Gravely® expanded its commercial stand-on portfolio with the introduction of the new Gravely Pro-Stance® Ultra. The new platform features 52” and 60” deck offerings, plus a 72” EFI model, breaking through Gravely’s cutting width ceiling in the category and addressing a market desire for premium comfort, efficiency, power, durability, and performance in a stand-on mower.
“This launch marks an exciting chapter in the Gravely story,” said AriensCo Sr. Vice President of Customer Success Stephen Ariens. “Gravely is the brand for professionals who need rugged equipment with superior performance and high ergonomic standards. This product is a perfect fit to give our customers what they need to succeed and grow their businesses through efficiency.”
Bringing the Pro-Stance Ultra to life is Gravely’s response to a rapidly expanding commercial stand-on market. Compared to ride-on mowers, stand-on mowers allow the body to absorb shocks more naturally and it makes entry on and exit off the equipment faster.
“Operators are quickly realizing the ergonomic and efficiency benefits of stand-on mowers, which is why we expect that market to grow by 10% in the next two years,” said Gravely Brand Director Patrick McQuillan. “The Pro-Stance Ultra gives serious professionals a new high-end entry point into the stand-on category through a high-performance product that strengthens their stance in terms of capabilities, business reputation, and growth potential.”
Though comfort and efficiency advantages are natural characteristics of stand-on equipment, the Pro-Stance Ultra’s features stand out as a solution for professionals who need to power through long days in demanding mowing environments.
“We tailored the Pro-Stance Ultra to the specifications of our customers,” said Gravely Channel Marketing Manager Angie Ansorge. “Throughout the product’s development, we took prototypes to landscapers across the country so they could test and share their feedback. We leaned in on what they liked and fine-tuned to their suggestions so we could deliver a product that delivers on their needs.”
Guided by those customer voices, the Pro-Stance Ultra is designed with features that offer a host of user benefits:
- A wide, curved operator pad extending below knee height eliminates the potential for knee impact and allows operators to lean into hills confidently.
- 15-inch caster wheels make curb hopping easier and provide more cushion.
- A low center of gravity adds stability on slopes.
- An adjustable platform accommodates a variety of operators.
- The pitched, forward-facing controls are angled to reduce wrist strain.
- The high-capacity 16-gallon fuel tank reduces fill-up breaks on the job.
- A trio of Gravely’s new commercial spindles are cast from cold-forged aluminum, serviceable, and more resilient to moisture penetration and debris ingestion.
The Pro-Stance Ultra also carries over the proprietary deck-lift assist pedal from the existing Pro-Stance platform. This feature allows the operator to float the deck over roots and ruts without the need to remove their hands from the controls and it makes changing cutting height easier. It’s powered exclusively by 35- and 38.5-horsepower Kawasaki FX1000 and FX1000 EFI engines, and comes with a pair of Parker HTG integrated transaxles to move the machine to a top speed of 12.5 mph.
“Compared to pump-and-wheel designs, integrated transaxles have fewer leak points and less potential for issues,” said Ansorge. “Additionally, their service interval is every 1,500 hours after the initial break-in period.”
The transaxle configuration is just one piece of the ease of maintenance baked into the machine.
“The operator pad can be removed in seconds and without any tools for easy access to maintenance points. For operators, our consideration for ‘360 degrees of serviceability’ means less expense, less downtime, and more reliable service for their customers,” said Ansorge.
Like all Gravely equipment, the Pro-Stance Ultra is backed with the support of a nationwide network of authorized Gravely dealers and trained service professionals. All models also include a leading five-year, or 1,500-hour warranty and limited lifetime warranties on the seven-gauge steel deck shell and frame.
The Pro-Stance Ultra is designed at AriensCo’s headquarters in Brillion, Wisconsin, and fabricated and assembled in Fayetteville, Tennessee. It will be available at select independently owned and operated Gravely dealers in the U.S. and Canada in 2025.
For more information or to find a Gravely dealer, visit Gravely.com.
New Spindle Designed to Enhance Reliability on Largest Gravely® Commercial Mowers
The largest mowers in the Gravely® commercial lineup are getting a new and improved mower blade spindle. Cast in the same dependable cold-forged aluminum Gravely has used for several years, the new spindle features elements designed to help prevent moisture and erosion nets from wreaking havoc on a professional’s productivity.
“We spent a lot of time in the field learning what makes lawn maintenance professionals successful, as well as their struggles,” said Gravely Channel Marketing Manager Angie Ansorge. “Spindle failures through bearing corrosion or interference with debris is a very large pain point, which is what lead us down the path of upgrading our design.”
With spindle reliability factoring heavily into machine downtime, it’s mission critical landscapers have a solution that may help reduce the number of those failures.
“Our attention to single components is an expression of our commitment to commercial operators,” said Gravely Brand Director Patrick McQuillan. “Providing them with high-quality machines that feature durable components is how we help them run their businesses and minimize downtime. A spindle performing in challenging conditions is something landscapers should be able to count on.”
Building that confidence into the next-generation commercial spindle starts with reusing winning features of the former design, mainly the dependability of Gravely’s cold-forged aluminum casting.
“Compared to cast-iron designs, Gravely’s cold-forged aluminum spindle operates at cooler temperatures and is more resilient to failures from heat – ultimately, this means less expense and downtime when those failures occur,” said Ansorge. “This a clear and proven advantage for us, so we didn’t change that construction.”
To bolster existing durability, the single-row roller bearings are swapped with double roller bearings. The added bearing thickness distributes load across two sets of bearings and across a larger area to reduce chances for seizing and failures. If that’s not enough, the spindle is also serviceable.
“Most operators can easily replace the bearings and O-ring seals in very little time with a service kit,” said Ansorge. “Using only hand tools, you remove the blade bolt and drop the inner spacer to gain access to the bearings.”
Materials aside, efforts to enhance the design’s reliability are made through modifications to debris and moisture entry points. At the top, a labyrinth seal directs moisture away from the shaft to reduce potential for water penetration, corrosion, and eventual failure. A shouldered, or stepped seal at the bottom helps prevent ingestion of debris like erosion nets.
“Through our principle of continuous improvement, we tweaked what was already on the drawing board to find ways that could provide a better experience for our customers,” said Ansorge.”
Gravely’s new commercial spindle will enter production on all Pro-Turn 300, Pro-Turn 500, Pro-Turn 600, and Pro-Stance Ultra models in fall 2024 and independently owned and operated Gravely dealerships in the U.S. and Canada in 2025. To learn more or to find a dealer, visit Gravely.com. A rendered cutaway image of Gravely’s new commercial spindle design is located here.