I have been lurking in this forum for some time looking for information on the L-series HST. Last week I finally took the plunge and traded in my B2150 for an L-3710 HST, remote hdr., FEL, 6' snowblower with hdr chute, BH tiller and mid-mower. I'm ecstatic about the tractor - this machine is a quantum step above the B2150. I got the belly mower for ease of operations particularly for my wife. I am disappointed however about the procedure to install the mid-mower. It involves taking wheels and scalp rollers off, jacking one wheel on the tractor, sliding the mower (500-600lbs) sideways under the tractor and fastening on about 6 points. This procedure appears even more complicated than putting the mid-mower on the B2150. I suppose I could lift the tractor with the bucket and slide the mower in from the front but I don't intend to mow the grass with the FEL on, particularly under wet conditions. Putting the FEL on and off every time I want to attach the mower would be a nuisance. Has anyone on this forum found an easier method of putting on the Kubota mid-mower on the L-series.
Belly mower for L series
- Thread starter JTS
- Start date
Thomas
Epic Contributor
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2000
- Messages
- 29,773
- Location
- Lebanon,NH.
- Tractor
- Kubota B2650HSD w/Frontloader & CC LTX1046 & Craftman T2200 lawn mower.
JTS,
Since you wish not to leave your FEL on while mowing also help w/installing the the mower deck,I was wondering if a set of ramps would help installing your mower deck.
Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif
Since you wish not to leave your FEL on while mowing also help w/installing the the mower deck,I was wondering if a set of ramps would help installing your mower deck.
Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif
AndyR
Gold Member
Congrats on your new tractor. I recently purchased same and have been VERY pleased with it. Your mid-mower mount issues remind me of the hassles putting the mower on my JD325. I agree with Thomas about the ramps - sounds good though I haven't seen the procedure for mounting the belly mower. You might also consider using a set of car dollies (if you have a flat hard surface to work off of) underneath your mower. They would give you all axis motion without too much height increase.
Hows that snowblower working? Post some pics when you can.
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." - Ben Franklin
Hows that snowblower working? Post some pics when you can.
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." - Ben Franklin
Thanks for the suggestions. The combination of ramps and car dollies may work on my concrete garage floor. However, I'd have to build ramps with a sharp slope for the mower to clear them, as the Kubota procedure calls for turning the front wheels so the mower can clear them.
I was also thinking that I could use a hydraulic floor jack to lift the tractor somewhere behind the front wheels, slide the mower in from the front, rest the tractor wheels on the mower and reset the jack up front on the frame (or use another jack!) and slide the mower in the attachment position - #$@&%$.
It's a shame Kubota didn't engineer the mower so that wheels could turn in all directions (as in car dollies) and design a better and quicker attach/detach method. That way they wouldn't lose as many sales to competitors selling the rear 3ph mowers. Ultimately I may go the competitor route myself!
There is no substitute for a snowblower for moving snow. The hydraulic chute is fantastic to avoid throwing snow (and rocks!) in the living room windows and/or driveway lights.
With 2' of snow in the yard, the jury is still out on the tiller.
I was also thinking that I could use a hydraulic floor jack to lift the tractor somewhere behind the front wheels, slide the mower in from the front, rest the tractor wheels on the mower and reset the jack up front on the frame (or use another jack!) and slide the mower in the attachment position - #$@&%$.
It's a shame Kubota didn't engineer the mower so that wheels could turn in all directions (as in car dollies) and design a better and quicker attach/detach method. That way they wouldn't lose as many sales to competitors selling the rear 3ph mowers. Ultimately I may go the competitor route myself!
There is no substitute for a snowblower for moving snow. The hydraulic chute is fantastic to avoid throwing snow (and rocks!) in the living room windows and/or driveway lights.
With 2' of snow in the yard, the jury is still out on the tiller.
I have an L3010 that I got in December and I have removed and installed the mower twice (it's a long story) and I have found it easy to roll the mower under the tractor and install the 5 pins, however, installing the rings in the ends of the pins is a pain in the neck on the two pins closest to the front. Kubota should have done a better job engineering the positioning of the brackets/pins. If they were moved just an inch or so it would be 1000% easier.
How often do you plan on installing and removing the mower? My plan will be to leave the mower off all winter and installed all spring/summer/fall. Therefore I will just use the loader to lift the front of the tractor. If I need to remove the mower to do something else in the summer I'm probably going to want the loader on anyway. I can't think of anything I would do that I would want both the mower and loader off the tractor.
On my old tractor (L175) with a woods mid mower I used to just drive the front of the tractor over the mower deck. I have looked at my new mower closely enough to determine whether or not this might be possible....but it is definitely easy to do.
Good Luck
How often do you plan on installing and removing the mower? My plan will be to leave the mower off all winter and installed all spring/summer/fall. Therefore I will just use the loader to lift the front of the tractor. If I need to remove the mower to do something else in the summer I'm probably going to want the loader on anyway. I can't think of anything I would do that I would want both the mower and loader off the tractor.
On my old tractor (L175) with a woods mid mower I used to just drive the front of the tractor over the mower deck. I have looked at my new mower closely enough to determine whether or not this might be possible....but it is definitely easy to do.
Good Luck
Kevin
I usually install and remove the mower 6-7 times during the spring-summer-fall. Other implements I use or plan to use are rototiller, bushhog, boxscraper, plow and wood splitter. Of these, I would only consider using the rototiller without the FEL under certain soil conditions. But you're probably right, this is a marginal need at best and I could use the FEL every time I take the mower off.
As for the ring locks, I have not put my mower on yet, so it sounds like I'm going to have a similar problem. Is the problem the location or the ring lock or both. Have you thought of using other devices to lock the pins. I solved that problem on my B2150 with spring loaded cutter pin-type of locks.
I used to roll the front wheels of my B2150 over the mower using simple wooden ramps. This won't work with the L3710 because the front wheels are much wider (even wider than the L3010) with the same width mower, such that the front wheels would have to roll over the high section of the welded wheel brackets on the mower.
It's hard to understand after so many years of producing mid-mowers for their tractors, that Kubota hasn't figured out a better way of installing and removing this implement.
I usually install and remove the mower 6-7 times during the spring-summer-fall. Other implements I use or plan to use are rototiller, bushhog, boxscraper, plow and wood splitter. Of these, I would only consider using the rototiller without the FEL under certain soil conditions. But you're probably right, this is a marginal need at best and I could use the FEL every time I take the mower off.
As for the ring locks, I have not put my mower on yet, so it sounds like I'm going to have a similar problem. Is the problem the location or the ring lock or both. Have you thought of using other devices to lock the pins. I solved that problem on my B2150 with spring loaded cutter pin-type of locks.
I used to roll the front wheels of my B2150 over the mower using simple wooden ramps. This won't work with the L3710 because the front wheels are much wider (even wider than the L3010) with the same width mower, such that the front wheels would have to roll over the high section of the welded wheel brackets on the mower.
It's hard to understand after so many years of producing mid-mowers for their tractors, that Kubota hasn't figured out a better way of installing and removing this implement.
The problem is with actually getting the locking rings on the pins. Getting the pins in is relatively easy. I am considering switching to a different style pin so I don't need to put any rings on. I'm not sure what they are called but I was thinking of using some of the pins that have a little ball on the end to lock them in and a button on the other end to release the ball. Does that make any sense?