Craftsman Lawn Tractor Abuse/Don't Take a Knife to a Gun Fight/I DO Need a Brush Hog!

[TMR]

These are reasons to move to a CUT.

Time -and-

Body. Yours not the lawn machine.

I actually got out of "lawn", "garden" tractors altogether. Part of my property around the house, and one 2-4 acre pasture, use to be maintained by those type of machines.

They got to be too much of an investment in spindle, belt, wiring and engine repairs.
They worn me out physically on bad and marshy terrain.

I got rid of both of them, and use a CUT (Kubota B7800 30HP) machine for thier duties.
I am so lazy now with this machine, on a regular basis I cut 20 acres with it, instead of getting the bigger tractors out.

I guess I just like one machine for turn key and go work.

If I spend more than 2 hours cutting grass, I better be working on more than 2 acres of it.

Thanks Riptides...question...do you cut with a mid-deck on the B7800, a pull behind finishing mower or a brush hog?

I am curious if the mid decks on these larger machines have much stronger spindles, etc. I have become quite good at spindle and belt replacement...as well as re-bending bent front end parts

I do need to do something and perhaps a mid-deck on a more serious machine would handle the rough terrain and impediments better than the spindles on the Craftsman "class" deck?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Best bet would be something used in the $5k-$10K range...maybe less if just for mowing and small brush hog?

Thanks...TMR

P.S. Some type of seat suspension would also help TMR

 

[dodge man]

I was also abusing a riding mower before I bought my Kubota BX. If you can afford it, get a smaller tractor with a FEL, MMM, rear blade, and maybe a brush hog. A used Kubota B series would make a nice tractor for you. I can only speak for Kubota MMM decks, but yes, they are much heavier duty than a riding mower. A new deck for a BX is probably more than riding mowers cost.

 

[DAY]

All this talk about spindles and axles and belts says that the machines are being asked to perform above their design specs.. As someone upthread said, mow the grass before it becomes hay. Or get the right tool(s). . .

 

[riptides]

Thanks Riptides...question...do you cut with a mid-deck on the B7800, a pull behind finishing mower or a brush hog?

I am curious if the mid decks on these larger machines have much stronger spindles, etc. I have become quite good at spindle and belt replacement...as well as re-bending bent front end parts

I do need to do something and perhaps a mid-deck on a more serious machine would handle the rough terrain and impediments better than the spindles on the Craftsman "class" deck?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Best bet would be something used in the $5k-$10K range...maybe less if just for mowing and small brush hog?

Thanks...TMR

P.S. Some type of seat suspension would also help TMR

I had every intention of getting a MMM for this B. I use to have a rear finishing mower, now I just use my brush hog. Both were/are from Woods. The BrushBull does a nice job on my front pastures/lawn. So I got rid of the rear finishing mower. I bought the B, thinking I would use the MMM for "Lawn" grass cutting.

Like I said, I just got tired of swapping out equipment. The B, has a FEL and the BB. There are pictures of the front/pastures/lawn somewhere on the site. One would be had pressed to say it was not cut with a finishing type mower.

Oh, orginally I sized my B for a ten acre lot, trail duty, driveway, woods and a 3 acre pasture. I do like to cut in high speed. Time saving.