Pass the salt please....

[Farmwithjunk]

I may need to season my words before eating them.

I'm probably the last person on earth to give King Kutter any credit beyond their tillers. I'm just not impressed with their offerings. Over the years, I've slammed KK as much as any one person I know of. But here we go.

A neighbor bought a 6' finish mower, thinking he could use it on his smallish Kubota. (Not sure what model, but it's a sub-compact, and struggles just to lift the mower, muchless cut tall grass) Now he wants to sell it CHEAP so he can buy something a little more appropriate for his tractor. He needs another $675 to afford the mower he's now wanting to buy, and has offered it to me at that price. It has about 2 hours use on it. Now under any conditions, that's cheap. If nothing else, I might buy it and re-sell. But with 8+ acres of lawn that I'm currently mowing with a bush hog, it might be a better way. At that price, a couple seasons use would be a fair return.

OK... Here we go. What sort of mower can I expect? Anyone with GOOD reports? How about the down side to them? Ground to be mowed is relatively flat, free of obstructions, and a good stand of fescue grass that grows 2" to 3" per week in anything less than drought conditions.

Yep! I need another "toy" like I need another hole in the head. But who can pass up a bargain like that!

 

[IslandTractor]

I'm pretty sure that Soundguy has used some KK mowers that he is very happy with, not sure if they were cutters or finish mowers though. Other than complaints about paint quality I've not seen any real complainst about the KK mowers posted here on TBN.

 

[BTDT]

Being the knowledgeable man you are, I'm sure it will be a good deal for you. Whatever breaks down the road you can repair/upgrade with better parts (bearings, blades, belts) at that time, then you should have a mower to last a good long while. I don't own one, and it may last for years without any problem, but at least you know the history of this mower, and it would beat buying something used at that price that you knew nothing of it's history. Good luck, and post pics when you get it home.

 

[Offy]

I have a King Kutter bush hog that I got used when I bought my 9N nearly 20 years ago. I have abused it unmercifully through the years. I have rebuilt the tail wheel and reskinned it twice with a third one well overdue and other than greasing it and dressing the blades that is all that I have done to it. I will add that where I live it is used near year round. If King Kutter is an unreliable equipment manufacture then they have sure changed since they made mine.

 

[Ford850]

I think you will be buying an ugly, soon to be rusty, paint peeling, workhorse. One that will do as good of a job as many costing 3 times what you will pay. Buy it and enjoy it knowing you won't have to get upset when you scratch or dent it. I don't have a KK finish mower but I have a 6' rotary cutter that takes a LOT of abuse. The area you describe to be mowed sounds like that mower might last forever with proper maintenance.

 

[billbill1]

Bill, if this helps with your decision or not-is up to you. I bought a J-Bar mower with my tractor, a 6' with rear discharge for $1200 three years ago. It is junk IMHO. I bought a King Kutter from Orcsheln's this past Wednesday, a 6' rear discharge and it was $1502 w/tax. I mowed with it today, it is a much better mower than the J-Bar again IMHO. Sounds like something you can make money on if nothing else but I think it will serve you well.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Well... It's sitting in the driveway as of last night. Going to try it out this weekend. I'm a little skeptical regarding the gauge wheels and their frail looking mounting, but then again, it's a finish mower and not a stump grinder. Guess they don't need to be too super-heavy-duty. As soon as I figure out what I did with the camera, I'll put up a few pictures.