F Series vs. ZD

[RjCorazza]

It just sets right in with no clamps or bolting. With even just 2 psi it is a snug fit between the seat and the bottom of the base. And 11-12 psi is were I usually keep it.

I'm afraid that just won't do! There must be a complicated retaining mechanism to hold that thing!

 

[LouNY]

I'm afraid that just won't do! There must be a complicated retaining mechanism to hold that thing!

 

[NC419N]

Update. Ended up keeping the ZD1211-60 bought F 2690-60 working on air pressures on the F to get rid of the excessive bouncing. Each machine has pros and con's. Just lucky that I can keep both and every once and a while can use the old BX2360 for the really rough stuff

 

[Brown Dog]

Update. Ended up keeping the ZD1211-60 bought F 2690-60 ... Each machine has pros and con's …

Does the F spin the inside tire doing fairly tight turns ?

My F3710 i got rid of was Horrible when going up slight hill turning

 

[LouNY]

My F2000 does unless I engage the 4wd.

 

[Brown Dog]

My F2000 does unless I engage the 4wd.

4wd seemed to make my F3710 spin worse.
I even fluid filled all 4 tires & it didn’t help.

The F just didn’t suit my application at all so I traded it for a ZD1611.

 

[zzvyb6]

Your 770 will easily run a 9' haybine. Set it to swathe and not windrow and you can run in 3rd gear. I ran my NH479 hay mower with an 18 h.p. Yanmar on my lawn for a few years. The sickle type cutter leaves an awesome pattern in the lawn. Add a baler and sell the 'hay' to animal keepers. My Yanmar also had no trouble with a JD-14T even though the tractor did not have a separate pto clutch.

 

[CigTopGun38]

Going to look at a used unit this Friday…zd1211 72” side discharge with 100 hours. Wish me luck

 

[anomad]

Going to look at a used unit this Friday…zd1211 72” side discharge with 100 hours. Wish me luck

Good luck! I hope it's nice and you get a fair price.

 

[RjCorazza]

Going to look at a used unit this Friday…zd1211 72” side discharge with 100 hours. Wish me luck

Good luck! They are great machines, and starting this season I have 2200 hours on mine.

 

[9973720wb19]

FWIW...the speed in which you mow depends on how rough or smooth your lawn is - mine is on the rough side...last year I bought a new Kubota 72" 1211 and I had to craw with it or I'd bounce out of the seat...therefore, I would not utilize it's speed & was not useful and I hated it. With under 10 hours on it, I traded it in for a new F3710...I found (I guess) due to it's 4 wheels on the ground and wheel base it was smoother and I was comfortable - it seemed faster. I mowing with the F3710...

 

[Brown Dog]

Everybody’s application & preference is different no doubt.
Variety is good.
My new F3710 was just too long for back & forth mowing & my property is all open area.
It ABSOLUTELY WOULD NOT stay Strait mowing steep banks horizontally with the rear steer.

 

[Hay Dude]

One complaint I have about the ZD1211’s is with greasing.
The rear prop shaft is tough to grease. It is somewhat accessible, but the 3 zerks on the prop shaft are hard to get a greaser attached to unless they are pointing down. It’s tough to “hand turn” the shaft, so sometimes you have to get on/off and crank engine until they are pointed down.

Anymore, I use a floor jack to lift the ass-end up so at least there’s more room to for greaser

That sort of stuff should be more easily accessible in the field.

 

[RjCorazza]

One complaint I have about the ZD1211’s is with greasing.
The rear prop shaft is tough to grease. It is somewhat accessible, but the 3 zerks on the prop shaft are hard to get a greaser attached to unless they are pointing down. It’s tough to “hand turn” the shaft, so sometimes you have to get on/off and crank engine until they are pointed down.

Anymore, I use a floor jack to lift the ass-end up so at least there’s more room to for greaser

That sort of stuff should be more easily accessible in the field.

The other shaft to the mower gearbox is no peach either.
For the rear shaft, I back the machine up on 8" ramps. If the zircs aren't pointing somewhat down I use a large screwdriver in the universal to rotate the shaft.
I don't ever use them, but I think there are access panels above those zirc(s)? Near the radiator.

 

[CigTopGun38]

End up putting a deposit on the machine I went to see today. It’s a 2022 zd1211 72” with 100 hours. The gentlemen was asking 14,200 I bought it for 13,000. I thought it was a good deal.

 

[CigTopGun38]

I just did a bunch of maintenance on the mower So I could baseline everything. It has 100 hours. Ended up replacing engine oil, filter, air filter, both hydraulic filters, and all fuel filters.

Quick question…the coolant level is really low. Like at the bottom of the expansion tank. I asked the seller. He said it’s always been down that low but never over heated or had an issue.

Anything to check for? Should I just top it off? I didn’t see anything in the oil. It runs good. Idles good. No reason to believe it’s losing fluid.

Thoughts?

 

[RjCorazza]

I just did a bunch of maintenance on the mower So I could baseline everything. It has 100 hours. Ended up replacing engine oil, filter, air filter, both hydraulic filters, and all fuel filters.

Quick question…the coolant level is really low. Like at the bottom of the expansion tank. I asked the seller. He said it’s always been down that low but never over heated or had an issue.

Anything to check for? Should I just top it off? I didn’t see anything in the oil. It runs good. Idles good. No reason to believe it’s losing fluid.

Thoughts?

My ZD 1211 recovery tank was frequently low for the first year or so. I couldn't find a leak until I checked the lower radiator hose when the mower was running and warming up. It was always bone dry when cold / sitting, as well as when fully warmed up. Tightening the hose clamp fixed my issue.
On edit: not sure about the exact timing in finding the leak. I do recall that it wasn't leaking when cold or fully up to operating temperature.

 

[Brown Dog]

I just did a bunch of maintenance on the mower So I could baseline everything. It has 100 hours. Ended up replacing engine oil, filter, air filter, both hydraulic filters, and all fuel filters.

Quick question…the coolant level is really low. Like at the bottom of the expansion tank …
Anything to check for? Should I just top it off? I didn’t see anything in the oil. It runs good. Idles good. No reason to believe it’s losing fluid.

Thoughts?

You was premature on changing the hydraulic fluid imo but it won’t hurt anything.
As mentioned tighten the lower hose clamps & top off the coolant level.

When mowing in dry & windy conditions : keep a check on your temp gauge.
IF you’re getting grass clippings blown back on you (my chute is removed) your radiator is getting clippings & dust sucked into it.
I have to dump my radiator screen when temp gets too hi Before the horn sounds.
.
Make sure BLADES (not deck) measure dead level off concrete floor mowing at about 3.5”
Any lower & you’ll be complaining of scalping.
The deck knob #’s don’t always match blade measurement off concrete floor.
Adjust front deck wheels 1” off the concrete too.
Keep rear tires aired up pretty firm & you’ll absolutely love the Diesel 72 inch.

 

[RjCorazza]

You was premature on changing the hydraulic fluid imo but it won’t hurt anything.
As mentioned tighten the lower hose clamps & top off the coolant level.

When mowing in dry & windy conditions : keep a check on your temp gauge.
IF you’re getting grass clippings blown back on you (my chute is removed) your radiator is getting clippings & dust sucked into it.
I have to dump my radiator screen when temp gets too hi Before the horn sounds.
.
Make sure BLADES (not deck) measure dead level off concrete floor mowing at about 3.5”
Any lower & you’ll be complaining of scalping.
The deck knob #’s don’t always match blade measurement off concrete floor.
Adjust front deck wheels 1” off the concrete too.
Keep rear tires aired up pretty firm & you’ll absolutely love the Diesel 72 inch.

That is all very similar to how I keep my mower setup, although I set the blades at 3.75" and the deck wheels at 3/4". I do wear through front deck wheels every 400-500 hours though.
I blow out the radiator (and everything else) after each days mowing. With my use and climate when the temp guage hits 3 bars the radiator needs to be blown out.

 

[CigTopGun38]

My ZD 1211 recovery tank was frequently low for the first year or so. I couldn't find a leak until I checked the lower radiator hose when the mower was running and warming up. It was always bone dry when cold / sitting, as well as when fully warmed up. Tightening the hose clamp fixed my issue.
On edit: not sure about the exact timing in finding the leak. I do recall that it wasn't leaking when cold or fully up to operating temperature.

Did your hose have tell tale signs of a leak. Like crusted up green stuff. I just looked. Mine looks like it has some stuff on it. But not enough to look like an issue. I’ll take a picture later today.