Advice on GR2120?

tomjo

New member
Jun 16, 2016
12
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Anchorage, AK
Okay, I’m new to this, so please bear with me.

I need a mower that I don’t have to push up and down these hills. Oh yes, in addition to a lot of 20% grade, the ground is also little rough, but should smooth out under the weight of a lawn tractor over time. There are also lots and lots of “mowing impediments” around. My wife likes to put things out there every few feet and I like her so I mow around them. Have about 3 acres to mow. Some of it is a little brushy but getting tamed.

The mini-tractors don’t seem to have the turn radius to work around the all the mowing impediments and so I would wear out the turf and the transmission jockeying around. Zero turn machines don’t like all these hills.

Have been looking at the GR2120 online. It is remote here, so dealership visit not practical and few seem to carry the GR2120 anyway.

So, that leaves me asking questions of experts like you.

1. Can the GR2120 easily climb a 20% grade with or without the mower running? This and the all questions below assume good traction.

2. Can the GR2120 safely mow a 20% side slope if the ground is smooth? I guess the alternative is to mow up the hill and back down it.

3. To get back up to the house, after a long 20% grade there is 10’ of 30% grade. Without the mower down and running, will the GR2120 maintain top speed on the 20% portion and manage 10’ of 30% grade without stalling out? I guess the alternative is to get an ATV winch to bring it out that last 10’ or to bring in a dirt/gravel mix to fill in this dip and make it a 20% grade all the way from the bottom to the top of the hill.

4. I saw a complaint dated a few year’s back that said there was no way to easily move the GR2120 without engine power. In other words, it lacked the standard drive release found on most machines. Hopefully, this has be addressed in newer models, but the dealer didn’t know, so I’ asking you. I was told that if you couldn’t get the engine running for whatever reason, you had to put a winch on it and skid it across the ground and up the trailer ramps so you could take it to a dealer for repair. To move it a few feet inside my garage, the dealer suggested removing the mower and drive shaft. Surely, there is a better way.

5. Is there a machine out there that might be better for my needs than a GR2120?

Thanks.
 

OBKubota

New member

Equipment
2014Gr2120,Gr2728Snowblower,Gck5GrassCatcher,agri-FabSpreader
Oct 21, 2014
205
1
0
Ontario
I'm not too sure about the grades it will handle but mine is quite powerful and amazing traction, if you need to move it without engine power there is a button on the back that releases the transmission., and you can push it if need be.


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tomjo

New member
Jun 16, 2016
12
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0
Anchorage, AK
I'm not too sure about the grades it will handle but mine is quite powerful and amazing traction, if you need to move it without engine power there is a button on the back that releases the transmission., and you can push it if need be.


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OB, thanks for the input. I'll have the dealer look on the back of the transmission for it. Thanks again!
 

tomjo

New member
Jun 16, 2016
12
0
0
Anchorage, AK
My apologies folks. Unfortunately, my error wasn't simply a typo. I got it wrong.

When I asked questions about % percent grade capability of the GR2120, I really was asking about the angle of the slope. Big difference. Yes, I know that now. My 20 and 30 numbers should have been labeled as degrees, not percent.

So, my 20 DEGREE slope is actually about 37% grade. Way steeper than I lead you to believe. And my short 10' of 30 DEGREE slope is actually about 58% grade.

Now that I've corrected my error, any thoughts or experience you would be willing to share?

Thanks!
 

85Hokie

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BX-25D ,PTB. Under Armor, '90&'92-B7100HST's, '06 BX1850 FEL
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Bedford - VA
My apologies folks. Unfortunately, my error wasn't simply a typo. I got it wrong.

When I asked questions about % percent grade capability of the GR2120, I really was asking about the angle of the slope. Big difference. Yes, I know that now. My 20 and 30 numbers should have been labeled as degrees, not percent.

So, my 20 DEGREE slope is actually about 37% grade. Way steeper than I lead you to believe. And my short 10' of 30 DEGREE slope is actually about 58% grade.

Now that I've corrected my error, any thoughts or experience you would be willing to share?

Thanks!
I have a friend that uses his GR, and it climbs like a billy goat......I would NOT place it on its side slope however, up and down is the best way to go.....

as you know, it is ALL wheel drive, and something unique about the mower is its very tight turning radius, not quite a zero turn but damn close, the rear inside kicks out of gear so to speak and then the fronts turn at 70 degrees.....

I cut a 22.5 degree hill on my B7100 - I have 50 lbs up front and my butt leans a bit forward when cutting, but never a problem with it !:D

And as for an machine out there to cut grass faster - sure a zero turn, but I'll tell ya - a zero turn and a hill = bad news......even the new steering wheel ones......I am gonna take a zero on that!

You will like the GR.....good machines, great engine too.
 

OBKubota

New member

Equipment
2014Gr2120,Gr2728Snowblower,Gck5GrassCatcher,agri-FabSpreader
Oct 21, 2014
205
1
0
Ontario
I would like to see a GR tackle the same hill I bet it would be pretty comparable other than the fact of that has a front mounted mower so the cut because of the mid mount mower on the GR won't be as nice at the valley or at the crest.


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tomjo

New member
Jun 16, 2016
12
0
0
Anchorage, AK
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Yes, I believe my numbers are correct. Some of my "yard" is flat or nearly flat, but some is 15-20 degrees and that last 10' to get back up to the garage is 30 degrees. I used a free iphone app to measure these angles. I compared its results in my shop to known angles using a framing level and drafting triangles. This thing is spot on.

Here's the calculator site I use -- similar to yours:
http://www.1728.org/gradient.htm

The front mower with duals is probably overkill for my 3 acres. Yes, the video shows a 30 degree slope just like mine, except of course that mine is only 10' long and will only be traversed once each time I mow that area to get the mower backup up to the garage. As I mentioned, I will fill in that dip and make it a steady but long 20 degree slope the entire distance if need be.

Thanks!
 

tomjo

New member
Jun 16, 2016
12
0
0
Anchorage, AK
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Dealer still has not found the button. I'll send these pictures to him and see if it helps. He did call to say his regional tech rep told him there was no way to temporarily disconnect the drive on a GR2120 and that pushing it or winching it onto a trailer would damage it. Basically, it sounded to me that the rep was saying that if the engine ever dies, you must bury it onsite. Perhaps not that extreme but pretty close. This can't be true.

Thanks again for your help. We'll get his figured out.
 

kris77

Member
Jun 9, 2016
105
1
18
CA
Get a BX model. Dealer came out a few days ago and took an 1870 up, down, sideways, and all around my property. it easily climbed up anything I had to throw at it and some of the hills it climbed were hard to walk up...Impossible in sadals. I'll try and get a degree on it today or download and app and see if i can calculate it.

Convinced me to buy a BX2370.
 

OBKubota

New member

Equipment
2014Gr2120,Gr2728Snowblower,Gck5GrassCatcher,agri-FabSpreader
Oct 21, 2014
205
1
0
Ontario
Button

I find it hard to believe that the dealer or the rep does not know about this do they have any mechanics that work there what do they do in the situation Rent-A Crane. Mine is 2014 model btw.
 
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tomjo

New member
Jun 16, 2016
12
0
0
Anchorage, AK
Just got off the phone with a regional sales manager for the GR series. He called me back after consulting his tech counterpart. He said the current GR series does not have a way to temporarily disconnect the transmission to load on a trailer if the engine dies or even to simply move it out of your way in garage. The engine has to be running! Actually, he said to "back a trailer up to it and very, very slowly winch it up on the trailer" and then you can move it anywhere you like.

Kubota might want to fix this deficiency in the new models coming out in October.
 

tomjo

New member
Jun 16, 2016
12
0
0
Anchorage, AK
Button

I find it hard to believe that the dealer or the rep does not know about this do they have any mechanics that work there what do they do in the situation Rent-A Crane. Mine is 2014 model btw.
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Thanks! I'm going to try to sent your pic to this regional sales manager. Seems like this should be added to the User Manual.

Thanks again.
 

tomjo

New member
Jun 16, 2016
12
0
0
Anchorage, AK
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Thanks! I'm going to try to sent your pic to this regional sales manager. Seems like this should be added to the User Manual.

Thanks again.
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OB,

Heard back from the Kubota regional sales manager. He said:

"Yes. That will work, if you can push that in and hold it in. But you still have to push or pull very slowly. That is a charge oil / bypass release."

Looks like we could simply wedge a stick in there to "push and hold it" while we move the mower around, or is it easy to reach and hold while you push?

As this is also a "charge oil" port, does it leak or spurt out oil when you push it? Just wondering about oil dripping on my garage floor.

Thanks for all your help!
 

OBKubota

New member

Equipment
2014Gr2120,Gr2728Snowblower,Gck5GrassCatcher,agri-FabSpreader
Oct 21, 2014
205
1
0
Ontario
I only used it once to try it , fortunately I haven't had a breakdown but I did not have anything leaking from it. You don't have to hold the button you push the button and then start pushing the vehicle and the button stays engaged as long as it s moving if you stop then you have to push the button again. But like I said I only used it to see if it works and pushed it a few feet.


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atechbh

Member

Equipment
L3940. GR2120
Jun 7, 2014
53
0
6
Mallorytown Ontario Canada
You won't ever have to push that button the gr2120 always starts. I had one for 4 years - a 2012 model and now have a bx2370 with mower and loader. With your slopes if you don't need a loader stick with the GR 2120 , just awesome on the hills.
 

tomjo

New member
Jun 16, 2016
12
0
0
Anchorage, AK
The regional Kubota folks have found this button, but the dealer is still looking. I plan to ask him to keep looking until he finds it. I may have to ask him to contact the regional Kubota tech. This button doesn’t seem to be very well documented by Kubota.

As to its use, I very much appreciate having one for the unlikely event of an engine failure. But, that seems unlikely and I certainly don’t plan on running it out of diesel fuel.

Its primary use will be to allow me to move it around in my shop. In the off season, I often need to move equipment around and out of my way to work on evolving projects. I hate to run a gas engine indoors, even for a minute or two, when I’m working in there. Diesel odor is even worse. I won’t start a diesel in there without opening the overhead garage doors and that isn’t always practical in the winter. So, a release button is important to me. Thank you for your help in finding it.

Thanks again.
 

OrangeLivin

New member
Sep 9, 2015
75
2
0
Eastern
Is this a common occurrence in this class of garden tractor? If it won't start or you just want to move it a couple feet in the garage you either "can't" or if you do, do it "very very slowly" while holding a bypass button? On a what, $9000 garden tractor? Do the other colors have this same limitation?

"Stuff happens" and there may surely be times that you're stranded on that thing far away from the garage. Instead of just calling a neighbor over to help you push it back, what're you gonna have to call in a helicopter to lift it back into your driveway?

I'm obviously a huge Kubota fan, and was even looking at the GR class before getting my BX, but this seems just REALLY silly to me. Unless I'm just totally ignorant about this class of tractor and ALL brands suffer from the same limitations.