Kubota F series

sixdogs · Dec 15, 2020

I have two mowers and I figure have the best of both worlds. I have a 52" Grasshopper front mower and use that to mow around obstacles. Then I have a pull-type 7' Woods three blade mower on a Kubota B7800 that I can really fly with.

It didn't start out this way but evolved when I couldn't find a wide F Kubota. A Grasshopper showed up when a neighbor sold one. The Woods mower I've had for 20 years and it was all I've used. With this combo I mow around obstacles with the front mower every other or every third time and use the 7' mower as the primary mower.

JOHNTHOMAS · Dec 16, 2020

Brown Dog said:
JT, You’ve described my farm to a tee.
I’ve dug up & chopped rocks here since 1996 LOL

After 24yrs I’ve finally got it in pretty good shape now.

I hope you haven't hexed yourself and those subterranean rocks don't shoot up this winter on you.

sixdogs said:
I have two mowers and I figure have the best of both worlds. I have a 52" Grasshopper front mower and use that to mow around obstacles. Then I have a pull-type 7' Woods three blade mower on a Kubota B7800 that I can really fly with.

It didn't start out this way but evolved when I couldn't find a wide F Kubota. A Grasshopper showed up when a neighbor sold one. The Woods mower I've had for 20 years and it was all I've used. With this combo I mow around obstacles with the front mower every other or every third time and use the 7' mower as the primary mower.

I also have two for my acres. I have the front deck F for hilly parts and the ZD for more level area but would gladly settle for 2 Fs. I have a Woods RFM 72" that one blade isn't turning on but haven't taken the time to determine the problem and fix it since I doubt I'd go to the effort to hook it up to the tractor. I did use a 72" Landpride behind tractor some years ago before buying my first F and was using a BX1500 along with the RFM. Big varied yards with much landscaping seems to require 2 different mowers if one can handle it.

sixdogs · Dec 16, 2020

JOHNTHOMAS --Just buy a new spindle, bearing or housing, sharpen or replace the blades and good to go. My Woods RD is 20 years old and I grease the wheels every time I use it and since there's nothing in the owner's manual for the spindles, grease those every 10 hours. Grease works for me and my mower is 100 percent original except for the belt I burned by mowing the 18" grass edges of my fields.

There just aren't many wide Kubota diesel F mowers around here and when there are, they sell for too much. Grasshopper mowers are all over the place, sell better and when a six footer shows up at the right price, it's mine. I would sell the rear Woods, the 52" Grasshopper and maybe even the B7800 and call it good.

Hay Dude · Dec 16, 2020

Yeah clean lower hour non dpf 72” Fs are getting tough to find.

Hay Dude · Dec 16, 2020

Can an F run a big front blower?
I may have just found another reason to switch to an F

RickB · Dec 16, 2020

"Big" is relative. The New Holland CM's and MC front deck machines had two stage blowers available 60" IIRC. Up in NY any municipality or school that had one with a deck had a blower too. I can't imagine Kubota not having one available.

Hay Dude · Dec 16, 2020

RickB said:
"Big" is relative. The New Holland CM's and MC front deck machines had two stage blowers available 60" IIRC. Up in NY any municipality or school that had one with a deck had a blower too. I can't imagine Kubota not having one available.

One that utilizes PTO, has tire to ride on the ground.
An F with a 72”, PTO blower and the flail mower would be a nice piece.
Not a Toolcat, but still a sweet property maintenance tool.
Funny Kubota won’t air condition the cab like Deere has.

RickB · Dec 16, 2020

Hay Dude said:
One that utilizes PTO, has tire to ride on the ground.
An F with a 72”, PTO blower and the flail mower would be a nice piece.
Not a Toolcat, but still a sweet property maintenance tool.
Funny Kubota won’t air condition the cab like Deere has.

My bad, I was stuck in snowblower mode today. Never saw a debris blower mounted like you are thinking.

Hay Dude · Dec 16, 2020

RickB said:
My bad, I was stuck in snowblower mode today. Never saw a debris blower mounted like you are thinking.

Hey I know the feeling.....
I have a few miles of roads in the big HOA place I cut & farm. Would be nice to have a blower to clean up grass clippings in spring/summer/fall and leaves on the roads in fall

RickB · Dec 16, 2020

A RAD 3pt blower and a step down gearbox from a front mount SNOWblower and it would be very doable with a little steel & fab work. Mount it on anything with a front lift and high speed PTO.

https://jswoodhouse.com/brochures/BerVac DB6000.pdf

Hay Dude · Dec 16, 2020

RickB said:
A RAD 3pt blower and a step down gearbox from a front mount SNOWblower and it would be very doable with a little steel & fab work. Mount it on anything with a front lift and high speed PTO.

https://jswoodhouse.com/brochures/BerVac DB6000.pdf

Seen them on other machines. Wonder if theres a aftermarket unit that fits the F?

arto98607 · Dec 19, 2020

Hay Dude said:
Can an F run a big front blower?
I may have just found another reason to switch to an F

I have seen a municipal crew member (in Port Alberni, B.C. Canada) running Kubota F with a PTO blower in the front.

The guy was moving wet grass clippings and I think making them easier / quicker to pick up with some type of collector or sweeper.
Seemed to be working very good.

Here is an old link I just found (I am not associated in any way):

Kubota F2535D Leaf And Debris Blower For Kubota F Series Tractor For Sale - YouTube

Here is a video from somewhere in the UK I think:

(Pretty scary how close by the traffic is moving, I wonder how long the driver would live doing that here?)

Tractor Kubota F series & Kersten LBV leaf blower - YouTube

jcummins · Dec 19, 2020

I could use that. But what I'd really like is that broom up front on my F.

arto98607 · Jan 12, 2021

I just posted about sticking HST pedal in the Owning/Operating forum and hoping someone here will read & comment.

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/433561-f3060-hst-speed-control-pedal.html

Brown Dog · Jan 23, 2021

With the F deck running completely on the ground with small tires: how does it hold up mowing ROUGH ground ?

The deck is hanging from the ZD mower letting the heavy machine & bigger tires absorb the terrain.
This is the main reason I went with ZD although I wanted 4wd

Thoughts ?

Didn’t mean to hi-jack the thread.

Hay Dude · Jan 23, 2021

Wondering same thing, B-dawg

Brown Dog · Jan 23, 2021

I’m mowing 12-15 acres weekly around my farm with some under an Electric power hi - line.

I know where every 6” stump hole is lol & been filling them in for years.

arto98607 · Jan 23, 2021

Brown Dog said:
With the F deck running completely on the ground with small tires: how does it hold up mowing ROUGH ground ?

The deck is hanging from the ZD mower letting the heavy machine & bigger tires absorb the terrain.
This is the main reason I went with ZD although I wanted 4wd

Thoughts ?

Didnç¨š mean to hi-jack the thread.

It's not Kubota, but the front deck/gauge wheel concept is very similar, except the deck height adjustment linkage is way more complicated on Grasshopper.

Here is my experience with a front deck mower:

I bought used front deck Grasshopper 721D almost 20 years ago and we have since put on approximately 1000 hours of mowing.
It handles bumpy yard areas reasonably well and we are on a third set of front gauge wheels since.

The first original OEM ball bearing ones lasted very good, but the second (aftermarket) ball bearing set was no so good!

I put these on about 3 years ago and they seem to hold up very well so far:

(prices were for set of two each)

We are still using the Grasshopper as our main mower, but I bought used 3600 hour Kubota F3060 mainly to get a 72" cut deck vs. 61" in Grasshopper, and 4x4 model in order not to have to use "bar" type tires.
The F3060 is undergoing overhaul before we start using it and subject to other priorities I hope to have it ready by the summer.

F3060 Front & rear wheels are larger diameter and wider, deck/gauge wheel construction is little more heavy duty due to wider deck and gauge wheels are little larger diameter so it's expected to handle rough yard better.

ZD would be fine for lawn, but front deck style mower is my preference for a yard!

Testing a new deck (new shell only):

JOHNTHOMAS · Jan 26, 2021

I have a F and have had one for several years. The front tires on the deck do take lots of abuse on rough ground so they do have wear issues but for me that is part of the maintenance cost like fuel, filters and fluids. Some people can tear up a steel ball and others can probably have no issues with the tires in 30 years of use. The pins holding them on need to be replaced with hardened steel pins because the pins either come loose or break and then the tire and rim go under the mower when going over a ditch and the tire drops out of the tire shaft holder. Also keep and eye that the tire turns/spins in shaft holder as it follows the terrain and grease appropriately. Not sure about the rubber tire wearing out since I've never done that but have experienced the other issues I've mentioned. Mostly my fault for not being observant.