1026R or 2520 having a tough time

   / 1026R or 2520 having a tough time #1  

barry1me

Bronze Member
Joined
May 14, 2012
Messages
60
Location
SE MI
Tractor
JD 2520
Im having a very difficult time trying to decide between SCUT or CUT. Im on 3 acres (2 mowable) and am having a hard time deciding what tractor to buy. I love the size of the little guy 1026r but my dad is telling me that im wasting my money and should just buy a 'real tractor' which starts at a 2520. I can get a 1026r with CX loader, 54mmm auto connect for around $15k, and a 2520 with same setup but a 60mmm for about $20k. If I get the 1026 I cant use my dads or really any friends/families class 1 implements as they are to big for it.....ie 5ft rotatiller, 5 ft bushhog, 6 ft rear snowblade, 6 ft rear box blade and rake. But for mowing the grass Im curious how the 1026r will compare to the 2520, and for general home owner use. I was thinking I wanted to go with the Kubota untill I drove them today and the 1026 and the JD 2520 seemed like a better built tractor then the Kubota. I cant decide whats the best route.....anyone have some comments or thoughts if they were ever in the same boat?
 
   / 1026R or 2520 having a tough time #2  
If you are going for a "one tractor that will do it all" it was better for me to buy a tractor that was good at mowing and still handle the tractor implements that do all the other chores. Brush hogging, post hole digger, and using a loader. If you can afford a dedicated mower and the tractor also it makes the tractor selection a whole lot simpler. When you try to combine both it all it makes tractor selection more difficult.
 
   / 1026R or 2520 having a tough time #3  
Well,IMO,if you have all those attachments at your disposal,I might think long and hard in getting the tractor that can use them. From what I've read the 1026 is an awesome little tractor,but as an owner of a 2520,that too is also an awesome tractor. I can tell you from my own experience it is a surprisingly excellent grass cutter. I never thought it would cut the way it does for its size,and how maneuverable it is. It is an amazing machine.:thumbsup:

Greg
 
   / 1026R or 2520 having a tough time #4  
Here is my experiance with this. Also like you, I have 3 acres with about 2 acres of mowing area at my residence.

I to was in the market for what I thought needed to be a 35-40hp larger compact tractor. I was told by family (Which own exclusively Kubota) that I needed a large frame tractor because I wanted to do ground engagement such as subsoiling, Box bladeing the drive, etc.

I did lots of brochure checking, etc. But I ran across the Drive Green Challenge from a local Deere dealer and they had various models of tractors from Deere and Kubota out on the lot for head to head tests in materials and implements. After driving the 1026R, actually using it with the loader and ground engaging implements, and then the same with the BX2660, there was no comparison. Same goes for the 3038E and the L3800 from Kubota. I didn't like the size or the "feel" of the Kubota and the small BX2660 had a very hard time lifting and curling the bucket where the John Deere did all that while moving back and forth. Substantially more power in that 1026R as well as creature comforts. I now own a 1026R in TLB configuration.


Like you, my dad told me that I really needed more tractor, but I really didn't have room for a compact size and wanted something that was manageble for my wife to use mowing. The 1026R fit my needs better and I made the right choice. It has done everything I have asked of it and believe me, in the month I have owned it, I have worked it hard. I think your dads advice is a bit flawed if he hasn't driven the tractors. I already had a similar sized grey market (Hinomoto) 2wd tractor that was 18hp diesel and I could barely get anything done with it using the loader or ground engagement tools. Boxblade would not dig in and if it did, the tractor would stop dead. The 1026R can do the same job without a sweat and you could use that 5" tiller, bushhog and snowblade on it. I know kubota likes to say that it is a limited Cat1 on the 1026R, but I have seen people use full cat1 implements on it like no till seeders, Non-compact Post hole digger with 9" auger (myself), and other larger attachments. I have all 4' implements that were bought for my old tractor. The 1026R is recommended for 5' models in most all cases I have seen. The Blower I am not familiar with. The difference between the 2 tractors being that the 2x20 is a bit more ground clearance, a bit more lift (Not much though) and some other hydraulic options. For my land, the jobs I have for it and the size of storing it, I am very glad I got the 1026R over anything else. Mine also was equiped with the 60D mmm and the independant lift. I will say that I don't like the way that the connections are done for the lift of the MMM. You have to disconnect your loader bucket line and use it for your lift. There is the Rockshaft lift as well that is considered manual and I don't believe you can use 3pt attachments with it in place. I am not sure about the 2x20 series on using lifts for the deck.
 
   / 1026R or 2520 having a tough time #5  
The 1026 will be better for mowing, but then again, not nearly as good as a dedicated mower.

The weak point of the 1026 is ground clearance in my opinion. If you plan to do any work in the woods or where clearance matters, that is a good reason to take the 1026 off the list. Otherwise, it's a great little tractor. I don't happen to like all the plastic, or the cheesy fuel gauge, but those are minor complaints.

The 2520 is also a great tractor, and I do think it's wise to buy a little bigger than you think you might need. It has a lot of great features, as does the 2720.

When I was in your boat, I was focused on these two Deeres, and being a past Deere customer, it seemed like a no-brainer to get one of them. But I checked out the Kubotas just to make sure I was covering all the bases, and fell in love with the B2620 and B2920 (ended up with the B2920 to get more PTO horsepower). Basically, the Kubota B was the same price as the Deere 1026 when equipped with a front loader, but it's a bigger tractor with more clearance and more capability, and I liked the all-metal construction of the body (that definitely felt better made than the Deere's bodies). It sort of fit in between the Deere 1026 and 2520, and I just felt like it was a better value for the money. But they are all very good tractors.

By the way, for mowing, I kept my old Deere LT150, and it's a good reminder why dedicated riding mowers exist. I sure wouldn't want to be mowing with my bigger tractor in my yard with trees and landscaping. I think the bigger tractors only make sense for mowing bigger fields.

Good luck!

Edit to add: don't expect to use a big box blade on any of these smaller tractors -- a box blade loads up with dirt, and becomes quite heavy to pull. Ideally, you want it sized to just equal the rear tire width, or be a little bigger. Don't expect to use 6-footers on any of these tractors.
 
   / 1026R or 2520 having a tough time
  • Thread Starter
#6  
Here is my experiance with this. Also like you, I have 3 acres with about 2 acres of mowing area at my residence.

I to was in the market for what I thought needed to be a 35-40hp larger compact tractor. I was told by family (Which own exclusively Kubota) that I needed a large frame tractor because I wanted to do ground engagement such as subsoiling, Box bladeing the drive, etc.

I did lots of brochure checking, etc. But I ran across the Drive Green Challenge from a local Deere dealer and they had various models of tractors from Deere and Kubota out on the lot for head to head tests in materials and implements. After driving the 1026R, actually using it with the loader and ground engaging implements, and then the same with the BX2660, there was no comparison. Same goes for the 3038E and the L3800 from Kubota. I didn't like the size or the "feel" of the Kubota and the small BX2660 had a very hard time lifting and curling the bucket where the John Deere did all that while moving back and forth. Substantially more power in that 1026R as well as creature comforts. I now own a 1026R in TLB configuration.


Like you, my dad told me that I really needed more tractor, but I really didn't have room for a compact size and wanted something that was manageble for my wife to use mowing. The 1026R fit my needs better and I made the right choice. It has done everything I have asked of it and believe me, in the month I have owned it, I have worked it hard. I think your dads advice is a bit flawed if he hasn't driven the tractors. I already had a similar sized grey market (Hinomoto) 2wd tractor that was 18hp diesel and I could barely get anything done with it using the loader or ground engagement tools. Boxblade would not dig in and if it did, the tractor would stop dead. The 1026R can do the same job without a sweat and you could use that 5" tiller, bushhog and snowblade on it. I know kubota likes to say that it is a limited Cat1 on the 1026R, but I have seen people use full cat1 implements on it like no till seeders, Non-compact Post hole digger with 9" auger (myself), and other larger attachments. I have all 4' implements that were bought for my old tractor. The 1026R is recommended for 5' models in most all cases I have seen. The Blower I am not familiar with. The difference between the 2 tractors being that the 2x20 is a bit more ground clearance, a bit more lift (Not much though) and some other hydraulic options. For my land, the jobs I have for it and the size of storing it, I am very glad I got the 1026R over anything else. Mine also was equiped with the 60D mmm and the independant lift. I will say that I don't like the way that the connections are done for the lift of the MMM. You have to disconnect your loader bucket line and use it for your lift. There is the Rockshaft lift as well that is considered manual and I don't believe you can use 3pt attachments with it in place. I am not sure about the 2x20 series on using lifts for the deck.

Do you have any issue with the driveshaft lenght of standard 5ft tillers when trying to use on the 1026r? The kubota dealer told me today that I wouldnt be able to use my dads 5ft tiller with the B2660 as the driveshaft would be to long for it. Also I dont understand what you mean about the loader bucket lines for the MMM. I thought the mmm on the 1026 you can just drive right up and on no getting off when you get the autoconnect setup!?
 
   / 1026R or 2520 having a tough time
  • Thread Starter
#7  
The 1026 will be better for mowing, but then again, not nearly as good as a dedicated mower.

The weak point of the 1026 is ground clearance in my opinion. If you plan to do any work in the woods or where clearance matters, that is a good reason to take the 1026 off the list. Otherwise, it's a great little tractor. I don't happen to like all the plastic, or the cheesy fuel gauge, but those are minor complaints.

The 2520 is also a great tractor, and I do think it's wise to buy a little bigger than you think you might need. It has a lot of great features, as does the 2720.

When I was in your boat, I was focused on these two Deeres, and being a past Deere customer, it seemed like a no-brainer to get one of them. But I checked out the Kubotas just to make sure I was covering all the bases, and fell in love with the B2620 and B2920 (ended up with the B2920 to get more PTO horsepower). Basically, the Kubota B was the same price as the Deere 1026 when equipped with a front loader, but it's a bigger tractor with more clearance and more capability, and I liked the all-metal construction of the body (that definitely felt better made than the Deere's bodies). It sort of fit in between the Deere 1026 and 2520, and I just felt like it was a better value for the money. But they are all very good tractors.

By the way, for mowing, I kept my old Deere LT150, and it's a good reminder why dedicated riding mowers exist. I sure wouldn't want to be mowing with my bigger tractor in my yard with trees and landscaping. I think the bigger tractors only make sense for mowing bigger fields.

Good luck!

Edit to add: don't expect to use a big box blade on any of these smaller tractors -- a box blade loads up with dirt, and becomes quite heavy to pull. Ideally, you want it sized to just equal the rear tire width, or be a little bigger. Don't expect to use 6-footers on any of these tractors.

I agree about the 2620 and 2920 kubota, they felt very nice compared to the B3200 I drove (vibrated very bad). I priced the B2920 with MMM, and FEL and the price was within $500 of the JD 2520 with MMM and FEL. If I go with Kubota it would be the 2920, L3200 or the L3240(most solid CUT I have been on)
 
   / 1026R or 2520 having a tough time #8  
I went from a 2210 to a 2520 and was a huge difference, so the 1026 to 2520 will be too.. I did use the 5'KK tiller on my old 2210, it did work the snot outta it, and had to have at least the loader frame on for front weight, so I would say the 1026 would work for the tiller. The 2520 will play with the tiller, the 6' rear blade will be fine, and the 6' box blade will be a bit big..

If your gonna have a loader as well, and have the extra $$, IMO go the 2520 route.. Maybe find a smaller rider mower for the trim stuff if needed..
 
   / 1026R or 2520 having a tough time #9  
I agree about the 2620 and 2920 kubota, they felt very nice compared to the B3200 I drove (vibrated very bad). I priced the B2920 with MMM, and FEL and the price was within $500 of the JD 2520 with MMM and FEL. If I go with Kubota it would be the 2920, L3200 or the L3240(most solid CUT I have been on)

Make sure you get dealer prices for any of these tractors -- the Kubota B2920 should end up being quite a bit less than the Deere 2520. The best deal I got on the 1026 was $14600 for the tractor with front loader. The B2620 with front loader was only $100 more, at $14700, and the B2920 with front loader was $15400. If I remember right the Deere 2520 with front loader was around $18000 or so.

The B3200 does vibrate quite a bit more, since it's a 4-cylinder. They are never as smoothe as the 3-cylinders in my experience.
 
   / 1026R or 2520 having a tough time
  • Thread Starter
#10  
With only 3 acres and 2 that you can mow, I don't see too much need for a loader, 5ft rotatiller, 5 ft bushhog, 6 ft rear box blade and a rake. It sounds like very limited use items on a small parcel. When it comes to work, less is more. I HATE grass cutting, so I would opt for whatever takes a 60" deck and something that would handle the snow.

loader will be used for picking up mulch, spreading top soil.....I have about 200 pine trees on my property and there are several dead ones that need cut down. I will put the wood in the bucket to move to burn pile with the loader use.
 
 
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