Mowing mid mount mower, 60" or 72"

[namesray]

about to pull trigger on a b3200. tractor will be used semi commercially for mowing/bush hogging and other parts of my small side businesses which is rapidly expanding. i know a lot about the tractor, but not much about the mid mount mowers. i have done a lot of mowing (mowed at golf course 6 years and my lawn plus a few others for quite a while), other then the commercial flex decks at the golf course, i don't have much experience with the non flex decks bigger then 54". i like the 72" deck idea. big mow swath and sides stick out for easier edging mowing. will make and mow tighter turning radius then the 60" deck. plus i like the construction of the 72" deck better. sounds like a perfect fit, but i am told the 72" deck can not come off the tractor without driving over it as the deck is too wide to fit out sideways between the front and rear tires. (dealer only has 60" instock to demo, will order me a 72" if i want it). the 60" would be easier to fit taking off. due to how the tractor is going to be used (multipurpose) the deck will be off and on regularly. also been told, since it will be mowing multiple lawns, scalping is a big issue with the 72" deck if the ground is the least little rough.

my questions for all you kubota 72" mid mount mower owners are: can you get the 72" deck out from under the tractor easily (like the 60") and do you have any scalping issues since the deck is so wide and not a flex deck? or would the 60" be better?

just some info: a zero turn is out of the question, as i want more then just a lawn mower, (bush hogging and many other purposes). i know a smaller zero turn will out mow any mid mount deck. i plan on keeping my smaller mower i have now for the smaller, tighter areas, and for a back up. thank for the advice in advance.

 

[ronjhall]

about to pull trigger on a b3200. tractor will be used semi commercially for mowing/bush hogging and other parts of my small side businesses which is rapidly expanding. i know a lot about the tractor, but not much about the mid mount mowers. i have done a lot of mowing (mowed at golf course 6 years and my lawn plus a few others for quite a while), other then the commercial flex decks at the golf course, i don't have much experience with the non flex decks bigger then 54". i like the 72" deck idea. big mow swath and sides stick out for easier edging mowing. will make and mow tighter turning radius then the 60" deck. plus i like the construction of the 72" deck better. sounds like a perfect fit, but i am told the 72" deck can not come off the tractor without driving over it as the deck is too wide to fit out sideways between the front and rear tires. (dealer only has 60" instock to demo, will order me a 72" if i want it). the 60" would be easier to fit taking off. due to how the tractor is going to be used (multipurpose) the deck will be off and on regularly. also been told, since it will be mowing multiple lawns, scalping is a big issue with the 72" deck if the ground is the least little rough.

my questions for all you kubota 72" mid mount mower owners are: can you get the 72" deck out from under the tractor easily (like the 60") and do you have any scalping issues since the deck is so wide and not a flex deck? or would the 60" be better?

just some info: a zero turn is out of the question, as i want more then just a lawn mower, (bush hogging and many other purposes). i know a smaller zero turn will out mow any mid mount deck. i plan on keeping my smaller mower i have now for the smaller, tighter areas, and for a back up. thank for the advice in advance.

I use the loader to raise front tire off ground. Then slide mower out one side or other of tractor. I do this on a paved area.

 

[sixdogs]

I have a B7800 with a 72" deck and it works for my two acres just fine. I also have a 38" Deere F510 that I use for close mowing between trees and such. This combo gets me done far faster than a smaller single mower and trying to dodge all the obstacles.

My deck was destined to be driven over but I don't do that. Instead. I use a Hi-Lift jack on the front of the tractor to lift and then slide it out underneath. Works slick but those jacks can be dangerous so watch where your teeth are and never let go of the handle.

Have zero scalping issues at 2 1/2" and can't imagine it at lower settings either. They have a roller wheel in the middle front to prevent that.

 

[Gator6x4]

The mowing decks, 60 and 72 inch are ground contact mowers. They are not suspended from the machine like the deck on a lawn mower. The wheels on the mower are what is used to set the mowing height, hence the name ground contact they are not anti scalp wheels like those on a regular lawn mower. The seventy two inch will scalp unless lawn being mowed is level.

 

[namesray]

I use the loader to raise front tire off ground. Then slide mower out one side or other of tractor. I do this on a paved area.

thanks for the tip. however i am not purchasing a front loader with this tractor. do you have scalping issues in any areas of your lawn?

 

[namesray]

I have a B7800 with a 72" deck and it works for my two acres just fine. I also have a 38" Deere F510 that I use for close mowing between trees and such. This combo gets me done far faster than a smaller single mower and trying to dodge all the obstacles.

My deck was destined to be driven over but I don't do that. Instead. I use a Hi-Lift jack on the front of the tractor to lift and then slide it out underneath. Works slick but those jacks can be dangerous so watch where your teeth are and never let go of the handle.

Have zero scalping issues at 2 1/2" and can't imagine it at lower settings either. They have a roller wheel in the middle front to prevent that.

kinda sounds like my set up idea, but just different model/brands of tractors. you say your deck was designed to be driven over. is that deck the kubota model rc72b? or a other brand name deck?

what kind of lawn do you have? pretty flat, or does it have some hills and small knolls?

do the roller wheels in the middle for "anti scalp" work good over small humps?

i thought about the jack idea. does sound like it could be a accident waiting to happen if not careful. does jacking it up give it plenty of room to fit mower out easily, or do you have to jack it real high to get enough clearence?

 

[namesray]

The mowing decks, 60 and 72 inch are ground contact mowers. They are not suspended from the machine like the deck on a lawn mower. The wheels on the mower are what is used to set the mowing height, hence the name ground contact they are not anti scalp wheels like those on a regular lawn mower. The seventy two inch will scalp unless lawn being mowed is level.

do you think the 60" would scalp less since it is a wide "ground contact mower" too?

 

[namesray]

also is there a way to lock the mmm in the up position and still lower and raise other 3ph implements with out the mmm lowering with the 3ph implement?

 

[sixdogs]

kinda sounds like my set up idea, but just different model/brands of tractors. you say your deck was designed to be driven over. is that deck the kubota model rc72b? or a other brand name deck?----I believe that's the number. Yes, Kubota

what kind of lawn do you have? pretty flat, or does it have some hills and small knolls? Flat as a pancake

do the roller wheels in the middle for "anti scalp" work good over small humps?
Seem to work for me. I see where you could get in trouble with a small stump or rock so be careful.

i thought about the jack idea. does sound like it could be a accident waiting to happen if not careful. does jacking it up give it plenty of room to fit mower out easily, or do you have to jack it real high to get enough clearence?
Life is an accident waiting to happen. I have had my jack for 25 years through thick and thin and no problems. The handle can snap back, however, and I do know a guy that smashed his jaw. Never let go of the handle, always watch the handle and be careful. It works perfect for me. Using a bigger tractor to lift the front of the B7800, which was "safer" cost me nearly $400 in new hood and related parts.

.....

 

[ronjhall]

thanks for the tip. however i am not purchasing a front loader with this tractor. do you have scalping issues in any areas of your lawn?

My lawn has been in place for over 40 years, No places left to scalp.

 

[ed c]

"also is there a way to lock the mmm in the up position and still lower and raise other 3ph implements with out the mmm lowering with the 3ph implement?"
sounds like my question with the L3600 - be interested to see if you get a response, so far I have not. ed c.

 

[dreamer]

also is there a way to lock the mmm in the up position and still lower and raise other 3ph implements with out the mmm lowering with the 3ph implement


I have the 72" MMM deck on a B3030 and I can pin the deck up so I can use the 3 point tiller. Good luck.

dreamer.

 

[namesray]

how well do your guys mmm do in high lawn grass? do you have to keep it mowed every week for the mmm to cut well? also, can you run the mmm lifted up, partially in the transport position, or does it bind the mid pto?

also, i now take it that it is possible to pin the mmm up and still use the 3ph to raise lower other implements, but not the other way around?

 

[ed c]

"I have the 72" MMM deck on a B3030 and I can pin the deck up so I can use the 3 point tiller. Good luck."
how do you pin up the deck? is it obvious when you look at it?
as to namesray's questions - don't have any answer as I only put the mower on this week

ed c.

 

[ronjhall]

how well do your guys mmm do in high lawn grass? do you have to keep it mowed every week for the mmm to cut well? also, can you run the mmm lifted up, partially in the transport position, or does it bind the mid pto?

also, i now take it that it is possible to pin the mmm up and still use the 3ph to raise lower other implements, but not the other way around?

I can run my mower in the up position. Doses not cut well in the up position. Does not cut high grass well. Must overload the blades. I have a bushhog for high grass.

 

[BWH]

how well do your guys mmm do in high lawn grass? do you have to keep it mowed every week for the mmm to cut well? also, can you run the mmm lifted up, partially in the transport position, or does it bind the mid pto?

also, i now take it that it is possible to pin the mmm up and still use the 3ph to raise lower other implements, but not the other way around?

I have a b3200 with a 72" deck and it mows very well in high grass. We just did our fist hay cut of the year and i left a spot untouched for a future food plot. Just for kicks i took my b down to see what it it could do and i was amazied! It looked better than my yard and had no streaking. Mowed 3 acres like it was easy! Amd no u cant lock the 3 pt but u can remove the lifting arms.

 

[namesray]

ok. thanks guys. i am leaning towards the 60" deck. it is as wide as my bush hog and i do many acres with my bush hog each year, 60+. so i think 60" will be fine for me for lawns. as far as scalping, the 60" deck looks simular to another 60" deck i saw on a "bad boy" zero turn, and that guy doesn't have much scalping issues. (he also does lawns semi commercially) i wondered about how it cut in high grass (10" or less) as some customers don't want their lawns mowed every week (camps), and that can lead to high grass in some areas. didn't want to have to mow it 2 or 3 times to compensate for them. wonder as the kubota 60" deck is side discharge, as the blades throw the cut grass into the other blades as it funnels its way out the side shute, if that bogged down the mower and left streaks on the outter 2 blades. i think i should be ok, as i have a 32hp engine driving it (23 pto hp). think the 72" might be a little different story= bog down more.

the price of the new b3200 with 60" deck and turf tires (loaded rim guard) and loader hydraulic valve (not the loader though) is $17,199 + tax/fees. $322 per month with the kubota insurance. 0% for 60 months. good deal? dealer has no left overs before the march 4% increase. so this tractor is brand new. wish i could have got an left over and saved a bit.