I see that most folks here recommend fabricated decks. I see that they are generally thicker and stronger, but what other benefits do they have? Do they actually give a better cut? I have only had stamped decks on the only two lawn tractors that I have ever owned. They both have been fine except for loading up with cut grass pretty easily.
Thanks,
Bruce
I see that most folks here recommend fabricated decks. I see that they are generally thicker and stronger, but what other benefits do they have? Do they actually give a better cut? I have only had stamped decks on the only two lawn tractors that I have ever owned. They both have been fine except for loading up with cut grass pretty easily.
Thanks,
Bruce
Just got off my Big Dog cutting the 2.3 acres for the second time.
No wonder they named it that! The rest need to stay on the porch!
1.5 hours and used only about 1.5 gallons of fuel. I'm getting better and more impressed with each use!
The neighbor cut his yesterday with their Toro and the cut quality of the two yards is very markedly different. Both cut within 24 hrs of each other, 1 1/2 weeks ago and today. I only passed over mine ONCE. Mine is closest, theirs is full of hay, see below.
Nuff said?
I agree with DJ about the residue under the deck. Waste of time to try to clean it.
Go ahead & flush it with the hose connector fitting and see how long it lasts? I think my son's JD lawn tractor made maybe about three years before he was having to weld up the rust out areas!
What a piece of junk, http://www.toro.com/en-us/homeowner/...r-ss5000-74631
Charles
I cut 4 acres with my Kubota ZD 326 yesterday in slightly under 2 hours. I didn't see how much fuel it burned yet but. Bet it is about that or less.
Kubota will send the big dog to the porch with his tail tucked between his legs.
In the old days this would be a Ford v. Chevy argument...:laughing:
In the old days this would be a Ford v. Chevy argument...:laughing:
I see that most folks here recommend fabricated decks. I see that they are generally thicker and stronger, but what other benefits do they have? Do they actually give a better cut? I have only had stamped decks on the only two lawn tractors that I have ever owned. They both have been fine except for loading up with cut grass pretty easily.
Thanks,
Bruce
Are the Fab decks better, do they actually give a better cut? That is a debatable subject. To find out the first thing you need to do is run a comparison of the two on the same type mower if possible because you can't compare the cut from a deck off a lawn tractor with that of a ZTR. There is no comparison of those two. I never seen a lawn tractor that wouldn't plug with grass and become built up over time with a stamped or fab deck and the biggest reason for it is most likely the blade tip speed of somewhere around 13 to 15000 so trying to compare that BTS to a ZTR with an 18 to 19000 BTS is going to be hard to do. I can say that probably there is not enough difference between a stamped deck cut and a fab deck cut to even really notice. I ran two Cub Cadet Z Force ZTR's one 44"(stamped) and one 48"( Fab ) and you couldn't tell which yard was mowed by what mower, both were excellent cuts and neither one ever plug but at the same time I ran the CC LT 1045 with a 46" stamped deck and it had a fair cut for a LT but plugging up the deck and build up was a continual problem, all because it didn't have the ability to cut and throw grass as efficiently as a ZTR and they all ran a 20 or 22 hp engines.
Now the fabricated decks are generally thicker, stronger, and generally heavier than the stamped decks but because of the thicker, stronger and heavier cost more money and can cost a little more to operate. The benefits to a fab deck is that they will take more abuse than a stamped deck that's the reason most Commercial operators opt for the fab because they abuse the crap out of deck when it's used six days a week. My suggestion to you if you're a homeowner and buying a mower for a once a week deal or cut is I wouldn't worry about the stamped deck, if you take care of it like you should take care of your mower it will last you for years of cutting.
In the old days this would be a Ford v. Chevy argument...:laughing:
More like Pontiac vs Cadillac. It's a "Discussion", or "fact finding mission". :thumbsup:
I'm guessing you don't think I was telling the truth in post 5?
Truth has nothing to do with it, if you're referring to me. You are running the Big Dog 754 The diablo I believe and you are trying to compare it to a Toro ss5000, you are comparing a commercial mower to a residential mower, if it doesn't have a better cut I'd take the piece of junk back to the dealer. Run your comparison as I said before on the same type or classification of mower, one with a stamped deck, one with a fab and you'll find very little difference. Your 754 is a commercial mower if you want the Comparison try putting it up against the Toro Z master and find out who has the best cut. That's the type comparison you need to run.
Are the Fab decks better, do they actually give a better cut? That is a debatable subject. To find out the first thing you need to do is run a comparison of the two on the same type mower if possible because you can't compare the cut from a deck off a lawn tractor with that of a ZTR. There is no comparison of those two. I never seen a lawn tractor that wouldn't plug with grass and become built up over time with a stamped or fab deck and the biggest reason for it is most likely the blade tip speed of somewhere around 13 to 15000 so trying to compare that BTS to a ZTR with an 18 to 19000 BTS is going to be hard to do. I can say that probably there is not enough difference between a stamped deck cut and a fab deck cut to even really notice. I ran two Cub Cadet Z Force ZTR's one 44"(stamped) and one 48"( Fab ) and you couldn't tell which yard was mowed by what mower, both were excellent cuts and neither one ever plug but at the same time I ran the CC LT 1045 with a 46" stamped deck and it had a fair cut for a LT but plugging up the deck and build up was a continual problem, all because it didn't have the ability to cut and throw grass as efficiently as a ZTR and they all ran a 20 or 22 hp engines.
Now the fabricated decks are generally thicker, stronger, and generally heavier than the stamped decks but because of the thicker, stronger and heavier cost more money and can cost a little more to operate. The benefits to a fab deck is that they will take more abuse than a stamped deck that's the reason most Commercial operators opt for the fab because they abuse the crap out of deck when it's used six days a week. My suggestion to you if you're a homeowner and buying a mower for a once a week deal or cut is I wouldn't worry about the stamped deck, if you take care of it like you should take care of your mower it will last you for years of cutting.
Old Goat,I did. The original question was as to cut quality.
I had a stamped deck mower for 13 years and was always aggravated with the cut.
The cut quality and the absence of cleaning a fabbed deck leaves me in awe.
And although Toro does not even state what the blade tip speed is, one would assume that a ZTR with the same engine as the one I have would be somewhere in the ballpark of being the same.
Old Goat,
Cut quality.....good point in that a lot of people will think they will get the same cut quality spending $3,000 on a ZTR that those who spent $6,000 get. And as far as longevity for those two categories of ZTR's.....two $3,000 ZTR's do NOT = 1 $6,000 ZTR(in the time that 2 $3k's last end-to-end versus the time that 1 $6k lasts either).
Precisely my point DJ.
Attached is a couple of screen shots of the Hustler brochure about their VX4 Commercial machine that I used in deciding on my purchase. It gave me the criteria that I used to formulate my decision to buy a quality product. Deck design and blade tip speed are so important to selection of a ZTR.
The dollars spent on a mower is not to be taken lightly, IE "let's spend the minimum and get a ZTR". Spending $3000 on a big box machine and getting the results shown in my pictures of the neighbors yard has got to be discouraging to say the least. Why do that and get the poor results shown is mind blowing. Spend a bit more and be happy. It doesn't have to be double.
Watching my wife cut grass with the new machine we bought, I am in awe of how fine and far the clippings fly out. That is the best explanation I can see of why we don't find the residue under our ZTR decks that we saw before with the lawn tractors.
Yes, deck design is important!
Charles
TnHusky,I know I've came in a little late but I really consider the deck design on the YTH24K48 to be pretty sturdy in it's design. It has a 10yr warranty just on the deck itself. Here's a picture. And it's the smoothest cut I've ever had in a rider.
TnHusky,
Yep, for a stamped deck, Husqvarna adding that reinforcement around their decks was a move in the right direction fo adding durability!!!
Yeah, you could have gotten a Jacobsen 628D 4wd and filled the porch with all other comers....Big Dog R754 @ $4,800
Kubota ZD 326 @ $10,800
Really, I would hope you got something better for $6000 more.
Charles
I bet the boss likes that. Just kidding!!!!!!I work for a Ford dealership, but drive a Chevy pickup LOL!