On 8/9/2007 6:09 AM, Vic Dura wrote:
I'm thinking of getting a Toro Z4200 mower.

http://www.toro.com/home/zeroturn/ti...erz/z4200.html

Does anyone here have any experience with or opinions about Toro or
this mower in particular?

I only have 17 hours on it but here goes. There was no hour meter on
it -- added a Briggs for about $10. Added armrests about $80. Instead
of the ~$175 mulch kit replaced the discharge chute with the mulch cover
plate as a repair item at $16. The deck is easy enough to adjust
without the foot assist.

I think Toro got a little chintsy with the rear wheels. They're too
small and narrow for my liking. A wider wheel and tire would help with
traction. They spin a bit but the non-aggressive tread doesn't tear up
too much turf (St Augustine).

There's a little forward 'creep' in the controls ie. if you let go one
arm and control with the other, the uncontrolled arm will creep forward,
speeding up the wheel on that side. As long as you're aware of this
it's not a problem. You just have to be fast reaching to scratch your
nose. I think the gas shocks on the controls cause this. I haven't
attempted to adjust this out until after break-in.

Forget the drink holder. Too much vibration. I've never lost anything
out of the tool tray, though. Even an empty pack of cigarettes. That's
not to say enough wind wouldn't blow it out.

The washout port is convenient, if you're cutting damp grass. Sometimes
it's cut it damp or not at all.

Two things it should have are a pivoting front axle and center anti
scalp roller for the deck. I'm adding the roller shortly.

With the low center of gravity it's great on cross slopes. Within
reason, of course. ZTRs can get squirrelly on slopes -- the swiveling
front wheels make it so. Sometimes you find yourself crabbing along the
ditchline. I think there's at least one mower that has a locking front
wheel but the name escapes me at the moment. (One of the John Deere
walk behinds?)

For some reviews and comparisons with other mowers check out:

www.greenerchoices.org

All in all, I'm very satisfied with this mower. The 14.5/40 Murray and
the 20/46 John Deere Scotts hydro sit in the shed (both conventional
tractor mowers). I also use a 48" Scag Tiger Cub at the lake -- twice
the Toro at more than twice the price.

--
Ted
I wasn't born in Texas but
I got back here as soon as I could
(Don't forget to take out the trash)

"How hard can it be?" -Kinky Friedman