B3200 or B2620? Help the rookie!

[Jangles]

Ok, I already said I am a rookie, so here's another 'dumb' question-what is a MMM? Is this a common problem to have to adjust the mower that often? Because that sounds pretty lame. I want to set it up and GO!

I did look at the L2800, but locally they want about $1200 more, and the B3200 was already pushing my wallet a bit.

Thanks again for your advice gang and have a terrific weekend!

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Ok, I already said I am a rookie, so here's another 'dumb' question-what is a MMM? Is this a common problem to have to adjust the mower that often? Because that sounds pretty lame. I want to set it up and GO!

I did look at the L2800, but locally they want about $1200 more, and the B3200 was already pushing my wallet a bit.

Thanks again for your advice gang and have a terrific weekend!

Mid Mount Mower. Don't feel bad. I still see some of these and wonder what in the world they're talking about. BH Back hoe and FEL front end loader. These 3 are what is most commonly used. You shouldn't have to do any adjusting other than turn a knob between your feet or pull levers beside you hands and mash your foot down to go and stop.

 

[KU Gator]

If you are using the Midmount mower (MMM) or belly mower as it is sometimes called, it is very easy to control at least on the B2X20 series. Very similar to a riding lawn mower. You set the mower height with a knob behind your leg, you push in the clutch and engage the power take off (PTO), let out the clutch, throttle up the engine and then use the same lever that controls the height of the 3 point hitch to drop the mower deck to the height you set to mow, push down the pedal and off you go. Very easy and the deck will stay at what ever height you set it at. I think the B3200 is set by the height you set the wheels on the mower and it actually rides on the ground vs being suspend as on the B2X20 mower, but I am not positive on that.

The issue I was talking about is with the mowers frequently called a brush hog (Bush Hog is a brand name), rotary mower, or rough cut mower. These go behind the tractor. It uses two blades connected to a single spindle (at least in this size) acting as one big 5' blade. The blades are very thick and not that sharp. They spin very fast and cut more or less by brute force. Less likely to be damaged by running over rocks, limbs, etc and capable of cutting brush. So if your field is in rough shape or you only want to mow it a couple of times per year, they are the tool. But they only have usually one wheel in the back, sometimes 2, but the front is held up by the 3 point hitch. The 1/4" valve used in a B2X20 or B3200 will not hold it consistantly at a set height, so as you mow, the front of the mower will gradually sink down. This is a guess, but on a 3 acre field, you might have to once per lap use the lever that controls the 3 point hitch to raise it back up. Not a huge deal, but if you forget it, the front of the mower is dragging. I will probably look at adding some chains to mine to limit how far it will drop when using that mower.

If your field is in pretty good shape, (no rocks to hit or brush etc) you could use the MMM or a rear finish mower (RFM) instead of a rotary mower. The RFM is behind the tractor like the rough cut mower, but rides on 4 wheels and has multiple blades so does not stick out as far behind.

I am not trying to steer you away from the B2620 or B3200. I like my B2920. I just don't like mowing with the rotary cut mower with it, but do it when I need to.

 

[Jangles]

I have never heard that before. So if I run a 5' bush hog, even the 'lighter' kind (aka cheaper) over a pasture with no rocks/big sticks, behind a B3200, I will need to adjust the mower height the whole time? That kind of sucks. I had figured you set it once and just mow. Does everyone have to do this?

 

[lennyb99]

You'll find that adjusting the height of your mower will come natural after a while. I usually ride with my right hand on the adj. lever by habit and raise or lower as needed. This is also true with the box blade or the rake or whatever. That mower will become an extension of your arm in no time!!!

 

[Jangles]

But if I save my pennies and get an L series, I won't have to do any adjusting?

 

[lennyb99]

I guess not as long as the ground is perfectly flat without any hidden dangers lurking!!! Good luck with that one!

 

[KU Gator]

Another poster with a thread in the Buying Kubota section has just bought a B2630 through Barlows which he said he got for about the same price as a B3200 because he said Kubota was rebating $1K on the B2630. The B2630 and B3030 is the only current models for Kubota which would offer the position control plus the ability to add a MMM. If you have not done so, going and test driving several different models would be a good thing to do. No amount of looking at specs will replace a few test drives. Also look at the different types of mowers to help you understand them and how they operate and are controlled.

 

[Jangles]

So any tractor that doesn't have positional control will need to have the rear mower periodically adjusted?

Off to go ride and look at some this morning. Too **** wet to do much else.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

So any tractor that doesn't have positional control will need to have the rear mower periodically adjusted?

Off to go ride and look at some this morning. Too **** wet to do much else.

I don't have a bush hog so I don't know about it. I did have a RFM Rear Finish Mower and it rides on it's 4 wheels so it doesn't have to be adjusted, just drop it and go.