New to me F3680, first use and impressions

[jcummins]

If any of you have seen any of my post asking questions on the F series, you know I've been interested in getting one for some time. Finally traded my ZD326 for an F3680, 72" side discharge deck. Reasons I wanted the F, over the ZD....mowing around ponds, hillsides, wet areas. Today, didn't mow the yard, but did mow some areas I mow every other mowing, and also into areas, the ZD wouldn't go. I've got some questions for other F owners, and a recommendation to Kubota on the controls....so read on.

It took me 5 freaking minutes and STUCK IT.



That area was untouchable with the ZD. I drive the JD Gator thru there all the time in 2wd, so thought the F3680, 4wd would go through it. NOT. The obvious problem, the tires. SO...found that limitation real quick.

High grass mowing...better than the ZD, but still short of what I had hoped for.



In fairness, another pass cleaned it up. Some of that darker shade of grass was up to my should in the seat, so it was longggg. You can see the results of second pass, since I made a couple of passes uphill from that last cut.

Impressions:
Cut quality, believe the ZD is a tad better, in the general yard, judgement out. I need to mow the whole yard before saying for sure. The ZD would do a lot worse in that really tall stuff.
Hillsides....the rear end does slide down hill, but is controllable, making it crab a little but much better than the ZD. But I was expecting to do a little better.
Out front deck...HUGE improvement over the ZD. Edges of creeks etc, I can nudge the deck up and just run the wheels to the edge, then back up.
Speed...it's FAST, MUCH faster than the ZD.
Ride...MUCH better than the ZD. The ZD feels choppy compared to the F3680. I can run this F faster and not get as beat to death.
Hydraulic whine...much louder than the ZD. Don't like that.
Low range. I thought why would a mower have a low range. Well I found out. Dang thing TO fast in slow trimming areas etc. Found I needed to use low range to be able to control it better. AND, it really tall grass, low range works better.


Questions and a Kubota recommendation:
How does everyone else handle this HST go pedal? I'm sure I'll get more accustom to it, but I find the pedal a bit awkward. If I'm doing fine/slower forward/back I tend to want my foot and heel on the whole pedal to toggle back/forth. But that's not comfortable to me. Put my heel back on the floor, when just mowing. My recommendation to Kubota...is have ONE push pedal. The gas lever on the side of the steering column, should be a shuttle forward/backward and the HST pedal you just push for power...but not for reversing the mower. Maybe that's habits with the shuttle shift on my M7040....but it would make the right foot far more comfortable in operating the mower.

Tires...given how quickly I got it stuck, could/would a more knobby tire work better. I found tire spin on the big tires when making turns. Wasn't expecting to see that. Given that, I suspect a more aggressive tire would tear the lawn, but obviously a disappointment that I got it stuck so darn quick.

Quick steering. I'll get use to it, and I expected the rear steer would feel the way it does. But, boyee is it quick. You can really jerk that rear around. You can easily over steer. Steering knob? I like them and have had them on every mower/tractor I've ever had that has a steering wheel. How about other F owners?

The deck size alone.....then add in the speed.....this mower is going to cut into my seat time in mowing.

Am I happy I traded? YES! YES!

 

[murphy1244]

Always wanted to see a F-series in person but no one stocks them here. I ended up with a kubota powered Ventrac instead. Does it have a roller on the rear of the deck?

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Murphy, There are three smaller rollers on the back of the deck. The two out side rear edge rollers lift up when the deck stands straight up for service or just because you want to stand it straight up.
I never have mine out of low gear and rarely have it in the more aggressive 4wd position. Do ocassionally use the differential lock pedal on super steep hills.
To expect to fly thru super high grass that is so tall the deck is laying it down and rolling over it so it can't stand up to be cut is unreasonable. I go slower in really tall stringy grass and some times back up using the foot pedal that I really like the way it's laid out and operates for back and forth operation course it may be that I'm used to it. Did you run it full out wide open? Kubota recommends it and I do it on taller/thicker grass with no redos. I've mostly started doing wide open throttle on almost all mowing and it really makes a difference over about 80% throttle in the cut quality.
If your doing really tall tall grass that is like baling string you may want to set aside a couple hundred dollars per wheel to replace the $1 seal that gets the string grass wrapped around it and destroys the seal on the drive wheels or lift your deck with the hand lever and go thru it off the ground and high and then drop it and go again for the proper cut. These are great yard mowers but you may want a bush hog for your tractor for uncut fields that are shoulder high and then cut with your F.
I to got my 4wd F stuck in the one corner of my rental property that was a pure swamp. I couldn't believe it but the turf tires become slicks pretty quick when the tread becomes filled/packed with good ole slick mud. If your going to keep mowing your mud bog you may want to invest in some chains which should be cheap at this time of the year to use for just that one spot. The F2680e returned to me with ag tread tires and I don't care much for them and don't need them.
Mine whines in high just like ever Kubota I've owned but not much in low which is what I've always used except when driving across pavement. I did try to beat a rain storm one day and did my open fairly flat field in high but my nose started bleeding and my head kept hitting the cover till I fastened the seat belt so I had to slow down. All the tenants came out and watched as I flew by with the 91 pressed on their cell phones and waiting to press the other 1 to get thru quick.
Hope I didn't build you up to much to believe it's a tank and invincible and can leap tall buildings in a single bound. It's a 4wd diesel comfortable as a mower can be mower that is restricted to the physics of gravity as are most other wheeled vehicles that will cut grass better than any other mower made but won't cut trees down or grass that won't stand up under the deck so it can be cut off at the bottom of the blade.
You'll learn it, like most other things have some limitations but using it for it's intended purpose will bring a smile to your face almost every time. :thumbsup:

 

[jcummins]

Well yes, I did think it was a tank and could push over trees and churn them up...:laughing:

I've been around the block enough to know turf tires and mud do not work. I mowed several areas that the ZD would have been hopeless in, where the pond tire tire was leaving a significant mud track, but as long as the other side was on firm ground...it kept going. The area I got stuck...all four tires was in mud. I hesitated, and almost didn't go through there, but thought the gator in 2wd can so..let's see. What tires where those that you didn't like? Carisle ATV tire, not ag tire, is more what I think may work on this mower. For now, I just won't go thru there.

As to the tall grass....I was seeing just how much it would handle. That area I do want to mow, but it's tall enough now, I'll cut it down first with something else. Then get it in shape for the F3680 mowing.

I think one thing that really did surprise me was the rear siding downhill. Especially with the 275lbs I got back there, I wasn't expecting that. It's not that it didn't handle it....it just did so in a manner, that is going to be unnerving IF...I try that in a sloped area...right next to the water. And I have one specific area along my drive that I was wanting to mow...right next to the water...on a pretty sharp slope. I'll have to work up to that, but now thinking that is going to be .... 'tricky'.

 

[TailDragon]

On steep slopes I will lock in the 4 wheel drive, seems to keep the steer wheels from walking down slope.
On my 72 in Rear discharge I mounted wheels and tires from a BX 18xx (same size) bar turf pattern as drive wheels. Tires do not load up but will churn up a mess. At least you can put it in neutral to pull it out of the mud.

 

[jcummins]

On steep slopes I will lock in the 4 wheel drive, seems to keep the steer wheels from walking down slope.
On my 72 in Rear discharge I mounted wheels and tires from a BX 18xx (same size) bar turf pattern as drive wheels. Tires do not load up but will churn up a mess. At least you can put it in neutral to pull it out of the mud.

And putting it in neutral, is what I did. You have pictures of your tires? Carisle has come out with a WT300 tire that is interesting. They also have an ATV tire, patterned after the turf tire, just a lot more aggressive that I kind of like. Having spent all my money on this thing....different tires will not be in the picture for awhile.

I had 4wd locked on the slope. As I said, I didn't expect it. As long as I wasn't ...right...next...to the water, it wasn't unnerving, but very noticable.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I bought a RTV1140 about 4 years ago. It is great and will go almost any where, slowly. First year I got it we had more snow than is usual for Ky and the RTV became essential. I live on a some what steep hill and we keep the grandkids when school is closed. Had to go to the bottom of the hill (3 streets down from my street at the top) and pick up the grands since the car wouldn't even do a good atart up the hill. Some times I'd drive thru the undeveloped lots just for the fun of it and grands loved it. The spirit of invincible and unstoppable overcame me. My steepest land is right in front of my front porch with about 25' of pretty steep. I was going up and down worse spots. Was going to go pick the grands up one morning and as I was coming around the side of the house and preparing to cross in front of the house on the level strip I decided I'd go diagonal across the slope. Well, guess what a RTV will do in snow going diagonal across a steep slope. It will slide sideways just like a car or truck would do in the same situation. I learned that side ways force to push an object (RTV) down hill will make tires slide side ways pretty good. Tires pushed sideways going down hill don't have much grip. Got my attention and back to the old go up and go down but going sideways is going or may result in a slip and slide sensation. Same with the F, more aggressive tread will pull you thru mud but that side hill in wet grass or moist grass or tall grass would scare me. I cut the same slope sideways with my F but it will fight to some times do the crab deal at its steepest part. Same hill where my new small Z scared the poop out of me when going straight down and one wheel started sliding and the more I tried to stop it the faster it started going sideways and fortunately I wasn't directly above the two trees at the bottom of the hill but it was heading toward one till I gave it the gas to go fast enough for both tires to catch up and straighten out.
You'll have this all worked out and can help others with similar situations know what to expect and how to overcome it or avoid it in just a few more adventures, If you don't go in the pond first and even then turn the key off quick and drag it out and go forth knowing where the edge to not pass is. We need people with actual experience to teach those following in your footsteps.:thumbsup:

 

[628pm]

Thanks for all of the good info on this thread.

 

[jcummins]

After sleeping on this..... I think the turf tires limits this F3680. The F as it sits I think will mow across my slopes, which i want to do, but the rear end is going to hang dowhill. Better tread on the steer tires i think are going to be needed to mow across these slopes with out that happening. Unfortunately, one specific area i want to mow across the slope is next to my driveway and I was wanting the F to cut that area for aesthetics, but kind of thinking it's not going to do it with the rear hanging downhill because it would be in the water.

Other F owners, would different tires on the steering axle fix what I'm talking about?

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I for one don't know.......... but.....in my mind the more rubber on the road gives a better grip especially with sideways pressure against the tire. Just the way my mind is working, not any experience I've had other than I have the regular turf tires on my home F 4wd and don't have any real traction issues. I usually always prefer turf for mowing machines and industrial tread R4s for my tractors with FELs due to weight load.
There is always the fact that some times the slope can be to steep to maintain except for the up and down method which won't work for you with water at the bottom of the down. A sickle bar mower may be your best option but you'll have to invent one to work on the F.
Maybe others with actual experience will chip in.