Dixon 54 In. Deck 26 HP Kawasaki Twin Hydrostatic Riding Lawn Mower Review
The D26KH54 is a good choice and one of the best values for a Garden Tractor. It has a big 26 hp Kawasaki Motor and 54 inch deck. This Garden Tractor is designed to mow 2 to 5 acres quickly and efficiently. It will pull all of the ground engaging attachments Home Depot and Sears offers.
This review covers the D26KH54 with a twin cylinder Kawasaki motor, 54 inch deck, and foot control hydro. It will handle a snow thrower. If you want a smaller deck look at the different Dixon models. This is the largest tractor in the Dixon line-up.
Home Depot Item 202018741
Dixon D26KH54
Listed on HomeDepot.com as: 54 In. Deck 26 HP Kawasaki Twin Hydrostatic Riding Lawn Mower
Click on the link above to check prices and read more.
Buy Online – Pick Up At Your Nearest Home Depot
Specs:
The Dixon 26HP Kawasaki GT is a true garden tractor. Built with nothing held back the Dixon is loaded with features. A factory mounted sleeve hitch allows for ground engaging attachments to be used with ease and no hassle. Raise and lower your cutting deck at the touch of a button with an electric deck lift system. Premium gauges and controls give the operator total comfort unmatched by the competition.
- Kawasaki 26HP V-Twin engine
- 14 gauge welded steel frame built for long life
- Tight 16 inch turning radius leaves less grass uncut
- Complete comfort package
- Sleeve hitch pre-mounted for ground engaging attachments
- ROS Reverse operating system
- Wide step through frame
- Heavy duty front bumper
- Raise and lower your cutting deck at the touch of a button with an electric deck lift system
- MFG Brand Name : Dixon
- MFG Model # : D26KH54
- MFG Part # : 960460013
Compare with:
Compare this tractor to the 2009 Craftsman Professional PGT 9000 28 HP 54 Inch Model 28974, the 2010 Craftsman GT5000 Model 28947, the Cub Cadet Model 14WK94AK010, and the John Deere Model LA175 BG20449 . The D26KH54 has an advantage over all these other tractors of coming standard with a sleeve hitch and electric lift.
My Review:
For about 2999 dollars this is a very good value if you need to mow large areas. This model features the new Dixon/Husqvarna/Craftsman style step through operator’s platform, Kawasaki oil pump lube engine with oil filter, and a 54 inch 3 blade deck.
The D26KH54 has the foot control hydro. It is very easy to drive and has a “cruise control” for mowing the large open areas.
If you want a mower that will mow 2 to 5 acres well, handle a snow blade, snow thrower, and all the attachments Home Depot or Sears has to offer, this is the mower in the Dixon lineup that will do the job for you. This tractor is heavy enough to handle hilly and rough lawns. There is only one mower in the Craftsman lineup that will mow faster (The GT 5000 Excellerator). In my opinion there is no other mower that will pull more. I would have no concerns pulling a boat, light camping trailer, or 1500 lbs of dirt around your yard. This is a great all around workhorse.
I would have no concerns hooking up an AcrEase commercial wing mower from Kunz Engineering or two to this Garden tractor and mowing 10 feet or 15 feet at a time. I mention the AcrEase because this is the only pull-behind mower that can mow at the speeds the D26KH54 can mow at. These wing mowers will easily mow at 8 mph. With two of these behind the D26KH54 you can easily mow 7 acres or more an hour. The AcrEase mower has a unique hitch that works so well you don’t even know the wing mower is there. (I don’t make a commission if you buy an AcrEase)
This Garden Tractor will also pull the AcrEase rough cut mower.
To give you an example of the toughness of this tractor. A typical hydrostatic transmission in a lawn or yard tractor weighs about 20 lbs. This transmission in the D26KH54 weighs THREE TIMES as much. This is one rugged tractor for the price.
I like the D26KH54 series. I think it represents a good value and a machine that if taken care of properly will last you a long, long time. Click here to see the full line of Sears attachments. (Home Depot does not carry a large line of attachments for this tractor)
Cons:
The D26KH54 is good mower, but there are two items you need to be aware of. These items are not faults, but if you are moving up from a smaller mower you need to be aware of them.
First with this large of deck you will not get the consistent, even cut you get with say a 42 inch 28922. If your lawn is rough and uneven you will have some scalping and areas where the deck mows unevenly compared to a smaller mower. The deck has 5 anti-scalp wheels (gauge wheels) and rounded edges so the unevenness is minimum compared to other mower brands. Just be aware of the difference if you are moving up from a smaller mower. If you want a more even and consistent cut and still mow large areas look at the 2010 Husqvarna MZ6128ZT Zero-turn.
Second, you can buy a mulch kit for this deck but be aware of the negatives of using a mulch plug on this large of a deck. The problem is called “Blow-By.” To understand the negatives I will explain a little about deck design first.
Most of these large decks are built in a triangle. The middle blade is in front of the other two. This allows the blades to “overlap” so you never leave a stripe when turning or backing up. This design also has smooth edges under the deck designed to get the grass out from under it quickly and spread the grass evenly when discharged. In addition this Craftsman deck has “vented spindles” that allow a lot of air into the deck. All that air helps the blades lift the grass and cut it evenly and then helps the blades quickly throw the grass out the discharge.
The problem occurs when you plug the discharge with a mulch plug. All that air has to go somewhere and it ends up blowing down and out the underside of the mower deck. Most of the time when you are mulching good green grass everything works fine and you don’t notice this blow-by. It’s when you try to mulch dry, poor grass that this blow-by blows grass everywhere. It blows it mainly out the right front of the mower. Wind, mowing speed, etc., causes all this grass to go everywhere. On top of the deck, on top of the tractor, and all over you! The only way you can fix this is to remove the mulch plug when you are mowing in dry, dusty conditions.
Yes, all of these large decks will do this, it doesn’t matter if it is a Craftsman/Dixon or any other brand. Be aware before you purchase one of these large deck machines of blow-by and be ready to live with taking a shower after you mow.
Final Thoughts:
I like this mower and I feel it is one of the best values available for a mid-priced Garden Tractor. There are very few negatives with this mower as long as you understand that it is a good quality Garden Tractor designed to mow large lawns well. These Garden Tractors hold up well and have a great maintenance record. I like this lawn mower for what it is designed for. At around $2999 on sale it is a very good value.
Buy Here: 54 In. Deck 26 HP Kawasaki Twin Hydrostatic Riding Lawn Mower
Accessories:
Hauling Equipment: Anything Home Depot or Sears Sells
Lawn Care Attach: Anything Home Depot or Sears Sells
Ask a question, leave a comment, tell us about your mower below:
Related posts:
