Kubota F-series Mowers?

Anyone have one? Any experiences with them? Considering buying a used 4x4 unit in the 25-30 hp range. As far as I've read, these mow excellently and are near bomb proof reliable. I have some slopes that make zero turns a non-option.

 

Yeah...I'm kindof hoping this would be the last mower I'd ever have to buy. Supposedly they get 10,000 hours out of these machines...that would do it! I have already been sniffing around Kubota's parts lookup to see how bad the replacement parts are. Most classifieds I have seen usually state that they run great, even if they look like they have been run over. Durability and longevity are two things that draw me to certain equipment/machines. I'm not the type that needs something new all the time...I just want stuff that works all the time. These babies are near 20 grand new...I'm looking for mid-90s vintage for my budget. Most have between 1500-4000 hours on the clock. I have seen a few with 8000+ on the meter and still going (and asking for decent money for them)! My kind of machines.

 

I've had my mower for 6 years now and have put 285 hours on it. At that rate I may get to 2000 hours by the time I turn 70.

That being said....Why pay the premium for hours the machine may never see?

 

I've had a few of them come through the shop for minor repairs. They are well built machines and will last a long time with proper maintenance. Almost bought one myself last year at an auction but it went a few hundred higher than I wanted to spend. Not sure how far you're looking for one from home but if you find one in the Syracuse/Utica area I might be able to have a look at it for you.

 

Since those type of machines are built more robust, often times there is less additional cost not to mention wrenching due to repairs.

 

Correct.

 

I have seen some for sale that are pretty far away. Trying to locate something somewhat local. Thank you for the offer! These seem to be sparsely distributed...or the people who own them aren't selling them regularly. Good sign.

 

I bought a Grasshopper 318 in 2001. All I have replaced is a battery, (once) oil and filters, put new tires on the front last year.
Repairs? I had to fix a stripped thread on the spindle where the blade bolts on. My fault, I forgot to readjust the regulator on the impact after removing my brush hog blades for sharpening. I have a machine shop so I opened up the stripped hole, welded in a plug, faced, bored and rethreaded. All it cost me was time since I had the material from an old tie rod.

Also, commercial mowers tend to have much better deck designs so they mow faster and cleaner than box store mowers. I was considering a 3pt finish mower for my John Deere 870 to mow my grass runway. While the JD would likely be faster, the Grasshopper mows fast enough that it just isn't worth the hassle of having another implement to connect and disconnect every week.

 

I like the Grasshopper units a lot, but 4x4 will serve me better for my needs. Grasshopper and Walker appeal to me as far as a zero turn out front decks go, and I would shop them heavily if that was the type of machine I was after. Really can't/won't compromise on the 4x4 option.

I hear you on the implements. I currently mow with JD2305, which is fine and does a good job, but I have to drop the bucket and ballast when it's time to mow and if I'm really using the loader a bunch or tilling, I like to remove the deck. I'd like to make the 2305 more of a tractor and less of a lawn mower. Have bucket, forks, tiller and rear blade for it. Very handy little machine!

 

Ventrac an option? Lots more of them around then that Kubota F-series...or you could even go with the older version called the Steiner...much cheaper, but the Ventracs are also much more refined IMO...https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiQrKal36HTAhWl7IMKHW_sD3UQjBAINDAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ventrac.com%2Fproducts&usg=AFQjCNEF-DniQIxH-bqC91Uw4E6qG2W_kQ

 

I have been looking at the Steiners also. Pound for pound, they seem to be more expensive than the Kubotas. The big draw on the Steiner is it's flexibility...if I'm not mistaken, they make all kina attachments for them. Yep, just checked your link out...bunch of accessories!

This is similar to what I'd be looking at with a Steiner (beyond budget) : Steiner Mower | eBay

 

Geez Louise! You can buy a decent Ventrac for that price! My Neighbor just sold his a couple years ago for $10k and it was pretty low hour.
I'm not sure where you are located at, but look in the Wayne County (and surrounding countys) area, they are made in Orrville and used ones coming up for sale are probably a lot more common around here just because of the "higher population" of 'em here

 

akron-canton for sale "steiner" - craigslist
31 listings for Steiner on CL in the Akron/Canton search area

 

That ventrak would be my choice if I had steep hills to mow.

 

While I am biased, I'm not blindly biased towards the orange. Their stuff has served me well. Are there 4x JD front deck models? The ones I have seen are all 2x.

 

Oh I have oogled some of the brandy-new units both green and orange! Real easy to hit $20,000 without much in the way of options. I did some looking this am and found a few JD scattered units around. They seem to be drawing higher sell prices even than the Kubs. I saw one Deere with cab, homeowner used, for $6K. Got excited for a moment until I saw the rear linkage...2wd. Trying to stay under 5k or even less if possible. Age doesn't scare me, and up to ~3000 hours doesn't either. What I look for is stuff that looks like someone cared for it. A lot of commercial owned units look like they got rode hard and put away wet...often. To me that means that fluids and grease were likely not kept up and the old mind over matter thing kicks in...."It ain't mine, so it don't matter..." I bet these machines, if properly maintained and bought new would last even a big acreage lot homeowner a lifetime.

 

I bought one, used from a commercial cutter....... 30 years ago (F-2000). Told my wife the same thing.
Well it's true, that's what we mow with still today. I haven't found a part that Kubota can't get me in a week. That's what "kills" many old mowers, part's no longer available.