Mowing Mowing in High Range: Why Not ??

[M. Sullivan]

Have the B2710, with 72" belly mower. Manual says do not mow in high, curious why not. Some straight-aways are awefully tempting. Wondering if it's due to quality of cut (grass springs back from under the tires to slowly to cut evenly), or due to internals of the hydro. Insights appreciated, especially from some of the resident experts/technicians.

 

[cowboydoc]

Sullivan,
The reason you shouldn't mow in high range is because at that range your gears are smaller and can't handle the torque as well as you can in lower range if you're using an implement. Causes the fluid to heat up and burn as well because of the increased heat that is created from too high a gear and this will as well lead to transmission failure.

 

[kubmech]

I would have to say use your best judjement/listen to the tractor. You don't want to run the engine at a constant bog, should keep rpm's up with exhaust clear of smoke. Quality of cut is in the eye of the beholder, the slower you go the better cut you get. The HST does work harder in high range and will run hotter, heat kills hydros. The harder you work the hydro the more it whines (pun intended), the more it whines the more heat it builds up. How often are you slowing down and how long does it take the engine to come back up to speed during acceleration. These factors should be considered for all your tractor jobs when deciding which range to use.

 

[RPM]

Doesn't seem to be an issue for the BX. I've never had it bog down - and the manual says nothing about it. I've never experienced the engine slowing or putting out smoke when I'm mowing thick grass. This is all with the belly-mount of course -- may be different cutting brush with a rotary mower on the 3ph.

Perhaps it was designed to take account of this? It's a wicked mowing machine. Did my yard again today in half of the time that it took my neighbor on his JD.

 

[reslaire]

I am curious where you found in the manual that it says not to mow in high. I had a look for this recently and could not find such a statement.

I mow in high all the time with my 2710 with 72" deck, as I did with my 1750 before (1200 hours on it when I traded it in). Both tractors seem to handle it without problem. I also have to say that I don't mow at the maximum forward speed either. I get my 3 acres done in about 2.5 hours.

Bob.

 

[GlueGuy]

Well, if I mowed in high, I would get thrown off the tractor, and also wouldn't make the corners! /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif Most of my "runs" are too short, and too bumpy to even think about it. I'm always in low, and frequently barely moving. I would think that if you're moving too fast, there would also be an issue of getting ahead of the cutting blades.

The GlueGuy

 

[Von]

I can't find it in my book as well. I mow in mid range and can cut my 5 acs. in about 2 1/2 hours It seems fast enough and have to slow down to go around the trees. Don't know if I could go any faster.

 

[FarmerBob]

I've got manual tranny in my L2600DT and if I didn't mow in high range I'd get done in about time to start over. 2nd gear high range seems to be a perfect combination and the mower cuts cleanly without bog-down. I've re-read my manual and can't find anything referencing range settings for mowing.

FarmerBob

 

[JATO_RaT]

M Sullivan, I think that the best answer was that from Kubmech. If in fact it says not to mow in high in the manual, I would consider they say it for a variety of reasons. With high, thick grass the answer is obvious. On slopes and hilly terrain, again the answer is obvious. I think common sense is the most important criteria to use. Kubota and other manufactuers might be happiest if owners did all things as safe as possible, but that is not always practical. By the way, some hydro's whine from the second they are engaged, others when they heat up. If the diesel engine is lugging, its probably best to slow down. I like you have some straight cuts hundreds of feet long and will use the higher gears on my tractor. Some areas are bumpy and I slow down to not only save some jarring on the tractor, but also my 1500lb mower suspended out 6'. Rat...

 

[r0GuE]

Mowing in low with full depression of the peddal is much slower then mowing in high with 1/3 - 1/2 depression. I can't believe that anything short of a very very steep incline will tax the big 22! This motor just seems extremely powerfull in relation to the tasks that I believe I will undertake with this tractor. I really think that this machine is built to the standards that are required for FELs and Tillers etc. Mowing (at least seems to me) is light duty.
Course I agree that common sense tells you that when you hit that "Rogue" section of the lawn that grows 8 times faster than the rest, slow down on the peddal and come up on the RPM.

Rogue