[DJDOORSJDX]

I am looking at the Simplicity Legacy XL,what motor is better, The KOHLER 27 hp air cooled or the Kawasaki 27 hp Liq cooled. Both are v-twin electronic ignition.
I would also like to here any feedback you may have on this mower.

 

[simple_john]

welcome DJD

Welcome I do not have a legacy... Ive got its distant 'smaller brother' the prestige..


The legacy is a nice looking machine.. But wow.. its pricey...

beautiful tractor.. you getting the 4WD model?


as for the simplicity itself.. i think they are very well made solid machines...

for the money they want.. and no offense to simplicity folks out there.. but id also take a good look at a kubota Models.. they offer a lot of tractor for the money...

But the legacy is a meaty and real nice looking machine... Im very jealous.. i drool over the legacy's at 2 dealers every time i stop by...
you getting a FEL with it?

what are your plans for the tractor??

 

[Argee]

Welcome DJDOORSJDX

I'd take a liquid cooled over an air cooled any time. Both are reputable engines, don't know if one is better than the other. It boils down to preference, yours that is.

 

[AlbanyBob]

Take the liquid cooled model.

My views on this are they do run cooler and require less maintance then an air cooled engine. The reason I say this is because the air intake is in a different position and it helps keep the chaff from getting sucked into the cooling fins of the engine.

GO LIQUID

Let us know.
Bob

 

[PatapscoPete]

Kohler Air Cooled

I have the 2003 version of the 20 hp Kohler Command air cooled on my Legacy. It's one smooth running engine. A similar thread got a lot of press on another forum recently.

I'm a relative newbee, with 150 hours on my tractor, but no problems to date. That thing starts rain or shine, subfreezing or 100 degrees in the shade. Lots of manufacturers have been making 20+ hp aircooled engines for years with no problems. My opinion is, the less moving parts, the better.

As for the machine as a whole, I couldn't be happier. I'm the kind of tractor killer who has little respect for lawn tractors. My problem is always asking them to do much more than they were designed to do. I've killed more than one trying to get the under built machine to take on too heavy a task. The Legacy is quite forgiving. Of course, the Legacy is an expensive machine relative to a LT.

My advice is to listen to understand your needs, throw in a sizable fudge factor, and listed to the good folk on this forum.

 

[CatDaddy]

Hi Pete! :Welcome:

Glad you joined up. Hope to see you around the threads now that you've registered!

 

[mbielick]

Hi, Just joined, and seeing if my posts get through.

I have owned a Legacy XL with the Diesel for a year, and absolutely love it. I went with the Diesel over the Kawasaki because the added torque, better fuel economy, and cast iron block durability of the diesel. The actual cost for the diesel option was not that much more than the Kawasaki since the diesel came with the 3pt hitch as std. It basically boiled down the the Kohler or the diesel. I would take the diesel if there were any way you could swing the extra $.

Mark

 

[exNCite]

Hi, Just joined, and seeing if my posts get through.

I have owned a Legacy XL with the Diesel for a year, and absolutely love it. I went with the Diesel over the Kawasaki because the added torque, better fuel economy, and cast iron block durability of the diesel. The actual cost for the diesel option was not that much more than the Kawasaki since the diesel came with the 3pt hitch as std. It basically boiled down the the Kohler or the diesel. I would take the diesel if there were any way you could swing the extra $.

Mark

Welcome to this site. Much more Simplicity friendly than the other (yes I am Phoenix1 there). And I agree. Diesel is a real workhorse. There is so little strain on this machine it is amazing. I'm not a mechanic and fall into the "city slicker" mode but thus far I love the Legacy XL.

 

[jodyand]

:Welcome1: mbielick Glad you found us. Post some pictures when you get the chance.

 

[depasseg]

I just got a liquid cooled legacy xl. I was leaning towards the diesel, but in talking to a couple of the local dealers, they seemed to indicate that the diesels didn't sell well because of the added noise/vibration and cold weather drawbacks. I'm really happy with the liquid cooled.

 

[randyny]

Welcome to this site. Much more Simplicity friendly than the other

Ah, so this is where you went. I was anxious to hear what you've been doing with your new XL. It is getting tiring listening to leroy bag on Simplicity. I've never seen someone with such an agenda for bashing a line of machines.

Anyway depasseg, I see you got the backhoe. Your one small picture is better than I've seen in all of Simplicity's literature and website. How do you like it? I got the XL with loader this summer and it's been absolutely teriffic. The backhoe is expensive so I'd like to hear some real stories about it. Can you do a mini-review, perhaps with some action photos?

Regards, Randy

 

[depasseg]

Hi randyny - the first I saw of the backhoe was when it was delivered. I know what you mean about a lack of info out there. I've had it about a month now and have put it to good use. I have been fighting the torrential rains we've been having here in NH, so my larger projects for it have been put on hold until the summer. I've taken a bunch of photos, and put them online. They are available at http://www.flickr.com/photos/depasse/tags/legacyxl/.
In case you didn't know, the backhoe (and the FEL) are made by a company called Kwik way (http://www.kwmanufacturing.com/). There is a little more info on their website, but not much. The people are great there and were very helpful in answering my questions.

I've never written a review, but I'll do what I can. Basically, I love it. It's got great power, it's very solid, and the control/handling is great. I had a chance to use a friend's kubota a couple years ago (sorry, can't remember the model), and this feels the same (except for the swivel seat).

The backhoe uses it's own hydraulic pump off of the mid-pto. I don't know if that matters, but it works well.

It comes off (10 mins) easier than it goes on (10-30 mins). Mostly this is because I don't have a flat area to store it. This makes alignment quite challenging. If you've taken you FEL off on uneven ground, and tried to re-attach it, you know what I am talking about.

Here are a couple thumbnails:






If I can provide any more info, let me know. I'll be reattaching it this weekend, weather willing, so I can try to build a platform to store it on. I'll try to take some better pics.

Greg

 

[MowHoward2210]

Looks like a great setup, Greg. Great pics on your link, too. :fing32:

 

[Argee]

:Welcome1: Welcome randyny...looking forward to the ever expanding group of Simplicity owners talking about their machines :fing02:

 

[exNCite]

Ah, so this is where you went. I was anxious to hear what you've been doing with your new XL. It is getting tiring listening to leroy bag on Simplicity. I've never seen someone with such an agenda for bashing a line of machines.

Anyway depasseg, I see you got the backhoe. Your one small picture is better than I've seen in all of Simplicity's literature and website. How do you like it? I got the XL with loader this summer and it's been absolutely teriffic. The backhoe is expensive so I'd like to hear some real stories about it. Can you do a mini-review, perhaps with some action photos?

Regards, Randy

Hey Randy,
Yes I was actually getting angry over the Simpliciity bashing. I posted a reply that got wiped off because I "suggested" this forum as an additional information site. mg: The people here are so much nicer. :hatsoff:
I love my XL and don't have to defend it to those guys. Nothing wrong with Kubotas or any of the other brands. If they prefer them, that's fine with me, but I won't criticize their choices.
Have been having a ball with FEL. Been clearing some of my property (when it's not raining) that the weeds, vines, jaggers etc have overtaken. Also have taken down about a dozen trees and what a relief on my back for hauling the wood. Pictures aren't all that spectacular, but will post a couple soon.

depasseg you do have a really nice setup. :congrats: Boy would that backhoe come in handy. Wanna come dig a ditch for me too??? LOL. Getting my camera back today so will try to answer some of your questions.

 

[chrpmaster]

depasseg

Great action pics of the backhoe at work. I was wondering if you had any problems getting through the tree roots while digging the trench? does your backhoe have enough power to break them?

Andy

 

[depasseg]

I've found that there were a couple roots that take a little more time, but I haven't found one I couldn't get through. I think some of it has to do with me being a new operator. I've found that the curling of the bucket is extremely powerful, moreso than just extending/return the boom. I know it's hard to tell in the pictures, but that ditch with the roots is over 2 feet deep, and 25 feet long. Some of the roots are 3-4 inches. It took maybe 20 minutes. This sucker can dig. If only I could operate it better.

-Greg

PS - I meant to give the new simplicity folks a warm welcome in my earlier posts. I only joined a little while ago myself, and it's nice to have found such a great bunch of folks.

 

[aesanders]

Hello all,

I too was fed up with Lbrown over their at TBN. It's not the first time either. I have had a run in's with him before on similar posts. I had a post deleted for some reason on the same thread as well. I have been on KenT site Simple tractors, and that is a good site also. This one seems to be more focused on the newer machines where as Simple Tractors is great for the older machines.

Anyway I am big Simplicity fan and current owner of a Conquest with snowblower. My wife and I are considering buying a small 5-10 acre horse farm, and I'm considering getting the Legacy if we make the move.

It's great to see this site with many Legacy owners over here. The backhoe pictures are really great.

 

[simple_john]

aesanders.. welcome... and i agree kent has a great site and really knows the brand....


welcome to the forum....:Welcome1:

 

[exNCite]

Thank you simple_john. It's why I much prefer this forum. On the "other" one, aesanders post would have simply been deleted. That's why I recommended this forum. Good people!!! :trink39: :00000033: