How do older cheetahs stack up against new scags?

[blades&stripes]

I've had my 2015 Cheetah (61 deck, 29hp Kawasaki) for three seasons, and it's been reliable. I'm curious how it compares to the new Scag mowers. It makes a lot of dust in my yard because the grass is thin, but it works great in my mother-in-law's thick grass. Is this typical, or are newer models better at preventing that? What do you guys think?

 

[MowerCrew85]

The dust in thin grass is a common complaint across many brands, not just Scag, and it's largely due to the deck creating a strong vacuum effect.
In thin areas, there's not enough grass to block that airflow, so it sucks up dirt.
You shouldn't expect drastic reduction from newer models based on the design change alone.
Some users try different blade types or even DIY baffles for specific dusty spots, but it's a trade-off for overall cutting performance.

 

[zeroturnexpert1022]

When dealing with thin grass, dust is pretty common. Newer Scag mowers come with improved deck designs and better airflow, but they still won't completely get rid of dust. To help minimize dust in those thin turf spots, think about using mulching blades or just mowing at slower speeds.