LX2610 - One year of ownership.

[S-G-R]

This week marks one year with the LX2610. It came with the LA535 loader, 60" bucket, third function, 60" mid mount mower and QH10 quick hitch. It took a couple of months for the third function to arrive and that was the only trip the tractor made back to the dealer. I have 130 hours on it and other than regular maintenance, I haven't had any issues.

The cab is great. Lots of visibility, the heater and ac are both top notch. The doors seal well and there are no drafts. I ordered it with a radio but it isn't great and I stopped using it. The transmission does whine but nothing worse than anything else I drove with a hydrostatic. I use a set of Isotune Bluetooth ear plugs/headset and it cuts the whine down.


I went with the mid mount mower to have a smaller footprint and we had a hot and dry summer in 2020. The grass was slow to grow and when I cut it, there was little moisture. When I took the deck off in October there was minimal buildup underneath. Moving into 2021 I went from mowing 2.5 acres to almost 7. I have to mow twice a week and have to clean the deck each time I mow. I apply a spray and wipe wax that allows me to pressure wash the deck on the tractor twice but the third time I have to remove the mower for a more thorough cleaning and new wax application. I have a shoulder issue but I put my back out before Easter and it is still giving me some problems. Getting under to grease, removing/installing the deck and pto is getting to be more of a chore and not a pleasant one. In hindsight, I should of went with a rear finish mower over the mmm and hopefully next month mine will arrive. Some people love a zero turn but I'm not one of them. I find them awkward and hard on my injured shoulder. A cab with ac/heat is another reason I went to a tractor.

The QH10. I liked the appeal of making my life easier and no having to manhandle my implements. I have a LP BB1260 boxblade and K64-24-07 snowblower and it is effortless to hook them up. I had ordered a CA1264 core aerator that had no eta so I asked the dealer to change the order to a FDR2584 finisher mower. Both the aerator and mower require the adjustable top hook found on the QH15 so I have one of them coming and I'll trade the QH10 in on it. I went with the QH10 because it was a bit cheaper and I figured I wouldn't need the adjustable top hook. Now a year later my needs have changed. My suggestion is if you are getting a quick hitch is the get one with the adjustable top link even if you think you don't need it.

 

[Elliott in GA]

Glad most things are going well for you and your tractor. I have an LP Finish Mower, and it does a great job. I am able to use my LP QH10 with all of my implements without any issues. However, it is a little different to hook up the Finish Mower. Instead of hooking the pivot point on the top of the mower, I use the include link on the QH10 to attach to the mower's top arm's hole. It allows plenty of travel for the mower, but I still can pick it up with the 3 point to about the same height as my Rotary Cutter. You may not need a new QH.

 

[S-G-R]

Thank you for the info on the mower and QH. I went back to the specs and it is the core aerator that needs the QH15.

 

[Patent Guy]

I have a LX2610 without the cab and a 72" RFM is too much for it on hills, so I expect your 84 with the additional weight of a cab will be quite a bit too much unless you are mowing flat. One regret I have, should have gotten the LX3310 for mowing. No problem running a 52" flail up any hill I have, but the RFM is too much. Have to back off to something like half pedal to maintain 540 PTO. I do have the SU size wheels/tires which turned out not to be a help due to the increased torque required to turn them in relation to the smaller wheels, but I doubt if this would make enough difference in my situation. Just guessing on that one. Also, just mowing grass, probably cutting 6-8" down to 3". Just my experience, hope it helps.

 

[S-G-R]

Thank you for the insight @Patent Guy we are very flat so no hills or grades to contend with. The MMM is really the only regret I have on the overall purchase. I would like the extra power of the 3310 but I do a lot of work under 2000 rpm and so far the 2610 hasn't disappointed me.

 

[NHSleddog]

i7 did a great write up with a bunch of examples of QH mods. Take the time/effort to make the IMPLEMENT QH compatible (no moving tractor QH hook, no leaving seat). It is a PITA one time on the implements that are not compatible out of the box, and then a joy to hook up every time after.

Ideas to make implements QH compatible

Get the most benefit from your quick hitch. Buying new get QH compatible. Here is a photo of an implement whose manufacturer has their act together. Note how it's designed for cat 1 & 2. Also the lift arm spacing can be adjusted. Some "QH compatible" only need minor modification. This TSC...

www.orangetractortalks.com

 

[Patent Guy]

I have the QH15, but suggest modifying anything that doesn't fit the QH as NHSleddog states. AgriSupply sells a "top link adapter bracket" that can make most things work - if it can't, I would replace the implement unless a "complex" one not QH compatible for a reason.

With the saved money buy a hydraulic top link, paired with a QH and proper implements, works extremely well. Changing implements with vs. without a hydraulic top link are two unrelated tasks - well until it's time for the PTO....

 

[S-G-R]

So far, all of my implements are QH compatible with the exception of my broadcast spreader. I did pick up a hydraulic top link but haven't gotten hoses for it yet since the mower deck is on and I haven't been doing any three point work. I'm hoping the rear finish mower will be here this month and I'll pull mmm off and have the top link mounted.

 

[jrsavoie]

How do you adjust deck cut height to 3" on the MMM?

So far the MMM is our biggest regret on the LX2610.
Way to complicated to remove and install for an old fat man.
We got the MMM because I can't twist to see behind.

I should have invested in another machine and /or mirrors &/or camera to watch behind.

They should make a little batwing front deck to run off the front pto for a snowblower. Maybe utilize the loader to hang the front deck. I can visualize how it would work. I just don't get much done anymore

 

[S-G-R]

How do you adjust deck cut height to 3" on the MMM?

So far the MMM is our biggest regret on the LX2610.
Way to complicated to remove and install for an old fat man.
We got the MMM because I can't twist to see behind.

I should have invested in another machine and /or mirrors &/or camera to watch behind.

They should make a little batwing front deck to run off the front pto for a snowblower. Maybe utilize the loader to hang the front deck. I can visualize how it would work. I just don't get much done anymore

You need a flat surface and just adjust the wheels up or down to get the desired height. Sold my LX2610 and mid mount mower a year ago this coming Monday and replaced it with a LX3310 and 84" rear finish mower. Haven't missed pulling that heavy deck out or shoving it back under the tractor once.

 

[jrsavoie]

You need a flat surface and just adjust the wheels up or down to get the desired height. Sold my LX2610 and mid mount mower a year ago this coming Monday and replaced it with a LX3310 and 84" rear finish mower. Haven't missed pulling that heavy deck out or shoving it back under the tractor once.

This is the worst deck I've ever been around.
For greasing, removal, installation. Looks to be lighter duty than anything I've been around - 1980's John Deeres were much easier all around. Regretting selling our 1980 400.
You'd think in 43 years Kubota would have done better

 

[RBsingl]

I have mowed for years with a 72" midmount on a Deere 955 compact, it has been fairly easy to maintain but Deere was constantly revising the idler pulleys and it was always a challenge when replacing one to figure out which additional spacers/bushings/shields, etc. went with which revision and the later revisions were worse than the original pulleys in terms of life. I finally rebuilt one of the early pairs of idlers with quality German bearings 10 years ago to stop the every two to three year spit out the bearings idler replacements. For easy cleaning and blade changes, I drove the tractor up on heavy metal ramps and that made that maintenance much easier. The Deere midmount is what I would call a minor pain to mount/unmount although that is supposed to be better on later models.

The Deere has worked well but I was getting tired of mounting/dismounting the loader and often a three point implement to mow so last June I purchased a Kubota F2690 with a 72" rear discharge deck and it was delivered in December. I just mowed for the second time with it yesterday and it has cut about 30 minutes off my mowing time for 5 acres and I am still getting used to it.

The front mount cuts much cleaner because the blades hit the grass before any of the heavy "tractor" tires so it is a smooth cut to start and doesn't show tire strips like the Deere midmount would unless I mowed fairly slowly on very dry grass which isn't always possible in the spring in Central IL. I love the rear discharge since I can mow to the edge on either side and it doesn't blow debris back on me in the high wind common here.

I have a lot of sloped areas and I don't care for the two lever steering of a ZTR so the front deck commercial style was much better for me. The deck flips up 90 degrees in about 2 minutes for easy cleaning and unlike the Deere, it came from Kubota with a few 45 degree zerks where needed so no need to replace zerks or use an adapter nozzle. Height adjustment, greasing, and cleaning are all really simple. This is one of my best purchases in recent years.

Rodger

 

[S-G-R]

I considered the deck well built but mowing 6-7 acres twice a week got old when I was about 3 acres in I could tell it was getting built up with grass clippings so pulling it off so often was a pain as well as getting it mounted with a bad shoulder.

 

[jrsavoie]

I have mowed for years with a 72" midmount on a Deere 955 compact, it has been fairly easy to maintain but Deere was constantly revising the idler pulleys and it was always a challenge when replacing one to figure out which additional spacers/bushings/shields, etc. went with which revision and the later revisions were worse than the original pulleys in terms of life. I finally rebuilt one of the early pairs of idlers with quality German bearings 10 years ago to stop the every two to three year spit out the bearings idler replacements. For easy cleaning and blade changes, I drove the tractor up on heavy metal ramps and that made that maintenance much easier. The Deere midmount is what I would call a minor pain to mount/unmount although that is supposed to be better on later models.

The Deere has worked well but I was getting tired of mounting/dismounting the loader and often a three point implement to mow so last June I purchased a Kubota F2690 with a 72" rear discharge deck and it was delivered in December. I just mowed for the second time with it yesterday and it has cut about 30 minutes off my mowing time for 5 acres and I am still getting used to it.

The front mount cuts much cleaner because the blades hit the grass before any of the heavy "tractor" tires so it is a smooth cut to start and doesn't show tire strips like the Deere midmount would unless I mowed fairly slowly on very dry grass which isn't always possible in the spring in Central IL. I love the rear discharge since I can mow to the edge on either side and it doesn't blow debris back on me in the high wind common here.

I have a lot of sloped areas and I don't care for the two lever steering of a ZTR so the front deck commercial style was much better for me. The deck flips up 90 degrees in about 2 minutes for easy cleaning and unlike the Deere, it came from Kubota with a few 45 degree zerks where needed so no need to replace zerks or use an adapter nozzle. Height adjustment, greasing, and cleaning are all really simple. This is one of my best purchases in recent years.

Rodger

We're kind of partial to the older Toro front decks. It's what we've had and are comfortable with.