A zero turn mower or a zero radius mower as it is known is a riding mower that offers you total control. You can rotate each tire independently and even in opposite directions. In this way, you can maneuver tight corners and mow through obstacles such as trees, rocks, flower beds, and shrubs. Rather than a single wheel, the Woods Zero Turn Mower has two joysticks or throttles. The speed is controlled through the pedals.
This zero turn mower offers more advantages as compared with mowers that do not have zero-turn technology. The units have bigger cutting decks and powerful engines. Thus, you can cut a lot of grass in a single pass. In this way, you can enjoy a faster mowing experience and even mow several acres in a few hours. The engine is mounted in the back resulting in a quiet operation.
Why an Out-Front Mower?
Zero turns are great but Woods has a unique touch to it. They only offer out-front style zero turn mowers. Their closest competitor is Grasshopper.
An out-front mower is great for flat ground. They offer great visibility so they are good at getting around obstacles and under trees. If you have a lot of acreage to mower these are the mowers for you.
If you are a lawn care company, one downside to an out-front mower is the length of the machine. They take up a ton of room on a trailer because of their design. If this isn't a concern of yours then definitely look into these mowers!
There are four models of the Woods FZ series: FZ22-2, FZ22k, FZ25D, and FZ28K. For more info on these mowers visit Woods' website or check out their brochure.
Power
The FZ series come with various engine configurations that determine their performance. These are the models and their engine types:
| Model | Engine Type | Horsepower |
|---|---|---|
| FZ22-2 | Kawasaki V-Twin OHV | 22 hp, gas |
| FZ22k | Kawasaki FS651V V-Twin | 22 hp, gas |
| FZ25D | Kubota 3-cylinder Liquid-Cooled | 25 hp, diesel |
| FZ28K | Kawasaki V-Twin OHV | 28 hp, gas |
For many years, single cylinder engines were the standard for the riding mowers. The modern ones have given way to the double. This is because two cylinders deliver a smoother ride and more powerful performance. Although there are many models available with single cylinder engine (low-cost models), the high-performance models use the new technology. The above units use a two-cylinder engine except for FZ25D model that uses a 3-cylinder diesel engine.
Features
FZ22-2 Model
- Power height adjustment
- Dual clean air filter system
- Adjustable suspension seat
- 8.5 gallons fuel capacity
- Front-mount deck that delivers added visibility and ease of cutting
- Anti-scalp roller
- Maximum forward speed of 9 mph
- Hydro-Gear ZT-3400 Transaxles
FZ22-2 Zero turn mower is perfect for extended periods of mowing when comfort and maximum productivity are essential. Winter enclosure, broom attachment, and snow thrower ensure year-round usability.
FZ22k
- Long wheelbase allows for uniform weight distribution that results in improved rider comfort
- Full adjustable seat to reduce driver fatigue
- Front-mount deck that delivers added visibility and ease of cutting
- MX V-Baffle provides powerful suction, precision cut, and dust control
- PowerTilt feature on all decks
- TrueFloat decks provide a better cut
- Added safety thanks to Standard roll-over protection system (ROPS)
- Standard Anti-scalp roller
- 8.5 gallons fuel capacity
- Hydro-Gear ZT-3400 Transaxles
- Up to 9 mph
The FZ22k allows you to tackle a lot more than mowing. It offers you the power to be more productive and efficient when collecting leaves, sweeping debris, blowing snow, and pushing dirt.
FZ25D
- MX V-Baffle delivers powerful suction, precision cut
- Maximum forward speed of 12 mph
- Twin hydrostatic pumps and separate wheel motors
- Discharge chute that keeps debris under control
- Decks provide a better cut
- Advanced safety system
- Standard Anti-scalp roller
- 11 gallons fuel capacity
- Rollover protection
Deck
Zero turn mowers feature a deck that is cut, or cast, from steel. The solidly built mowers work great on flat terrains. These Wood Zero Turn Mowers are built from heavy gauge steel. Remember that the mower’s weight is not an indication of the deck’s quality.
Woods zero turn mowers feature a deck with their patented V-baffle. This allows for better air flow and discharging of grass. Their decks also feature cast iron spindles that are built to hold up for a long time.
Read also: Steel vs Aluminum Deck
Tires
Maneuverability and traction are quite important to the performance of zero turn mowers. Thus, the tires are quite useful. Precision turning needs the right type of tires. The width of the tires is vital in weight distribution of both the rider and the machine. All the above models have four wheels in two sizes. Shorter wheels in back, and taller wheels in front.
Durability
Buying a zero turn mower is a capital-intensive investment. This is true when you compare it to other types of mowers. Thus, you need to ensure you get the value for your money. You can gauge the durability of these mowers, not just by guarantee or warranty from Woods Equipment, but by their overall construction. As noted above, the deck is made of heavy gauge steel, two cylinder engines, and seating made of quality materials.
TrueFloat Suspension
Woods out-front mowers feature a TrueFloat Suspension. This allows the deck to follow the contour of the ground allowing the mower to give a better cut. The suspension will also prevent the mower from scalping as much as other mowers.
Adjustable Cutting Height
Although nearly any type of mower has an option of adjusting the cutting height, the most important thing is the ability to shift between the settings. With the above models, you have the freedom to adjust the height while operating them. Most mowers on the market require that you have to stop and manually adjust the height. This can be counterproductive and tedious. For instance, if you have a sloppy terrain, this will be difficult.
Ease of Use
Other than the functional features these mowers have, they are all user-friendly. Thus, both veteran and novice riders can operate them. Remember that these mowers do not a steering wheel. Instead, they use joysticks or throttles, as the idea here is to get them to reach tight corners and hard-to-reach areas.
Attachments and Accessories
Woods mowers offer some essential attachments that make them stand out from other zero turn mowers. These include the grass and leaf collection system, snow thrower, brooms, and dozer blade.
They also feature some nice accessories. These are fairly industry standard accessories that nearly every mower manufacture offers.
Warranty
The warranty is fairly standard to the rest of the industry. Each mower comes with a 2 year 2000 hour warranty. Most other manufactures have at least a 2 year unlimited hour warranty. Unless you are doing a crazy amount of mowing this is basically the same.
Comparing this to Grasshopper's 3 year unlimited hour warranty, it does fall a little short. Grasshopper does have a better warranty. With the many claims of being the superior mower we would like to see Woods stand behind this with their warranty.
Overall
| Performance: |  (4.5 / 5) |
| Cut Quality: |  (5.0 / 5) |
| Durability: | (4.5 / 5) |
| Comfort: | (4.5 / 5) |
| Price: |  (3.0 / 5) |
| Warranty: | (3.0 / 5) |
| Overall: |  (4.1 / 5) |
What Do You Think of These Zero Turn Mowers?
Most of these mowers have been used both for commercial and residential mowing. They are highly rated on the market by different people thanks to their superior features that improve their performance. Have you tried any of the above models? Let us know what you think about them in the comments section below.
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we have a fz25d whitch i like a lot does a grate job an very economical only 1 small problem the real fine dry grass plugs rad up behind screen got to blow out every 3 hr or so is there any way to correct this problem
Woods has TERRIBLE customer service. Ive owned a new FZ22k with the lawn vac attachment for 3 years and have nothing but trouble with used as a residential mower. You can’t buy parts except online…..and they will be weeks to get. The Lawn vacuum system will clog with even the slightest wet grass, and the wiring harness will come apart and leave you stranded. The overall build is heavy duty steel but the paint peels…..when I called HQ they will only sell you a full case of spray paint, not a can….thru a mail order vendor mind you. I have been EXTREMELY disappointed with the FZ mower and wouldn’t recommend it to anyone because they will probably not be around much longer so parts will be extremely hard to find for a $22,000 mower.
I forgot to say, the blow out screen on the hopper bin blew out on mine as well…..which blows the grass right on the back of your neck and all over the engine…..I had to fabricate a piece of rubber and disassembled the bin to install the flap on the lawn vac hopper (like a mudflap) to prevent being dusted overtime I mow my lawn. Warranty???? Nope…..mind you I have only 300 hrs on this mower and use it to mow fine Bermuda grass and leaf pickup in fall. The leaves will clog the impeller and you have to stop to cleanup the hose and blower turbine for the lawn vac. It works ok on short dry grass but when it gets over 3″ tall it struggles to pickup the grass. The large rubber lawn vac hose sags and tore from the stress where it attaches to the 7″ pickup/discharge hose on the impeller deck so I support it with a rubber bungee cord it seems to help keep the hose straight enough to direct the grass into the hopper. If they had a better warranty and customer service it might help……the mower sits nice and is very heavy duty…..it needs some engineering fine tunes and better support from the company. The out front 54″ deck is awesome for getting under bushes and around trees, but next time Ill probably get a Grasshopper or Kubota or Ferriss….because support and parts are everywhere.
UPDATE 9/21: Today my steel mower deck (almost 1/4″thick) broke off where the pickup grass pickup impeller attaches to the mower deck unit. Called Woods got AL? in customer service said for me to weld it back on theres only a 1 year warranty. A steel mower deck cracking and falling apart on a residential mower is pretty weak. The design is totally flawed and doomed……PASS on a WOODS mower……not only PASS but RUN! Terrible company support and no backup.