I'll go along with that but generally a 3560 will still be around $10k a 3060 will be around $7k.Quote:
Originally Posted by Chenz
As far as getting right up to tree's and fences, we have no problem with the scag Zero getting up to fences but we do have a 72"deck on it which gives it a fair bit of over hang each side.
I would also recommend getting a recycling deck or at least rear discharge so your not windrowing.
The other issue with the outfronts on the market these days is that you are sitting high up on the machine which with the Kubota out fronts and the older 3 series Toro out fronts are the only ones where your not up in the tree's when trying to cut around the trees.
The toro 3 series mowers have a double V pully driven PTO which can be a pain to change when it starts slipping but like said before you wouldnt be doing that many hrs.
They also run 3 belts in the deck rather than 1 big 1.
The Kubota 3060 deck is pressed and has a tendancy to crack around the spring tensioner and also has a tendancy to kick the belt off when it hits something and being about 10' long it can be quite exy to replace but thats the same with any single belt deck, Kubota, JD, Iseki (dont even consider as they are a night mare to work on), Scag and the new Toro's.
The JD F1145 has a habit of bending and cracking decks, breaking the output shaft on the gearbox (non rebuildable and has to be replaced), the lift system normally wears all the bushings to the point where they need to be cut off and replaced or else it wont lift the deck off the ground.
The newer JD's (I cant think of the model off hand) are extremely reliable though the earlier models ran an electric fan which seemed to get damaged by sticks and would burn them out, I used to put a mesh screen under the fan between the engine crossmember to limit this but it wtill happened on the odd occasion.
The later ones had an engine driven fan which fixed the problem but the main problem we found with them is that you sit way too high so your head is up in the tree branches unless all the trees are pruned about 12' off the ground you cant get under them to cut up against them.
Now Tractors.
A grey fergie is an awsome little tractor but are not heavy or powerfull enough to run a post hole digger and not heavy enough to drag a decent or usefull sized blade as suggested before.
We have one on the farm and for pulling the trailer, running the saw bench and pulling out old posts and even hay raking it was great but we always used my uncles Inter for slashing, post hole digging and dragging the driveway as it makes it work a lot less with the weight behind it.
The problem with tractors is that a decent MF135 which is 35hp in the smaller body size will cost between $5k and $9k but you could look for a 20b which is the same as a MF140 but with comertial body panels and they often go for around the $3k to $5k mark and will out last most of the standard MF stuff though are a bit harder to get parts for.
Early Kubota tractors B2110 B2010 are normally pretty cheap and you can get an under belly deck for them and are really very reliable but would only handle a 4' slasher on the back and they have a habit of stuffing the 3PL lift ram inside the case which is pretty exy to fix unless you do it all your self then it is just 2 BIG O rings but it requires srtipping apart the whole rear section of the gearbox/Diff.
I'd be steering clear of the domestic rideons as far as I could and if you want the lawn tractor type mower then get a small Kubota/Daedong or maybe Iseki if in tractor form (just not those horrid SF series mowers).
Theres dozens of japanese, Chinese and Korean brand tractors on the market these days which you could run an under belly deck and still use the 3pl so have a look that way as well as you could get something pretty new for the same sort of money but it might not be as good a quality as a John Deere but will be much more use to you than a domestic lawn tractor.
