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I'm in the market for a new mower and I'm replacing a 10 yr old Craftsman rider. I began by looking for a quality lawn tractor, but everything I've found under $5k looks to be poorly made. I need a good, quality mower for reside tial use. 1 acre used weekly for 9 months/yr. I live in Georgia, so warm climate. Bermuda sodded lawn, pretty flat...one hill going from basement up to garage on one side. So, I don't need a full commercial mower. I've run across the "prosumer" range of zero turns and they look to be constructed pretty well. I just want something that I'm not going to have to throw away and replace in 8-10 years. I really like the Scag Liberty Z. Does anyone have an opinion on this mower? I've found some reviews and posts, but most are from right after the model came out. Anyone maybe have an update after running one for a year or two? The mower has a Kohler Pro 7000 engine, 2800 Hydros, 48" fabricated deck. Most comparable mowers are very similar. A few others have the Kawasaki FR series engine instead of the Kohler. Any opinion on which of these engines is better? I know Kawasaki makes a great motor, but the FR series seems to have mixed reviews.

Besides the Scag Liberty Z, I'm also looking at a Bob-Cat CRZ 48 and a Gravely HDLX. Appreciate any opinions, reviews, etc. I'm really ready to just buy a mower and get ready for mowing season. Thanks in advance.

From what you outline I believe you've size up the mower and its competition. If you have driven each and have met with each dealer you feel are a reasonable distance away surely you can make a choice that best fits your situation. Otherwise, if price isn't a concern go for the new Tiger Cat II just because you can.

After operating my Hustler Raptor SD60 three years, it seems to be the very same mower I purchased this month in '14. Best seat on the market, deck throws grass well, foot lift is easy to work, Kawasaki FV730V seems to like to take on heavy loads, hyros (2800) are extremely sensitive, sticks adjust in two ways so that you are comfortable, manufactured 11ga. deck, extra wide tires front and rear to save your freshly sodded yards and the speed is nice.

Price for a 60" cut Raptor with engine guard, premium seat and a couple of other upgrades, $4495. Get the free financing and use it to keep your credit bureau high and you'll enjoy several benefits.

Whatever you purchase, hope you enjoy it. I run mine like I stole it. If I break it, I'll fix it. So far, haven't been able to break it.

Max

I kept waffling and trying to look at more expensive mowers. I just bought the Scag Liberty Z this afternoon. It'll be delivered tomorrow. I only mow an acre and my 10 yr old Craftsman only has 120 hrs on it. I don't need a $7k lawnmower. This should be far more than I'll ever need. I decided to go with the Kohler Pro 7000. I found too many reviews of people having trouble with the lower level Kawasaki FR engines. I think I'll be ahppy with it. It's far nicer than what I need. Hopefully this mower lasts me 15 years or more.

Have you looked at the Spartan?
https://spartanmowers.com/

Let me know what you think, I have bought a Liberty Z also and waiting for it to be delivered (next month) ... I went with the 48" deck and Kohler Engine

schultzp said:

Let me know what you think, I have bought a Liberty Z also and waiting for it to be delivered (next month) ... I went with the 48" deck and Kohler Engine

Click to expand...

I got it today. I'm impressed so far. It's going to take a little practice to not tear up my grass while turning, but this thing is fast! Ran over my yard and blew the leaves, sticks and dried dormant grass off, and had my entire back yard done in 12 minutes. Front yard took a few minutes more. I'll cut my mowing time in half from my old yard tractor. Mower feels very solid, ride is stable and it's powerful. I kept edging toward a true commercial machine, but this is as much mower as I need. I would happily mow 3+ acres with this without any hesitation. I Also still have that extra $2-3k in my pocket. Really happy with my purchase. I hope this thing lasts.

Hey! Very nice foto <3

Good to hear, there are only a few reviews on youtube and everything is good. I can't wait to get it next month.

I ordered one of these as well. 52" deck with the 21.5 Kawasaki. Really looking forward to it! I do have some incredibly thick and fast growing grass on my property, so I'm hopeful this unit has the power to handle it.

I will give you guys some updates in spring.

I picked up my 2017 Liberty Z and I have to say that for the price this an awesome piece of equipment. I would recommend spending the extra money from the low-end zero turns to get his mower.

Congrats and hope you get many years out of it at an enjoyable level.


Max

Dmaxxin said:

I ordered one of these as well. 52" deck with the 21.5 Kawasaki. Really looking forward to it! I do have some incredibly thick and fast growing grass on my property, so I'm hopeful this unit has the power to handle it.

I will give you guys some updates in spring.

Click to expand...

Update:

Only about 6 hours on the machine but so far I'm kinda blown away.

My first ever zero turn was a Toro Timecutter 42"

Second was a 2007 Gravely 148z.

In my opinion the Scag stripes better, rides smoother, and most noticeable, mulches the clippings to the point of almost completely disappearing.

There is a park area that has not been mowed at all this year, it's around 20" long or more. I made a couple passes to see what the Liberty was capable of. Dispersed the clippings, zero bog, and made a very nice cut/stripe set at 4"

Again, super impressed with the machine within the first 6 hours.



Blurry shot of the 20" cut as it's a screen cap from a vid, but you get the idea.

Glad to hear you are enjoying the liberty, ordered mine yesterday going to be delivered tomorrow. Purchased for a second property, my JD 2032 with belly mower would be over kill. Looked at other mowers including the simplicity zero turn, toro, Deere and the liberty seemed to be the best built.

I am leaning heavily towards this mower. Have looked at Gravely, Snapper, Deere, Kubota and Hustler. The dealer is the closest of all brands. I know that for the same money you can get a little bigger mower from companies like Snapper, but they just don't seem to be built like or have the support that SCAG does.

Everyone still happy with their Liberty Z? Any issues?

No issues, I have about 21 hours on it now... Still running great and fun to mow with.

clay45 said:

From what you outline I believe you've size up the mower and its competition. If you have driven each and have met with each dealer you feel are a reasonable distance away surely you can make a choice that best fits your situation. Otherwise, if price isn't a concern go for the new Tiger Cat II just because you can.

Click to expand...

Not sure of your total budget but you can get a Tiger Cat II with a Kawasaki and you will never have to buy another mower. I have a friend who has a Tiger Cub that is over 20 years old and runs great. Cuts his grass weekly. Tiger Cub is the predecessor to the Tiger Cat. Tiger Cat is the first level with the Velocity Deck. There is nothing I have ever seen that will out cut a Tiger Cat with the Velocity deck if you have stemmed grass like Bahia. I have a Tiger Cat with over 1500 hours on it that is 3 years old. They are incredible.

It's been a heavy mowing season here in the Southeast (around 18" above normal rainfall), so how are the Liberty Zs out there holding up? Any hindsight thoughts/recommendations on deck size - 48" vs 52" (our property has a mixture of flat as a pancake and gently rolling old cotton terraces)? Thoughts on Kawasaki FR vs. Kohler 7000 PRO (I'm a Kohler fan based on personal past experience)? Is the seat comfortable for extended mowing sessions (1 hour+)? Inquiring minds want to know. We were strongly considering an Exmark Radius S until we came across this compact little gem.

Regarding Spartan mowers mentioned in Post #5 above, I sat and watched more than 30 minutes of their on-line promotional videos, and they never once mentioned the engine or any horsepower/torque options! They seemed more into the styling of their custom-made gas tank and uniqueness of their two-pedal parking brake. When they popped the seat up to show underneath, I think I caught a glimpse of a Kohler sticker, but that's it. The torsion shock absorbers incorporated into their front wheel casters seems like a cool idea. I wonder why more manufacturers haven't done something like that to help take some of the stiffness/shock out of the front end when hitting bumps or holes.

The Liberty is a fantastic mower. It is a high performance homeowner rig or entry level commercial. It is built tough with a great warranty, and it cuts beautifully. I looked these over pretty hard myself prior to choosing a really good deal on the Freedom Z at the time. If I were buying one, I would probably go with the Kawasaki engine myself, if given the option for sure.

I do know someone locally who mows several yards and his own with this unit and he has nothing but good things to say. He chose the Kawasaki option. He said it has power to spare and is a workhorse.

When compared with most other mowers in it's category, I would pick the liberty over about all others. I am however, somewhat biased.

Don't get me wrong, I really like my Toro Kaw powered Z, but if local Dealer actually had a new Liberty Z to see up close & personal, I would have to go scope it out.

They tell me the Liberty is not a seller, But they mainly focus on commercial units.

Has anyone tried to mount a suspension seat on a Liberty Z? Several commercial mowers have told me the suspension seat option was the best $500 they ever spent.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SEAT-SUSPEN...epid=0&hash=item238746ce9d:g:zT0AAOSw-7RVE0Sf

139.95 and it will fit.

mhavanti said:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SEAT-SUSPEN...epid=0&hash=item238746ce9d:g:zT0AAOSw-7RVE0Sf 139.95 and it will fit.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the link. That looks like KM's "Low-Profile Mechanical Seat Suspension" (Model# 6081). I'll look into it. But my specific interest is mounting Scag's own proprietary "torsion spring suspension seat" to a Liberty Z. From what I can tell, it's not even an option for the Liberty Z. But will it physically fit in the space available?

When I went to their site, researched it, yes it will fit. I've seen several of these on z-turns and they work great. Researched some seats in stores, they are made pretty much all the same.

mhavanti said:

When I went to their site, researched it, yes it will fit. I've seen several of these on z-turns and they work great. Researched some seats in stores, they are made pretty much all the same.

Click to expand...

Thanks! That looks like a great possibility. My wife enjoys mowing, too, so in addition to the suspension, we also want the forward/back seat adjustment feature not obviously offered in the K&M product noted previously. But just out of curiosity, I'll keep looking around for other seats that are both suspension and forward/back adjustable - knowing that the Scag seat is doable. Thanks again.

The suspension seat connects to the forward backward seat adjuster. It uses the factory seat bracket.

BlazNT said:

The suspension seat connects to the forward backward seat adjuster. It uses the factory seat bracket.

Click to expand...

My wife and I did an up close and personal look at a Liberty Z just last week, and the seat on the one we looked at had zero adjustments. We looked specifically for a seat adjustment so both of us would be comfortable operating it (I'm 6', she's 5' 4"). And from what we saw, the seat base was bolted directly to the hinge plate (with slots for adjusting the bolt placement, but who wants to change placement of four bolts every time you swap drivers?) that tips forward to give access to the area under the seat. Other owners - did we miss some discreetly hidden adjustment mechanism? All the other Scag models we looked at had obvious levers for sliding the seat forward and back, but not the Liberty Z. If there is a lever for adjusting the stock seat on a Liberty Z forward and back, please send a photo. Perhaps the dealer had temporarily "borrowed" the slide mechanism from the unit we looked at. Inquiring minds want to know! I'd go look again, and ask more specific questions, but the dealer is 30 miles away, and we're still getting a little backlash from Irma here. Thanks....

I've had mine since June '16. I love it, when it's running. Past two months I've had it long enough to mow only once. It's still in the shop now. Had to buy a push mower to end the season. Still in the shop. Second machine I've had with a Kohler but I'd say pay extra for a Kawasaki engine. I'd also STRONGLY qualify your dealer. I've bought 4 Stihl machines plus the Scag from the same dealer. I ever get my mower back they will never see me again.

War Eagle,

You can add a slider adjuster to any of those kits. You could even pull something out of a junk car and use it.

Own Goal,

I've had some suck arse deals with two dealers now and believe me, neither care how much damage they do to the mower. One left mine outdoors for four weeks of hurricanes, now there is rust around every deck bolt on it. Scratched the deck in several places apparently used it for a push car, ran the engine guard into who knows what, knocked a hole in the seat, and it is in worse shape now mechanically before it went down there twice.

Needless to say, I'll make all the adjustments it needs to make it right. I hate that the paint has been hurt. It looked like brand new when they got their hands on it. They aged the mower 15 years. I have a '96 model, 21 years old that still looks great. I am appalled at how some folks don't give a crap about their customers.

Good luck to you both,

Max

Own Goal said:

I've had mine since June '16. I love it, when it's running. Past two months I've had it long enough to mow only once. It's still in the shop now. Had to buy a push mower to end the season. Still in the shop. Second machine I've had with a Kohler but I'd say pay extra for a Kawasaki engine. I'd also STRONGLY qualify your dealer. I've bought 4 Stihl machines plus the Scag from the same dealer. I ever get my mower back they will never see me again.

Click to expand...

From your comment, I assume the problem is with the Kohler engine? Is that right? If so, what specifically is the problem with the engine? Electrical/ignition? Fuel/carburetion? Oil/lubrication? For my purposes, I could justify going with either the 48" or 52" deck, so I'm curious which is generally considered the best deck/engine pairing for the Liberty Z: 1) the 48" deck with the 18 HP Kawasaki FR, or 2) the 52" deck with the 21 HP Kawasaki FR? Any opinions either way out there?

mhavanti said:

... I've had some suck arse deals with two dealers now and believe me, neither care how much damage they do to the mower. One left mine outdoors for four weeks of hurricanes, now there is rust around every deck bolt on it. Scratched the deck in several places apparently used it for a push car, ran the engine guard into who knows what, knocked a hole in the seat, and it is in worse shape now mechanically before it went down there twice. Needless to say, I'll make all the adjustments it needs to make it right. I hate that the paint has been hurt. It looked like brand new when they got their hands on it. They aged the mower 15 years. I have a '96 model, 21 years old that still looks great. I am appalled at how some folks don't give a crap about their customers. Good luck to you both, Max

Click to expand...

Max, Unbelievable! Did you check serial numbers to make sure it was really your mower that you got back? I feel your pain. Many years back, I took my 5-year old but nearly pristine muscle car to a dealer shop for the first time for some technical adjustments (I had previously done all the work on it myself) only to discover later that they had stripped several items out of the engine compartment and replaced with them worn/rusted junk. My guess was they put my parts on someone else's car and charged them for new - hoping I'd be miles down the road before I discovered the switch-a-ru when it would be just my word against theirs. I can still feel my blood pressure rising just thinking about it these many years later.

Its my mower, they just have one female that throws the seat forward as hard as she can when accessing the mechanicals below the seat deck. I have no idea what they were placing on the foot deck of my RSD60, however, several long, deep to the metal scratches, scuffs as though they had gravel in their shoes and this mower today has 32.9 hours on it. There are scratched areas all over it as though bumping and pushing other mowers or other hard and heavier objects.

I took a video of it before I took it to the dealer, but, it would cost much more than a mower to get it back to the point it was before they touched it. I tried to upload the video of it the day before it went to the dealership. Guess it thinks it is too large.

Max

Did you point all the damage to the Dealer when you were picking it up ?

Update.

After spending another month in the shop I got my Liberty Z back. Had to buy a new carb. $144 and change. Now has 88.3 hours. Guess what. Mowed half the yard and stated backfiring and sputtering. Inside the air cleaner was wet. Sure enough oil level was too high and smelled like gas. I guess I need to call Kohler. Done with my dealer. Need to find someone in DFW area that works on Kohler engines and is competent. Man.

That sux man. Hard to find ppl who see a well cared for machine & not treat it accordingly.

There are a great many professionals herein and are just as appalled hearing the things that happen to good folk's machines as you and I. Problem is, the cost of accountability or bringing accountability to those that do harm to your machine and your pocket book is so high that you are again accost by trying to bring justice to your situation.

Hope you get your machine all ready for next season.

It will likely be fixed in time for the next mowing. By accident I stumbled onto a great dealer near by. I was with my son calling on a customer of his. As we left he said, hey, that is a Scag dealer next door. Super nice and friendly guys. The owner contacted the distributor for Kohler. Factory tech gave a heads up on the likely source of the problem ( fuel pump) and they will try to get repaid under warranty, even though I did not buy from them. My stealership has gotten me for over $250, three trips and 2.5 months without fixing. I did notice my new dealer had three new Liberty Z in stock. All their Scag inventory had the Kawasaki option upgrade. If these guys get it done I'll post back on here and share this dealer by name.

I'm surprised the first fella didn't check the fuel pump, fuel hoses for collapsing, fuel cap, etc.

Good luck and hope you're up and running very quickly.

A good dealer fixed it in 24 hours. Didn't need the three week sunshine treatment before looking at it. My original dealer here in Keller always liked to let it sit for three weeks when you brought back their bad work. Trying to teach me a lesson I guess.:thumbdown:
Problem: ruptured diaphragm in fuel pump. Gasoline would just run right into head # two then into the crankcase. Going to pick it up in the morning.
The really good dealer I'll use from now on: Foreman's in North Richland Hills, Tx.:thumbsup:

Glad you found your guy. Now, you need to make a youtube video in the form of a review. Be very careful how you form your sentences as he may want to play games in the litigation arena.

Not going to drop the bomb on those jerks. Just give a Thumbs up to the good guys. I will probably send them an email or even a letter. They will just not see me or my $ again. I'm going to calm down before I rub their nose in it.

After a lot of research and testing out mowers at many dealers, I went with the Liberty Z. Just got it, only mowed twice but this thing is awesome !

I've mowed ~2 acres on my buddy's place with ZTR's (MTD and Husqv). Very subpar in comparison.

The Liberty is way more than I need for my place, but felt I'd pay up now vs later on a budget ZTR that'll likely break down.

Actually look forward to mowing now :laughing:

And of course I want w/ the Kawi !!

Seat switch connectors?

I'm adding a suspension and slide track kit to our Liberty Z seat (very comfy seat on the flat, just needs a little more shock absorption when things get rough around the edges). The wiring harness to the seat safety switch (4 wire) will need to be re-routed and looks like it will be about 4" short of connecting. Rather than cut and splice in more length to each of the 4 wires, I'd rather fabricate a 4-wire 6" extension, but I can't find correct male and female connectors. Anyone have any idea where I can find connectors that will just "plug-and-play"?

Wareagle,

I can help you out with a resolution. These are what I use for adding connections to my mowers. On my Hustler RSD60, I used male and female spade connectors, heat shrink tubing. Extended the wire length, placed the female spade connectors on the males, added wire, crimped, then soldered. Then double heat shrink wrapped the connections.

The following link will also make things much easier than the way I did my Hustler. These are what I'm using to add things such as LED lights, 12v power sockets, switches, etc.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-2-3-4-5-...72.m570.l1312.R1.TR11.TRC2.A0.H0.X2.TRS1.TSS0

Go to Youtube, look up MaxsGarajMahal and take a look at the installation of the seat suspension kit. Easy peasy.

Max

So any Liberty Z updates ? Inquiring minds wanna know.. (or at least I do).

7394 said:

So any Liberty Z updates ? Inquiring minds wanna know.. (or at least I do).

Click to expand...

Loving it! And so is my wife! Super comfy seat with great lower back support. Since our property has some really rough spots, we're adding a spring suspension/slider seat system - I just need to fabricate a 4-wire extension for the rider-presence seat switch. Super easy to service (refuel, change blades, change oil). Need to occasionally scrape slight build-up of clippings from under the deck, but what mower doesn't need that from time to time? Looking into adding a third party small LED headlight (way cheaper than the OEM's halogen headlight option) to the front crossbeam so we can shift our mowing later into the cooler evening time here in the deep South. My only complaint is that it's a bit tricky to check and adjust tire pressure in the small front tires secured within big metal flanges. Not a lot of room to maneuver air tools in there. But all-in-all, the Liberty-Z is a definite keeper for us!

WarEagle,

Glad you have that rascal riding better. I surely couldn't handle mine any longer without those upgrades.

I'm going to do a step by step video on LED front and rear lights you may be interested in. I already put some rear Red LED Strobe lights and they not only look great, they work even better.

Here is the link to the video I demonstrated them in. Fast forward to a bit past mid way and it will show them working on a RC Airplane Lithium Polymer battery that isn't even close to correct voltage. So, put your imagination to work to see how bright they were on 12 volts.

If you can't find a source for what you're looking for, give me a private message. I ordered 3 more pair for all my machinery. I probably could spare one for you. I also have some really neat flat 6" long ultra bright daylight LEDs laying around I've been putting into my SUVs for interior lighting when in DC in the government underground parking structures. You can definitely see when those are on. lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohVGjmxlyls&t=20s

WarEagle,

Glad you have that rascal riding better. I surely couldn't handle mine any longer without those upgrades.

I'm going to do a step by step video on LED front and rear lights you may be interested in. I already put some rear Red LED Strobe lights and they not only look great, they work even better.

Here is the link to the video I demonstrated them in. Fast forward to a bit past mid way around 13:25 it will show them working on a RC Airplane Lithium Polymer battery that isn't even close to correct voltage. You should be able to see a tiny red dot above the fuel filler cap. That is the light! Really neat, really small and out of the way mounted on the side of the seat. So, put your imagination to work to see how bright they were on 12 volts.

If you can't find a source for what you're looking for, send me a private message. I ordered 3 more pair for all my machinery. I probably could spare one for you. I also have some really neat flat 6" long ultra bright daylight LEDs laying around I've been putting into my SUVs for interior lighting when in DC in the government underground parking structures. You can definitely see when those are on. lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohVGjmxlyls&t=20s

Thanks, Max. The little red strobe lights look great. We don't get near the public road with our Scag. There is a steep bank that the county road crew keeps tearing up with their rotary mowers, so I finish that area off with our Craftsman lawn tractor instead. But I can see where the little red strobe taillights would be a good safety factor operating anywhere near road traffic. I've posted (or tried to) a photo of the small square four-element LED floodlight I plan to mount on the front of our Scag. There's a convenient hole already on the front face of the foot pan (seen to the right of the light) that should be a great place to mount it, but I either have to let the light hinge down where it might be more vulnerable to hitting something, or make a little "L" bracket to mount it higher. Still thinking through that. That is also the same side as the battery, so it's pretty much a straight shot to route electrical wires to a toggle switch I'll mount beside the battery. While I'm at it, I loaded a photo of the wide metal bracket I mentioned in a previous post that complicates getting to the valve stem on the front tires. I can do it, but it's not always easy.
Dale

War Eagle,

That should be perfect. I'd mount the lights slightly back from the front of the deck at least an inch so that you can put the mower up against an object if necessary or during lifting, jacking, etc.

The size of those lights will help keep you from having too much of an object to jump or step over. Don't forget to add an inline fuse in the positive side of the circuit. Safety first.

Have fun and keep us all appraised of the progress.

Max

War Eagle said:

(snip)
While I'm at it, I loaded a photo of the wide metal bracket I mentioned in a previous post that complicates getting to the valve stem on the front tires. I can do it, but it's not always easy.
Dale

Click to expand...

Dale- Thanks for all the info & pics. My Toro Timecutter has same situation on front wheels, I have to have fr wheel in correct location & only use my pencil (old school) air gauge for my tires.
My digital one is too big, & so are my hands, but I get it done also.

Is that about the same on your Liberty ?

Buddy

What spring suspension/slider seat system did you use? Is there an aftermarket system out there? I want to pick up the Liberty Z and would love an adjustable seat!

War Eagle said:

Loving it! And so is my wife! Super comfy seat with great lower back support. Since our property has some really rough spots, we're adding a spring suspension/slider seat system - I just need to fabricate a 4-wire extension for the rider-presence seat switch. Super easy to service (refuel, change blades, change oil). Need to occasionally scrape slight build-up of clippings from under the deck, but what mower doesn't need that from time to time? Looking into adding a third party small LED headlight (way cheaper than the OEM's halogen headlight option) to the front crossbeam so we can shift our mowing later into the cooler evening time here in the deep South. My only complaint is that it's a bit tricky to check and adjust tire pressure in the small front tires secured within big metal flanges. Not a lot of room to maneuver air tools in there. But all-in-all, the Liberty-Z is a definite keeper for us!

Click to expand...

warren3527 said:

What spring suspension/slider seat system did you use? Is there an aftermarket system out there? I want to pick up the Liberty Z and would love an adjustable seat!

Click to expand...

Warren, Contact Nicole Bundy at SeatWarehouse (nicole@seat-warehouse.com), and she'll take care of you. We got the suspension setup to mount under our Liberty's seat, but that required that we get the slider, also, to create space for the suspension springs to work. That all worked out great (raised the seat about 2 3/4"), but the wiring to the operator presence safety switch in the seat became a problem because the factory wiring harness (4 wire) was not long enough to route around the new seat components. I could cut and splice in four pieces of about 8" of wire, but I don't want to cut the factory wiring harness while the mower is still under warranty. So I'm still looking at the best way to build a 4-wire wiring extension. Still not a big deal, but I'm having a hard time finding male 1.5mm terminals that I feel comfortable with. I might just have to trim down wider male terminals to fit. That said, it's a great combination - suspension and slider. I just wish Seat Warehouse would fabricate a 4-wire extension like they did for the 2-wire seat safety switches. So far, they've told me "No". Regardless, I'll do something before next cutting season. Best of luck....

War Eagle said:

Warren, Contact Nicole Bundy at SeatWarehouse (nicole@seat-warehouse.com), and she'll take care of you. We got the suspension setup to mount under our Liberty's seat, but that required that we get the slider, also, to create space for the suspension springs to work. That all worked out great (raised the seat about 2 3/4"), but the wiring to the operator presence safety switch in the seat became a problem because the factory wiring harness (4 wire) was not long enough to route around the new seat components. I could cut and splice in four pieces of about 8" of wire, but I don't want to cut the factory wiring harness while the mower is still under warranty. So I'm still looking at the best way to build a 4-wire wiring extension. Still not a big deal, but I'm having a hard time finding male 1.5mm terminals that I feel comfortable with. I might just have to trim down wider male terminals to fit. That said, it's a great combination - suspension and slider. I just wish Seat Warehouse would fabricate a 4-wire extension like they did for the 2-wire seat safety switches. So far, they've told me "No". Regardless, I'll do something before next cutting season. Best of luck....

Click to expand...

Thanks you!!

War Eagle,

I'm on the way out the door right now, however, when I return in a few hours, I'll give you some ideas for wiring and strain reliefs you can easily make in a short time.

Max

WarEagle,

You can use 4 wire trailer connector wire to make the extension. You can also use something extremely easy to find and that is 4 wire telephone wire although I much prefer to use stranded copper over solid copper.

The to make the 4 wired connector just use female spade connectors to plug into the connector socket and once that is done, use thin plastic to make a separator that holds the female spade connectors into alignment with the male spades. Once you have them good and solid, then use good grade electrical tape to pull them together nice and tightly. About 4 wraps pulling the tape good and snug as you lay it down. Once you have the tape in place, use shrink wrap to make it permanent. Once that is done, the new female socket or male socket depending upon your situation can be pulled out and pushed back into place for testing purposes if the need arises.

If it weren't for having to remove my suspension seat kit to shoot photos of mine, it is done the same way and works perfectly. I also use a grommet when putting wiring thru metal or even plastic so the wiring harness is then less likely to fray. I used neoprene gas hose to make a rubber anti-fray border below the seat on my Raptor SD and the wire hits it all the time it is in operation on rough surfaces. I recommend highly you take all precautions to keep your wiring from making contacting with the scissor action of the suspension seat mechanisms.

Have fun,

Max

Any nice Liberty Z owner with 48", 52", or 61" deck can help me find out which variant of ZT-2800 is on your machine? There's a sticker on each transaxle, and the first two letter of model number is the variant version.



I want to tow an aerator with my 36" and the Scag don't offer tow hitch for my deck size. So I'm wondering if it's a stability issue, or that the 36" uses a different ZT2800 than the rest... Not sure

and for reference, the 36" deck uses ZK variant of ZT2800

Thanks!

badbebe said:

Any nice Liberty Z owner with 48", 52", or 61" deck can help me find out which variant of ZT-2800 is on your machine? There's a sticker on each transaxle, and the first two letter of model number is the variant version.
View attachment 43619
I want to tow an aerator with my 36" and the Scag don't offer tow hitch for my deck size. So I'm wondering if it's a stability issue, or that the 36" uses a different ZT2800 than the rest... Not sure

and for reference, the 36" deck uses ZK variant of ZT2800 Thanks!

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Our Scag is a 2017 model that we purchased new just prior to the 2018 mowing season. It has a 48" deck and "ZK" transaxles. I hope that helps. If your mower has the engine rear guard, with two square holes for carriage bolt heads, I purchased this rear hitch (see photo) on-line from a third party but painted in the Scag color. I have not towed anything behind yet. I just use it as a tie-down point when trailering.

War Eagle said:

Our Scag is a 2017 model that we purchased new just prior to the 2018 mowing season. It has a 48" deck and "ZK" transaxles. I hope that helps. If your mower has the engine rear guard, with two square holes for carriage bolt heads, I purchased this rear hitch (see photo) on-line from a third party but painted in the Scag color. I have not towed anything behind yet. I just use it as a tie-down point when trailering.

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Thanks War Eagle! The bolt spacing is the same (3") on the engine guard. Knowing the 36" uses the same ZT2800-ZK I'm gonna order the hitch and try it out.

I suspect it's more of a size/weight/control/stability issue than a transmission one. The handling of a mower that size could easily become dangerous with a towed implement of significant weight, especially zero-turn mowers that have control issues on slopes without something in tow.

My SCAG LIBERTY Z is the best ZTR I have ever owned, traded in an Exmark Quest on it.
I have owned a Toro Time Cutter and a Cub ZTR also.
The quality of the cut is far superior than anything else I have ever used, even wet grass.
Even Exmark couldnt match the Scags cut quality. The Quest is a Toro Timecutter with different paint and stickers.
Toro makes Exmark.

Just to point out that the new Quest is a much better machine than the older models.

I love my Exmark machines but I found their older Quests to be disappointing considering their experience building top notch commercial equipment. Just too little for too much $.

Darryl G said:

Just to point out that the new Quest is a much better machine than the older models.

I love my Exmark machines but I found their older Quests to be disappointing considering their experience building top notch commercial equipment. Just too little for too much $.

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I like Exmark commercial machines, hard to beat. That Quest I kept five years and was never really was satisfied.
Paid over 4 grand and then only reallized it was exactly a Toro Timecutter. I paid a thousand more just for the Exmark name.
Thought I was upgrading a bit in quality but found out I was ignorant of the facts when I made the purchase.
Buyer beware, do your homework. Wished I had on that deal.

Hindsight is always 20-20... That's life.

badbebe said:

Thanks War Eagle! The bolt spacing is the same (3") on the engine guard. Knowing the 36" uses the same ZT2800-ZK I'm gonna order the hitch and try it out.

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Please let me know how this works out. I just purchased a 36" Liberty Z myself, so I'm very curious. The only thing I'm looking to tow would be a dethatcher or a core aerator.

The tow plate I bought (off eBay) had a 3/4" hole to the towing pin. It stuck me as rather large, but is that normal? Here's a link if anyone is curious.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Heavy-Duty...111582?hash=item3d79e5d95e:g:1ZIAAOSwn6Jb6vWo

ElHeffe said:

Please let me know how this works out. I just purchased a 36" Liberty Z myself, so I'm very curious. The only thing I'm looking to tow would be a dethatcher or a core aerator.

The tow plate I bought (off eBay) had a 3/4" hole to the towing pin. It stuck me as rather large, but is that normal? Here's a link if anyone is curious.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Heavy-Duty...111582?hash=item3d79e5d95e:g:1ZIAAOSwn6Jb6vWo

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I added the hitch from eBay but haven't towed anything yet. One thing I've noticed is this thing is really terrible on the slightest hill when wet. Then when I checked the drive tire pressure... it was at 30psi! I lowered it to 8psi and traction improved dramatically - no more tire ruts.

badbebe said:

I added the hitch from eBay but haven't towed anything yet. One thing I've noticed is this thing is really terrible on the slightest hill when wet. Then when I checked the drive tire pressure... it was at 30psi! I lowered it to 8psi and traction improved dramatically - no more tire ruts.

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Thank you for letting me know! I know many of the zero turn mowers say 10 or 15 degrees max. It still surprises me as I used to mow with an old Dixon zero turn (maybe 15 years ago) on a hill that was around 50 degrees (near the side of the road). It worked well unless it was too wet and then the rear end would slide down the side of the hill. You had to be careful or else (when really wet) the rear tires would slide sideways and scrape the grass with it. It was incredibly fun but the yard looked terribly afterwards!

I'm curious how it does towing. Most of the folks I spoke with think the 36" will do fine with the smaller stuff (dethatcher or aerator) but not so great with a roller or maybe sprayer.

So.... Old thread but did they last? Hours and any issues?

ElHeffe said:

Thank you for letting me know! I know many of the zero turn mowers say 10 or 15 degrees max. It still surprises me as I used to mow with an old Dixon zero turn (maybe 15 years ago) on a hill that was around 50 degrees (near the side of the road). It worked well unless it was too wet and then the rear end would slide down the side of the hill. You had to be careful or else (when really wet) the rear tires would slide sideways and scrape the grass with it. It was incredibly fun but the yard looked terribly afterwards!

I'm curious how it does towing. Most of the folks I spoke with think the 36" will do fine with the smaller stuff (dethatcher or aerator) but not so great with a roller or maybe sprayer.

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The 36" LZ still has the HG 2800 wheel motors. I should think that would be a plus on the lighter 36"er..

Jmmclaug said:

So.... Old thread but did they last? Hours and any issues?

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Friend has had his for 5 years & @ 600 hours, nothing major..

Mine is not quite a year old & only 15.6 hours to date. Only things that bugged me were the Hydro pump 'dump valves', rattle. But I fixed that..
Otherwise I'm really digging my 48" LZ. I got last year for the Kawasaki for the 48"...

7394 said:

Friend has had his for 5 years & @ 600 hours, nothing major..

Mine is not quite a year old & only 15.6 hours to date. Only things that bugged me were the Hydro pump 'dump valves', rattle. But I fixed that..
Otherwise I'm really digging my 48" LZ. I got last year for the Kawasaki for the 48"...

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Yeah just reading I see that they have switched from the Kawasaki supposedly on the 48. Going to take my dealer tomorrow I should have swore the 2022 he has has the kw on it

Then it will be a 2021, Check the MFGR date on the decal under the front of the seat..

7394 said:

Then it will be a 2021, Check the MFGR date on the decal under the front of the seat..

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Will check tomorrow.have been on the fence on this one for a 48or ponying up more cash. I can get a 2021 pro turn ZX 48 for 7300 otd still or a 2021 pro turn 148 for 8k even otd. I guess the middle option is a FREEDOM 48 for 5990 OTD choices suck.

Wow !! Prices really jumped.. Liberty has 5 year warranty tho.. I paid cash & got nice discount for that. WAS like $4,7k

7394 said:

Wow !! Prices really jumped.. Liberty has 5 year warranty tho.. I paid cash & got nice discount for that. WAS like $4,7k

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That was a typo. The freedom was the middle ground I can get at around 5990 otd. The liberty 48 my dealer will do for 5k even that's after tax.

7394 said:

Then it will be a 2021, Check the MFGR date on the decal under the front of the seat..

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Went ahead and got it. 5200 out the door financed 0 for 5. I mean why pay cash if they're letting me use theirs for free. They got it in January. Last one that still has the kaw and 2800.

Congrats on the LIberty Z ..
I think 2021 is best year, still has the Kaw, & steam roller front tires,. 2800 HG. I have read several were NOT happy w / Freedom.. I tried one & didn't like it.. Preferred the Liberty.
Agree with you on the 0% for 5.. My Deal was different. But I bet you will really like your new Liberty..

PS: I did the early 8 hour oil change. Get it off to a great start..

Hope you got some Scag swag, You have to ask, I got 2 T-shirts w / mine..

7394 said:

Congrats on the LIberty Z ..
I think 2021 is best year, still has the Kaw, & steam roller front tires,. 2800 HG. I have read several were NOT happy w / Freedom.. I tried one & didn't like it.. Preferred the Liberty.
Agree with you on the 0% for 5.. My Deal was different. But I bet you will really like your new Liberty..

PS: I did the early 8 hour oil change. Get it off to a great start..

Hope you got some Scag swag, You have to ask, I got 2 T-shirts w / mine.. View attachment 60248

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Did a residential 1/2 acre great tonight, but then Did a 1.2 acre lot tonight with it too. Some grass was knee high on that acre. Not even a hiccup or a left straggler at full speed... BUT, I do regret on that lot not having something heavier. My back took a beating. Going to need to figure a suspension seat out without going broke.

Are your back tires adjusted to 8 psi cold ? That gives some nice cushion on my grass..

I purchased a Z 52" with a kawi this spring and so far I luv it. Motor is quieter than a Kohler and I think smoother. I did upgrade the seat and had to swap out the sticks for some longer ones from a Ferris.

Congrats, I got my 48" last May, & it is a beast..

Just bought a 48" with the Scag SR motor. I wanted a 48" and it was the only option (no Kohler or Kawasaki). Reading positive reviews of the SR motor (Loncin), but only time will tell how it holds up!

Congrats !!
I have a 2021 Liberty 48" w/Kaw. Great so far..

I have read those SR engines are doing good.. Toro has been using the for a few years I believe..

Thanks, been reading about a number of people having put several hundred hours on the Predator engines without any issues. While I'd have preferred a Kawasaki, as long as Scag is backing it, I'm not going to worry too much.

Why worry, be happy.

tyfabes said:

Just bought a 48" with the Scag SR motor. I wanted a 48" and it was the only option (no Kohler or Kawasaki). Reading positive reviews of the SR motor (Loncin), but only time will tell how it holds up!

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I too just bought the same in Aug2022. Dealer has said the Loncin engine has done well ... better option that the Kohler but maybe not on par with the Kaw. Time will tell.

boodyboo said:

I too just bought the same in Aug2022. Dealer has said the Loncin engine has done well ... better option that the Kohler but maybe not on par with the Kaw. Time will tell.

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Why are people saying the Kohler is not as good of an option as the SR? Why is Kawi preferred?
I purchased Liberty Z 61" with Kohler just over 2 years ago and couldn't be happier (end of year over $1,000 off and the $0/5yr). The tech (mech for long time) I spoke with said the Kohler was just as good as the Kawi and was rebuildable, Kaw was not. I don't expect to need that as an option, but pretty much no one does; I like it for the option. I am super pleased with the smooth, unrelenting power- has mowed moist 36" tall field grass without issue.

I'm still digging my Liberty, it just does everything well IMO.

tyfabes said:

Just bought a 48" with the Scag SR motor. I wanted a 48" and it was the only option (no Kohler or Kawasaki). Reading positive reviews of the SR motor (Loncin), but only time will tell how it holds up!

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What oil filter do you use on it?

Mayberry said:

I'm in the market for a new mower and I'm replacing a 10 yr old Craftsman rider. I began by looking for a quality lawn tractor, but everything I've found under $5k looks to be poorly made. I need a good, quality mower for reside tial use. 1 acre used weekly for 9 months/yr. I live in Georgia, so warm climate. Bermuda sodded lawn, pretty flat...one hill going from basement up to garage on one side. So, I don't need a full commercial mower. I've run across the "prosumer" range of zero turns and they look to be constructed pretty well. I just want something that I'm not going to have to throw away and replace in 8-10 years. I really like the Scag Liberty Z. Does anyone have an opinion on this mower? I've found some reviews and posts, but most are from right after the model came out. Anyone maybe have an update after running one for a year or two? The mower has a Kohler Pro 7000 engine, 2800 Hydros, 48" fabricated deck. Most comparable mowers are very similar. A few others have the Kawasaki FR series engine instead of the Kohler. Any opinion on which of these engines is better? I know Kawasaki makes a great motor, but the FR series seems to have mixed reviews.

Besides the Scag Liberty Z, I'm also looking at a Bob-Cat CRZ 48 and a Gravely HDLX. Appreciate any opinions, reviews, etc. I'm really ready to just buy a mower and get ready for mowing season. Thanks in advance.

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It's a beast!
I have one that is 5 years old and I have cleared a lot of brush with it and it just keeps on going. The ONLY issue I have had was the bearing in the spindles were going bad and were all replaced. Just the bearings, not the spindles. Saved a lot of money doing this.
Upon picking it up from the shop, the guy told me "Stop washing it so much! You are ruining the bearings! Just use a blower to clean it"
That goes with all mowers I guess. My "Clean and neat" personality can cause problems sometimes.
My Liberty Z could use a shock absorbing seat though!

evilrussell said:

It's a beast!
I have one that is 5 years old and I have cleared a lot of brush with it and it just keeps on going. The ONLY issue I have had was the bearing in the spindles were going bad and were all replaced. Just the bearings, not the spindles. Saved a lot of money doing this.
Upon picking it up from the shop, the guy told me "Stop washing it so much! You are ruining the bearings! Just use a blower to clean it"
That goes with all mowers I guess. My "Clean and neat" personality can cause problems sometimes.
My Liberty Z could use a shock absorbing seat though!

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I added a suspension under my seat, made a world of difference. Cannot imagine mine without it, have rough field to mow thanks to the blasted moles. About 3.5 acres works great, one note - I did have to extend the sensor wiring under the seat to route it properly so as to not get it pinched/severed.

Warranty is 5 years, includes spindles etc.. Water to a Z deck, is like kryptonite to Superman.