So, You Are Considering A Rear Finish Mower?

[bp fick]

We have an acre to mow. It is a yard, not a lawn. I'd always had pretty good success with small, budget riding mowers, but lately my back problems won't allow me to bounce around on them anymore.

I picked up a 5' rear finishing mower from Craigs for great price. It was fine, but just too large for the spacing of things. I like horse trading, so I re-sold it at a profit.

Back to shopping for a riding mower. At the price of point of <$1600, there isn't anything of real quality and reasonable comfort from which to choose.

Called about every dealer within a 3 hours radius for a Kubota MMM, but none in the 48" size were to be found. (this size isn't popular, but better suited my needs) Really, really didn't want to be putting the MMM on and off anyhow, but not finding one iced that option anyhow.

So, I ordered this. Tracking info shows it heading for a trucking depot near me. More pics, if and when it comes in. Reviews of the mower, purchase experience, delivery and functionality as well will follow.

 

[McGeesEquip]

BP,

I was woundering, out of the two different brand pics you have posted, which one did you order?:confused3:

Just woundering.

 

[teg]

The orange one he ordered (the other one he's posted on before). My wife likes to have paths cut around our open area. The old mower was taking too long to cut it... and besides, she was happy when I bought a RFM!!! :thumbsup:

Does a great job on the regular grass, too. Bush Hog 5' rear discharge, $750 off Craig's list, had to re-weld front brackets and change the gear oil. Built like a tank.

 

[bp fick]

BP,

I was woundering, out of the two different brand pics you have posted, which one did you order?:confused3:

Just woundering.

Yes, teg is right. The old chinese knock off (pix below) of the KK worked well enough, but was quite loud and was simply too big. I got a great steal in buying it off a guy, thus, there was room to make a buck in horse trading it.

Got a call from the trucking depot. Truck is in. Question now is this. The depot wants to throw the new mower on a southbound truck and drop it at my house. OK, but I would just as soon run up there, 9 miles, and grab it myself. OK, I am anxious to get it assembled and stare at it for a bit.

 

[Diamondpilot]

The new one looks very similar to my 72" Caroni. You are lucky you got rid of the other one. I had a real KK and it was crap. I could only imagine who much of a POS that Chinese Knock Off would turn out to be.


Chris

 

[bp fick]

The new one looks very similar to my 72" Caroni. You are lucky you got rid of the other one. I had a real KK and it was crap. I could only imagine who much of a POS that Chinese Knock Off would turn out to be.


Chris

Chris, I got it for a song, was able to offer it for a GREAT price, and still make a buck. No problem.

Yes, Italian on the new one, although it is another company??? Sicma. Who knows these days.

 

[bp fick]

The truck arrives.

I just wanted to go into town and pick it up at the terminal, but the dispatcher insisted he'd drop it off. Great, except how? A bit of a mistake on his part, but we lowered it half way onto my trailer, and then from my trailer to the ground. It went OK.

Now. "Some Assembly Required". Yeah, a bit, me thinks.

 

[Johndeere3720]

Thats one nice finish mower. The best part, it matches you bota. :thumbsup: have fun putting it all together and enjoy trying it out on your yard. :thumbsup:

 

[teg]

I guess we will not be hearing from you for a while

 

[bp fick]

The unit comes with oil in the case and belt in place. Thank you Sweet Equipment. The wheel bars and lower 3 pt bars are stacked on the unit for transport on a pallet. Have to say that those bars beat on the deck here and there and there will be some touch up painting to do.

No way to put the wheel brackets on while still on the pallet, so I installed the lower 3 pt bars and backed the tractor up to it. Lifted it off and headed for the shade for the rest of the assembly, as it was a hot sunny day.

 

[bp fick]

Once in the shade, it was time to put the wheel bars on and start trying to get the PTO shaft fitted. The wheels were easy. Solid rubber tires too. Thinking they will work well.

Using the 3 pt lift on the tractor, installing the tires bars was a breeze.

Now, Ken Sweet had thought the PTO shaft would not need to be shortened. Oh my!!! Someone shipped a very long shaft. I had to cut 9" off that shaft to get it fit, with the mower in the farthest away position. I intend to take another 2"-3" off that shaft in order to run it closer to the tractor.

Getting that shaft to "click" into the gear box was a PITA. Finally got it. Good grief. Anyhow, the tractor end clicked right on. Fired it up for a test run.

 

[bp fick]

Buying Review- Buying from Ken Sweet is about as painless a process as anyone can imagine. Shipping is very affordable and Ken's price was great. When he said it would be at my place in 4 days, I wondered, but sure enough, 4 days. Pretty darn quick. $1004. shipped, to my door.

Honestly, things could be wrapped better to prevent having to do touch up painting, but hey, it is an implement afterall.

Sicma Mower review- I mowed for about an hour. The 48" RFM follows wonderfully. I barely have to look back. When I move it two clicks closer, it will be even better. The gear/blade noise is fairly loud, but its noise isn't an annoying sound, particularly. The decision to get a 48" for the BX was the right one.

The cut. I was pretty surprised. I would put it right up with a better Big Box riding mower. The finish was very, very good. The windrow was disbursed out the back evenly. I am very pleased with overall performance.

The paint job on the mower is not at the level of my Kubota FEL, by way of comparison. I would compare the paint to TSC products, frankly. The decals are ugly and they remind me of the Italian flag. They will be coming off. The over all design seems pretty top draw.

So, kudos to Ken Sweet and Sweet Farm Equipment. I'd recommend them.

 

[bp fick]

OK, ugly Italian flag styled decals and labels are gone. What a job!!

Washed it good and time to do some priming and painting on all the scrapes, scratches and little rust spots. Rustoleum Chevy Engine Orange is a perfectly acceptable match. Don't things just work better when they look good?

Mowed the rest of the yard today. Nice. Very nice.

Before and after pics below.

 

[DK35vince]

Good luck with your new RFM.
I have the GM35-84 First Choice mower.
Same mower (made by Sicma) in 84".
I like it. Nice mower, nice cut.

 

[Dead Horse]

Slick, and a great price, so it seems!

I want a 60" RFM.

Question, how does it do backing up? I am finish mowing part of an orchard and the MMM can be a real pain to get close to the trees without knocking me off the mower.

Rifht now I use a lightweight 6' bush hog for the job, but would prefer a RFM.

 

[teg]

Mine does well but it starts to bog down with grass cuttings, discharge from the rear. Not sure if a side discharge would be better... How tall would your grass be in the orchard?

 

[bp fick]

Dead Horse, it backs just fine. I think that is one advantage an RFM has over an MMM. You can back it into places. It runs on its four wheels, so all the weight is off the 3 pt. The wheels flip around fairly quickly, if they need to. Yes, the price on the Sicma made mowers (numerous names) was a solid $400 under King Kutter RFM, by way of pricing comparison.

 

[MacLawn]

I like my rear finishing mower too; it came with my JD 2210 when I bought it, a Bush Hog brand, and was like new. So far, for my uses, it has been very good. As you said, backs up great, cut under branches, etc., and just easy to use. Just have to watch out for sharp turns not to hit something on the swing out, kind of like any trailer you pull, but a short turning radius. I think for my uses, I would rather have it than MMM.

 

[roadhouse]

nice looking mower, looks like a good cut. im curios though, whats the difference betweeen a yard and a lawn?

 

[bp fick]

nice looking mower, looks like a good cut. im curios though, whats the difference between a yard and a lawn?

LOL, if you have to ask...... you might not be a redneck. :laughing:

As best I can determine, with a lawn, one can stand for no weeds, no one is hardly allowed to walk on it, let alone drive on it. With a lawn, one apparently fertilizes and uses 2-4-D until his ground water is virtually undrinkable. With a lawn, one really fixates on its appearance and how it compares to his neighbor's lawn. This is my understanding.

In the country, the yard is that open area around your house and outbuilding that grows no meaningful crops, is driven upon with regularly and is covered with low lying vegetation of very mixed parentage.