Let's discuss finish mowers for me

[BMan2005]

Glad to hear y'all have experience with the brand and approve. Stumbled on the brand reading on other mowers and all I've read is praise about it's clean cut, simple, and extremely reliable. I honestly thought it was some off brand stuff when I saw one awhile back.

Btw, no mowing today. Had to upgrade the old 3 rib front tires sooner than I planned. Rim had rusted through around the valve stem, never knew it was even rusting.... My dealer (sales Kubota and NH) convinced me away from turf tires for several reasons I can comment on if curious, and set me up with 14" implement wheels and 205/75r14 trailer tires. Tire are the exact same height as my old 3 ribs but wider and should be much easier on the lawn in turns. Put some kubota orange paint on the wheels and hopefully get to try out the mower.

That is one good looking finish mower. I do have a dumb question though, how do you adjust the cutting height? Or can you? I don't see how you adjust the outrigger wheels by looking at the pic.

Looking again, do you flip the polished bushings around, and place them underneath the arm?

Yes sir, the bushings are different sizes, 4 of them you can stack or use individual.

 

[kebo]

Just for fun, here's a pic of my Sitrex SM-150 RFM. I bought it used off of craigslist for $435 several years ago. Been a very good mower for me, only thing I would change is the side discharge. The rear discharge design gets rid of the chute, so you can mow close to something on either side of it. My next RFM will be rear discharge!

 

[BMan2005]

Just for fun, here's a pic of my Sitrex SM-150 RFM. I bought it used off of craigslist for $435 several years ago. Been a very good mower for me, only thing I would change is the side discharge. The rear discharge design gets rid of the chute, so you can mow close to something on either side of it. My next RFM will be rear discharge!

View attachment 547684

Yeah I would have still given you what you paid for it today, looks well taken care of. Most used finish mowers either looked rough or were asking new prices. Crazy

 

[4570Man]

I’ve got a Howse finish mower that I bought new but several years old for like $700. It’s probably the heaviest built finish mower I’ve seen. And the blade tip speed is blistering fast. I believe it’s rated at 27,000 FPM. The cut quality is excellent. The biggest problem with the mower is they should have used double belts like the Kubota mowers. The single belt doesn’t hold up to heavy grass cutting. I pulled a 6’ mower behind my L3240. Yours should do better mowing since your tractor is considerably lighter and takes less power to move around. You’d have the power to pull a wider mower than 6’ but I don’t think I’d want to. For me it would be a nuisance sticking out a long ways.

 

[BMan2005]

I’ve got a Howse finish mower that I bought new but several years old for like $700. It’s probably the heaviest built finish mower I’ve seen. And the blade tip speed is blistering fast. I believe it’s rated at 27,000 FPM. The cut quality is excellent. The biggest problem with the mower is they should have used double belts like the Kubota mowers. The single belt doesn’t hold up to heavy grass cutting. I pulled a 6’ mower behind my L3240. Yours should do better mowing since your tractor is considerably lighter and takes less power to move around. You’d have the power to pull a wider mower than 6’ but I don’t think I’d want to. For me it would be a nuisance sticking out a long ways.

I checked that out last night, 7Ga. Deck! They don't even build there rotary mowers that good. Definitely stout.

 

[BMan2005]

The culprit that caused the down time.




And the solution, plus a $6 can of Kubota orange paint.

 

[BMan2005]

I like how it turned out, wider more stable stance, just narrower than the rear, and doesn't chew up the grass on sharp turns.




For the mower, I appreciate the advice on size guys. 6' seemed to be perfect mowing around the house. As for the mower itself, I really like it! I haven't used another to compare it to but it cut just as good, actually better at the speed I was going than my riding mower it replaced. I ran in 7th gear majority of the time (6mph at PTO speed) and she just purred right on even in thick stuff. Hopefully I can reclaim my yard in a few cuttings from the weeds that have sprouted from this weird hot/cold weather we've been having.

 

[chim]

BMan, that looks like a great combination. Congrats! What are the trees in the lower photo? None of our pines have needles that look like they're a foot long.

 

[BMan2005]

BMan, that looks like a great combination. Congrats! What are the trees in the lower photo? None of our pines have needles that look like they're a foot long.

Thanks man.

Long leaf pine, we live down in the deep South East where they are native. Me and my wife planted 5 acres around the house 6 years ago, yeah they don't get it no hurry to grow. Lol

 

[KenB2920]

Thanks man.

Long leaf pine, we live down in the deep South East where they are native. Me and my wife planted 5 acres around the house 6 years ago, yeah they don't get it no hurry to grow. Lol

I had a 60” belly mower and then moved to a bigger tractor and 84” RFM. I then purchased a 61” ZTR.

The ZTR is faster and leaves a better finish than the “84 inch.

The rear finish mower left a great cut with its rear discharge. But, comfort; efficiency and weight; the ZTR is better on every aspect.

I needed a tractor to there is no doubt the tractor did it’s job. BUT, without money being a consideration, a dedicated mower if better.




Not always, it I look at it like this. A kitchen aid mixer does many jobs well. But does it do any specific job as well as a dedicated apple appliance. Will it do most things well, Yes. But will is SID everything as well as an equal dedicated applicant? Most likely not.

A tractor is an amazing kitchen aid. But not the perfect stand alone machine.