Buying Advice to buy a garden tractor or a compact tractor

[jenkinsph]

On the other hand, the Simplicity mower is for fine grass and I've still got rough brush. Never mind.

You might consider having someone cut it the first time with heavier equipment and then keep it under control with a mower afterwards. I had to use heavy brush cutters and chain saws to clear my lots but never had to do this again.

 

[jenkinsph]

Actually having used RFM, rotary cutters and MMM on BX's since 2003, we find the MMM adds more to stability thann an RFM as the RFM rides with all of its weight on the ground which adds nothing to stability that we can discern. The MMM on the other hand is a suspended type with nothing touching the ground and the full weight of the mower acting to lower the center of gravity.

In the raised position, the RFM does act well as a counter balance to the FEL, but when in use, all the weight is on the ground and noen on the tractor. Perhaps I am am misunderstanding though.

I have just added wheel spacers to our two BX's to increase side-hill stability even though we have yet to have problems, just makes me feel more comfortable as my wife mows some fairly steep slopes.

I like the midmount mower for it's help with lowering the center of gravity too. Not crazy about a rfm and it's weight on the rear (tail wagging the dog). Now a 7 iron mmm deck would do alot to help stabilize the tractor imo.

 

[elicia]

You might consider having someone cut it the first time with heavier equipment and then keep it under control with a mower afterwards. I had to use heavy brush cutters and chain saws to clear my lots but never had to do this again.

Thanks again for everyones kind help.
I am more confused than ever!
I test drove a kubota b 6100 and was pleased to see it was easier to turn without power steering than I had feared.
But wow, at 14 hp, it drives sooo slow .. and right now we'd be needing to drive it quite a distance to get down to our barn. Would take an hour. I wonder whether a 22 hp machine, for example, would be a little faster.

Someone kindly suggested financing a new kubota bx for $200 a month .. actually, sorry to say, $200 a month is not in my budget at all. I have some savings left, but its dwindling, and not much income, so better to buy something cheap outright. Unless I would do something really really shady and finance a new tractor so i can fill my need in the moment , and then stop making payments on it and have it repo'd. It's like borrowing one, right? That would be wrong, wouldn't it.

Someone kindly suggested the JD 425 . I would love to get one of these, because it seems safer, easier to drive, and easier to maintain. (We feel a little unsure of our ability to maintain a real tractor since we are not mechanically inclined and very busy, overwhelmed with finishing building our house, etc. ) Looks like could plow or till with it, too. For the time being, we need to bush hog at least a few more times, before we have a chance of using an MMM. Either that or we spend a week pulling sticks and the root balls of huge rose bushes. Still, if I had just one mower, the bush hog would be best because then we could let the steep areas grow back up for now, and know that we can get to them later.

 

[trihounds]

.....

Someone kindly suggested financing a new kubota bx for $200 a month .. actually, sorry to say, $200 a month is not in my budget at all. I have some savings left, but its dwindling, and not much income, so better to buy something cheap outright. Unless I would do something really really shady and finance a new tractor so i can fill my need in the moment , and then stop making payments on it and have it repo'd. It's like borrowing one, right? That would be wrong, wouldn't it.

.....

I can't believe this would cross your mind and you'd post such an idea on a public forum!! Do you not care about anyone but yourself? You've lost my interest in this thread.

 

[elicia]

Well. like I said, I wouldn't do it. It's wrong. Although, I do think you'd only be hurting finance institutions and not any little person. But, yes, you're right. I'm sure it's crossed many peoples minds. But I wouldn't actually do it.
thanks,

 

[Ted Summey]

It sounds like you are back to a mower for the rolling and "flattish" (your word I think) areas and hiring the steeper areas that need bush hogging a couple of times a year. Nothing wrong with maintaining a smaller areas as lawn and letting the other areas grow. Goats might be a solution with moveable fencing for the steep areas. They will cost less than a tractor and won't need oil changes.

 

[Bwana64]

Elicia, you mentioned that the B6100 was slow. Did you know that it has 6 forward gears which all propel the machine at different speeds? You must have had the B6100 in one of the 3 low gears.

 

[3v0]

In another thread we were talking about the new version of the BX having a D. I said I recalled that Kubota had at time used D for diesel. Was looking at this tractor and found

B6100D: 4WD
B6100E: 2WD

Simply confusing.

 

[Gittyup]

keep an eye on craigslist or use searchtempest to search craigslist for a 400 series. Prices have dropped on them recently (due to age I guess). This lets you start small and buy bigger later when you know more about your needs and can plan for it in your budget.

 

[willi67]

Still confused .. LOL, only took me six years to find the right machine
And I was in a similar position, anyhow here is a JD X595 with HDAP tires mowing what I would call a fairly steep slope.
This machine has the optional rear PTO and 3PL and ran up the same hill with a 3 foot bush hog to clear the rough stuff.

Personally I would be hesitant to take a B6100 or similar down a hill like that (but I have done it!)

good luck and stay safe