Talk me in/out of a Kubota ZD-1211 w/ 72” deck

[workinonit]

I personally don't think you will like the 1211. I have a 60" deck on mine and wouldn't want the 72". @browndog on here got rid of 2 1211s and got the 1511s.

 

[Hay Dude]

I personally don't think you will like the 1211. I have a 60" deck on mine and wouldn't want the 72". @browndog on here got rid of 2 1211s and got the 1511s.

Uh oh.
Underpowered?

 

[Hay Dude]

That's a pretty good testimonial. 30ac/week definitely gives RjC's opinion a lot of merit in my book.

I’m doing even more than that!

 

[workinonit]

For me it has plenty of power. I just think for you with a 72" deck and cutting grass on a more commercial level you will be disappointed. That said, I do have a mulching kit on mine which robs some HP. It would be really nice if you could run one and see how it performs for you. Too bad you aren't closer to SC.

 

[WM75Guy]

My dealer recommended the 60" deck on my ZD1211. He said the 72" deck wouldn't do well in heavy or wet grass. If I wanted a 72" deck I should step up to the ZD1511 at the time.

 

[Hay Dude]

A new 1600 is 24K.

I mean wow….really?

 

[Hay Dude]

Sold ZD-331 today.
2800 hours, average appearance. $4,500

 

[Hay Dude]

Bought ZD-1211-72” yesterday.

I have to tell you full confession: I broke my “pact” I always had with myself regarding buying something which was “don’t buy it unless you really like it”.

I am disappointed for not really liking it, but I hope to “learn” to like it. I’m real apprehensive about the 25HP engine.

The seat is VERY comfortable. It’s very tight & smooth. I put about an hour of mowing on it when I got home and promptly put a nice big scratch on the left side of the deck when loading on the trailer.

I hope it’s not an ominous beginning….

 

[Brown Dog]

Just the whole concept of bogging down, while going uphill in tall grass seems like I’m taking a step backwards???
Maybe I’m over thinking this and it won’t be as bad as I think…..

Depends on how many hills you mow & how thick grass is.
You know what to expect.

I can’t stand a mower bogging Down or having to creep in thick grass.

I sold my ZD1211 & upgraded to a ZD1511.
Best move I ever made.

I love the TORQUE of the 4cyl turbo.

Regens are no issue at all as long as you mow & don’t interrupt the regens

 

[Brown Dog]

If the zd1611 came with an 84" deck I would consider it …

Same here.
I need a 84” cut single deck Zero with 40hp

 

[Hay Dude]

Depends on how many hills you mow & how thick grass is.
You know what to expect.

I can’t stand a mower bogging Down or having to creep in thick grass.

I sold my ZD1211 & upgraded to a ZD1511.
Best move I ever made.

I love the TORQUE of the 4cyl turbo.

Regens are no issue at all as long as you mow & don’t interrupt the regens

Well, I would have, but a new 1611 is $25,500.

As the Great Clint Eastwood once said “A man’s gotta know his limitations”.

 

[Hay Dude]

Depends on how many hills you mow & how thick grass is.
You know what to expect.

I can’t stand a mower bogging Down or having to creep in thick grass.

I sold my ZD1211 & upgraded to a ZD1511.
Best move I ever made.

I love the TORQUE of the 4cyl turbo.

Regens are no issue at all as long as you mow & don’t interrupt the regens

I don’t have a lot of hills. I do have some short steep like 10’ embankments, but I usually cut going down them, then take an easy route back up them.

Our lawns are cut regularly, except for 1 lawn. It is cut every 10-14 days. That’s the one I’m concerned about, but it is pretty flat.

 

[Brown Dog]

… I do have some short steep like 10’ embankments, but I usually cut going down them, then take an easy route back up them …

My banks are about 50ft up them.

I mow down the steeper section & mow up the tamer section.

I mow the remaining 600’ long section horizontally but it’s sketchy

Sliding sometimes. It’s dangerous if damp but i manage

 

[Hay Dude]

Same here.
I need a 84” cut single deck Zero with 40hp

An 84” zero turn would do a lot of scalping unless you have really flat areas.

You can get a 104” zero turn. You know that, right???

 

[Brown Dog]

An 84” zero turn would do a lot of scalping unless you have really flat areas.

You can get a 104” zero turn. You know that, right???

I mowed for many years with a 110 inch Befco single deck rear finishing mower @ 4.5 inches behind a 66hp JD tractor W/O scalping.

My place isn’t flat at all but after 29yrs of mowing it : I’ve got all the hi spots shaved off.

The key is mowing 3.5 + inches to avoid scalping imo.

Those 96, 104 & 144 inch zeros with pump driven wheels are way under powered on hills plus I wouldn’t dare buy another rear discharge zero.

My old 6 7 & 9ft RD deck on RFM behind a tractors doesn’t windRow like a zero.

I’ve tried them all thru the years lol

 

[Hay Dude]

You have frequently stated the need for mower deck width. Why not something like this? It’s 57HP and cuts 12’ wide.

Pardon Our Interruption

That’s DOUBLE the cutting width for same price!

Pardon Our Interruption

Or this?

Pardon Our Interruption

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

@haydude

Please keep this thread updated with how it performs. I've got a 72" Spartan that I'm not happy with the cut on, and this mower is on my short list. Since I bought a truck this weekend I don't think I'll be getting a new mower this summer though... maybe next year.

 

[Brown Dog]

You have frequently stated the need for mower deck width. Why not something like this? It’s 57HP and cuts 12’ wide.

Pardon Our Interruption

That’s DOUBLE the cutting width for same price!

Pardon Our Interruption

Or this?

Pardon Our Interruption

Those would be great in a big smooth open area but too wide of swath for my application.

Plus I wouldn’t want another rear discharge deck

 

[Hay Dude]

Then how about one with mulching blades?

 

[Brown Dog]

Then how about one with mulching blades?

Mulching blades still windRowed BAD with ZD1211 72 rear discharge Deck when grass was thick.

I tried everything possible to make the RD deck work because I liked it well.