Kubota F series

Hay Dude · Jun 27, 2020

I can go back to turf tires, too with 4wd.
Bar tires on my ZD331 are just too rough when you have to hustle on commercial jobs.
Moving fast and bar tires on a zero turn not a good match.
Especially when the HOA President is a miserable old lady that complains about everything :gloomy:

JOHNTHOMAS · Jun 28, 2020

Hay Dude said:
F Owners who also have/do run a zero turn:

I have a unique, large customer property I am admittedly doing some damage to by a zero turn with bar tires. Turf tires will not hold on the hills. The property is steep and there are a decent amount of trees to cut under. On top of that, the turf is mostly weeds and grass mixed, so the root system is not all that strong. I知 getting a smattering of complaints about tire marks.

Is an F the answer to my needs? I missed out on a chance to get a 3680 72 last year.
Over the winter, should I make the switch?

I guess that's me the one with both. I've owned Fs for over 12 years. Had a 2wd F for level rental acreage property and a F 4wd for hillside home property acreage. Done some selling and trading over the years of Fs and Zero turns (Gas and Diesel). Last year i traded my F3080 4wd to a new F2990 4wd and also bought a ZD1211. One has rear discharge and the other has side with mulching kit and both have turf tires. The new F came first so Grandson helps me mow now and he loved the F after a couple years with a BX and F. Then the gas 7xx ZD replaced the BX and then the ZD1211 replaced the gas and he really liked the ZD1211 but alas this year he gets first choice and always picks the F which leaves me on the ZD which has gotten stuck twice in two different small ditches since I've owned it and it becomes uncontrollable sometimes going down my slopes/hills. Any way I approached Kunota dealer (Barlows) a couple weeks ago while having a RTV500 serviced about trading the ZD to a F. $20,000 for a second F is not in my plan so I told him if he got a low hours trade in F to call me about trading in my ZD1211 to another F. Guess you can see how I feel about Fs after trying the ZD3xx, smallest Kubota gas ZD and a ZD7xx and ZD1211 and several Fs. Told him to get me my old 2wd F back if he could since I've bought it from him twice before.

Hay Dude · Jun 28, 2020

JOHNTHOMAS said:
I guess that's me the one with both. I've owned Fs for over 12 years. Had a 2wd F for level rental acreage property and a F 4wd for hillside home property acreage. Done some selling and trading over the years of Fs and Zero turns (Gas and Diesel). Last year i traded my F3080 4wd to a new F2990 4wd and also bought a ZD1211. One has rear discharge and the other has side with mulching kit and both have turf tires. The new F came first so Grandson helps me mow now and he loved the F after a couple years with a BX and F. Then the gas 7xx ZD replaced the BX and then the ZD1211 replaced the gas and he really liked the ZD1211 but alas this year he gets first choice and always picks the F which leaves me on the ZD which has gotten stuck twice in two different small ditches since I've owned it and it becomes uncontrollable sometimes going down my slopes/hills. Any way I approached Kunota dealer (Barlows) a couple weeks ago while having a RTV500 serviced about trading the ZD to a F. $20,000 for a second F is not in my plan so I told him if he got a low hours trade in F to call me about trading in my ZD1211 to another F. Guess you can see how I feel about Fs after trying the ZD3xx, smallest Kubota gas ZD and a ZD7xx and ZD1211 and several Fs. Told him to get me my old 2wd F back if he could since I've bought it from him twice before.

I know these sound like really detailed questions, but here goes.

1. The F is a taller unit, so it probably won’t cut as far under low branches as the Z will. This may be a little bit mitigated by the F deck sticking out a little further???
2. Also, being taller, one would think more tippy on steep side slopes? Maybe this isn’t as bad since they have 4 tires?
3. I’m really used to twin handles for steering, the F has a steering wheel. How much difference in comfort or steer-ability?
4. The option of a rear discharge deck is something I cannot decide on. I think because of the need to direct clippings away from plant beds, sidewalks, etc is so important that I would stay with side discharge. I just can’t envision rear discharge.....would think it would leave a constant carpet of clippings laying behind deck?

Is there anything else Im missing or not thinking about?
I would really hate to sell the ZD331, get an F and its unable to do the job.

dsb5610 · Jun 28, 2020

Hay Dude said:
F Owners who also have/do run a zero turn:

I have a unique, large customer property I am admittedly doing some damage to by a zero turn with bar tires. Turf tires will not hold on the hills. The property is steep and there are a decent amount of trees to cut under. On top of that, the turf is mostly weeds and grass mixed, so the root system is not all that strong. I知 getting a smattering of complaints about tire marks.

Is an F the answer to my needs? I missed out on a chance to get a 3680 72 last year.
Over the winter, should I make the switch?

I had a JD F911 2wd with turfs followed by a ZD326p with turfs followed by a 725d Grasshopper with chevrons and currently a JD 1570 4wd with turfs. All were side discharge except the 1570. When mowing a slope sideways w/o obstacles the 1570 would result in the least amount of damage. Add obstacles and any of them will do some damage especially when making an uphill turn. The F911 and ZD326p could not maintain a line on slopes the Grasshopper and 1570 can.

The 1570 w/rear discharge can cut taller material than the others could. Different class machine but no comparison. No clogging but little mulching. Looks like you cut it with a haybine with the deflectors open. Subsequent mowing, if you keep up with it, leave a clean look.

dsb

Hay Dude · Jun 28, 2020

dsb5610 said:
I had a JD F911 2wd with turfs followed by a ZD326p with turfs followed by a 725d Grasshopper with chevrons and currently a JD 1570 4wd with turfs. All were side discharge except the 1570. When mowing a slope sideways w/o obstacles the 1570 would result in the least amount of damage. Add obstacles and any of them will do some damage especially when making an uphill turn. The F911 and ZD326p could not maintain a line on slopes the Grasshopper and 1570 can.

The 1570 w/rear discharge can cut taller material than the others could. Different class machine but no comparison. No clogging but little mulching. Looks like you cut it with a haybine with the deflectors open. Subsequent mowing, if you keep up with it, leave a clean look.

dsb

I can relate to the haybine analogy.
I will always be cutting it on a schedule (like every Wednesday, for example) so no extremely tall grass will be cut. Itll be on a weekly schedule.
I am also looking at the flail mower attachment to open up another line of cutting options not available to the ZD331

Xfaxman · Jun 28, 2020

Hay Dude said:
--------------------------------------------
I am also looking at the flail mower attachment to open up another line of cutting options not available to the ZD331

The out front flail I have works good. The disadvantage is you can't mow up close on the sides.

If you are hand trimming anyway it wouldn't matter, but out here in the country I don't even have a weed eater.

Oathkeeper · Jun 28, 2020

dsb5610 said:
The 1570 w/rear discharge can cut taller material than the others could. Different class machine but no comparison.

dsb

Is not the JD 1570 the rough equivalent of the Kubota F3990?

On the 1570, what is the maximum slope you are able to mow sideways without it trying to slip downhill?

Do you think the 1600 WAM would have the same performance as the 1570 on hills?

dsb5610 · Jun 28, 2020

Oathkeeper said:
Is not the JD 1570 the rough equivalent of the Kubota F3990?

On the 1570, what is the maximum slope you are able to mow sideways without it trying to slip downhill?

Do you think the 1600 WAM would have the same performance as the 1570 on hills?

1570 would be similar to an F3990. I only mow a couple areas along the right of way where I buckle up and hang on to the side. Not sure what the slope is.

I've looked at a 1600 WAM but never operated one. From what I recall, the center of gravity seemed higher. Definitely a bigger class machine.

dsb

JOHNTHOMAS · Jun 29, 2020

1. The F is a taller unit, so it probably won’t cut as far under low branches as the Z will. This may be a little bit mitigated by the F deck sticking out a little further???This doesn't apply since the rider is setting how high one can drive under with rops down and with rops up it determines how high but I have a canopy over both so it stes it but under trees I go the same with both with lower limbs cut off and F deck goes under shrubs where Z can not go

2. Also, being taller, one would think more tippy on steep side slopes? Maybe this isn’t as bad since they have 4 tires?The engine weight and deck and wheels are all at about the same level, the F just has a hood setting up which makes it seem a lot taller. I drive them both on the same slope and they seem to do about the same except the Z may want to slide a bit more than the F which usually stays straight but both would slip on wet but the F would ghandle the wet better because the Z has a mind of its own with going down hill if the front slipped to far around.

3. I’m really used to twin handles for steering, the F has a steering wheel. How much difference in comfort or steer-ability?Me, Grandson and hired helper all agree the steering wheel and the F are far superior on steering with the steering of the F staying straight on at speed and open area where the Z is a constant control/correcting direction issue with unlevel yard.

4. The option of a rear discharge deck is something I cannot decide on. I think because of the need to direct clippings away from plant beds, sidewalks, etc is so important that I would stay with side discharge. I just can’t envision rear discharge.....would think it would leave a constant carpet of clippings laying behind deck?
A rear discharge deck cuts equally close on both side and there are no clippings being discharged to the side, clippings come out the back but mostly down on the ground. When I cut after grass gets over 8"s high there can be a spread out cut clippings trail for a couple days and then it's gone with mulching deck and rear discharge deck. A side discharge requires a pattern to keep moving discharged cut grass to keep from doubleing up where grass lands, not so with rear or mulching. One can mow circles or random pattern with no issues with rear or mulching. I personally hate side discharge after many years experience with them and I now prefer side with mulching kit and then rear. If one mows regularly there is no windrowing with rear or mulching decks.