Pulled the trigger on a new Kommander

[Ragnar4841]

Rusty boy, like you I dwelled on the Gravely HD vs. Kubota Kommander--probably way longer than I should have. I entered into shopping intent on getting the Gravely (I was replacing an old Gravely rider), but became very impressed with the Kubota.

For me there were a few deciding factors:
1) Ergonomics--the Kubota just felt better/more comfortable with controls, drink holders, storage, etc. I also thought the seat was a little more comfortable. Having had it for most of one season, I am still happy with this aspect.
2) Price--Kubota was $500 cheaper than the Gravely for a very comparable mower.
3) Size--my shed (and one of my gates) is just wide enough to take the 48" deck with the chute flipped up. On the Gravely, there is a pin holding the chute in place, meaning I would have to get off the mower and remove the chute every time. On the Kubota, I have a bungee attached to the chute so I can easily flip it up, even when mowing around trees, obstacles, etc.
4) Dealer location--the Kubota dealer is a good bit closer.

Yes, I also would've preferred the Kawasaki on the Gravely (it's still the residential version though). Had the Kubota had a Kawasaki on it, it would've been a home run for me. That said, mine has the B&S engine which has given me no problems whatsoever, but I am following the service instructions to a tee. I'll switch to full synthetic oil once I hit 50 hours with hit (per the manual). The B&S was the big concern for me--but I decided to roll the dice and see. For my yard & projected hours, I think it will last a long time.

Had I gone with the Gravely, I suspect I would've been equally happy with the purchase. You've got two great options and I don't think you'll go wrong with either.

 

[fishbone]

Now that you've owned it for 9 months, how do you like it?

Last fall seems so long ago, that remembering what mowing was like is a strain.
I like the mower.
It does have some short comings over the old Toro garden tractor .
The most serious is my front yard bank with 15* banking.
Part of it has ground cover up to the top edge. That requires traversing the bank.
In mowing like this, the rig is right on the hairy edge of sliding sideways down the bank.
If there is a hint of moisture in the grass, the whole deal slides sideways, front and rear..
If dry, the front wants to washout and head down the bank.
I have bare spots from the rear wheels grinding in to hold the traverse position because the front dolly wheels have NO holding power. Gravity has them wanting to streak down hill.
I think there will be some landscape changes followed by mowing straight up/down the bank.
The wretched roll bar is gone. That was a major hazard.
It is easy to chew up the grass if you get too aggressive changing directions.
The safety interlocks are a pain in the ***, but after a while seem a little more normal; just takes getting to know them all.
The mulch works well if the grass is not too high. Otherwise it will clump. It chews the snot out of fall leaves.
It is loud. Ear muffs are a must.
I pull a yard trailer easily and backing it up is a breeze.
The mower deck height adjustment works well and is accurate all the way around. Way better than the tractor deck.
Mowing around bushes (tight) can be tricky where the throttle gets pulled back to idle. It sticks out too far.
Mowing is much less work and actually somewhat fun.
Being able to turn sharply in the shed to store, or shuffle things around, is a big plus.
I've had no problems at all with the mechanics of the unit.
The engine seems over-sized and screaming it's guts out, but I suppose that's how it is designed to run.
That's all I can think of right now.

 

[RustyBoy]

Last fall seems so long ago, that remembering what mowing was like is a strain.
I like the mower.
It does have some short comings over the old Toro garden tractor .
The most serious is my front yard bank with 15* banking.
Part of it has ground cover up to the top edge. That requires traversing the bank.
In mowing like this, the rig is right on the hairy edge of sliding sideways down the bank.
If there is a hint of moisture in the grass, the whole deal slides sideways, front and rear..
If dry, the front wants to washout and head down the bank.
I have bare spots from the rear wheels grinding in to hold the traverse position because the front dolly wheels have NO holding power. Gravity has them wanting to streak down hill.
I think there will be some landscape changes followed by mowing straight up/down the bank.
The wretched roll bar is gone. That was a major hazard.
It is easy to chew up the grass if you get too aggressive changing directions.
The safety interlocks are a pain in the ***, but after a while seem a little more normal; just takes getting to know them all.
The mulch works well if the grass is not too high. Otherwise it will clump. It chews the snot out of fall leaves.
It is loud. Ear muffs are a must.
I pull a yard trailer easily and backing it up is a breeze.
The mower deck height adjustment works well and is accurate all the way around. Way better than the tractor deck.
Mowing around bushes (tight) can be tricky where the throttle gets pulled back to idle. It sticks out too far.
Mowing is much less work and actually somewhat fun.
Being able to turn sharply in the shed to store, or shuffle things around, is a big plus.
I've had no problems at all with the mechanics of the unit.
The engine seems over-sized and screaming it's guts out, but I suppose that's how it is designed to run.
That's all I can think of right now.

Fishbone,
I see you have the 'S' model that has the suspension seat. Do you recollect any difference in the comfort with your model and the model that does not have the suspension seat or didn't you compare? I ask as I have a bad back and wonder what difference the suspension seat would make. Thanks,

 

[fishbone]

Fishbone,
I see you have the 'S' model that has the suspension seat. Do you recollect any difference in the comfort with your model and the model that does not have the suspension seat or didn't you compare? I ask as I have a bad back and wonder what difference the suspension seat would make. Thanks,

My topsoil is 60% potato rocks (live on top of a ridge-line). The winter freeze tends to push them to the surface. The result is a bumpy ride.
I'm not sure what the ride would be like without a suspension seat, but it sure feels like the seat I have is absorbing many knocks and bumps. If doing over, I would again get the S seat.

 

[RustyBoy]

My topsoil is 60% potato rocks (live on top of a ridge-line). The winter freeze tends to push them to the surface. The result is a bumpy ride.
I'm not sure what the ride would be like without a suspension seat, but it sure feels like the seat I have is absorbing many knocks and bumps. If doing over, I would again get the S seat.

Fishbone,
The Kubota dealer will be getting the S models on the floor tomorrow so I'll be checking the seat out. The brochure states it has a full suspension seat which is what I need. Question: Gravely is having a special promotion on their commercial units and I'm also looking at the model just above the HD, the entry level Pro-Turn, that also has an integrated suspension seat. But what I noticed with the 48" Pro-Turn is that the front caster wheels are maybe a foot forward of the deck. Looks a little strange as compared to the Kommander's wheels that are much closer to the deck. I called the Gravely dealer and he said that possibly Gravely is using the same frame on all their Pro-Turn decks; this is probably true as the length of all their Pro-Turns are the same at 78.5". My question is this: Do you see any maneuverability advantages or disadvantages for having the caster wheels a foot forward of the deck?

 

[fishbone]

My question is this: Do you see any maneuverability advantages or disadvantages for having the caster wheels a foot forward of the deck?[/QUOTE]

I can think of a reason why casters out a foot would help anything.
Conversely, being closer to the deck would help keep the deck closer to the desired mow height when crossing a shallow ravine. And mowing over a hump could cause scalping with extended casters.

 

[RustyBoy]

My question is this: Do you see any maneuverability advantages or disadvantages for having the caster wheels a foot forward of the deck?

I can think of a reason why casters out a foot would help anything.
Conversely, being closer to the deck would help keep the deck closer to the desired mow height when crossing a shallow ravine. And mowing over a hump could cause scalping with extended casters.[/QUOTE]

What you're saying makes sense. Our yard is quite flat, but do you think that scalping could still be an issue since the mower has a floating deck and anti scalp wheels? I just don't know what to think about that mower and I need to make a decision. I think I posted a picture shown by jonesandjones from this forum to give you a better idea of what I'm talking about - hoping it shows up. Thanks,

 

[kwak]

I dont know if this is what you are talking about but in that picture the front wheels are turned around like that mower has been going in reverse. As soon as the mower goes forward again the wheels will spin around and look more like all the other mowers.

 

[RustyBoy]

I dont know if this is what you are talking about but in that picture the front wheels are turned around like that mower has been going in reverse. As soon as the mower goes forward again the wheels will spin around and look more like all the other mowers.

Yes, you are correct and turning the wheels will definitely bring them closer to the deck. But I'm not certain that the wheels facing forward will still be a normal distance to the deck since the same frame also accommodates a 60" deck. I can go to the dealer but he's a distance away. Maybe someone has a picture of a 48" Pro-Turn with the caster wheels facing forward. If not, I'll get to the dealer and see for myself. Thanks,