Lawn Mowin Diesels - Question

[Ncostello]

In terms of zero turn commercial style mowers... which of the small diesels are best in your opinion. Or, are they all basically the same.



The engine choice largely determines the mower brand.



Dixie Chopper - Yanmar Turbo Diesel 50HP

Scag - Briggs & Stratton Turbo Diesel (Daihatsu Diesel) 31HP



These are the two I'm looking at. The Dixie Chopper uses overkill horsepower of 50HP. Most other brands feel 30-35 HP diesels are enough. Then there are brands like Ferris and Hustler that use 30 HP size "Caterpillar Diesel" which I assume are Perkins engines. Also used are Kubota diesels in Kubotas and Grasshoppers.



I really like the Scag overall... but am unsure about the Daihatsu diesel.

 

[Slow Six]

I have been using Grasshoppers with the Kubota diesel for about 12 years and have been very satisfied. The engines have been flawless even though I work the hell out of them. I even use them in the winter with the snow blower attachment. I have never added oil or done any repairs to any of the Kubotas. If you are going for a 72" deck I would recommend at least 28 HP.

 

[FordCummins]

I have also had great luck with all Kubota diesels. All of their engines are very well assembled, and seem to be tough little units. 50hp in a Dixie Chopper? Thats gotta be a serious grass cuttin' machine.

 

[DBogo]

the turbo diahatsu is also available in the gravelys

 

[tractorface]

I would purchase a mower based on how well it cuts not the brand of motor it has in it. The mower deck and HP have a huge effect on how fast and how well a machine cuts. Just something to think about especially if you want to end up with a nice looking lawn. All mowers do not cut equally trust me.

 

[Babyfat]

kubota diesel in a kubota mower

 

[supersonic]

I'd go with a KUBOTA or Yanmar engine. The Kubotas seem more reliable with nearly zero problems, I have had alot of problems with Daihatsu engines (B&S) from injector pumps and alot of turbo failures to complete catastrophic internal failures. The kubota mowers are probably the nicest of the bunch but are a little more expensive, but you get what you pay for. the only problem is that they don't have the attachments available and can be a little too nice to be thrashed by employees seven days a week.

 

[Cooker]

I would purchase a mower based on how well it cuts not the brand of motor it has in it. The mower deck and HP have a huge effect on how fast and how well a machine cuts. Just something to think about especially if you want to end up with a nice looking lawn. All mowers do not cut equally trust me.

Well said.

 

[AHire]

What kind of mowing will it be used for? We have used about any type of mower you could think of. The dixie chopper is the fastest and most durable. We have a 50hp dixie that we fitted with stump jumpers and bush hog blades for using in land clearing. I like the John Deere 997 as far as using all day every day.

 

[HeavyHauler]

From what I can tell the Dixie Chopper >50HP models are actually twin engine designs, yes... two diesel engines.



This is incredibly cool but I'd hate to see the price tag on one. It appears that they are more for the novelity that practical use but I could be wrong.



I've never heard a bad word about a Kubota diesel. Kubota makes some really nice zero-turn mower with the diesel option. I've been shopping these units myself.

 

[IC Smoke]

KUBOTA



Id PM JDakin for more info



weve got a B2400 "Compact tractor" and a ZD28 with the pro deck



1998 B2400 - 3cyl 23 hp diesel 28XX hrs

2005 ZD28 - 3cyl 28 hp diesel 23X hrs



no problems with either!!



We shopped around and did the whole run around... . you WONT be disapointed if you go with a KUBOTA!!!



Why would grasshopper put a KUBOTA motor in there product... . hmm must be a good engine!! IMO the price is the factor but with most you pay for what you get.



Ian

 

[TrqMonster]

I'm in the lawn care business, own my own and I run all Exmark. No diesel yet for me as I'm small. I will agree that you should buy a mower based on how it cuts. Dixies are fast but they dont cut good and have numerous problems. We live down the road from the Dixie plant and there are a ton of them around. Always have problems with hydro pumps and other things.



Exmark is a higher quality machine, well built. I have put about 800 hours on 3 exmarks with about 1 hour of down time to replace a belt that broke when a stick caused and abbration.



Exmark makes a 27HP Daihatsu engine on theres, I have a 27 HP Liquid cooled Kaw, plenty of power out a gasser so diesel should be plenty also. My dad has a new Kubota zero turn. It cuts ok and seems well built. You can tilt the front up without using jacks or ramps. However they didnt grease one the spindles very well or at all and it seized up after only a few hours of operation. Probably a fluke as we own several Kubotas with little problem. Scags seem ok as do the Gravely. I beleive they both have a hydro deck lift like the Kubota which is pretty nice.



Diesel for me is probably going to happen next year so that I can use red fuel and get my operating cost down some. Plus you can run a lot longer per gallon than gas. My dads Kubota will run forever on a single tank.

 

[Ncostello]

HeavyHauler... the Dixie's have a line called "alternate power units". The two choices are a 50HP turbodiesel Yanmar... or a dual engine Kohler 23HP gas unit (which makes 46 combined HP). Basically the dual engine gas unit has an engine for each hydro pump.



I"ve seen both around here... but actually only one twin engine model. Mostly they are all 72" diesels.



I know of one mowing business who has 10 Dixies and are diehard Dixie Chopper owners. They recently demo'd a Scag diesel Sabre Tooth Tiger because the newer Dixies are leaving strips of uncut grass for unknown reasons. Nobody seems to be able to figure it out.



But... after running 50HP mowers... its hard to switch to a 31HP model. So they are staying Dixie.



I want one for my own yard and I'd like to cut my dads and grandfathers yard. I"ve also got a few homeowners and commercial businesses who said they'd pay me to maintain their lawns. Basically it would be for personal use as well as part time work in the evenings and weekends. Not bigtime... just a few accounts that would pay for the mower.

 

[ThrottleJockey]

I had 3 Exmarks, two walks and a Z. What junk. Hated ALL of them.



There is only ONE mower with the stones to run double hilifts!



Yeah, Coatsville!

 

[Diesel Gopher]

I run a solo lawn care business, and replaced my Toro zero turn with a 27hp liquid cooled exmark. Love the quality of the cut (same frame as Toro, only the cutting deck is different). There were three things that kept me from bying the diesel exmark: 1) price of a briggs & stratton motor, I have made it a point to avoid them completely, 2) lower ground clearance on the diesel, I don't know on other manufacturers, but exmark's frame is much lower on the rear of the diesel motors and 3) the substantial extra weight, most of my customers have sprinkler systems and the ground is usually soft ( not mush, but soft) and I don't want to rut up any yards. I have been very happy with this mower, and would probably replace it with the same model for the same reasons listed above.



Matt

 

[Cooker]

I run a solo lawn care business, and replaced my Toro zero turn with a 27hp liquid cooled exmark.



3) the substantial extra weight

What model year Toro were you replacing? On the newer models I think the Toro Turbo Force and Exmark Ultra Cut decks cut equally as well.



Does the diesel really weight that much more? I though it was 50-75 pounds or so?

 

[Cooker]

I had 3 Exmarks, two walks and a Z. What junk. Hated ALL of them.



There is only ONE mower with the stones to run double hilifts!



Yeah, Coatsville!

Everybody around here runs red machines (Toro or Exmark), they certainly seem to have the best quality of cut. I bet if you took all other makes combined and totaled up how many are in use by commercial contractors it would not equal the number or red machines.

 

[TrqMonster]

I had 3 Exmarks, two walks and a Z. What junk. Hated ALL of them.



There is only ONE mower with the stones to run double hilifts!



Yeah, Coatsville!

So what to you is not junk then? If you think Dixies are worth anything, then why when I talk to one of the largest lawn care guys around here are they saying that they just bought brand new Dixies and within a week a pump went bad. Dealer lent them another new one while that one was getting fixed and something else went wrong. They use them because they are fast and they have some huge accounts. When they cut, they look like crap. I had one and I thought it was junk.



Sorry if if sounds like I am taking it personal but I have owned both Dixie and Exmark and ran several others. I was careful not step on anyones feet because like myself I think many lawn care guys take their equipment personal. I think that most mowers on the market are pretty close, especially to a homeowner just looking to make a few dollars on the side. I am lucky enough to have mostly higher end, and commercial accounts that require a good quality cut to look nice, Dixed wont do it honestly.



I think you should be careful when you tell someone that they own junk.

 

[ThrottleJockey]

I not telling you you own junk. I'm sayin EVERYTHING out of the Exmark factory is junk.



Except, of course, your personal equipment. That lone mower they got right.



Just because someone is a 'commercial contractor' does not mean they know what they are doing. Any mouth breather can become a professinal lawn mower. And they ALL own Exmarks because it was the first machine they were lied to about. The BTS is there but they got NO torque. The deck is deep enough and the hydro drive is tight and all, but THERES NO TORQUE!



Want to know about torque? (How's the commercial go?) Torque is what drives you out of a ditch. Torque is what pulls you and your trailer over a mountain with a load of lumber. Torque will call your wife and tell her your'e gonna be late because you and torque are pullin' stumps outta the ground!



You ever see a truck and trailer full of grass clippings when a 'commercial contractor' drives by? There's barely enough room for the Exmark mowers "cause his trailer is FULL OF GRASS CLIPPINGS! You ask yourself two questions, one, wheres he going with all that money? And two, WHY is he putting all those clippings in his trailer?



Oh. He's uses Exmarks.



Well, theres the answer to question number one.

 

[Dieselnut59]

KUBOTA is HIGHLY my recommendation!!! The ZD 28 is a SWEET machine. I will probably go for a ZD25 because I dont need a 72 inch deck. I love my Kubota equipment and will replace the TG1860 with a ZD in the near future, hopefully. All Kubota equipment I have experienced is great quality. One thing to remember is it takes TORQUE to cut grass at the speeds these zero turn mowers do. The gassers don't hold a candle to the diesels in terms of torque. You can take a much lower horsepower rated diesel (which has more torque) and it will out do the higher horsepower rated (less torque) gassers. Whatever you do, go diesel and my recommendation is for Kubota, or at least a machine with a Kubota engine.