F3990 vs newer F3710 4wd front deck mowers

[5030]

My wife has her gas powered (gas guzzler) ZTR in case something happens to the F2880, I don't see that happening and I installed the IFJF fuel polishing filter with the Racor 2 micron element last night just in case. The IFJF base is a lot less than the Racor base and typical Chinese, they are identical in every respect as well. It remains to be seen if I'll need a second fuel pump but I'll find out as it rained here last night and is raining presently. I bought the Racor Filter from the place where you get yours btw. I'm not stupid when it comes to going with an established dealer, especially one that is recommended by someone who knows. Compared to the IFJF 10 micron filters I usually use they aren't a cheap date by a long shot but if they work for you, I'm good with that and I may remove the mechanical fan like I'm doing with the tractors and replace it with a 12 volt electrically reversable fan, the Kubby has plenty of alternator output to handle that and I figure on the tractors, I'll pick up around 10 horsepower each, maybe more and use less diesel as well. Not sure about the 2880 but I'm sure I will gain something and reduce fuel consumption as well, besides, I like fiddling with stuff like that. John Deere does it so Kubota can do it as well and you can buy in the top rad hose thermocouples that will control the fan automatically. I won't. I'll install a switch somewhere, double pole double throw that will reverse the polarity of the fan and electrically reverse it to blow out the rad (what I'm doing on both the tractors as well) so I can conveniently blow out or suck in the radiator's gunk and still provide cooling at the same time. The dealer I work at part time is very interested in the concept and if it works ( on the tractors and I'm sure it will, works just fine for John Deere), he's gonna take pictures and submit it to Kubota for them to offer it on their larger tractors as well. I won't get squat I'm sure, knowing Kubota. Concept is dirt simple other than fabbing up simple mounting bracketry for the fans and adding a switch or a t'stat controlled in hose switch to control the fan. Ain't rocket science at all. The big 12 volt fans I bought for the big tractors are a lot larger than what the F2880 would require, those are rated to move almost 3000 CFM at rated speed (2500 rpm). I looked at and considered a hydraulic drive for them but electric is much simpler, the units cost a lot less and the fabbing of the mounts is super simple as well plus in the case of the tractors, the fans can direct mount to the fan shrouds already there and the fans are dynamically balanced so minimal vibration when they are running and the maximum current draw at max rpm on 12 volts is 11 amps on the big ones and the alternators on the big ones output 70 amps and each have a Group 31 flooded cell storage battery capable of putting out over a thousand CCA. The advertised output on the 2880 is 40 amps but the fan will be a whole lot smaller as well. I think I'm good with both setups. I see the 2880 has a tube HX for the hydrostat drive. Think that will go and instead I'll install a plate type multi pass oil cooler in it's place. Maybe a Hayden swirl cool instead. I have one on my F350 truck and it keeps the big slush box in that truck cool. I've never seen trans temps over 200 degrees no matter what I'm pulling, ever. I do like fiddling with stuff so long as I can make it better. I don't fiddle just for the sake of fiddling, never have, never will.

 

[5030]

His sounds like Al Sharpton does when he's all cranked up about some racial nonsense...lol.

He hasn't been using it so far this year. It belongs to his dad that lives up town. Maybe his dad decided that he needs to buy his own or something. I see he 'borrowed' a Husquavarna ZTR from up the road a piece. Knowing him, he will destroy that and need to buy has own and destroy it. He isn't getting his grubby mitts on the 2880, ain't gonna happen and if I have to, I'll mow his lawn myself and up the rent accordingly because I'm a prick.

 

[5030]

Great. This is why I stay away from hi hour eqpt.

High hour equipment is okay if it's taken care of. if it's not, issues arise, especially with equipment that is run hard. Why I would never buy a compact tractor used for any amount of money. Most compact tractor owners don't have a clue when it comes to maintenance. They run them hard and don't take care of them properly.

In the case of the 2880 I bought, I know who maintained it (my dealer and his mechanics), so I don't anticipate any issues with it and if any arise, I'm sure they will be dealt with promptly and reasonably.

I will say I flogged the heck out of the M60 tank I traded in, I flogged it hard every time I used it actually. When I was too lazy to go get the slasher, I used the M60 Tank as my slasher. I rode it hard and put it away wet all the time. 19 years of flogging and it took it all no issue. That tells me that the M60 tank is a very robust machine and the Kawasaki engine is a gas guzzler but took it all and never whimpered a bit. Always ran if wide open too. Too bad it rides like a lumber wagon, if it rode good, I would have kept it. Ride sucks so it leaves. I will say the Hydro gear transaxles never gave me a second of trouble either. I always maintained it, just like I do everything else I own, Best oils, best greases, factory blades and belts and sheaves and filters and tires too.

I will say that if you did a roll back at speed on dry pavement and jammed it into forward, it would pull a wheelie that almost flipped it over, been there and did that on more than one time. Hydro gear trannies are very stout trannies.

 

[Brown Dog]

Most people abuse the heck out of lawnmowers & neglect them.

No way Id buy a high hour unit w/o knowing the previous owner.

 

[5030]

Riding lawn mowers and lawn tractors have to be the most flogged stuff out there and the least maintained as well, which is a testament to their build quality fir the most part, Always a ton of used cheapo units for cheap or free in FBMP or sitting on the roadside out here. Most have seized engines or rusted out stamped steel decks and the anti scalp wheels or rollers are missing. People really neglect them and when they fail, whine about it.

 

[Hay Dude]

Most people abuse the heck out of lawnmowers & neglect them.

True, but it’s easy to detect this within 5-10 minutes of initial inspection.

No way Id buy a high hour unit w/o knowing the previous owner.

I would. And have done it many times. Only got burned 1 or 2 times out of probably 50 times. Just takes basic mechanical aptitude to see abuse or detect that “something’s up”.

High hours & well cared for is better than low hours and abused.

I notice the TBN guys here who farm hay for a living running a lot of older high houred equipment.

 

[RjCorazza]

Please stop posting pictures of wide area mowers... I may not be able to resist much longer!

 

[5030]

True, but it’s easy to detect this within 5-10 minutes of initial inspection.




I would. And have done it many times. Only got burned 1 or 2 times out of probably 50 times. Just takes basic mechanical aptitude to see abuse or detect that “something’s up”.

High hours & well cared for is better than low hours and abused.

I notice the TBN guys here who farm hay for a living running a lot of older high houred equipment.

Including and certainly not limited to Hay Dudette...

I find it humorous that HD is calling the kettle black while practicing that same exact mantra. Candidly, I used to do the same deal and I still own a second hand but well cared for hay tool, Now I prefer buying new but even then, a new hay tool can have issues.

Isn't his F series mower used as well? Don't believe he bought it new, did he?

 

[Xfaxman]

Please stop posting pictures of wide area mowers... I may not be able to resist much longer!

 

[arto98607]

Please stop posting pictures of wide area mowers... I may not be able to resist much longer!

Do you mean mowers like this?