$28,000 Hillside Zero Turn Mower | Cub Cadet Pro Z 972 SDL

[@AirplaneDoctor_]

Gotta give you credit, trying to sell lawnmowers in basically November is dedication to a brand.

[@brucejenkins1617]

Especially when they cost almost 30grand!

[@indianaoutdoors4379]

It's the time of year for business that will spend the 30k on this unit need to eliminate tax liability. So here is a way to get rid of 30k worth.

[@scottfrazier131]

Not really, we mow grass here most times into December then pick up again around the end of February

[@AirplaneDoctor_]

​@@scottfrazier131He's in PA, kinda cold to cut the same schedule as you do.

[@phrm-bt8km]

Tax write off for end of year!

[@jeffreyhornbaker1544]

My 45 year old cub Cadet mowes, and plows all year to this day. They were made by International Harvester then and didn't come from Kmart! Great review

[@roberttroxell7823]

I totally agree with you!

[@sunseeker6088]

I own (3) of these mowers and my Exmark Lazer Z and my Scag Turf Tiger are now my back up mowers. Why? No more turf tears, I can actually do zeroturns instead of 3 pt turns on my clients properties, I can mow with one hand, superior hillside control, less fatigue (no head tilting). You will notice when you mow with a lapbar mower that the operator tilts their head to keep a straight line. Training new employees that have never run a zeroturn takes (5) minutes. If you can drive a car or go kart you certainly can runs this equipment. Good luck Stripe Nation

[@SilverCymbal]

I absolutely love this mower. I could mow my entire place in new Hampshire, land of hills and mountains Great review and test of this one!

[@froghairfarm]

I have one and it is a beast. Very heavily built and after three years of hard use not one problem.

[@Mr_Fixx]

I have a proz 54” with a steering wheel and it is a beast on hills. It can handle some stuff that I would never try with a regular zero turn. One of my best purchases.

[@kentonequipment4687]

Dont forget, you can get this model without the special seat for around $5,000 less in the 972SD! Cub Cadet steering wheel units are a best seller for us here in Northern KY. Everyone has hills.

[@MessicksEquip]

The difference is more than the seat. Also electric lift, LED lighting, beacon light, larger engine, etc.

[@chriskent577]

For that price point, they need a diesel.

[@KubotaMonsterBX23S]

Love it! ❤❤❤ That thing would be awesome on my property. 25k is hard to swallow, but I’m thinking about it real hard since the Kubota Monster 👹 is almost paid off!

[@chriskent577]

Get back to some videos.

[@WJCTechyman]

My dealer sells Cub Cadet alongside Echo. I had a 25 year old Cub Cadet garden tractor shortly before buying my first brand new snow blower from him. Overall, I like the HD 3X 28" snow blower but I had to get an emergency repair done to it recently that cost a lot of money. Other than that and a few shear pins braking (mostly my error) the machine has performed incredibly well.

[@tomkeating65]

Hustler made a nice side hill mower once upon a time. Wonder how the Altoz tracked zero turn would handle side hills?

[@iowafox2206]

Really a dream machine! A future grail machine for sure once I get a piece of land to call my own!

[@MattN03]

Very innovated seat! Nice video as always Neil!

[@Skyhawk945]

At that price point it should also have a suspension and collection system.

[@trevorburton2718]

Very innovative, well thought out.

[@bobodean1]

For $30,000, this thing better not only cut grass on my hills, but also be my Saturday night date and cook my dinner. Not all of us are rich like Mike Morgan

[@eshott2935]

fun to see your take on the sure track by cub

[@ItsPeek]

For the price point of 28k I could buy 2 of the highest model stand ons and increase productivity while keeping that hill stability. Wright stander zk 15.5 gal capacity 16cc pumps, compact, a lot more to mention now times that by 2 because they’re 14-18k depending on options. Price point is a big factor

[@willp942]

Thanks for the vid. Nearly $30k for anything Cub Cadet is absurd. For that kind of money and hillside mowing, my money is on a much more capable ventrac. Jmo

[@spidyoweb]

I have what may be considered the pre cursor to this unit, the Troy Bilt Mustang pivot 54. No doubt it is the best mower I have ever ran when it comes to mowing hills sideways. I mow 2 acres of lawn, but over 1,500 feet of steep ditches around all my land. It never fells tippy, just runs along them. Unfortunatly, after 6 years it is in the shop because the steering stripped out. Just poor quality MTD crap, and the parts are on backorder. It really bums me out.

[@Rusty-Metal]

28k? Good lord.

[@derekdreke4990]

Pretty wild

[@unclealansyard5176]

Very interesting and innovative mower for sure. However, had a bad experience with Cub Cadet back in the 90s when they rolled out the series 2000 lawn mowers. It never mowed right or stayed running due to relays or electric PTO kept getting blown. The only good was the Kolher Engine and the drive shaft. We ended up with a sears Crapsmen basic lawn mower that out ran it and our mowed it. Yes it was long ago and not even the same type of equipment so I don't have a valid argument only based on bad experience and a crappy dealer at the time.

[@rbnjr]

I saw the inside tires lockup and remove turf when you did a tight turn. I don't want a machine to remove turf the way this ones does. you need to fix that! see at 5:05 and the turf stick to the tire.

[@240zzz]

It grabbed some tall grass in the tread that's all, the cut didn't show any sign of tearing the sod. These have the front turn radius controlling the rear drive pumps.

[@northeasterndirtandpropert7974]

Wait to go Neil,everyone is all fired up about that tractor video you done on obscure tractor brands!People are way to sensitive.

[@brianhancock2624]

Neil - Could you do a video on Kubota bagging attachments for the BX23S? I know you did one a few years ago, but looking to see what has changed and if there is a superior model.

[@MessicksEquip]

I need to. I don't think we have one setup.

[@denisrhodes54]

how would this compare to a kut-kwick? they’re rated for 40 degree slopes. the leaves of three are only rated for 25 degrees

[@jpoppinga8417]

Can you do a video on part number BX3058?

[@ronevans852]

Hey , before I ever pay 28,000 for Zero turn it better have double settings where I could Take my date on it.

[@tylermacconnell217]

Dual wheels are not new. Ventrac is a better slope mower offered with duals; Wright mowers also offer factory duals. And while being able to hold the caster wheels in place on a hillside is great, the steering wheel and pedal operated forward and reverse is simply not as fast and efficient as the typical control levers which handle steering and drive. Most professional mowing guys have gotten very good at running a zero turn on side slopes and it isn’t that much of a problem.

[@JCWren]

In all seriousness, at the price point of $28K, what would be a compelling reason not to step up to the flexibility a Ventrac offers? Especially if a majority of your equipment fleet is diesel?

[@MessicksEquip]

In terms of acres per hour, this is probably 30% more productive

[@danhenson6386]

Waited 6 months for a 972 SD for my personal property this year. At 25 hrs I can say this machine is very good at what it’s built for but it is far from being a great mower. My Kubota Z421-60 will do most of what the Cub will do but is faster, more comfortable, more fuel efficient, easier on the turf, and less than half the $$$. It’s those few times the Kubota took me for a downhill ride that justified the expense…..

[@oliviercoulon5196]

I have the 972 SD also. Unless you have a lot of hills to mow I wouldn't own it...but I have 3.5 acres of 10-30 degree slopes and only c1.5 acres of flat stuff. Used to take me better part of 3 hours to mow with a JD X748. Now takes me 2 (multiple trees and other obstacles). And am FAR more comfortable doing so. Capability on slopes vs value equation here is very good in my view.

[@dand33911]

Ive run everything from exmark, ferris, bobcat and have owned several Kubota zero turns. I used a cub cadet steering wheel mower once, that was enough for me. Not a fan. Weight is the answer to hillsides, and not mowing wet grass which you shouldnt do anyway. I'd be curious to see a tape measure next to those "dual" skinny rear wheels. Looks about 6-9" wider than a zd1211 rear tires.

[@MessicksEquip]

You're not wrong on total width. I think the difference would be that you get more bite out of the dual wheel setup. Having owned a ZD personally, the hillside stability of this is much better. I'd still take the ZD myself.

[@dand33911]

@MessicksEquip On a side note.. Do you sell many rear discharge ZD mowers? I have a zd1211 72" and settled on side discharge. I have since seen a few rear discharge mowers in action. I'm curious if you have any input either way.

[@neilmessick2043]

​@@dand33911as a whole, rear discharge mowers do not cut as well. Often have problems clumping and windrowing heavy grass. We sell a few a year, but usually to places that are worried about thrown objects.

[@sloppyjoe6243]

Interesting video Neil, how would say that this compares to the Ventrac?

[@MessicksEquip]

Cheaper, more productive. Less versatile

[@HitchRollRelax]

Anything more affordable for hills/slopes? We have slopes around 25 degrees. 20+k for a more is just not in the cards for us. I've been looking at the Kubota G2120. I know these little G2120s are dying out but seems to be the best option for at an OK price point. In our area they are going for around 10 or 11k.

[@MessicksEquip]

As tractors go, that one does well.

[@CZAnthonyX]

Neil, i saw something rather interesting done to the cat diesel Ferris mower. It was dpf deleted and tuned. Is that a common thing done to diesel tractors and zero turns?

[@MessicksEquip]

common, no. While I see the cool factor, there are lots of complications when it comes to long term upkeep and repair after a delete.

[@Harikarikillboy-fs5vl]

In most cases modifying a diesel/gas machine voids your warranty, any repair will be your responsibility. I’ve done it. $5,400 painful dollars to have it “my way”. I’m not very bright, it usually takes me that kind of reminder to leave well enough alone, don’t even get me started on pickups lmbo.

[@gamefarmer188]

I want a cab on this thing

[@paulmollise1856]

They are awesome to mow with. It needs to be a diesel, that thing has to be a gas hog running a 72” deck

[@karatejoe5049]

But those dual wheels don't look much wider than a wide single.

[@jimharvard]

this machine will probably eat into the Ventrac monopoly for steep slope mowing since a comparable Ventrac set up with duel wheels and a front mower costs over $40k new. a landscape contractor would do well to pay $28k to try this Cub Cadet before "investing" in the more expensive Ventrac's.

[@oliviercoulon5196]

The 972 SD is just as capable and far cheaper. I can buy one right now in Australia for A$30k (US$20k). Ventrac mower setup in comparison would be approx. A$65k (machine, duals and finish mower deck.)

[@aroundthegroundlandscaping7107]

Your better be able bill out a ton of money to cover 28000 dollars for the machine and still be able to make a living

[@outlander330cc]

Financed over 7 years the payment would be less than $5k. A professional could have this paying for itself pretty easily.

[@blessed7fold]

You could buy a premium tractor for that price.

[@Karl427]

For 30k I thought this way have the auto steer?

[@keadog1838]

Ventrac does more than just mow...

[@wildbill23c]

The only places that would buy these would be government related where they spend your tax dollars on extremely expensive stuff LOL. Can't believe the major commercial machines don't have anything like that Cub Cadet...I'm thinking like SCAG, Toro, Exmark, Gravely, etc.

[@genewilliams7497]

No way to justify a single use machine like this one…. For that kind of $$$R The deck doesn’t float, it’s only 2 wheel drive and it marked up the turf badly on your turn…. And it has a bar axle on the rear and won’t flow the terrain. I looked at these but ended up buying 2ea. Ventrac 4500Z model machines instead. The attachments available for the ventrac are basically endless and it will go places the Cub can only dream about going.

[@brucejenkins1617]

That’s the first thing I noticed when he turned the machine was the grass he was tearing up the on the tires. Customers don’t like damage like that especially residential customers

[@oliviercoulon5196]

It will tear up the turf with a full zero turn...so you don't do full zero turns. I have the 972SD. Was 45% of the price of a Ventrac. Much faster also. Cut is just as good as a 72 inch deck on the Ventrac (I got a demo).

[@genewilliams7497]

@@oliviercoulon5196 I’m happy for you Oliver! But I do a ton of lake and pond bank Maintence on my farms and the cub can’t handle the steep slopes or cut very rough terrain with washouts etc. it’s a nice machine for sure but it won’t perform on 50 plus degree slopes that I require. plus I use the tough cut deck about 70 percent of the time and 30 percent of the time with the finish cut deck.

[@jimmcknight3021]

Like some of the others, why that much for a one trick pony when a Steiner or Ventrac can do that? Even Bobcat, same parent company that owns Steiner, has its own version now of the Steiner.

[@MessicksEquip]

I have more hours on a Steiner than about anything else we sell. The big difference would be speed, as far as mowing, the Cub cadet would be much more productive.

[@longbeardmcstruttin5876]

Steiner and ventrac is superior to this machine, dual wheels weight kits, with a multitude of capabilities not just mowing

[@MessicksEquip]

We sell that too. It terms of acres per hour, this is probably 25% more efficient. All it does is mow, but it's a better mower.

[@longbeardmcstruttin5876]

@@MessicksEquip gotcha, sounds like a good machine. What do you feel makes it a better mower besides the percentage of efficiency

[@cayuse-jf7eq]

I Hate Cub Cadet ever one I have seen or used was garbage they don't last or work even when new just my opinion after my last X3 snow blower I swore I would never bye Cub Cadet or even take a free one aging just my experience I do enjoy your Video

[@douglasconradmusic17]

Cub Cadet = Overpriced garbage. My mother in law had one for two years and it was nothing but trouble. Replaced it with a green one, and it’s run trouble free for 4 years.

[@freedomfan4272]

Bought a CC XT1 with a kohler engine used about 5 years ago and haven't had a issue with it.

[@bradjenkins932]

LOL.

[@RS-sl5ko]

Kubota makes a good mower. To my knowledge Cub Cadet has never made a good mower. I am not a gambler so it would be hard to spend that much on a brand with that bad of reputation.

[@unclealansyard5176]

Very interesting and innovative mower for sure. However, had a bad experience with Cub Cadet back in the 90s when they rolled out the series 2000 lawn mowers. It never mowed right or stayed running due to relays or electric PTO kept getting blown. The only good was the Kolher Engine and the drive shaft. We ended up with a sears Crapsmen basic lawn mower that out ran it and our mowed it. Yes it was long ago and not even the same type of equipment so I don't have a valid argument only based on bad experience and a crappy dealer at the time.