Kubota F series

[jcummins]

I agree, very beautiful place. Tempting to go North.

Bring it on.



I will admit...as much as I like the idea of a F series mower, I probably well have to get a tractor first. Got a change to my driveway coming up, part of the purchase deal of this place, and tractor work is going to be necessary.

 

[IvanS]

You might look for a used one; even one with high hours on it, they are very durable machines. Anything less than 2000 hours - it would probably make a very serviceable machine for a home owner for the next 10 years or more. Mine is 13 years old with just over 450 hours - runs, drives and mows like a new one. Used they are sometimes very reasonably priced. TractorHouse.com shows several at varying prices and hours. I would bet prices on these are negotiable. As you've noticed most dealers don't stock them or really understand their value and versatility.

 

[jcummins]

You might look for a used one; even one with high hours on it, they are very durable machines. Anything less than 2000 hours - it would probably make a very serviceable machine for a home owner for the next 10 years or more. Mine is 13 years old with just over 450 hours - runs, drives and mows like a new one. Used they are sometimes very reasonably priced. TractorHouse.com shows several at varying prices and hours. I would bet prices on these are negotiable. As you've noticed most dealers don't stock them or really understand their value and versatility.

I don't know about that. I've heard that said many times, but when I lived in Texas I searched for two years for a decent 50-70hp tractor...and found nothing that wasn't priced horribly high. The breaking point came when I going to look at an M6800. Was half way on a 150 mile drive to look at it, and a phone call from the owner.....he backed out. I called the dealer right then from a McDonalds parking lot, and subsequently bought a new M7040 with zero percent.

I ones I did see that came up for sale...and if in decent condition and price reasonable...they are gone in a flash.

 

[IvanS]

Oh I hear that. I went through the same when looking for a smaller tractor; 25 - 30HP. I guess my point is, even one of these with lots of hours and maybe not the best care would work fine for the once a week mowing most home owners need to do. The majority of these are used 8-10 hours a day every day during mowing season - and do that for years. On the other hand, a new machine and 0% is hard to argue with if you can swing it. I was just making a suggestion for something to get you by for mowing your steep hills with out the sphincter tightening experience a tractor may bring for the near term.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

This is the reason my old one with 120 hours that Barlow has for sale for $10500 is a rare find at a great price. It is a F2680e 60" deck and 2wd but it will back up almost any hill and will go straigh up almost any hill with the deck lifted slightly to where the wheels aren't touching the ground. If the tires were filled I believe it would go almost anywhere. No longer mine so no financial interest in it myself but it's a deal that someone will discover one day and be all smiles.

 

[TailDragon]

I will disagree with John T on one point, I mounted Bar Turf tires on my F3680 72 inch RD for better traction (main drive wheels only at this time). Cannot wait for the ground to dry out in places I mow. They help with side hilling, the outside of the bars bite in rather than slipping like turfs. I have 885 hours on mine, this is more cutting former pasture land rather a smooth lawn. With turf tires tires I have been stuck big time on slightly sloping ground with a damp spot. All four tires loaded with mud becoming slicks.
Tractor to the rescue, long walk to get it, pulled the F out about three feet onto dry ground.
I like the F3680 much better than the ZD331.

John, may I test your mowers on my farm property near Popularville Rd there in Pulaski County ?

 

[jcummins]

I like the F3680 much better than the ZD331.

I've kind of come to the conclusion I'd like the F series far better than my ZD326...by it's darn near twice the dollars too.

I live near Creal Springs, IL.....the name of the town has "Springs" in it for a reason. It's the reason I've been asking about tires. Most of the yard is ok...but some of the areas just off the dams that I want to mow, has wet spots. With some driveway work that is going to be done, I'm thinking of also doing some field tile work in the pasture areas to get rid of some of this wet.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I will disagree with John T on one point, I mounted Bar Turf tires on my F3680 72 inch RD for better traction (main drive wheels only at this time). Cannot wait for the ground to dry out in places I mow. They help with side hilling, the outside of the bars bite in rather than slipping like turfs. I have 885 hours on mine, this is more cutting former pasture land rather a smooth lawn. With turf tires tires I have been stuck big time on slightly sloping ground with a damp spot. All four tires loaded with mud becoming slicks.
Tractor to the rescue, long walk to get it, pulled the F out about three feet onto dry ground.
I like the F3680 much better than the ZD331.

John, may I test your mowers on my farm property near Popularville Rd there in Pulaski County ?

Your disagreeing with me and then go on and say yours slip on wet ground and turfs load up with mud. That's not disagreeing. I think I said the same thing. Almost positive I did. The turfs do become slicks when filled with mud which I did one time and one time only. I learned my lesson after the one time and will never go into the bog again instead of getting new tires.:laughing: I've never had any slipping when the grass is dry with my turfs and I do steep hillsides side ways. When you come to town come get me and we'll go look at your property. I look at Hwy 192 and Grundy Rd from my front porch and Poplarville Rd is over a few of the big hills from my house

I've kind of come to the conclusion I'd like the F series far better than my ZD326...by it's darn near twice the dollars too.

I live near Creal Springs, IL.....the name of the town has "Springs" in it for a reason. It's the reason I've been asking about tires. Most of the yard is ok...but some of the areas just off the dams that I want to mow, has wet spots. With some driveway work that is going to be done, I'm thinking of also doing some field tile work in the pasture areas to get rid of some of this wet.

OK, trade your Z to Barlows F and he'll bring it to you and pick yours up. Put bar tires on it AFTER you try it if you must but I don't think you will have to. Rent an excavator or rent/borrow a BH and trench your bogs. If you still believe you have to have the 4wd F then trade your F2680e back to Barlows for a 4wd F3080. Just call and see how much to trade. You may be surprised and the call is free. No obligation and maybe a hat if you do trade and a better mower than you have for maybe not much more money. Maybe he'll give you boot.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I had a single bottom mold board plow which I just sold my contractor friend. I had loaned it to him so he could dig some trenches for 4" drin pipe for downspouts . He bought it after using it. It digs the most perfect trench 6" wide and 6" deep with the grass just folded over on one side. It does the job so well and so easy that I got carried away on my rental property and had ditches all over the place to carry water off the paved streets to where I wanted the water to go. The ditches now are just depressions in the ground that send water the direction I want it to go and I just mow over/thru/across them.
Telling this for people that may need to do the same thing that can get ahold of a single bottom plow or has one to do some quick and easy water flow control.

 

[jcummins]

I had a single bottom mold board plow which I just sold my contractor friend. I had loaned it to him so he could dig some trenches for 4" drin pipe for downspouts . He bought it after using it. It digs the most perfect trench 6" wide and 6" deep with the grass just folded over on one side. It does the job so well and so easy that I got carried away on my rental property and had ditches all over the place to carry water off the paved streets to where I wanted the water to go. The ditches now are just depressions in the ground that send water the direction I want it to go and I just mow over/thru/across them.
Telling this for people that may need to do the same thing that can get ahold of a single bottom plow or has one to do some quick and easy water flow control.

The pasture is a rolling ground. EVERY single low point in the "roll" has water flowing down it, or at minimum has water on top of the ground. I've got a driveway going to go thru 3 of those rolls. My concern is water building up on the uphill side during a daylong rain, and causing cuts below the culverts, because of the focus the culverts will cause. Also if the rain is hard enough, it could build up, uphill of the culverts and wash up over the drive.

What you describe with the plow is kind of what is already there. That's why I was thinking of putting field tile in the bottom of these rolls to let the water run off faster, and be drier before any such rain.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

The pasture is a rolling ground. EVERY single low point in the "roll" has water flowing down it, or at minimum has water on top of the ground. I've got a driveway going to go thru 3 of those rolls. My concern is water building up on the uphill side during a daylong rain, and causing cuts below the culverts, because of the focus the culverts will cause. Also if the rain is hard enough, it could build up, uphill of the culverts and wash up over the drive.

What you describe with the plow is kind of what is already there. That's why I was thinking of putting field tile in the bottom of these rolls to let the water run off faster, and be drier before any such rain.

I live on a hillside but I'm not on the top soooo water runs down the hill and across my land. Was a Bad thing for years until I got good stand of weeds mixed with some grass to slow the water some to keep it from making dirt ditches. I now am diverting some of the water to go down more of my yard that is more grass than weeds. I've also planted some grasses that grow quick and thick which will divert some of the water to slow it down. Also have planted several fruit trees and decorative trees and some pecan trees that all need the extra water which was a bad thing but is now a good thing. I have some big patches of grass that grow thick and green due to their extra supply of water. Some places around here use big rock to slow water down and I guess make like dry gulches which can be attractive. I'd make a few dams and have me a small pond or two on mine but I don't get enough water to keep them filled. Every type terrain has some up sides and down sides.Good luck on your water diversion projects. Is you big pond at the bottom where your catching that running down water?

 

[jcummins]

Is you big pond at the bottom where your catching that running down water?

Not really. In fact the overflow of the middle pond has a pipe running to the big pond, because the big pond doesn't have enough area drainage to it. I would have built the ponds a bit different than the previous owner. Two large spring areas are outside of both ponds...and I for sure would have put them inside the ponds. That would have made them larger, but probably would have cost more during the construction though. He did not leverage the natural drainage areas correctly IMO. It does look nice the way he did it though.

There is a very good stand of fescue in the pasture that has slowed the water flow pretty well, but that has resulted in wet areas, and I can see the next step is the cutting of ditches. He mentioned he spent considerable time getting the pastured smoothed out...like a babies butt...it looks nice from afar...but now 10 years later after he did that, the lack of field tile in the right areas is keeping to much water in the ground. It's slowly posing a problem.

Planting trees to take advantage of the water...kinds of puts the trees in the wrong spot too. I will be lining the drive...selectively....with some trees it is a thought though to try and capitalize on that extra water.

 

[TailDragon]

Mowed about 5 hours today with the F3680, covering ground I would not try with the ZD331 unless bone dry. The bar turfs were leaving indentions in the ground but not spinning(BX1860 wheel & tires) the rear turfs were skidding in places on turns. If I waited much later I would have had to bush hog the grass.

The only problems I have had were missing the grease zerks on the drive shaft from the engine to the transmission, one hydraulic hose for raising the deck failing at fitting, and the fan belt failing (885 hrs). The engine drive shaft is high enough that I have to block up the rear or one side at least 6 inches to slide under to service.
Have though of trading the ZD in for another F with a 60 inch deck but have to finish a storage building (75 x65) first. Unless Kubota changes the rates for the better on the F series.

 

[willi67]

Thanks for your first hand experience Taildragon .. that is the situation I was talking about.
But now I see that even JOHNTHOMAS says " Put bar tires on it" :laughing:

JOHNTHOMAS if you ever decide to sell one of your 4WD F series let me know, it will be cheaper
to get it from you than pay $32K here :laughing:

They are quite common here, there are 3 within earshot of me.

 

[jcummins]

The only problems I have had were missing the grease zerks on the drive shaft from the engine to the transmission,

They are tough to get to. What problem did that cause by missing them?

Speaking of greasing. How often do you hit the zerks on your machine. I've wondered if I'm doing it more than I need to. On my ZD326, I do all of them every other mowing, and hit the spindles on the deck before every mow. To mow my area takes about 5 hours.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Thanks for your first hand experience Taildragon .. that is the situation I was talking about.
But now I see that even JOHNTHOMAS says " Put bar tires on it" :laughing:

JOHNTHOMAS if you ever decide to sell one of your 4WD F series let me know, it will be cheaper
to get it from you than pay $32K here :laughing:

They are quite common here, there are 3 within earshot of me.

$18000. Under 3 years old, a bit over 100 hours, rear discharge 72" deck. If your trading in your Z then the trade will depend on how much Barlows will give me for your z for me to buy another one, F3080.

 

[Xfaxman]

The engine drive shaft is high enough that I have to block up the rear or one side at least 6 inches to slide under to service.

I back my TORO 325D up on 4 car ramps.


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[TailDragon]

Lack of grease caused u-joint to come apart, replaced complete drive shaft assembly rather than take a chance.
I grease every 10 hours when I clean the deck and sharpen the blades. Am on the third set with a new set on the shelf waiting. The first of the year I run older blades until I find all the blown down limbs/branches and pushed up rocks.
Knock on wood, am still in original deck belt.
Forgot, the headlight is burned out. Have not fixed yet.

Still waiting for John Thomas to break down and get a F3690 with the 100 inch flex deck and report back.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Lack of grease caused u-joint to come apart, replaced complete drive shaft assembly rather than take a chance.
I grease every 10 hours when I clean the deck and sharpen the blades. Am on the third set with a new set on the shelf waiting. The first of the year I run older blades until I find all the blown down limbs/branches and pushed up rocks.
Knock on wood, am still in original deck belt.
Forgot, the headlight is burned out. Have not fixed yet.

Still waiting for John Thomas to break down and get a F3690 with the 100 inch flex deck and report back.

Can just get my 72" deck in the door of my Kubota bldg. No 100 incher for me.

 

[jcummins]

Can just get my 72" deck in the door of my Kubota bldg. No 100 incher for me.

Naw...you need a new door.:laughing: