prs
Platinum Member
I mowed my yard and a large field for about 8 or 9 acres total. About 7 gallons of gasoline through the Kubota "Z" engine. All with the 82" contour mower (my only implement for the VT so far). The large lawn is a piece of cake, especially with the ROPS down so as not to crash into limbs of fruit trees. The big mower that I feared would be clumsy, is very very maneuverable and nimble. I like it, I like it a lot.
The field mowing has some wide open rolling area and some very steep areas as well and an "V" shaped end that puts me on steep grade fore/aft as well as starboard/port. The slope meter exceeded 30 degrees a few times (mind you I have mowed this same area since 1968 with conventional tractors and only flipped once). Actually, I mowed the very same area that flipped me on the JD 650 and MMM with the VT and the VT showed no instability there at all!
BUT, the VT tends so slide to side when on a 30 slope that is purely side to side or up hill and side to side. Down hill and side to side it sticks like glue. When it slides to the side it really gouges-up the turf. Turning around in that restricted "V" area was not too bad, I just had to be very careful to feather the speed/direction lever to prevent tire spin and no problem as I turned around in several back-forth steps. I did bottom-out in one very steep area with a dip in it and hand to shut the PTO off, raise the mower to more heavily load the tires and then backed out of the spot. I will remember that spot! Pretty scary.
One nagging feature of running steep side slopes with down hill to the right is how the two hydraulic levers mash into my side as my weight pushed me into them regardless the seat belt and arm rests. A seat that counter tilts would be nice.
I have one area of a little over an acre that I can not yet mow, just too wet; some flowing water still and now we are supposed to bet 1 to 3 inches of ran next two days! I have to do the initial mowing with my JD 650 as it is getting really tall and very heavy orchard grass and fescue plus lots of crayfish mounds in the wet areas. Also a good bit of steep going.
prs
The field mowing has some wide open rolling area and some very steep areas as well and an "V" shaped end that puts me on steep grade fore/aft as well as starboard/port. The slope meter exceeded 30 degrees a few times (mind you I have mowed this same area since 1968 with conventional tractors and only flipped once). Actually, I mowed the very same area that flipped me on the JD 650 and MMM with the VT and the VT showed no instability there at all!
BUT, the VT tends so slide to side when on a 30 slope that is purely side to side or up hill and side to side. Down hill and side to side it sticks like glue. When it slides to the side it really gouges-up the turf. Turning around in that restricted "V" area was not too bad, I just had to be very careful to feather the speed/direction lever to prevent tire spin and no problem as I turned around in several back-forth steps. I did bottom-out in one very steep area with a dip in it and hand to shut the PTO off, raise the mower to more heavily load the tires and then backed out of the spot. I will remember that spot! Pretty scary.
One nagging feature of running steep side slopes with down hill to the right is how the two hydraulic levers mash into my side as my weight pushed me into them regardless the seat belt and arm rests. A seat that counter tilts would be nice.
I have one area of a little over an acre that I can not yet mow, just too wet; some flowing water still and now we are supposed to bet 1 to 3 inches of ran next two days! I have to do the initial mowing with my JD 650 as it is getting really tall and very heavy orchard grass and fescue plus lots of crayfish mounds in the wet areas. Also a good bit of steep going.
prs
