Husqvarna RZ5424 Review

(Rated: 4.3 / 5) Review by Frank Lowery
Noise
Ease of Assembly
Maneuverability
Balance And Handling
Cut Quality
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Related pages: Best Lawn Mower, Best Zero Turn Mower, Husqvarna, Husqvarna Lawn Mowers, Lawn Mower Buying Guide, Lawn Mower Reviews, Riding Mower Buying Guide, Zero Turn Mower Buying Guide, Zero Turn Mower Reviews,

For the homeowner with a very large property who has a lot of grass to mow on a regular basis, a zero turn mower like the Husqvarna RZ5424 makes a lot of sense. This is a super efficient grass cutting machine that can help you finish cutting your lawn much more quickly and efficiently than other riding mowers can. And a residential zero turn mower like the RZ5424 is designed with the homeowner in mind. Residential grade zero turn mowers offer all the advantages of owning one, but because they are not designed for heavy duty commercial use by a professional lawn care company, they are not so expensive that the price tag becomes prohibitive.

The Husqvarna RZ5424 is a powerful zero turn mower that is designed with maneuverability, efficiency and convenience in mind. It has a Kawasaki made 726 cubic centimeter engine and a hydrostatic transmission, along with a 54 inch cutting deck width. The RZ5424 has a 360 degree turning ability and it can spin on its central axis in order to provide tight cornering and easy maneuverability around obstacles such as trees or garden beds. It uses high performance Air Induction technology to ensure that it is providing a clean, even cut every time so that your lawn stays manicured and beautiful all season long.

Review Summary

The Husqvarna RZ5424 offers a lot of fantastic features that make it perfect for residential use on a property with more than an acre of grass to cut. First of all because it is a zero turn mower, it offers greater maneuverability than any other mower on the market today. Zero turn mowers are able to be highly maneuverable because their transmission provides differential power to the rear wheels, each of which is controlled independently from the other by separate levers. If the operator provides more power to one wheel than the other, the mower will move in a curved line; if the operator provides more power to one wheel while stopping the other, the mower will spin on its own axis. This allows the zero turn mower to have the tightest possible turning radius and gives you greater maneuverability around obstacles and in tight corners.

The Husqvarna RZ5424 has a powerful 726cc Kawasaki made engine that provides 24 horsepower and a top forward speed of 6.5 mph and a top reverse speed of 3.5 mpg. It has a huge 54 inch cutting deck that has high performance air induction technology that draws air from the top and bottom of the deck. This improves grass lift and provides a superior, cleaner cut every time. It features an integrated transmission that needs minimal maintenance and consistently delivers high performance. The cutting blades on the mower are durable 12 gauge steel to ensure that they can handle even the toughest grass. The Husqvarna RZ5424 has three grass management options: side discharge, bagging for later disposal, or mulching clippings back into the lawn. It also offers a nine bushel triple bagging system that helps to increase productivity and versatility for the user.

The Husqvarna RZ5424 has six cutting heights between 1.5 and 4.5 inches, and they are controlled by a single lever conveniently within reach of the operator. The levers that control power to the rear wheels are ergonomically designed and padded for greater comfort. Along with the adjustable, comfortably padded seat, the lever placement and overall design of this zero turn mower make it one of the most convenient ones to operate. It is priced in the mid range for residential zero turn mowers.

Specifications

The Husqvarna RZ5424 has a 54 inch cutting deck and total dimensions of 75.1 x 67.5 x 39.9 inches. It weighs just 640 pounds, which is on the lighter side for a big zero turn mower like this one. It has a gas powered Kawasaki made 726cc FR series engine that provides the kind of reliable power for long term residential use. The Husqvarna has a hydrostatic transmission made by Hydro Gear that provides top forward speed of 6.5 mph and a top reverse speed of 3.5 mph. Its differential drive system is operated via a dual lever array, in which each lever controls the amount of power provided to one of each of the two rear wheels. The cutting deck is made of stamped aluminum and the three cutting blades are made of durable 12 gauge steel. It has six height settings between 1.5 and 4.5 inches that are controlled by a single lever. The deck lift system is a manual hand operated lift.

The Husqvarna RZ5424 has 11 x 6 inch front wheels and 18 x 9 inch rear wheels. The front wheels are on a swivel to help with the zero turn system and all the wheels have pneumatic tires. It has a low center of gravity that when combined with its zero turn radius allows this mower to provide the best possible and most efficient maneuverability. The mower is equipped to cut up to 2.8 acres in an hour. That is a lot of lawn in not a lot of time. The mower has three grass clippings management options, including side discharge, bagging and mulching. It comes with a three year consumer warranty.

Description

The Husqvarna RZ5424 is a residential grade zero turn riding mower with a 24 horsepower, 726cc two cylinder Kawasaki FR series engine. The transmission is a Hydro Gear hydrostatic transmission with a pump and wheel motor that is designed to need minimal maintenance over the years. The transmission allows the mower to operate at a top forward speed of 6.5 mph and a top rear speed of 3.5 mph.

The Husqvarna RZ5424 has a 54 inch cutting deck width. Combined with its top speed of 6.5 mph and extraordinarily efficient maneuverability, the cutting deck is wide enough to reduce the number of passes needed to finish a job to the point that this mower can cut up to 2.8 acres of grass in just one hour. In addition, its maneuverability means that even if you have obstacles like trees or garden beds on your property, they will not be a problem: the RZ5424 can easily cut right up to them. That means you will not have to spend a lot of extra time edging after you have finished mowing.

The Husqvarna RZ5424 has three cutting blades that are 12 gauge steel. That means they will be able to handle even the toughest grasses, such as St Augustine or Bermuda grass, without breaking a sweat. The blades can easily tackle dense patches of grass on your property without slowing down or losing performance ability for even a second. There are six height adjustment options between 1.5 and 4.5 inches that are easily adjusted with a single lever mounted on the side of the mower and within easy reach of the operator while you are in the driver’s seat. Having numerous height adjustment options is important to the health and quality of your lawn. Lawn care experts recommend that you never cut your grass to a height less than 1/3 of its initial height. That is because doing so can weaken the grass, which will make it more susceptible to the effects of heat waves or drought, or make it a prime target for disease or invasion by weeds an crab grass. But because the lawn will not be the same height every time you cut it, you are going to want options that are easy to switch between. The Husqvarna RZ5424 provides that.

The Husqvarna RZ5424 has a residential grade frame made of stamped parts with aluminum spindles. This means that it will not be as durable as commercial grade models that are typically fabricated out of welded steel. But it also means that it is conveniently less expensive than commercial grade modes. And because it is designed with residential use in mind, you can be certain that it will provide optimal performance for the lawn care needs of the homeowner with a large property. The cutting deck has a 1.5 inch x 2 inch steel tube frame, and the mower has heavy duty front casters to protect it against damage from collisions with obstacles. So you can be sure that this zero turn mower is durable enough to stand up to heavy duty use on a big property for years to come.

The Husqvarna RZ5424 weighs 760 pounds and has a low center of gravity plus 11 x 6 inch front wheels and 18 x 9 inch rear wheels with pneumatic tires. Along with its zero turn radius and twin hydrostatic transmission, these features make it one of the most maneuverable grass cutting machines available on the market today. It has no trouble maneuvering around obstacles on the lawn such as trees or garden beds, which means you will not have to do as much edging or trimming after you are done cutting the grass. And it can of course deal with tight cornering easily, as it spins 360 degrees on a central axis. That means you can literally do an about face with the Husqvarna RZ5424 and be heading straight back the way you came without even slowing down.

The Husqvarna RZ5424 is a high quality residential zero turn mower that will provide a manicured cut you your lawn every time so that it looks like professionals mowed it. It has an affordable price tag, which should make it more attractive to homeowners with large properties as well.

Pros

There are plenty of reasons why buying a zero turn mower is the right thing to do if you own a property with a significant amount of grass to take care of (more than an acre). A zero turn mower is designed to optimize efficiency so that you can finish the job more quickly and be enjoying the rest of your weekend. Because it is able to literally perform a 360 degree turn without stopping or backing up, a zero turn mower makes handling tight corners or yard obstacles a breeze. There are a number of features that make the Husqvarna RZ5424 one of the best zero turn mowers on the market today for residential use. It has a large cutting deck with three 12 gauge cutting blades, a powerful engine, three grass management options, durable design and a competitive price. This is a list of the pros for the Husqvarna RZ5424 that goes over them in moiré detail. Overall its great features make it one of the best residential zero turn mowers on the market today.

1. 54 inch cutting deck with three cutting blades : The efficiency of a mower is measured in a few areas, but the most important one by far is the size of the cutting deck. Larger cutting decks allow you to cut the lawn in fewer passes than smaller ones, which allows you to finish the job sooner. With a 54 inch cutting deck and a top forward speed of 6.5 mph, the Husqvarna RZ5424 is efficient enough to cut up to 2.8 acres in under an hour. That is pretty efficient. And because it has three cutting blades fabricated from 12 gauge steel, you can be certain that it can handle even the toughest grasses, such as St. Augustine or Bermuda grass. You also do not have to worry about dense patches of grass or getting an uneven cut. Because of its high performance air induction technology, the Husqvarna RZ5424 provides a professionally manicured, even cut every time you use it.
2. Powerful Kawasaki 726cc engine and hydrostatic transmission : In order to consistently provide top speeds of 6.5 mph while powering three blades, the Husqvarna RZ5424 is equipped with a powerful 726cc FR series Kawasaki engine that has 24 horsepower. That is a lot of power on a residential zero turn mower. In addition it has a Hydro Gear twin hydrostatic transmission that allows you to easily shift between different speeds and comfortably turn the mower or spin it to deal with tight corners. The transmission is also designed to require minimal maintenance, which is great for homeowners who are not particularly inclined to get under the hood more often than necessary. The Husqvarna RZ5424 is designed to reliably provide optimal power over repeated residential use for years to come.
3. Three grass clippings management options included : All too often, I find that mowers designed for residential use cut manufacturing costs by removing extra grass clippings management options, or else forcing the consumer to pay extra for accessories for extra options. This is not the case on the Husqvarna RZ5424. Side discharge, mulching back into the lawn or bagging for later disposal are all included in the initial price. In addition, the Husqvarna RZ5424 has an efficient bagging system that allows you to collect up to nine bushels of grass before the bags need to be emptied. That is a lot of grass. You can also easily switch between options, so if you want to mulch clippings into one area of the lawn and bag them in another area, you can change in a matter of minutes while you are in the middle of the job.
4. The Husqvarna RZ5424 has compact, durable design : This mower has dimensions of 75.1 x 67.5 x 39.9 inches and weighs 640 pounds. This puts it the middle of the range of size and weight for residential zero turn mowers. Its design is compact for a mower that packs a 54 inch cutting deck width, though, and it is still small enough that it can be conveniently stored in your garage without taking up too much space. It has a low center of gravity and tough wheels with pneumatic tires that can handle uneven terrain easily. In addition, the Husqvarna RZ5424 has anti scalping rollers to protect the grass as well as the mower, a rugged steel tube frame and heavy duty front casters that make it a durable machine that can stand up to tough jobs without any problems.
5. A competitive price that makes this mower very affordable : It is not easy to find a residential zero turn mower that provides durable, reliable performance, is well designed and manufactured with quality in mind, and remains competitively priced. But the Husqvarna RZ5424 manages to do all of these things at once. It has a price tag that places it at the lower end of the range for zero turn mowers, which means homeowners can enjoy all the advantages of owning the kind of mower used by professional lawn care companies without paying professional prices for it. And the Husqvarna RZ5424 does not cut corners in design or manufacturing in order to provide that price. Overall you will be getting a quality residential zero turn mower without breaking the bank if you decide to buy this model.

Husqvarna put a lot of effort into designing and manufacturing this mower in order to make sure it provides all the benefits of a zero turn mower for residential use without costing an arm and a leg. It has a powerful Kawasaki FR series, 726cc engine with 24 horsepower, along with twin hydrostatic transmission designed to require minimal maintenance and upkeep. It has three grass management options and is designed with comfort, efficiency and durability in mind. It can handle tough jobs and even the hardiest grasses such as St. Augustine or Bermuda grass without breaking a sweat. Its wide cutting deck and top speed of 6.5 mph make it able to handle big jobs quickly. This mower can knock out a 2.8 acre lawn in under an hour, which means you will be able to finish your lawn care responsibilities and be back to enjoying the weekend sooner than ever. Combine that with the competitive price tag and three year warranty and you can see why Husqvarna remains one of the most trusted lawn care manufacturers in the industry today. This is a great zero turn mower for residential use.

Cons

Of course, no zero turn mower is perfect – or if there is one out there, I have not yet seen it. While the Husqvarna RZ5424 is a great zero turn mower with excellent features, durable construction and highly efficient design, there are a few areas where this mower is not as optimal as I would like. For example, while a mulching kit accessory is included, the kit affects mower performance. The wheels are residential grade and have some problems. The blades on the mower need frequent sharpening especially if used on tougher grasses. A consistent problem on zero turn mowers is learning to use the dual lever drive system, and the Husqvarna RZ5424 is no exception in this area. And the mower can get bogged down in very tall grass. It is important that you take stock of these drawbacks and compare them to those of other zero turn mowers to decide if this is the right one for you, especially in light of its price tag and positive features.

1. Mulching plug affects mower performance : Now, as I mentioned above, it is not terribly common for a zero turn mower with a competitive price to offer three grass clippings management options, and so that is an area where the Husqvarna RZ5424 definitely shines. But on the other hand, you may experience problems with the mower’s performance while you have the mulching plug engaged. Even with the high performance air induction system, the mulching process seems to be a bit much for the mower’s blades to handle efficiently, and this is especially the case if you are cutting grass that is particularly dense, very tall, or wet. Therefore if you do want to use the mulching plug, it is a good idea to cut your lawn regularly enough that the grass is not particularly tall, and to do so late in the morning when the dew has been burned off already. Otherwise you may find the mulching plug is more trouble than it is worth.
2. Wheels are not designed with very good traction : The Husqvarna RZ5424 is a residential zero turn mower, and in part because of that, the wheels are designed for residential use, which means they are somewhat lacking in the traction department. If you have a flat area to take care of, that will not be much of a problem, provided you do not cut your lawn when it is overly wet, which frankly you should avoid doing anyway. But if you do have uneven terrain or steep hills on your property, the wheel traction issue could be a major problem. Of course, it can always be dealt with by purchasing more durable wheels with better traction separately from the Husqvarna RZ5424, but that means you will be laying out additional costs beyond the initial purchase price. If you feel that this might prove to be problematic for you, and you do not want to spend additional money to make your zero turn mower have better traction, then you may want to look at a different model with better traction.
3. The blades need regular sharpening : Even though they are made from 12 gauge steel, the three blades on the Husqvarna RZ5424 need routine sharpening to keep them functioning at optimal performance. While Husqvarna recommends sharpening the blades after 25 hours of use, you may find that they need sharpening much sooner than that. This is especially true if you are going to be using the Husqvarna RZ5424 on dense areas of grass or on varieties of grass that have a reputation for being particularly tough, such as St Augustine or Bermuda grass. Of course, sharpening your blades regularly does not wind up costing you any more money, but it can be a bit of an inconvenience, especially if you find that you have to do it once every six weeks or every month. So keep that in mind when you are considering whether to buy this mower: it may require more work than you might be willing to do in order to keep it performing well.
4. Dual lever steering control takes some getting used to : These days, a lot of zero turn mower manufacturers are starting to opt for joystick control over the traditional dual lever control system, but unfortunately that is not the case on the Husqvarna RZ5424. If you have experience operating a zero turn mower with a dual lever control system, then this probably will not pose much of a problem to you. But if you have never operated one before, you should be prepared for the fact that they are not particularly easy to maneuver at first. Because you are providing differential power to each of the back wheels with two separate levers, driving one of these mowers takes a bit of getting used to, and you may experience problems the first few times you use it. If you want to avoid this, you should consider looking into a joystick operated zero turn mower instead.
5. The mower gets bogged down in very tall grass : Despite the fact that it has a powerful 726cc engine and 24 horsepower with three 12 gauge steel blades, the Husqvarna RZ5424 nevertheless tends to get bogged down when it is used on very tall grass. While you could of course avoid this problem by not letting your grass get too tall, sometimes that just is not an option, and when that is the case you want a zero turn mower that will get the job done. Often owners of zero turn mowers want them specifically for jobs that have very tall grass – mowing a field a couple of times a season, for example. If that is the case for you, then this is a problem you should take very seriously. You do not want to purchase a zero turn mower like the Husqvarna RZ5424 only to find that it cannot do the job you need it to do.

So taking all of those drawbacks in mind, I urge you to compare them to the pros I listed above and think about whether or not the Husqvarna RZ5424 is the zero turn mower for you. You may find that these drawbacks do not apply to the kind of property you are responsible for taking care of, in which case a residential grade zero turn mower like this one may be just right. If you have a large lawn and even terrain on your property, and you feel comfortable learning how to use a zero turn mower, then the problems associated with the Husqvarna RZ5424 are probably not so serious that you should walk away from this mower. But if you have a hilly property, or if you usually let your grass get fairly tall before you cut it, or if you think that getting used to a dual lever operating system might prove to be too much of a challenge for you, then you may want to consider some other zero turn mowers that do not have the cons I have described above.

Product Comparison

Rather than simply taking into account the pros and cons of a single zero turn mower and looking at them by themselves, a better method of determining whether this is the right mower for you is to compare it to some similar models that are manufactured by Husqvarna’s competitors. This was you can see how the Husqvarna RZ5424 stacks up to other similarly priced residential grade zero turn mowers. In this way you have a more complete picture of what this mower offers compared to what is on the market today. In order to help you do this quickly and easily, I have provided a table that compares the Husqvarna RZ5424 with the Swisher ZT2452A and the Stanley 54ZS.

	Husqvarna RZ5424	Swisher ZT2452A	Stanley 54ZS
Dimensions	75.1 x 67.5 x 39.9 inches	73.2 x 55.8 x 29.7 inches	83.1 x 64.5 x 45.8 inches
Power	Gas	Gas	Gas
Engine Manufacturer	Kawasaki	Briggs & Stratton	Kawasaki
Engine Specs	FR Series 726-cc Engine	ELS Twin	FR691V 726-cc Engine
Transmission	Hydro-Gear	Hydro-Gear	Peerless
Transmission Type	Hydrostatic	Hydrostatic	Hydrostatic
Gas Tank	3.50 Galons	4.00 Galons	7.50 Galons
Starter	Key	Key	Key
Deck Size (cutting swath)	54-inch	52-inch	54-inch
Number of Blades	3	3	2
Productivity	2.8 Acres/hr	N/A	N/A
Mulch/Bag/Discharge	Mulch, bag, and discharge	Side discharge	Side discharge
Drive System	Lever-operated	Lever-operated	Lever-operated
Max Speed	6.5 mph forward 3.5 mph reverse	6.0 mph forward 6.0 mph reverse	10.0 mph forward 10.0 mph reverse
Height Adjustment	Single lever (6 positions)	Single lever (7 positions)	Single lever (8 positions)
Height Settings	1-1/2- to 4-1/2-inch	1-1/2- to 4-1/2-inch	1-1/2- to 5-inch
Wheel Size	11×6-inch front 18×9-inch rear	11×4-inch front 18×10-inch rear	15×6-inch front 22×10-inch rear
Weight	640 pounds	595 pounds	1000 pounds
Warranty	3 years	2 years	Lifetime

As you can see, Husqvarna RZ5424 has the largest deck size of the three mowers, at 54 inches, and also has the most powerful engine, a 726cc Kawasaki F series. It has three blades, again the highest number, and it is the second fastest at 6.5 mph, whereas the Stanley is much faster, topping out at 10 mph. The Husqvarna RZ5424 is the only one of the three to provide three grass clippings management options in the initial purchase price. Its warranty is a year longer than the Swisher’s warranty, but the Stanley company provides a lifetime warranty on its model. The Stanley is the biggest and the heaviest of the three mowers, which could be problematic for storage and transport, while the Husqvarna RZ5424 falls in the middle of the range. The Husqvarna RZ5424 has the smallest gas tank of the three, at only 3.5 gallons. All three machines are operated with a dual lever system.

Conclusion

When you are the owner of a very large property that has more than an acre of lawn to take care of, you are going to find that owning a riding mower is simply a necessity. And when you are looking at riding mowers, you will quickly see that zero turn mowers are the most efficient ones on the market today. They have the widest cutting decks, the most efficient maneuvering capabilities, and the fastest speeds. That means they are able to cut a lawn in fewer passes and much more quickly than lawn tractors or other riding mowers, and they are able to maneuver easily around obstacles such as trees or garden beds with zero problems. Because of these reasons, zero turn mowers are perfect for homeowners with an acre or more of grass to cut.

Conclusion Pros

1. 54 inch cutting deck with three cutting blades for faster cuts.
2. Powerful Kawasaki 726cc engine and hydrostatic transmission.
3. Three grass clippings management options included.
4. Compact, durable design.
5. Competitive pricing.

As you can see, the Husqvarna RZ5424 provides a number of significant advantages to the homeowner with a lot of grass to cut. It has a huge 54 inch cutting deck and three 12 gauge steel cutting blades so that you can get your grass cut in fewer passes and get back to enjoying your weekend. It has a powerful Kawasaki F series 726cc engine and twin hydrostatic transmissions that provide a top forward speed of 6.5 mph and provide for better handling and maneuverability. It has three grass clippings management options included in the initial sticker price, and it has a compact and durable design that make it easier to store in your garage and ensure that it will hold up to repeated use on tough jobs. Finally it is competitively priced so that you can be sure you are not breaking the bank when you buy it.

Conclusion Cons

1. Mulching kit affects mower performance.
2. Wheels do not have very good traction for steep inclines.
3. Blades need repeated sharpening.
4. Dual level control system is difficult to get used to.
5. Gets bogged down in very tall grass.

These cons should all be carefully taken into consideration, as any one of them can seriously affect this zero turn mower’s performance under the wrong circumstances. If you intend to use the mulching kit, you will find that the performance of the cutting blades is negatively impacted, especially if you are using it on taller grass. The wheels do not have the necessary traction for maneuvering up steeper hills, so if your property has uneven terrain this could be problematic. The blades tend to need sharpening sooner than the 25 hour recommended time. The dual lever control is difficult to learn how to use at first, and some users tend to prefer the easier joystick control on other models. Finally, the Husqvarna RZ5424 tends to get bogged down in very tall grass, which can be an issue if you like to let your grass grow a bit between cuttings.

Final Word

A zero turn mower is a great machine that allows the operator to cut a large area of grass is a fairly short amount of time. The fact that it can literally make an about face due to the variable drive system means that the zero turn mower is more maneuverable than any other riding mower out there today. Add to that the huge cutting deck width and three blades, along with a top speed of 6.5 miles per hour, and you are looking at a machine that can cut more than two acres of grass in well under an hour. This means you will make short work of your lawn care responsibilities and be back to enjoying your weekend with your family a lot sooner.

The Husqvarna RZ5424 provides all of the advantages of the zero turn mower, and it is designed for residential use, which means that it is perfect for the homeowner with a lot of grass to cut. This mower has a 54 inch cutting deck and is made of durable materials so that it can stand up to repeated use on tough jobs for years to come. It is designed with efficiency, durability and comfort in mind. That means it is one of the best zero turn mowers for residential use on the market today.

Best Price

The Husqvarna RZ5424 is designed for residential use, and because of that, it will not hold up to use by a professional lawn care company, but it also does not carry a professional level price tag. This zero turn mower tends to fall somewhere on the lower end of the price range for zero turn mowers, and it is one of the few ones available today that has a cutting deck width of more than 50 inches and a powerful Kawasaki engine that also boast a price tag of less than three thousand dollars. Prices for zero turn mowers are routinely more than $5000, and can run as high as even $10,000. For the price, the Husqvarna RZ5424 still provides all the benefits of owning a zero turn mower, but it will also definitely not break the bank or exhaust your entire home and garden budget for the year.