Cheeta Motors

jekjr

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If you were going to buy a Cheeta with a 72" Deck, What engine would you choose and why?


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Mad Mackie

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Cheetahs are vertical shaft engine machines.
I would lean towards the Kohler EFI.
Turf Tiger? Horizontal shaft engine, diesel option available.
 

jekjr

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I know what the options are. I just want somebody who has run these mowers to tell me about them. We run Tiger Cats with Kawasaki engines on them and have had incredible results with them.

Because of the volume of grass we cut and the size of some of the properties I am seriously considering a 72" mower for next year.

We run a mower approximately 400 to 500 hours a year.
 

Mad Mackie

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I would measure the overall width of the 72" deck and make sure that you can transport it.
There appears to be a problem with Kawasaki FX big blocks not lasting very long although I haven't noted any recent comments about them.
Years back I transported and serviced a Turf Tiger with a 72" deck in my former 8' wide cargo trailer with ramp and I had a problem getting it up the ramp between the ramp cables.
Not many machines wider than 62" here in rocky, Rooty and hilly New England.
If you deal with flat land, then a 72" deck may be good for you. Bear in mind that a blade change is a long reach both above and below the deck as you change blades frequently.
My local Scag dealer has been selling more Cheetahs in recent years along with Tiger Cats, but says that Turf Tiger sales are still strong.
Just a few thoughts!
 

jekjr

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I would measure the overall width of the 72" deck and make sure that you can transport it.
There appears to be a problem with Kawasaki FX big blocks not lasting very long although I haven't noted any recent comments about them.
Years back I transported and serviced a Turf Tiger with a 72" deck in my former 8' wide cargo trailer with ramp and I had a problem getting it up the ramp between the ramp cables.
Not many machines wider than 62" here in rocky, Rooty and hilly New England.
If you deal with flat land, then a 72" deck may be good for you. Bear in mind that a blade change is a long reach both above and below the deck as you change blades frequently.
My local Scag dealer has been selling more Cheetahs in recent years along with Tiger Cats, but says that Turf Tiger sales are still strong.
Just a few thoughts!

I have several properties that are acres big. I am often bidding on others. For instance we have cut 25 acres in one day on occasion. When/if I get a 72" mower I will have to get a trailer to haul it. Of course I will have to get another trailer anyway. We can only haul two in the cargo trailer and many times we have to move a third anyway. I now have three Tiger Cats and I still have a Kubota.

At this time we normally run two of the Tiger Cats daily and use the third on some days when we have a large acreage day and as a backup when we have issues wth one of the others. We only use the Kubota to get up leaves. I have a bagger for it and I built a trailer that I can attach the hose from the blower to that I pull behind it to get up leaves on large areas.

I have pulled the blower off of the Kubota and used it as a second back up at times as well but I do not like to use it to cut grass. Infact I would have sold it a long time ago if I did not have the blower and bagger system for it. As far as cutting grass I despise it. If Kubota gave me a brand new one just like it and told me it was mine free of charge the only catch was I had to keep it and run it, I would be as nice to them as they were to me and give it back.A ZG222 Kubota in my personal opinion is a useless machine to cut grass like we cut grass. It is in the same price range as a Tiger Cat Scag and if you are cutting bahia grass a Tiger Cat will cut twice the grass in a day or more because he Tiger Cat will cut in one pass what the ZG 222 will have to double cut.
 
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