A V-twin engine with 44.2-cu in. (724-cc) displacement provides plenty of power and torque to handle tough mulching, mowing, and bagging conditions:

• V-twin cylinder design for greater torque, lower vibration, and improved sound quality
• Engine model M44
• Electronic ignition for fast starts
• Cast-iron sleeves for longer engine life
• Overhead valves for excellent power and fuel economy
• Spin-on oil filter with pressure lubrication for keeping the oil cleaner for long engine life and extended time between oil changes; pressure lubrication is also more effective when operating the tractor on an incline
• Easy access to the no-tools oil drain valve for oil changes
• Rear engine guard for protecting the engine and providing additional strength and integrity

Replaceable fuel filter and oil filter are easy to access and change to minimize service time and cost.

John Deere recommends the use of fuel stabilizer in gasoline. See Fuel-Protect for gasoline engines (8 oz [237 mL]) for more information

The 48-in. (122-cm) Accel Deep Mower Deck is a stamped-steel, deep, flat-top design that delivers excellent cut quality, productivity, cleanliness, durability, and versatility. Optimal performance and dispersion of clippings is provided, even at faster mowing speeds or in tall grass:

• 4.83-in. (12.3-cm) deep throughout the entire deck shell for optimum mowing and mulching performance
• Optional MulchControl™ system provides superior mulching performance and versatility.
• Stamped-steel design eliminates sharp edges and corners where material can build up and diminish mowing performance
• Mower deck is suspended from the vehicle for a smooth and level cut
• Adjustable mower wheels, positioned just above ground level, help reduce scalping
• 0.25-in. (6.4-mm) cut-height increments allow the mower to be set at the desired cut height

EXCELLENT CUT QUALITY

Deep mower-deck stamping gives excellent cut quality. It allows the cut and suspended material room to exit the deck without getting recut:

• Reducing the amount of re-cutting enables more power to be used to cut incoming grass, which greatly improves mower capacity.
• Helps maintain excellent cut quality at faster mowing speeds
• Clean flow of material out of discharge area prevents cut material from interfering with cutting the incoming grass, making it possible for the blades to cut incoming material cleanly.
• Even in mulching mode, cut evenness is improved compared to other designs because the additional depth allows for continuous circulation, optimal re-cutting, and an even distribution of clippings.

PRODUCTIVITY - GETTING THE JOB DONE FAST

Deep mower-deck stamping gives high productivity, which gets the job done fast. It allows the cut and suspended material room to exit the deck quickly, reducing the amount of recutting so more power is available to process incoming grass:

• Greatly improves mowers capacity to maintain excellent mowing performance in difficult mowing conditions and at higher speeds

Large discharge opening is both high and wide to handle more material:

• Gives a smooth, even discharge of clippings at all mowing speeds
• Reduces the chance of plugging, especially important when operating in wet, thick, or dense grass

CLEANLINESS - FOR THE MOWER AND THE OPERATOR

The flat-top shape of the deck stamping is optimal for keeping itself and the operator clean:

• There are few places to catch and hold material on top and underneath the deck.
• Top of deck stays cleaner, reducing time and effort needed for cleaning and service
• Underside of deck is self-cleaning to maintain optimum performance without buildup of material to interfere with the flow of air and clippings
• Less need to clean and remove buildup of material from underside deck
• The depth of the Accel Deep Mower Deck minimizes the amount of material that escapes from the front of the deck
• Limited amount of material to drift onto the operator and mower deck
• Even for material discharged out the chute, less recutting results in larger pieces that are less likely to end up on the operator
• Mulching prevents the discharge of material completely and MulchControl makes mulching a practical solution for most mowing situations.

Cleaning a mower deck, both top and bottom, is one of the most frequent maintenance activities:

• The flat-top design reduces places for material to build up and makes material that does collect easy to remove.

A wash port is provided to make cleaning the underside of the mower deck easy.

• Hose connector is included with the mower deck.

SUPERIOR DURABILITY IS DESIGNED IN

The 48A Mower Deck has strong spindle pockets, to keep the blades aligned, even after years of tough service:

• Stamped from strong 10-gauge, 0.135-in. (3.4-mm) steel
• Ribs in the deck shell add strength where it is needed.
• The 48A has a 23 percent heavier overall weight than the Edge™ Xtra 48-in. (122-cm) Mower Deck used on previous machines.

Mower wheels are double captured:

• Provides greater strength and durability for longer, trouble-free life.
• Single-bolt adjustment makes setting wheels to the correct height for the cutting height quick and easy.

Low-tension belt-drive design reduces the side load on engine lower bearings and mower deck bearings for longer life.

The 48A Mower Deck features a 5/8-in. (16-mm) diameter solid-steel rod side bumper that provides extra strength and protection.

Dual-stage E-coat and powder-paint coatings provide extra protection from rust.

VERSATILITY - EASY TO CHANGE BETWEEN SIDE DISCHARGE AND MULCH MODES

The 48A Mower Deck is designed for maximum versatility, providing the greatest ease in changing from one mower discharge mode to another:

• With MulchControl, changing from side discharge to mulching or vice versa is done with the simple flip of a lever.

MULCHCONTROL OPTION

The MulchControl system for the 48A Mower Deck is an optional field-installed attachment and makes mulching practical for many mowing situations because it not only does an excellent job of mulching but it also allows the mower to be easily converted for times when it is more desirable to side discharge the lawn material. Advantages of mulching grass clippings include:

• A beautiful looking lawn
• Grass clippings not blown onto the operator, driveways, or flower beds
• Less fertilizer use
• Elimination of the effort needed to dispose of clippings

HOW MULCHCONTROL WORKS

MulchControl is an innovative, simple design that is easy to use and maintain:

• The MulchControl attachment includes baffles to control the flow of material under the deck.
• The MulchControl baffle, or divider, between the left and middle spindles is about halfway down. The height is designed to balance the mulching and side-discharge modes.
• When the MulchControl baffle is open, the divider between the left and middle spindles passes a portion of the material to the discharge opening, along with the material from the middle and right spindle areas.
• When the MulchControl baffle is closed, the material stays within the deck and gets chopped into mulch and deposited in the turf.

• The MulchControl handle is located on top of the mower deck and used to open and close the discharge baffle.
• The operator is required to get off the machine in order to engage or disengage mulch mode.
• Changing from mulching to side discharge or vice versa takes only a few seconds.

MulchControl is well-suited to the following mowing situations:

• Usually mulch, but side discharge when grass gets too long
• Usually side-discharge, but would like to be able to close the chute to control clippings
• Always mulch a main lawn, but often side discharge secondary lawns

MulchControl puts the operator in control of the clippings. The operator can have all the benefits of mulching with the ability to easily change to side discharge when needed.

While in the side-discharge mode, MulchControl still mulches about one-third of the material. Therefore, the side-discharge mode is essentially a partial-mulch mode. This can be an advantage as it helps to reduce the amount of material being discharged. Other times this could work as a disadvantage:

• When cutting strong southern grasses, such as Zoysia and Bermuda
• When cutting in wet, high-growth conditions, such as those found in the Pacific Northwest United States

NOTE: A rear bagger is not available for ZTrak Z355E, Z355R, Z365R, or Z375R.

The operator station is designed for operator comfort and convenience when operating all controls:

• Excellent visibility forward and to the trim side of the deck makes operation easy and comfortable for the operator.
• Controls are color coded for easy identification.
• Low-fuel warning light is easily visible in daylight.
• Twin-lever controls adjust, using cut-height pin/socket, for convenience and operator comfort.
• A shock absorber dampens motion control lever movement to give smooth operation.

COMFORTABLE SEAT

Comfortable seats make the operator experience more pleasant. Armrests, included on the Z355E seat, can be flipped up out of the way, if desired:

• Z335E – 15-in. (38-cm) high seat back without armrests
• Z355E – 15-in. (38-cm) high seat back with adjustable armrests

• Z345M – 18-in. (46-cm) high seat back with adjustable armrests

SEAT SUSPENSION

Two steel coil suspension springs under the seat absorb shocks when traveling over rougher areas to provide a smoother ride.

The seat has a 2.5-in. (6.35-cm) fore-aft adjustment. The cut-height pin/socket can be used to loosen the bolts in order to make seat adjustments.

CUP HOLDER AND STORAGE COMPARTMENTS

The cup holder is designed to hold two common cup sizes securely.

Covered storage under the seat and open storage along the left side of the vehicle provide safe and secure places for the operator to keep safety equipment, a cell phone, etc.

OPERATOR FOOT PLATFORM

Large foot platform helps the operator remain comfortable and secure:

• Volcano grips give a secure grip.
• Raised footrests at the front of the platform provide a comfortable area for the operator's feet.

A convenient service interval decal provides basic maintenance information. It provides a quick reference for keeping recommended service up to date.

QUICK RESPONSE (QR) CODES LINK TO OWNER INFORMATION WEB PAGES

John Deere riding lawn mowers are supported by owner information web pages that include links to:

• Safety and how-to videos
• Operator’s manuals
• Parts catalog
• Maintenance reminder sheets
• Attachments
• Warranty statements

To To speed access to owner information web pages, a QR code is printed onto a PIN label located under the seat on the battery cover. Since each vehicle model has its own web page, the links are specific to the owner’s model. The QR code also includes the vehicle’s unique PIN which allows for additional customization of the owner information web page in the future.

MOWER DECK ACCESS

The footrest area is hinged and easily raised for service to mower deck:

• It is necessary to remove just one bolt that can be conveniently removed with the lift-height pin.
• Easy to clean grass off the top of the mower
• Provides convenient access to the mower drive

ENGINE SERVICE

The engines are easy to service, including changing the oil and the oil filter and servicing the air filter.

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The Z365R engine has the John Deere Easy Change™ 30-second oil change system.

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Accel Deep™ Mower Decks have several features that make them easy to service:

• Flat-top design minimizes places for debris to collect.
• Spring-loaded, flip-up belt guards make removing debris easy.
• Provision is provided for a standard, 3/8-in. (9.5-mm) ratchet wrench to be used for releasing belt tension when removing the drive belt.

Tie-down locations are provided for convenience and safety when trailering the machine.

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