not all other manufacturers thus allowing me to mow in comfort.
Things I do not have to do like you do with 95% of the mowers out there today on the market:
1. I do not have to bend over while in a setting position to adjust, pull, pin, start, throttle, or anything.
2. I do not have to push a pedal to lift my deck up or down, nor I do not have to use a foot pedal to adjust deck height.

Things that JD has the advantage of over most others while operating:
1. The Emergency Kill switch is for the Deck only and is located on the end of the controller, thus allowing you to stop the deck without removing your hands from the controller and it is faster to kill the deck in an emergency instead of hitting the deck engagement / pto switch.
2. Deck lift is on the other controller so I can lift the deck up and down with the push of the button.
3. Deck height and lock is on the instrument panel, so I do not have to remove my arm from my arm rest to adjust anything with the deck.
4. John Deere's strength which is a plus and also a negative, the construction and strength is legendary and speaks for itself, however unfortunately the strength also comes with additional weight which is easier to get stuck.
5. One piece deck design, eliminates seams, welds, etc.
6. Cross port hydraulic cooling system




Yep I guess so, but anyone would be when you purchase a top of the line mower and folks not knowing what they are talking about are saying all you purchased was paint.


Let's see a show of hands, who has one of the following units?
JD 960R
Gravely 460
Ferris 3100Z
Exmark Lazer Z X Series

Again you are trying to compare the 960r to mowers that are in a class with larger engines. I understand that the features on the jd may suit your needs better, but that doesn't mean no other mower compares. Your blind loyalty to the jd mower prevents you from understanding the point that is being made. Too expensive for what is offered!!! I have been around many used commercial mowers, welded and the jd 7 iron deck. Never seen any of them have a problem with durability so the comment about the stamped deck is a meaningless point. You bought a mower that you think is tops. The others you mentioned are in another class all together.

 

[Nwatson99]

Again you are trying to compare the 960r to mowers that are in a class with larger engines. I understand that the features on the jd may suit your needs better, but that doesn't mean no other mower compares. Your blind loyalty to the jd mower prevents you from understanding the point that is being made. Too expensive for what is offered!!! I have been around many used commercial mowers, welded and the jd 7 iron deck. Never seen any of them have a problem with durability so the comment about the stamped deck is a meaningless point. You bought a mower that you think is tops. The others you mentioned are in another class all together.

Well that is funny you say that, according to the dealers around here these are the mowers offered by other companies that in the class of the 960R and the Ferris was the only one with a larger engine, but the dealer not me compared it to the 960R and this is the info directly from the dealers.
960R Kawasakiｮ FX921V 31 HP/999 CC Tuff Torq heavy-duty integrated piston pump 11.5 gal 12 mph
460 992235 Kawasakiｮ FX921V 31 HP/999 CC Hydro-Gearｮ ZT-5400 Transaxles 13.4 gal 13 mph
LZX921KA606 Kawasakiｮ FX921V 31 HP/999 CC Two Exmark exclusive Parker unitized pump, no reservoir 12-gallon 11.5 mph
S3100ZBV3661 36 gross hp Vanguard BIG BLOCK 61" deck hydro pumps with 8 cooling fans, 11 gal. 12 MPH

I recommended the R series and pointed out the 960R and here you came knocking on the mower about the expense, paint, etc then here came a few more friendly jabs and now it is down to this.
So no I am not over stepping and comparing larger mowers, it was the dealers that said these models from these manufacturers not me, I just wrote down the info and prices.

 

[Nwatson99]

Boy does that post let all know where you are coming. Couple of questions. Can you explain the cross port hydraulic cooling system and do you think that independent suspension would have been better for you had JD had that? I think you explained everything else quite well.

I am sorry for ranting in your topic, but I am just sick of folks saying JD you are only paying for paint.

The cross-port is additional lines, external filter with a electronic valve that detects / measures the heat of the hydraulic fluid and sends the cooler fluid on to the trannies and re-rotues the hotter fluid back through the hydraulic cooler.
Since JD came out with this they also removed the electric deck lift and utilized this system for a hydraulic deck lifting system which is goes up and down much smoother and softer than the old electric lift did.
Well and another thing when I was looking earlier this year for trading in my 930A, JD was also coming out with independent flex front wheels with the run flats so that was another plus for going back with another JD ztrak, but at this time that is on the back burner for more R&D, when this comes out I already told my dealer to get a set ordered when they are released for the public.

The independent suspension of the ferris was nice, but it with the adjustment of the deck, etc, it never rode better than the JD with the deluxe lumbar seat that is why I never struck a deal with them on my 930A trade in.
The gravely with the air ride seat pretty much about the same reason as above.
Exmark now they did have two things I liked better than the JD, the gas tank is in the middle of the mower under the seat and independent sealed trannies, but like the ferris, gravely, toro, grasshopper and everything else was all levers and pins.

If you want a mower you sit down in the seat and adjust everything without bending over, using your leg for lifting the deck, etc. then JD has it

 

[Shughes717]

I am sorry for ranting in your topic, but I am just sick of folks saying JD you are only paying for paint.

The cross-port is additional lines, external filter with a electronic valve that detects / measures the heat of the hydraulic fluid and sends the cooler fluid on to the trannies and re-rotues the hotter fluid back through the hydraulic cooler.
Since JD came out with this they also removed the electric deck lift and utilized this system for a hydraulic deck lifting system which is goes up and down much smoother and softer than the old electric lift did.
Well and another thing when I was looking earlier this year for trading in my 930A, JD was also coming out with independent flex front wheels with the run flats so that was another plus for going back with another JD ztrak, but at this time that is on the back burner for more R&D, when this comes out I already told my dealer to get a set ordered when they are released for the public.

The independent suspension of the ferris was nice, but it with the adjustment of the deck, etc, it never rode better than the JD with the deluxe lumbar seat that is why I never struck a deal with them on my 930A trade in.
The gravely with the air ride seat pretty much about the same reason as above.
Exmark now they did have two things I liked better than the JD, the gas tank is in the middle of the mower under the seat and independent sealed trannies, but like the ferris, gravely, toro, grasshopper and everything else was all levers and pins.

If you want a mower you sit down in the seat and adjust everything without bending over, using your leg for lifting the deck, etc. then JD has it

We will never agree. That much is obvious. You are the one that makes comments like nothing compares to jd. The only thing jd has on the other mowers is over pricing period. As I said earlier if you want to pay more money for a mower more power to you. Money is too hard for most people to do that. That's why more of them aren't seen around here. Just because I don't own one doesn't mean I know nothing about the mowers you listed. The only one I can't comment on is the gravely. It's the only one I have no experience with. Just because you own a 960r doesn't mean you know more about the other mowers mentioned than any of us. You preaching how jd is better than the other mowers because the hydraulic deck and kill switch (waste of money IMO) and the deck is no different than any other person on here with blind loyalty to the mowers they own and quote the company has a different feature than the others. It's an opinion not a fact. I simply pointed out the fact that jd prices are too high. That I have a lot of experience with, but you go on preaching about how you went with the most expensive mower like that makes it better because it cost more. I have made my point.

 

[Shughes717]

I also have experience with electric over hydraulic switches. Jd has been using them for years. Talk to me how you like it in a few years when the warranty is up and you have to pay for repairs. Those levers and pins won't quit working. If something does happen put a new pin in at a tenth the cost. More complicated isn't always better. That's why no other mower uses the hydraulic deck lift.

 

[Nwatson99]

We will never agree. That much is obvious. You are the one that makes comments like nothing compares to jd. The only thing jd has on the other mowers is over pricing period. As I said earlier if you want to pay more money for a mower more power to you. Money is too hard for most people to do that. That's why more of them aren't seen around here. Just because I don't own one doesn't mean I know nothing about the mowers you listed. The only one I can't comment on is the gravely. It's the only one I have no experience with. Just because you own a 960r doesn't mean you know more about the other mowers mentioned than any of us. You preaching how jd is better than the other mowers because the hydraulic deck and kill switch (waste of money IMO) and the deck is no different than any other person on here with blind loyalty to the mowers they own and quote the company has a different feature than the others. It's an opinion not a fact. I simply pointed out the fact that jd prices are too high. That I have a lot of experience with, but you go on preaching about how you went with the most expensive mower like that makes it better because it cost more. I have made my point.

Then why are you still trying to impress your will if you do not like my choice stop nagging on JD and me.

Oh and I just purchased JD because of the price?? Now you are dumb or you just doing this for shats and giggles, but either way you have just proved it one or the other, I made a list of items on why I went with JD and price was not it so stop it.

I also have experience with electric over hydraulic switches. Jd has been using them for years. Talk to me how you like it in a few years when the warranty is up and you have to pay for repairs. Those levers and pins won't quit working. If something does happen put a new pin in at a tenth the cost. More complicated isn't always better. That's why no other mower uses the hydraulic deck lift.

:laughing: anything else you want to cry about or try to convince folks of??

 

[Shughes717]

Then why are you still trying to impress your will if you do not like my choice stop nagging on JD and me.

Oh and I just purchased JD because of the price?? Now you are dumb or you just doing this for shats and giggles, but either way you have just proved it one or the other, I made a list of items on why I went with JD and price was not it so stop it.




:laughing: anything else you want to cry about or try to convince folks of??

Nobody crying here. You are the one getting upset. Just stating facts. You made the most expensive comment in your first post. I try to be objective with every machine. As I said I have recommended a used jd mower to a friend. If john deere brought their prices back to earth they would sell more. You apparently have never had anything with electric over hydraulics before. It will eventually fail. But just keep making it personal.

 

[caryalsobrook]

Looks like I will go with the Xmark LZS801KA604 It has the Kawasaki 801 motor and 60 in. deck with the suspension seat. Price was major factor. With the equine discount, price is $9000 plus tax with discount. Can't wait till Sept. and it seemed to be by far the best price mower I could find. All seemed topnotch in that class but only price was the major difference. Any comments?