Green Vertical Shaft?

[DennisThornton 4,769]

"JD X500 multi-terrain tractor- 25H.P.-Differential lock-wet disk brakes"

 

I'm itching for some green, maybe so I can talk about them from first hand experience, maybe because some have hydraulic remotes, differential rears, disk brakes and REAL cabs!  It's certainly not because of the green!  Much prefer red and orange!  So here's a picture of a vertical shaft, which for years was a prominent "No!" in my check list for what's a good tractor, but now that my WH 264H has changed my mind, why wouldn't the JD X500 be a good choice?  Not sure what "multi-terrain" means...  Didn't see anything about PS but maybe it does.  (Further review suggests no PS!)  I'm not looking to buy this unit.  No hitch of any kind on this unit and I don't need another mower, but I'm putting more focus on the fact that it's a vertical shaft and thinking "So!"  I'm not asking about the X500 specifically, just that maybe I should be less prejudiced against vertical shafts.

 

Anyone with first hand experience?  Any reason why a vertical shaft can't be used in a durable GT?  And by the way, why are vertical shaft engines cheaper!

[Digger 66 3,478]

"Multi terrain" means you can cut my lawn too 

[slammer302 2,155]

I hear the John Deere X seires are good machines.

[WildHorses 382]

I picked up a Z930M John Deere Ztrak this spring with a 25hp kawasaki vertical shaft motor that's got over 2800 hours on what appears to be an original engine. It's a heck of a mower. It's been converted to propane, some say that's easier on the motor than gas, I'm not sure but it runs well still. 

[Achto 27,565]

3 hours ago, DennisThornton said:

And by the way, why are vertical shaft engines cheaper!

 

I think that it's because they make more vertical shaft engines than horizontal shafts.

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,496]

The Deere X500 series are great machines, very capable, and Deere offers an integral hitch, either power or manual depending on the X500 series model.  Vertical shaft tractors usually have a more efficient system for powering the deck, i.e. mower drive belts don't have to be rerouted, but are straight shots to the deck from the engine. Deere uses either Kawasaki commercial grade engines (gas) or Yanmar engines (diesels) in their X series tractors, which are the ones you would want if buying a Deere.

[DennisThornton 4,769]

9 hours ago, Achto said:

 

I think that it's because they make more vertical shaft engines than horizontal shafts.

That's the only answer I've ever gotten but it seems that larger horizontal engines would see more applications and outsell verticals. 

[EricF 589]

Horizontal engines see more application nowadays in shaft-driven tractors with the engine mounted fore-aft. Good for larger "true GTs" and SCUT/CUT designs with bigger, heavy frames. A lot of it just depends on current design conventions. They all have their pros and cons.

[Achto 27,565]

10 hours ago, DennisThornton said:

That's the only answer I've ever gotten but it seems that larger horizontal engines would see more applications and outsell verticals. 

 

This would be a thought but then I think about how many more low cost lawn tractors with vertical shafts are sold compared to higher cost lawn tractors. Even most of the now popular zero turn mowers use a vertical shaft engine.