Dixie Chopper-experience, comments

Thinking about trading for a Dixie Chopper.  Have a Dixon-72 inch cut, been a good mower.  Anyone have any experience with the DC good or bad? 

Nick

I was close to getting one (and I think very highly of it), but it can't hold a hill.

On flat (or near) ground, it performed flawlessly.  I put it on the hills and it kept sliding off.

If you're terrain is relatively flat, you'll love it. 

Brian

I am on flat land, except for the lake levee.  In other words, I better try it before getting on the water side of the levee? I have had the Dixon's front wheels in the water twice and had to go get something to pull it up the levee before deciding that wasn't the smartest thing I have ever done the second time. I now mow it with a 15 foot bushhog.   The front tires are almost smooth and I am getting the agressive rear tires.  I do like the tire pressure7-10 psi in the rear. er 74 inch with the Generac 33hp engine.  What do you think of that engine?  Had one on a portable welder and it was ok.  I guess they are used on home generators too.  It is pretty wide trac and is quite heavy.  I like the looks of it and have wanted one since I saw the first one.

 Nick,

You're looking at some pretty big mowers...  Have you looked at the Grasshoppers or Kubotas? 

Yes, I would have a demo brought to your place to give it a try.  That's what I did and thus found out about the hills.  I then had a Country Clipper brought to my place for the same test (and it worked perfectly).  It passed so I bought it on the spot.

The agressive rear tires should help on the hills but the issue I had was that the front end kept sliding down the hill.  Personally, I don't care for the agressive tires in that they can make nasty divots when making a U-turn.  Tire width seems to be the key.  I believe mine are 12" wide.  For the mower size you're looking at, the tires should be at least that wide, if not wider.

My experience with the Generac engines is kind of light.  I have a Generac 30hp (1000cc?) on my generator and so far, it's worked flawlessly but it doesn't have a lot of hours on it.

We sell that engine in some other equipment, I don't care for it. Its very loud and I don't think it generates much torque.

Brian

I have tried the 72 inch Kubota and liked it a lot.  I don't really mow that much but like to get done-8 acres-weekly.  The DC has springer forks on the front tires that seem to help with the ride.  The tires are called Turf Boss-12x25.

I have looked at four brands mowers and all had items that I liked. There are a lot of DCs around here used for commercial work and I talked to several that owned them.  All said they liked them and would buy again. 

The generac does seem a little loud but the muffler is large and helps with the sound.  I am thinking of putting twin stacks on it with two mufflers. The 72 inch Dixon has a 25 hp engine and that seems to do the job with that width.  I did turn it up some to get more blade speed. The 33 hp seems to be plenty of hp on the DC.  Also, will put fenders on the rear wheels because I believe grass will get thrown on the mower deck.  The width is so wide that the fuel tanks don't act like fenders on most of the other mowers.

Why buy something and start doing things to it?  Do that to everything.

Nick

Nick,

I know what you mean about trying to pick a ZTR.  They're all the same in concept but vary greatly in the options.

My choices were limited by the capability to hold a hill (as there's no such thing as flat ground in W. PA).

I went with the Country Clipper since it could hold a hill and had 2 options I really liked.  1.quick, flip up deck and 2. joystick control (so the other hand is free to move low hanging branches or drink a beverage.   BTW - Country Clipper makes mowers for Yazoo, Dixon, Snapper and Bush Hog.

Heck, mine has no fenders (pic below)... I don't have any real issues with grass being thrown up on the deck but it does get sloppy when you hit a wet spot.

I know what you mean about doing things to equipment... I do it as well.  I'm adding lights to my ZTR as I find myself fighting daylight at times.

25hp on a 72" deck???  That seems a bit light to me.  Hope you don't get into real heavy stuff much.  My 54" (I didn't want wide when I bought it) has a 25hp and I can make it bog down.

 Brian

 I sure didn't know CC made the other mowers.  Don't know what you are buying anymore-about like batteries.  You know I didn't really notice there were no lights on the DC.  That is something else to add.  Dixons always had lights.

The Dixon I had was a 25 hp-72 inch and the DC is 33 hp-74 inch.  The Dixon seemed to have enough power, but I did turn it up-told myself it was to get more blade speed.  I mow every week so the grass doesn't get too tall.

I like the idea of a joystick though for the same reason, but have never had one on any mower.  Of course always had Dixons-all the way back to the cone drives.  The one I will trade in has 606 hours on it-seven years old.  80 hours a year so I hope this one will ger down to 60-70 hours a year. 

We have had 10-12 inches of rain the last 36 hours and really have a mess around here-nursing homes evacuated, etc-and still raining.  I am anxious to see what the Ohio River is going to go to.  It was four feet above flood stage when the rain started.  It rained on the entire Ohio River basin too for the whole time.  Fortunately the Mississippi River wasn't at flood stage when this started.

Nick

I've been watching your rain...  You got hammered hard.  The nasty stuff has just been sweeping to our south.  Very close (within a mile or so) but we haven't gotten anything hard.

Based on what we are getting here in W. PA (which all dumps into the Ohio river), a lot of water is heading in your direction.

I do like the joystick as I can keep my arm on the armrest and don't need to hold my arms out in front of me.  It's a little harder to keep straight for long distances but that's the way it goes.  I mow about 6 acres/week.  The 2 acres at the house, although hilly, have smooth ground so I can fly without bouncing myself to death.  That takes about 45-60 minutes.  The bunker yard is very bumpy and has lots of obstacles.  That takes closer to 2.5 hours for 4 acres.

We sent for a drive this am and couldn't get to two of the nearby towns due to water over the roads.  Cape Girardeau, Mo. had 13.38 inches of rain-about 30 air miles west of us.  Have friends that cannot get out of their houses yet and probably won't tomorrow either.  Flood stage here is 40 feet at Cairo and the Ohio is going to 55.0 feet the 25th.  Fifteen feet above flood stage doesn't sound too bad but the river got down to 7.6 feet this past summer and now we are talking about a rise of 47.4 feet from the low water.  That is a lot of water.  Down here the Ohio is not bordered with levees and really gets wide until it gets to the Mississippi River, then Missouri has levees and Kentucky doesn't.  Clout? ha ha!!!

Well I am going to get the DC.  You do searches for reviews on any brand and come up with pros and cons-based on the individual's experinces.  Of course,it is that way with anything. All the brands/models have good things and "other things", otherwise there would only be on brand.  Still gets down to getting what each of us want, after looking at the options and pros and cons.

Nick

That's a lot of water...  Hope you and others get through it without damage or injury. 

Nick-America:

Well I am going to get the DC.

Congratulations!!!  Of course, we'd like a review after you've had a chance to run it for awhile.

I know what you mean about choices (or too many) and having to decide.  It can boggle the mind trying to figure out the best for your needs.

Brian