Possible ZD331 or ZD323 Purchase

[ptrickey]

I am looking at a used ZD331 with a 60" mower deck at a local Kubota dealership. It has 570 hours and I started it yesterday at the dealership and noticed it will need a new battery (still will start). They are asking $9500 (which to me is too high) but this is some of my observations.

• The engine sounded a little rough until the RPMs were up some
• The hand levers (probably not the correct name) were stiff to pull in; afterwards their operation was good
• ZD mowers have a valve that changes from one fuel tank to the other. On this mower the lever was removed and it appears the previous owner did some "rigging" to allow fuel to be pulled from either fuel tank.

These are my initial observations and it appears Kubota brand filters were used for the hydraulic, fuel and oil filters Are there other things I can check to see about the engine and the hydraulic areas of the mower? The mower deck did not appear to be rusted or in bad shape. With the blades on there was not any obvious noise from the bearings. While I am familiar with the "older" Kubota ZD series of zero turns, a closer inspection to determine how it was cared for is always warranted. One thing in mind is if the previous owner removed the fuel tank lever switch what else has been modified or changed? Any easy way to verify the hour meter is working properly besides leaving it running for awhile and see if it changes?

What would you look for and any general price thoughts?

The dealership also has a used ZD323 with 550 hours and is a little cheaper. Does the extra 8 horsepower make a significant difference in the operation of the mower? I am mowing for personal use only approximately 4 acres each week.

Sorry for all of the questions but I have followed this forum for many years and learned a lot! Thank you for your help.

 

[PaulL]

I would have thought the extra HP is largely about mowing heavy or thick grass. If your'e mowing regularly, your grass isn't incredibly thick, and you're not mowing wet, you shouldn't need it. But more HP is always good....

 

[ptrickey]

I would have thought the extra HP is largely about mowing heavy or thick grass. If your'e mowing regularly, your grass isn't incredibly thick, and you're not mowing wet, you shouldn't need it. But more HP is always good....

That makes sense about the extra horsepower for thicker grass. Any thoughts on what all to look through on a used Zero Turn and any pricing thoughts? I looked at Tractorhouse.com but the prices are all over the place. Thanks again for your reply.

 

[D2Cat]

You ask about thoughts on used zero turns. We've had zero turns for several years and my experience is with Grasshopper mowers. We currently have a front-mount model, has a Power Fold deck which lifts/tilts to about 70 deg for easy cleaning and blade sharpening. Has a Grammer seat and Kubota 29 HP gas engine. The front-mount allows for easy mowing under trees.

We traded in an identical mower this Spring and the dealer offered us $6k for trade in with 850 Hrs. We sold it for 9K. These are industrial mowers. When sold new they come with a 4 year warranty for home owners, commercial use gets 3 yr.

Might be something to look at.

 

[ptrickey]

You ask about thoughts on used zero turns. We've had zero turns for several years and my experience is with Grasshopper mowers. We currently have a front-mount model, has a Power Fold deck which lifts/tilts to about 70 deg for easy cleaning and blade sharpening. Has a Grammer seat and Kubota 29 HP gas engine. The front-mount allows for easy mowing under trees.

We traded in an identical mower this Spring and the dealer offered us $6k for trade in with 850 Hrs. We sold it for 9K. These are industrial mowers. When sold new they come with a 4 year warranty for home owners, commercial use gets 3 yr.

Might be something to look at.

Very good idea, Thanks

 

[mikester]

Avoid the ZD323 and get a later model ZD326 - 2010 or newer

 

[JasonW]

I bought a ZD331 60” deck a few years ago. Had a little over 1k hours on it when I bought it.

It does shake quite a bit at idle. So that might be your “running rough” description.

The control levers can be lubed.

I removed the fuel valve on mine and tied the tanks together.

Id be more concerned about the condition of the deck than the engine and transmission. And really the overall condition.

I also added a Tiny Tach to monitor RPM’s. Full throttle is almost 3100 no load and I mow around 2650-2800. Just depending how far I want the clippings thrown.