Cub Cadet Z-Force S 48 Zero Turning Radius Riding Lawn Mower Review
24 HP professional-grade Kohler® V-Twin OHV engine
3-year / no hour limit
Cub Cadet offers a range of riding lawn mowers that are engineered to be a true “Professional Grade.” You see this showing up in force in the Cub Cadet Z-Force S 48 Zero Turning Radius Riding Lawn Mower.
At its beating heart, you will find a 24 HP professional-grade Kohler® V-Twin OHV engine driving the Cub Cadet Z-Force S 48’s three cutting blades as well as the Hydro-Gear ZT 2800 hydrostatic transmission. This lets it truly put the power down at a maximum forward speed of up to 7 miles per hour or a maximum reverse speed of up to 3 miles per hour.
The three cutting blades under the 48-inch cutting deck provide an impressive harvest rate that veritably eliminates the need to touch up even the tightest of turns. The Cub Cadet Z-Force S 48’s cutting deck height can be set through 15 distinct settings. You can set it as low as 1-inch or as high as 4-inches depending on the state of the turf, the type of grass, and the prevailing weather conditions.
The 48-inch cutting deck also has two gauge anti-scalping wheels. They help protect the cutting deck and blades from obstacles like sticks and rocks or even mature tree roots emerging from the soil. It’s a great way to preserve your investment as well as reduce potential damage to a difficult section of lawn.
It’s also worth noting that the Cub Cadet Z-Force S 48 is backed by a robust 3-year warranty that doesn’t have an hour limit restriction. This is especially handy for professional lawn care companies who typically exceed warranty hour limit restrictions on an annual basis.
Key Features
- 725 CC 24 HP Kohler® engine
- 24 HP
- Hydro-Gear ZT 2800 hydrostatic transmission
- Forward speed maximum of 7 MPH
- Reverse speed maximum of 3 MPH
- 48″ triple-blade (high-lift) fabricated mowing deck
- Deck washing port
- 3 cutting blades
- 2 anti-scalping wheels
- 15 cutting heights
- Cutting height from 1 to 4-inches
- 3-year / no hour limit
Performance
The 24 HP professional-grade Kohler® V-Twin OHV engine in the Cub Cadet Z-Force S 48 gives it plenty of functional power to travel quickly from Point A to Point B while cutting even the thickest of grass. The Hydro-Gear ZT 2800 hydrostatic transmission is impressively responsive and puts the power down efficiently. It really helps optimize the nimbleness of the zero-turning radius steering system.
Ease Of Use
As a truly “Professional Grade” zero-turning radius riding lawn mower the Cub Cadet Z-Force S 48 was engineered with ease of use in mind. The operator’s station was designed with comfort in mind. This includes ergonomic controls, as well as a high back seat with comfortable seat suspension and safety sensors.
Special Features
The Hydrostatic transmission on the Cub Cadet Z-Force S 48 is very responsive and is exactly the sort of thing you want to see on a truly professional-grade zero-turning radius lawn mower. It makes it easy for you to might tight turns when chewing through 48-inch swaths of open lawn, as well as letting you cut tight to trees and complicated landscaping features.
The deck wash cleaning system on the Cub Cadet Z-Force S 48 might not seem all that “Special” on paper. Though it makes cleanup a breeze, which is especially handy for professional lawn care companies who need to mow different client properties in a single day and there are prevailing concerns about the spread of invasive plants. Being able to neatly eliminate all organic matter from the underside of the deck can go a long way toward preventing the transfer of invasive weed species.
The anti-scalping weeds are another one of those small touches that can have some big benefits. Especially for professional lawn care companies who need a commercial-grade zero-turning radius lawn mower that won’t suffer deck or blade damage from turf obstacles.
Cut Quality & Options
The ability to adjust the Cub Cadet Z-Force S 48 cutting deck through 15 different cutting heights lets you customize the length of the grass. It’s especially handy for maintaining a commercial property or a golf course where the characteristics of the grass and its ideal length can change at a moment’s notice.
You can easily change the height of the cutting deck from as low as 1-inch to as high as 4 inches at a moment’s notice. This lets you adjust it to the characteristics of the area you are cutting, as well as adjust for the prevailing turf conditions.
Maintenance
The Cub Cadet Z-Force S 48 requires all the standard maintenance you would give to a high-quality professional-grade zero-turning radius riding lawn mower. The deck wash is handy for removing organic matter in-between properties, if necessary, or just speeding the cleaning process at the end of a day.
Professional lawn care companies will also appreciate that there is no hour limit to the three-year comprehensive warranty that backs the Cub Cadet Z-Force S 48. Most professional lawn care companies exceed the hour limit of a lot of competitor warranties, but you don’t have to worry about this commercial-grade zero-turning radius lawn mower.
Safety Features
The Cub Cadet Z-Force S 48 comes with all of the standard operator sensors and other safety features you expect to find on a professional-grade zero-turning radius lawn mower.
You can also appreciate the comfort and ergonomics of the operator’s station. This helps reduce the kind of discomfort and fatigue that can sometimes affect safe operations during the course of a long day of cutting grass.
Cost-Effectiveness
The Cub Cadet Z-Force S 48 is one of the most cost-effective professional-grade zero-turning radius riding lawn mowers. The 24 horsepower 725 CC 24 HP Kohler® engine is impressively fuel-efficient, which will improve the long-term cost of ownership.
The anti-scalping wheels are a great way to help protect the three cutting blades and the deck. The deck washing system is also a handy time-saving feature for maintaining the deck on a daily basis, as well as helping to prevent the accidental transfer of invasive weeds from one property to the next.
