New Max 28 HST/Loader Delivered Last Night

[s219]

Yeah, I looked today, and it pretty much goes straight into the case.

 

[dcannaday]

Funny thing, I bought a 3615 and the pin on the rod that holds the seat in place was missing. Beginning to think this might possibly be a conspiracy.....

 

[dadreier]

Nothing new to report on the tractor itself, but I did have to repair a puncture in one of the front 23x8.50-12 tires.

Can't be sure, but it looks like a stray nail did the job. I had been using the Max in the area where an old wooden shed was torn down and a new pole barn is going up. I ran a magnetic "sweeper" several times in anticipation of this exact situation, but apparently I've missed some.

I used a tire repair kit (plug gun style) I normally keep on my BMW motorcycle to handle the job. This gizmo has worked nicely on several other small tractor tire repairs I did in past.

Dennis

 

[Beaglenut]

Thanks for all the reports, we're scheduled to have our new Max 28 delivered tomorrow. You've had a tractor before so your comments are much more educated than mine will be but I'll try to keep your thread going from the first-time-tractor-buyer perspective. You've already given me some good questions to ask (checking the oil, tightening the bolts etc) and I really appreciate it. Luckily we do have a handy-man type guy who's been mowing the grass at our new place and he wants to be in on the delivery so I will have someone around to ask more questions than I'll have, but the comments you've put out here are a great help.

My main concern right now is how easy it will be to get the FEL off and on since I don't think I want it on while mowing (we're getting a 60 inch RFM), I keep reading in different threads about a quick-connect option, wonder if anyone could give me details on it (though I might be a little late to ask that quesiton).

 

[dadreier]

Beaglenut,

You may be confusing a discussion of a quick disconnect BUCKET option and thinking that the loader itself was being talked about.

The Max's loader is very easy to remove. If the dealer hasn't offered you a demo, just read the loader manual for directions.

Most, if not all, tractors in this category are designed to take a bolt-on loader frame which remains on the tractor when the loader itself is removed. Your loader is equipped with a built-in stand, quick-disconnect hydraulic couplings, and some pins to pull. No sweat, once you know how to do it.

Looks like the Max is getting somewhat popular on the forum.

Dennis

 

[Beaglenut]

You're right, the dealer explained that to me, the quick-disconnect is just for the bucket, for when you want to use the FEL arms for other implements like a bale fork.

When I asked about taking the FEL off for mowing I was surprised the dealer said most people don't do it, they just leave the loader on while mowing. That would sure be easier, for one thing no need to take up a spot in the garage for it (my only current place for keeping the tractor until we get a barn built). I'd be interested in others' opinions, and I should probably put this question out in a more general forum, on whether others generally remove their FEL for mowing or leave it on.

 

[jcdogfish]

I leave the loader off until I have to use it. Once on I leave it on til I have to mow. Its real easy to put on and off, less than 5 minutes total. I store it in the barn and when I park the tractor I just pull it in just like I was attaching it. Takes a lot less room that way. I guess to finally answer your question I take the loader off to mow. I use a finishing mower and trim around the house and its easier without the loader. If I was to want to cut the pasture I would probably just leave it on. I usually leave it on to till and use the blades. So far I couldn't be happier with the tractor.

 

[MrChris]

I leave the FEL on using my 3pt mounted bush hog to help counter balance that weight. If I were using a mid mount mower I'm sure I would remove it to make it easier to mow in tighter corners.

 

[Mitymouse]

I purchased a max 25 with the loader and mid mount 60" mower a couple weeks ago. So far I have found it very easy to take the loader off for mowing and then take the deck off and put the loader back on for loader work. I did try to mow with the loader on and it worked well enough but I decided I didnt like the loader on while mowing around trees and the house etc. The loader mounting system for the max 25 and max 28 is the same and is very easy to use.

 

[dadreier]

Spent a good portion of today putting the Max to work moving dirt in connection with my pole barn project.

No surprises, and that's a good thing. Didn't do anything with the Max that I haven't done before, but this time I was scooping and carrying for hours.

My previous bigger tractor would have hauled more dirt each trip, but I actually believe that the little Max did the job in about the same time that it would have taken the Kubota because it was able to zip around all the construction site obstacles so easily.

At this point, I am convinced that going with a smaller tractor was a good move for me. Most (maybe all) of the big projects on my property have been completed with the help of the "big" tractor. Now I'm having fun just doing the little things. For example, there was a particularly large load of trash bags that need to be taken to the end of the drive. The Max raced back and forth with bucket loads of bags and saved my back. If I had done the same thing with "old orange", the locals probably would call that a waste of Diesel.

Dennis

 

[Beaglenut]

Quick impressions since we had our new Max 28 delivered last Wednesday (it's at our new house where we have no internet yet so sorry for the slow reply):

I'm happy with the tractor, I lucked out and it was 80 degrees and sunny the day it was delivered so I got to mow until dark in shorts and a t-shirt, and even got to test out the headlights. Then the next day a front came through and I got to mow in 20+ mph north winds with the temp dropping into the 40's by the time I finished. Normal Missouri weather pattenrn for October.

The tractor itself was flawless. I'm 6'2 with size 14 feet and found the seat, foot controls and steering wheel comfortable. I mowed with the FEL on, haven't attempted to take it off yet primarily because I dont want to take up the extra space in the garage and I don't want to leave it sit outside. Had no problems navigating to mow with the loader on. I went over all the bolts on the tractor and wheels after 8 hours of mowing and didn't find any loosening up, they showed me all the spots to grease at the dealer but I know I need to rely on the manual to make sure I hit them all and haven't done that yet. Very happy with how easy it is to maneuver the tractor, we have a big garage with a single door and it was no problem to get the tractor in and to one side so I could still pull in my truck. I agree the seat belt is a pain, it's way to easy to lose sight of and I had to get off the tractor to find it a few times, plus just forgot to put it on a few other times. A better solution is needed. The oil dipstick location I can live with as long as oil use doesn't become a nagging issue, and based on everything I've read it won't be.

The RFM not so flawless. The dealer sold me a Farmline brand (said it was much cheaper than a Mahindra) and I lost one of 3 bolts on one of the two covers over the belts in the first 45 minutes of mowing. Have had to keep tightening those things up every time I stop, would appreciate suggestions on how to make them stay tight. Also hit a relatively small rock and one of the blades started hitting metal making a really loud noise. Neighbor came over and helped eliminate the noise with a 2x4 and sledge hammer, but showed me there was also a chip out of the blade, his impression is that the mower is cheaply made overall. There's also alot of grease coming out on the top which is a concern.

Also bought a rear blade but haven't played with it yet, hopefully the off-brand on that won't be as much an issue as the RFM seems to be. I (of course) played with the FEL but didn't do anything productive with it, it seems very easy to control and solidly built.

We'll be back at the house this weekend, hopefully I'll get to go through the owners manual and check out some more stuff.

 

[Gator6x4]

weather pattenrn for October.


The RFM not so flawless. The dealer sold me a Farmline brand (said it was much cheaper than a Mahindra) and I lost one of 3 bolts on one of the two covers over the belts in the first 45 minutes of mowing. Have had to keep tightening those things up every time I stop, would appreciate suggestions on how to make them stay tight. Also hit a relatively small rock and one of the blades started hitting metal making a really loud noise. Neighbor came over and helped eliminate the noise with a 2x4 and sledge hammer, but showed me there was also a chip out of the blade, his impression is that the mower is cheaply made overall. There's also alot of grease coming out on the top which is a concern.

I have seen the bolts in the deck replaced with studs and then nuts with the plastic locking inserts used with a lock washer to stop the loosening and keep things tight. The venting of oil from the gear box on either a RFM or rotary cutter is normal. You may want to switch to synthetic gear oil to eliminate this somewhat. The synthetic will also tolerate high heat and keep on lubricating better than dino oil or grease.

It also sounds like you are using a RFM for what a rotary cutter was designed for. A RFM, regardless of brand name is not going to like being substitued for a rotary and will have a very short life span. If you bent one or more of the blades on the RFM as you alluded, I would suggest stopping by the Dealer and purchasing replacements. I have never seen anyone straighten a bent blade good enough to prevent stressing the spindle causing a short life span and eventual replacement. I would also suggest walking over the area you are cutting and removing all the large objects prior to mowing with either a RFM or a Rotary Cutter.

 

[Gator6x4]

The RFM not so flawless. The dealer sold me a Farmline brand (said it was much cheaper than a Mahindra) and I lost one of 3 bolts on one of the two covers over the belts in the first 45 minutes of mowing. Have had to keep tightening those things up every time I stop, would appreciate suggestions on how to make them stay tight. Also hit a relatively small rock and one of the blades started hitting metal making a really loud noise. Neighbor came over and helped eliminate the noise with a 2x4 and sledge hammer, but showed me there was also a chip out of the blade, his impression is that the mower is cheaply made overall. There's also alot of grease coming out on the top which is a concern.

I have seen the bolts in the deck replaced with studs loctited in and then nuts with the plastic locking inserts used with a lock washer to stop the loosening and keep things tight. The venting of oil from the gear box on either a RFM or rotary cutter is normal. You may want to switch to synthetic gear oil to eliminate this somewhat. The synthetic will also tolerate high heat and keep on lubricating better than dino oil or grease.

It also sounds like you are using a RFM for what a rotary cutter was designed for. A RFM, regardless of brand name is not going to like being substitued for a rotary and will have a very short life span. If you bent one or more of the blades on the RFM as you alluded, I would suggest stopping by the Dealer and purchasing replacements. I have never seen anyone straighten a bent blade good enough to prevent stressing the spindle causing a short life span and eventual replacement. I would also suggest walking over the area you are cutting and removing all the large objects prior to mowing with either a RFM or a Rotary Cutter.

 

[Beaglenut]

If by a rotary cutter you mean the same thing as what I've always referrred to as a brush hog I definitely do not want that, the yard I'm mowing looks much more like a golf course than a field. It hadn't been mowed for a few weeks and we had some rain so that's why I didn't see the rock I hit, but it was pretty small (maybe 6 inches round and half that deep) so I didn't think the blade should have chipped, though I understand some rocks are more solid than others and it probably just depends on the angle I hit it at. I think you're right that should get some spare blades, thanks for the advice and the info on the bolts and and gear oil.

 

[LAWALLSTRACTOR]

A rock 6" round is quite a rock to hit with a finish mower. I wouldn't fault the finish mower for having a chip in the blade.

 

[dadreier]

Beaglenut,

Glad you are also pleased with the Max. It will be interesting to hear about how the Max works out for a first-time tractor owner. I'll bet there are more than a few folks visiting the forum who are about to make that initial purchase and are wondering about the Max series.

I'm not familiar with the Farmline brand so I cannot comment on the FM. A quick way to keep those bolts on, however, is an application of blue (not red) Loc-Tite (thread locker). If you don't have any already in your shop, get some. The blue will handle most any vibration-related issue of fastener loosening. The red is even more secure, but often requires heat to break the bond.

I understand that you certainly want a finish mower to do the best possible job on the lawn. I have to tell you, however, that sooner or later you will want to get a rotary cutter. That's because an RC is SO useful. It allows you handle coarse field grass with ease and helps to tame the "wilder" sections of your property which may be covered with brush, briars and even small trees about an inch or two in diameter. They are designed with the expectation that rocks and stumps will be encountered.

If I do all my mowing at one shot, there's about 10 acres of lawn quality grass to be done. Some of that, however, is next to a creek which tends to keep the ground moist and soft after a rain. The ground can get so soft that I cannot operate the ZTR without getting stuck or leaving tire ruts. Obviously there are periods where there are enough rainy days close together that mowing gets postponed much longer than I prefer. When the ground firms up, I run the RC first and then the ZTR later. In my opinion, the RC does an acceptable job on the lawn, especially if the observer is looking at the lawn from some distance and not standing directly on it.

I did a little write-up in the Mahindra Owning and Operating section about how I took care of the seatbelt situation. Let me know if you decide to go that route and have any questions.

Dennis

 

[jcdogfish]

I had an issue with a new finishing mower 6 months ago. It was spewing lots of oil. On mine the vent cap was bad and the vent was right above the gear and it was slinging oil straight up to the vent cap. I rotated the top cover on the gear box and resealed it and changed the vent cap and don't have the issue anymore. According to the parts book the vent cap was on the wrong side. I would ask the dealer to send you a new vent cap and see if the issue goes away. You may have some oil come out from time to time, especially if you cut on hills or rough areas but it should not look like a problem.

 

[jcdogfish]

Also, if you drop the loader where you park in the garage you can still park the tractor inside the loader arms and it it should not take much more space than if it is connected.

 

[dadreier]

Here's the latest story about the new Max.

I recently had 21,000 pounds of crushed stone delivered to the site where my pole barn is nearing completion. This was to be used mostly around the exterior front of the building, so I had the driver of the tri-axle dump it just outside the sliding doors. This effectively blocked the entrance, but there was still a lot of work to be done on the interior and I figured to just leave all the machines outside for now because they would be in the way.

Then this Sandy thing became known. Since it was projected to head over my part of the state, I had to decide how to protect the machines. I've got plenty of tarps which would keep the water off, but feared the wind would flap the tarps severely, damaging the paint.

The best solution seemed to be to move all the construction stuff to one corner of the barn and bring in the machines in a bit earlier than planned. I first had to get rid of the stone pile, which is the reason for this update.

I'm happy to say that even with no weight on the back, the Max had zero trouble lifting full bucket loads of stone and transporting it wherever needed. The little tractor made short work of this project and I was able to bring all the toys inside the shelter of the barn. I had everything done well before the heavy rains and wind began.

Dennis

 

[2516mo]

Here's the latest story about the new Max.

I recently had 21,000 pounds of crushed stone delivered to the site where my pole barn is nearing completion. This was to be used mostly around the exterior front of the building, so I had the driver of the tri-axle dump it just outside the sliding doors. This effectively blocked the entrance, but there was still a lot of work to be done on the interior and I figured to just leave all the machines outside for now because they would be in the way.

Then this Sandy thing became known. Since it was projected to head over my part of the state, I had to decide how to protect the machines. I've got plenty of tarps which would keep the water off, but feared the wind would flap the tarps severely, damaging the paint.

The best solution seemed to be to move all the construction stuff to one corner of the barn and bring in the machines in a bit earlier than planned. I first had to get rid of the stone pile, which is the reason for this update.

I'm happy to say that even with no weight on the back, the Max had zero trouble lifting full bucket loads of stone and transporting it wherever needed. The little tractor made short work of this project and I was able to bring all the toys inside the shelter of the barn. I had everything done well before the heavy rains and wind began.

Dennis

Congrats on the new Max!