My Big Lawn Mower!

[NCL4701]

not sure just how much the front tires contribute to "ride quality" ... !

In my experience, very little. The rears are where the overwhelming majority of ride quality resides.

 

[GrumpyFarmer]

Looks great. Great job on the find itself and the shining it up. From your purchase pic to now looks like a different machine. Looks like the elbow grease went a long way and it’s noticeable.

I am not sure how updates are handled on this site/forum, but I wonder if the site administrator plans to issue a technical bulletin or communique to @hagrid, or does the OP need to do that regarding equipment type/criteria?.

(I hope folks understand this is not a serious question…but it’s funny if you don’t just the same)

 

[GeoHorn]

Don't really want or need a FEL, I already got one on my little tractor, which does all I really need doing ... If I increase the weight too much, I won't be able to trailer it ... Trailer is rated for 7K and I'd rather not run it at maximum weight, it pulled good though. This is from the day I bought it.

View attachment 159281

My rears are actually 8 ply, fronts are 6 ply ... The fronts are quite worn, I'm considering buying new 2 ply ones, not sure just how much the front tires contribute to "ride quality" ... !

View attachment 159280

Shawn,…It’s YOURs …so you get to decide…but from the posted pictures, your front tires look fine to me. And they are already matched to your rears. If you buy new fronts the O.D. might place a strain on your 4WD due to a mis-match with the rears. Just hopin’ to help out with that opinion. (might be a little easier on your wallet also.)

Since you already have an idea of what you need in the matter of an FEL…you certainly know best… But the resale value of a tractor With FEL is significant compared to one without. As time goes-by, an LA853 will not likely get any easier to find, IMO. YMMV

 

[Shawn T. W]

The fronts are worn, and weather checked ...

The rear are practically new ...

I bought it primarily as a BIG Lawnmower ... The two things I wanted out of this was BIG Tires for a more comfortable ride, and more PTO HP, over what my SCUT offered, and didn't want a computer or emissions either (like my SCUT) at first I wasn't convinced I even would consider a cab, due to weight and cost factors, but the previous two weeks I saw the light! This one was at the bottom of my size range I was looking for, actually I saw this on Tractor House just after they listed it in March, but didn't even click on the link because it was a compact tractor, a "L" ... I didn't realize that the Grand L was a bigger and heavier frame, plus bigger tires than the standard L's . . . I was looking at 50-65 HP tractors in the MX, (which this is basically a MX5100 size) but preferably a M size, didn't figure I'd even need 4X4, still don't think I need or will use it ...

This is about as steep as I mow, and it does it fine in 2 wheel drive.

I saw this again online and out of curiosity I clicked, figuring that maybe I could make the smaller tires work, as they would be much larger than my 26" rear tires on my SCUT ...it did seem to have the minimum HP I was looking at, then researching more specifications, I realized that it had 52" rear tires, twice the diameter of my SCUT! But the L3902 only has 44" tires, better than 26", but not as good as 52" ...

I started a thread that some are aware of to get more feedback ... https://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/threads/considering-a-l5030-hstc.76344/

The last week or so I figured it had been sitting unsold for nearly 4 months, mostly due to no loader, I figured I could get a deal on it even though it stretched my budget a bit ... And I did get him down a bit!

My back pasture has rocks like this, that just keep showing up, makes for a bumpy ride!

Overall I'm very happy with it, and will be glad when my savings grow enough to get a 8' mower for it ...

 

[GeoHorn]

“This is about as steep as I mow, and it does it fine in 2 wheel drive” …. Even More Reason to leave those front tires alone if you don’t have cause to work them harder.

That “dry checking” evidenced in that pic might bother you…but the carcass of those tires are Much stronger than the surface cracking indicates. (Again, only intending to be helpful…. it’s certainly Your Call.…I’ll stay out of it from now on.)

 

[NCL4701]

Second @GeoHorn thoughts on the checked tire. It’s a low speed tire with a quite thick carcass. I’m not seeing any functional issue.

This is the left rear on the 9N I started operating at 8 years old. My father and I continued to operate it until it went to a new owner a couple years ago, total of 49 years I was associated with it. The left rear tire looked like this for as long as I can remember. Thousands of hours put on it during that time.

The right rear, which looked about the same, got in an argument with the rather spiky remains of a long dead eastern red cedar about 20 years ago. The 20 year old replacement looked like this when it left our property.

A little checking but not as much. Never noticed any difference which one pulled better.

As always, your machine, your $, and YMMV.

 

[D2Cat]

Older tires are much more resistant to thorns and other punctures. That rubber is tough. New tires are like bubble gum in a thorn patch or stobbles.

 

[Shawn T. W]

Well the Broomsedge and ragweed has been growing, even though most of the grass out back hasn't, only got 3/4" of rain in the last 2.5+ months!

I got to use my new quick hitch and hydraulic top link to hook it up, works good!

I wish I had my new mower, but still saving my pennies, so using what I got ... A 5' brush hog, 7.5 acres of back pasture!

I got more comfortable, or daring ... This time ... It is much more stable than my SCUT, and seems to turn quicker, but just may be that it doesn't have a loader sticking way out front?

Lots of brown grass, but at least it's all even now ...

In this spot with my SCUT, and loaded R4 tires, the only way I can make it up this hill is 4X4 and locking the rear, and sometimes it takes me a few tries ... 2 WD today only and didn't lock the rear axle, or spin a tire!

After I parked in the barn, and was closing it up, I SNEEZED! First time all afternoon!

Considering this morning I mowed the front field and lawn, about 8 acres, and had taken a Allegra allergy pill, plus put Pataday allergy eye drops in, plus wore a mask, while it's faster, it wasn't nearly as comfortable as the Kubota!

Once I get the bigger mower, I'll use the Kubota to also mow the front field, but now the Z-turn can make use of its top speed of 10 MPH smoother old hay field vs rocky pasture, and it's full 60 cut, whereas the brush hog really can't handle much more than 6 mph, and only has a 56" cut and much slower tip speed ...

 

[McMXi]

This is a great thread! I really like that L5030 and look forward to seeing and hearing more about it. Great job on making it look like new old stock. I bought a Land Pride 12ft folding cutter last year and have been so impressed with it.

 

[S-G-R]

I wish I had my new mower, but still saving my pennies, so using what I got ... A 5' brush hog, 7.5 acres of back pasture.

What are you looking at to replace the brush hog with?

 

[Shawn T. W]

What are you looking at to replace the brush hog with?

I'm keeping the brush hog, but will probably just use it on the SCUT ...

I'm kinda torn about that ... Wish I wasn't so wishy washy about it going back and forth between a Bush Hog brand HDTH8 which is a 5 blade fixed deck 99" cut rear discharge finish mower ( cut height 1"-6"), and a John Deere 390 which is a 90" cut offset flail mower (cut height 1"-5") ...

I really like the look that my JD Z-TRAK Z960M leaves, it's a 31 HP commercial mower ... But I only mow ever 3-4 weeks, if the grass is growing ... This spring we got rain almost every other day, and I just happened to be gone a little over 5 straight weeks ... The grass was just under 3' tall, and THICK! My Z-turn was having trouble cutting it, so ended up using the brush hog on my SCUT, still was ugly with all the popups and clumps of grass, I did get to swing by and buzz it with the Z-turn a few days later and clean it up ... So I'm concerned the finish mower may choke, but ... I retire in 30 months, so I'll be around to cut it more often if needed ... It doesn't need to look like a golf course, but I don't like the uneven look of different grass/weeds growing or the color change of them ... This is the way I want it all to look ...

I don't really like how the brush hog leaves the cut ... I left a foot wide strip between the two mowers ... Brush hog was cutting at 5.5", Z-turn was 4"

The JD 390 has the advantage of dealing with higher growth, but I like to cut at 5" and that is the very top of the range, and I read that flails do best in the 2"-3" range and slower speeds, so I'm concerned that it might not leave as good of a finish cut ... It does have an offset (manual or hydraulic), which should allow me to only run over uncut grass with one wheel track, cutting the possibilities of popups in half, and it only has a 90" cut ...

I like cutting with the Kubota about 5.5 -6 MPH out in the back pasture due to the rocky/bumpy ground, the front field I could do the max in Medium Range of 7.3 MPH.

I only have about 14 acres to cut, not including the 1.5 acre lawn, I really don't want to spend the money on a flex/bat wing type mower, the price per foot of cut is 1.5-2 times more than a sold deck type mower ... 8' seems to be close to the happy medium as far as scalping goes ...

 

[Old Machinist]

Congrats on the new mower. Good job on the shine up! My granny always said "you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear".

Several companies make a 5 blade finish mower in the 90 inch range. Caroni, Agmate, etc. That would be my first choice over an 8 foot 3 blade.

I bought my little LX3310 last year primarily as a air conditioned lawn mower. Wish I would have found something older but they gave me a deal I couldn't walk away from. It has a 72" MMM and I pull a 60" Swisher offset to get a 10' cut in a straight line. Before this I was pulling the Swisher offset behind a 7' Agmate finish mower so there are ways to cheat on a wide cutting path.

 

[chim]

That IS a great looking tractor! You said "It is much more stable than my SCUT, and seems to turn quicker, but just may be that it doesn't have a loader sticking way out front?" That is probably true. My L4240 is the sharpest turning of the three I could measure. See Post #6 in the thread below.

You mow much more, and taller/rougher stuff than I do and have plenty of HP to run something wider. I run a 7-1/2' Caroni finish mower that I bought and refurbed. The size is ideal for me. It does my 3-1/2 acres in under 90 minutes at a nice pace. If it wears out before I do the most likely replacement will be another Caroni. The latest version has slightly beefier gauge wheels. Even with the improvements, the Caroni isn't anywhere as rugged as my BIL's Woods.

My BIL next door runs a Woods RD990X behind his L4740HSTC and loves it. He is somewhat of a perfectionist so he does the 2-ish acres around his house with a nice Ferris and uses the Woods mostly on his cow meadows (maybe 6 acres). My mowing - right up to the flower beds - is all with the 7-1/2' deck.

Lx 4020 rops or cab (or 3520 cab)

Considering cab versus open station for LX 4020. Live in SW virginia, Appalachian mountains. Cab with AC and heat sounds nice. Also no bugs or dust and not getting sunburn/skin cancer. Will spend 50-60% mowing 6 acres. Rest grapple work clearing out edge of woods and hoping to get a wood chipper...

www.orangetractortalks.com

 

[Shawn T. W]

The Bush Hog brand I can get from my local dealer, and is a 5 blade three point mount finish mower ... I have 44 PTO HP.

and seems to turn quicker, but just may be that it doesn't have a loader sticking way out front?

Since I'm a “Show-Me” the numbers kinda guy … I decided to just find out this morning!

These are my measurements … and set up my own experiment!

GC 1725 MB
Front outside of tires 49” (with 1.3" spacers)
Center of front axle to center of rear axle 55”
Turning radius, outside 211”

Kubota L5030
Front outside of tires 63”
Center of front axle to center of rear axle 76”
Turning radius, outside 258”

So it seems my perception was off, it does appear to me though that on the Kubota the tires turn sharper, but overall it takes more room to turn, as it's long
er and wider …

 

[Shawn T. W]

A used Land Pride FDR 3690 is for sale not too far from me ... I find the 3/6 blade set up interesting ... It's like 3 mini brush hog blades as the blades each pivot independently unlike a traditional mower blade ... This is there heavy duty commercial rated one, they make two lighter versions too ... But not this wide, it has a 90" cut ...

I like the idea of the Bush Hog brand with 5 spindles, but this has the independent swinging blades, If I bump a rock, it has more give and less likely to hurt a spindle ...

Anybody use one?

At that width, I'd think the "optional" center mounted anti-scalp roller would be necessary ...

Some of the back pasture has rocks that keep surfacing, I stop and pick them up, but after three summers, more keep showing up!

I "usually" scuff them up out of the ground with the lower edges of the brush hog when turning, then depending on if they are inside, or outside of the mower, they either get ground up, or I see them on my next time around, and I put them in the bucket ...

 

[GrumpyFarmer]

A used Land Pride FDR 3690 is for sale not too far from me ... I find the 3/6 blade set up interesting ... It's like 3 mini brush hog blades as the blades each pivot independently unlike a traditional mower blade ... This is there heavy duty commercial rated one, they make two lighter versions too ... But not this wide, it has a 90" cut ...

I like the idea of the Bush Hog brand with 5 spindles, but this has the independent swinging blades, If I bump a rock, it has more give and less likely to hurt a spindle ...

Anybody use one?

At that width, I'd think the "optional" center mounted anti-scalp roller would be necessary ...

Some of the back pasture has rocks that keep surfacing, I stop and pick them up, but after three summers, more keep showing up!

View attachment 162924

I "usually" scuff them up out of the ground with the lower edges of the brush hog when turning, then depending on if they are inside, or outside of the mower, they either get ground up, or I see them on my next time around, and I put them in the bucket ...

View attachment 162925

Oh my…if you fall asleep mowing in that comfy cab, I bet one of those pasture potatoes would wake you up when the blade hits it.

 

[Shawn T. W]

Actually I've shredded/shattered a few ... Quite quiet compared the the open station Massey Ferguson ... 1st one I wasn't sure what the noise was, but then I saw the "small fresh rocks" scattered about" ...

The last 3 times mowing with the brush hog, I've been trying to mow lower, to help "find" stuff I'd rather not find with a finish mower ...

I'm hoping to cut in the 5" - 6" range, been mowing in the 4" - 5" range ...

 

[S-G-R]

I have a LP FDR2584 and would like to go wider but not sure if the extra 6" the FDR 3690 offers is worth it. I'd love to see one in action. I also missed a chance at a older Land Pride AFM-11 mower. It looked to be in great condition but sold before I could go see it.

 

[Shawn T. W]

The big differences are it has a two piece blade ...

But spins them about 1000 fps slower tip speed, and weighs 100 Lbs more, has 2" bigger tires. And has a 1" - 6.5" cutting range (I like the higher cut!)

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

Some of the back pasture has rocks that keep surfacing, I stop and pick them up, but after three summers, more keep showing up!

The lawn around the cabin has a similar problem, the frost pushes them up. I "sharpened my blades" on the mid-mount mower last time around so took the pry-bar off the tool rack and into the bucket the rock went. Got the shovel off the rack and put some dirt in the hole. We'll see this Winter when I sharpen the blades how much of a ding it caused if any--those Kubota blades are tough!