SCUT or FEM for mowing hilly 2 acres

   / SCUT or FEM for mowing hilly 2 acres #1  

Moosetracker

New member
Joined
Jun 26, 2015
Messages
16
Location
Cantley, QC, Canada
Tractor
Kubota L3710, F3060
I've been lurking on here for a while but this is my first post.

We own 87 acres of land in eastern Canada and we recently "downsized" down the road on our property through selling our house to our daughter and son-in-law. Our new house is set on more sloppy terrain with about 2 acres of grass to mow, including a lot of trees, flowers beds, lamp posts, garden, buildings, etc. We own a Kubota L3710 with 72" MMM, FEL, 3 pth snow blower, chipper/shredder, wood splitter, rotary Bush Hog, rototiller, plow, box scrapper, etc.

Here's our challenge. The MMM on the L3710 is a royal PITA to install, clean and maintain. Moreover, in our new setting, the tractor is very uncomfortable mowing in side hill patterns and would leave a lot of areas to be trimmed with a push mower and/or weed eater. As a result we're contemplating the purchase of a dedicated lawnmower that would be easy to operate and maintain, be very "nimble" around obstacles, not too heavy and could be used to open walkways around the house in the winter with a snow blower. We intend to keep the L3710 and attachments for everything else.

So far we have ruled out the Kubota GR2120 and JD X758 because my wife is not comfortable mowing in our new setting without a seat belt and ROPS (she does most of the mowing). For the same reason we have ruled out the Husqvarna R322T, plus the fact that my wife experienced pain in her shoulder when we test drove that mower on the dealer premises.

We're now considering a SCUT (Kubota BX 2370 or JD 1025R) or a dedicated front end mower (Kubota F2690) with 60" mower and 50" or so snow blower. We estimate the SCUT's would do the job OK and leave some trimming while the Kubota F2690 would likely be ideal, except for the price. Used F series mower in good condition appear very difficult to come by in our neck of the woods. My wife and I are having a hard time getting over the fact that the Kubota F2690 with mower and blower is equivalent to the price of a mid-size car in Canada!

In order to solve our dilemma, a few days ago, I stuck a Kubota F series brochure under my wife's pillow...only to find out the next morning that the brochure was under my pillow. :laughing:

I would really appreciate members' opinions, comments, suggestions and experiences with a view to assist us in making a decision. At this stage we have not looked at other FEM options such as JD, NH, Ventrac, Steiner, etc.
 
   / SCUT or FEM for mowing hilly 2 acres #2  
:welcome: to TBN. Wish I had your problems! I'll bet you'll get plenty of input on this in short order. Sounds like a buying decision and you seem experienced enough to make a good choice! Good luck:)
 
   / SCUT or FEM for mowing hilly 2 acres #3  
Moose if I were in your shoes I'd keep the tractor you have, sell its MMM and put that money toward the purchase of a Zero Turn Mower
 
   / SCUT or FEM for mowing hilly 2 acres
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Thanks Trillium. I've considered that option but it won't work for 2 reasons. The setting is too hilly for a zero turn, particularly when wet. Secondly, my wife won't use a ZT so I'd be stuck with all of the mowing, including the trimming. :grumpy:
 
Last edited:
   / SCUT or FEM for mowing hilly 2 acres #5  
Consider Ventrac 4500;

301 Moved Permanently ,

or go to youtube and watch lots of hilly slope mowing, some quite remarkable. My JD650 with MMM did pretty good for many years, but the VT is much safer and more efficient.

Sounds like you daughter and her hubby could use/share the Kubota.

prs
 
   / SCUT or FEM for mowing hilly 2 acres #6  
[video]http://www.remotemowers.com/#!ztr-60/c1vc3[/video]

Maybe one of these

 
   / SCUT or FEM for mowing hilly 2 acres
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Consider Ventrac 4500;

301 Moved Permanently ,

or go to youtube and watch lots of hilly slope mowing, some quite remarkable. My JD650 with MMM did pretty good for many years, but the VT is much safer and more efficient.

Sounds like you daughter and her hubby could use/share the kubota.

prs


Great machine, but here in Canada they retail for $6,000 more than a Kubota F2690.
 
   / SCUT or FEM for mowing hilly 2 acres
  • Thread Starter
#8  
http://www.remotemowers.com/#!ztr-60/c1vc3

Maybe one of these


WOW, I can imagine we'll be seeing these mowers on most highways soon.

I wonder how well/fast they work around flower beds and trees?
 
   / SCUT or FEM for mowing hilly 2 acres #9  
I would modify your L3710 to lower the center of gravity and increase the wheel track width to improve stability and safety while mowing your slopes.

Easiest way is to change the rears to 16" dia rims and a wider turf tire (e.g. 18.4 x 16) and adjust the size of the front rims and tires to keep the tractor level. If this is not enough, you can add rear wheel spacers to increase the track width further.

Here's my 1964 MF135 diesel with this kind of modification. The rears are 18.4x16 and the front axle spindles have been shortened to keep the tractor level while using the standard size front wheels.

MF135 stump1 (1).JPGMF135 stump2.JPG

Cost of this approach: $1.5K or less

Good luck
 
   / SCUT or FEM for mowing hilly 2 acres #10  
Moosetracker,

Here's two thoughts:

Kubota bx1870-1 with a 48 inch mmm finish deck

Massey GC1705 or gc1715 with a 54 inch mulcher deck (the mulcher deck is a unique massey product . . It has no side chute . . Hence a great unit around flower beds etc.).

Both above are true scuts.
 

Tractor & Equipment Auctions

6" & 12" CHANNEL IRON UP TO 23 1/2' LONG (A51247)
6" & 12" CHANNEL...
2014 DITCH WITCH RT45 RIDE ON TRENCHER (A51246)
2014 DITCH WITCH...
2023 NEW HOLLAND WAGON TONGUE AND LOADING CHUTE FOR NEW HOLLAND SQUARE BALERS (A53472)
2023 NEW HOLLAND...
1974 JOHN DEERE 2630 TRACTOR (A51247)
1974 JOHN DEERE...
Unused Delta Crash Attenuators (A49461)
Unused Delta Crash...
2007 Volvo VNL Truck Tractor (A53472)
2007 Volvo VNL...
 
Top