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 | cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000 Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York 
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2001-10-10 32344
I have a question regarding the Kubota 72" belly mower. It seems that occasionally one of the rear caster wheels will catch and rip sod when backing. It tends to happen more in areas of rich soil that holds a bit of moisture as opposed to the more common sandy loam in my yard. It surprised me the first time it happened, after that I watched the casters and saw them come around half way after changing direction from forward to reverse and then digging in and stripping the sod. They seem to spin freely. Has anyone else experienced this problem?
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 | Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York 
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2001-10-11 32346
Cutter many decks are what they call ground engaging, this just means they run on the groun instead of being suspendedbelow the tractor. I can't remember what model tractor you purchased but what we try to to is make them semi-suspended by limiting the linkage to lighten the weight on the wheels. On some tractors it's quite easy to limit the raise and lower so it just doesn't put all the weight on the wheels. The problem we find sometimes is on irregular terain it doesn't lower enough to mow all the grass the same height. We have also added springs on the linkage to lighten the load. We have only had to do a couple and I know none have been done on a 72" deck but that is how we have remedied the problem for several customers with good sucess. ....
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| cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000 Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
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2001-10-11 32355
It is a B2910 Art. This sounds like a design flaw more than anything. The partial raise idea won't work, I have uneven terrain and had the uneven cut problem with my J/D that had a suspended 60" deck. That was why I wanted a full floating deck again this time. The NH had that and did a great job cutting, the caster wheels were narrower which allowed them to sink in when the sod was damp,the wheels on the Kubota are quite wide and seem to ride so nicely they don't leave a print. Less surface tension and a wider caster may be causing this to happen, solving one problem while creating another. Is the spring fix something that is available through Kubota? I can't imagine other people aren't experiencing this same problem. I can say that my B7100 did not do it. Other than that one problem, I like the machine very much. The steering is fast, it turns effortlessly with a slight rotation of the wheel. It is not QUITE as sharp a turner as the TC with SS, but darned close. ....
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| Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2001-10-13 32375
Cutter there is nothing from the factory on any modifications for less weight being carried on the wheels. What we have done is modify on our own for customer satisfaction. I don't think that there is anything that is built out there that fits all concerns, we sell several different brands and often find tht some people and conditions work better than others. When you get to the best you have and have tried all the rest than you build accordingly. ....
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| cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000 Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
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2001-10-13 32385
I agree whole heartedly Art. Nothing is best for everything, so to speak. It is a fine machine and I am happy with it. If I knew how you fashioned those springs, I would do that myself. That really is the only shortcoming I have noticed on the unit, and for most it probably would not show up. It oozes with quality otherwise. I intend to retire with it in my barn (or a newer one if that is ever in the cards again). ....
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| cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000 Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
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2001-10-14 32414
Well the high winds put an end to the thought of a ride on the HOG so I did some tinkering with the mower today Art. The rear casters were reversed, so I put them on the proper side, if that really matters. Also, I noticed that the caster wheels are extremely stiff. I may have overgreased them, but I don't think so. The one giving me the most trouble on the sod was quite difficult to turn. I took the cotter pin out and removed the wheel and found the hole in that particular one did not line up perfectly with the hole in the outside spacer bearing, causing excessive tension on the wheel and not allowing it to rotate freely. I am sure that in time, this would have corrected itself with wear, but by releaving the pressure on the wheel, it rolls like it has a roller bearing now. We will see if that corrects the sod ripping when changing direction. ....
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| Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2001-10-15 32424
Cutter, sorry I didn't talk of making sure the machine works right first. The springs we have used went between the tractor and the lift linkage. The applications need to be addressed because it is harder to get the mower deck up to the linkage to connect it. We did one with the springs to the deck but then when the deck has to come off so do the springs. There is no saint hood here but we service both machines for the owners so it's the boys in our shop who have the added frustration. The modifications were made randomly tring to cure a wet muck type soil problem of the wheels not turning fast enough like yours.
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 | TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2001-10-15 32428
I thought a HOG was a mower. But then I'm just a former motorcycle mechanic making a lame joke I guess. ....
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| cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000 Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
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2001-10-15 32439
OUCH Tom! ....
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| cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000 Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
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2001-10-21 32575
The mower deck seems to work fine now, no sod ripping. I was wondering if Kubota offers a mulching upgrade to the side discharge mower or if that is a separate unit (or perhaps not available at all). There is nothing on the web site pertaining to mower decks and frankly I never thought to ask when I was looking at them. ....
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