Kubota TG1860,GR2100,G2160 or JD X-300

jlangton · Jun 11, 2006

Who has a TG1860? Anything in particular that you've had trouble with? I'm leery of the belt drive with a diesel,any kind of issues with it under load? I'm a little hung up on price right now...$4900.I know the diesel will last a long time, but it's difficult for me to justify that kind of money for a riding mower. I can get into an X300 Deere for $2600,and the only real difference is the powertrain. I wish JD had a smaller rider with a diesel-this would be a much easier decision then since the pricing would be closer.
What about the GR2100-If I read right it's got a wet disk type PTO clutch and shaft drive on the deck,and shaft driven HST-is this right? The G2160 has a shaft driven HST,and a shaft driven deck with a belt tension clutch setup of some kind on the front that drives the PTO shaft. I can pick up either of those for right around $6900,but it's really,really difficult for me to justify the extreme cost difference for the shaft drives. For not alot more I can get a BX1850...and that's alot more machine.
Any input is appreciated.
JL

jlangton · Jun 11, 2006

Who has a TG1860? Anything in particular that you've had trouble with? I'm leery of the belt drive with a diesel,any kind of issues with it under load? I'm a little hung up on price right now...$4900.I know the diesel will last a long time, but it's difficult for me to justify that kind of money for a riding mower. I can get into an X300 Deere for $2600,and the only real difference is the powertrain. I wish JD had a smaller rider with a diesel-this would be a much easier decision then since the pricing would be closer.
What about the GR2100-If I read right it's got a wet disk type PTO clutch and shaft drive on the deck,and shaft driven HST-is this right? The G2160 has a shaft driven HST,and a shaft driven deck with a belt tension clutch setup of some kind on the front that drives the PTO shaft. I can pick up either of those for right around $6900,but it's really,really difficult for me to justify the extreme cost difference for the shaft drives. For not alot more I can get a BX1850...and that's alot more machine.
Any input is appreciated.
JL

cokeman · Jun 11, 2006

I bought a new TG1860 a few years ago. It was a quality machine as are most Kubota products. I had no issues with the diesel possibly overpowering the belt drive. I don't think you will have to worry about that. A year later my walk behind snow blower quit and I traded the TG on a BX1500 with a 4 foot 3ph blower and belly mower. I wasn't really happy with the BX for either task. The BX is a great multi purpose machine but it is not a great mower. It's not as maneuverable as a TG in tight areas. I would rather mow on a TG. A couple weeks ago I traded the BX on a Toro garden tractor and got some cash back. It's nothing fancy with a Kohler v twin and belt drive but to tell you the truth I would rather mow on the Toro than either of the Kubotas. If you are just cutting grass you don't need shaft drive. I'm not sure how I'm going to move snow yet.

I hope my experience points you in the right direction.

Dean

jlangton · Jun 11, 2006

Thanks for the input Dean. I do plan on pulling a tow-behind cart around the yard for various stuff,so it won't be just for cutting grass-I'd say 80% of it's duties would be grass cutting-possibly a bit of light dirt blading on occasion.
JL

cokeman · Jun 11, 2006

You don't need a diesel or shaft drive for that. You could look at a 1500 series cub, the small X series JD, or even something like my Toro GT2300 which is basically a Cub Cadet 1554. They are all in the 3000 us range. You can spend a lot more than that and not get much more functionality from the machine. How much grass do you have to cut?

Dean

jlangton · Jun 11, 2006

( You don't need a diesel or shaft drive for that. You could look at a 1500 series cub, the small X series JD, or even something like my Toro GT2300 which is basically a Cub Cadet 1554. They are all in the 3000 us range. You can spend a lot more than that and not get much more functionality from the machine. How much grass do you have to cut?

Dean )
I know I don't need a diesel for any of this really,but I would rather have a diesel.
I will not own anything with a Kohler anymore. I've had them before,and they've been nothing but trouble for me. If it's going to be gas powered I prefer the Kawasaki or even a Briggs,but no Kohlers. I'm not planning on buying another machine for grass cutting ever again-so the liquid cooled diesel seems to fit the bill for long life, power and efficiency. I'm only cutting 1 acre right now,but I'll likely be taking it over to the inlaw's place to cut their 2-3 acres too.My father in-law's health is decling,and I'll be mowing over there too in the near future.
I look at it like this..if the nearest comparison is the GT2300 for $3000-that's an air cooled Kohler gasoline. I can get the Kawasaki powered JD X300 for only $2600,or I can get the TG1860 liquid cooled diesel for $4900,and it's a far superior powerplant that'll be quieter to use and last much longer than the gas powerplants that are available. I guess I'm just hung up on the belt drive thing when I shouldn't be worried about it.
JL

cokeman · Jun 12, 2006

I see your logic when it comes to diesel quality. If you can afford the 4900.00 for the TG I promise you this, it will last you 20 years easy. I hope I have better luck with the Kohler than you. It's the first one I have owned. Now I hear the Courage is not as good as the Command. I'll probably blow it up 2 days after the warranty runs out. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Dean

jlangton · Jun 12, 2006

( I see your logic when it comes to diesel quality. If you can afford the 4900.00 for the TG I promise you this, it will last you 20 years easy. I hope I have better luck with the Kohler than you. It's the first one I have owned. Now I hear the Courage is not as good as the Command. I'll probably blow it up 2 days after the warranty runs out. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Dean
)
I actually had issues with the Command series. Head gasket after head gasket,and it drank fuel like it was free. I spent more time messing with it trying to get it to run right than I did mowing with it. People constantly tell me it had to be just an oddball, but Kohler burned a bridge with me on that one.
After that I just gave up and bought a 5 hp push mower since the yard wasn't that big at the time. Now I'm just older (or maybe just more lazy /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif ),and that pushing crap has gotta go. I'm stuck deciding between the TG1860 and the G2160 right now..gotta just go see if I can figure out which one I want to get now-I've got 2 weeks to make up my mind.
JL

cokeman · Jun 13, 2006

Funny you should mention fuel. This new thing I just bought used about four times as much gas as the BX did diesel. Not impressive.

Are the Kubotas used or new non currents? Last year was the end of production for the 1860 and the 2160 hansn't been produced for a few years.

Dean

jlangton · Jun 13, 2006

The 2160 is a new unit that's just a left over 2005 unit,and the 1860 is a demo unit from the dealership with 22 hrs on it.
I'm also gonna look at the GR2100 thurdsay to get a good idea of what all I like/dislike between each of them.
JL