Mow yard with B7800??

[ChuckinNH]

I was about to pull the trigger on a B7610, and then storm damage in my woods got me thinking larger. Still, having an "all around tractor" is appealing. I currently have a BX22, but mow with a Simplicity Legacy that I had prior to getting a good deal on the slightly used BX. My yard has lots of dips, and hollows, a couple of short steep areas, and lots of trees, and rocks to mow around. I'm concerned both about the weight, and maneuverability of the larger tractor for that task. Part of me is saying that I should just get an L3400 for use in the woods, Bh use, chipping, etc., and continue mowing with the Simplicity....... but where's the fun in that?
Chuck

 

[Toolguy]

I have a B3030 (same size as a B7800) that I mow my lawn with. After using it for a few months last year and the full season this year, IMHO, while it does a great job of mowing the grass it is a little too heavy to be considered an ideal mowing machine. I do have loaded rear tires so if they were not loaded it would be better but then I would have to install a weight box anytime I want to use the loader. For most of my lawn the weight is not a problem. In the wetter spots it leaves slight depressions that distract from an otherwise good looking result. It has been more noticable this fall as we have been getting an unusual amount of rain lately. Last year when it was dry I thought it did a great job. I will still continue to mow with it but it might give you something to consider when making your decision. Good luck.

 

[ChuckinNH]

Thanks for the response Toolguy. Your experience confirms some of the concerns that I had. I do mow over three acres, sometimes weekly, so perhaps I'll look into getting a bigger deck for my Simplicity ( I have a 48" now), and still look at trading my BX for a larger "B" series. If I decide not to mow, or blow snow with the larger tractor, perhaps I will look into a L3400DT also.

Thanks for your input!

 

[Timber]

I do not mow my lawn with my tractor; I have a cub cadet with a 50 inch deck for that. I have 4 acres of lawn also. At any rate my 1 concern was wt. I want a soft shoe in the woods & maneuverability around trees and such. I bought the B7800 for that reason. Now if you’re going to mow grass with it you’re not going to want to load the tires. There is also tire choice. If you’re going to mow you probably going to want turf tires that are vulnerable in the woods. As far as ballast is concerned I have a 55 gallon drum with about 800 pound of cement in it. I just set it down on a moving dolly and it couldn't be easier to mount. It is also tight in between the wheels so it takes no room to maneuver around in the woods. So in the end my choice was my B7800 and a $2000 lawn tractor. This combination works out great for me. The lawn tractor cost about as much as a mower deck for the B7800 and it will do a better job quicker and leave the Kubota set up for other jobs.



There is also the isue of ground clearence with the mower deck. It is easy to remove but it is a hasel every time you want to do something that requires working without it there

 

[Berniep]

Trade the bx in on a 7800 and trade the legacy in on a zero turn mower.
You can mow your grass in half the time or even less since you have a lot of stuff to mow around. My little 50" Dixon broke down once last year and I borrowed the neighbors JD 60" and I remembered why I have a zero turn. Took me almost twice as long and rode rougher too.