Mowing B7100 mower
- Thread starter curtis
- Start date
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Kelvin
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2000
- Messages
- 798
- Location
- East Tennessee
- Tractor
- B2910 & BX23 (previously B2150 & B7100D)
Curtis,
The answer to your question all depends upon whether you have a gear drive B7100 or a hydrostat B7100. I can't remember when Kubota started making the hydrostat B7100, but it was around 1983.
GEAR DRIVE:
(1) The mid-mower for the gear drive B7100 was a 48" belt drive model that operated off of a front PTO (a pulley & shaft assembly running off of the front of the crankshaft with an automotive A/C compressor style clutch assembly to electrically turn the mower on and off).
(2) The gear drive B7100 did not have a mid-PTO (at least mine doesn't).
(3) The gear drive B7100 did not have a "live" rear PTO, which makes rear mowing a real pain, unless mowing wide open spaces.
(4) This mid-mower cannot be purchased new anymore. Parts are available. You might be able to find a complete unit used.
(5) This mower is a real PAIN to remove an install.
HYDROSTAT:
(1) The B7100 HSD/ HSE use a mid-PTO to drive the mid-mower. There were 54" and a 60" mid mowers available for this tractor.
(2) New mid-mowers may still be available, and I've seen several used ones for sale.
(3) These mower are easier to remove and install relative to the belt driven mowers.
(4) The B7100 Hydrostat essentially has a live PTO, which makes 3-point mower much more convenient to use.
Rear mowers are generally much cheaper than mid-mowers since mid-mowers are usually custom built for one specific tractor model and rear-mowers are more generic.
Hope this helps. I'm sure that this response will generate more questions.
Kelvin
The answer to your question all depends upon whether you have a gear drive B7100 or a hydrostat B7100. I can't remember when Kubota started making the hydrostat B7100, but it was around 1983.
GEAR DRIVE:
(1) The mid-mower for the gear drive B7100 was a 48" belt drive model that operated off of a front PTO (a pulley & shaft assembly running off of the front of the crankshaft with an automotive A/C compressor style clutch assembly to electrically turn the mower on and off).
(2) The gear drive B7100 did not have a mid-PTO (at least mine doesn't).
(3) The gear drive B7100 did not have a "live" rear PTO, which makes rear mowing a real pain, unless mowing wide open spaces.
(4) This mid-mower cannot be purchased new anymore. Parts are available. You might be able to find a complete unit used.
(5) This mower is a real PAIN to remove an install.
HYDROSTAT:
(1) The B7100 HSD/ HSE use a mid-PTO to drive the mid-mower. There were 54" and a 60" mid mowers available for this tractor.
(2) New mid-mowers may still be available, and I've seen several used ones for sale.
(3) These mower are easier to remove and install relative to the belt driven mowers.
(4) The B7100 Hydrostat essentially has a live PTO, which makes 3-point mower much more convenient to use.
Rear mowers are generally much cheaper than mid-mowers since mid-mowers are usually custom built for one specific tractor model and rear-mowers are more generic.
Hope this helps. I'm sure that this response will generate more questions.
Kelvin
Egon
Epic Contributor
There is no better. It depends on how you wish to use the mower. For regular lawn mowing as the major job the midmount will be much handier. If the tractor is used for other purposes like using the fel the midmount should be removed. If its occasional mowing the rear mount may be preferable.
Each have points in their favor.
I have a B7100 HST with mid mount.
Egon
Each have points in their favor.
I have a B7100 HST with mid mount.
Egon
mwechtal
Silver Member
Curtis,
I have a B7100D, the manual gear shift model. After two years fighting with the belly mower, I got a rear mount finish mower with rear discharge. It takes me 5 min. to remove it, and 10 or 15 to get it back on. If I had a concrete pad to park the mower on the install time would be less.
The belly mower took me at least an hour to remove, and even longer to install. Since there is no lock up for the deck you have to remove it just to do a little light grading on the driveway. It was just too painfull to continue to use it. Besides that, it's a Rube Goldberg design. The main drive belt rubs the deck quite a bit. It's the longest drive belt I've ever seen on a tractor, and it's crossed into a figure 8, so it flops around quite a bit and rubs on itself too. There are 2 pulleys that are supposed to turn the belt 90 deg. and tension the belt and eliminate the need to adjust the tension. I never got the tension as snug as I thought appropriate. Finally, the gauge wheels on the deck have to be mounted in different configurations depending on what width you have your rear wheels set. They still manage to tear up the tires a bit If you let the rear pivot bolt get just a bit loose. If I remember correctly, you can't set the rear wheels to the widest position. I think you probably get the idea that I HATE the belly deck! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
So I got the rear finish mount mower. Mine is 60" and weighs 580lbs. which is more than half the weight of the tractor. It works OK, but tends to drag the rear of the tractor around a bit. If I had to do it over again, I would have tracked down a 52" mower. I really like the rear discharge. It makes mowing damp grass doable, and has never clogged. I've run it through piles of damp leaves that spilled over the top of the deck, and I couldn't clog it. I like that a lot! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Mike
I have a B7100D, the manual gear shift model. After two years fighting with the belly mower, I got a rear mount finish mower with rear discharge. It takes me 5 min. to remove it, and 10 or 15 to get it back on. If I had a concrete pad to park the mower on the install time would be less.
The belly mower took me at least an hour to remove, and even longer to install. Since there is no lock up for the deck you have to remove it just to do a little light grading on the driveway. It was just too painfull to continue to use it. Besides that, it's a Rube Goldberg design. The main drive belt rubs the deck quite a bit. It's the longest drive belt I've ever seen on a tractor, and it's crossed into a figure 8, so it flops around quite a bit and rubs on itself too. There are 2 pulleys that are supposed to turn the belt 90 deg. and tension the belt and eliminate the need to adjust the tension. I never got the tension as snug as I thought appropriate. Finally, the gauge wheels on the deck have to be mounted in different configurations depending on what width you have your rear wheels set. They still manage to tear up the tires a bit If you let the rear pivot bolt get just a bit loose. If I remember correctly, you can't set the rear wheels to the widest position. I think you probably get the idea that I HATE the belly deck! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
So I got the rear finish mount mower. Mine is 60" and weighs 580lbs. which is more than half the weight of the tractor. It works OK, but tends to drag the rear of the tractor around a bit. If I had to do it over again, I would have tracked down a 52" mower. I really like the rear discharge. It makes mowing damp grass doable, and has never clogged. I've run it through piles of damp leaves that spilled over the top of the deck, and I couldn't clog it. I like that a lot! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Mike
