ZEN-NOH ZL2201 pictures and questions

[CSH]

Here's a couple of pictures of the ZEN-NOH (gray market Kubota L2201). The front end is much too light when making turns up a gentle slope with the pictured 5' rotary cutter attached. Anyone have a good idea of how much weight will be needed to keep the front wheels firmly planted? What is the maximum amount that can be added to the front bracket without damaging the axle and/or steering linkages? Neil, the tach does have an indicator for 540 rpm (PTO 1st gear). BillK, did you ever run down the 4 PTO speeds for this model?

 

[geneP]

Your tractor looks similar in size to my L2250. My tractor was also a little light in the front with my 5' brush hog. I built a brush guard for the front and added a couple of 1" steel plates to the bottom. The total weight of the guard/plates is about 240#, and is enough to keep the front on the ground, even on inclines.

 

[njrqs]

Shawn

What did we decide your tractor was again?? - It looks very similar to my L1501/L185. To be an L2201 there must be some differences.

Mine runs a 4' slasher and that is heavy. So yours must struggle a bit with that big baby on??

I have no front weights and with the slasher on the ground, no probs, but with if off the ground, I have to be very, very careful. Of course as soon as the tractor tips back a bit, the slasher hits the ground and all is well, it is just a bit scary.

I have removed my front bracket with the intention of getting a weight made.

What I may end up doing is bolting the bracket back on, and using U bolts to bolt some length of railway line on. It is about 30kg/m. So I'd have about 80lbs with a 4' length on the front. Should be fine then.

Have fun with your baby. Looks in good nick.

Cheers

 

[CSH]

Neil, from what I have been told the L2201 is most similar to the "made for USA market" Kubota L245. It has a 24hp 3 cylinder diesel that makes 22hp at the PTO. I cut weeds that were 4' - 5' in height for about two hours yesterday with the occasional sappling. I ran it in 6th gear and the engine never missed a beat. Yes, when the 'hog was raised off the ground I had to be more careful but really had no problems when it was lowered and cutting.

I asked several people about the correct size bushhog for this size tractor and got a 50/50 split between 4' and 5'. For my use (light to medium duty cutting) I think the 5' was the correct choice, at least once I get enough weight on the front. Some of the cutting that I'll be doing a little later involves inclines that are about 15 degrees. I was thinking that 125 lbs would be about right, just don't want to damage the axle.

 

[njrqs]

OK

I know the L245. Yes it is bigger than mine as has a bigger 3 cyl engine. So therefore the 5' slasher would be OK. Just couldn't imagine a 5' one on mine /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif

Apart from the engines, our are much the same.

I too have a 4 speed PTO, and slash in 2nd gear. Don't use the PTO for anything else.

Cheers

 

[CSH]

Neil, do you have the PTO speeds for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th? Since the 1501 is so similar the 2201 might have the same ratio.

CSH

 

[njrqs]

Can't help you with the 4 speeds, but the manual for the L245 3 speeds lists them as follows;

1st 540rpm (pr/s)
2nd 700 rpm (11.7r/s)
3rd 1000rpm (16.7 r/s)

Maybe someone else can helo us here like BillK.

I don't know what you would do with all 4 speeds but the Japs must have had a reason?

Cheers

 

[Anonymous Poster]

OK. The 4 PTO speeds on L2201 are:

1st....622rpm @2800engine rpm (540rpm@2430 on engine)
2nd...810 @2800
3rd...1160 @2800
4th... 1480 @2800

Sorry i meant to post this ages ago,but kept forgetting the info at work.

CSH, your pics look great. Beautiful country. Your tractor looks in really nice condition. The 5' rotary cutter is probably a bit big for it. We use 4 ft on these size tractors, but they drive 4 ft very comfortably. You can still stall them out in heavy going without trying too hard. If the growth is sparse it would have enough power to drive 5 ft.

Once we tried to lift over 520 kg on the rear of one of these, and it lifted fine but front started to lift off the ground. The hydraulics are quite good on these models.

Regarding counterweights, we make a profile cut from 2"steel plate and simply hang weight on the front bar. Each profile weighs 25kg, and 2-3 weights seem fine for most users. On steeper country we may go to 4 or more weights.Probably 60-80 kg would be OK on your application.2wd always needs more weight than 4wd.

Having said that, the last L1501 we added 4 weight too(customer has a very heavy post driver and should have bought a larger tractor, but his funds were limited), bent the front bar. We then cut the bent parts off and rewelded the bar with heavier material, and a lenghtwise stiffener which worked really well. Helps is you have a range of metalworking equipment for this.

As i understand it ,the 4th PTO gear is used for very fine rotary tilling, at creeper speeds, to get a superfine till. This would only work on well worked soil.But the high PTO speeds could also be used for driving generators or pumps or other belt drives where required.

Hope this helps.
BillK
Diesel Traders

 

[njrqs]

Gidday again Bill. Hey you aren't registered. Come on - Get with it /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Those PTO speeds, would they apply also to my L1501?

I'd like some of those weights, but like everything, the freight kills most things I want to get up here.

I'll be down your way next week. Don't suppose I could get some of those weights in my suitcase (They are suitcase weights afterall aren't they /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif)

Hope business is doing you well down there.

Hey - What is an L2000. Saw one at the shops towing trolleys. Looks to be not a grey. Looks same as mine but has 3cyl engine. What size engine is it and any other details?

Cheers

 

[CSH]

Bill, thanks for the information on the PTO speeds and front weights. I doubt I will ever use anything other than PTO 1st gear, but it is nice to have the information. Yes, the tractor is in great shape, having less than 500 hours and was maintained wonderfully by the previous owner. It starts easily and gets oil pressure in about 1 second. The only thing "wrong" with it is a couple of rust specs around the bolt attachments of the fenders from when it was parked outside for a while.

The only other things I would like to do are widen the rear wheel spacing and add a ROPS. Where are the adjustment bolts on the rear axle, and what it the proper procedure? Bill, I assume that you offer a ROPS for this model of tractor. Do you use a Kubota (and which model is it, the L245?) or an aftermarket version?