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Too much $$$!


arjr111

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I have been looking around for a large GT, maybe a powermax, but, at between 3-5K, it seems darn high for an older GT. Figure on going to a decent older full size with a 5-6' mower. Looking for advice from some of you farmers. Will need it to mow about 5 cleared acres, 3 smooth, 2 rough......thanks Art
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Yea Art, I had the same problem, looked for a good AC 720 for many years, but they all had astronomical asking prices, a lot more than this poor old cowboy could justify for a 30 year old gas garden tractor with a $2500 minimum engine replacement cost. Mowing all my grass with the smaller tractors was just killing me, esp. with all of the engine problems associated with keeping 30 year old gas motors running, plus I really wanted a 3 pt. hitch for lifting heavy objects, but a decent priced 720 never came into my reach. I really needed a minimum 60" deck and the 3 pt hitch. I almost bought a JD 400 for $2000. In the process of evaluating the JD purchase the local JD dealer asked me if I was interested in a Kubota diesel, a B6100E two wheel drive, started at $2195 but eventually he came down to $1750! Couldnt pass it up. Bought a 60" King Kutter rear mower for $180 at auction and not only is my mowing time cut in half, but the Kubota starts first time every time! My repair time has been cut by about 5000%! I do wish that it was an AC5015 or 5020, but I had to take what I could get. I would still like to have an AC 720, if they ever get cheap enough. p.s. Dont tell anybody, but I now have two Kubota diesels, the second one is a B7001 4 wheel drive with tiller, now I need to find a loader for it. And yes, I know that if that diesel motor blows, it will cost more than $2500 to fix, but I happen to know through experience that Kubota diesels run forever with a minumum amount of maintenance. Plus my fuel usage has been cut by almost two thirds.
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Thanks Les, I had been thinking along the lines of the traditional, gas powered oldies (farmall, ac, mf, etc) But now, I will have to look into the Kubota's. I alway's figured they would be big $$$ too. Have you needed to do any engine work and is it more difficult to maintain than gas?....Art
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My neighbor back home ran a Kubota for 20 years in his dairy operation, If you ever saw his place you would instantly know that maintenance was NOT a priority in his life. On a good day he MIGHT clean the cow crap off of the seat! My Dad ran one for eight years and never even changed oil in it. Neither tractor ever had a thing done to it except put in fuel. p.s. My second Kubota was my Dad's, the first thing I did was change the oil!
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Art, I mow about 4 acres of non-yard about twice a month to keep it managable. Basically waterways and around my fence line and then two large flat areas. I used to run a WD then A WD45. Got real tired of trying to maintain 50 year old machines that were too big to fit in my shop. Last year I managed to buy a 4040 and a 720, both in need of work, The 4040 ended up being a parts tractor, the 720 & 60" deck I fixed and have used a few times now. I have about $1500 in it and other than having a bad seal and burning some oil it runs fine. I've used it enough to know this is the size of machine I need for the job to be done. Now I need to find a better one with a 3 pt and rear PTO sometime in the future. I think If I have to dump money into the engine I believe I will drop one of those Honda repower kits in it. For now I just mow and put more oil in it.......... Like Les says though, the Kubotas are not bad if you get them bought right. My dad has been using them extensively in all seasons for 10 years now and has no complaints.
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Hmm, dont know Sam, my Kubota does smoke sometimes but doesn't use any oil, seals are all good on it, didn't have to do any work on it except change oil & filter, it has a regular category I 3 pt hitch and a standard 540 PTO, Hmm, did have to pay an extra $250, uses a lot less fuel, it is orange, no parts tractor though, Dang it I still think that I got a better deal.
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If you're mostly interested in a bigger machine for mowing try this. I pull a Swisher 60" trail mower behind a 3416H or 916H with a 48" deck. With minimal overlap I cut about an 8.5' swath. Cut my mowing time in half for the 4.5 acre I mow. Looked at agri-fabs (formerly Haban) and swishers. Heard alot of negatives about both before buying. I chose the Swisher because the hitch was better and the deck "floats". Mine still uses oil after a year but have been pretty happy with this system. The Swisher was about $1400. Brent
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Les, No doubt you still got the better deal. In all honesty I would have been money and time ahead to just have parted the 720 out to begin with..........but I just had to know what it was like to run one and work it.....
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That was a "great deal" on the B6100 Kubota. Kubotas do not run cheap down here.However, it is most likely a mid 70's model, so overall aging effects should be comparable to a powermax. Unless you like using a finish mower (some don't), it will never compare to the finished cut of a powermax. Also, the belly mowers on Kubotas take about an hour of hard effort to remove and another hour to put back on. Plus, powermax's are hydrostatic. I've never seen a hydro B6100, plus the drive system is not nearly as smooth on a Kubota hydro. Kubota diesels are great, my bobcat has one with almost 4000 hours on it. Still runs like a charm. However, they require more maintenance than gasoline engines to ensure long lifespan. A poorly maintained diesel can wear out in less than a 1000 hours if not properly maintained. Carbs, plugs, and ignition are easily fixable compared to the fuel injection system of a diesel and much less expensive. Try starting a diesel when your starting system gets a little weak. Be very sure that you do not buy diesel fuel with any condensated water in it. That can cause big problems.
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According the the serial number, my Kubota is a 1978 or 1979 model, and yes I know that I was extremely lucky to get it that cheap, plus it is in top condition. I sold the belly mower off of it(which was a rusted out piece of crap anyway) and I was worried about going to the rear mower, esp. a cheap king kutter, but I have been really surprised how well the rear deck mows. With the diesels' tourque I can mow much faster than before and still get a good cut. I should have bought that JD 400 too, $2000 was a great deal on that also. could have made a grand by holding it over the winter. I would still love to have an AC 720. Altough with two Kubotas and two 900 AC's it would be kind of silly to build another shed for a 720. Plus have you ever bought Onan parts??? I know that 720/powermaxs' are great tractors, but to me the cost is just rediculous. $5000 for the tractor, $2000 for a short block, those aluminum flywheels are known to be weak, the decks tend to rust out. Onan parts run two to three times that of Briggs or Kohler, plus many parts are no longer available. The primary attribrute that attracted me to AC/Simplicities is the long term low cost of actively using the tractor and I just dont see that with a 720/powermax.
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I would buy a diesel anyday or a gas mower. You are spending more on repairs but if you take care of them they should last twice as long. MY oppion only,the 720 should have had a 2 cy. diesel in it. THEY would have been a power horse and lasted longer than the overpriced onan engine. MY brother in lawn has a grass hopper with the 3 cy kobota and it is a nice running engine and has cut his fuel in half. I helped mow last fall and we mowed 4 to 5 acres all day long on half a tank of fuel.ME DRIVING it all that time i was amazed at how much better it is over a gas engine.I have a diesel 6.5 turbo in my truck and have had it all most a yr and like it better anyday over a 350 gas , and they are a good gas motor. IT is all down to what you want to spend on a tractor,i would have loved to have a diesel in my agco918 if they would have put one in it like the big brother 920 which i would love to have but i hear they are expensive like the onans so what do we do on other hand other than put a nice honda engine in the 620 or 720. agco918 chad e shafer CHAD E SHAFER(AGCO918)
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You guys are not watching the Ebay ads to well. There was a Simplicity 4041 on there last week the buy it now price was only $1500 with a 60" deck rotor tiller and a front plow all hydraulic with front and rear P.T.O. and 3 point hitch. It was in Stratford NH. only 50 miles from me. I would have bought it if I had a place to put it and had the extra cash that wasn't planed for the wedding. The rotor tiller, mower deck and front plow was worth the selling price. I believe a club member from Conn bought it. This & $1.00 might get you a small Coffee Maynard aka/UCD
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This past spring, two different people named "Tim" (I sometimes didn't know which one I was talking to) were selling repower kits to convert the powermax's to Honda or Briggs. I asked (one of them) about making a repower kit for a diesel engine. The response was that there was not enough room in the engine compartment for the radiatior and that the front pto would be in the way. I think there has to be some way to make it work, but I build with wood not metal.
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Now all ya need is a Kubby with a SHUTTLE trans in it [your fav!] hey are you running them on biodiesel Les?Hows that work going?Seems more work needs to be done on this rather then kissing foriegners a**ES! ,,imo,,,oh thats right ,,I forgot theyhelped pay to elect current admin,,,Also imo,,
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Maynard, I did not see the 4041. I would have bid on it. May have been upstate, (no computer) at the time. I was also too late, for a 720 that was in the Classifieds for 3K, just have to keep looking. The guys have been making a pretty good case for the diesels, and I sure wouldn't mind finding a good deal on a Kubota......Art
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Art,Maynard: My brother Bob (Wisconman) bought that 4041 in NH a few weeks ago. I stumbled accross it due to some ansomnia at 0400 and he for once was dilegent about reading email that morning. He will be selling the 4040 I found for him in Maryland once it's all straightened out. Like you said Maynard, they are out there, ya just gotta look for em and have impeccable timing. Tom(PK)
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Hey, Do either of you have the link or maybe the eBay numbers for that 4041. I want to cry over some spilt milk. Really, I am just curious to see the listing. Thanks Dan
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  • 5 weeks later...
While refering the thread to Ed, figured an update was in order. Couldn't find a good Kubota at a reasonable price. Bid on one of Maynards Ebay posts, a 94 Simplicity 16 HP GTG, with a 50" deck. 193 Hours. Mows real nice. But, why is it orange? Thought all Simplicitys' were red.....Art BTW, hope, I didn't deny any other member on the Ebay bid.....Art
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Art, Sorry I missed your post. I agree with Sam that a powermax would work great for your needs. Sure you can spend $5k on a totally restored unit, but in most cases you can still get a good runing powermax tractor with a few attachments for $2500 to $3000. Sometimes you get lucky. Post an ad looking for a 620/720/4041/9020 in a local shopper and see what happens. Lots of people like cash for a something they've had sit'n around for a while. Paul

Paul Kjorlie, The Norwegian

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Thanks Paul, there was a really nice looking one that was advertised as being troublefree, about 150 miles from my home. Had a 60" deck and a rear scarifier, for 3K. I called a few days after the ad came out and it was already gone. They are like "gold" nobody wants to let them go. And if they do, its big $$$. BTW, I priced a new 4wd., Kubota B-2200, they wanted 12K for it with a 60" deck. "He who hesitates, is lost.......Art
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