Buying Advice Trade the ZD326 for a B2601?

[PapaPerk]

Yesterday I learned that Kubota is introducing the B2601 in 2015. Looks like a nice tractor with new improved ergos. I'm considering trading in my ZD326 for one.

My ZD326 is a 2014 model with around 75 hours on it. Runs great. But I'm not in love with it. It's a 60 inch cut and really gets on with mowing. As it should since they are pricey for a single application machine.

I'm thinking about trading the ZD for a new B2601 with loader and backhoe. I have not made my mind up about what type of mower. Rear finish or mid mount. The machine will have to cut 8 acres of lawn weekly. And mowing quality is important. I already own a L3830 Kubota with FEL that I will never part with. But I would like a smaller tractor to do backhoe and loader work on some upcoming projects.

So what would you all do? Thank you for the advice! And no I don't want to put a hoe on my L3830. Too big. (0:

 

[Scooby074]

8 acres of lawn weekly

Keep the ZD. Love mine. 10x better mower than my BX is/was. I don think I could ever go back to mowing with the tractor, other than having 4wd for the steep spots.

 

[PapaPerk]

8 acres of lawn weekly Keep the ZD. Love mine. 10x better mower than my BX is/was. I don think I could ever go back to mowing with the tractor, other than having 4wd for the steep spots.

What makes the ZD so much better for you?

 

[Scooby074]

What makes the ZD so much better for you?

Speed and quality of cut.

I use the MMM 54" fine cut on the BX and have never been happy. It took lots of adjusting and different blades to get the cut remotely acceptable. The ZD is 10x the mower, because its designed from the ground up as a pro grade mower. Faster tip speed and much heavier deck.

Due to the weight of the BX engine crushing the grass before the mower got to it, it was always leaving stripes where the wheels ran. Rear mounted mower would even be worse. A guy up the road has a RFM on a BX and he has to mow in reverse to get a smooth cut!! The ZD doesnt have that issue.

Ride quality on the ZD with its way better seat suspension is a lot better than the bumpy ride on the BX too. This would be crucial if you had 8ac to mow IMHO.

Speed wise... there is no comparison. Around and under trees, the outfront deck shines.

The issues I have with the BX would likely be the same or worse with the larger B. For mowing, and it sounds like you have a lot of it to do, there is no real substitute for a dedicated mower, particularly one as good as the ZD is at its job.

The only thing that would pry me off my ZD is terrain. On the steep slopes in my yard it slides around a bit when its damp, if I try to go side hill. 4wd on the BX is much more capable in that sense. The ZD would never roll because its low and wide, but the tires suck. I plan on fixing that up this spring with a set of Carlisle AT101's. After that, I dont think Ill ever need to use the BX again for mowing, at least not on the "lawn" area.

IMHO you would be going from the cadillac of mowers to a compromise. A compromise isnt bad if you never experienced the cadillac, but having experienced it, I think you;ll regret it every week you mow. I know I would.

Hoe wise, Id probably put one on the L if I had an L. The BX (and B's) are pretty light for a hoe. The BX hoe will pull you all over the place. Plus it doesnt have a ton of reach or strength. Pulling a stump for example can take all day. If the moneys there, as a backhoe, the L would be a much better investment, especially if you have 8ac to work on. You can almost always find a way to get close quarters work done with a larger machine (and your L isnt really THAT large to begin with).. that doesnt work in reverse though, unless you have a lot of time.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Speed and quality of cut.

I use the MMM 54" fine cut on the BX and have never been happy. It took lots of adjusting and different blades to get the cut remotely acceptable. The ZD is 10x the mower, because its designed from the ground up as a pro grade mower. Faster tip speed and much heavier deck.

Due to the weight of the BX engine crushing the grass before the mower got to it, it was always leaving stripes where the wheels ran. Rear mounted mower would even be worse. A guy up the road has a RFM on a BX and he has to mow in reverse to get a smooth cut!! The ZD doesnt have that issue.

Ride quality on the ZD with its way better seat suspension is a lot better than the bumpy ride on the BX too. This would be crucial if you had 8ac to mow IMHO.

Speed wise... there is no comparison. Around and under trees, the outfront deck shines.

The issues I have with the BX would likely be the same or worse with the larger B. For mowing, and it sounds like you have a lot of it to do, there is no real substitute for a dedicated mower, particularly one as good as the ZD is at its job.

The only thing that would pry me off my ZD is terrain. On the steep slopes in my yard it slides around a bit when its damp, if I try to go side hill. 4wd on the BX is much more capable in that sense. The ZD would never roll because its low and wide, but the tires suck. I plan on fixing that up this spring with a set of Carlisle AT101's. After that, I dont think Ill ever need to use the BX again for mowing, at least not on the "lawn" area.

IMHO you would be going from the cadillac of mowers to a compromise. A compromise isnt bad if you never experienced the cadillac, but having experienced it, I think you;ll regret it every week you mow. I know I would.

Hoe wise, Id probably put one on the L if I had an L. The BX (and B's) are pretty light for a hoe. The BX hoe will pull you all over the place. Plus it doesnt have a ton of reach or strength. Pulling a stump for example can take all day. If the moneys there, as a backhoe, the L would be a much better investment, especially if you have 8ac to work on. You can almost always find a way to get close quarters work done with a larger machine (and your L isnt really THAT large to begin with).. that doesnt work in reverse though, unless you have a lot of time.

I agree unless you want to go up to the top of the line mower, the Kubota F with a 6' deck out front. I tried a Z before buying my last F and just couldn't go back having once been at the F level.
Maybe trade your Z to Barlows for the B2620 FEL BH with 75 hours that I just traded in and add a RFM to use on it or the L if you have a yard instead of a Lawn.

 

[PapaPerk]

Speed and quality of cut.

I use the MMM 54" fine cut on the BX and have never been happy. It took lots of adjusting and different blades to get the cut remotely acceptable. The ZD is 10x the mower, because its designed from the ground up as a pro grade mower. Faster tip speed and much heavier deck.

Due to the weight of the BX engine crushing the grass before the mower got to it, it was always leaving stripes where the wheels ran. Rear mounted mower would even be worse. A guy up the road has a RFM on a BX and he has to mow in reverse to get a smooth cut!! The ZD doesnt have that issue.

Ride quality on the ZD with its way better seat suspension is a lot better than the bumpy ride on the BX too. This would be crucial if you had 8ac to mow IMHO.

Speed wise... there is no comparison. Around and under trees, the outfront deck shines.

The issues I have with the BX would likely be the same or worse with the larger B. For mowing, and it sounds like you have a lot of it to do, there is no real substitute for a dedicated mower, particularly one as good as the ZD is at its job.

The only thing that would pry me off my ZD is terrain. On the steep slopes in my yard it slides around a bit when its damp, if I try to go side hill. 4wd on the BX is much more capable in that sense. The ZD would never roll because its low and wide, but the tires suck. I plan on fixing that up this spring with a set of Carlisle AT101's. After that, I dont think Ill ever need to use the BX again for mowing, at least not on the "lawn" area.

IMHO you would be going from the cadillac of mowers to a compromise. A compromise isnt bad if you never experienced the cadillac, but having experienced it, I think you;ll regret it every week you mow. I know I would.

Hoe wise, Id probably put one on the L if I had an L. The BX (and B's) are pretty light for a hoe. The BX hoe will pull you all over the place. Plus it doesnt have a ton of reach or strength. Pulling a stump for example can take all day. If the moneys there, as a backhoe, the L would be a much better investment, especially if you have 8ac to work on. You can almost always find a way to get close quarters work done with a larger machine (and your L isnt really THAT large to begin with).. that doesnt work in reverse though, unless you have a lot of time.

Sir I really appreciate your well written input! You make some very good points regarding my questions. Plenty for me to think about.

Yes I mow around 8 acres a week. And when I mow I have to get on with it! Meaning that I have to complete it quickly because summers are usually very busy. This is really where the ZD shines because it mows so fast and still provides a great quality cut. There's times that I have trouble keeping it in a straight line. It tends to roll on slopes and this causes it to lurch right/left.... resulting is wiggly mowing lines. Takes quite a bit of concentration to prevent this. Maybe a result of how the hydro trans works on ZD. It can free wheel... most zero turns cannot I don't think.

Operator comfort on the ZD is awesome. Great seat and low vibes. But in the winter it just sits. I think that is what bothers me most. I have a friend that has a B2620 with 60" deck. I'll plan to mow his yard for him with his tractor and see how I like it.

The point of buying a hoe for the L3830 is something I need to look into. Another option would be a used mini excavator. I really prefer them over tractor backhoes... quick digging and easy to move. Of course they are pricey... but buying a new B series ain't cheap either! LOL! Decisions decisions.

 

[tlj87]

There is always the option of mowing less, especially if you are strapped for time. Letting a few acres revert so there is less to mow might make mowing with something other than a ZTR more tolerable.

 

[Scooby074]

Sir I really appreciate your well written input! You make some very good points regarding my questions. Plenty for me to think about.

Yes I mow around 8 acres a week. And when I mow I have to get on with it! Meaning that I have to complete it quickly because summers are usually very busy. This is really where the ZD shines because it mows so fast and still provides a great quality cut. There's times that I have trouble keeping it in a straight line. It tends to roll on slopes and this causes it to lurch right/left.... resulting is wiggly mowing lines. Takes quite a bit of concentration to prevent this. Maybe a result of how the hydro trans works on ZD. It can free wheel... most zero turns cannot I don't think.

Operator comfort on the ZD is awesome. Great seat and low vibes. But in the winter it just sits. I think that is what bothers me most. I have a friend that has a B2620 with 60" deck. I'll plan to mow his yard for him with his tractor and see how I like it.

The point of buying a hoe for the L3830 is something I need to look into. Another option would be a used mini excavator. I really prefer them over tractor backhoes... quick digging and easy to move. Of course they are pricey... but buying a new B series ain't cheap either! LOL! Decisions decisions.

YW for the comments.. I hate to see anyone make a mistake.

I know what you mean about having an expensive machine sitting there all winter..

Cutting nice straight lines with a ztr takes practice no doubt. It can be done however. One thing to check is that your ZD wheels are turning at the same rate. Jack the rear end up and use either a contact or non contact tach and see what the rotations are. There is a spec (that I forget) but with both arms at the full forward position both wheels should be rotating at essentially the same speed. This likely wasnt checked at the dealer and could very well be the source of your problems for cutting in a straight line. Ive never noticed one wheel free wheeling on mine.

When you say roll on slopes, do you mean the nose trys to roll downhill? Thats an issue with all ZTRs. It can be overcome by going straight uphill or with practice if you want to go sidehill. What happens to me is the rears will pack up with clay in wet conditions and I lose traction on the down hill rear wheel which causes the nose to pitch over. This is why Im putting on the AT101s. This video illustrates it
http://youtu.be/apmyo4FCkXI

It sounds like you value your time as I do. I dont think any tractor mower can compete for speed and cut quality with a ZD other than maybe a front mount F, but they are $$$$. And if there are trees, the ZD is faster than the F.

A test drive of sure wont hurt.

No question, a excavator is the best machine for moving dirt by far. Your right, by the time you gear up a B with a hoe and loader and MMM.. youre in the mid to upper 20's. A very good condition mini-ex can be had for that kind of money. To me, depending on what you plan on doing and budget, Keeping the ZD for mowing and adding a mini-ex like a U25 to your L is the best possible solution. The nice thing about buying a good condition used mini-ex is most of the depreciation is gone and they hold their value quite well, so after all the digging is done, its an easy sale.

 

[PapaPerk]

YW for the comments.. I hate to see anyone make a mistake.

I know what you mean about having an expensive machine sitting there all winter..

Cutting nice straight lines with a ztr takes practice no doubt. It can be done however. One thing to check is that your ZD wheels are turning at the same rate. Jack the rear end up and use either a contact or non contact tach and see what the rotations are. There is a spec (that I forget) but with both arms at the full forward position both wheels should be rotating at essentially the same speed. This likely wasnt checked at the dealer and could very well be the source of your problems for cutting in a straight line. Ive never noticed one wheel free wheeling on mine.

When you say roll on slopes, do you mean the nose trys to roll downhill? Thats an issue with all ZTRs. It can be overcome by going straight uphill or with practice if you want to go sidehill. What happens to me is the rears will pack up with clay in wet conditions and I lose traction on the down hill rear wheel which causes the nose to pitch over. This is why Im putting on the AT101s. This video illustrates it
http://youtu.be/apmyo4FCkXI

It sounds like you value your time as I do. I dont think any tractor mower can compete for speed and cut quality with a ZD other than maybe a front mount F, but they are $$$$. And if there are trees, the ZD is faster than the F.

A test drive of sure wont hurt.

No question, a excavator is the best machine for moving dirt by far. Your right, by the time you gear up a B with a hoe and loader and MMM.. youre in the mid to upper 20's. A very good condition mini-ex can be had for that kind of money. To me, depending on what you plan on doing and budget, Keeping the ZD for mowing and adding a mini-ex like a U25 to your L is the best possible solution. The nice thing about buying a good condition used mini-ex is most of the depreciation is gone and they hold their value quite well, so after all the digging is done, its an easy sale.

All very valid points. Yes the mini excavator maybe the best route. I love operating them as well. So much faster than a backhoe. And very controllable. Now to find one used that I can afford that is not beat to death! haha!

On the ZD.... when I say it free wheels.... I mean that it rolls. Lets say you are mowing down a hill.... if you let off stick and come to stop... the ZD will roll like it's in neutral. The hydro doesn't hold it on the hill. To hold you would have to pull back on the sticks. I believe some zero turns will not roll like this unless you push sticks forward.

So because of the above condition... as you are mowing... especially going down a slight grade.... the front end will wander right and left as it runs through ruts or bumps.... to prevent the wandering... I have to attempt to steer ZD straight using the sticks... of course this is fairly difficult and will create wiggly looking mowing stripes in the lawn instead of nice straight ones.

I have adjust wheel speed and lever travel. On a paved road... I can push sticks full forward and the ZD will track straight towards an object in the distance. So wheel speeds seems good.

Does your ZD326 exhibit the above behavior when mowing on rough or hilly ground? The issue is worse when the ZD is going down a hill due to "coasting" effect.

I have driven other zero turn mowers including a big 72" cut Toro.... They don't seem to wander like the ZD.

Thanks for the help!

 

[628pm]

I have a b2620 with a 60" mmm and a zd326p zero turn. There is no comparison in my opinion on which mows the best. The zd326 is a great mower, if I had the money I would buy a F series, and maybe some day I will. But the B mower even though it is a "finish mower" ,it does not mow very well I've used the z on pastures, hills, and yards, it is just a better mower But that is what it is for, it doesn't have a FEL or Backhoe, so everything has its place.