Walker's F Series Thread

[5030]

Hint, Coleman's in Kansas City has the best prices and fast shipping on the blades and anti scalp rollers as well. Even better than my local dealer has and that included shipping. I have a side discharge 72 on mine and I like it as well. I call the F series a mowing fool. I mow in low range all the time simply because for me, it's easier, your mileage may be different.

Taking the ROPS completely off this winter. I have the same issue as you do with the hood 'bonnet' I never feel like it's tippy anyway, unlike the ZTR I traded in on it.

 

[Brown Dog]

… I never feel like it's tippy anyway, unlike the ZTR I traded in on it.

My F3710 being 4” narrower than my ZD1511 feels way more tippier than the Zero

In fact it’s actually scary seeing the upper tire rear up while mowing my bank horizontally.

 

[Hay Dude]

I am now into my second season with my F2690 equipped with the 72" rear discharge and I still love it. I mowed for close to 30 years with my Deere 955 with 72" midmount and the Kubota has pretty much retired the Deere from mowing service so it is mostly used with loader, blade, and rear rotary cutter.

The Kubota hit 69 hours today, the 50 hour service was last month and was a simple process.

Two minor complaints:

1. With the rear discharge deck, you do have to remove the driveshaft to raise and flip it for access. Apparently that wasn't true before the redesign but now the driveshaft interferes when trying to rotate it to the horizontal position. It is only a minor nuisance and I love the rear discharge deck AND the easy access.

I tried out my new All American sharpener today and it took under 20 minutes from getting the Kubota out of its garage to having it ready to mow with freshly sharpened blades. I will pick up another set of blades the next time I am near the dealer so I can keep a sharpened set ready to go like I did with the Deere.

2. With the ROPS folded over, the engine cover can't be raised. Maybe an intentional decision by Kubota to make us less likely to just leave the ROPS folded all of the time With the peach and apple tree limbs bowing a bit under load, I folded the ROPS to mow under them and found when I went to do post-mow cleanup that was an issue.

And a very minor annoyance is the spring loaded cover over the gearbox/driveshaft connection. I always use my Stihl Kombitool blower to clean things up after mowing and trying to one hand the blower while holding the cover open isn't great. A bungee cord solved that minor issue.

Overall, maintenance on the Kubota is much easier than the Deere and I really like Kubota's use of angled zerks from the factory where needed.

Rodger

I was able to open my former F-3680 hood with the ROPS angled. I just had to give it a slight lift, then pull the hood up and it would just barely slip under the ROPS.

As most of you know, I sold my F-3680. Just for kicks, I might look for an older model F or a Toro with 4WD to cut one remaining retention basin area a customer of mine has.

I have seen Toros 4WD and 72” deck sell for $5,000 but they may also come with problems.

 

[Hay Dude]

If anyone has an oldie, but a goodie, let me know.

 

[Xfaxman]

If anyone has an oldie, but a goodie, let me know.

I have an oldie, but a goodie, 2004 TORO 328D but it is not for sale:

 

[Hay Dude]

Thats what I need for “hacker” mowing jobs (tall grasses, steep).
Are those models still in production?
Any weaknesses/downside to them?

I see them on FBM/CL for 5-10K

 

[Xfaxman]

Thats what I need for “hacker” mowing jobs (tall grasses, steep).

Yep and several 6 foot decks that fit it.

Are those models still in production?

No, this is now: | Toro

Any weaknesses/downside to them?

Not that I have found.

The TBN Groundsmaster thread: any toro groundsmaster fans on here?

 

[Doug Vee]

I have an oldie, but a goodie, 2004 TORO 328D but it is not for sale:

View attachment 878729View attachment 878730View attachment 878731View attachment 878732

The Groundsmaster is one tough machine. I worked a few years for a state park agency after I retired from my construction career. The agency had ton of them. My boss was in charge of procurement and always preferred the Toros over the green and orange machines for mowing duties, if the negotiated state procurement contract allowed.

Simple, heavy duty machines. A tough combination to beat.

Doug