60 years of experience ought to account for something, right? Swisher has over half a century in experience bringing to consumers high powered tractor, lawn and farm equipment. Take the Swisher Zero Turn Lawn Mower, model ZTR2766BS for instance, this mower packs in a massive 66 inch deck (one of the biggest I have personally tested and reviewed. Replete with full 360 degree movement, backward and forward mowing capability, commercial grade steel welded frame, Hydro Gear 2800 transmissions, industry leading Ogura clutch and a promise of dependability from Briggs & Stratton. Few add-on features include composite fenders, hour meter, cup holder, ROPS standard, 8 gallon tank capacity, rear and front hitch. Oh! It also happens to be proudly made in the USA.
Product Info:
- Riding Lawn Mower
- Zero Turn Mower
- 27hp, 810cc Briggs & Stratton Engine
- Hydro Gear 2800 Transmissions
- CARB-Compliant
Features:
- 66 inch Cutting Deck
- 3 blades deck type
- Foot Assisted Deck Lift
- Weight: 855 lbs.
- Made in the USA
Swisher ZTR2766BS Response 27 HP 66-Inch B&S ZTR Mower
Amazon.com - 27hp Briggs & Stratton engine
- 66" 11-gauge fabricated cutting deck
- Hydro Gear 2800 transmissions/Ogura clutch
- Foot assisted deck lift
- Made in the USA
In-Depth Review Of The Swisher Zero Turn Lawn Mower ZTR2766BS
Ease Of Use
The 66 inch deck feels next to nothing sitting pretty atop this zero turn mower. Nimble controls, immediate response to the throttle, brakes, turns and twisting or the handles all translate to an amazing level of control. Honestly it feels like I am back in my youth playing with a shopping cart in the mall, zooming past aisle after aisle, making rapid 360 degree turns, backing up in tight spots and wreaking havoc all around.
Changing seat height setting is exactly like you would in your car. Same goes for tripping the engine, starting it, choke, engaging the blades and so on. Once seated, you practically don’t have to extend yourself for anything. Everything is situated ergonomically around the rider’s seat other than the deck height lever that is attached to the top of the deck itself on the right. By the way, once seated, take a look down and you will see the massive deck sticking out on either side. This is owing to the attempt by Swisher to reduce the overall footprint and hence ensure maximum torque and power to weight ratio from the 27 HP Briggs & Stratton engine.
Cut Quality
66 Inches coupled with 27 HP and a massive set of blades together ensure the perfect cut quality irrespective of whether you decide to side discharge or mulch. By the way, to mulch you need to purchase the add-on mulching blade accessory. Set the height, start the mower up and get mowing in the forward followed by the back direction. Just remember not to push too hard in making turns or backing up just because this mower can as this can leave pivot holes in those exact spots. Unless you want your lawn to look like crop circles arced by a madman, pivot circles are a strict no-no when landscaping property lawns.
Height Adjustment
The only reason I give height adjustment on the Swisher zero turn riding mower ZTR2766BS a reduced rating is because of the distance between the seat and the height adjustment lever. Otherwise, the deck adjusts well and with smaller castor wheels riding on the deck’s either side plus one to the front, you know, the height will remain constant without any bumps due to the mowing surface’s diversity. You have got 8 different height positions to choose from: Nº 1 is the highest setting and Nº 8 the lowest setting ranging from 4.5 inches to 1.5 inches. To change the height, you have to push forward on the deck lift pedal to raise the deck and place the pin into the desired height hole, then release the pedal to engage the pin by the deck lift.
Motor Power
27 HP Briggs & Stratton V-twin engine with plenty of torque and output is the primary reason why I place this swisher zero turn mower at the top of my best zero turn mower reviews. While it is big and powerful (810cc is really no joke!), it isn’t as heavy on the yard and the efforts of Swisher to reduce the size of the frame thus decreasing overall weight has paid off in making a truly agile and responsive machine.
Speed Control Panel
Closer look at the powerful motor of the Swisher ZTR2766BS model
Maintenance
In the 6 months I had the chance to try out this fantastic Swisher Zero Turn Lawn Mower, I came across no issues whatsoever. In fact, unlike other zero turns, I feel the front wheels are sturdy and larger than usual. This plus the additional castor wheels help ensure the frame and mower retain their integrity longer. Long warranty cover protects you from spending anything on the engine, frame and hydraulics. You will,however, have to pay for blade sharpening, replacement, repair and also for spark plug and solenoid replacements.
Cost Effectiveness
If only this mower retailed for about $1000 less I would instantly delete all my other reviews and vehemently promote this single swisher as the best zero turn mower ever. Alas, it retails for around $5,200, also making it the most expensive I have had a chance to test out.
- Massive steel deck
- Dependable large engine
- Tow accessories both in the front and the back
- Its price range
