F3990 vs newer F3710 4wd front deck mowers

[Hay Dude]

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I took the pins & PTO shaft loose so I could see how easily the deck folds up for service.

Definitely not easy & quick as my ZD but doable

You can buy my F, with no DPF for less than 1/2 the price of that thing. Mine has the same front deck.

You’re only using is 1-2 days a week to cut your banks. It’ll last forever.

These mowers were made to run 5-6 days a week for 40 hours a week.

 

[arto98607]

I took the pins & PTO shaft loose so I could see how easily the deck folds up for service.

Definitely not easy & quick as my ZD but doable

Agree, the deck is heavy but can be flipped up by one person with little bit of muscle!

The manual recommends disconnecting the PTO shaft, but it's not necessary at least in my F3060 - but just remember not to mess with the PTO lever if doing it with the PTO still connected...

It's little more work, but if you want to play it safe it's best to disconnect it.

I you look closely you can see PTO shaft is still connected in my photo below.

 

[Doug Vee]

Agree, the deck is heavy but can be flipped up by one person with little bit of muscle!

The manual recommends disconnecting the PTO shaft, but it's not necessary at least in my F3060 - but just remember not to mess with the PTO lever if doing it with the PTO still connected...

It's little more work, but if you want to play it safe it's best to disconnect it.

I you look closely you can see PTO shaft is still connected in my photo below.

View attachment 864455

I can second Arto's point that it is not required to disconnect the PTO shaft on the F3060. I use the blower after mowing every time and it has never been a problem. Before lowering the deck, I turn the blades by hand to check their condition and they turn without seeming to bind up the u-joints.

Doug

 

[Brown Dog]

@arto98607 & @Doug Vee & guys running Rear Discharge decks : how is the clippings in heavy thick grass ?

I had a ZD1211 72 RD that windrowed bad.
I loved no dust & staying clean but when the clippings turned brown in 2 days : it looked awful

It was fine if / when I mowed every week on time like clockwork.

 

[arto98607]

@arto98607 & @Doug Vee & guys running Rear Discharge decks : how is the clippings in heavy thick grass ?

I had a ZD1211 72 RD that windrowed bad.
I loved no dust & staying clean but when the clippings turned brown in 2 days : it looked awful

It was fine if / when I mowed every week on time like clockwork.

We need to mow weekly for sure when the grass is growing actively in our area, but by July it usually has slowed down considerably.

Clippings are not a big deal for me, but the windrows can be noticeable if the grass is left to grow too tall, in which case I use my Grasshopper mower, which has a real mulching deck with no noticeable outlet for clippings.

The Kubota 72" deck has about 6' wide outlet in the rear and it's designed to get the clippings out quick.

It works as designed - but I have noticed it does a pretty good mulching job if driven backwards!

 

[Doug Vee]

@arto98607 & @Doug Vee & guys running Rear Discharge decks : how is the clippings in heavy thick grass ?

I had a ZD1211 72 RD that windrowed bad.
I loved no dust & staying clean but when the clippings turned brown in 2 days : it looked awful

It was fine if / when I mowed every week on time like clockwork.

Currently I have prior owner added mods installed on the rear of the deck. There are two rubber flaps, one on each side, and a piece of 3/16" (I think) flat bar between the two pieces of rubber. I think it was added to help prevent so much accumulation of debris on the machine behind the deck. It helps contribute a certain amount of windrowing in the spring time. It is not really classic "windrowing". Kind of more lumpy clumping.

For instance, it had been 13 days since I last mowed, which is way longer than I normally plan to go. But spring around Western Washington is pretty unpredictable, so it just worked out that way.

In the heaviest areas, there is more windrowing than I like to see. The next day I trimmed all the edges and got the blower out to clean up the hard surfaces. While I am at it, I use the blower to break up the lumps. I might have added 15 minutes to my edge clean up, breaking up the clumps. The typical mowing duration, including clean up of the mower, is 2-1/2 to 2-3/4 hours.

With the modifications removed from the rear of the deck, the clumping is way less. Really, I probably should remove those parts for spring mowing, and install them for summer mowing. Everything stays relatively clean behind the deck with the added parts installed.

Doug

 

[Brown Dog]

Lumping Clumping is a more accurate statement

I sold the ZD1211 72 RD machine & stepped up to ZD1511 72 SD.
Loved it so much :
I actually bought a second one new leftover at a good price.
Used it very little tho & just recently sold it.

I have a new F3710 72 SD coming this week for needed traction on steep banks here on farm.

The big Zero will still be doing 80% of my 9hr weekly mowing.

I was just wondering about you guys RD clippings in heavy grass.

 

[Hay Dude]

Man, you have been through some mowers!

 

[Brown Dog]

Man, you have been through some mowers!

I had a 6 then 7 then 9ft rear finishing mowers I used with 66hp 4wd JD Hydrostatic trans tractor for many years.

Then went to Zero back in 2018.

I’ve been upgrading & trying to get the perfect PAIR of machines for my 15acre hill & bank application.

 

[Hay Dude]

I’m surprised you didn’t look at those Ventrac mowers