1026r rear mower vs deck mower?

[lindenj]

Hi guys,
First time on here.

I have been researching tractors on the web for a few months. I have an appt w/my JD salesman tomorrow to try a 1026r. From my many hours of reviewing and trying to justify the expense......I am confident I will be the proud owner of it tomorrow! I cannot wait. I have 3 acres of grass and much landscaping and tree placement to do. I do however think that the 60" rear rotary mower will be my choice over the deck mount. Much cheaper and less hassle w/hoses etc. Also, the deck unit and the loader cannot be used at the same time due to robbing of the hydraulic line. I will stand corrected on this, just an observation. I have small stumps and rocks also so the rotary should handle them better.
I am l@@king forward to all of your comments.

Thanks,
Linden

 

[wcampbell47]

I have a 21 HP Kubota that I have used both a MMM and a rear rotary mower with. I would go with the rear rotary if there are few obstacles. For a lawn with trees and other obstacles I prefer the MMM. The hydro-static trans is great. Mine is gear and I wish now that I had gone hydro. The JD that I drove was a disappointment because the loader hydraulics only operates in one direction at a time. Up, down, curl or dump. On my orange tractor I can lift and curl the bucket at the same time, or lower and dump at the same time. This is very handy in the operation of the FEL. The JD I drove did not have the weight or traction to push into a pile of dirt to fill the bucket as I am accustomed to. The 1026r has a mid PTO which I assume drives the MMM. Not familiar with the MMM using hydraulics except maybe to raise and lower the unit. My neighbor uses his with the MMM and FEL mounted at the same time on a regular basis. The MMM does interfere with dirt work and could easily hi center the tractor. I will say that my neighbors JD is easy to remove or attach the MMM. Much easier than my orange tractor. I have owned the B7510 for six years and have had it in many situations. I like more ground clearance than the JD has, but that would depend on how deep in the dirt you are going to work. If you just have a smooth level lawn the ground clearance should not be an issue.

Cheers and Good Luck

 

[dkhntr04]

Are you thinking of a 60" 3-point finishing mower (lawnmower) or a rotary cutter (brush hog)? Are you mowing law grass or field mowing?

I have a 3-point finish mower and love it. Yes, it swings out on corners but when you go in reverse you can steer the deck very accurately, like a front-mount commercial mower. On and off with quick hitch in under a minute is a huge plus for me with how I use my tractor.

Congrats on the new machine, I've only sat on a 1025r but I was impressed none the less.

 

[lindenj]

I just had a couple acres of old trees cleared last fall on my property. As a result I have plenty of clean-up to do this spring. Rocks to pick, many small stumps 2-3" to level etc. Once I get it all landscaped, I will seed it and plant some nice trees....if the 1026r "dream" comes true...she will be a busy lil tractor this spring and summer. I am planning on a JOHN DEERE GM1060E GROOMING MOWER. It will no doubt get a bit of abuse until I get the small outgrowth cleaned up. I know the MMM is nice but is 3x the cost of the rear mower. My crystal ball also sees a landscape rake in the future. I can buy that and a couple other attachments for the savings on the rear mower vs the mmm. I also saw another neat attachment on the web...a ratchet rake.....man that thing looks awesome!
Thanks again!
LJ

 

[Don87]

I just had a couple acres of old trees cleared last fall on my property. As a result I have plenty of clean-up to do this spring. Rocks to pick, many small stumps 2-3" to level etc. Once I get it all landscaped, I will seed it and plant some nice trees....if the 1026r "dream" comes true...she will be a busy lil tractor this spring and summer. I am planning on a JOHN DEERE GM1060E GROOMING MOWER. It will no doubt get a bit of abuse until I get the small outgrowth cleaned up. I know the MMM is nice but is 3x the cost of the rear mower. My crystal ball also sees a landscape rake in the future. I can buy that and a couple other attachments for the savings on the rear mower vs the mmm. I also saw another neat attachment on the web...a ratchet rake.....man that thing looks awesome!
Thanks again!
LJ

The thing is...........Either one will cut grass. There are benefits and drawbacks to each. Buy the one that suits your property the best.

I prefer my MMM, but that is because I have 3 buildings, 1 garden, 1 pond, 1 grape arbor and several trees to mow around. If my ground were pretty much open.....I would be all over the rear mower.

P.S. Everything I listed is on one acre, my other acre is wooded.

 

[wcampbell47]

I have both the landscape rake and ratchet rake. I have used the landscape rake as a blade - works fair. Not much call for it now. The ratchet rake is a nice tool but the 1026r will be too light weight to do much more than scratch the surface. You will need to add weight to the tractor, maybe load the tires, and use aggressive tread tires that will eventually mark up the yard. My 32 hp orange tractor is only 300 lbs heavier than the 1026r and it does a fair job with the ratchet rake. I have ballast on the rear as well. If I wait until the ground is soft I can clear brush, but it struggles when the ground is dry. I run R4 tires.

It will probably blow your budget, but I think I would be looking at a larger tractor. I started small - 21 hp and graduated to a 32 hp. Had I bought the 32 hp originally I would not have any payments now.

 

[lindenj]

I have both the landscape rake and ratchet rake. I have used the landscape rake as a blade - works fair. Not much call for it now. The ratchet rake is a nice tool but the 1026r will be too light weight to do much more than scratch the surface. You will need to add weight to the tractor, maybe load the tires, and use aggressive tread tires that will eventually mark up the yard. My 32 hp orange tractor is only 300 lbs heavier than the 1026r and it does a fair job with the ratchet rake. I have ballast on the rear as well. If I wait until the ground is soft I can clear brush, but it struggles when the ground is dry. I run R4 tires.

It will probably blow your budget, but I think I would be looking at a larger tractor. I started small - 21 hp and graduated to a 32 hp. Had I bought the 32 hp originally I would not have any payments now.

THANKS!!!
Good info...I greatly appreciate it....lol @ payments! (my second name) :laughing:

 

[jenkinsph]

I have both the landscape rake and ratchet rake. I have used the landscape rake as a blade - works fair. Not much call for it now. The ratchet rake is a nice tool but the 1026r will be too light weight to do much more than scratch the surface. You will need to add weight to the tractor, maybe load the tires, and use aggressive tread tires that will eventually mark up the yard. My 32 hp orange tractor is only 300 lbs heavier than the 1026r and it does a fair job with the ratchet rake. I have ballast on the rear as well. If I wait until the ground is soft I can clear brush, but it struggles when the ground is dry. I run R4 tires.

It will probably blow your budget, but I think I would be looking at a larger tractor. I started small - 21 hp and graduated to a 32 hp. Had I bought the 32 hp originally I would not have any payments now.

I agree with this post.^^^^^^

Seems to be a common problem for most homeowners. First you need a larger machine to get the work done, I would go with a 2720 200cx fel, weighted tires and boxblade and/or landplane for smoothing, grading and landscape work. When it is all done you might be better served with a zero turn or x700 series mower.

I make a large part of my income working over landscapes, grading, shaping, tilling and contouring. It seems to me after doing this for several years that a small compact is the best choice for this work. It needs to be heavy enough to get the dirt work done. When you mow with a heavy tractor your lawn will look worse after a season of mowing and tracking up. In a nutshell it is hard to build landscapes and mow with the same tractor.

If it were me I would go with a 2520 or 2720 and 200cx for the tractor work and tough out the mowing with the 300R for another year or so. When you have your landscape work completed and are left with finish mowing you can change the tractor setup over to a mowing rig at that time. You should be able to have a lawn that is smooth enough to use a 72" mmm or 3ph rear grooming mower.

 

[WilliamBos]

The RFM will be the way to go, have had both, prefer the RFM.

Good luck.

 

[lindenj]

I agree with this post.^^^^^^

Seems to be a common problem for most homeowners. First you need a larger machine to get the work done, I would go with a 2720 200cx fel, weighted tires and boxblade and/or landplane for smoothing, grading and landscape work. When it is all done you might be better served with a zero turn or x700 series mower.

I make a large part of my income working over landscapes, grading, shaping, tilling and contouring. It seems to me after doing this for several years that a small compact is the best choice for this work. It needs to be heavy enough to get the dirt work done. When you mow with a heavy tractor your lawn will look worse after a season of mowing and tracking up. In a nutshell it is hard to build landscapes and mow with the same tractor.

If it were me I would go with a 2520 or 2720 and 200cx for the tractor work and tough out the mowing with the 300R for another year or so. When you have your landscape work completed and are left with finish mowing you can change the tractor setup over to a mowing rig at that time. You should be able to have a lawn that is smooth enough to use a 72" mmm or 3ph rear grooming mower.

I raked it all up last fall w/a friends 30HP Massey w/a large landscape rake.......while i greatly appreciate the advice of the larger unit.....my finances simply will not allow it so will have to settle for the 1026.....my largest efforts this year will be seeding grass and planting about a dozen trees....then maintaining both with hauling water etc. For the odd small stump that is left....i think lil 26 will do......again...i greatly appreciate the info.....this forum is wonderful for the newbies like me!

 

[lindenj]

The RFM will be the way to go, have had both, prefer the RFM.

Good luck.

Thanks bud....Glad someone thinks like me on this one!

 

[Deere Toyz]

I pretty much did what you are contemplating with my 2210, the early predecessor to the 1026R. It is less hp and lower to the ground than its big brothers, but you will not be dissapointed. I used mine for 10 years and tamed the perimeter, graded the rough field on which my house was built, hauled fire wood, moved heavy post and beam structural members, built a garden, graded after a barn was put up, cut the 3acre lawn(62c mid mount), moved snow, and graded and surfaced a very long processed drive---all without being dissatisfied in my choice.

I am moving up to a bigger machine now, because it is time for a new toy. I am likely going to be into a 2520 or 2720 within the next 10 days, and truely have some concern that bigger may not necessarily be better for my tmaed property now. But, I decided to make the move and I'm not turning back!. I can say that you will truely get a lot out of your machine--enjoy it!!!

 

[whistlepig]

I prefer a RFM. Mostly for the reasons you have already stated.

 

[lindenj]

I pretty much did what you are contemplating with my 2210, the early predecessor to the 1026R. It is less hp and lower to the ground than its big brothers, but you will not be dissapointed. I used mine for 10 years and tamed the perimeter, graded the rough field on which my house was built, hauled fire wood, moved heavy post and beam structural members, built a garden, graded after a barn was put up, cut the 3acre lawn(62c mid mount), moved snow, and graded and surfaced a very long processed drive---all without being dissatisfied in my choice.

I am moving up to a bigger machine now, because it is time for a new toy. I am likely going to be into a 2520 or 2720 within the next 10 days, and truely have some concern that bigger may not necessarily be better for my tmaed property now. But, I decided to make the move and I'm not turning back!. I can say that you will truely get a lot out of your machine--enjoy it!!!

THANK U THANK U! :cool2: I was gonna go to bed doubtful.......I needed this to regain confidence in my decision! D-DAY is tomorrow....5 yrs at 0 %........ I owe, I owe, I owe ...... off to work I go!

I'll post pics when she arrives!

:thumbsup:

LJ

 

[whistlepig]

Looking forward to the pics!

 

[lindenj]

a shot of my "project"

 

[lindenj]

I agree with this post.^^^^^^

Seems to be a common problem for most homeowners. First you need a larger machine to get the work done, I would go with a 2720 200cx fel, weighted tires and boxblade and/or landplane for smoothing, grading and landscape work. When it is all done you might be better served with a zero turn or x700 series mower.

I make a large part of my income working over landscapes, grading, shaping, tilling and contouring. It seems to me after doing this for several years that a small compact is the best choice for this work. It needs to be heavy enough to get the dirt work done. When you mow with a heavy tractor your lawn will look worse after a season of mowing and tracking up. In a nutshell it is hard to build landscapes and mow with the same tractor.

If it were me I would go with a 2520 or 2720 and 200cx for the tractor work and tough out the mowing with the 300R for another year or so. When you have your landscape work completed and are left with finish mowing you can change the tractor setup over to a mowing rig at that time. You should be able to have a lawn that is smooth enough to use a 72" mmm or 3ph rear grooming mower.

THANKS!!!
Good info...I greatly appreciate it....lol @ payments! (my second name) :laughing:

UPDATE;

I tried the 1026r yesterday and given that I need it for winter snow work...I tried it in the snow. I was not impressed...the little tires got the machine stuck almost immediately. I got out w/the loader quite fine but I must be 100% happy and confident with my new investment. I really appreciate the advice from you guys. What do you think of this unit?

John Deere 3320 - Winnipeg Farming Equipment For Sale - Kijiji Winnipeg Canada.

again...thanks a bunch!

 

[Creamer]

I totally agree that you need to go to 30 hp for the project you showed. Below that you are going to spend a lot of time with very little value added. The 3320 is so much more. You need to be in the CUT series not the SCUT for what you want to do.

 

[DB Pilot]

I have Both mowers. The BX2200 has a 60" MMM and the L3800 Has a Phoenix 72" rear discharge mower. I wish I could use the rear mount mower all the time. Up around the house the MMM does a better job. One thing I really like is the rear discharge of the bigger mower not only leaves a better looking yard/field but grass doesn't seem to build up under the deck as much. The side discharge MMM I think we are all familiar with how much work it is to clean those up. Also blade changes are much easier on a rear mount mower.

 

[jenkinsph]

UPDATE;

I tried the 1026r yesterday and given that I need it for winter snow work...I tried it in the snow. I was not impressed...the little tires got the machine stuck almost immediately. I got out w/the loader quite fine but I must be 100% happy and confident with my new investment. I really appreciate the advice from you guys. What do you think of this unit?

John Deere 3320 - Winnipeg Farming Equipment For Sale - Kijiji Winnipeg Canada.

again...thanks a bunch!

I suspect you will find the 3320 will do a much better job of taming your landscape. I think you would be alot happier with this setup particulaly with the increase in physical size and the 3 range ehydro transmission.