Advice and experience with zero turn mowers

[jyoutz]

The last local shop that sold serviced Husqvarna is closing. I asked the owner why and he said it was for lack of replacement parts availability. New inventory was slow to arrive, the costs were up and the margins were down. Same story with all the other brands that he serviced. Briggs and Stratton's parts are slow to arrive, and many are discontinued to the point where he can't fix older engines. He has been in business for over 50 years and showed me machines that have been waiting for parts since last winter and spring. We have officially become the throwaway society since if you can't get new parts for an older machine, what else are you to do other than buy another new machine?

I’m kinda surprised by your Briggs comment. The local small equipment shop that I use told me that Briggs is the most reliable small engine to find parts for.

 

[DustyRusty]

they are for the newer engines, but not very good for the older engines. Many of those older pieces of equipment were powered by Briggs, and today it is getting extremely difficult to get the parts to repair those old engines. I can remember when he would hone a block and install a new bearing, piston, and rod into the older engine just to keep the machine working because the machine was well made, such as the older Troy Built rototillers before they got bought out by MTD. Said that new carburetors are no longer available and replacements coming from China are also junk. Even carb kits are in short supply for the older machines.
I know that in the auto parts business, there used to be companies that would buy out whole stores that were closing, but I think that most of those places are also gone. I can remember when I bought my 1962 Chevrolet 20 years ago, I had no difficulty finding the mechanical parts that I needed for the engine. I needed some brackets that were long ago discontinued and I could call the local Chevrolet dealer and they would put the part number into the computer and any dealer in the country that had that obsolete part in inventory would come up. All I had to do was call the parts department and give them a credit card for the cost of the part and shipping and a week later it was in my mailbox. Today auto dealers stock very few parts and order what they need every day. They get daily shipments from the master warehouse. A part from the Maryland distribution center takes 3 days to get to Massachusetts. I know this because last week I needed a complete exhaust system for a 2016 Ford Explorer. It was one piece from the flex pipe to the chrome tips. I was just shy of 14' long and weighed about 35-40 pounds.

 

[lmpres]

I bought a Snapper Pro 150 22 years ago when I bought this house to cut 3 plus acres. Never had any problems with it during that time.

 

[fried1765]

they are for the newer engines, but not very good for the older engines. Many of those older pieces of equipment were powered by Briggs, and today it is getting extremely difficult to get the parts to repair those old engines. I can remember when he would hone a block and install a new bearing, piston, and rod into the older engine just to keep the machine working because the machine was well made, such as the older Troy Built rototillers before they got bought out by MTD. Said that new carburetors are no longer available and replacements coming from China are also junk. Even carb kits are in short supply for the older machines.
I know that in the auto parts business, there used to be companies that would buy out whole stores that were closing, but I think that most of those places are also gone. I can remember when I bought my 1962 Chevrolet 20 years ago, I had no difficulty finding the mechanical parts that I needed for the engine. I needed some brackets that were long ago discontinued and I could call the local Chevrolet dealer and they would put the part number into the computer and any dealer in the country that had that obsolete part in inventory would come up. All I had to do was call the parts department and give them a credit card for the cost of the part and shipping and a week later it was in my mailbox. Today auto dealers stock very few parts and order what they need every day. They get daily shipments from the master warehouse. A part from the Maryland distribution center takes 3 days to get to Massachusetts. I know this because last week I needed a complete exhaust system for a 2016 Ford Explorer. It was one piece from the flex pipe to the chrome tips. I was just shy of 14' long and weighed about 35-40 pounds.

I have a 1972- 15 HP single cy.l Briggs, OEM, on a 1972 Craftsman lawn tractor.
Entire machine is in near perfect condition (now 52 years old).
I do not use the lawn tractor anymore, and it runs fine, but I would like to find a new set of ignition points for the 15 HP Briggs.
Any ideas?

 

[CGMKCM]

If I shopping for a new zero turn mower, These would be my priorities in no particuler order.

1. Quality of suspension seat, arm rests.
2. Ergenomics how well do I fit on the machine.
3. I would be looking for one equipped with a Kawasaki engine. IMO they are commercial quality and have the best air filtration system.
4. I would pass on any mower that does not have grease zerks on mower deck.
5. Quality of mower deck, thickness of metal, stamped, welded etc.

 

[CGMKCM]

I have a 1972- 15 HP single cy.l Briggs, OEM, on a 1972 Craftsman lawn tractor.
Entire machine is in near perfect condition (now 52 years old).
I do not use the lawn tractor anymore, and it runs fine, but I would like to find a new set of ignition points for the 15 HP Briggs.
Any ideas?

I have a 1972- 15 HP single cy.l Briggs, OEM, on a 1972 Craftsman lawn tractor.
Entire machine is in near perfect condition (now 52 years old).
I do not use the lawn tractor anymore, and it runs fine, but I would like to find a new set of ignition points for the 15 HP Briggs.
Any ideas?

Have you thought about converting the Briggs to electronic ignition?

Briggs

 

[fried1765]

Have you thought about converting the Briggs to electronic ignition?

Briggs

I don't know if there is a kit available for that engine.
Even if there is a kit, I would much prefer simple OEM ignition parts..

 

[bbxlr8]

If I shopping for a new zero turn mower, These would be my priorities in no particuler order.

1. Quality of suspension seat, arm rests.
2. Ergenomics how well do I fit on the machine.
3. I would be looking for one equipped with a Kawasaki engine. IMO they are commercial quality and have the best air filtration system.
4. I would pass on any mower that does not have grease zerks on mower deck.
5. Quality of mower deck, thickness of metal, stamped, welded etc.

Had to be Kawasaki or equivalent for me - Am done dealing with stuff not built to last

 

[D2Cat]

Had to be Kawasaki or equivalent for me - Am done dealing with stuff not built to last

How about a Kubota, would that be OK? That's what is in my Grasshopper. Never have any troubles, deck has elec/hyd raise, 29 HP, mows like it's addicted to getting it done!.

 

[wp6529]

How about a Kubota, would that be OK? That's what is in my Grasshopper. Never have any troubles, deck has elec/hyd raise, 29 HP, mows like it's addicted to getting it done!.

The OP noted cutting about 1/2 acre. They will be fine with pretty much anything including box store units for that light use.

I have an affordable box store ZT and I mow a good 6 acres of pretty rough non-lawn (if I'm too busy to mow it gets too bad and I have to brush hog it) with it without much issues. I do use the better "extreme" blades that are slightly to big to fit it so I just cut them down with an angle grinder and cutoff wheel. No balance issues. It's not maintenance / repair free, but it also doesn't take very much repair even after 7 years of abuse.

 

[fried1765]

The OP noted cutting about 1/2 acre. They will be fine with pretty much anything including box store units for that light use.

I have an affordable box store ZT and I mow a good 6 acres of pretty rough non-lawn (if I'm too busy to mow it gets too bad and I have to brush hog it) with it without much issues. I do use the better "extreme" blades that are slightly to big to fit it so I just cut them down with an angle grinder and cutoff wheel. No balance issues. It's not maintenance / repair free, but it also doesn't take very much repair even after 7 years of abuse.

I love my SCAG ZT with 22 HP Kawasaki
Has welded mower deck.
The seat was not good though,...... on my rather rough "lawn".
I improved that, with a seat spring suspension upgrade kit, but not as good as factory upgrade..
Paid $4,400 new, in 2020.
The factory seat upgrade seat would have been $900 extra.

 

[bbxlr8]

Like everything, it's bang for the buck and how long you keep your stuff - Mine is a smaller big box that I got on early sale Ultima ZT1-50. It overachieves and I estimate I cut 3-6 ac depending on the week. You are right that if half ac is the spec anything budget will do the trick for years.

For me, going to ZT control was a huge timesaver vs my old ford (and not having to spit and duct-tape it every week )

 

[DaTow'd]

We have a Husky z246 . It makes cutting our 4 acres a piece of cake. I bought a Bagger attachment but not too pleased with it.
we had some electrical problem that I could not solve so I added a push button switch. Now it starts fast

 

[cuboodle]

I had a SCAG Tiger Cat 2 abit overkill for your 1/2 acre I paid just under 10k used it for 4 years ago and traded it in on my B2601. The dealer gave me 9K for it sight unseen (sent them pics) it had about 120 hrs on it took me 40 min to mow my 2 acres. long story short it held its value versus the crap big box store ZT mowers that are on the market. just added this to help you decide YMMV

 

[lugbolt]

In the last year I've owned 8 Husqvarna mowers.

They're all basically craftsman mowers, with a few minor differences. Just as cheaply built. Slightly nicer seat, slightly nicer steering wheel, couple riders mow a little faster than the murray/craftsman/mtd/yard man equivalents. I'd own/keep one if I had no other option. But to me, I'd just as soon spend a little more on a kubota, Exmark, etc over a husqvarna.

Just look at where they're sold. If at the big box stores, pass on them. You don't see exmark at mass market places, nor kubota, nor grasshopper. Those mass market places rely on volume more than quality, and they also have such a large amount of buying power that they can dictate what their products are made out of (quality....)