Buying Advice Best mulching MMM for SCUT

[JoeLaFrank]

I am looking to upgrade a JD325 with a 54" deck with mulching attachment. I have taken the mulching kit completely off to confirm that my wife and I really like the mulching as opposed to gator blades alone. With the JD mulching system, we mow with the adjustable plate fully raised in the spring or when more than 2/3 of the height of the grass blades are cut, in mid-position in the summer, and fully lowered in the fall to mulch leaves and avoid raking. I have shopped Kubota, John Deere, and Kioti. Kioti does not have a mulching option. Kubota has the standard, finecut, and a full mulch kit for the finecut deck. Three Kubota dealers advised that they strongly advise against mulching in my area (central Indiana) and only recommend the standard deck. Further, I'm advised that the mulching kit is a real pain to take on and off on a Kubota. The JD dealer tells me the mulch kit for the 1025R will work similar to that on my JD 325. I had been leaning toward a BX 1870 or 2370 largely due to cost savings over the JD1025R, but with mulching capability being a priority, I've about decided that the 1025R is the way to go even at 3-5K extra. Does anyone have experience with mulching in the Midwest with a Kubota or JD 1025R who could advise otherwise or confirm what I've been told?

 

[AxleHub]

If you are looking for a true mulching solution in a mmm . . there is only one true unit to consider imo.

Massey maked a model 2315 deck that is used on their GC models. I have one. It is 6 blades (not 3). It us 54 inches if cutting and the entire width of the deck is less than 56 inches. No chute, no plugs or plastic baffles. The deck is built to me a wholly defined baffling of deck metal. It has hidden rollers in the back and visual wheels and roller on all sides.

It is high lift. There is no exhaust chute anywhere. I can mulch up to 7 inches of bluegrass or fescue or rye. My lawn is thick because its bluegrass. I'm in western wi. You cut and see grass blades and a few hours later they are gone because 6 blades are chopping them into healthy regrowth.

I have a gc1715 and it doesn't need double cutting or slow down.

No wind rows. Nothing to fly out. Cut next to flower beds with no need to worry which way you are cutting. .

 

[JoeLaFrank]

Thanks for your response AxleHub. I've now read some of your posts about your MF SCUT as well as research from the MF website. There seem to be some distinct advantages about the MF 1700 series vs the BX and 1025R. Despite filling out forms from the MF site and exchanging emails and phone calls I've yet to find a dealer in central Indiana who stocks the 1705/1715 or who can provide a quote. One sales rep I spoke with thought the difference between the 1705 and 1715 was the backhoe on the 1715. I had to explain that I thought that was the 1710 or 1720 with the backhoe. So the MF SCUT is not well known in my neck of the woods.

I'm still hoping to hear from BX users who might have the finecut deck or 1025R owners who have the mulching kit and can confirm it works well.

 

[SteveM70]

Massey Ferguson does a poor job marketing there scuts in my opinion. They have a great little tractor that is competitively priced. They could probably increase there sales of these things dramatically if they cared enough to try.

 

[AxleHub]

1. What radius have you looked in for an MF dealer? In central and western WI there are numerous mf dealers that also sell kubota. I'm sure there are numerous MF dealers in Indiana but maybe you'd desire to open up your radius a bit to more thoroughly evaluate the situation.

2. Because a tractor is a significant investment for many of us . . Possibly you might want to consider taking a little trip to really evaluate the possibilities of MF vs. Kubota . . at 1 dealership that carries all the products and has them ALL inside. YOU CAN GO THERE 7 DAYS A WEEK and most days they are open till 7 p.m.. And yes you could even test drive a couple.

Now this idea is to go to a big dealer in a little town. Sauk City WI. I don't know anywhere that would have a larger dealer or product selection to look at. While they would ve very price competitive . . that isn't the point because I'm not suggesting where you buy . . only that you get to see DIEECTLY the priducts next to each other. If you've read some of my post you know I took my wife along and she wasn't bored. If they can't answer your questions . . I don't know who could . .

Now I understand irs a sustance . . but it's also less than an hour from Wisconsin Dells and in another direction not far from tourist areas like Frank Llyod Wright's house in Spring Green etc.. In other words you could make a pleasant weekend of it yet not be expensive or boring

When I went there I had no idea it was this massive but small town operation. My wife and I sat on maybe 8 or so mf and kubota choices. We measured and compared. But there is also lawn mowers and decorating and a huge hardware store. It was worth every hour spent on the road to see it. And the price quotes supported me purchasing there too in my case. But I'm not suggesting that even though these are national warranty products.

Just a thought.

If you did it . . I'd suggest contacting Dan who is the sales manager for times that would work well. Tell him AxleHub from La Crosse suggested the idea. By the way . . I was the first sale they made that had the mf2315 mulcher deck. Even they hadn't heard of it till I told them about it (as well as mf insurance program that is excellent).

McFarlanes.net - Sauk City, Wisconsin

 

[JoeLaFrank]

Thanks AxleHub for your suggestion. My wife and I may just make a trip to Sauk City. Having Kubota and MF at the same location would be a benefit. I was finally contacted yesterday by a MF dealer 50 mi away. The salesrep seemed knowledgeable, gave a great price for a 1705 and indicated a 1715 was only ~$1200 more. I did not get a firm quote but it seemed like it would be~$3k less than my quote for a JD 1025R, but that price might have included a cash discount. Unfortunately for me they had a good spring for sales and only have a 1705 in stock with no mower deck. They are expecting new inventory within 2 weeks. He did recommend the driveover deck. Said for ~$200 more I could get the 2315 mulching deck but that trimming can be an issue with it as it extends only ~3" on each side. The turning radius or uncut circle might be an issue for a couple of our landscapings but they could be reworked. He wasn't sure that a mower deck could be tested on my property.

Any thoughts on the trimming issue? Also, what do blades cost and how frequently do they need replaced?

 

[SteveM70]

I just ordered a deck from the dealer I purchased my GC 1720 from. I wanted the 54" mulching deck. He just looked at me and said, the only deck I can get is the 60" drive over. I asked him why. He said, "cause know body wants the 54", they all want the 60". He went on to say that he could try to get the 54" but it may take a couple months because they just didn't make many any more.

He went on to assure me he uses two GC's to mow his land and the 60" is the way to go.

Needless to say, I ordered the 60" deck but haven't received it yet to review it.

Just thought it odd that two different dealers are pushing the same deck but quoting different reasons.

 

[AxleHub]

I'll try to respond to both posters issues if I may. Recognize that my pricing info is based on last year's prices in May.

1. The mulching mower deck by MF is unique from other major brand sub compact choices. Its list price was LESS/LOWER than a 60 inch regular or 60 inch drive over deck . . and remember a drive on deck by MF was more expensive than the 60 inch regular deck. My point is . . in 2015 the 2315 deck was several hundreds of dollars cheaper than the mulching deck.

2. In 2015 my dealer had to order my deck and it took 2 weeks or less to get it.

3. Recognize that I specifically wanted the mulching deck because of several reasons relating to landscaping:

a. 60 inch decks are fine for big flat lawns . . but uf you gave hills and rises or peaks and valleys . . Scalping issues increase. One of my neighbors has a drive on 60 inch j.d. mower and wishes he had 50 inch or 54 because of scalping issues and trimming. Ive posted this several times prior.

b. My 54 inch mulcher is about 56 inches wide while an MF 60 inch with its metal chute is about 74 inches. Again . . if you have big flat open lawn . . It doesn't matter . . I have an acre with lots of flower gardens and edging and both flat and heavily sloped areas . . . it makes a difference.

c. The mulching deck has no chute and has no directional blow of grass clippings or accidental rock or sticks flying. I can cut in either direction and have no worries about leaves and grass flying into flower or rock gardens. I have no worries about siding or windows getying damaged or someone getting hit by flying debris.

d. If you are often cutting 8+ or 10 inch tall lawn . . a mulcher mf 2315 may not be for you or you would need to double cut it. If you are cutting 3 to 7 inch grass . . . thats a target for the mulcher unit. Now I did cut my one lawn (not my home laen) one time with 10+ inch grass (fescues and perenial rye but no bluegrass and a few weeds that were 12+ inches) and I double cut it and it was fine but I wouldn't choose to do it as a normal thing.

e. No furrows of grass with the mulcher . . where you cut is where it drops.

Continued to next post.

 

[AxleHub]

4. Cost of blades . . I don't know. Ive used the mulcher deck about 40 hours since I acquired it and 3 of the blades I sharpened once and the other 3 were fine as they were.


5. My lawn is bluegrass where ever we sodded (60% of the acre) and the other 40% is perennial rye/fescue/bluegrass mix. So I get a broad cutting experience of grasses. I don't fertilize but I weed kill and we layer the yard with compost and black dirt on top of clay before sodding and seeding. I think are lawn shows very well but it certainly is not like a golf course green. More like a good fairway lol.

All of these things I've posted about over the last year. My dealer is a large dealer . . yet my salesman told me at delivery that he had to ask around the dealeeship to look up the mf 2315 because they hadn't seen one. And they were impressed with its design.

My summary is this. There is no such thing as a perfect mmm deck. Many variables are involved and had the 2315 mulcher not been available or been expensive . . then I would have gotten the 54 inch standard deck. I believe the 6 blades and the deck's full metal baffling and integrated roller design make a great combination for my uses.

I have a zero turn tractor also (not a rider). Its a cub cadet i1050 and its a great mower and a billy goat for slopes. This spring till july I was using it while my GC1715 was doing other things and the mmm wasn't on. The cub cadet i1050 is unique and very good. But now that my gc1715 has its fluids all changed and my mulcher deck back on . . . all I can say is "welcome back to mulching" lol.

P.S. I discoveted the MF2315 from some research I was doing on a very poor MF website and then started researching it. But after I acquired one and started posting about it I discovered there is someone on the forum who has had a MF2315 mulcher since 2007 or 2008. But since I started posting about them in 2015 I've seen numerous others that have gotten them in the last year also. Most dealers have not had awareness of them imo.

 

[Fiziksgeek]

I would of loved a mulching deck for my Massey, but my leaves are too much for mulching in the fall. I would of preferred a removable mulching kit like other manufacturers, so I can switch in the fall.