Abby’s Guide > Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) > Discussions > Kubota Lawn Tractors...
Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions |
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Dave___in___CT
Deliberate often... ...decide once...
Location: West-Central Connecticut
Joined: Sep 17, 2002
Points: 3159
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Kubota Lawn Tractors...
Original Message Aug 3, 2005 10:01 am |
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Hi... Any 1st-hand use/knowledge or 3rd party comments about the Kubota lawn tractors...? Have not seen one in operation... Models: T1570A T1670A T1770A T1870A www.kubota.com Kohler engines: 15hp-1 15hp-1 17hp-2 19hp-2 Deck: 40" 40/44" 44" 48" $$$ 2,400 ??? 3,300 3,700 Build/quality seems good... single pedal hydro-drive is nice... (cruise control optional)... pretty tight turning radius... mecanical steering is easy... mechanical PTO engagement... seems as good or better than equivalent Deere models... the 15hp 1-cylinder I tried was pretty quiet...quieter and less (no) rattles than the Deere... All but the base model have the whole seat pan supported by 2 shock absorbers... No need to go into intended use... Thanks... Dave...
Whether you think you can or you can't... you're right.Henry Ford BCS Tractor & snowblower
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Dave___in___CT
Deliberate often... ...decide once...
Location: West-Central Connecticut
Joined: Sep 17, 2002
Points: 3159
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Re: Kubota Lawn Tractors...
Reply #3 Aug 3, 2005 7:31 pm |
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Hi... Looked at Husqvarna lawn tractors today... The YT1848XP has an 18hp-twin Kawasaki engine... 48" cut... hydro lever-controlled drive... for $2,300... beats the equivalent Kubota by ~~$1,400 on price... but not quality... Also looked at the Ariens zero-turn riders... look like pretty good values !... Toooooo many makes & models to consider & choose from... price... build quality... overall value... performance... etc... Cutting grass should not be so complicated ! Dave...
This message was modified Aug 3, 2005 by Dave___in___CT
Whether you think you can or you can't... you're right.Henry Ford BCS Tractor & snowblower
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robmints
Joined: May 13, 2003
Points: 4691
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Re: Kubota Lawn Tractors...
Reply #4 Aug 3, 2005 8:58 pm |
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PM 44Z The New Gravely 44Z Gives You More More width. More Muscle. More Profits. All with the new compact 44Z Zero-Turn from Gravely. A broader 44-inch deck gives you the ultimate in mowing productivity. Wider monster tires in the front and back provide a smooth, stable ride. And a rugged 17-horsepower Kawasaki engine is there to help tame your toughest lawns. Agility, performance and comfort in a compact design: Gravely 44Z Zero -Turns are built to keep you cutting. Put some brawn into your business. And reap major profits at every turn.
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| 992065 |
| 17 HP Kawasaki Twin $5499 |
| FEATURES | PM 44Z | 9 MPH | standard | 7 Gallon Fuel Tank | standard | 44" Deck | standard | Air-Flo Deck™ | standard | Maintenance Free XL Spindles™ | standard | Hardened Steel Blades | standard | Quick Release Spring Assist Foot Lift | standard | Self-Adjusting Belts | standard | Bagger System | optional | Mulch | optional | Due to updated improvements, prices & specifications are subject to change without prior notification. | Dave, Should come in around 5K. The real price was a little less than 5K plus tax last year. I see it says 5499, but I remember a lower quote from the dealer. They looked pretty nice. Maybe the Gravely guy would take a trade. Would you consider a nice walkbehind? You, and the rest of the nice people here helped me a lot with the purchase of mine. Didn't get the hydro, but it does a very nice job much more quickly than the tractor type mower. A nice commercial walkbehind would, I feel, be more durable and manueverable than most tractors you could pick, plus give a better cut. Just thinking out loud. I think you said your son had a hydro walk, so I guess you have already considered one, but I thought I would throw my hat in the ring.
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MountainMan
Overpowered is Usually Adequate
Location: Connecticut
Joined: Feb 19, 2003
Points: 1564
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Re: Kubota Lawn Tractors...
Reply #5 Aug 3, 2005 11:02 pm |
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HAvnt used the Kubotas, but can Strongly vouch for getting the Kawasaki Twin on whatever you choose. Have Many friends in the buisness who use ( and abuse) kawasaki motors, and they keep running strong. Including My Kawi powered Scag.......MM
This message was modified Aug 3, 2005 by MountainMan
Ariens 1128PRO- Honda Generator_ Husky 480-257 Jonsered 2050Turbo- Shindiawa T2500 SCAG Mower -little wonder blower-Sears track blower-Coleman Generator- Bombadier ATV-Stihl HS-45 Etc-Etc-Etc
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Dave___in___CT
Deliberate often... ...decide once...
Location: West-Central Connecticut
Joined: Sep 17, 2002
Points: 3159
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Re: Kubota Lawn Tractors...
Reply #6 Aug 4, 2005 3:29 pm |
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Robmints... You genius... you ! I never considered a large-cut commercial walk behind for the VT lot... That may fit the bill quite well ! ...a 48" deck gives a good amount of side trimming space... (better than a tractor)... Now... that I only have "trimming" to do there... (now cutting with a 3-point-hitch 72" finish mower... 2 1/2 hours...) (30 minutes trimming with the vintage 5-foot deck Gravely garden tractor...) ...a 40"+ cut walk behind would do the job... and I have my small yard here in CT... and one elderly couple's yard I do here with their 21" mower... so a commercial walk behind can easily be transported in my pickup bed to/from VT... Ahhhh... another good option to ponder ! ...perhaps the best solution to more than one mowing job... ! There's been a local ad for a little-used 48" Gravely commercial walk-behind... I'll see if I can find the ad... Thanks for the idea Rob... MM... yeah... the Kawi seems to be "the choice" for commercial mowers... ! Dave...
This message was modified Aug 4, 2005 by Dave___in___CT
Whether you think you can or you can't... you're right.Henry Ford BCS Tractor & snowblower
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hcarlow
Joined: Aug 5, 2005
Points: 4
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Re: Kubota Lawn Tractors...
Reply #7 Aug 5, 2005 1:22 pm |
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Hi Dave, Not to get off the subject but I read your great review on the bcs tractor.I just purchased a used 830 with a tiller but was wondering how rugged the snow blower is as I live in Maine and get lots of snow here.I read one post somewhere a guy said the auger was very cheaply made and was destroyed just by hitting a small rock in his driveway.I have a long gravel driveway and would like to use the bcs to take of it this winter .Any advice you might have would be greatly appreciated before I go out and buy one as I have yet to see one. Thanks , Herb
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robmints
Joined: May 13, 2003
Points: 4691
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Re: Kubota Lawn Tractors...
Reply #9 Aug 5, 2005 10:55 pm |
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Hi Dave, Not to get off the subject but I read your great review on the bcs tractor.I just purchased a used 830 with a tiller but was wondering how rugged the snow blower is as I live in Maine and get lots of snow here.I read one post somewhere a guy said the auger was very cheaply made and was destroyed just by hitting a small rock in his driveway.I have a long gravel driveway and would like to use the bcs to take of it this winter .Any advice you might have would be greatly appreciated before I go out and buy one as I have yet to see one. Thanks , Herb http://www.abbysguide.com/ope/reviews/39-0-1.htmlDave's review. Don't know how it would do on gravel as it is a single stage. But they do have rather nice skids that can be set rather high. I have never used a BCS blower but based on how they look, I think your friend might have them confused with something else. Have you seen one in person?
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Dave___in___CT
Deliberate often... ...decide once...
Location: West-Central Connecticut
Joined: Sep 17, 2002
Points: 3159
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Re: Kubota Lawn Tractors...
Reply #10 Aug 7, 2005 4:38 pm |
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Hi Herb... See my reply to your seperate BCS post... Have not seen the 2-stage blower... so no comment on it... My 1-stage has beefy augers... thicker that many / most /all dedicated walk-behinds... (no impeler on a 1-stage)... and a very very substantial gearbox the commercial dedicated walk-behind blower match... no problems with obstacles / damage... have only picked up and thrown chunks of ice... and some smaller stones... it's a "animal" of a snow blower! Dave...
Whether you think you can or you can't... you're right.Henry Ford BCS Tractor & snowblower
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Dave___in___CT
Deliberate often... ...decide once...
Location: West-Central Connecticut
Joined: Sep 17, 2002
Points: 3159
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Re: Kubota Lawn Tractors...
Reply #11 Aug 7, 2005 4:49 pm |
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Ok... Mowers... still researching... Sadly... ruled out a commercial walkbehind... $$$... and the walking... checked out the Exmark / Toro's... excellent machines! Checked out Cub Cadets this weekend... The 1000 series... forget it for me ! Looked good... Operated "cheap"... Too noisy... blade engagement is very "rough"... deck / machine is noisy... The consumer Zero-turn mower is nice to operate ( on concrete anyway)... is much more solid feeling and sounding than the 1000 series... $1,000 more at $3,000... for the models I tried... definately not a commercial build/quality... The 2000 series Cub lawn tractors with shaft drive from engine to rear-end are smooth... quiet... better features... cast iron fron axle... cast iron transmission... EZ cruise control... a far cry ahead of the 1000 series... but at a cost... $500 - 1,500 more... worth it in my opinion... doing more researxh on the 2000 series... based on a a short... sweet... test ride of all three... Dave...
Whether you think you can or you can't... you're right.Henry Ford BCS Tractor & snowblower
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Dave___in___CT
Deliberate often... ...decide once...
Location: West-Central Connecticut
Joined: Sep 17, 2002
Points: 3159
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Re: Kubota Lawn Tractors...
Reply #12 Aug 8, 2005 4:41 pm |
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Cub Cadets... The 2500 series hits the mark for me... better then the 20xx... the 2544 (20 HP 44" cut) at $3000 - $3,100... a seemingly better value than the equivalent spec top-end Kubota lawn tractor at $3,750... and all the others I checked out... Dealer I visited today had one standing on-end so the entire underside was visable/touchable... he knows his stuff... went thru all the construction details... seems a pretty well built tractor for this price range... I know it will not perform in tall-wet grass like the Gravely does... so... this is a definate consideration in getting a New Cub 2544... dealers say about 6" tall grass is the max to cut with the Cub tractor... taller if you go slow... but I dunno about deck clogging... the Gravely does not clog... and does not labor much either... So... more thinking to do... shiny and new... or old and rugged... if I do buy new... i will not sell the Gravely until the new machine proves it handles the higher grass... Dave...
Whether you think you can or you can't... you're right.Henry Ford BCS Tractor & snowblower
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