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Ventrac

19 posts
  1. Timothy Walker
    Timothy Walker avatar
    0 posts
    5/16/2013 6:05 PM
    Anyone using a newer ventral mower? What do you like or dislike?



  2. Adam Mis
    Adam Mis avatar
    0 posts
    5/16/2013 7:05 PM
    Purchased one this spring. Turbo diesel. It's been awesome contour deck cuts as good or Better than any of my rough mowers. Great around bunkers and traction in wet second to none. So far so good. If reliability is good you will not be disappointed. Bought with no demo. Replaced sidewinder. Way more flexible with attachments. Purchased small blower attachment and am very pleased with performance. Hope that helps
    Adam Mis



  3. Timothy Walker
    Timothy Walker avatar
    0 posts
    5/16/2013 8:05 PM
    Thanks Adam - we have a Steiner currently so the attachments would interchange. I am scheduling a demo for the week after next and looking forward to seeing it in action with the contour deck.



  4. Paul Double
    Paul Double avatar
    37 posts
    5/18/2013 7:05 AM
    We have a 2007 Ventrac with gas engine (wish it was diesel), and would never go without one again. We used to use a Steiner 430Max also, and this Ventrac is so much easier to operate and comfortable. We have a 72" standard deck and we have the contour deck for around bunkers, which reduces push mowing and a lot of trimming. It only takes about 2 minutes to switch out decks. The only flaw I have with the Ventrac is that when it gets hot and dry, grass and debris collect on the screen to the radiator rapidly and should be cleaned off frequently. These are great machines and you will be happy with it. Good luck!

    Paul L Double
    GC Superintendent
    Sugar Valley Golf Club
    Bellbrook, Ohio



  5. Craig Moore
    Craig Moore avatar
    0 posts
    5/18/2013 8:05 AM
    Tim
    They are really good.
    I ran a demo a couple of times and it is only a matter time before I pick one up for MGC.
    I really like the snowblower option :)



  6. Melvin Waldron
    Melvin Waldron avatar
    43 posts
    5/18/2013 10:05 AM
    The contour decks you are talking about, are they rotary or reel? What heights of cut are you using them at?

    Next year we are looking at replacing our bank mower triplex which we would mow at 1.5", golfers loved that height, they could play the ball out easier and would give better players more options of how to play the shot. With that mower down, we have been using our large area rough mowers at 3" so they don't scalp too much on green banks, and it just makes our roughs harder to play out of, I would love to lower the large units to 2 or 2.5 inches, but worry about what happens to the banks. Anything to make playing more fun, (although I would miss finding as many golf balls, but our seniors aren't playing with ProV's anyway)

    Mel

    Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO

  7. Timothy Walker
    Timothy Walker avatar
    0 posts
    5/18/2013 1:05 PM
    Craig Moore said: Tim
    They are really good.
    I ran a demo a couple of times and it is only a matter time before I pick one up for MGC.
    I really like the snowblower option :)


    Craig - I know how that snowblower would help you...maybe a snow melter would be better....did you open yet?

    Mel- the contour deck is rotary.

    Thanks everybody demo is coming next week.



  8. Melvin Waldron
    Melvin Waldron avatar
    43 posts
    5/19/2013 12:05 PM
    Timothy Walker, CGCS said:
    Craig Moore said: Tim
    They are really good.
    I ran a demo a couple of times and it is only a matter time before I pick one up for MGC.
    I really like the snowblower option :)


    Craig - I know how that snowblower would help you...maybe a snow melter would be better....did you open yet?

    Mel- the contour deck is rotary.

    Thanks everybody demo is coming next week.


    Thanks,

    I remember one time buying a contour deck for a JD 1145, only issue was it was so heavy and, and caster wheels didn't rotate. It caused tread marks when we wrapped trees, I think it was made by lastec, we did have a JD 2653A reel mower to mow banks and athletic fields with.

    Mel

    Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO

  9. Paul Double
    Paul Double avatar
    37 posts
    5/22/2013 10:05 AM
    Mel,
    We have been using the contour deck for the past couple years and love it around the bunkers and tees. We mow at 2-1/4" and it has not scalped hardly a thing. The thing we really like about the deck is that it is rear discharge, which eliminates throwing grass on greens or in flower beds in tight areas. The front caster wheels on the contour deck can be adjusted in so that you can overhang the deck over the bunker a few inches and not get wheel down in the bunker and it has a roller on the back of the deck to prevent deck from falling in. By doing this, we no longer have to send push mowers out to clean up around the bunkers and now it only takes 1 person with a string trimmer about 1 our to go around and trim the hard to reach areas. Awesome machine and mower.

    Paul L Double
    GC Superintendent
    Sugar Valley Golf Club
    Bellbrook, Ohio



  10. Timothy Walker
    Timothy Walker avatar
    0 posts
    6/19/2013 4:06 PM
    Just ordered a 2013 ventrac with the contour deck. 31 hp Kubota gas. Should receive it mid to late next week. Can't wait!



  11. Paul Double
    Paul Double avatar
    37 posts
    6/22/2013 2:06 PM
    Tim, you will love the contour deck. Just a tip, there are 6 blades on the deck and 3 are sharpened one way and the other three are sharpened on the opposite side because they spin in opposite directions. Whenever you go to take off the blades to sharpen 3 of the bolts are standard thread and 3 are opposite thread. I marked our deck so we would remember which ones they are. Good luck.

    Paul L Double
    GC Superintendent
    Sugar Valley Golf Club
    Bellbrook, Ohio



  12. Timothy Walker
    Timothy Walker avatar
    0 posts
    6/25/2013 2:06 PM
    Paul Double said: Tim, you will love the contour deck. Just a tip, there are 6 blades on the deck and 3 are sharpened one way and the other three are sharpened on the opposite side because they spin in opposite directions. Whenever you go to take off the blades to sharpen 3 of the bolts are standard thread and 3 are opposite thread. I marked our deck so we would remember which ones they are. Good luck.

    Paul L Double
    GC Superintendent
    Sugar Valley Golf Club
    Bellbrook, Ohio



    Thanks Paul- great tips. Should be receiving by the end of the week can't wait.



  13. Timothy Walker
    Timothy Walker avatar
    0 posts
    6/29/2013 7:06 PM
    Ventrac delivered Thursday - cant believe I have gone all these years without one. By far a superior trim mower and can handle any hills I threw at it...



  14. Ethan Swartzman
    Ethan Swartzman avatar
    4 posts
    3/3/2017 9:03 AM
    On the 84" flex deck have you guys started having problems after 2 or 3 seasons?



  15. Timothy Walker
    Timothy Walker avatar
    0 posts
    3/13/2017 10:03 AM
    no problems - going strong! best purchase I have made



  16. Paul Double
    Paul Double avatar
    37 posts
    3/13/2017 7:03 PM
    Mine is about 6 years old and have had very few problems. Still depend on this deck to mow around tees, greens, and bunkers weekly and has been dependable.



  17. Ethan Swartzman
    Ethan Swartzman avatar
    4 posts
    3/29/2017 2:03 PM
    Have any of you guys had any problems in the 3rd or 4th season



  18. Anthony Lewis
    Anthony Lewis avatar
    1 posts
    3/29/2017 6:03 PM
    We bought a 4500z(gas) last November with the tough cut deck for native area maintenance. We're currently around 120 hours and the only issue was had was the unit would run hot without the heat on(cab model). Turns out after our Ventrac rep visited was a "arctic" baffle behind the radiator designed for temps solely below 40 degrees.

    Word is if we purchase more units I can go to Ventrac school in Ohio ;)



  19. Doug Dorsett
    Doug Dorsett avatar
    0 posts
    4/2/2017 5:04 PM
    We purchased 2 of the 4500Z. We must have gotten the lemons. Both mowers have had to have the starters replaced (at $400 ea.), had both mufflers replaced, continuous breaking belts and if the inside tires get low of air, it will cause the tube extensions to the outside wheel to break of at the 5 lug bolts at the inner wheel.

    We purchased gas burners which has to be refilled (mid day) most of the time and the radiator screens need cleaning excessively when using the contour deck. I am not happy with these mowers.



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