Great mower for the price! More than adequately powered. November 15, 2009

I bought this mower at a Sears Outlet store in Milwaukee, WI.   Some paint damage on a return.   No issue here - repainted with a very standard farm color - international red (International Harverster Red) - perfect match.  Now for the technical review:  The mower is a hybrid welded and bolted together 7 gauge frame.   This should be ample for home use and should last you a decade, provided you do not ride it at full speed or shake the living daylights out of it.   The controls are basic with no frills.   I would have preferred a bit more sturdiness in the deck height control lever, but it is adequate.  Wheels and motor are exceptional for the price.   Due to the power vs weight ratio:  27 hp vs about 900 lbs., this unit is one of the most powerful on the market for its weight.   I weigh 200 lbs and it rides up a steep hill with no hesitation.   The controls are fine and it tracks straight - contrary to one of the other reviews.    The cut is very clean and I can tell no difference from my neighbors yard who uses a contractor.   Only issue I had with it is that the safety switch under the seat does not always turn off the mower when getting off.   This could be considered a safety issue, but you can just as well turn off the key or replace it with a better switch.

Overall - I am quite happy with the unit and it is about 300 - 500 lbs lighter than the 1/4" fabricated commercial units.   By the way - if you need to clean the underside of the deck, it is fairly easy to remove and does not weigh a ton like the 1/4 inch units.

Impressive Mower July 05, 2009

I purchased this mower for my 3-acre yard after much research comparing zero turns and standard yard tractors. I am not disappointed at all, previously I cut my grass with a 46 inch cut standard lawn tractor and a push mower for the close up work around the house and trees. This process used to take over 3 hours but now I can cut the entire 3 acres in about 2 hours using my new Swisher. The only problem so far is the 60-inch deck makes it a bit tricky to mow around tight areas but as long as I go slowly I won't cut down the wife's flowers.

Replaced with another manufacturer unit March 15, 2009

This is a terrific piece a equipment with a fatal flaw. I had some setup problems also but Sears was great about the entire experience. I owned the predecessor unit 2660b ( identical to this unit with 26hp engine) which provided a seasons use. I bought the unit to not only cut, but tow a 'Cyclone Rake' collection system. I used it without incident for a while until the entire rear bumper assembly pulled away from the main unit making it unusable. This was a catastrophe since fall was in full swing and the unit became useless for collection purposes. I called Sears and the manufacturer, but the bumper was not in supply for a quick fix. Sears was accommodating and took back the unit , but a replacement Swisher was not in inventory - forcing me to swap to a Snapper with smaller deck size (54 inch) but with a FAR stronger rear bumper infrastructure. I incurred additional costs ($200+ Cyclone rake adapter requirements) but was back in business in about 10 days. Ironically, the Swisher replacement bumper assembly arrived 2 weeks later. I was shocked. Sears tried hard but the coordination process obviously broke down. BRAVO Sears on doing whatever it took to keep me going! In fairness, the Swisher is a Fantastic machine for cutting grass. I actually miss it but the Snapper is a very nice ZTR also. With the Swisher, the cutting results are nothing short of great. The 60 inch deck size will quickly make short work of a huge lawn, and the machine is remarkably comfortable. I'd buy one again in a minute IF I had no need for towing anything. That said, BEWARE if that is what your needs require. I recommend you save yourself from HUGE aggravation by determining the towing requirement you have before making the leap. One last thought. If you are handy at welding, reinforcing the bumper areas might prove useful giving you the best of both worlds. Just do it before it breaks.

service department October 18, 2008

I bought this mower 4 months ago and it would not track straight. Sears so called technicians tried 3 times and couldn't get it to run straight they told me this is as good as it gets. They made me aware that they never worked on one except mine. So if you buy a zero turn from Sears buy a sears brand! Except for my tracking issue the swisher seams like a great product!!!