I posted this over on MTF and thought the folks who don't read both would appreciate it over here, hopefully. We traded our 2320 CUT for our X728 as we felt the 2320 underused and wanted something that performed its primary purpose, mowing, better. We have been underwhelmed by the X728 starting with the EFI throttle body assembly failing at 6 hours. That was followed by a faulty governor, and a jammed hyd. lift due to some missing bolts in the linkages. we have also been unhappy with its mowing ability in that it seems it has barely enough power to run the 62" deck. We have been considering a trade. So the dealer wanted us to compare the diesel and also the 7Iron deck. So, the X748 arrived all shiny and new with a great looking green deck and a bounce of comfort in its seat (more on that later). On Sunday, after church and a stop with the boys at a Kubota dealer, it was time to mow. I lined them both up for some glamour shots (can you notice a difference between the two?...again, more on that later).
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I mowed a bit with each and took some video. I mowed the grass in the back yard and a pass with each of the tall grass in the back field that we try to cut once or twice a year. I took short videos of each. Please excuse the rough ride of the back yard and it really seems like I am flying, but it is about normal speed for us, which is forward pedal half depressed. Now let me clear the air. I know full well about the "1/3 rule", but we don't play by the rules here! Our back yard was pasture for 75 years before we bought the place, so the grass grows very well. We mow it to look nice and hold the appearance of a fresh mow for a couple of days. We also like to smack some golf balls around back there, so we like it to not be too long, but we don't like a scalped yard either. The height of the grass was long because I have to cut it that way to not have a mess of dead grass clippings with the X728. We like to mow it at "2.5" so that is what I did (but we have been having to cut it at at least "3.0" if not higher). However to get the same cut height, I had to dial in "2.75" on the 7Iron. I definitely noticed a difference, as did my wife, between the two machines. Unfortunately I don't think the differences in the engines is all that audible in the videos, see what you think. The X728 did its normal lugging through the grass. Now the X748 wasn't perfect either. But it was hard to tell if it was the engine under load or the 7Iron processing the grass. The 7Iron dispersed the clippings evenly, with no clumping and left a very smooth cut. I have also included a pic of what the X728 left behind. Notice the pic of the tall field grass, the 7Iron cut it smooth and clean, the 62" deck was very uneven and left some uncut, I know this would be extreme mowing. Now the grass in our back yard was cut exactly one week ago from when I mowed (Sunday to Sunday) and as you can see, and I have explained, it was long. With the 7Iron, I think that being able to cut it each week at our desired height, would leave a very nice looking back yard, now if I could just smooth out those bumps!
Before Mowing:
After Mowing:
What the X728 with 62"deck left behind:
What the X748 with 60" 7Iron deck left behind:
The tall grass results. The X748 and 7Iron is on the left and the X728 and 62 is on the right:
And the videos:
First the X728 mowing the yard:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LijQDTKtN5A
Second the X748 mowing the yard:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRAt_CIlCWA
Third the X728 mowing the tall grass:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMW1noHaJa4
And Fourth the X748 mowing the tall grass:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9XxzQLhJsQ
Some observations we made about the X748 and 7Iron:
1. Very smooth engine with hardly any "diesel vibration" at start up or shut down. Engaging the 7Iron is almost unnoticeable. The diesel runs smooth through all ranges of the throttle, never missed a beat.
2. The X748 with the 7Iron engaged at WOT is definitely louder than the X728 with the 62" deck at WOT.
3. The X748 collected dead grass/thatch on the intake screens at an unbelievable rate! You can really feel the air moving through there. Is the X728 supposed to be like that? Because mine is not.
4. Virtually no hydro whine at any range in the throttle.
5. 7Iron deck is of course built like a tank. It has very solid tractor to deck connection points.
6. My wife likes to mow at ludicrous speed sometimes (not half pedal down!), and the X748 seemed to be able to do that (at least by my definition).
Also I thought I would let you see what my 62" deck looks like after the day's mowing. I really like the fenders, especially in the wet and snow, but the deck still collects grass, but its nothing a whisk broom and some compressed air can't handle!
This a great feature on the 7Iron and helps clean up with compressed air tremendously!
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I couldn't believe how much spring the X748's seat had and neither could my wife! Much more so than the X728. Upon further examination, the X728 has a problem. I had noticed the "pan" under the seat had some corrosion on it, but never worried too much about it. But with the two side by side, the entire suspension on the X728 is corroded together, "stuck" if you will. We are now thinking that the X728's seat has never been right as we don't ever remember that much spring. It has never spent a night outside. It does work in the winter, but? I tried to free it by hand, but I think I would need a crow bar.I mentioned this to the salesman, and he said he had never seen it, even on the used stuff they have, figures we would be the first. But warranty would cover a fix. However it does go to show you the comfort of the machine and seat. We came from a 2320, and after all the issues we have had with the X728, we still think the seat is one of the best things about the X. And little did we know ours is defective!
This is how it is supposed to be:
This is how ours looks:
We will probably trade and at this point it is between an X748SE and a 1026R. Time will tell. I hope you have enjoyed this adventure....now discuss! :bye:
