Tractor Sizing Looking for Kubota recommendations

   / Looking for Kubota recommendations #1  

Nanook

New member
Joined
Feb 22, 2014
Messages
20
Location
Buckingham, Pa
Tractor
Kubota B3200 HSD
I have decided to buy a small tractor. At the moment, I don't really need a tractor on a regular basis, but to rent one is going to cost me almost $350 to $400 per day with a trailer, and I know that I need to do at least 6 to 10 days worth of work on my 1 acre property to get it into a condition where I can sell it for maximum value. I will be selling in the next 1 to 3 years. The next property will be at least 40 acres, so I will definitely need a tractor there. I don't know how much of that next property will be grass and how much will be wooded, or whether I will do some light farming. Obviously, I might have to upgrade when I move, but I doubt if I will have more than 10 acres to mow and if I do "farm" it will probably be limited to an acre or two. (Currently, the garden is a few thousand feet, and I have been using a gas driven tiller, but it is a real pain to use, and I might want to think about a tractor driven tiller. This is especially true since one of the things that I need to do is to completely renovate the lawn, which is about 1 acre. I don't know if that can be done by simply using "weed and feed" and over-seeding, or if I would be better tilling it all and replanting grass.
I also have a whole bunch of small (2-3 inch diameter) black walnut trees that grew out of a burn pile that I did not burn. After cutting these down, I need to dig up the stumps. I also have a few thousand square feet of weed and brush infested area that I need to destroy and replant with grass. I also have a number of arborvitae that needs to be cut down and dug up. Also, my old 20 hp garden tractor is on its last legs, so I will need to use the new tractor to mow. Finally, for power outages, I want to be able to use a pto generator rather than the gas generators that I currently have. I could power everything that I really need with a 7 to 8 kw generator, although the surge could go to 13 to 15 kw, although not likely more than 10 kw. The problem is that I am seeing that 10 kw pto generators, even though they have 20 kw surge ratings, "require" 20 pto hp. That is a severe limitation, since most sub-compact, and even compact, tractors don't support 20 pto hp, although they do cover 17.7 to 19 hp. I suspect that 19 pto hp would work fine with a 10 kw pto generator as long as I don't have surge levels above, say, 12 kw, which is very realistic.

So, what I am wondering is what would be the best Kubota tractor given my situation? Originally, I was looking at the BX25D because it is not too expensive and it will certainly do the mowing, and will probably handle my limited needs for a front end loader and backhoe, and could also be used with a post hole digger and roto-tiller. (I need to install at least 400 feet of fencing and I suspect that my 1-man gas post hole digger may not really be adequate for that much fencing, especially given that my ground is very rocky.) The biggest problem with that unit is that it only has 17.7 pto hp. I suspect this might cause problems with a 10 kw pto generator, even though it will rarely go over 11 kw in a surge condition, and will usually be supplying about 4 kw or less. Does anyone have experience with this? My next candidate is the B2920. This seems to do everything that I might need, and it has 21 pto hp, so it will be enough for a generator. However, I was told today that they are almost impossible to find because of new epa rules pertaining to diesel engines over 25.5 hp. They are no longer made. I don't know if any dealers have any available. (Anyone have one?) Next is the B2620. It seems like it will do all that I need, but it only has 19 pto hp. I suspect that is enough for a 10 kw, or even 12 kw, generator, as long as the surge power does not go above 13 kw or so, which should not be a problem. The next candidate is the B3300SU. This would clearly meet all of my requirements, including having 25 pto hp, which is really nice for generators or if I need larger mowing decks, or whatever, at my next property. The only issue is that this does not have a mid pto. Thus, it cannot use a snow blower (not an issue) or a mid-deck mower. I definitely need a mower, but I don't know the advantages or disadvantages of using a mid-deck mower vs a rotary cutter that is attached to the back of the mower. Given that I have a lot of weeds and brush that needs to be removed, I am thinking that a rotary cutter may be more useful to me than a mid-deck mower, since I can back it into weeds and brush that I could probably not simply drive through. Any thoughts or experience? How do rotary mowers compare to mid-deck mowers in cost, reliability, etc?
The final tractor that I am considering is the B3200HSD. This has it all, including 23 pto hp, but it also has a huge price. I don't know if it is worth the extra price.
Anyway, sorry for the long post, but I wanted to get as many suggestions as possible and explain my needs as much as possible.
 
   / Looking for Kubota recommendations #2  
Go to your local Kubota dealer and try out the different models. Check your local ads for farm machinery or online, if new prices are too high. I would suggest a rotary mower instead or a belly mower. Best wishes and Welcome Aboard.
 
   / Looking for Kubota recommendations #4  
Sorry but not to many of us will read a post like that.
 
   / Looking for Kubota recommendations #5  
I bought my first tractor today and take delivery Monday. I did A LOT of research and pricing. Your needs are similar to mine. Except I have a serious snow removal issue (long driveway in the Poconos surrounded by fields that produce severe drifts). The result is the purchase of a B3300SU. I have a JD lawn tractor for mowing and don't want or need a front mount snow blower so the lack of a mid PTO is a non-issue for me. I wanted at least 30 hp and 23 PTO hp and this machine exceeds both at a great value. If you are near northeast PA, call Jeff at Pocono Power Center. You're right to want a Tier III emissions machine but you'll need to hurry to get one. Mine is a Tier III machine. Good luck!
 
   / Looking for Kubota recommendations #6  
Hello Nanook and welcome to the forum. I read about the firs 6 lines and saw how long it was and gave up. You can gain a lot of information on this forum, but most people will not read such a lengthy post. I would recommend you shorten it up a bit and see if you don't get more resopnses.
good luck in your tractor quest
 
   / Looking for Kubota recommendations #7  
Nanook

The BX25 is a fine tractor, yes a little on the small side. But it will do all you want, just may take a little longer than the larger models. There's many satisfied owners out there.

Harvey
 
   / Looking for Kubota recommendations #8  
Hi Nanook, I have the B2920 which I was able to find used. It has been good so far and would probably be good for your current property with a backhoe. I would think it would be good for the 10 acres or so you mention.
 
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   / Looking for Kubota recommendations #9  
I read most of your post. One trick is to leave a couple of lines between paragraphs, people like that. Like this.

One thing I noticed from your post was this, you'll be buying 40 acres, and you're looking at a bx. If you want my advice, that's WAY too small. Don't get me wrong, I'd love a bx with a front blower, but for a few grand more, you're talking about a much more capable machine.The b is a step in the right direction, but I'd look bigger yet.

Here's the way I look at it, if you're buying a tractor, the cost of moving up to a bigger tractor is small when compared to the total cost of the machine. Especially when you look at it over the lifetime if the machine. I hear a lot of guys upgrading to a larger machine after a few years, you'll be better off overall starting with the bigger tool on the first place.

Obviously, cost is an issue for most of us, and here's two things I'd suggest to help with the price tag. One, skip the mid mount mower (mmm) and skip the backhoe. I know it is a valuable tool, but they are really expensive, and compared to a real backhoe, or a mini-excavator, they are pretty weak. What's a backhoe add to the price? 7k? How many times can you rent a mini-ex for even half that cost? Furthermore, you if you find yourself needing one a lot, you can always buy one later. Back to the mmm, I'm sure they're nice, but they reduce clearance, take longer to mount/dismount that a 3pt mower, cost a lot, and maybe worst of all, make your 4wd diesel tractor look like a lawnmower. A lawnmower you paid 20 grand for.

So my suggestion: buy a tractor without the bells and whistles, to save money, and skip the BH and the MMM. Something with a hydrostatic transmission (for ease of use). I'd look at the basic l series, l3200, 3800, 4600, or better yet, the MX 4700. I know I'm recommending the tractor I own, but for the money it can't be beat. It's a basic tractor with a hydro, all the power and lift capacity you'll need, it'll skid logs from your woods, and it doesn't look like a lawnmower. Not even close. I paid 24.5 with loaded tires. Looked at a l3800, but for 3.5k more I got 10 extra HP, a bigger frame, a thousand pounds more lift on the loader, and a heavier tractor.

There's a lot of other brands to consider, Kubota is great, but not the cheapest. Go drive a few rigs, find a dealer that's easy to work with and is close to home, and knows the answers your questions.

Last thing, go for ag tires, and if you're worried about compacting your lawn, buy a riding mower for less than you would have paid for the mmm option on the smaller tractor you're glad you left on the lot.

Hope that helps.
 
   / Looking for Kubota recommendations #10  
I would never go that small for a TLB for 10 acres or even 3 acres. A B series Kubota is the smallest I would recommend. I have a B26 TLB but it is limited to 3 PH attachments and the FEL is not removable AND the price is way up there for a new one. For my needs it is great as I have also a 70 HP tractor for the larger activities. Whatever the latest B 29xx that is now produced would be the smallest I would recommend. IF you expect to go to a 40 acre homestead in a few years, you may want to look into something in the 40+ HP range.

Go to the local Kubota dealer and look at what is available and if you want new, go with the larger of the sizes that you think is right. Tractors always get smaller after a while in the seat.
Once you decide on a size, you may find a cheaper used one with just a few hundred hours.
 
 
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