Good bye F3080 HELLO F2690 4WD!!!

JOHNTHOMAS · Apr 13, 2019

Nearing 300 hours on my F3080 and hit a rock and bent a blade and it clicks when it taps the deck and front wheel on deck is wobbling again so I asked Steve Barlow about taking it and fixing it and bringing me a new one. He agreed to do that and has a 60" side discharge deck on hand but the riding and motor part is now on order for 5-28-19 delivery to him from Kubota so delivery to me should follow that date shortly there after. After they install a mulching kit with mulching blades on the deck he has on hand. No mulching kit would mean no side discharge deck for me. I'm a rear discharge deck guy after owning them for years but I've discovered the side discharge with mulching kit also fixes the side discharge issues for me and my family. #27, I think.

628pm · Apr 13, 2019

Congrats on the f2690, had mine for several years now, no problems to speak of. Mulching kit is very nice, I really like mine. My only issue is that I have the 72 inch deck and with the mulching kit installed it can put a load on the engine if the grass is tall. With yours being the 60" deck you shouldn't have those issues.

JOHNTHOMAS · Apr 14, 2019

Correction. The F3080 I'm trading in to Barlows has 230 hours (Looked at the hour meter yesterday) instead of the near 300 hours I first stated. Will make a great mowing machine for someone. Has the 72" rear discharge deck and has been well maintained.

davatk · Apr 19, 2019

I haven’t been on here for years, and JOHNTHOMAS is still wheeling and dealing Kubotas ! Say hey to Brady from davatk next time you see him.

Gkk20011 · May 3, 2019

John
I have the mulch kit installed on a 60” deck (F3680) and absolutely love it. Yes, mulching blades are needed but the cut is great and the grass clippings are left down into the turf. I have no blowback of any sort. I highly recommend a mulch kit.

JOHNTHOMAS · May 4, 2019

Gkk20011 said:
John
I have the mulch kit installed on a 60” deck (F3680) and absolutely love it. Yes, mulching blades are needed but the cut is great and the grass clippings are left down into the turf. I have no blowback of any sort. I highly recommend a mulch kit.

I agree totally. I had added mulching kit to a Z121 a few years ago and had dealer add mulching kit to BX2370 a year and a half ago which I traded to my brother yesterday for a BX1500 which I'm trading to Barlows for a ZG724 and I'm having Barlows install a mulching kit to the ZG. Now with some years of experience behind me with Kubotas with mulching kits I feel OK with recommending them to one and almost all. If people only mow grass 10 inches or higher the mulching kit may not be as great.:laughing::laughing::laughing: The ZG has 99 hours and blades on it are vibrating so needs new blades any way which come with the mulching kit so two birds killed with one stone or new set of blades.

I possibly may recommend mulching kit over the rear discharge deck now but that's still a maybe. I'll see after I get my new F2690 with mulching kit and use the ZG with mulching kit for a season.

arto98607 · May 4, 2019

I have 72 inch rear discharge deck with the "regular" blades and just wondering if some type of mulching or gator blades are worth trying out next time?

JOHNTHOMAS · May 5, 2019

arto98607 said:
I have 72 inch rear discharge deck with the "regular" blades and just wondering if some type of mulching or gator blades are worth trying out next time?

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I've replaced my blades on my RD decks several times over the years and always went with those sold by the Kubota dealer which I'm sure are OEM blades. They have always worked great for me as long as I keep the diesel engine running near full throttle with noticeable change in cut with lowering engine speed. I keep telling myself I'll put the new blades on and sharpen the old ones and put those back on next year but so far I just keep replacing the blades every few years when I bend one due to limestone beating steel.