Kubota Kommander

[Elendil22]

I was very close to pulling the trigger on a Kommander. But then on the 28th Kubota came out with new incentives on the 700 series. It worked out that for under $1400 more than the Kommander I could move up to a full commercial unit. My Z723 was delivered today. I think the Kommander is a good residential unit, but with the new incentives, anyone considering the Kommander should take a serious look at the 700 series.

 

[potter_d]

I bought a new Z127S in April 2013. This is our third season, the mower has ~95 hours.

Overall my wife and I have been very pleased with the mower. However, this season it
has developed a starting issue - it starts fine from a cold start, but occasionally will not
start after it has been used for any length of time. For example, if you stop for a quick
break, the mower will not restart. So I started trying to leave the mower running, and
discovered that it shuts off as soon as I get off the seat - with all safety switches (brake
and pto/blades set. Which leads me to believe that there is an issue with a safety
switch.

I'm reluctant to take the mower to the dealer because it starts every time from a cold
start and they would not be able to duplicate the issue.

Any suggestions on diagnosing and/or fixing the issue?

 

[Mr Man]

April 2014, I purchased new a ZG123S mower and now have 60 hours on it. I have not experienced any problems like you have explained with your Z127S. I agree with you, from what you have described it could be an issue with a safety switch. I'm a mechanical type of guy and handy but, certainly don't consider myself a mechanic. On a former Cub Cadet I had years ago I had a problem with safety switches and they can sure be a pain in the butt. I suggest you take it to the dealer and leave it there for a couple of days. Let him run the machine until it's warmed up adequately and see what happens. Sorry I can't be of better assistance. Good luck.

 

[junkyardwarrior]

I bought a new Z127S in April 2013. This is our third season, the mower has ~95 hours.

Overall my wife and I have been very pleased with the mower. However, this season it
has developed a starting issue - it starts fine from a cold start, but occasionally will not
start after it has been used for any length of time. For example, if you stop for a quick
break, the mower will not restart. So I started trying to leave the mower running, and
discovered that it shuts off as soon as I get off the seat - with all safety switches (brake
and pto/blades set. Which leads me to believe that there is an issue with a safety
switch.

I'm reluctant to take the mower to the dealer because it starts every time from a cold
start and they would not be able to duplicate the issue.

Any suggestions on diagnosing and/or fixing the issue?

The park brake switch is acting up. I've seen a couple do this. Should be replaced in order to fix it.

 

[DianneInVA]

I like my Kubota Z-turn w/48 ' deck. A LOT. I originally had a belly deck mower for the B2620, but it was too heavy for the yard, and too light for the meadow. (bought a 60" rotary cutter, too). The Zturn is fast, comfortable, and easy to maintain. and FUN!

 

[junkyardwarrior]

Yes, please post your thoughts. I am considering a kommander Z121S 48". I have been quoted $4979.00 the Z121S and $4529.00 for the "E" version.The Kubta Kommander warranty does look good. As does the large wheel size.

I am also lookinig at the Bad Boy MZ Magnum. The Bad Boy MZ Magnum is a good bit cheaper at $3499.00 but only has a 1 year warranty and smaller wheels. It appears to be built fairly stronge.

Which one is better? Are the two brands even compareable?

Forget the bad boy. NOTHING on the bad boy compares, not a single part. It's cheaper for a reason (meaning...they cut costs wherever they can to get that price down).

Bad boy has had their share of issues. QC, engineering, assembly line, from start to finish they've had issues. The newer the mower, the better they are but I can't help but think about all of the past issues, and how they've handled them.

Also, bad boy's financing doesn't even compare to Kubota. Neither does the warranty. Bad Boy warranty is 2 years non transferable residential use only. Commercial (meaning if they find out you are mowing a church yard and get paid to do it, to them, you're mowing commercially), 90 days. OH and Kubota offers their insurance program, so if you run your Kommander off into the pond accidentally, you are out $250 (deductible). Bad Boy doesn't have this option so you'd have to use your own insurance which could have a higher deductible or different coverage limits. Kubota you get 4 years of transferable warranty commercial and residential. And WAY better financing options. 100x better product support from the factory, if that need arises. Kubota drives and steers 100,000 times better than the MZ does. It cuts as good, IMO better than the MZ. Kubota is more comfortable. By far. And you get a better engine option, Kubota offers the Kommanders in Briggs & Stratton and Kohler. I do, however, like the Kawaski that comes/came on the MZ better than the Kohler or Briggs. Also, the Kohler...on the Bad Boy, it's the cheapest Kohler that money can buy. The Kommanders have a better Kohler...even though they're almost identical, they're not. Bad Boy wants you to think so, though.

The Kommander does indeed have larger tires and wheels. This is done for a reason. It allows Kubota to design the mower with a lower center of gravity, which you'll appreciate greatly.

Also, if you have an engine problem, Kubota takes care of it at the dealership where you bought it. If you had the same problem with the Bad Boy, you go see the engine manufacturer's closest warranty repair shop which could potentially be a hundred miles away. They are working on this but don't expect a simple solution in the near future.

I have some inside info about Bad Boy Mowers. Would I buy one if I were in the market? Probably. But only if Kubota wasn't an option. Bad Boy makes a good product, just that they have a LONG way to go to compare with Kubota.

 

[meh35]

I read the reviews on the Kommander and decided to purchase one. Purchased the Kommander Z121Skh-48 on 5/2/15. Since then have broken three mower belts and one drive belt. Mind you I only live on a residential acre of land and half our property is a soccer field out back. Local Kubota dealer has worked on the issue and believe they have it resolved by replacing a couple deck spindles. Just took the mower back three weeks ago since Hydrostatic is leaking fluid. Local Kubota dealer tried a seal kit but still leaking. Since its under warranty Kubota is now replacing the mower's hyrdrostatic. Its been about a year now and I only have 48 hours on the mower. Three mower belts, drive belt and now hydrostatic issues. I am extremely disappointed in this product and would not recommend this mower to anyone. We are a Kubota family with a few Kubota tractors having over 1000 hours on them and non have ever visited the kubota maintenance shop. This mower seems to have a permanent home there. Fortunately I have an old John Deere mower I use while the Kubota sits in the shop.
Positive side the mower when working cuts good and is very fast. Much, much faster than my John Deere. Never had it in high grass since mowing lawn and soccer field so not sure on its cutting capability.

 

[junkyardwarrior]

Do any of y'all who have had complaints of belts coming off, do y'all have any sweet gum balls, or small pine cones, or similar in your yard? I've got one of these (Z125 48") that the deck belt came off a couple times. I asked the dealer about it and they said that they'd heard of debris causing them to come off easier than other brands. The fix is a rake. They also said that there is a belt guard kit that Kubota has adopted that should help alleviate the issues for certain users, but I think he said it was just for the deck belt.

On mine, where the HST tank hoses go down to the HST's themselves, there is a triangular hole where the hoses run through. I keep my mower really clean and every time I wash it, I see gum balls sitting there in that cut out area. Directly below is the HST pulley. I wondered if it was common for those balls to get down into the HST pulley(s) and knock the belt off? Once, mine started vibrating while driving it and I stopped thinking I tore it up. I found a gum ball jammed into the groove of the engine pulley, so I pried it out with a knife and the vibration went away. Seems like it got in there real easy, maybe too easily? I don't know. Maybe just a coincidental deal. Never had it happen since, thankfully.

I'm tickled with the mower though. It's fast, turns awesome, cuts great, rides good, I love everything about it, compared to the other brands that it's competing with (especially bad boy).

 

[lmgtexas]

I purchased a new Kubota Kommander zero-turn mower (ZG127E, 54 inch) in February 2014. The unit ran great the first spring/summer. I use it mainly for mowing the 2 acres around our house and for cutting along the fence lines on our 40 acres. The second season (2015) I began to experience a similar problem to you - that is after mowing for an hour to an hour and a half, the mower would begin to surge and slow down as if it wasn't getting a steady supply of fuel. Then, if you tried to stand up and step off the unit, the mower would just shut down (as if you hadn't set the safety brake). Then you would have to wait for some time before you could get it started again. The dealer I had purchased it from was no help (very poor service and parts group), so I finally trailered it to a more distant dealer in April of this year before the "mowing season" started. He diagnosed the problem as an engineering group flaw with the fuel switch/line coming out of the fuel tank. Apparently the opening is way too small so any debris or contaminant will cause a fuel flow problem. Additionally the brake switch was defective. The replacement of the brake switch (under warranty) solved that problem. Cleaning out the fuel line solved the other problem. Kubota really hasn't addressed the design issue with the fuel line which has made me reconsider my decision to purchase a full-size (60 horsepower) Kubota tractor. I believe Kubota may have damaged its tractor reputation with the addition of a poorly designed zero-turn mower. It hasn't helped that the dealer in Taylor, Texas, where I purchased the zero-turn mower has a fairly lax attitude about servicing these units. For now I will stay with my Mahindra 35/25 tractor and when I decide to upgrade will keep the smaller Mahindra and just add a larger Mahindra tractor to my inventory.

 

[kbuicker]

On my 2nd season with mine so far (121S 48"). Threw a belt yesterday for the 1st time, but only cause I had collected a thick-ton of black clay dirt/debris on the deck's underside. Blades had no where to go. What a mess! I jacked it up and went to town scraping.. ugh, nasty crap. Was able to get the belt back on (after figuring out how to get the tensioner pulley pulled over far enough; I used a ratcheted-tie-down-strap and attached it to the mower itself, worked great!) good as new now.

I had fluid on the plastic reservoir, but service guy said it was simply a burp. We cleaned it and it's been fine since. Everything has been working great. Meh35, sounds like you might of gotten a bad deal.. maybe they will swap you a new 48" deck to make you a happy customer??

 

[Jeff59Va]

Bumping this thread to see how everyone feels about their Kommander now. Thinking of buying one as an upgrade to a Deere D170. Specifically looking at the Z421 with a Kawasaki FS730 engine. For those guys that had issues, did they get resolved?

Thanks!

 

[dragoneggs]

Still loving mine... no issues but I am cutting about an acre and have a 42in cut. Always been a fan of Kawasaki engines.

 

[lmgtexas]

An update on my earlier post about the problems with my Kubota Kommander. Now, a year later, I still have my Kommander and through trial and error have developed a protocol that I go through to keep the mower running. First, I changed from Kubota oil to fully synthetic Mobile 1. That appears to let the engine run a bit cooler. Next I always pull the air filter before using the mower and make sure I tap out as much loose debris that has collected on the outside of the filter. Of course checking the oil level and filling the tank with fresh fuel is a regular step. Finally, before using the mower, I disconnect the fuel line from the fuel filter and physically blow on the fuel line until I can hear bubbles in the fuel tank. That way I know I have "blown out" any debris that might have collected in that problematic, engineering problem with the valve coming out of the fuel tank. After that I can generally mow for as many hours as I want or need to until I have to re-fuel. Then I allow the mower to cool down before refueling. After the unit has cooled down sufficiently, I go through the same "start up" procedure again. Before putting the mower away, I always using a blower to blow off all grass and other debris so the mower is ready to go for the next day. Note, this mower is garaged, and is kept under a special tarp! I hate to have to do all that to keep a $5,400 mower operating properly, but I do what I have to. No more Kubota products in my future. I have an old Mahindra 3525 tractor that I'll be keeping even after I upgrade to a 60-horse power model (Considering I have a 10-year old Snapper riding lawn mower that runs flawlessly year in and year out without all this pampering, and the Mahindra is equally reliable - so much for Kubota being the "Cadillac" of field equipment!)

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

An update on my earlier post about the problems with my Kubota Kommander. Now, a year later, I still have my Kommander and through trial and error have developed a protocol that I go through to keep the mower running. First, I changed from Kubota oil to fully synthetic Mobile 1. That appears to let the engine run a bit cooler. Next I always pull the air filter before using the mower and make sure I tap out as much loose debris that has collected on the outside of the filter. Of course checking the oil level and filling the tank with fresh fuel is a regular step. Finally, before using the mower, I disconnect the fuel line from the fuel filter and physically blow on the fuel line until I can hear bubbles in the fuel tank. That way I know I have "blown out" any debris that might have collected in that problematic, engineering problem with the valve coming out of the fuel tank. After that I can generally mow for as many hours as I want or need to until I have to re-fuel. Then I allow the mower to cool down before refueling. After the unit has cooled down sufficiently, I go through the same "start up" procedure again. Before putting the mower away, I always using a blower to blow off all grass and other debris so the mower is ready to go for the next day. Note, this mower is garaged, and is kept under a special tarp! I hate to have to do all that to keep a $5,400 mower operating properly, but I do what I have to. No more Kubota products in my future. I have an old Mahindra 3525 tractor that I'll be keeping even after I upgrade to a 60-horse power model (Considering I have a 10-year old Snapper riding lawn mower that runs flawlessly year in and year out without all this pampering, and the Mahindra is equally reliable - so much for Kubota being the "Cadillac" of field equipment!)

I doubt you have to do any of this but if it makes you feel better, do it. From reading your post, I believe it will make YOU feel better. Oh by the way, your the only one of thousands and thousands that is doing what your doing and everyone elses is working perfect without doing "it".:laughing::laughing::laughing:

 

[IvanS]

An update on my earlier post about the problems with my Kubota Kommander. Now, a year later, I still have my Kommander and through trial and error have developed a protocol that I go through to keep the mower running. First, I changed from Kubota oil to fully synthetic Mobile 1. That appears to let the engine run a bit cooler. Next I always pull the air filter before using the mower and make sure I tap out as much loose debris that has collected on the outside of the filter. Of course checking the oil level and filling the tank with fresh fuel is a regular step. Finally, before using the mower, I disconnect the fuel line from the fuel filter and physically blow on the fuel line until I can hear bubbles in the fuel tank. That way I know I have "blown out" any debris that might have collected in that problematic, engineering problem with the valve coming out of the fuel tank. After that I can generally mow for as many hours as I want or need to until I have to re-fuel. Then I allow the mower to cool down before refueling. After the unit has cooled down sufficiently, I go through the same "start up" procedure again. Before putting the mower away, I always using a blower to blow off all grass and other debris so the mower is ready to go for the next day. Note, this mower is garaged, and is kept under a special tarp! I hate to have to do all that to keep a $5,400 mower operating properly, but I do what I have to. No more Kubota products in my future. I have an old Mahindra 3525 tractor that I'll be keeping even after I upgrade to a 60-horse power model (Considering I have a 10-year old Snapper riding lawn mower that runs flawlessly year in and year out without all this pampering, and the Mahindra is equally reliable - so much for Kubota being the "Cadillac" of field equipment!)

If you are doing all that and keeping the machine, I'd say you are in a tough spot. I'd either design a solution to the problem myself or I'd send it down the road and get something else. Have you reached out to the Kubota regional rep? It sounds like you have a less than stellar dealer if they can't diagnose and fix a simple problem like you describe. This is clearly not typical of this machine or we would have a lot more reports of problems with them.

 

[Tractorrr]

The blowing into the fuel tank doesn't sound like it's too good for your health.

 

[Jeff59Va]

The blowing into the fuel tank doesn't sound like it's too good for your health.

Yeah, if I end up buying one, I'm hoping that won't be necessary

 

[David_Kb7uns]

What and where are you at that you are getting that much into the fuel tank to plug it up, you need to review your fuel source and handling of your fuel before blaming the mower.

David

 

[Spanner]

I purchased a new Kubota Kommander zero-turn mower (ZG127E, 54 inch) in February 2014. The unit ran great the first spring/summer. I use it mainly for mowing the 2 acres around our house and for cutting along the fence lines on our 40 acres. The second season (2015) I began to experience a similar problem to you - that is after mowing for an hour to an hour and a half, the mower would begin to surge and slow down as if it wasn't getting a steady supply of fuel. Then, if you tried to stand up and step off the unit, the mower would just shut down (as if you hadn't set the safety brake). Then you would have to wait for some time before you could get it started again. The dealer I had purchased it from was no help (very poor service and parts group), so I finally trailered it to a more distant dealer in April of this year before the "mowing season" started. He diagnosed the problem as an engineering group flaw with the fuel switch/line coming out of the fuel tank. Apparently the opening is way too small so any debris or contaminant will cause a fuel flow problem. Additionally the brake switch was defective. The replacement of the brake switch (under warranty) solved that problem. Cleaning out the fuel line solved the other problem. Kubota really hasn't addressed the design issue with the fuel line which has made me reconsider my decision to purchase a full-size (60 horsepower) Kubota tractor. I believe Kubota may have damaged its tractor reputation with the addition of a poorly designed zero-turn mower. It hasn't helped that the dealer in Taylor, Texas, where I purchased the zero-turn mower has a fairly lax attitude about servicing these units. For now I will stay with my Mahindra 35/25 tractor and when I decide to upgrade will keep the smaller Mahindra and just add a larger Mahindra tractor to my inventory.

An update on my earlier post about the problems with my Kubota Kommander. Now, a year later, I still have my Kommander and through trial and error have developed a protocol that I go through to keep the mower running. First, I changed from Kubota oil to fully synthetic Mobile 1. That appears to let the engine run a bit cooler. Next I always pull the air filter before using the mower and make sure I tap out as much loose debris that has collected on the outside of the filter. Of course checking the oil level and filling the tank with fresh fuel is a regular step. Finally, before using the mower, I disconnect the fuel line from the fuel filter and physically blow on the fuel line until I can hear bubbles in the fuel tank. That way I know I have "blown out" any debris that might have collected in that problematic, engineering problem with the valve coming out of the fuel tank. After that I can generally mow for as many hours as I want or need to until I have to re-fuel. Then I allow the mower to cool down before refueling. After the unit has cooled down sufficiently, I go through the same "start up" procedure again. Before putting the mower away, I always using a blower to blow off all grass and other debris so the mower is ready to go for the next day. Note, this mower is garaged, and is kept under a special tarp! I hate to have to do all that to keep a $5,400 mower operating properly, but I do what I have to. No more Kubota products in my future. I have an old Mahindra 3525 tractor that I'll be keeping even after I upgrade to a 60-horse power model (Considering I have a 10-year old Snapper riding lawn mower that runs flawlessly year in and year out without all this pampering, and the Mahindra is equally reliable - so much for Kubota being the "Cadillac" of field equipment!)

You seem to have two easily solvable problems:
1. Poor dealer support. The brake switch issue was easily self-diagnosable just from your description. (Turn-off PTO. Set the brake, Stand up. Engine shuts off. So seat switch is operating and indicating that brake isn't set. ie. brake switch has not activated. (The second dealer may have just adjusted the switch but claimed a new switch anyway as that gets them more profit for the same time. Just a 2c.)

2. Personal hygiene. Why do you have debris in your fuel tank still? The fuel tank should have been cleaned out completely when the cause of fuel starvation was found. Then YOU should be keeping your fuel scrupulously clean so the issue doesn't re-occur.

Petrol (Benzene) or 'Gas' is very low viscosity. It is 'thin' and will flow through small orifices at great volume with ease. Look how small the jets are in your carburettors. The fuel hose only needs to be that diameter really.

Fuel hose and filters are larger (1/4" dia.) just for manual handling practicality reasons. Mechanics fingers are not built for installing small, needle-sized hose or filter items with ease. Chunky hose, cotton-reel sized filters are easier to work with and needle valves, jets, orifices etc reduce the fuel flow to required minute amounts at the 'business end' of the fuel supply system.

Clean your fuel system and your fuel storage. Clean your pourer spout or funnel. Keep it all clean. Use a strainer gauze if you have to. This is your responsibility. Not an 'orange' defect.

 

[t320pilot]

With 85 hours on my 48" deck commander, it now needs a new set of blades. Dealing with sand here in FL is rough on lawnmower blades. Where is the best price? Hoping for a better deal than the dealership.
Thanks