3520 and MMM and Super Turfs?

[Nuru]

Well, Gents I need some help from all of you collective minds. I have a flail mower but with my slopes, using it to mow frequently is a bit of an issue as it does not provide the same anti-tip benefit as a 7 Iron MMM. I found a 2006 7 Iron MMM used, and I was going to pull the triggger on it, but I have an issue with the MMM on the 3520 cab with the tire i want to run. I have the small R4s but want to use my Turf Specials, which are considerably wider and provide a much more stable platform on the slopey areas of my lawn than the R4s can. I asked the dealer and they asked a JD specialist about compatibility. The JD specialist indicated that they were not compatible and I should not even try to make it work? I believe the issue is clearance of the gauge wheels and I believe that can be overcome with hub spacers at least on the rear wheels of the tractor. With regard to the front of the tractor it may be that JD does not advise using spacers as it may cause change in the weight distribution that could damage the front axle?

My tires are Galaxy Turf Specials and they are 41/18LL x 16.1 on the rear and 25/1050LL x 15 for the front. I was thinking that hub spacers on both the front and back is the way to go but the JD specialist got me a little spooked. However the information was not specific as to what type of clearance issues it actually exist.

Besides going to a RFM any advice or recommendations on how to get the Turf Specials and MMM on the tractor together?

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

Nuru

I took a close look at my setup this afternoon. Not 100% sure the clearance problem with Golf Turfs would be with the gauge wheels or not. With the 72" 7-Iron in the full up position and with R-3 Turfs there looks to be about 1" - 1 1/4" clearance between the face of the tire (tread) and the body of the MMM. The mower body curves slightly and with a wider tire, clearance would be even tighter. If the Golf Turf is a greater diameter than the R-3, I suspect your clearance problem would be the mower body. The rear gauge wheels seem to be about 8" - 9" further out than the R-3 so not sure how that might relate to the wider GT.

There looks to be all kinds of room at the front with R-3's but have not seen a 3x20 with GT's so maybe there could also be a problem there as well.

Not sure if any of this helps.

 

[Nuru]

Nuru

I took a close look at my setup this afternoon. Not 100% sure the clearance problem with Golf Turfs would be with the gauge wheels or not. With the 72" 7-Iron in the full up position and with R-3 Turfs there looks to be about 1" - 1 1/4" clearance between the face of the tire (tread) and the body of the MMM. The mower body curves slightly and with a wider tire, clearance would be even tighter. If the Golf Turf is a greater diameter than the R-3, I suspect your clearance problem would be the mower body. The rear gauge wheels seem to be about 8" - 9" further out than the R-3 so not sure how that might relate to the wider GT.

There looks to be all kinds of room at the front with R-3's but have not seen a 3x20 with GT's so maybe there could also be a problem there as well.

Not sure if any of this helps.

CinderSchnauzer, Actually yes it does. The Turf Specials are wider than the R3s, but they are 41 inches tall so they sit lower than the R-3s (well at least the ones that came with my 4310). See the comparison pics I attached from the 4310, the Turf Specials are the fat short tires. The normal R3s are the thinner taller ones. I also included a pic of the front tire comparison and it that the Turf Specials are wider but not taller. I have pics of the clearance of the regular R-3s on my former 4310 and it is quite close from thise pictues so maybe it is potentially the same situations and they will actually work?

The indication from the dealer and the JD specialist is that there is interference with both front and rear tires. They did not tell me if it was when raising the MMM, or just interference period due to the width of the Turf Specials. Apparently the wheelbase on the 3x20 series is shorter? On my former 4310, I did notice that there were times the front and rear tires would touch the deck, and the deck would bounce around. But nothing serious. So I am gonna see how the deck fits and then see what happens when I add the turf specials on the front and back.

CinderSchnauzer can you post some pics of the clearances? I want to see how the problem can be potentially addressed

Thanks a bunch for your response.

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

Nuru - Sure - I'll take some pics in the next day or so.

The JD store didn't reverse my wheels when they installed the BH and I haven't gotten around to it yet myself. When you see the pics you'll also notice my 72" 7-Iron is shaped different from the deck on your 4310 and the gauge wheels are mounted different, so unless the deck you have found is the same my pics may not help much.

 

[Nuru]

It will help me from the perspective of once I see it on the 3x20 series i can probably figure out what might be needed. i did notice this with the JD specs for both the 4310 and the 3520, both say these tires and any MMM are incompatible.

"N/A Tractor and deck combination is not advised as there is a major interference"

for the 4310 this shoudl read

"RUB The tire will occssionally run on the mower deck. it might leaver a small mark on the mower but should not be enough to make the deck jump"

But on the 4310 they fit and only occassionally slightly rubbed when I was mowing in a vertical angle or if the deck went into a bouncy mode on very uneven ground. But that was so rare and I did not even know it until after I stopped the unit and examined the deck. and you can see from the pics that the original R-3s on the 4310 were pretty much as close as you are describing and the turf specials went on with out any issues and performed well. My only concern is the different position of the gauge wheels on my old non-7 Iron deck for the purpose of comparison. The deck I found is a 7 Iron deck, so I would imagine it is the same as yours. If it is clearance and the same scenario exists like the 4310, then it might work without any modifications and that will be fine. I am keeping my fingers crossed

Here is a pic of the one I found.

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

Nuru

At first glance, the deck in your pics looks exactly like mine. It's currently noon and spritzing rain here. If it doesn't get too much worse I'll head out to where the JD is and take some pics. I wanted to do the pics outside for better lighting. If I get some I'll post them later - probably after 2100 hours local time.

 

[Nuru]

Found out I needed another kit to install that Mower - it costs about $400 buckS Ouch. so i am mulling getting the mower and the kit and letting my dealer install.

Here is the kit:

Attaching Parts (4300, 4400, 4310, 4410, 3120-3720) LVB25580 Includes Mid Hydraulic Cylinder Lift Kit. 4300 and 4400
Tractors also Require (1) AM123785 Lift Arm.

I believe the MMM already has the lift arm.

 

[kennyd]

Found out I needed another kit to install that Mower - it costs about $400 buckS Ouch. so i am mulling getting the mower and the kit and letting my dealer install.

Here is the kit:

Attaching Parts (4300, 4400, 4310, 4410, 3120-3720) LVB25580 Includes Mid Hydraulic Cylinder Lift Kit. 4300 and 4400
Tractors also Require (1) AM123785 Lift Arm.

I believe the MMM already has the lift arm.

You will also need a 1 hydraulic remote...did you get that with the new machine?

Oh, and you can't link to JDParts...

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

Nuru - here are some pics from this afternoon. Left / right / front / back. These have been resized to around 150 kb each. If you need the originals drop me a PM and I can send them. Originals are about 1 MB each. If you would like any other angles please advise. All pics were taken in full up position.

If the GT's are smaller in diameter and fatter, I'm betting they will fit despite warning from JD.

 

[Nuru]

Nuru - here are some pics from this afternoon. Left / right / front / back. These have been resized to around 150 kb each. If you need the originals drop me a PM and I can send them. Originals are about 1 MB each. If you would like any other angles please advise. All pics were taken in full up position.

If the GT's are smaller in diameter and fatter, I'm betting they will fit despite warning from JD.

CinderSchnauzer, gee thanks for the pics!

The tires are

rear 41" tall and 16" wide
Front 25" tall, and 10.5" wide

First glance, It looks like the tires in the rear might make contact with the rear gauge wheels, if your tape is measuring from the inside edge of the tire. If you are measuring from the middle of the tire then the tires might just fit without issue

I think your fronts are 8" and your rears are 14". Are your tires set on the widest setting? If so that is good, as that will provide even more information for me. As the clearance running might be okay.

 

[Nuru]

Also aren't your tires 41" tall, 14" wide for the rears and 27" tall, 8.5 wide? Then it really looks like it probably will work unless the offset of my wheels is so different it makes the tires not work. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

Most of the measurements were from the middle of the tire, except for 2 that were from an outside edge to a gauge wheel.

Fronts are 27 - 8.50 x 15
Rear 41 - 14.0 x 20

The pics were all taken with the wheels in the narrow position, however, today it was raining and with nothing better to do, all the tires were moved to the wide postion.

Unless, as you say, the wheel offset is way different from the R3's I wouldn't think another 2" width would be a problem.

If you would like, I can take another set of pics in the wide postion - but not until Monday. Let me know.

 

[Nuru]

Most of the measurements were from the middle of the tire, except for 2 that were from an outside edge to a gauge wheel.

Fronts are 27 - 8.50 x 15
Rear 41 - 14.0 x 20

The pics were all taken with the wheels in the narrow position, however, today it was raining and with nothing better to do, all the tires were moved to the wide postion.

Unless, as you say, the wheel offset is way different from the R3's I wouldn't think another 2" width would be a problem.

If you would like, I can take another set of pics in the wide postion - but not until Monday. Let me know.

Yep, i thought the tires sizes were correct, thanks for supplying those. Oh, if you can, yes those pics would be great from the wide position. That is interesting as one of the JD mechanics was not sure but thought there might be a possibility that the MMM would work only with the tires at the narrow position, seems you havve put that to rest.

The pics from the Wide setting would provide an even more conservative view of the clearances. Right now it looked like there was a lot of clearance. Those pics of the 4310 I uploaded were with the tires all set on the widest setting, and the clearances were fine.

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

Here are the new pics.

MMM is in full up position.
R3's are in Wide postion.
Broom handle is touching outer edge of tire.
Right Rear looks like the spot with greatest potential for conflict.

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

Nuru

Bad News. After all the pics and measuring, I had time to take the tractor out of the shed. With the front R-3's in the wide postition there is interference on hard turns, both in the full up and cut postition. The Gauge wheels are not the problem. On a hard turn - either direction the tread of the tire that turns in towards the center of the tractor hits the mower body.

If you look at the pics you took of the mower the interference point is to the inside of the "Danger" label, an inch or two towards the middle of the deck from the weld on the mower lip. On the left side, for example the contact point is approx. 14" in from the center of the tire, measured with tire straight forward.

Hills and perceived stability are not a big factor for me, so I think I'll switch the fronts back to narrow position.

 

[Nuru]

Nuru

Bad News. After all the pics and measuring, I had time to take the tractor out of the shed. With the front R-3's in the wide postition there is interference on hard turns, both in the full up and cut postition. The Gauge wheels are not the problem. On a hard turn - either direction the tread of the tire that turns in towards the center of the tractor hits the mower body.

If you look at the pics you took of the mower the interference point is to the inside of the "Danger" label, an inch or two towards the middle of the deck from the weld on the mower lip. On the left side, for example the contact point is approx. 14" in from the center of the tire, measured with tire straight forward.

Hills and perceived stability are not a big factor for me, so I think I'll switch the fronts back to narrow position.

Hmmm, so you can go wide with the rears without issue, and that is the most important thing to me. The wide rears will work for me as far as stability. I have yet to try the loaded R-4s too. I got the smalls so I am not as high up as the big R-4s. I figure the deck will add a good amount of weight to the lower portion of the tractor and reduce the effect of the Cab.

 

[Nuru]

Here are the new pics.

MMM is in full up position.
R3's are in Wide postion.
Broom handle is touching outer edge of tire.
Right Rear looks like the spot with greatest potential for conflict.

thanks, once i get the unit back I will try it out and see what happens, and i will report back.

 

[kiwiroo]

Nuru do you have a lot of hills you do, I assume you do since it sounds like you're having some tipping issues with the cab 3520? I'm just curious since I'm getting one of those-

 

[Nuru]

Nuru do you have a lot of hills you do, I assume you do since it sounds like you're having some tipping issues with the cab 3520? I'm just curious since I'm getting one of those-

.

Yes I have some slopes to mow, however, I have two areas where the ride can get a bit scary, so I am gonna try to make sure that incase i forget or get distracted while mowing I have some capabiltiy of mowing there without extreme worry. It does not look that bad when I am standing there but on the tractor it does feel a lot more scarier. If I can get the Turf specials on (narro in the front, wide in the rear), with that tire change and the MMM, the stability should increase a bit, hopefully dramatically. Regardless I am gonna be careful when mowing that area. As I get more used to the tractor, I will be more able to judge what is going on as far as stability.

I have small R-4s and since I just got the unit and any bump that causes a rocky ride can be startling. I am probably more anxious about tip over than I will be in a few months. so I have to learn the characteristics of this unit versus what I came to expect on the 4310. I will almost be as sure about the 3520 cab as the 4310 at some point. I jusat need to learn how to best use its capabilities. Let me tell you the loader action is sure sweet on this unit. And i am toying with the I dea of hooking up my portable SAT Radio up in this unit.

 

[kiwiroo]

.

Yes I have some slopes to mow, however, I have two areas where the ride can get a bit scary, so I am gonna try to make sure that incase i forget or get distracted while mowing I have some capabiltiy of mowing there without extreme worry. It does not look that bad when I am standing there but on the tractor it does feel a lot more scarier. If I can get the Turf specials on (narro in the front, wide in the rear), with that tire change and the MMM, the stability should increase a bit, hopefully dramatically. Regardless I am gonna be careful when mowing that area. As I get more used to the tractor, I will be more able to judge what is going on as far as stability.

I have small R-4s and since I just got the unit and any bump that causes a rocky ride can be startling. I am probably more anxious about tip over than I will be in a few months. so I have to learn the characteristics of this unit versus what I came to expect on the 4310. I will almost be as sure about the 3520 cab as the 4310 at some point. I jusat need to learn how to best use its capabilities. Let me tell you the loader action is sure sweet on this unit. And i am toying with the I dea of hooking up my portable SAT Radio up in this unit.

I don't have much experience using weights or ballast but I assume that might help as well if you weighted the tires- What do the MMM go for used? I would think it would be easier just to add a RFM, or is the main advantage of the MMM the stability for you?
Fortunately I have mostly flat land but there are a couple slopes where turning around may be interesting- like you said getting the feel for it may take a little time.
I will be doing the same thing and adding my own radio as well