Posts Tagged ‘performance’

Spring is Coming… Is Your Mower Ready?

Wednesday, February 17th, 2016

Late-winter is a great time to take stock of your mower’s maintenance needs and get them taken care of before the spring growing season. That way, you’ll be ready to roll when the growth of your lawn hits full stride. Not only does a properly maintained mower perform better, but it will also last longer and be more reliable over the course of its life.

Exmark blades

Nothing affects your mower’s quality of cut more than blade sharpness. It pays to keep ’em sharp.

Always consult your owner’s manual to determine what specific maintenance is necessary for your machine, but some common examples of spring mower maintenance items include:

  • Cleaning — The most basic maintenance you can perform is giving your mower a thorough cleaning. Starting with a clean mower will make it easier to perform other spring maintenance items, and built-up dirt and grass clippings can reduce the performance of your machine.
  • Blades — Your mower will cut faster and deliver a better quality of cut with sharp blades. Few parts affect cut quality and productivity as dramatically as sharp, balanced blades, and with practice, you can change a set of blades in less than ten minutes. It’s well worth the time and effort. One pro tip is to get an extra set of blades for your mower to swap in when your blades lose their edge. You’ll always have sharp, balanced blades ready to go, with no downtime required for sharpening.
  • Belts — Inspect all belts and replace any that appear visibly worn. Also check all belt tensioners to ensure proper function.
  • Engine oil — Start off the season with a fresh oil and filters for each of your mowers. Oil is the life blood of your engine, and changing it out is much less expensive than an oil breakdown-related engine issue.
  • Spark plugs — Replace your mower’s spark plug(s) at the start of the season to ensure easy starting and consistent running performance.
  • Exmark tire inflation

    Proper tire pressure affects the safety, handling and reliability of your mower.

    Fuel — Fuel that’s been sitting in the tank for an extended period should be drained and replaced with fresh fuel. Gasoline degrades in quality and can cause inconsistent starting and running performance. A fuel treatment or stabilizer can help the fuel stay fresh longer, and prevent the absorption of moisture by the fuel. Never use fuel that contains more than 10-percent ethanol in mowers, as higher percentage ethanol blends may lead to engine damage and/or performance issues.

  • Tire pressure — Check the pressure on all pneumatic mower tires and fill them to the recommended pressure marked on the tire sidewall. Operation with too-low tire pressure is a safety issue, first and foremost, and it also compromises mower efficiency, performance and handling.

Spend some time with your mower in the shop now to ensure your mower is good to go when the grass is growing strong later this season. You’ll be thankful you did.

Service resources at Exmark.com:

 

Exmark Advantage: Cutting Systems

Sunday, January 24th, 2016

Exmark Cutting System

The true test of any mower deck is the quality of cut it delivers. Landscape professionals depend on it. Homeowners thrive on it. And our reputation rides on it. That’s why we’re constantly improving our cutting decks with the goal of perfection in-mind.

Exmark cutting systems are designed to work as a unit, with each part contributing to its performance and overall durability. Patented flow-control baffles accelerate airflow under the deck, working with the blades to facilitate easy movement of materials and an even, controlled discharge.

Today, we’ll examine two of Exmark’s best cutting systems: the UltraCut Series 6 side-discharge and the UltraCut Rear Discharge.

Exmark UltraCut Series 6

The UltraCut Series 6 cutting deck is featured on the Lazer Z X-Series zero-turn riding mower.

UltraCut Series 6 Cutting System

  • 5.5″ deck depth. 4-point suspension. Full-floating.
  • No maintenance, sealed and non-greasable spindles; 7.75″-diameter cutter housing with 1.75″-diameter splined blade driver and 30mm (1.18″ ) diameter spindle shaft.
  • Patented spherical bearing design on idler arm pivots requires only annual greasing.
  • Coned anti-scalp rollers.
  • (3) 7-gauge steel reinforcement rings at spindle mounting area on 52,” 60″ & 72.”
  • High-strength polymer belt covers.
  • 10-gauge steel top.
  • 7-gauge steel side skirt.
  • Heavy-duty trim side wear guard.
  • 18,500 fpm blade tip speed.
  • Patented flow-control baffles.
  • No-maintenance, sealed ball bearings.
  • Flexible discharge chute reduces impact damage of trees and other obstacles.
The UltraCut Rear Discharge cutting deck is available on select Pioneer and Lazer Z zero-turn riding mower models.

The UltraCut Rear Discharge cutting deck is available on select Pioneer and Lazer Z zero-turn riding mower models.

UltraCut Rear Discharge Cutting System

  • 5.5″ deck depth. 4-point suspension. Full-floating.
  • 7-gauge high-strength low alloy deck construction.
  • High-strength polymer belt covers.
  • Reinforced anti-scalp rollers.
  • Compression molded UHMW side bumper protects deck and follows ground contours.
  • Lazer Z DS-Series: No maintenance spindles are sealed and non-greasable. 7.75″ diameter cutter housing with 1.75″ diameter splined blade driver and 30mm (1.18″) diameter spindle shaft.
  • Lazer Z S-Series: No maintenance spindles are sealed and non-greasable. 7.75″ diameter cutter housing with 25mm (.98″) diameter spindle shaft and splined blade driver.
  • 18,500 fpm blade tip speed.
  • Patented spherical bearing design on idler arms requires only annual greasing.
  • No-maintenance, sealed ball bearings.

Learn more about the advantages Exmark cutting systems can give you at Exmark.com/Exmark-Advantage/.

2016 New Product Showcase: Lazer Z Suspended Operator Platform

Monday, November 16th, 2015

Exmark Expands Suspended Operator Platform for 2016

Following the successful mid-year debut of a suspended operator platform for its Lazer Z commercial zero-turn mower, Exmark announced it is expanding the platform’s availability for 2016.

Exmark Lazer Z Suspended Operator Platform, rear-view

The Suspended Operator Platform is easy to adjust for any operator weight without tools.

Exmark added suspended operator platform-equipped 52-inch Lazer Z E-Series and 72-inch Lazer Z X-Series options to the existing 60-inch options in both models for the 2016 model year. The suspended operator platform uses three coil-over hydraulic dampers to significantly reduce the impact of bumps and vibration. It provides 3.6-inches of travel in vertical and fore-aft directions, with trailing arms to limit lateral travel and increase operator stability.

“We initially launched the suspended operator platform on 60-inch versions of our Lazer Z E-Series and Lazer Z X-Series mowers, as it’s our most popular cutting deck size,” said Exmark Director of Marketing, Daryn Walters. “Almost immediately we began to receive calls, emails and social media messages inquiring about the platform’s availability with other cutting deck widths.

“These new models are the direct result of the feedback we received.”

Exmark Lazer Z Suspended Operator Platform, action

The Suspended Operator Platform raises the bar on comfort while preserving the performance advantages that have made the Lazer Z the #1 choice among landscape professionals.

The suspended operator platform preserves the performance advantages of that have made the Lazer Z the most popular commercial zero-turn mower on the market, and it significantly reduces the negative effects of mowing rough terrain on the operator. The design is easily adjustable for operator weight and ride quality preference without tools, making it easy to achieve the desired ride quality for any operator. There’s no harsh bottoming, regardless of operator weight, and the design eases access to hydrostatic drive system components, making routine maintenance easier to perform.

Suspended operator platform-equipped Lazer Z models are equipped with a new seat design that uses patented Elastomeric Vibration Control (EVC) stretch fabric and plush foam padding for maximum comfort. In addition, Exmark’s patented Iso-Mount isolation system provides a controlled .75-inch of lateral and .5-inch of vertical isolation to further insulate the operator from bumps and vibration.

Learn more about Exmark’s suspended operator platform-equipped Lazer Z models or locate your local Exmark dealer at Exmark.com.

Exmark White Paper: Transitioning Mower Fleets to Propane

Sunday, November 1st, 2015
Exmark Transitioning Mower Fleets to Propane white paper

Click the image to download the free white paper in Adobe PDF format.

Every day, an increasing number of landscape maintenance professionals are opening their eyes to the potential of propane-fueled commercial mowers. Here are a few compelling reasons why that shift is occurring, from our white paper, Transitioning Mower Fleets to Propane:

  • 2013 market research conducted by Lawn & Landscape magazine revealed that 63 percent of homeowners responsible for decisions related to some or all landscape contract services are influenced by a sense of environmental responsibility.
  • Propane-fueled commercial mowers and equipment produce significantly fewer greenhouse gasses (GHG) than those fueled by gasoline.
  • PERC, Kohler and Exmark partnered on development of the industry’s first EFI-propane engine for commercial mower applications. The engine is the industry’s first OEM-level EFI-propane engine, offering full commercial warranty and support. The EFI design increases fuel efficiency by up to 25 percent, and coupled with the lower cost of propane, reduces overall fuel costs by up to 40 percent compared to carbureted gasoline engines. Uptime is also improved since the EFI engine solves startability and performance issues frequently encountered with engines using aftermarket conversions.
  • In 2013, Exmark introduced a Kohler EFI-propane powered version of its Lazer Z S-Series zero-turn riding mower as well as two Turf Tracer wide area walk behind models. In 2015 it introduced an EFI-propane Vantage S-Series stand-on riding mower.
  • Propane is widely available nationwide and is used in an estimated 12.6 million U.S. households for heating, cooking and recreation. It is a fossil fuel derived from the refining of oil and natural gas. It is a very safe fuel for commercial mowers, with an ignition temperature that’s nearly double that of gasoline (900 deg. F vs. 495 deg. F). Plus, robust, sealed containers virtually eliminate the opportunity for fuel spillage.
  • The selection of a propane retailer and the negotiation of a seasonal contract are two important aspects of a switch to propane for landscape maintenance professionals to consider.

    Exmark Vantage S-Series Propane

    Exmark propane mowers deliver industry-leading performance, productivity and durability.

  • Incentives from PERC, as well as a number of state marketing associations can mitigate some or all of the increased up-front cost of propane mowers. Combined with the EFI-related fuel savings and the lower cost of propane,
  • Exmark mowers powered by Kohler propane-EFI engines can save up-to $2/hour, or more depending on duty cycle and other factors. This allows pay back of the added investment in just one to two seasons.

Download the complete Transitioning Mower Fleets to Propane white paper in Adobe PDF format.

Learn more about Exmark’s complete line of EFI-propane commercial mowers at Exmark.com.