Cooling Vest for Heat Stress

[fields_mj]

Anyway, I don't know if JD zero-turns have problems like this, but Kubota people say Kubota is great about supporting old machines, so maybe it's a good idea to look at their stuff. I have never had a problem finding Kubota parts for a 2003 machine, and some of the parts are cheaper than John Deere by an insane margin.

Also, my Kubota has never broken down or given me one serious problem. The steering cylinder needed repacking, but that's normal. The JD is sick all...the...time. Alternator. Injector pump leak. Hydraulic cylinder failure. Belt broke, which is a near-disaster with this design. PTO switch failed. Broken muffler.

You can't tell a customer a product is a lifetime purchase and then quit supporting it. This tractor was a good 20-year-machine, but that's about it, even for a homeowner. If you want to go longer, you will have to find creative solutions and spend money.

I'm thinking of getting a gas Scag. I like diesel, but I don't like spending $20,000 for a lawnmower. By the time a good gas mower has serious problems, I'll be past mowing age.

My local Kubota dealer had no problems finding parts for my F2880, but it's not really all that old IMHO. The rear end had a couple of bearings that were bad. I tore it down as far as I dared, but there was one more bearing that needed replaced and it was 2 more assemblies deep, and it looked like putting it back together was going to involve setting the gear mesh which is not something I have enough experience to trust myself with using the tools I have. I took the sub assembly (and some the other parts) to them, and they replaced that bearing and reassembled most of it for me. The other side was in better shape, so I was able to install those myself.

I think the older Kubota stuff was pretty good. Some friends of mine bought a new BX25D around 2012 and had nothing but problems with it. With today's emissions requirements, I wouldn't trust anything with a diesel engine these days. I used to hear REALLY good things about scag, but I haven't heard or seen much about them for several years now. Unfortunately, I'm not quite old enough to make it with another gas machine, especially since I tend to buy used machines. If I can find a pre-emissions diesel with reasonable hours on it, it would likely last me long enough though.

 

[Paul Bunions]

I took a look at Scags today, and they looked pretty good. I saw a Kubota, too. The deck on the Kubota seemed a lot tougher, but the lady who showed it to me did not seem to know much, and the Kubota cost $2000 more.

The Kubota has a Kawasaki 850V engine with around 20% less power. The Scag has a 32-horse Briggs. I am reading to find out which lasts longer.

 

[fields_mj]

I took a look at Scags today, and they looked pretty good. I saw a Kubota, too. The deck on the Kubota seemed a lot tougher, but the lady who showed it to me did not seem to know much, and the Kubota cost $2000 more.

The Kubota has a Kawasaki 850V engine with around 20% less power. The Scag has a 32-horse Briggs. I am reading to find out which lasts longer.

I've not been a fan of Briggs engines for a long time. My dixie chopper had a 25hp briggs that locked up on me. My friend indicated they had a lot of issues with blow head gaskets back then. I replaced it with a 27 hp Kawasaki, and it ran much better. The machine had a 60" deck, and I could mow with it at full speed through some rather thick and tall grass. Another friend of mine has been running the Dixie machines since the early 90's. He's on an 80 acre farm that has been mostly converted into several firing ranges. Sometimes they get behind and the grass gets to be a foot tall or more, and he doesn't seem to have any problems mowing it. Not sure how big of a deck you need or how much ground you are mowing, but for a mower, I can't imagine needing more power than you would get from a 27hp kawasaki.

When I was using the F2100 many years ago, I ran into an extended manhole cover at full speed. Those machines had a throttle lock on them. It brought the machine to a dead stop and almost threw me off the machine. It cracked the manhole cover all the way around. It didn't even dent the deck, just scratched the paint a little. Not sure what deck you were actually looking at, but the one on my F2880, and my friends BX250D were absolute tanks.

 

[lone wolf]

I took a look at Scags today, and they looked pretty good. I saw a Kubota, too. The deck on the Kubota seemed a lot tougher, but the lady who showed it to me did not seem to know much, and the Kubota cost $2000 more.

The Kubota has a Kawasaki 850V engine with around 20% less power. The Scag has a 32-horse Briggs. I am reading to find out which lasts longer.

That's a Vanguard motor, right?

 

[lone wolf]

https://mcmichaelsequipment.com/how-to-choose-the-best-scag-commercial-mower/

 

[sean donato]

The new Briggs engines are just fine. We had several on our ferris mowers, I'd argue with anyone it was the best part of the zero turn. put 2-3k hours on them before trading them in. The engines never gave much trouble. The suspension and hydros were a different story. Switched to exmark mowers with the 37hp kohler engine. Good running engine, good power, gas and oil hog.(yes, they burned quite a bit of oil from new, and it was an "acceptable amount" as per kohler.) The zero turn was a much better (robust) machine then the ferris. Scagg came in as a close second, the kawasaki engine and 72" deck couldn't hang with the exmark.

 

[Paul Bunions]

It's a Vanguard motor. I read they used to be Japanese, but they make them in the US now.

The Kubota is $1000 more, apples-to-apples with a mulch kit. I was wrong about the $2000. It looks sturdier than the Scag, but their weights are nearly identical. The Kubota has a better warranty. On the other hand, the dealer took forever to repair my tractor, and they added in some surprising charges for "shop supplies."

To me, this is like the tipping option at Burger King, except it's mandatory. I just spent $2400 getting my Ford fixed, and there were no added charges for shop towels, WD40, the sheets of paper they protect the carpet with, moustache wax, Taylor Swift tickets, organic therapy dog food, or anything else I did not expect. A tractor dealer can do things the same way. If you've decided to jack up your prices, just admit it up front. It's like the airlines. I know your $500 fair is really $750 if I want to bring luggage and sit next to my wife instead of some random stranger with B.O. Just put it in the price instead of telling me later as though you're selling me something new and special.

The tractor came back with new scratches and some complimentary rocks and sand. They are very nice people, but I'm not sure they're on top of things. The Scag dealer fixed a chainsaw for me. They were only moderately slow, but they did sharpen the chain, which I asked them not to do. This made it unsuited for file sharpening, so I replaced it.

I guess the Scag is a better option. It should be three times the mower I will ever need, it's cheaper, and I have more confidence in the dealer.

 

[sean donato]

Charging for shop supplies is pretty much normal, none of that stuff is free, prices have gone through the roof (like everything else.) And for whatever reason it's seldomly figured into the hourly rate. When equipment is all gunked up its pretty easy to burn threw a couple can of brake clean. $8.00 ish each. Adds up quick. Next time ask them to track the shop supplies and itemize it in the bill.

 

[Paul Bunions]

I never saw a shop-supply charge in my life until 2022, and I have had all sorts of repairs done. If everyone was doing it in 2000, I must have used a lot of very unusual tradesmen.

A quote is a quote. It's a binding contract unless the customer knows you're planning to bill for Gojo and brake pad grease. The possibility of extra charges should be presented up front.

 

[BrentStir]

It was many moons ago, but we were clearing trees for a rich lunatic, and it was ******* hot, and as the day goes on there is less and less shade 'cause we cut it all down. I was bucking up a spruce and suddenly realized that I didn't know where I was. I knew what I was doing, but I had no idea where I was doing it.

...annnnnnd I went and sat in the shade.

I am retired now but any temperature above 103 F refused to go out, took too long to recover. The people that complained the most were the ones that refused to step outside.
Lots of water, work in the shade as much as possible, especially over 90 F, and work slower. I worked around Toronto, Ontario. We always had high humidity. Toronto didn’t have dry heat.

 

[sean donato]

I never saw a shop-supply charge in my life until 2022, and I have had all sorts of repairs done. If everyone was doing it in 2000, I must have used a lot of very unusual tradesmen.

A quote is a quote. It's a binding contract unless the customer knows you're planning to bill for Gojo and brake pad grease. The possibility of extra charges should be presented up front.

A quote isn't always a legally binding contract, and very seldom it would be for repairs. Read the fine print, it's there for a reason. Repairs, issues/complications completing the repairs, price changes, lead time etc are usually defined in the fine print.
Working on vehicles and equipment, especially old or in poor repair it's pretty easy to throw the quote out the window. Usually a call to the customer is in order to inform them depending on work being done and expectations. It was quite normal for an out of frame overhaul to find issues not expected in the fuel system and turbo on heavy duty diesels. Not unusual to find worn input shafts or clutches 3/4 shot. Even less unusual to have issues removing to getting to certain areas of equipment for savings something specific. Broken rusted fasteners, customer installed equipment in the way etc. Just called a quote for a reason.

 

[lone wolf]

It's a Vanguard motor. I read they used to be Japanese, but they make them in the US now.

The Kubota is $1000 more, apples-to-apples with a mulch kit. I was wrong about the $2000. It looks sturdier than the Scag, but their weights are nearly identical. The Kubota has a better warranty. On the other hand, the dealer took forever to repair my tractor, and they added in some surprising charges for "shop supplies."

To me, this is like the tipping option at Burger King, except it's mandatory. I just spent $2400 getting my Ford fixed, and there were no added charges for shop towels, WD40, the sheets of paper they protect the carpet with, moustache wax, Taylor Swift tickets, organic therapy dog food, or anything else I did not expect. A tractor dealer can do things the same way. If you've decided to jack up your prices, just admit it up front. It's like the airlines. I know your $500 fair is really $750 if I want to bring luggage and sit next to my wife instead of some random stranger with B.O. Just put it in the price instead of telling me later as though you're selling me something new and special.

The tractor came back with new scratches and some complimentary rocks and sand. They are very nice people, but I'm not sure they're on top of things. The Scag dealer fixed a chainsaw for me. They were only moderately slow, but they did sharpen the chain, which I asked them not to do. This made it unsuited for file sharpening, so I replaced it.

I guess the Scag is a better option. It should be three times the mower I will ever need, it's cheaper, and I have more confidence in the dealer.

I love the scags!

 

[Mad Professor]

Surprised I didn't see this thread earlier. Some very good advice given.
About 6 years ago I had a heat stroke. Short version of the story, ended up passing out and waking up in a tub filled with ice at the er. Have no recollection of how I got to the hospital, or much of anything after my cousin left when we finished the roof. Did some damage to my kidneys too.
Took weeks till I had any stamina, and about 3 years till I could work out in the heat for any amount of time. Been very cautious since.
Once you've had a heat stroke or severe heat exhaustion your chances of having it happen again go up substantially. From back and forth with the Dr after it happened, we (he) determined it wasn't the amount of water I was drinking(i had drank what i thought was plenty of water), but the lack of replenishment of electrolytes. Sports drinks make me sick, well anything with any amount of sugar. So never really drank much Gatorade type drinks. 100% guaranteed to puke after drinking one on a hot day. He said sugar helps with electrolyte adsorption, but too much can make you feel sick. Gave me a list of water additives/ powders. Only thing on his list that didn't make me feel sick and didn't taste horrible was this skratch powder stuff. Not sure what's all in it, very mild flavor and just a small amount sugar to take the bitterness out of it. Supposed to be all natural, non gmo and whatever. Kind of expensive, but it works.
Anymore these days, if I know I'm gonna be in the heat all day. I'll freeze a bunch of water bottles about 3/4 of the way with water, then top them off before I go out. Just take a little container of the powder with me. About every other bottle of water gets half a scoop of the powder. I keep one of those "cooling" towels around too, but haven't found it helps too terribly much before it's covered in dirt, grease, chips etc.

There is a very high sodium content in it, too. If you're on a low sodium diet be careful with it.

The mixture I posted way back in the thread is basically rehydration fluid as recommended by doctors. It has correct ratio of electrolytes Na/K. Baking soda for pH and a sugar helps your stomach to absorb water faster. I used Tang as a sugar source as it adds phosphorus and Vit C along with some tolerable taste. Costs pennies to make a gallon. I use spring water if I have it.

I don't have issues with sodium intake.

I often alternate the mix with ice water. Make sure you are pissing often and it's clear and not yellow/orange.

 

[diver64]

The mixture I posted way back in the thread is basically rehydration fluid as recommended by doctors. It has correct ratio of electrolytes Na/K. Baking soda for pH and a sugar helps your stomach to absorb water faster. I used Tang as a sugar source as it adds phosphorus and Vit C along with some tolerable taste. Costs pennies to make a gallon. I use spring water if I have it.

I don't have issues with sodium intake.

I often alternate the mix with ice water. Make sure you are pissing often and it's clear and not yellow/orange.

No criticism towards you. I was just pointing out a few things for others.

 

[ZinTrees]

so I just crossed the line majorly for the 2nd time ever and worked in the heat a little too much

90, feels like 104 and zero shade, out trying to get measurements for the bed on my new truck and had to shuffle a chipper, dump trailer and 3 trucks around to connect my chipper and dump trailer to the new truck to make sure it'll be able to turn once I shorten the bed

sweating my ass off, hardest manual labor was cranking the jack on my trailer, nothing horrible, right? was only out there for an hour and a half

came inside, drank 3 glasses of water and started to relax and I feel a headache coming on pretty quick just like when I got heatstroke a few years back, got up to go get more (cool) water and some saltines (no pretzels in the house right now) and realized im having a hard time walking or standing up, legs are shakin, currently sitting at my desk pouring sweat and sipping some cold water



so, even if you aren't working super hard, STOP AND TAKE BREAKS, don't do like I have a habbit of and push through


we still have atleast 10 degrees to go before its really averaging hot days

 

[Paul Bunions]

Smart.

 

[ZinTrees]

Smart.

which part? im assuming not me being outside too long lol

 

[Paul Bunions]

Looking after yourself instead of powering through.

 

[lone wolf]

which part? im assuming not me being outside too long lol

You didn't feel it at all, then it hit you all at once, that's dangerous.

 

[lone wolf]

Looking after yourself instead of powering through.

Experience comes with age! You have to be cognizant every minute as to what is going on. Stand in shade as needed, pour water all over you, sit in air-conditioned truck, drink water and electrolytes or read the weather and don't work with in high heat and humidity together! 90 and up with high dew point is killer!