Mowing Gear?

[BigLarge]

Purchased 3 acres recently and its almost time to ditch the lawn tractor. Considering a Kubota B2601 with a 60" deck. What gear do you mow in? If the grass isnt to tall, can you mow in high? Trying to calculate how much more time efficient this setup would be.

Thanks!

 

[Popeyecop]

I would think you could mow a little faster as long as your blades are sharp.

 

[Dr Honda]

I mow my front and back yards in low gear. It does a nice job, and since there are obstacles... I don't need to go fast. Once I hit the rear field... I put it in high, and go as fast as the bumps allow. (Doesn't matter if it's not as manicured)

 

[gcmiller]

I mow my 5 acre pasture in Medium on my B2910, but I mow everything else with a 62" zero turn radius mower. For 3 acres I would consider a ZTR.

If you are mowing around structures, trees, driveways and landscaping the ZTR will be much faster than a tractor and require much less edging when you're done (maybe no edging). My ZTR is 16 years old and goes just over 9 mph. I believe the newer ones can move 13+ mph.

 

[rkidd]

I have a B2650. I do all of my mowing in medium range which is fast enough. I have a smooth flat yard that I actually put in with a road grader due to the fact I did that for a living and I would not use high range. I really feel that high range is a travel range, to fast and too hard on the hst to mow.

 

[alleyyooper]

I second thre Zero turn if you want to save time. I recomment a good aftermarket
suspension seat if you do not have a golf course green area to mow.

The ZRT puffer is really good but costly. Northern tool sells a couple good ones for half the cost.

I went from over 4 hours with a 17hp lawn tractor with a 42 inch deck to just a bit over one hour with a Z turn with a 60 inch deck while avoiding pine tree roots too.

Al

 

[BigLarge]

Thanks everyone for their replies. I shoud have clarified; 1.5 acres grass and 1.5 acres woods. Ive considered getting a ZTR as well, considering a deck on a Kubota is something like 2 thousand? However, I have to fit all my tools and equipement in a single bay of my garage!

I read the B2601 will do 12+ mph. I figured if I could travel at 10mph with a 60" deck it would, theoretically, save me 30 minutes of mowing time.

 

[85Hokie]

Thanks everyone for their replies. I shoud have clarified; 1.5 acres grass and 1.5 acres woods. Ive considered getting a ZTR as well, considering a deck on a Kubota is something like 2 thousand? However, I have to fit all my tools and equipement in a single bay of my garage!

I read the B2601 will do 12+ mph. I figured if I could travel at 10mph with a 60" deck it would, theoretically, save me 30 minutes of mowing time.

If'n you do 10 mph cutting grass.......you might want to look at the seat a little closer! Unless flat as day old beer - there is going to be a speed that allows you to stay in the seat and the teeth in your head!

Cutting grass is more about results as opposed to speed. I have watched a many a person cut with a riding lawn mower at the rate of about 1 mph......a goat can cut faster than that - that person must love to cut grass!

On the flip side - cutting grass as quickly as possible is fine, as long as all the grass is cut as well as you want it to be! Field grass can be cut real fast - no one really cares what it looks like!

You will only know how fast ONCE you cut it a couple of times!

 

[rjcorazza]

About all I can stand while mowing with my L4060 is 6mph. If you're concerned about time and a ztr is off the table storage wise, perhaps a 72" mmm is available for the machine you are considering?

 

[BigLarge]

Im fortunate that my ground is exceptionally flat and free of ruts. But only a 60" is available on a B2601. I can get a 72" on a B2650, but that machine might be to large for 3 acres. Also, I think the B2650s use a ground contact deck, which im very unfamiliar with.

 

[MikeyA]

I have a little over 2 acres and a B2650 with 60" deck. I use high range most of the time, but could use medium just as well. My deck is a ground bearing unit, so if it is very rough, I have to slow down to accommodate that issue. The larger turf tires and suspension seat are a big improvement in ride over my old B2400, My back is very appreciative!!

 

[chim]

I was a little hesitant to reply because I don't have the same model the OP asked about. There is still some common ground though. My tractor has three ranges and most of my yard is fairly smooth. Some areas are smooth enough to use high range and run at a pretty good speed. There's one spot on a hill that's too rough to zoom over.

Staying in high range and making an effort to wrap it up quickly, mowing takes about 1-1/4 hours to do 3-1/2 acres. In second range, running at around 2000 RPM or so, it only takes additional 15 minutes. I find myself using second range most often now. It's a lot easier on the equipment - and me. If I save 15 minutes on mowing, I'll likely waste it doing something that isn't important anyway. While I sometimes think it would be nice to replace the 72" RFM with a wider one, it may never happen. To go spend several thousand on a ZTR has no appeal at all.