Ariens delivers comfort with new Gravely mower

Ariens Company’s John Horn presents Gravely’s new Pro-Turn 460 on the New Products Arena stage. (Photo by Steve Noe)With an inviting, plush, leather, reclining chair on the New Products Arena stage at GIE+EXPO 2011, Ariens Company rolled out something equally comfortable — the Gravely Pro-Turn 460 commercial zero-turn mower. Part of the Gravely Pro-Turn 400 XDZ Series, the Pro-Turn 460 features the industry’s first air-suspension seat, along with a new effortless deck lift.

“Comfort has just gone commercial,” proclaimed John Horn, vice president of sales — Ariens Wholegoods.

The newest addition to Gravely’s line of Pro-Turn commercial mowers, the Pro-Turn 400 features the aforementioned air-suspension seat with added seat isolation to provide a smooth, comfortable ride for all-day operation. The air pressure can be adjusted with the touch of a button and the comfort foam feels more like an office chair than a standard mower seat. The seat rides smoothly over rough terrain, allowing faster mowing speeds and increased productivity. A rubber isolated foot platform also minimizes vibration for a more comfortable ride.

The seven-gauge fabricated and welded X-Factor Deck features an all-new deck lift system. Minimal force is required to raise and lower the deck, reducing operator fatigue, especially for operators who manually float the deck over the terrain. Combined with the dial-adjust height-of-cut system, the Pro-Turn 400 makes changing cutting height simple and easy to learn. The dial system is faster than pin height-of-cut selectors on other decks.

Fully adjustable control handles allow the operator to fine-tune the settings for an optimum ergonomic position. The arms accommodate any size operator and flip open, making entering and exiting the cockpit more accessible. The ability to customize the mower for different users provides all-around comfort.

The Pro-Turn 400 models are available with a 52-, 60-, 66- or 72-inch deck, as well as a variety of engine options (gas, diesel, EFI, propane) from 24.5 to 31 hp. Each gas and diesel mower has a 13.4-gallon fuel capacity.

In addition to the Pro-Turn 400, Ariens Company introduced the Gravely Pro-Walk 61 mower with a 23-hp. Kawasaki engine and 61-inch cutting width. The company announced the availability of a rear-discharge deck option on the Gravely Pro-Master 260 and several upgrades to its ZT line, including an improved height-of-cut selector, deck washout port and sliding seat adjustment. Gravely’s ZT mowers are available in a 34-, 42- and 50-inch deck sizes and are ideal for residential properties. The ZT upgrades provide more efficient and productive performance, while enhancing usability and operator comfort.

Ariens also expanded its Chore Products line with two new products: the Gravely Thatch-O-Matic power rake with tine reels, as well as the Gravely Trailette tow-behind lawn sweeper with a 36-inch sweeping width, 10-cubic-foot capacity and solid-bottomed basket.

In addition, Ariens Company completely updated its 2011-2012 Sno-Thro lineup, integrating more operator-friendly features, upgrading all models to a cast-iron gear case, and backing the products with a five-year warranty.