I found this video funny. I have a 2020 Ariens IKON 52, and its MONEY. Cuts great, zero issues on my 1.5 acre property. Its bullet proof. Makes we wonder if this video is inspired by operator error if I’m being honest . . .I’m on my 4th season, and I’ve have ZERO issues. Extremely happy with my Ariens . . .
Thanks for watching. There's NOTHING funny about this situation. You're in your fourth season? That's laughable. I'm in my 26th season. I cut 4-6 acres A DAY. Not with this machine, it wouldn't last long enough. After 25 years in business, I THINK we can rule out operator error ENTIRELY. I'm ecstatic you've had great success with your Ariens. You're one of the fortunate ones. This machine is a 2023. If you did your research like I have, you'd know Ariensco made a bundle of changes to the Ikon Envy from 2022 to 2023. NONE OF THEM were good. It, by FAR, is the BIGGEST piece of CRAP I have ever had the displeasure of owning. IT IS LITTERALLY JUNK.
That deck design is nothing like mine after seeing it. Now I understand our conversation about it. I can run any blade on mine and that open deck is bad.
Thanks for watching! I knew it was a "residential machine" when I bought it. As I have said many, MANY times before, I had been running a Craftsman Z6400 made by MTD. I was led to believe....by the dealer no less, that this Ariens would hold up FAR BETTER as a back up/small area mower that my Craftsman. I'd take 10 Craftsman zero turns over this Ariens POS. I used the Z6400 every day and put over 600 hours on it. I sold it and the man that bought it is still using it to this day. It now has over 1,000 hours on it. It's not that I didn't know it was a residential mower, it was the fact I was greatly misled by the dealer to believe it would give far superior service and was far better built than the Craftsman. Ah, NOOO!
I bought a Husq 254F special edition 3 wks ago. I live on a 5.5 acre horse property with no horses, pastures were 2ft tall, not cut all summer. Took me 28 hours to cut the whole place, had to make 2 passes for the pastures. Whole place looks like a lawn. Mine has the 23 hp Kawasaki. Very powerful. Love that machine.
Thanks for watching. Husqvarna makes a good product. Glad you found a machine that meets your needs. My Gravely is a HOSS. Had I known what I know now, I wouldn't have bought the Ariens.
Great job showing and telling about that mower and the blazes high low can not do it. great video can’t wait for next one keep up the good work cutting that grass,have a great day and see you on the next video see ya bye.
I really appreciate the videos; waiting on a belt for my 9 year old JD 160 rider right now. Starting to get the fever for an upgrade....lol. I know you SHOULDN'T have to do this but have you considered fabricating a deck plug/extension to cover the cutout? doesn't seem like it would take too much time and materials to come up with something. Heck, you could even make it out of some aluminum just to see if it would be beneficial to make it out of steel later.
@billgriner3754 I, in fact, made one myself. I cut it just a bit larger than the opening than the discharge opening and welded it in place. I wish I could share pictures on here, otherwise, I would show you.
Thanks for watching. Watch my video " I'm in hell". I explain, in GREAT DETAIL why and what I bought this machine for. I AM NOT using it "conmercially", meaning, I'm not using it commercial hours. I've got another video coming explaining everything. Stay tuned.
Just a heads-up, if your IKON starts throwing the drive belt it's because one of the drive pulleys is up to high. To fix the problem you have to add a spacer and bring it down level with the other pulley. It's a warranty / recall fix but Ariens won't tell you about the problem.
Thanks for watching and for the heads up.. They need to recall the whole machine. If you haven't seen my video on my phone conversation with them, check it out. They listened but I highly doubt anything will come of it.
@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV the part that's really messed up is they know about every single one of the issues with these mowers and say absolutely nothing to the consumer about them. I'll check out your video of your conversation with them.
That deck looks to be set up for a bagger. Kinda like the old Craftsman machines. That chute flapp probably has to stay down instead of up a little bit like you have it wired up. I've tried putting washer on the top too and I can't get enough friction to get the blade to turn properly and not try to stop spinning when it hits a ton of tall grass. Has to be enough friction there for sure.
@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV boy does it ever. That would really piss me off every time I used it. I hate taking a grass bath just when the wind catches the expelled clippings right and blows all over me. 😩
Nothing wrong with Ariens I got the Ikon X 52” with over 300 hours haven’t did anything to it not even replaced a belt plus Ariens and Graverly are same company, do you really think John Deer Makes there mowers no there in the big box stores two. If you’re using high lift blades they make a mess with dust and debris blowing out that’s why I stick with the low lift blades.
Thanks for watching and thanks for the response, buy you're wrong on two different points. Ariensco is the parent company of Ariens and Gravely BUT.....as Pepsico has Pepsi and Mountain dew, TWO DIFFERENT divisions of the same parent company, Ariens and Gravely are completely SEPARATE divisions. AND.....Ariensco did not design or engineer Gravely mowers. Gravely was established in 1929 and started building Chain driven zero turns in 1969. They moved into the hydrolic technology erra in 1994. Ariensco acquired Gravely in.....2005. Next, John Deere still makes their own mowers. The ones for find in Big Box stores, i.e, Lowe's, Home Depot etc.. are made by Stanley Black & Decker, formally MTD. I'm thankful you've had good success with your Ariens machine but, I've spoke to too many that have had almost identical problems I've had with the particular model.
If the factory blades have a 3/4" drop then when you ran the flat blades wouldn't it make the true cut height 3/4" higher than what the setting says? In other words, if you set the cut height to 3" on the machine that would be based on the factory drop blades so the flat blades would actually be cutting at 3 3/4"? I feel like this is the opposite of what you are saying at the end of the video... but maybe I'm confused. Please help me understand.
With the OEM blades, the cut height is 1/4 inch lower than what the deck height adjustment is set at. In other words, 3 inches is 2.75 inches. The flat blades are 3/4 inch higher than the oem blades. 3/4 + 1/4 equals 1 inch. So, if you set the deck at a cut height of 4 inches, your blade height is actually 3 inches.
That sucks that the dealer didn't give you all the information you needed to make an informed "commercial" decision. That mower would be great for a homeowner with a big yard.
Thank you for watching! What I had in mind at the time of purchase was small gates and occasional aiding the gravely to save time. Not how it turned out.
@kimly1546 Thanks for watching. Depending on how often you mow will greatly affect the answer to that question. I would start with a Gravely proturn z. It's a bottom rung commercial mower, but it would be the last mower you'd have to buy. Plus, if you ever moved and got a larger property, you're still good.
I have a hustler raptor sd...a residential 42" mower that I use commercially. 500h in 3 seasons. I did upgrade to the canister air filter system. I also made my own foot operated chute lift. I've replaced worn out items. At 400h, the hydro mounts bent, causing it to throw the drive belt. It's never broken such that I couldn't finish the yard. The yards I mow are rough...many grow to 12-14" between mows, many are not flat. The machine sits outside 24/7 on the trailer. I've run it like you would a $10k machine and it has taken the abuse well. I keep saying I will break down and get a fastrak and have a payment...but the raptor keeps running and working good
Thanks for watching. I wish that were the case with this machine. Unfortunately, since the filming of this episode, I've had to take it out of service. It has two bent front forks, among other more serious issues.
Ariens builds many of the Gravely and Ariens machines in the same factory. The Ariens machines are designed and built for typical homeowner use. The Gravely machines are designed and built for commercial type use. Jun 17, 2011
How many times do I have to go around this mountain?? Gravely WAS NOT designed by Ariensco. They bought an already established company that had already designed the Gravely mowers. William at Ariensco told me HIMSELF they are STILL, TO THIS DAY building Gravely mowers to the build specs and design of Mr. Gravely. At that time, Ariens was not even established as a company. Yes, Ariensco manufactures Gravely machines but it IS NOT their design. The ONLY thing that Ariens can and does take credit for is the continuation of the Gravely name.
Man, that cutout on that deck is a serious concern. I cannot believe that design made it through as the final result. I have the same design spindles on my mower and would never run a spacer on top of the blade. Last thing I need to do is break my machine or worse hurt someone or myself. Now if only Oregon or Rotary(Copperhead) would make some 15 x2.5 blades with a 5/16 offset and 5/8" center hole in a gator and a high lift we'd be in business.
Thanks for watching. Unfortunately, with a patent on ariens design, they can't produce a blade if the same design for that machine. Yes, the deck discharge design is one of the worst I've ever seen. You CAN NOT stay clean even with the guard down. As a matter of fact, the reason I have the wire on it is to make lifting it to go through tight places easier.
It’s definitely hot ENC hitting over 94 with a heat factor over 100 I got a hustler ran a lot of other brands before I got the super z the z is the best mower I’ve ever owned
Thanks for watching. What brand is a super z? I myself have run just about every brand on the market with a couple if exceptions. Gravely, by FAR is built better, cuts better, runs faster and out lasts most others. Nit throwing shade on any other brand, just merely stating what I've experienced.
Thanks for watching. No one. What I expected is for the dealer whom I had been trading with for, at the time of purchase 22 years, to be honest about the fact that this was a BRAND NEW MODEL and to expect kinks in the armor so to speak. For instance, if they had told me UP FRONT that there was a patent on the blades and that there were no aftermarket blades available for THAT MODEL, and that I would have to buy blades for a completely different brand mower...in this case, Dixie Chopper, I wouldn't have walked, I would've RUN away. All they seemed to be concerned about was making a sale. Nothing wrong with that but when asked direct questions, they should've given HONEST ANSWERS. THEY DIDN'T. They told me what they had to to make the sale because of the fact Iwas between a rock and a hard place.
i think you should try scag liberty z, has 3 decks sizes starting at 36 and goes to 42 and 48 inch, and the scags are well built. seems like ariens is loosing touch with what mowers are used for
I run nothing but Gravely. I bought this machine because I already had a residential machine for getting through small gates. I was told by the AUTHORIZED dealer I dealt with for over 22 years that is would be FAR SUPERIOR to the Craftsman Z6400 zero turn I had. Whether they lied or were wrong, I do not know but, it WASN'T. To put it politely, it's a literal piece of JUNK. I have run Gravely now for 18 of my 25 years in business and I can say without hesitation, they are the absolute best machine I've ever run. The link below will explain everything about this machine... th-cam.com/video/PPCaqCRg_vI/w-d-xo.html
@BigSouthOutdoorsTV ok I watched the video and understand that you have doing it for 25 years, like the saying goes if it ain't broke don't fix it. Well scag has been making their mowers the same because they are good machines, they are over built because they are owned by a metal company so they make most of what goes into the mowers. They are also what you said, made in the USA. I was just suggesting something coming from a mechanic who works on a bit of everything. Can I ask why you did not buy the gravely equivalent?
@bergerk20 sure. Gravely doesn't make a 42" cut mower. They don't have anything commercial but 34". That and the fact that the dealer told me that this Ariens would work well is why I bought the orange turd. I've run Scag machines in past and I must say, I didn't really like them. That and the fact that the nearest scag dealer is more than 60 miles from me is why I don't own one. Nothing at all against scag, but the majority of dealers around here sell Exmark, Bobcat, Gravely, JD and Kubota. Every dealer is within 20 miles of my shop.
@BigSouthOutdoorsTV oh OK that makes sense, I live on the eastern shore so we have a couple dealers and scag is one and he sells gravely, we have a brand called Wright, ever herd of them or used them? As far as I know they are new to the game as far as the other brands
Thanks for watching. The deck design is for a bagger but....I told them, as I stated in the video, they should bolt a plate over that area to seal that area and let it be the customers to remove it if and when they buy a bagging system. No one around here that does lawn care commercially uses a bagging system. I have a lot of comments about sand. I don't have but one or two property's that I would say it all sand. The biggest problem with the factory blades for this mower is they aren't made from hardened steel. Non hardened won't last regardless of what you're doing with it.
How true. It is sad what manufacturers are getting away with. Some issues are user error, but known problems should be corrected by the companies. I am in lawnmower reconditioning and relocation. Most of my problems are lack of care for equipment, but many issues are just cheap, poor made stuff :) @@BigSouthOutdoorsTV
@darrelldubree9658 I can see that. In this case, I'm proud to say, it wasn't user neglect. This machine has been a problem from its first day of service and has gone downhill from there. It's to the point now I'm contemplating taking it out of service.
Thanks for watching. This machine was NOT purchased from Lowe's. It was purchased at an authorized Ariens dealer. They sell Ariens, Gravely, Bobcat, Redmax and Snapper mowers. The way to tell an Ariens machine purchased at "Lowe's" is the ROP bar. All Lowe's Ariens machines have the mini ROP bar.
Thank you for watching. Actually, no. It was just as bad with the guard down. Ariens, being aware of this problem, developed a baffle system to correct the problem. I made a video on the installation and results. The title of that video is "IT WORKED...IT WORKED. I'M SPEECHLESS! Check it out. Don't forget to subscribe if you haven't already. Thanks!
IF, and it is a big IF that washer fits all the way over that threaded shaft like the blade does, then that shaft should not be any shorter not matter how it is oriented. If I put 5 nickels and 5 quarters and the stack is 1 in tall, then then not matter how I orient them, as long as there is the same quantity, it will still measure 1 inch. Now if there is a shoulder then I can see the issue. You said it cuts fine, but your son says it doesn't lol. The only way you are going to reliably increase tip speed is to change the pulley size, the Gravely you said is spinning at 19,200 (thought there was a rule blades could not spin faster than 19,000 FPM) but anyway, there is a 62.5% difference between the two. I have heard that there is a standard of how fast the tip speed can be depending on the thickness of the deck material, in case that puppy flies off there. Measure your deck pulley and PTO pulley on the Gravely and see how they compare to your Ariens mower. Changing blade size is not a ideal thing because you will have all kinds of lines missed, so it is going to come down to pulley size. Also, I mentioned in my last comment on the last video of a Kavli blade, did you get a chance to check them out?, this may help compensate for the tip speed. Look forward to your next video.
@MUUKOW3 Thanks for watching! If only it were that simple. Trimming/grinding it would throw the center hole off center causing a whole host of other problems, the least of which is extreme vibration. For now, I'm going to stick with the Oregon blades. They seem to work really well.
There is something wrong with this machine. I have a 2023 Ariens IKON 42 and it throws grass, dirt, dust and leaves everywhere. I cut with the side discharge and the passive bagger. It blows leaves out the front. I adjusted the deck to the right pitch, checked the blade direction etc. It's a major design flaw. I hate cutting b/c all I do is eat dirt and dust gets in my nose/ eyes. I wear googles, a mask etc, but then it fogs. I am "pissed" and "frustrated". It cuts great though....@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV
I called Ariens today to complain about the insane amount of front deck blowout and dust blowing all over. They told me they were aware of the issue and are shipping me a baffle kit free of charge. They would have also sent to dealer and had them install free of charge as well. I will let you know the outcome after I install and mow. Sorry to hear of all the issues. I use this as a consumer machine. Minus the blowout, I like the machine.
I installed the baffle kit today. Fixed all of my issues. No more front blow out. No more dust. Everything goes out of the discharge. Bagger works perfectly @@BigSouthOutdoorsTV
A residential mower should still be able to handle light commercial use at least for 5 years. These companies are putting out poor quality!!!!! Edit: I owned and used a Murray residential mower in the mid 90s that was used to cut 20 plus yards each season for 3 seasons. Not one issue other than blades, belt and oil changes, regular maintenance!
@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV That's weird - the spec sheet on the Ariens website says 18k and the manual says something different. Do you remember where you saw where it said 12k blade tip speed in the manual? Looked in the manual but couldn't find it - I just bought a Gravely ZT-X 42 inch from a dealer and it's supposed to be delivered in a few days - hopefully, it doesn't have those problems you mentioned in the video.
The 2023 IKON and ONYX have the ZT-2200 and they are turned around for better cooling and easier belt replacement. The Gravely ZT X has a fill plug and oil drain on the ZT 2200. The Gravely ZT XL has the ZT-2800 trannys
@PaulSikkema I called the dealer the other day. The Ariens HD, Edge and Elite have faster blade speeds than the Ikon 42". It is 12,000 FPM. Just as my owners manual states. No disrespect intended but some of y'all act as if I don't know my own equipment.
Thanks for watching! I have to tied to help with dispersion of the clippings. Before I did that it was no different. The main reason for tying it up was to make it easier to hold up when working around obstacles.
With all due respect to you, if you're speaking of the Ariens, you're not comparing apples to apples. My gravely on the other hand is not junk. It will run and cut circles around a Bad Boy. This Ariens isn't junk either. It will make someone a good mower. It's just not what I thought it would be for ME.
Thanks for watching. I hope you'll stick around. I'm in contact with a different dealer that has been AMAZING. They are at this moment acting as a mediator between me and Ariensco. Hopefully, they will be able to get some results.
Wow, anything is better then that machine! Bob Cat or Gravely is your better option. There is too much time to get this machine to where you want to get it and that mess you have to get off of you. I have a Bad Boy and don't get that mych clippings on me! I'd buy another Gravely!
Thanks for watching. I feel that way about JD. No offense intended. I've operated them, exmark, Kubota, Husqvarna Ariens and Gravely. Gravely, by FAR is the best built, best cutting and smoothest operating machine out there. I've never owned a JD but I have operated several. Personal opinion yes, I just don't like them. As far as Ariens, it depends on which one you get. This one I agree with you but I know several.that own ither models and they SWEAR by them. You can get a lemon in any of them for sure.
@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV Here in eastern Kentucky it depends on where you’re at. We have allot of hollers and hills. The bottoms are sandy and up higher is clay. My land is more clay. The ikon does not like wet clay for traction. Slips downhill and gets stuck easy.
I found this video funny. I have a 2020 Ariens IKON 52, and its MONEY. Cuts great, zero issues on my 1.5 acre property. Its bullet proof. Makes we wonder if this video is inspired by operator error if I’m being honest . . .I’m on my 4th season, and I’ve have ZERO issues. Extremely happy with my Ariens . . .
Thanks for watching. There's NOTHING funny about this situation. You're in your fourth season? That's laughable. I'm in my 26th season. I cut 4-6 acres A DAY. Not with this machine, it wouldn't last long enough. After 25 years in business, I THINK we can rule out operator error ENTIRELY. I'm ecstatic you've had great success with your Ariens. You're one of the fortunate ones. This machine is a 2023. If you did your research like I have, you'd know Ariensco made a bundle of changes to the Ikon Envy from 2022 to 2023. NONE OF THEM were good. It, by FAR, is the BIGGEST piece of CRAP I have ever had the displeasure of owning. IT IS LITTERALLY JUNK.
Not 1 issue
I have a 2024 ariens ikon, and I am loving it.
@Relentlesstoad56 Thanks for watching. I'm glad you love your machine. I pray it serves you well.
That deck design is nothing like mine after seeing it. Now I understand our conversation about it. I can run any blade on mine and that open deck is bad.
That's what they changed on this new design.
That Aries Icon is designed for smaller residential yards. That Gravely is much more suited for lawn care and will hold up.
Thanks for watching! I knew it was a "residential machine" when I bought it. As I have said many, MANY times before, I had been running a Craftsman Z6400 made by MTD. I was led to believe....by the dealer no less, that this Ariens would hold up FAR BETTER as a back up/small area mower that my Craftsman. I'd take 10 Craftsman zero turns over this Ariens POS. I used the Z6400 every day and put over 600 hours on it. I sold it and the man that bought it is still using it to this day. It now has over 1,000 hours on it. It's not that I didn't know it was a residential mower, it was the fact I was greatly misled by the dealer to believe it would give far superior service and was far better built than the Craftsman. Ah, NOOO!
Ok mines a 52 makes sense now ur deck is smaller. I have a gravley pro turn also over 800 hours in it.
@@Relentlesstoad56 Thanks for watching. I love both my Gravely's. My 452 has almost 1,400 hours on it.
I bought a Husq 254F special edition 3 wks ago. I live on a 5.5 acre horse property with no horses, pastures were 2ft tall, not cut all summer. Took me 28 hours to cut the whole place, had to make 2 passes for the pastures. Whole place looks like a lawn. Mine has the 23 hp Kawasaki. Very powerful. Love that machine.
Thanks for watching. Husqvarna makes a good product. Glad you found a machine that meets your needs. My Gravely is a HOSS. Had I known what I know now, I wouldn't have bought the Ariens.
Great job showing and telling about that mower and the blazes high low can not do it. great video can’t wait for next one keep up the good work cutting that grass,have a great day and see you on the next video see ya bye.
More to come! Thanks so much for watching.
I really appreciate the videos; waiting on a belt for my 9 year old JD 160 rider right now. Starting to get the fever for an upgrade....lol.
I know you SHOULDN'T have to do this but have you considered fabricating a deck plug/extension to cover the cutout? doesn't seem like it would take too much time and materials to come up with something. Heck, you could even make it out of some aluminum just to see if it would be beneficial to make it out of steel later.
@billgriner3754 I, in fact, made one myself. I cut it just a bit larger than the opening than the discharge opening and welded it in place. I wish I could share pictures on here, otherwise, I would show you.
Sound like yall are not using mower for what it was built for . I own same 52 inch ikon mower and love it no problems at all
Thanks for watching. Watch my video " I'm in hell". I explain, in GREAT DETAIL why and what I bought this machine for. I AM NOT using it "conmercially", meaning, I'm not using it commercial hours. I've got another video coming explaining everything. Stay tuned.
Just a heads-up, if your IKON starts throwing the drive belt it's because one of the drive pulleys is up to high.
To fix the problem you have to add a spacer and bring it down level with the other pulley.
It's a warranty / recall fix but Ariens won't tell you about the problem.
Thanks for watching and for the heads up.. They need to recall the whole machine. If you haven't seen my video on my phone conversation with them, check it out. They listened but I highly doubt anything will come of it.
@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV the part that's really messed up is they know about every single one of the issues with these mowers and say absolutely nothing to the consumer about them.
I'll check out your video of your conversation with them.
That deck looks to be set up for a bagger. Kinda like the old Craftsman machines. That chute flapp probably has to stay down instead of up a little bit like you have it wired up. I've tried putting washer on the top too and I can't get enough friction to get the blade to turn properly and not try to stop spinning when it hits a ton of tall grass. Has to be enough friction there for sure.
Thanks for watching. It might be designed for a bagger. I'm not sure. Either way, it majes a mess 🤣
@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV boy does it ever. That would really piss me off every time I used it. I hate taking a grass bath just when the wind catches the expelled clippings right and blows all over me. 😩
Nothing wrong with Ariens I got the Ikon X 52” with over 300 hours haven’t did anything to it not even replaced a belt plus Ariens and Graverly are same company, do you really think John Deer Makes there mowers no there in the big box stores two. If you’re using high lift blades they make a mess with dust and debris blowing out that’s why I stick with the low lift blades.
Thanks for watching and thanks for the response, buy you're wrong on two different points. Ariensco is the parent company of Ariens and Gravely BUT.....as Pepsico has Pepsi and Mountain dew, TWO DIFFERENT divisions of the same parent company, Ariens and Gravely are completely SEPARATE divisions. AND.....Ariensco did not design or engineer Gravely mowers. Gravely was established in 1929 and started building Chain driven zero turns in 1969. They moved into the hydrolic technology erra in 1994. Ariensco acquired Gravely in.....2005.
Next, John Deere still makes their own mowers. The ones for find in Big Box stores, i.e, Lowe's, Home Depot etc.. are made by Stanley Black & Decker, formally MTD.
I'm thankful you've had good success with your Ariens machine but, I've spoke to too many that have had almost identical problems I've had with the particular model.
If the factory blades have a 3/4" drop then when you ran the flat blades wouldn't it make the true cut height 3/4" higher than what the setting says? In other words, if you set the cut height to 3" on the machine that would be based on the factory drop blades so the flat blades would actually be cutting at 3 3/4"? I feel like this is the opposite of what you are saying at the end of the video... but maybe I'm confused. Please help me understand.
With the OEM blades, the cut height is 1/4 inch lower than what the deck height adjustment is set at. In other words, 3 inches is 2.75 inches. The flat blades are 3/4 inch higher than the oem blades. 3/4 + 1/4 equals 1 inch. So, if you set the deck at a cut height of 4 inches, your blade height is actually 3 inches.
I have that new ikon in a 52” deck and have no issues. Sorry about what you are experiencing
Thanks for watching. The 42" Envy is a new model from 2022 redesigned and they suck!
That sucks that the dealer didn't give you all the information you needed to make an informed "commercial" decision. That mower would be great for a homeowner with a big yard.
Thank you for watching! What I had in mind at the time of purchase was small gates and occasional aiding the gravely to save time. Not how it turned out.
It is not. I have a 2.5 acre yard and it is complete garbage.
I was interested in Zoom 34, but now thanks to you.. I'm not interested. Thanks! What zero turn do you recommend for 1/4 acre, sir? Subscribed
@kimly1546 Thanks for watching. Depending on how often you mow will greatly affect the answer to that question. I would start with a Gravely proturn z. It's a bottom rung commercial mower, but it would be the last mower you'd have to buy. Plus, if you ever moved and got a larger property, you're still good.
I have a hustler raptor sd...a residential 42" mower that I use commercially. 500h in 3 seasons. I did upgrade to the canister air filter system. I also made my own foot operated chute lift. I've replaced worn out items. At 400h, the hydro mounts bent, causing it to throw the drive belt. It's never broken such that I couldn't finish the yard. The yards I mow are rough...many grow to 12-14" between mows, many are not flat. The machine sits outside 24/7 on the trailer. I've run it like you would a $10k machine and it has taken the abuse well. I keep saying I will break down and get a fastrak and have a payment...but the raptor keeps running and working good
Thanks for watching. I wish that were the case with this machine. Unfortunately, since the filming of this episode, I've had to take it out of service. It has two bent front forks, among other more serious issues.
Add a piece of sheet metal to the top of the deck. A friend of mind had the same problem with a hustler. it works great.
Ariens is supposed to be making a piece to add to the deck discharge. Proof they KNOW it's a problem!!!!
Ariens builds many of the Gravely and Ariens machines in the same factory. The Ariens machines are designed and built for typical homeowner use. The Gravely machines are designed and built for commercial type use. Jun 17, 2011
How many times do I have to go around this mountain?? Gravely WAS NOT designed by Ariensco. They bought an already established company that had already designed the Gravely mowers. William at Ariensco told me HIMSELF they are STILL, TO THIS DAY building Gravely mowers to the build specs and design of Mr. Gravely. At that time, Ariens was not even established as a company. Yes, Ariensco manufactures Gravely machines but it IS NOT their design. The ONLY thing that Ariens can and does take credit for is the continuation of the Gravely name.
Man, that cutout on that deck is a serious concern. I cannot believe that design made it through as the final result. I have the same design spindles on my mower and would never run a spacer on top of the blade. Last thing I need to do is break my machine or worse hurt someone or myself. Now if only Oregon or Rotary(Copperhead) would make some 15 x2.5 blades with a 5/16 offset and 5/8" center hole in a gator and a high lift we'd be in business.
Thanks for watching. Unfortunately, with a patent on ariens design, they can't produce a blade if the same design for that machine. Yes, the deck discharge design is one of the worst I've ever seen. You CAN NOT stay clean even with the guard down. As a matter of fact, the reason I have the wire on it is to make lifting it to go through tight places easier.
It’s definitely hot ENC hitting over 94 with a heat factor over 100 I got a hustler ran a lot of other brands before I got the super z the z is the best mower I’ve ever owned
Thanks for watching. What brand is a super z? I myself have run just about every brand on the market with a couple if exceptions. Gravely, by FAR is built better, cuts better, runs faster and out lasts most others. Nit throwing shade on any other brand, just merely stating what I've experienced.
Wow I stay fairly clean on mine. That is a lot of blow back.
Tell me about it.
Who exactly was supposed to tell you about all these problems?
Thanks for watching. No one. What I expected is for the dealer whom I had been trading with for, at the time of purchase 22 years, to be honest about the fact that this was a BRAND NEW MODEL and to expect kinks in the armor so to speak. For instance, if they had told me UP FRONT that there was a patent on the blades and that there were no aftermarket blades available for THAT MODEL, and that I would have to buy blades for a completely different brand mower...in this case, Dixie Chopper, I wouldn't have walked, I would've RUN away. All they seemed to be concerned about was making a sale. Nothing wrong with that but when asked direct questions, they should've given HONEST ANSWERS. THEY DIDN'T. They told me what they had to to make the sale because of the fact Iwas between a rock and a hard place.
Dunn you say? You must be living in JoCo or Harnett. Both are very nice counties.
Thanks for watching. No, I'm actually 22 miles east of Ft. Bragg.
i think you should try scag liberty z, has 3 decks sizes starting at 36 and goes to 42 and 48 inch, and the scags are well built. seems like ariens is loosing touch with what mowers are used for
I run nothing but Gravely. I bought this machine because I already had a residential machine for getting through small gates. I was told by the AUTHORIZED dealer I dealt with for over 22 years that is would be FAR SUPERIOR to the Craftsman Z6400 zero turn I had. Whether they lied or were wrong, I do not know but, it WASN'T. To put it politely, it's a literal piece of JUNK. I have run Gravely now for 18 of my 25 years in business and I can say without hesitation, they are the absolute best machine I've ever run. The link below will explain everything about this machine...
th-cam.com/video/PPCaqCRg_vI/w-d-xo.html
@BigSouthOutdoorsTV ok I watched the video and understand that you have doing it for 25 years, like the saying goes if it ain't broke don't fix it. Well scag has been making their mowers the same because they are good machines, they are over built because they are owned by a metal company so they make most of what goes into the mowers. They are also what you said, made in the USA. I was just suggesting something coming from a mechanic who works on a bit of everything. Can I ask why you did not buy the gravely equivalent?
@bergerk20 sure. Gravely doesn't make a 42" cut mower. They don't have anything commercial but 34". That and the fact that the dealer told me that this Ariens would work well is why I bought the orange turd. I've run Scag machines in past and I must say, I didn't really like them. That and the fact that the nearest scag dealer is more than 60 miles from me is why I don't own one. Nothing at all against scag, but the majority of dealers around here sell Exmark, Bobcat, Gravely, JD and Kubota. Every dealer is within 20 miles of my shop.
@BigSouthOutdoorsTV oh OK that makes sense, I live on the eastern shore so we have a couple dealers and scag is one and he sells gravely, we have a brand called Wright, ever herd of them or used them? As far as I know they are new to the game as far as the other brands
I have heard of Wright, but like Scag, there are no dealers near me.
Maybe it is like that for adding a bagger attachment ? Sand is probably hard on the blade life. Thank you for sharing your journey, my friend :)
Thanks for watching. The deck design is for a bagger but....I told them, as I stated in the video, they should bolt a plate over that area to seal that area and let it be the customers to remove it if and when they buy a bagging system. No one around here that does lawn care commercially uses a bagging system. I have a lot of comments about sand. I don't have but one or two property's that I would say it all sand. The biggest problem with the factory blades for this mower is they aren't made from hardened steel. Non hardened won't last regardless of what you're doing with it.
How true. It is sad what manufacturers are getting away with. Some issues are user error, but known problems should be corrected by the companies. I am in lawnmower reconditioning and relocation. Most of my problems are lack of care for equipment, but many issues are just cheap, poor made stuff :)
@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV
@darrelldubree9658 I can see that. In this case, I'm proud to say, it wasn't user neglect. This machine has been a problem from its first day of service and has gone downhill from there. It's to the point now I'm contemplating taking it out of service.
I hear ya. Any who, hang in there and thanks again for sharing your journey. Have a blessed day, God is good :)
@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV
@@darrelldubree9658 thank you. You too.
Do you know if the gravely ZXT is the same as the Ariens
Yes. It's the Gravely version. Only difference is when they put the red paint on it the price goes up. 🤣
I mean, Lowes isn't the place I would be looking for a commercial use mower.
Thanks for watching. This machine was NOT purchased from Lowe's. It was purchased at an authorized Ariens dealer. They sell Ariens, Gravely, Bobcat, Redmax and Snapper mowers. The way to tell an Ariens machine purchased at "Lowe's" is the ROP bar. All Lowe's Ariens machines have the mini ROP bar.
Is it throwing grass all over because you have the pladtic guard slightly pulled up with the clothes hanger?
Thank you for watching. Actually, no. It was just as bad with the guard down. Ariens, being aware of this problem, developed a baffle system to correct the problem. I made a video on the installation and results. The title of that video is "IT WORKED...IT WORKED. I'M SPEECHLESS! Check it out. Don't forget to subscribe if you haven't already. Thanks!
@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV 👍 I'll check the video out.
@@manny6584 I hope you'll stick around.
@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV I'll subscribe
IF, and it is a big IF that washer fits all the way over that threaded shaft like the blade does, then that shaft should not be any shorter not matter how it is oriented. If I put 5 nickels and 5 quarters and the stack is 1 in tall, then then not matter how I orient them, as long as there is the same quantity, it will still measure 1 inch. Now if there is a shoulder then I can see the issue. You said it cuts fine, but your son says it doesn't lol. The only way you are going to reliably increase tip speed is to change the pulley size, the Gravely you said is spinning at 19,200 (thought there was a rule blades could not spin faster than 19,000 FPM) but anyway, there is a 62.5% difference between the two. I have heard that there is a standard of how fast the tip speed can be depending on the thickness of the deck material, in case that puppy flies off there. Measure your deck pulley and PTO pulley on the Gravely and see how they compare to your Ariens mower. Changing blade size is not a ideal thing because you will have all kinds of lines missed, so it is going to come down to pulley size. Also, I mentioned in my last comment on the last video of a Kavli blade, did you get a chance to check them out?, this may help compensate for the tip speed. Look forward to your next video.
I'll have to check them out. Thanks for watching!
I’ve got grassflap on my 2 Scag’s 30 walk behind mowers
Do you get filthy like I did?
No Very impressed with them
You can run a Bobcat blade on that Ikon to get a little lower cut. It's a drop style blade.
Hey Jeff! How long is that blade? It can't be more than 14.5 inches.
14.75@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV
@@jeffreyfisher5256 that won't work. The lift edge would hit the rear baffle.
@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV Trim it ! Easy peasy.
@MUUKOW3 Thanks for watching! If only it were that simple. Trimming/grinding it would throw the center hole off center causing a whole host of other problems, the least of which is extreme vibration. For now, I'm going to stick with the Oregon blades. They seem to work really well.
Have you found a solution to the blowback? Chute blocker doesn't work.
Still a work in progress.
Does your IKON throw up the grass like you showed with the Ariens IKON blades?
Thanks for watching. Yes! As a matter of fact, it's worse with the oem blades.
There is something wrong with this machine. I have a 2023 Ariens IKON 42 and it throws grass, dirt, dust and leaves everywhere. I cut with the side discharge and the passive bagger. It blows leaves out the front. I adjusted the deck to the right pitch, checked the blade direction etc. It's a major design flaw. I hate cutting b/c all I do is eat dirt and dust gets in my nose/ eyes. I wear googles, a mask etc, but then it fogs. I am "pissed" and "frustrated". It cuts great though....@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV
I called Ariens today to complain about the insane amount of front deck blowout and dust blowing all over. They told me they were aware of the issue and are shipping me a baffle kit free of charge. They would have also sent to dealer and had them install free of charge as well. I will let you know the outcome after I install and mow. Sorry to hear of all the issues. I use this as a consumer machine. Minus the blowout, I like the machine.
@@michaeld9343 they gave me the same thing. Take my advice, don't waste your time installing it. It DOES NOT FIX A THING.
I installed the baffle kit today. Fixed all of my issues. No more front blow out. No more dust. Everything goes out of the discharge. Bagger works perfectly @@BigSouthOutdoorsTV
What do you recommend for allergies when cutting grass?
I use generic 24-hour Claritin from Dollar General, 1 per day.
Just bought a 2023 ikon 52 and it cuts unreal
Thank you for watching. This Ikon cuts incredible but the blades are unhardened and don't last. Having a patent on them doesn't help either.
@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV dang, I guess we’ll see how long mine last
@moparmagic400 are your blades flat or do they have an offset design?
@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV I’ll have to take a look and get back to you on that. But I don’t think they’re flat
@moparmagic400 do that please.
Dude what happened to bs k of the seat lol😂
It's held together by a plactis strip with a open hook style opening on one side. I got tired of fighting with it and decuded to just leave it open.
A residential mower should still be able to handle light commercial use at least for 5 years.
These companies are putting out poor quality!!!!!
Edit: I owned and used a Murray residential mower in the mid 90s that was used to cut 20 plus yards each season for 3 seasons.
Not one issue other than blades, belt and oil changes, regular maintenance!
Amen!!! Thanks for watching.
Sell the Ikon and get a 42 inch Toro Zero Turn... I've never had a problem with it and its a workhorse.
Thanks for watching. With all due respect, I'm just not a Toro fan. I'm leaning towards a gravely proturn Z or ZX 48" cut.
I think I read on the Ariens website that the 2023 Ikon has 18k blade speed and the 2200 non-serviceable EZTs?
Thanks for watching. According to the owners manual I got when I purchased this machine, the blade tip speed is 12,007 ft per minute.
@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV That's weird - the spec sheet on the Ariens website says 18k and the manual says something different. Do you remember where you saw where it said 12k blade tip speed in the manual? Looked in the manual but couldn't find it - I just bought a Gravely ZT-X 42 inch from a dealer and it's supposed to be delivered in a few days - hopefully, it doesn't have those problems you mentioned in the video.
The 2023 IKON and ONYX have the ZT-2200 and they are turned around for better cooling and easier belt replacement. The Gravely ZT X has a fill plug and oil drain on the ZT 2200. The Gravely ZT XL has the ZT-2800 trannys
The blade speed is 17,000 to 18,000 and depends on the deck size.
@PaulSikkema I called the dealer the other day. The Ariens HD, Edge and Elite have faster blade speeds than the Ikon 42". It is 12,000 FPM. Just as my owners manual states. No disrespect intended but some of y'all act as if I don't know my own equipment.
You have it tied off with a wire. Thats why clippings shoot up. Let it down. If its too big, cut it with a sawzal..
Thanks for watching! I have to tied to help with dispersion of the clippings. Before I did that it was no different. The main reason for tying it up was to make it easier to hold up when working around obstacles.
I will keep making my own blades. let me know if you want to market them
Thank you for watching. What do you mean? You mean you make your own blades are you're looking for some youtuber to promote them?
Sir please stop buying junk. Got one word for you. Badboy. This is what I own.
With all due respect to you, if you're speaking of the Ariens, you're not comparing apples to apples. My gravely on the other hand is not junk. It will run and cut circles around a Bad Boy. This Ariens isn't junk either. It will make someone a good mower. It's just not what I thought it would be for ME.
I bought the 54 inch version of that this spring. It is complete garbage. It probably won't last the season, 4 grand pi$$ed away.
Thanks for watching. I hope you'll stick around. I'm in contact with a different dealer that has been AMAZING. They are at this moment acting as a mediator between me and Ariensco. Hopefully, they will be able to get some results.
Wow, anything is better then that machine! Bob Cat or Gravely is your better option. There is too much time to get this machine to where you want to get it and that mess you have to get off of you. I have a Bad Boy and don't get that mych clippings on me! I'd buy another Gravely!
I can't disagree at all. That is the plan.
Buy a cheap mower, get crap results.
Thanks for watching. It was built cheap, not cheaply priced.
A few year's ago I bought a new Ariens it was the worst piece of junk that I ever had traded it for a John Deere which is a way better mower
Thanks for watching. I feel that way about JD. No offense intended. I've operated them, exmark, Kubota, Husqvarna Ariens and Gravely. Gravely, by FAR is the best built, best cutting and smoothest operating machine out there. I've never owned a JD but I have operated several. Personal opinion yes, I just don't like them. As far as Ariens, it depends on which one you get. This one I agree with you but I know several.that own ither models and they SWEAR by them. You can get a lemon in any of them for sure.
Y’all have a lot of sand that chews up blades don’t you?
Thanks for watching. No, we do have dusty conditions when it gets dry but not much sand.
@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV Here in eastern Kentucky it depends on where you’re at. We have allot of hollers and hills. The bottoms are sandy and up higher is clay. My land is more clay. The ikon does not like wet clay for traction. Slips downhill and gets stuck easy.
How about a winch hanging from your tree limb to lift up your mower up in the air.
Don't have a strong enough or large enough tree on my property to support mower safely. Plus winches and limbs can fail.