Need your help in finding the perfect Kubota...

[GreenMtnBoy]

Rainbow6 - nice idea, but I'm a little short on cash for an L series...unless my kids are able to get full-ride scholarships...

Egon, Henro (where's the beer?) and mathteacher ...thanks for weighing in. I'm surprised that none of you sound too concerned if I were to add a MMM mower to my order, given that I specified R4s. Actually, if I could get away with it, I'd prefer to add a deck to the 7610 (as opposed to purchasing a dedicated mower). It just seems a little more elegant to me. Obviously, not everyone sees it quite this way.

So, let me get this straight - when you guys are advocating for consideration of a MMM, you're accounting for the fact that I'll be running R4s? I understand you're not claiming this is the ultimate mowing setup, but you're saying that it's at least reasonable?

Thanks again. I really feel like I'm honing in...

GreenMtnBoy

 

[Egon]

I've not used R4's but would think the tread pattern should not damage lawn. People mow with 3010 rear finish mowers and again I'm thinking a MMM mower is much handier in most cases. Removeing the loader makes it even better. Only thing is the MMM should be removed when using the other attachments.

Just as an aside I would consider my B7100 with 60 in. MMM and loader removed a very good mowing machine.

Egon

 

[Freds]

My B7500 with R4s did a good job at mowning, it was just a little heavy for a lot of spots and sunk in rather than the tires leaving tread patterns. The RFM didn't help in this matter because of the wheels on that sinking in too.
If you expect your lawn area to be firm then I would go ahead and mow with your setup.

 

[Henro]

<font color="blue"> So, let me get this straight - when you guys are advocating for consideration of a MMM, you're accounting for the fact that I'll be running R4s? </font>

I have R4s on my B2910 and turf tires on the BX2200. Either can be made to tear up grass if you are not careful. I was cutting using a RFM on the B2910, with the loader off. My front tires are foam filled and maybe a little more solid than air tires. Still, when the ground is dry that is not an issue at all for me. When the soil is soft they will leave some marks, but that is with the loader on. Loader stays on all the time now that I have the smaller tractor to mow with.

I honestly think that if I had ordered a MMM with my B2910 I would not have the smaller tractor now. It was just that the RFM did not suit my needs...The tractor/tires were never an issue in my case.

<font color="blue"> I understand you're not claiming this is the ultimate mowing setup, but you're saying that it's at least reasonable?
</font>

For me I liked the cut of the B2910/R4 tires/RFM better than what my MTD garden tractor gave me.

As my b2910 sits now, it has liquid ballast in the rear tires, foam in the front, the loader and backhoe on. We have had more than the normal amount of rain in recently. Earlier this week I brought seven buckets of crushed limestone up to the back of the house. The tires left marks in the grass (been cutting it at 4" so it pushes over easy) but not any ruts in the soil that I can see. I am careful and turn the wheel easy though, and try to run on different grass each trip...

I would say the MMM on a B7610 is more than reasonable. At least in my experience and my conditions.

 

[mathteacher]

GreenMtnBoy - I have found that even with my 38 inch Sears Riding mower I could tear the ground up when I cut the grass if I were not careful. It would not worry me at all to cut with R4's on my tractor. I have BarTurfs but my Dad has R4's and just like anything you just have to be careful. I am making the areas around my trees a little bigger so that I don't have to get as close to them. Plus because of the ROPS I am having to trim the trees up a little higher than they were before. But that is good for the grass. More SUN! My kids actually do more damage with the 4-wheelers on the ground if I don't stay on their butts about the damage. I just came inside from cutting ALL of my yard and it took me between 4 and 5 hours. Vs. 12 to 16 hours with my riding mower. It really is worth it to me. I can actually come in and cut the yard for a couple of hours in the evening. Instead of eating up my entire weekend cutting grass. Today I just wanted to see how long it would take. The deck isn't that hard to take off and put on. I can do it in about 10 or 15 minutes. And that is taking my time. The B7610 is a great tractor. I couldn't justify to myself to upgrade to the B2410 which is the same tractor with a few more bells and whistles. But I am one of those people that likes plan jane.

Donald B.

 

[maxtractor]

My oldest daughter got a full-ride to college /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif and I still felt like the B7610 was the most tractor I could afford. (If she hadn't, I would still be using a 25 year old B6100.) I use my B7610 to mow with a 60" MMM and I won't deny that I have damaged some turf, but, it does decent job mowing and I still prefer having only one tractor to maintain. I find it much more comfortable to operate than any riding mower. I have bar turf tires, but I doubt that R4's would be much harder on my turf. No tractor is perfect for every job, but I think a B7610 can come really close to doing everything you want.

 

[Tom_H]

GMB: When I bought my BX2200, I got 2 sets of tires-each on their own rims: ag tires and turf tires, because of the same concern you have. I also bought a hydraulic jack for about $30 and an electric impact wrench for about $50. Have you ever watched pit crews change tires on stock cars? I can change my wheels in about 7 minutes. Now as it turns out, my ag tires don't damage my turf at all, so I could've done without the turf tires.

You however, are going with a bigger tractor and may indeed want turf tires on your lawn. Think of it this way: you'll never need turf tires on in winter or mud season, so the R4's can stay on at least 5 straight months. In spring & summer, the turf tires can stay on most of the time and when you want to do some heavier work, it isn't that big of a deal to change wheels with a hydraulic jack and impact wrench. Which costs more 2 tractors or 2 sets of wheels?

 

[fishdoc]

Let me put my vote in for the 7610. I agree with the R4's. I'd go with filled tires. Even when cutting grass with the loader on and the filled tires I have no problems with damaging the lawn. I takes less than 5 minutes to remove the deck and no more than 10 minutes on a slow day to put ot back on.

 

[robertm]

GreenMtnboy,
If tires are your concern, too, check out the "Turfs VS. Bar Turf post on the Kubota Owning/Operating section. I have bar turfs and highly recommend them. Bar Turfs

 

[GreenMtnBoy]

Well, the day finally arrived. Thanks again to all who have helped me...your guidance was invaluable. Here's what I ended up ordering this afternoon:

B7610 w/352 FEL
R4 tires - not filled
Weight box
54" Rear snowblower
60" MMM
48" box blade
block heater & chains

After careful consideration, this just seemed to be the best setup for me. I think it's going to do most everything I throw at it at least adequately, and I suspect, some things much better than that!

Not filling the R4s was not part of my plan as I entered the dealership (my dealer fills them with Rimguard at no additional charge as part of his setup), but after we had talked about weight concerns for mowing, he offered to throw in a weight box in place of filling the tires. This will allow me to have the lightest possible setup for mowing, but easily add rear weight for loader work. I probably could have used the box blade for this purpose, but since he didn't charge me for the weight box...

Interestingly, I let him talk me out of a toothbar. Something tells me, however, that I'm going to end up wanting one of these at some point. We'll see.

Now I start my wait... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

GreenMtnBoy