F Series vs. ZD

[Brown Dog]

+1 on a Diesel Zero

I’m done with a hi revving, vibrating & BOGGING Gas Motors lol

Truck, Tractor OR Mower

 

[groundcover]

View attachment 2302235View attachment 2302248

Wow ! No reason to be late to lunch with that rig ! A diesel zero turn may seem a little slow after that !

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

Second the JD Front mowers. I have used a JD F1445 II 60 side discharge and 72" rear discharge deck (two units). They are a beast... Like a scaled down version of a bushhog. Takes the bumps fairly well. Before I got this I borrowed my BIL Kubota 60" ZT can't remember the model. I didn't think it was a fast but did a good job.

One benefit to the F1445 is the ability to get under tree canopy closer to the trunk. Which I do a lot of on our fruit farm.

Sips fuel and helps me get my work done. The 60" is a 4wd model. Got the other one stuck a few times. I bought both used for a good price I thought. They each had around 2k hours and I paid 6500 for the newest 2007 and 4500 9 yrs ago for the 72".

I found in dry summers/winters I really didn't like the rear discharge. I have seen where a side discharge deck had the chute welded shut. Put mulching blades and no weed fodder blow back.

Oh and they have both a snow blower and blade attachments for these available. I don't need that but its there for those who do.

 

[RjCorazza]

Second the JD Front mowers. I have used a JD F1445 II 60 side discharge and 72" rear discharge deck (two units). They are a beast... Like a scaled down version of a bushhog. Takes the bumps fairly well. Before I got this I borrowed my BIL Kubota 60" ZT can't remember the model. I didn't think it was a fast but did a good job.

One benefit to the F1445 is the ability to get under tree canopy closer to the trunk. Which I do a lot of on our fruit farm.

Sips fuel and helps me get my work done. The 60" is a 4wd model. Got the other one stuck a few times. I bought both used for a good price I thought. They each had around 2k hours and I paid 6500 for the newest 2007 and 4500 9 yrs ago for the 72".

I found in dry summers/winters I really didn't like the rear discharge. I have seen where a side discharge deck had the chute welded shut. Put mulching blades and no weed fodder blow back.

Oh and they have both a snow blower and blade attachments for these.

Every time front mounts are discussed I'm REALLY tempted to get one for the attachment selection, particularly the rotary brush. I'm dealing with a lot of packed snow / ice that would be great to just broom off !

 

[CigTopGun38]

Wow ! No reason to be late to lunch with that rig ! A diesel zero turn may seem a little slow after that !

hahaha full bore it uses 1 gallon per minute

 

[CigTopGun38]

+1 on a Diesel Zero

I’m done with a hi revving, vibrating & BOGGING Gas Motors lol

Truck, Tractor OR Mower

Honestly it’s not just the diesel that has me leaning Kubota. The build quality seems a lot better than the competitors. Most machines are using belts, hoses, and pulleys. I don’t know…most units seem kluged together with whatever they can find in the garage. Like incomplete.

The Kubota has sealed drive units. PTO driven. Better drive trains. Well engineered. The fit and finish just seems better. Like a tractor…

 

[groundcover]

hahaha full bore it uses 1 gallon per minute

My zero turns are easier on the fuel bill !

 

[Hay Dude]

Honestly it’s not just the diesel that has me leaning Kubota. The build quality seems a lot better than the competitors. Most machines are using belts, hoses, and pulleys. I don’t know…most units seem kluged together with whatever they can find in the garage. Like incomplete.

The Kubota has sealed drive units. PTO driven. Better drive trains. Well engineered. The fit and finish just seems better. Like a tractor…

Yep.
Kubota is pretty tough to beat when it comes to smaller diesel equipment. Their hydrostatic transmissions and small diesel engines have become household names.

 

[Brown Dog]

…. The Kubota has sealed drive units. PTO driven. Better drive trains. Well engineered. The fit and finish just seems better. Like a tractor…

I run Green Tractors But both my Mowers are ORANGE for the exact reasons you mentioned above

This has been an interesting thread.

Please keep us posted on your purchase ……

 

[CigTopGun38]

Anyone know if there dealers will willingly install the air seat on zd1211. I asked this one and said they are not authorized to do it. They can special order it but want nothing to do with the swap out…

I’ve seen videos where people are ordering them with the air ride seat.

 

[Brown Dog]

The newer mechanical suspension seats are pretty good & way better than the older ones.
I’d try one first.

Adding an air ride seat assy shouldn’t be too bad of an install but you’d need to run power to the pump motor.

 

[NC419N]

I love my ZD1211-60 but my shoulders do not! Just got a F2690-60 with hopes the steering wheel gives me the relief needed to mow 20+ acres each week

 

[Brown Dog]

I love my ZD1211-60 but my shoulders do not! Just got a F2690-60 with hopes the steering wheel gives me the relief needed to mow 20+ acres each week

Keep us posted.
I mow around 9hrs a week on my ZD15/1611-72

I tried the F series but hated it on my steep banks mowing horizontally so I flushed it.

 

[9973720wb19]

My ZD1211 72 (sold) Bogged pretty bad in thick grass but again I have steep hills & banks here I mow.

It was absolutely fine on flat ground mowing weekly growth.

I don’t like a mower, tractor or truck that bogs lol
The extra $$ for more power is absolutely worth it to me.

The ZD1511 emissions is Fine as long as they have the newer calibration in them & the newer ZD1611 is Fine too.

No problems on either one here mowing 20+ acres a week on my farm.

Way better mower than JD Scag or Ferris imho.

I just wished they offered a 84” deck.

You don’t want a RD deck especially if your grass is thick and / or tall : it’ll windRow TERRIBLY.

They cut exactly the same but clippings dispersal is knocked down by the wide tires & the radiator will suck dry clippings up & run hot every 2hrs.

Don’t buy one imo

Correct. exact thing happened to me. I purchased a brand new ZD 1211 RD and during my first use it overheated - alarms and lights...I mowed for about 4 hours and it overheated about every hour. dry grass just gets thrown right on radiator - took it back for an F3710 - mowing field type stuff...

 

[Hay Dude]

Correct. exact thing happened to me. I purchased a brand new ZD 1211 RD and during my first use it overheated - alarms and lights...I mowed for about 4 hours and it overheated about every hour. dry grass just gets thrown right on radiator - took it back for an F3710 - mowing field type stuff...

I mow all kinds of dry/chaffy field stuff and have loaded my rad, but mine don’t overheat.

 

[RjCorazza]

The side discharges will also buildup chaff on the radiator, but apparently much less than the rear discharge. If I skip a day blowing out the radiator I notice the coolant gauge rise a bar or two.
I guess there are a variety of grass types / conditions involved, but any rear discharge mower that I have tried left a windrow mess.

 

[zzvyb6]

I bought a used JD 1435 diesel front mower side discharge 7-iron at a local Metro Parks auction $2500. Yanmar motor. Starts on the 2 revolution even after sitting for a few months. Found a 60" front rotary broom for it and I will NEVER use or need a snowblower, plow or pusher again, and I've tried all 3 before getting a broom. The driveway is spotless after brooming snow and is dry in 1 hr. I can spray the snow even from 10" drifts as far out as I want or need to using rpm. And it does all this at 15 (measured) mph. The motor isn't even warmed up when I'm done.

As and added bonus, I bought a 3:1 gearbox with a 540 pto stub on it and can run my 45kW Winpower PTO genny off of it. The 1435 is about 22hp so its 11kw potential is plenty of electric power for us. I also still have my F935 earlier version of the 1435. It can also run the genny and a 76" rear discharge deck for chomping thru high field grass, weeds, trees, woodchucks, and whatever it chooses to munch on.

 

[9973720wb19]

I mow all kinds of dry/chaffy field stuff and have loaded my rad, but mine don’t overheat.

interesting...i claimed something was defective with it...it was brand new and overheated every hour. the dealer took it back and I got something else. I was surprised with the issues, I have a Kubota RTV and it's been problem free for 15 years.

 

[Hay Dude]

I overheated my ZD-331 mowing similar tall, dry chaffy stuff once, but I attribute that more to the radiator being older and probably having accumulated more grit/dirt for many years.
The 1211’s will accumulate chaff, but the rad seems to be plenty big to handle it.

Gotta keep those bonnets sealed up tight.

 

[Brown Dog]

interesting...i claimed something was defective with it...it was brand new and overheated every hour …

Normal characteristics of RD deck. Nothing defective.
My old one was the same way.
Both of my SD will run hot too if dry & wind is blowing clippings back on you & the mower (I can’t run a side chute with my heavy clippings around the farm)