Mowing Finsish Mower or not

smat · Sep 10, 2004

I need some advice. My lawn mower is just about wore out and needs to be replaced. I presently have a L3130 DT with a 723 loader. My question is do I buy another lawn mower or do I buy a finish mower? I only have about 1 1/2 acreas of sloped yard to mow but I can buy a finish mower cheaper than a good quality mower. I have looked at the movers in the 1500 $ range and I am not inpressed will the quality but I can buy a King Kutter finish mover for about 1200$. Is my tracter to big to mow with? Is the quality of cut with a finish mower poor and if I buy a finish mower do I get a rear discharge or a side disharge?
Thanks Smat

KiotiJohn · Sep 10, 2004

It's really a matter of opinion, but in mine, it's not too big. I suppose it depends on whether you have a clay, sand or loamy soil. The clay apparently tends to rut up pretty easily when wet with just about any weight. Sand, as I have here is almost never a problem for me even driving my motorhome over it (> 12,700#). If you have a lot of trees and it's hard to maneuver in your yard, a rear finish mower will be rather hard to use until you've figured out how to make the turns, and how to back into your cut. Of course, you can take off the FEL, but you MAY need some front weight depending on how heavy the mower is. I'm sure it will be easier to maneuver without it.
I've read other posts that stated they use a much larger tractor than yours to mow. RedDog for one, with a Kioti DK65 says he mows his front lawn with that! John

Gatorboy · Sep 10, 2004

Is the quality of cut with a finish mower poor 

Not poor at all, you will get an excellent cut.

Dave___in___CT · Sep 10, 2004

Hi...

Depending on the topography... using a lawn/garden tractor can be easier/safer on "slopes" than an L3130... but the 4WD is excellent for going up/down slopes...
...a small machine is also better for trimming around obstacles...

I also have an L3130... 2 1/2 acres I mow (previous hayfield)...
Initially was gonna get a $1,750 rear-discharge 3-pt finish mower for the L3130...
...but...
... 1st looked at several used garden tractors in that $ range...
...ended up with a 1982 Gravely garden tractor with a 60" belly mower for ~$1,000...

It works out excellent for me... sometimes my significant other mows with the Gravely while I do other work with the L3130...

Seems you can go either way..

Dave...

buckle97 · Sep 10, 2004

I have an L3830 with a Bush Hog brand rear discharge finish mower. I get an excellent cut on the approximately 3 acres that I cut with it every week or so. You will not be disappointed with the quality of the cut. Some of my area is open and some has trees and shrubs. I am able to maneuver quite well around these obstacles with my 3830 (which is the same frame size as your 3130). I am also able to cut more quickly with the tractor and finish mower than I would with a comparably priced lawn tractor.

Lawrence

Bob_Skurka · Sep 10, 2004

I think the answer to your question may lie in your landscaping design.

If you have a lot of small trees to mow around, or tight radius curves, or planting beds that are scattered about or a lot of similar obstacals then you might be better off with a garden tractor. On the other hand if your lawn is reasonably open space, then a rear finish mower will probably make short work of the task.

texbaylea · Sep 10, 2004

I have an L3130HST that I plan to add a 6' or 7' rear finish mower to early next year. I may do it sooner if I find good end of season prices. I have been qouted $1335 for a Land Pride 6' rear discharge. I was using a 4' Land Pride side discharge on my B6100E that I traded in that worked great for the 2 acres I keep as "lawn". I am using that 4" RFM now behind the L3130. Looks ridiculous but works. When I get the larger mower, I am thinking about modifying it with its on engine and attaching it to the front of the loader for trim work; mowing under trees, etc..

Vernon

Henro · Sep 10, 2004

I had a 5 foot woods RD6000 RFM on the back of my B2910 and was quite pleased with the cut. I think it did a better job than my yardman garden tractor.

If you go with the RFM get one as wide as possible if you need to cut close to things like a fence line.

If you need to cut around things, like my small pond, for example, the MMM would do a better job, as it follows the front wheels rather than going opposite to them.

My area was small enough that the RFM was not a good fit and I ended up trading it back to the dealer for a new Woods Rotary cutter.

I cried enough about things that the wife did not object to my buying a MMM with a BX2200 attached to it.

One thing that is really nice is to have the mowing tractor sitting there waiting for you to use it, and not having to deal with taking off whatever is on the back of the larger tractor, putting the mower on, taking the mower back off and putting the implement that you need to use again back on.

I don't doubt at all that your 3130 will cut real well.

It is a tough call. Even if the mmm is off my BX, it is easier to put it back on and leave it on than it is to do three swaps on the larger tractor. And the mower is on as much as it is off, so things go that much quicker...

In the end, if it were me, and I could not have a great second tractor to mow with, I guess I would go the add the mower to the L3130 route...

Another thought...you have the DT...the area that you mow...does it call for a lot of directional changes? Will you have to even more directional changes using the larger tractor, than you did with the lawn tractor, just because the larger tractor is much bigger?

This might be a reason to lean towards the lawn tractor...

frank_f15 · Sep 10, 2004

A rear finish mower will give u a nice cut AS LONG as u don't let the gras get to high. also if you are cutting lawn grass around the house and have many turns then u might want to consider a smaller lawn trator for in close work, even if it is not top qualitly.

smat · Sep 11, 2004

Thanks for all of the advice. Should I choose a rear dicharge or a side disharge?

Smat

Bird · Sep 11, 2004

( Should I choose a rear dicharge or a side disharge? )

Do you want to windrow the clippings to pick them up later, or do you want to blow the clippings, leaves, etc. to one side of the yard? If so, the side discharge is the best way to go. If not; i.e., you want to distribute the clippings as evenly as possible, then the rear discharge is the way to go. My opinion, of course. I had the rear discharge, which is what I preferred.

kuby · Sep 11, 2004

Try to go as big as you can. I have a 60" and it's way to small (not enough overhang) and if your ground is soft, ag tires will leave bar marks in your lawn. I would think the 3130 will pull a 84" with no problem.

HammerFour · Sep 13, 2004

I have a 6' King Kutter finish mower that I picked up used for just over $400 on the back of my L2350 ( 20 pto hp ). It works very nicely, I actually use it for pasture mowing as the pastures are in good enough shape now that I don't need to use the rotary cutter.

So, an L3130 should easily handle a 7'.

_RaT_ · Sep 13, 2004

"I am using that 4" RFM now behind the L3130. Looks ridiculous but works."

I can well imagine. I would think it would tough to see in tall grass. Any problems with the PTO just spinning the whole mower? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I use a 84" Landpride finish mower on a L3830. It works beautifully. I should think your L3130 with gear drive should work quite well only requiring you to slow down in taller and or wet grass. Rat...