Ecstatic with the purchase - ZD326H 72" deck

[jcummins]

I may be missing something.....but. More rubber on the ground gives more traction on dry ground. Racing slicks have no tread to get more traction. But drag racers don't race in the mud, that's a different type race and mud racers want the biggest space possible between tire lugs. What am I missing? I've owned many Kubota tractors and mowers and even a RTV. For mowers I want turf tires with the most rubber on the ground. For RTV with mixed use I want bigger space between lugs for the sometimes run thru the creek bed. For tractors (with FEL and rear implements) I want heavy duty side walls and better traction for off mowed yard work so I buy the I(R)4 tires.
I to have gotten my F3080 stuck one time in a swamp area at the back corner of my rental mostly flat land, that's right, once, since I know the turf tires become like balloons in slimy slick swamps so I stay away from that one small spot on my F and now my ZD326. At home on the dry ground hillsides and dry woods trails I think I want the turfs because of them having the most rubber on the ground for the best traction on the dry ground.
I do see and understand the desire for different tires for different ground but for dry yard mowing I'm believing I or others are confused. JC, I agree that you need different tires for mowing wet areas or chains or something or stay away from it on your F with turf tires. Maybe make a ditch like depression across the wet edge of the pond and then straddle the wet ditch.

One among others that I didn't change the tires. BUT seems there is several 'testimonies' of improved traction with these AT101s AND the lost of the ZTR divit on turns, that they 'seem' to be an improvement. There's one particular youtube video out there where the guy says....why did I wait to change tires so long....it was that much of an improvement.

I've take the F3680 thru a small ditch on a regular basis...a wet ditch at times too. I don't dally when I do that. But it's narrow. When my front tires are in the ditch my rears aren't and vice versa. I've got it stuck twice. Once crossing a muddy below pond overflow area...it was wide. All four tires in the muck at the same time, and those turf tires loaded up immediately. I have since laid several bricks in that area to be able to cross when the pond is overflowing. The one other time was on the inside slope of a pond dam....it was damp that day, and it started sliding to the water, and I just had no room to correct it. Sanity took over and I called the wife to bring the gator to gently pull me out before I made it much worse. My point is.....I have areas where I'm at the brink of losing traction, and it's not the machine, it's the tires.

 

[lostcreekranch]

Michelin X Tweel is $750 option on new John Deere zero turn commercial mowers.

Commercial Mowing | TWEEL by MICHELIN | John Deere US

 

[lostcreekranch]

Here is the Michelin Tweel in all-terrain.

Michelin X TWEEL SSL ALL TERRAIN, For Skid Steer Loaders

 

[lostcreekranch]

It looks like the Michelin Tweel Turf is exclusive deal with John Deere.

Michelin X TWEEL TURF Dealer Locator

 

[jcummins]

Without doubt, it's the future. I wonder if there is a fatigue factor on those vanes that flex? The turf version does not have a thread pattern that will help in mud either.

 

[Creamer]

What ZTR? How heavy is it? Did you find you could side hill slopes that you could not before getting the AT101s?

I come close to putting those on the ZD326 I had before this F3680. Actually this F series is doing what i need it to do...., and is 100% better than the ZTR, but I have got it stuck in mud, wasn't the machine, it was the tires. So still toying with the idea of switching tires.

I have a 1997 Deines 1860 KT. It is a front deck three wheel machine (plus two gage wheels in front of the deck). It has been nothing but a great mower except for the ability to go up and down slopes. it just didn't have enough traction with turfs on it. When i changed turfs I went to the most aggressive turfs i could find - didn't see much difference. The dealer suggested I put beet juice in them which I did - no noticeable difference. Finally 3 or 4 years ago I put on the AT101s even though they were an 21" instead of 20"s. I had to modify the fender slightly for clearance and readjust the deck for leveling.

The bottom line is that the former difficult slopes - one time I had slid sideways into the pond on a damp day - are not an issue anymore. I never have to turn around and back up a slope. It holds sidehills on as steep of sidehill that I want to ride on (it's more about me falling off than tipping because of the wide footprint and low Cg).

Will it make a divot when you plant it in a turn - definitely. I just mowed with it today and turned on my crushed limestone driveway and it made tracks on the driveway. those little cleats bite a lot. they are a flotation type tire so they squat a little giving about three lugs ground contact at any time. They bite.

The local grasshopper dealer will sell you turf tires if you want them but most mowers he sells go out with chevrons. They will dig a groove if you are up against something. There is definite bite - I would never think of wanting more bite.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Interesting. I've never had any traction issues with the (2) F3080 4wd Kubotas with turf tires on DRY grass. I have had an issue with the F3080 one time in the one back corner swamp area with turfs and no longer try to mow the swamp area, well actually I added dirt to change landscape so the water runs on down off of it so no longer swamp on my side of the fence. Did have some issues with the 2wd F2680e when I'd get in a ditch and have one wheel off the ground until I pushed the differential pedal which just popped it out and on it went, but it was DRY, not wet.
My home 5 acres is fairly steep hillside and I go every where on it when it's dry and rarely ever have to push the dif pedal or engage the other 4wd position. Even when I do push dif pedal it's because a wheel has came off the ground or in a steep powder dry no grass area and it's throwing dirt.
I do currently have one main drive wheel leaking air, sometimes. Aired it up about three times while in the barn over the winter but haven't aired it up in over a month while using it.

 

[Creamer]

For the price of those Kubotas they should mow the lawn themselves. 4wd is a lot different than 2wd

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

4wd is a lot different than 2wd

And diesel engine is a lot different than gas engine with the same HP number. Two things I was told by several tractor owners before I bought my first Kubota tractor about 13 years ago. Over 20 different Kubotas later with all HST but one gear drive and all diesel except for two gas models I absolutely concur. Price? I've paid from under $4000 (the gas engine ones) to under $30000 for most of them with the F models being the best bang for the buck mowing and saving what bit of time I have left on this earth. The tractors with implements/attachments have been money and back savers :thumbsup: . Money is only worth what it will buy. Things that are fun (Sports cars) and time/back savers (Tractors/F mowers) and of course providing for spouse and Grands and donations is all that matters much to me. Spend it I say, spend it. Work and earn it and then spend it. :cool2:

 

[Creamer]

I agree with a your philosophy but you didn't buy the F3080 for $3 or $4k.

I totally agree that diesels are wonderful but worth the extra cost for a lawn mower - you must mow a lot of lawn!