OFFICIAL 400 Hour Review on this Kubota Z-421! [ The GOOD and the BAD! ] 

For those people that came here to actually hear the BAD you can skip to 26:15 and save some of your lifetime watching a complete walk around about the machine.

One of the best at explaining mower details that I have ever listened to. Please continue to use this guy

Delivered a nice even cut, has the super tight turning ability ru-vid.comUgkx1VWTrayKBdCKAjzAcZ_Eg4dhHTae3LkN also recommend I was looking for, and is just a blast to drive. It takes a little bit to get used to driving one after driving a normal tractor style, but once you've got it, you've got it. If you're cutting lines, you have to be careful spinning the mower around or the back tire will dig a bare spot. Just take it nice and slow during the turn and then it's back to full throttle across the yard!

Man this is by far the best review of this style Kubota zero turn on the internet. Because of your review I went & purchased the Kubota z422-kw 54! Man your review is just awesome!

Excellent, level-headed review. Thanks!

We just got one second hand. $5500 at 180 hours on the gauge. First ever zero turn and I'm so excited for this evening. The little testing I did felt amazing. Especially considering our other mowing machine is an 05-06 Kubota garden tractor that's starting to show its age something fierce. We've had it over 10 years. The mower on it wobbles under it and the engine has to be jumped sometimes because it just doesn't even try to start.

Great video. Thanks for taking the time to make it.

Good review-I have One of these mowers-going into third season with it. This is an excellent mower! The only thing I don’t like is the seat-going to add suspension seat. Thanks again good review!

Thanks, good review. I will be picking up one of these machines in March, but will go with the Z422 as it has the suspension seat included. Also I will be putting the Zglide caster suspension on the front which are a great product and really smooth out the ride from the reviews I have seen. It's nice to see you keep up with cleaning the mower, especially before posting a video. I have seen other posters on YT that seemingly never wash their machine. My Kubota tractor was new in 2018 and it still looks new today with a little TLC and a wash after use. I will check out your hydrolic fluid change video next. Cheers... ;-)

Very good video, I just got a z 412 with the good seat on it , it’s very comfortable.

Overall good review. Fuel capacity is 6.8 gallons, not 5. Engine has 24hp, not 27. I own this in the 54” deck. This machine is not as heavy duty as a true full- on commercial unit, but it has a nice quality of cut and is fairly quick and nimble. The ZT-3600 transmissions are pretty decent. The Kawi FS engine internally is basically identical to the Kawi top of the line FX engines. The primary differences are the FS has a much-inferior air filtration system and a step down carburetor. Only the 60” mower gets the 12” wide tires; the other models have 9.5” wide tires. However, all deck sizes do use 24”x14” tire and rim diameters which make a low profile tire. That does hurt ride quality but increases side slope holding ability. The fuel tank being under the seat center and low helps lower the center of gravity as well. Deck lift system doesn’t appear rugged but is very smooth and nice. Parking brake is easy to use. Deck cut height dial is terrible as you mentioned. I find the seat itself to be comfortable but it lacks any sort of suspension which makes hitting bumps very rough. Kubota does offer an upgrade seat. The seats with the weight dials on the front you mention are not air but rather stiff coil springs laid flat with a roller torsion bar - these are very comfortable and used on higher end mowers from all brands. Beware of the Kubota offset rear engine design. The engine is offset to the right in order to make room for the battery - this places it closer to the discharge side and causes the cylinder cooling fins to potentially get packed with debris at fewer hours than your mower, possibly resulting in engine failure. Just need to check that more often apparently. Kubota now markets this machine as their entry level commercial model. The Z700 series is their full commercial model but appears to use the same frame. I have 350 hours on mine but have suffered one spindle bearing failure, belt tensioner failure which also took out the belt, couple of cracked welds at the kick panel to frame area, motor mount bolts backing out and falling out, carb failure very early on, lap bars refusing to sit back into the neutral pockets (need frequent lubrication), and now an engine no start condition apparently caused by no compression on one cylinder due to overheat from debris or rodent nest in the cooling fins but not visible without removing engine shroud. Overall the mower has some good qualities like speed and maneuverability and cut quality, but is not made as well as hoped. By the way, the phone holder works great even in hilly bumpy conditions. One of my customers require photos from multiple sides so I leave it there for quick access. It has not fallen out.

Buying one now. Great review

Nice video

Would like to see video on transaxle filter and oil change also how to remove the deck for cleaning and maintenance

Excellent review

My neighbor was letting his 2020 go with 80 hours for $5k. Thanks to this video, I bought it. Added the suspension seat-track plate and wow what a difference.

You could make a shield with light gauge steel to cover up the deck rise and lower mechanism under neath. I just got one for my Mother and they told me to push the deck lift foot pedal and take some tension off the deck before adjusting the dial raise and lower knob. Maybe try that before turning the knob!

Had mine 5 years and learned things from this video I never knew! With you totally on the height turn dial, BTW, that can be a PIA.

I got my machine in Thurs. I love it. It's had .3 hrs. It's 7.4. I will change the oil filter tomorrow

Very good review! I own one one Just like it. With approximately 200 hours. Your dislikes mirror mlne-but this is a very good machine-no problems no regrets.

I like the custom output but can you adjust the range of open? With it wide open or fully up, you have exposure to the blade and if you hit a rock, it’s going to fly out of there… a bit dangerous I think????

I use the 12V socket for stone light or I have 12V small air compressor,I also use velcro in phone tray and phone

Good Video!! Please provide (again) the manufacturer of the discharge chute door and front receiver hitch. About to do the 100 hour service on a Z421KW48. Will look and see if you did a video at 100 hours.

push the pedal that raises and lowers the deck when you are turning the dial

I used to own a Kubota z125s-54" and used it commercially, it was a beast. Since then I sold it and bought a z726x-60. At 300 hrs the kawi motor failed on the commercial z726. Was not impressed at all. Cover by warranty, I sold it as well.

Nice review! I have a 60’ Exmark dads got an older ZD21. I am at a toss up between this, a new Exmark, or a ZD1200 series.

Buy some kind of cushion and throw it up on the seat, just know that you need to fuel the thing up after so many hours and maybe you can fabricate some kind of debris shield for that deck height adjuster and maybe then problems are solved. Sounds like a great mower, I'm trying to decide what kind to buy.

I have one Z700 series, the air suspension is a god send. I have another one without the suspension and I despise it haha

My cub cadet does shut off the blades if you back up , but you can turn the key to a certain spot n push a button like on a riding mower and it will mow in reverse , i use it all the time . Your audio is wonkey . It goes up high n low .

Kubota sells the spring assembly add on for the seat and it’s night and day different….its well worth the money if you mow anywhere rough

I have this exact model and I'm at 700hrs on it been a great mower other then it needs a completely new deck because it's warping and welds are starting to come apart.

Gonna do another update video? I'm about to purchase a Z412KW-48 for residential use and would like your opinion of this series mower almost three years later.

Nice stripes

when changing oil and you unscrew the oil outlet, can the plastic screw be replaced with a metal screw?

How easy is it to drain the gas tank. Got into some bad gas, so I am going to replace the fuel filter and drop the fuel.

I have this exact same mower. The only complaint I have with it is it blows a lot of grass out from the front of the deck. When finished with mowing I will have grass on the floor pan, in my shoes, on my lap, in the seat. I have taken it back to dealer, adjusted deck level and rake. Still does same. Bought this mower new. Been that away since it rolled off the showroom. Anybody got any suggestion.

How easy was it to install the operator controlled chute?

A slightly better contender to this machine, is the Bobcat ZT 2000.

How does it do on slopes (hills) going sideways

.....tell me how u grease the front castors and deck spindles

It does not look easy to get on and off of but i could be wrong. Would like to see that done?

You can't get tires for that unit if you want something in an agricultural pattern

I think it's a 24.5 hp engine. 27hp is the fx801v

What diameter trailer do you use.

you used any other mowers? I use deere and ferris

You wouldn't run out of gas If you look down at the sight glass for the gas😅

There is nothing wrong with the height adjuster. Fog in the cockpit. You only set the height when the deck is UP. You can also lift the deck with the kick pedal, set the height while you hold it, and lower it . The deck weighs 200 lbs. Spinning the deck-height knob changes the 'drop-stop' when the deck is lowered. You can't lift the deck off the ground with it. wow. Take this guys advice carefully. I have a Z422 and the deck height is Joe Pesci dead-nuts accurate unless you've messed it up trying to make it a hydraulic jack.

Is their a strip kit on your mower?

Tell me where the grease fittings are 🤔

Cut the trees to fit your mower and leave your rops up.

It's a kaw. Engine. Not a a kouler😢

its a 24 hp, not 27 nevertheless, its still a powerhouse

99 % of what you talked about is nothing more then product orientation...not far from what you would expect from someone showing you the machine's layout. Maybe it took you 400 hours to figure out where everything is on the unit...don't know. The other 1% is not necessarily accurate. For example, you complain about the dial height adjustment is difficult to turn. Well, depress the foot pedal slightly to remove pressure off of the dial step cylinder and there is no resisrance,. i.e. it's not a problem with the machine it's operator error. And, you complain about the steps on the deck height adjuster getting clogged. Funny, 'cause I have a Z724 commercial unit and never clean the step cylinder and it always works fine 😮. This height adjustment method is accurate and superior to other methods. You can change deck height quickly and safely on the fly...not so easy with other methods. Then, you complain about the seat as though it is a problem. Yes, it does ride stiff. I agree on that as I have the same seat on my Z724. But, readers should know that 1. You get use to it as you stated and 2. It is Kubota's original seat design from years ago. Now, it is the least expensive, and 3. You could have upgraded the seat during your initial purchase but you did not. So now it falls into the don't like / problem area of your video as though it's a machine fault. Anyway, I've tested the Exmarks and Ferris units but always come back to Kubota. It's a design that stands the test of time, cuts perfectly even with dull blades, pulls heavy weight in a dual axle 1500 lb capacity Polar utility trailer as though it were a farm tractor, and pushes partially loaded full size dumpsters out of my way on commercial parking lots when the trash guys don't place them properly. Maybe the other manufacturures can do that too but I doubt they would hold up to that kind of abuse over time. Surely with all of the coil springs and connecting rods on some other brands they would need frequent adjustments.I don't know. But, I do know that I am hard on my Z724 and just can't damage it. If I did it would be a simple fix because it is easy to work on. While it's true I drifted a bit off the subject of your Z421 readers should know that my Z724 looks exactly the same as this Z421...it's just built a lot more rugged (to much to mention in this comment). The Kubota brand can hold it's own against other Zero Turn units for sure. But, in my mind Kubota's layout, no nonsense design and low center of gravity and deck height adjustment method is worth every penny. It's funny...everyone seems to have Exmarks or Ferris units. Some invest in the mirriad of off brands too. But, interestingly, when I am at a gas station filling up people say .. "Oh, you have a Kubota...must be nice!" Anyway, enough of my rant. I just don't like videos that don't deliver on what the title suggests. And certainly don't like things being incorrectly put in the "bad" category for lack of diverse product knowledge.