tiggercl 28 #1 Posted May 1, 2014 For the following tractor and engine combinations, 520H, 520Lxi, 523Dxi which has the most usable power? (regardless of advertised HP ratings).. e.g. Does a 520Lxi run rings around a 520H? Is a 523Dxi the ultimate? Cheers, Paul Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Desko 610 #2 Posted May 1, 2014 I use my dads John Deere 455 with a YANMAR diesel and it will out mow my dads D160 Diesel-22hp 60" deck Onan-16 48" deck both hydrostatic Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
truckin88 104 #3 Posted May 1, 2014 Diesels generally are not the best mowers in any application. Might have to so with rpms etc. Ask any landscaper no matter brand of ztr they all want kawi engines. Onans are a beast they are no longer made and parts can get pricey, but in their heyday those motora were premium used in WH JD ingersoll and a bunch of others...they are however gas hogs Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leeave96 488 #4 Posted May 1, 2014 I think (someone correct me on this) that the 20 hp Onan on the 520H tractors is actually rated or maybe dyno'd as a higher hp. I think I also saw a curve one time that it had more torque than a comparable Kohler Magnum twin M20 and that was the reasoning for Toro going to the Onan - with the 60 inch deck. I know this - I have never stalled my Onan or even came close. Don't have a 60 inch deck (yet) so the hardest work the Onan does is blowing snow and it is a walk in the park for the Onan. You can hear the governor come-in under the load, but the engine just muscles it's way through. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wh500special 2,249 #5 Posted May 2, 2014 I have all three of these mentioned tractors, so have an opinion about their power ranking. But it's only anecdotal with no hard stats to back it up. I'd rate the liquid cooled kawasaki the weakest - barely - of the trio. Onan in the middle and the diesel quite a bit ahead. The onan really seems to have staying power under load. The Kawi is certainly very strong, but in my seat of the pants it bogs a little more easily under similar conditions than the onan. If you care to toss in the 22 hp kohler command from the 522 I think I might slot it between the Kawi and the onan as well. No evidence here, just supposition. Diesels in this size class feel way more powerful than their ratings suggest. It doesn't matter if it's the Daihatsu in the 523dxi, the yanmar in a 16hp deere 332, or the 15 hp kubota in my cub cadet 1512 they all fight above their weight class. YMMV, Steve Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bow_Extreme 544 #6 Posted May 4, 2014 The Daihatsu is rated at 26hp. It's a beast!! I like all 3 tractors but the 523 will top them all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
