I have a house on one acre with 14 landscape beds, 40 trees, 16 Lilac bushes and a 60 ft by 60 ft dog yard with a 34 inch gate. I own a 30 inch zero-turn and if I needed to replace it this would be the mower I would buy. It is the perfect size for all the obstacles I have to go around and through. A 42 inch Lawn Tractor or Yard Tractor is impractical for my yard.
Model RZ3016 Husqvarna
I have had a chance to test drive this mower (I didn’t get to mow with it) and compared to my 3033 Dixon this is what I like:
- Tires: For it’s size it has nice large rear tires and front casters. I hate the tire size and “Z” casters on my old Dixon 3033 and the RX3016 is a major improvement. The larger tire size helps it to not divot the lawn and makes for a much smoother ride. Having the larger tires helps it to go through dips and potholes much better than my old machine.
- Transmission: The EZT hydrostatic transmissions are smooth and dependable. The old “cone drive” system on my Dixon is slushy and you never, quite know where you will end up when you turn. The EXT’s are very precise and easy to use. I would love to have this much control with a small mower like this.
- Size: 30 inches wide. I have a 34 inch gate on my dog yard and a 30 inch mower is perfect. I also own an OLD John Deere 8 cu. ft. dump cart that’s only 30 inches wide and the RZ3016 would be perfect for pulling that around the yard.
- Adjustable seat: I’m big and my wife is tall and thin. Having an adjustable seat on a zero-turn is a must. This allows us to both comfortably use the mower without one of us having to sacrifice comfort.
- Motor: The 16 hp Briggs INTEK has plenty of power to mow at full speed. (The old Dixon has only a 10 hp) Coupled with the 3 gallon gas tank you can easily mow 4 or 5 acres before adding fuel.
- Price: At about $2200 this mower is a great value. I know….many of you are used to paying a lot less for a lawn tractor or yard tractor, but this machine is well worth the money! This mower is actually cheaper than than my old machine was 15 years ago. (I paid $3400 for a comparable Dixon back then)
- Speed: The RZ3016 is capable of 6 mph. (realistic mowing speed about 4) Coupled with the 16 hp motor I know I can cut my current mowing time of 45 minutes by quite a bit. I dare you to try and mow my yard with a 42 inch yard tractor in that amount of time!
- Easy to work on: I do all of my own repairs and I like the way the RZ3016 “opens” up. All the components are easily accessible.
You can read more and purchase this mower on the Sears website: Click This Link Husqvarna RZ3016 Zero Turn Riding Mower
Buy Online – Pick Up At Your Nearest Sears Husqvarna RZ3016 Zero Turn Riding Mower
Buy Online – Have Delivered To Your Home.Husqvarna RZ3016 Zero Turn Riding Mower
By clicking on the link to this product and purchasing it within five days through Sears.com I get paid a small commission. I don’t get a commission if you purchase it at a Sears store.
Ask a question, leave a comment, tell us about your mower below:
Summary:
Here is a summary of the mower’s features from the Husqvarna website:
The new RZ3016 raises the bar on compact size, without compromising performance. From the rugged steel tube frame, maintenance free drive system and new high performance cutting deck, to the simplified controls and smooth operation, this new addition offers outstanding value to the RZ family.
Engine Briggs & Stratton Intek
Power 16.5 hp
Electrical System 12V- 16Amp
Air Filter type Standard OEM
Fuel Type Gasoline
Fuel tank volume (with reserve) 3 gal.
Drive system
Transmission type EZT
Speed forward, min-max 0-6 mph
Speed reverse, min-max 0-3.5 mph
Cutting deck width 30 inch
Cutting deck type Stamped
Cutting height, min-max (approximate) 1.5 – 4.5 inch
Blade engagement Manual
Blades 1
Seat type Vinyl with built in slide
Dimensions:
Tire size, front 11×4-5″
Tire size, rear 18×6.5-8″
Base machine, length 72 inch
Base machine, width (chute down) 36 inch
Weight 395 lbs
Productivity 1.6 acres/hr
30 inch Zero Turn At Sears!
Also being sold by Sears are the semi-pro MZ6128ZT Zero Turn , homeowner EZ5224 Zero Turn, and the EZ4824 Zero Turn.
To see the complete line of Husqvarna Products available at Sears and Sears Marketplace click on the link below.
Northern Tool is selling the 42 inch version of this mower: Husqvarna Zero-Turn Mower Model RZ4216
If this is not the right mower for you, go here to see all of my reviews:
My 2011 Reviews. You can find larger and smaller mowers from this list.
Paul if you purchase a husqvarna product at sears can you take it back to sears if you have any warranty issues ? thanks nick noel
@nick, Sears services all the mowers they sell and with tractors and zero-turns they come out to your home and fix the machine. Their techs are factory trained.
Paul as always thanks for the quick reply! i was refering to the husqvarna rz3016 not the yard tractor. dont know if this will be available at sears?@ if a mulch kit is available? my son cuts acouple yards on our street with a 21″ push mower he wants me to get the zero turn not the tractor so im not sure what to get again? thanks nick noel
@nick, Husqvarana will announce changes to their lineup in March. I expect the RZ3016 in to stay and that Sears will carry it. That mower has a good repair history. It was originally a Dixon and has been around for quite some time.
Paul this is not available at sears at this time, do you know if it will be ? Also is a mulch kit available for this ? (gator blade @ plug)thanks again nick noel
@nick, When you say not available – Do you mean not at your local store? Sears.com shows they are available.
Gator blades are always available through
http://www.oregonchain.com/homeowner/products/lawn_garden/blades.htm. The mulch kit for a 46 inch deck is the same as a Craftsman or you can get it through Husqvarna.Sears usually gets started with the spring season in March and usually has all the products in stock by mid-april. I heard there is an engine (EPA) change for 2012 so your model may be out of stock until the new ones get built.
The manufactures are usually through with snow blowers by now so it won’t be too long before the 2012′s start to show up at the warehouses.
Paul thanks for the quick reply.I dont think the zero turn is for me.will be either the sears 28034 or the husqvarna 20hp kohler/46″cut yard tractor sold at sears.Leaning towards the yard tractor seems like you get alot more for the money.I assume that husqvarna is the same as a craftsman with out the tight turn?@ also if i use the link u have to sears for the husqvarna will you still get your commission with out reviewing the tractor? thanks again nick noel
@nick, The Husqvarna 46 Kohler 20 hp is similar to the YT3000 except: It has a foot control hydro instead of the fender control. It comes with a bumper. And you’re right it has the normal 14 inch steering radius.
I’ve sold two within 20 miles of where I live and both owners are extremely happy with their machine.
You can click here to go right to the tractor (and I’ll get a commission)
Husqvarna 46 Kohler 20 hpYour message… hi paul also looking at the snapper 150z-18.5/33 wanted to know the pros @ cons of each thanks for all the great info. nick noel
@nick, I have a 30 inch Dixon zero-turn and there are a few things you need to know about small zero-turns. First, they tend to have traction problems. They run well on flat land but if there is any incline at all they won’t hold on the slope. If you have a ditch or slope you will have to learn to be creative when you mow. Second, they tend to tear up the turf easily. If you have a “perfect” thick lawn you can mow it without leaving divots, but if your lawn is thin, sandy or “normal” it will take you a while to learn how to mow without tearing up your lawn.
Now, the Snapper will be better than my Dixon because it has a “floating” front axle. This allows the mower to get better traction when your turn.
The Husqvarna does not have a floating axle. But it does have larger tires than the Snapper so traction issues will be about the same for both units.
Third, don’t pull anything over about 100 lbs with either one. They both have twin hydro’s and while they are good units, they are designed for the weight of the mower and you….they are not designed to pull any load.
So, I think the two units are about equal. I would look at the dealer and the price to make my decision. Which dealer seems the easiest to get along with? Which price is the best?
Feel free to ask any more questions.
Hi Paul,
How would this one compare to the Craftsman 28″ rear engine riding mower for my small lawncare business? You provided some great information for me on the Craftsman mower and after some more searching, I found THIS mower.
I have storage space issues on my truck and off season AND I’m limited on funds and would have to finance whatever I get.
Any thoughts on this compared to the Craftsman?
Thanks again.
@Paul I don’t recommend it at all.
I mow my lawn with the Dixon version (2004) of this machine and you WILL have to get a trailer to use this for your lawn business.
Also, it mows well, but does not handle slopes at all. (less than 5 degrees) It is a rigid frame design so it does not handle rough lawns well. It won’t pull anything heavier than a lawn spreader (200 lbs)
Last, it will tear up your yards unless you have a lot of experience mowing with a zero-turn. You won’t be able to let kids use it because your customers will be complaining about divots all the time.
I would suggest a used Toro 32 or 36 inch walk-behind with a stand-on sulky long before the RZ3016 for what you want to do with it.