Long story short: 2015 Ariens Zoom 54 XL zero turn with Kohler 7000 24hp, 100 hours on machine. Wife hit a large rock (unearthed due to fiber trenching on our street), bent the crankshaft. Local small engine guy said not worth rebuilding or replacing the Kohler. Sell as is and buy a new machine was his advice. Motor aside, the mower is in great shape, has upgraded transaxles, very heavy fabricated deck. Replacement models with similar upgrades are $5K or more. Hard to justify for 20 to 30 hours a year of mowing.
I started researching motor swaps; Kohlers very overpriced (50% to 100% more than Briggs & Stratton). Swapping to a Briggs looked very doable to me. Ordered a Briggs Intek 24hp with the right specs, along with a matching muffler. Other than threading the Briggs mounting holes, it was pretty much a drop-in replacement. Mower frame was already drilled for the different mounting holes on the Briggs. Drive pulley and electric PTO went on the crankshaft without issue. Electrical plugged right up. Throttle cable is reversed and integrates the choke, vs. the separate choke of the Kohler, so I will have to make some new labels to cover the old ones.
Fired up on the first try. Wife was cutting grass again 3 hours after UPS dropped off the Briggs.
Definitely a project within reach of someone with average DIY wrenching skills.
I started researching motor swaps; Kohlers very overpriced (50% to 100% more than Briggs & Stratton). Swapping to a Briggs looked very doable to me. Ordered a Briggs Intek 24hp with the right specs, along with a matching muffler. Other than threading the Briggs mounting holes, it was pretty much a drop-in replacement. Mower frame was already drilled for the different mounting holes on the Briggs. Drive pulley and electric PTO went on the crankshaft without issue. Electrical plugged right up. Throttle cable is reversed and integrates the choke, vs. the separate choke of the Kohler, so I will have to make some new labels to cover the old ones.
Fired up on the first try. Wife was cutting grass again 3 hours after UPS dropped off the Briggs.
Definitely a project within reach of someone with average DIY wrenching skills.
