My mower has the Kholer of the troubled era. Those problems are now worked out I believe. I have the Kholer 22hp courage which is the cheaper one. The command is the better one. Mine had blown head gaskets at a few hundred hours. I replaced those for $50 and several hours of labor. I was in the engine about 340 hours. I still can see the factory cross hatching in the cylinders on every since square inch of the cylinder walls. So I know it still has a lot of life left. But I believe what ever the bad rap is they have figured out. I think the Kawasaki is better on fuel from posts I read which is where the professionals really save money. You can get about the same mower. I was looking on the site . It's a 50" cut with a Kawasaki engine and it costs about $500 more. Personally I would not pay that much more for it, but you may want too? Here is the link to that family of mowers. Scroll down and see all the sizes. The price is the same on that mower I have the pic of on their site vs TSC. Ultima Series | Zero-Turn Lawn Mowers | Cub Cadet Sent from my moto g(7) using Tapatalk
That's just that one model line up. There are several series of mowers they offer. Click back to the main page and you can see them. I think this is the residential model?? I am not endorsing them but just what I saw in person I think there is a lot of value in that model, compared to what I have seen at the other big box stores. Sent from my moto g(7) using Tapatalk
I'd look at the ariens ikon x 52 over that cub for reasons I outlined earlier. There's Kohler and Kawi versions of both the cub and ariens. For either no money, or under $100 you can get the Kawi. For that money yes, I'd do it. I would say that most of Kohlers vtwin issues are TCO, as they were into opposed engines and had those down with the magnum series. Kawasaki are not bombproof either though. The internals are way under built compared to the Kohler parts. My buddy got his Deere lawn tractor for a great deal because of the busted Kawi vtwin that was in it. That Kawi looks just like the ones in all of these zero turns fwiw.
I'll straight up endorse the ariens over the cub it just cuts better and the deck is made better. The ariens in the video is 42", but the 52" version has the Kawi 23 hp or the Kohler 24 hp for the same 3099. HD, and many dealers have these. For residential units they are very nice, probably the best for the $$.
The ariens ikon can be had in several flavors. For the ikon x, it's available in 42" with the Kohler, or 52" with either the 23 hp Kawi or 24 hp Kohler. They still make the zoom series, as well as the ikon XL a( up to 60" decks) and then the top of the line Apex series.
That particular cub is a fabbed deck, but watch the video and you'll see why they say the ariens cuts better. The cub's deck isn't mounted as well and the deck moves around a lot, making the cut not as good as the ariens. What I do find funny is that the Kohler powered 42" ikon is rated to be smoother than the Kawi on the cub. I'd still buy the Kawi on the ikon x 52 over the locally made Kohler.
On the cub, it is a 50" deck and Kawi. Or 54" deck and a Kohler for the same $3100. There's armrests on the ariens at 3100, but not on the cub for 3100. Some make a deal about this, I think it's definitely want armrests on a zero turn as they would add more comfort and allow you to be smoother, since all the drive inputs are with your arms.
Yea I saw that about the arm rest. My zoom has the armrest. I watched your video you linked too. And those guys are not biased the deck on my Airens Zoom XL it is Rock solid, in any position, all the way up or all the way down I can basically use the deck as a step if I wanted too, I don't normally. That deck on the cub did flop around all over the place. And my deck does have a reinforcing bar all around the front edge. I have no idea where the Zoom XL falls in the Airens line up though. I will say that the seats on Cub and Airens entry model look very nice and look more substantial. My seat is comfortable to me though just not as nice looking. But as long as it's comfy that's all that matters, I'm not trying to look nice. Sent from my moto g(7) using Tapatalk
The zoom series is their entry level ZT. They make a zoom 30" and the zoom 42. I see the zooms for sale used and they seem to hold up well. I'd say overall ariens only makes very good products, better than comparable brands.
They clearly have better quality. Like I said I have serviceable hydros with screw on type filters. I know when you buy parts the Airens is the same parts as Gravely. Sent from my moto g(7) using Tapatalk
Unfortunately the new zoom series don't have " serviceable" hydros and have the same hydrogear ezt units that are ubiquitous among all of the residential units regardless of brand. I don't know when they changed from your filter equipped ones, but you got a good one.
Mine is a 2012 model. So it's been between then and when ever you noticed they were not serviceable. Sent from my moto g(7) using Tapatalk
I've never seen a EZT that was serviceable, never knew that they made one that was...makes me wonder if the drives on clems zt are actually EZT's...Hydrogear makes a ton of models!
I will go look. I'm not saying I have ezt. I just don't remember. I think they had a number in their model name.
