B7100 loader and belly mower compatibility

[Frank]

I'm interested in buying a B7100. Can anyone tell me what "quick attach" loader is compatible with using a belly mount mower deck? I've looked at two so far (one with a quick attach Du-Al Model 95 loader and one with the Kubota 1630 fixed mount) and both had a subframe which the dealer said prohibited the attachment of a belly mower. Is there a "quick attach" Kubota or other brand loader that can be installed while leaving enough clearance for a bellow mount? Does it make any difference whether the 7100 is an original 80's model or a 90's reissue? New to the forum. Appreciate any help.

 

[Bird]

Frank, I bought a new B7100 in 1995 with the B1630C fixed mount front end loader. I've never had a belly mount mower, but I do recall the salesman telling me that the ability to use a mid mount mower without removing the front end loader was one of the features of the "new" B7100s.

Bird

 

[Kelvin]

Note 1: The are a few differences between the older ('70s-'80s) B7100s and the newer B7100s (late '80s through late '90s). For the purposes of this discussion I beleve that the wheel base is different thereby affecting loader availability. The B1630 Rigid Loader will only work on the newer B7100s. After much searching I did not find any loaders available for my older B7100 (even though a Woods salesman told my he had a brand new Woods model; after closer inspection we found the note saying that it would not work on the gear-drive B7100s).

Note 2: According to my B7100HSD Sales Brochure (dated 1996) the B1630 Rigid Mount Frond Loader is "not compatible with the mid-mount mower". However, my "Kubota Front Loaders" sales brochure (also dated 1996) says that the B1630C "loader is compatible with the RC54-71B and the RC60-71B mid-mount mowers". Either one of the brochures is lying or the "C" added on to the end of the Loader model number makes a big difference.

Based upon my research, I don't believe that it is cost-effective to buy a B7100 and try to add a loader to it. I don't believe that there is much price difference in any of the B-series loaders, but there is a lot of performance difference. If you added a loader to the B7100, it probably wouldn't be long before you would want to upgrade to power steering or more loader performance. If you found a B7100 with loader reasonable priced then that may be worth considering. Even with that I would seriously consider a 3-point mower if the B7100 was a hydrostatic model.

 

[Frank]

Bird,
Thanks for the response. Do you recall if a quick-attach loader was also an option back in 1995?
Frank

 

[Bird]

Frank, unfortunately a quick attach loader was NOT available in 1995 (a fact that made me seriously consider a Cub Cadet before I decided on the B7100). It would have been a major job to remove the loader, so I never did.

Bird

 

[Frank]

Kelvin,
Thanks for sharing your experience with both the old and the new 7100. I haven't been looking that long, but it seems like all of the "quick attach" loaders on B7100s I've seen so far are not compatible with a belly mount mower. For anyone else interested in this topic, I did find a post in the archives which sent me to "easternfarmmachinery.com" whose catalogue includes a Frey Model 2010 loader which claims to be compatible with undermount mowers on compact tractors. Cost is $2240. You may be right, however, that it is not really cost effective to buy a a 7100 and then add the loader. -Frank

 

[Kubotaman]

We have a woods du-al loader on a B2150 for rental use. It is still going. Yes, you can mount a belly mower on the loader subframe. Yes it is a quick tach loader.

 

[Frank]

Kubotaman,
Thanks for the reply. I believe the 2150 has a longer wheelbase than the 7100, and probably higher ground clearance. Two questions, for you or anyone else out there who might know: 1) Would the same set up on a B7100 with less ground clearance work? 2) What model belly mower is mounted on your machine? Thanks again. Frank

 

[Kelvin]

I am not sure what point Kubotaman was trying to make, but I don't think he was suggesting that the Woods loader for the B2150 will work on the B7100.

I have a B2150 with loader (no mid-mower) and a B7100 with mid-mower (no loader) and can reasonable assure you that there is no way (within reason) that the B2150 loader will work on a B7100.

I can't find it now, but I remember reading in one of the B-series brochures that the mid-mount mower's ground clearance was reduced by 1/2" or so when the loader was installed.

About a week ago there was a B7100 (w/loader) on the classified ads portion of this board you might want to check out.

 

[Kelvin]

B7100 Loader available...

For those interested, I saw a used B1630C loader for sale at the Knoxville TN dealership (I would guess that used ones are hard to find without a tractor attached). Repeating previous information, this model loader is supposed to work on the newer sytle B7100HSDs and will not work on the older gear drive B7100s. I didn't bother asking how much; (865) 687-5418 for those who want to ask.