Jun

Husqvarna RZ5424 54 inch Kohler 24 hp Zero Turn Riding Lawn Mower Review

I predict this will be one of the most popular zero-turn mowers for Sears. It is a great homeowner machine for 2 or more acres. Husqvarna has developed a good, solid, zero-turn mower at a great price!

Husqvarna 54 inch Kohler 24 hp Zero Turn Riding Lawn Mower Click here to go to Sears.com to check prices and purchase this zero-turn mower.

Husqvarna RZ5424

Since purchasing Dixon in 2006 Husqvarna has been quietly rebuilding their zero-turn line. This mower is a great example of that merger. This appears to be a Dixon zero-turn power unit with a deck identical to one on the Craftsman Excellerator. This merging takes the best of both lines and creates a good dependable zero-turn mower that mows well and drives well.

Deck: The 54 inch stamped steel deck is capable of mowing a lot of lawn in a short period of time. The floating suspension coupled with the four anti-scalp wheels on the corners will keep this deck from digging in on the rough parts of your yard. This deck is known to cut well, and gets rid of grass well, but is not a great mulching deck or bagging deck. Why doesn’t it make a great mulcher? This deck has vents in the top that allow a lot of air into the deck. This helps the blades lift the grass and cut it evenly but that air has to have someplace to go. When you block the discharge with a mulch plug the deck tends to “blow” air out the front. (the nature of a triangle design deck) This doesn’t cause a problem for the mulching, but it does tend to blow a lot of grass up onto the footrest. If you plan on mulching with this deck be prepared for a lot of “blow by” when the lawn is dry.

Weight: For it’s size the RX5424 is very lightweight. If you have light or sandy soil this will keep the machine from “divoting” your lawn and tearing up the turf like a lot of the other residential zero-turns tend to do. I haven’t tested this mower on slopes so I will assume it will have difficulties mowing your septic mound. (You can usually mow these diagonally instead of across and get it mowed)

Speed: This zero turn mower will mow up to 2.7 acres an hour! If you are currently using a 54 inch garden tractor to mow, this zero-turn will cut you mowing time considerably! Compare this to 1 3/4 acres an hour for a Craftsman 28990 Yard Tractor or 2.25 acres an hour for the Craftsman 28947 Excellerator garden tractor.

Price: At about $2999 on sale this mower is one of the best values on the market. I can easily compare this machine to other brands costing $1000 more.

Warranty: I normally don’t discuss warranties because the normal manufacture warranties are all the same. (They only cover defects and do not cover engine or trans. Yes, read the fine print on your MTD warranty) but the warranty and options available through Sears needs to be covered on this mower. The standard 3 year Husqvarna warranty only covers the mower. It DOES NOT cover the engine and transmissions. If you have engine problems or transmission problems YOU have to contact them and get the repairs made. I have also found that servicing dealers typically do not cover labor for the repairs, transporting the unit to their shop, and other items they may find wrong while your mower is in the shop.

Sears offer a 5 YEAR Protection Plan on this mower. The protection plan is set up so that a Sears tech comes to your home, diagnose and repairs the mower without any additional cost to you. The plan not only covers the standard warranty parts, but in this case covers the engine, transmissions and wear and tear. In other words if you wear out the belts, burn up a transmission, or literally run the wheels off this machine, it’s covered. About the only items it doesn’t cover are blades, tune-ups, physical abuse, and cut tires.

Cons: I discussed the negatives of the 54 inch deck above in the review of the Craftsman 28947 Excellerator. If you are looking to make money by mowing other people’s lawns this is not the mower for you. It is a great residential mower designed to mow up to 5 hours a week, but if you try to use this commercially, it won’t last long. Constantly taking it on and off a trailer, and mowing for hours a day every day will quickly wear this machine out. This mower is designed to give the homeowner years of service but is not designed for commercial use. If you want a economical mower capapble of 25 hours a week or more consider the Husqvarna MZ6128ZT 28 hp 61 inch Zero Turn Lawn Mower. Read my review here: Husqvarna MZ6128ZT Review

Maintenance-Free Transmission

The drives are strong enough to handle all residential mowing. I would pull a yard cart or a 25 gallon sprayer with this zero-turn but nothing else.

You can read more and purchase your new mower at Sears by clicking on this link: Husqvarna 54 inch Kohler 24 hp Zero Turn Riding Lawn Mower. You can buy your mower and pick it up at your nearest Sears or have it delivered to your home for a normal fee.

The rest of this article is information taken from the Husqvarna website. It is more complete than the info on Sears.com

For maneuverability, efficiency and convenience in a homeowner zero-turn mower package, the residential series really delivers. True zero-turn mower performance with twin, maintenance-free integrated transmissions, heavy-duty front casters and a rugged tube steel frame. High performance Air Induction cutting decks allow side ejection or optional mulch and collection capability. Convenient control placement, foam padded steering levers and an adjustable seat make these units easy and enjoyable to operate.

TECHNICAL DATA
Engine manufacturer: Kohler
Engine type: Courage V-Twin OHV
Power: 24 hp
Electrical System: 12V, 16 amp alt.
Air Filter: type Standard OEM
Fuel tank volume (with reserve) 3 gal.
Transmission type: Dual EZT
Speed forward, min-max: 0-6 mph
Speed reverse, min-max: 0-3.5 mph
Cutting width: 54 inch
Cutting height, min-max (approximate) 1.5 – 4.5 inch
Blade engagement: Electric
Blades: 3
Blade-tip speed: 16600 fpm
Anti-scalp wheels: 4
Nose roller
Seat type: Vinyl with built in slide
Hour meter: Digital
Tire size, front: 11×4-5″
Tire size, rear: 18×9.5-8″
Base machine, length: 72 inch
Base machine, width (chute down) 68 inch
Base machine, width (chute up) 60 inch
Weight: 640 lbs
Productivity: 2.7 acres/hr