notjustair
Well-known Member
I have a Kohler Magnum 16 horse on an old Deines ZTR. It was the smallest one they made that had a 40 inch deck and originally a 14 horse Tecumseh. I also had a 60 inch of the same brand with a 20 Briggs flat twin. The tractor portions are identical.
The big one was like sitting on an oven. That twin just put out so much heat. I decided to take the decks and swap them and see what happened. I wasn't sure a 16 would have enough guts for a five foot deck here at the farm. If it were built today no doubt it would have a 30 horse OHV on it.
I've used it all summer like this and the 16 horse flathead has more than enough power for the hydros and deck.
Before the swap that Kohler was using oil at each use. It was down to the add line after five hours of mowing. Since I put that bigger deck on there it has not used a drop. I figure the rings were coked up or stuck and working it harder freed them up, but it is still shocking to see such a change. You always hear of working a tractor hard to reset the rings but I have never had to do it.
I've decided to use the other tractor part without a deck as s spraying unit. The boom can go where the deck went, I will flip the operator station, and the tank can go over the fuel tank to even the load. That engine won't get as hot loafing around spraying, and I don't have to worry about anyone wanting to borrow the pull yard sprayer!
The big one was like sitting on an oven. That twin just put out so much heat. I decided to take the decks and swap them and see what happened. I wasn't sure a 16 would have enough guts for a five foot deck here at the farm. If it were built today no doubt it would have a 30 horse OHV on it.
I've used it all summer like this and the 16 horse flathead has more than enough power for the hydros and deck.
Before the swap that Kohler was using oil at each use. It was down to the add line after five hours of mowing. Since I put that bigger deck on there it has not used a drop. I figure the rings were coked up or stuck and working it harder freed them up, but it is still shocking to see such a change. You always hear of working a tractor hard to reset the rings but I have never had to do it.
I've decided to use the other tractor part without a deck as s spraying unit. The boom can go where the deck went, I will flip the operator station, and the tank can go over the fuel tank to even the load. That engine won't get as hot loafing around spraying, and I don't have to worry about anyone wanting to borrow the pull yard sprayer!
