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Dave___in___CT


Deliberate often...
...decide once...


Location: West-Central Connecticut
Joined: Sep 17, 2002
Points: 3159

Kubota Lawn Tractors...
Original Message   Aug 3, 2005 10:01 am
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

Replies: 4 - 13 of 23Next page of topicsPreviousNextNext page of topicsAllView as Outline
robmints


Joined: May 13, 2003
Points: 4691

Re: Kubota Lawn Tractors...
Reply #4   Aug 3, 2005 8:58 pm
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.






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.
MountainMan


Overpowered is Usually Adequate


Location: Connecticut
Joined: Feb 19, 2003
Points: 1564

Re: Kubota Lawn Tractors...
Reply #5   Aug 3, 2005 11:02 pm
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
Dave___in___CT


Deliberate often...
...decide once...


Location: West-Central Connecticut
Joined: Sep 17, 2002
Points: 3159

Re: Kubota Lawn Tractors...
Reply #6   Aug 4, 2005 3:29 pm
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

hcarlow


Joined: Aug 5, 2005
Points: 4

Re: Kubota Lawn Tractors...
Reply #7   Aug 5, 2005 1:22 pm
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

AJace


I have an Ariens 926 Pro because I like Orange



Location: Near Gettysburg
Joined:
Points: 969

Re: Kubota Lawn Tractors...
Reply #8   Aug 5, 2005 10:36 pm
That would make the job sweet Dave. 

Ariens 926 DLE Professional; Toro S200; Craftsman LT1000, Echo ES-230;

robmints


Joined: May 13, 2003
Points: 4691

Re: Kubota Lawn Tractors...
Reply #9   Aug 5, 2005 10:55 pm
hcarlow wrote:
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.html
Dave'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?
Dave___in___CT


Deliberate often...
...decide once...


Location: West-Central Connecticut
Joined: Sep 17, 2002
Points: 3159

Re: Kubota Lawn Tractors...
Reply #10   Aug 7, 2005 4:38 pm
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

Dave___in___CT


Deliberate often...
...decide once...


Location: West-Central Connecticut
Joined: Sep 17, 2002
Points: 3159

Re: Kubota Lawn Tractors...
Reply #11   Aug 7, 2005 4:49 pm
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

Dave___in___CT


Deliberate often...
...decide once...


Location: West-Central Connecticut
Joined: Sep 17, 2002
Points: 3159

Re: Kubota Lawn Tractors...
Reply #12   Aug 8, 2005 4:41 pm
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

robmints


Joined: May 13, 2003
Points: 4691

Re: Kubota Lawn Tractors...
Reply #13   Aug 8, 2005 6:13 pm
Dave___in___CT wrote:
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...


Dave,

We have 2 2544's on our street.  The machines are very nice.  I have only done some very minor maintainance to one.  Little things the lady can't do herself, like sharpen blades ect.  The one I have seen the most is older and only has a 12.5 Kohler.  But, if there was one weak point with the machine, it would be the mowing deck, and how it is driven.  The deck seems to clog easily.  She is mowing in some bad, but not extreme conditions.  She has become so frustrated, I have finished the bad sectons with my Toro.  And another personal observation of mine that sort of bugs me sometimes.  A horizontal engine, while maybe prefered as an engine layout, usually does not transfer power to the deck as well as verticle engine, unless it is driven by a shaft from the transmission.

Nice machine, just make sure it cuts what you want it to cut.  Plowing, pulling, tilling, mowing, that's one thing, take the good with the not so good.  Just mowing, I think there's better machines.  Please take it for what it's worth, I only have exposure to two.

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