5 HOUR UPDATE!!
So I just turned 5 hours today on the Radius E. I actually cut just my fenced in part of the yard to get it to 5 hours so that I could do the first oil change. First, lets talk about the oil change:
A couple of weeks ago I went to my local Exmark dealer and asked for the supplies needed for my first oil change. The dealer is reputable, but smaller and only sells Exmark, Hustler, Stihl and Arctic Cat. With their limited selection of mower makes, so is their selection of maintenance supplies. The guy pulled out the genuine Exmark oil filter and 3 quarts of oil. The only Exmark oil they stocked was the Premium 20w-50 synthetic. The total for the filter and 3 quarts of oil was just shy of $65. Oil changes on my last Exmark with genuine Briggs oil and filter would cost around $30 and that was with enough oil to flush the engine first before I changed the filter and topped it off.
Since I am a sucker for using only genuine OEM parts and oils, I did not argue with what I got since I want to ensure optimum performance and long life out of my equipment. For the past week as i anxiously awaited the 5 hour milestone, I got to thinking about the extremely high cost of the supplies to do my oil change. That is when I stumbled across this:
https://www.mowpart.com/toro-132-48...MIkcfN9aWI4wIVRUsNCh3mgQsqEAQYASABEgJKsvD_BwE
Toro, who owns Exmark, and also uses this same engine (708cc v-twin) in their Timcutter lineup, puts together a complete maintenance kit which includes not only the filter and synthetic oil, but also an air cleaner, fuel filter, two spark plugs and fuel additive for less money than I paid for just the oil and filter at the Exmark dealer. So this got me to thinking, why don't I just use the Toro branded oil and filters as they are likely the same as the Exmark variants?
I ended up keeping the Exmark filter as I did not have time to run and get a Toro one, but I picked up 3 quarts of the Toro Synthetic oil for $8.99 each at the local Ace Hardware and did the oil change. As for the oil change, the fluid coming out of the engine was dark brown as I expected it to be for the break in period. The oil came out smoothly as the engine had just ran for 15 minutes and took about 10 minutes with the hose down to run out completely with no dripping. The easy drain oil tube is nice, but I do have one BIG complaint about it; The cables for the throttle and choke are in the way!! I tried to route the hose under these cables and ended up splashing oil on myself. Outside of that, there was enough room to change the filter and topping it off took about 2.25 quarts.
Now for an update on my initial impressions:
Much of what I stated in my initial impressions is still my opinion although I feel as if I might have been a bit off in my view of the cut quality. I am still not certain as to whether or not it cuts quite as nicely as my CT did, but in ideal conditions the cut quality is certainly acceptable. I have included a picture of the stripes this mower leaves behind. This is mostly perennial rye with some blue grass cut at 3" high.
I did have one issue with a front caster tire losing its air, but after filling it a few times it seems to be holding. The dealer that I purchased it from did tell me to bring it in any time and they would fix it for no charge. I will have to see what happens in the weeks to come.
The only two dislikes that I have with the mower are the rear tires, which seem to lack traction and the engine noise which is significantly louder than my previous mowers. I have heard of many issues with Kenda tires having a little less grip than Carlisles, especially when new due to the petroleum products used in their manufacturing processes. As for the engine noise I have started wearing ear plugs when I mow. While I had not "needed" them before, it is still a good idea nonetheless.