60" Drive Over Mid Mount Mower or 60 Traditional Side Discharge Mower

[Skysurfer]

Hello,

I have had the traditional deck on my BX models and I am ready to buy another BX or B and a new 60" deck for mowing the lawn. I switch out blades, belts, grease fittings and maintain the deck by adjusting the deck wheels 90 degrees and rolling the deck out to work on it. Now as I shop I see this new set up with a "drive over" feature. No more humping the deck in and out and turning the roller wheels 90 degrees.
What is the verdict on the new "drive over" deck and configuration? Looks alright I think, I watched a long winded video on it and it seems fine. A few extra parts that look like they might make the entire system stronger. More intregal and stronger would be good for me as I use this thing like a brush hog at times. I have some rough terrain sometimes and rocks and small brush stumps. You can imagine I need a new deck, I have been band aiding this current 60" deck for years of welds, replacement wheels and you name it.
Thanks for any advice and input.

 

[someguy9000]

I don't have any practical experience with one. Ive been doing a bunch of reading/research as I'm shortly coming to the market for a MMM. Basically, what i am going with out of my research is that if you are healthy enough to slide out the mower, then the drive over really isn't worth it. The Kubota version seems to be a bit of a clugy design.

 

[JimmyJazz]

I have the 60" drive over MMM on my B2601. Its my first mower of this type and first Kubota. I have owned mine for almost 2 seasons here in Pennsylvania and have 70 hours on the tractor. Its not hard taking the deck on and off but I dread it. I have only had it off 2 or 3 times. I bought a thing called a "Deck Dolly" after someone here recommended it. There is a YouTube ditty presented by Tractor time with Tim that demonstrates its usage. It makes it much easier to maneuver the unwieldy deck. I cant say that the deck is robustly built. I have a scalp wheel that is bent and needs re welded. Happened the first week I owned it. It does cut well and I am satisfied. The B2601 is an impressive machine. I love mine and look forward to the weekly cutting of my 2 1/2 acre lot. Good luck.

 

[Daferris]

I had a MMM on my old B7510, The issue I had with it is I used the tractor for loader work more than I used it to mow with. The MMM just got in the way and constantly getting bashed into the ground when moving dirt.
I bought a zero turn and have never looked back.
Yes the Zero turn is more money but it's twice as fast to mow with. as well as easier on the lawn and drain field if you have a septic system.

 

[Bugzilla46310]

Got the regular 54” deck on the 2680. Thought about the drive on, but the dealer said they were not all that great and not much of an improvement. I have not tried to remove my deck yet and no experience with the drive on. This information and $0.75 may get you a cup of coffee somewhere!

 

[JimDeL]

My dealer talked me out of the drive-over deck, saying it wasn't a time saver, since it still required configuring the ramps and connecting the PTO. I opted for the 'standard' 54" deck, and saved about $500.

 

[RCW]

No experience with drive over myself.

It seems a couple/few folks here on OTT that are not big fans of the drive-over feature. Sounds similar to that a mentioned here.

 

[WhatnxtBX]

I opted for the 60” MMM on a BX 2680 with the “drive-over option” based on what I saw on videos. What they don’t tell you is that the scalp wheels need to be adjusted so the deck will sit on the ground. Taking it off is not that bad but putting it back on ; alignment to engage the lift linkage and then aligning to the PTO shaft all needs to be done. Even the Dealer had a hard time demonstrating this function when doing the delivery show-and-tell. IMO, save you money.

Also, with the drive-over option, the under bush guard is not an option as the deck linkage will not allow fitment.

 

[WhitleyStu]

I had a BX with regular deck and got used to sliding it out the side. When we upgraded to a B2601 with drive over deck I tried the drive over method and didn't like the tractor tires smashing the latches on the two outer spindle guards. Also, it was an extra step attaching the drive over ramps. I didn't like the way the deck would move on the smooth concrete floors when driving on and off it, too. Just as easy for me to slide the deck out the side as I was used to with the BX.
I guess we all have different ideas in what we find the easiest method in this case...

 

[Vigo]

So i feel like the odd guy out for even asking since so many people are sticking right to the main topic, but.. why even mid mount? Why not 3pt?

I know some people have maneuverability concerns but.. if you're buying a whole new tractor, you're way past zero turn money so the tractor must be intended to do something else anyway... loader? If you've got a loader and are leaving it on for mowing then in my mind you can afford to give up the 'rest' of the maneuverability of going from mid mount to 3pt mower, and in terms of maneuverability if that's really the big issue would you consider a 54" for that reason? Because if not, i would postulate it is not that big of a concern.

I have a 48" 3pt finish mower that is light enough that i can push it around on dirt to line up the 3pt links easy enough. I have a 60" MMM from an old cub lo boy that i am planning to build into a 3pt mower (48" is for sale, its a little small for me). I also have an old 54" Continental drive over 3pt (!!) mid mount mower deck i haven't tried yet, but SEEMS like it could be a nice drive over mid mount option because all the attaching you need to do is basically out in the open at the rear.

 

[someguy9000]

So i feel like the odd guy out for even asking since so many people are sticking right to the main topic, but.. why even mid mount? Why not 3pt?

I know some people have maneuverability concerns but.. if you're buying a whole new tractor, you're way past zero turn money so the tractor must be intended to do something else anyway... loader? If you've got a loader and are leaving it on for mowing then in my mind you can afford to give up the 'rest' of the maneuverability of going from mid mount to 3pt mower, and in terms of maneuverability if that's really the big issue would you consider a 54" for that reason? Because if not, i would postulate it is not that big of a concern.

I have a 48" 3pt finish mower that is light enough that i can push it around on dirt to line up the 3pt links easy enough. I have a 60" MMM from an old cub lo boy that i am planning to build into a 3pt mower (48" is for sale, its a little small for me). I also have an old 54" Continental drive over 3pt (!!) mid mount mower deck i haven't tried yet, but SEEMS like it could be a nice drive over mid mount option because all the attaching you need to do is basically out in the open at the rear.
View attachment 88779

For me, I want a leaf vacuum of some sort as a tow behind, and I'm on slope, therefore a MMM is the choice.

 

[xrocketengineer]

So i feel like the odd guy out for even asking since so many people are sticking right to the main topic, but.. why even mid mount? Why not 3pt?

I know some people have maneuverability concerns but.. if you're buying a whole new tractor, you're way past zero turn money so the tractor must be intended to do something else anyway... loader? If you've got a loader and are leaving it on for mowing then in my mind you can afford to give up the 'rest' of the maneuverability of going from mid mount to 3pt mower, and in terms of maneuverability if that's really the big issue would you consider a 54" for that reason? Because if not, i would postulate it is not that big of a concern.

I have a 48" 3pt finish mower that is light enough that i can push it around on dirt to line up the 3pt links easy enough. I have a 60" MMM from an old cub lo boy that i am planning to build into a 3pt mower (48" is for sale, its a little small for me). I also have an old 54" Continental drive over 3pt (!!) mid mount mower deck i haven't tried yet, but SEEMS like it could be a nice drive over mid mount option because all the attaching you need to do is basically out in the open at the rear.
View attachment 88779

Is that a "Rube Goldberg brand" mower? That thing is weird looking but I love it!

 

[Tire Biter]

I have been running a B2601 for the last four years with the drive over 60” deck and I love it. Mostly. I find myself using this tractor for a lot of things cuz it’s small and maneuverable so I take the deck off weekly. It’s easy and I can put in on or off in about three minutes. The “worst” part is laying under neath to attach the PTO shaft, but I just lay a piece of cardboard down and git under it.
sure beats dragging a deck out or pushing it under. And the tractor needs to be in 4wd so it’ll climb up the ramps and not push the deck. Three attach points. What could be easier?
I said mostly because the deck gaige wheels could be beefier, I’ve had to weld up some reinforcements. Cuts decent enough. I have 550 hours on this machine and about 450 hours on the deck and it still cuts and works like new.

 

[Vigo]

Is that a "Rube Goldberg brand" mower? That thing is weird looking but I love it!

I believe the brand is Continental Belton. In my mind 'its gonna be great' but i haven't run it yet so it's all theoretical right now.

For me, I want a leaf vacuum of some sort as a tow behind, and I'm on slope, therefore a MMM is the choice.

Makes perfect sense, knowing that.

 

[NoJacketRequired]

I have a B2410 with a 54" MMM and a B7510 with a 60" MMM and just bought another 54" deck for my other B7510. They are all "drive over" style.

Frankly, I don't drive over them. I put the tractor on concrete or asphalt, jack up the front end of the tractor and slide the mowing deck in sideways (no adjustment of any of the mowing deck wheels). This technique just works for me.

The biggest PITA is always hooking up the MMM PTO shaft. I can only get one hand in there and that hand has to simultaneously pull forward on the PTO shaft locking collar while pushing the PTO shaft reward onto the mid-PTO driveshaft. It's a great way to get greasy, and frustrated.

 

[xrocketengineer]

I believe the brand is Continental Belton. In my mind 'its gonna be great' but i haven't run it yet so it's all theoretical right now.


Makes perfect sense, knowing that.

Apparently, it is KTR-60 model and it works a lot better than I thought:

 

[ItBmine]

Been using my drive over deck on my B2620 since 2013. Love it and zero issues. I do my mowing then take it back off every week to do other work with tractor.
I read all the complaints others say about them and I've never experienced any of them.

And I drop and connect mine on the ground. Not a perfect level floor.

Even putting it back on, mine lines right up. What I do is drive up, attach the front arm on front of tractor, then I bump the forward travel pedal a bit, and then it is lined up perfect to pop the pins in the rear lift arms.
Hardest part is bending over to connect the PTO shaft.

I would never buy a mmm that is not a drive over.

 

[jnschnit]

I had aB8200 with a 3pth mower, Had to keep an eye out behind you when making turns, basically I didn't like it. In 2008 I bought a B2620 with the drive over mid mount mower, used that for 12 years. Upgraded that to a B2601 with the MMM drive over. Both my B2620 and B2601 have the front loader. I don't bother with the ramps. I disconnect the MMM then use the front loader to raise the front wheels off the ground then roll the bucket to put the wheels on the deck, then just drive it off. Putting it on is the reverse. My neighbor has a BX24 and my son has the BX1860 and I don't like putting those decks on or off.

 

[Vigo]

Apparently, it is KTR-60 model and it works a lot better than I thought:

Mine is a 54 but i know they made several versions.

itBmine’s comment about the pto shaft is one reason why i figure these might be less annoying.. all the connections you make are in the open at the rear, and the back of the mower (the 3pt end) is light enough to push around a bit if you need to.

Although i like jnschnit’s idea of just the bucket roll being enough to place the front tires up on the deck without having to ‘drive up it’. I dont own a ‘normal’ MMM but that seems like potentially a very handy tip!