Suspended or floating 60 in deck????

[Lilguy]

My turf is not a football field. It's uneven, rolling and hilly in areas. 1/4 mile long driveway with culverts along it that have steep angles, with many trees on the property. Approx 3 acres.
I have used floating/ground contact decks for 45 years with great results and have no experience with suspended decks. It appears most Kubotas use suspended decks now. If spending upwards of 30 grand for a setup I want to make sure I understand the results I can expect.
My 2, owned since new, 1985 Kubotas have floating decks, the new B2601 we are about to get has a suspended 60 inch deck, I am having second thoughts about how it will cut. I have no experience with suspended decks, would appreciate input about my concerns from all differs brand owners. Thanks all.

 

[Texasmark]

Your turf probably can't compare to mine...worst in the world. I only use suspended decks; lots smoother. To get that sometimes it a bit tricky when I want a short trim to get the trim and keep the wheels from hitting the ground. If looking for 2" or so grass height, suspended works fine for me.

Tire pressure is #1 for comfort. Use as little as you can get away with. I have half a dozen machines in the "Lawn Tractor" category, 2 of which are ZTs, and none of them run more than 10psi in the tires using both 2 and 4 plies, turf, bar lug, and snow tread ATV types. Decks are 42 thru 52 and the 52 is a DR PRO Z weighing in at around 900#.

 

[Lilguy]

I've settled on a Kubota B2601 except for the suspended deck. Going up to the B2650 would get me the Floating deck but the tractor is just to big for around a lot of the trees. Just no experience with a fixed position deck that's not riding the contour of grounds. thanks for your input.

 

[Texasmark]

I've settled on a Kubota B2601 except for the suspended deck. Going up to the B2650 would get me the Floating deck but the tractor is just to big for around a lot of the trees. Just no experience with a fixed position deck that's not riding the contour of grounds. thanks for your input.

Funny I was out just this afternoon working on some volunteer rye grass. Wanted to cut it low because the rye is on top of my bermuda hay patch and I don't want the rye eating up the resources not do I want to have a problem getting wads or rye off for bermuda production. Set it to a low level where the wheels were touching and following the ground since the deck is chain suspended and about 50 ft of that and I said up she comes even if I don't cut as short as I want.

Other thing the weight of the deck when suspended adds to the weight of the mower and for me, soft tires and heavy mower translates into soft ride.

Good luck.

 

[Milo]

Like you my previous tractor had a ground contact deck and also like you I was deciding between a B2601 and 2650. I was leaning toward the 2601 and got over my concern about it's suspended deck since so many (most) are suspended anymore. Also what many consider to be Kubota's best cutting tractors (BX series) have suspended decks. Suspended does have advantages such as mowing over sharp irregularities like roots, starting out up a steep hill on wet turf the deck's weight transfers to the wheels, and if you mow your grass high like 3.5" with a contact deck the gauge wheels extend down that far. Raising the deck up to clear something those wheels are still hanging down that far. Also the B2601's 60" deck is drive over.

Just before I was about to buy, my neighbor contacted me about selling me his 150 acres (which I ended up buying) adding a lot more mowing and other work for whatever tractor I have, so I bumped up to a 2650 with it's 72" deck and stronger FEL. Only had it for maybe a month and I haven't really used it much yet. But if I hadn't bought his land I'd probably have gone with a B2601 and wouldn't have worried a wit about it's suspended deck.