AustinTX,
You mentioned "non-hydro" in your post. This probably means you at least thought about gear vs. hydro. If you think you might want a hydro, then pass on this, and all gear-drive tractors. ESPECIALLY if FEL work is one of the main tasks. Ditto on the comments about finding one with a loader. Finding a loader to fit this may be a chore, unless you have fabrication skills, and don't mind making a subframe to fit the tractor. My B7100HST has a Woods DuAl 145 loader on it, so I do know that some aftermarket loaders fit. The older B7100s (like the one you are looking at), came with the B219 FEL if they had one. Newer ones typically came with the 1630. Neither of these is detachable, but the Woods that I have (soon to be had) is. It is nice to be able to remove the loader when you don't need it, esp. w/o power steering.
Back to the hydro-vs. gear comment. I bought a 1980 gear-drive B7100 last may. One of my primary uses if FEL work. I bought a B7100HST hydro-drive in July of last year. I had only put 22 hours on the gear drive one before I sold it. I got what I paid for it, but put the time into cleaning it up, and giving it some fresh paint. Bottom line -- buy the tractor you want first, instead of 2nd.
My B7100HST only made me want for two things, POWER STEERING, and more rear lift power (3 point). I use a rear carry-all to move firewood on racks made from pallets. The full rack weighs around 500-700 lbs for not-yet-dried split oak. The 3PH on the B7100 is rated for about 400 lbs. I actually tested the lift capability of mine, and was able to lift about 600 lbs with the side links on the outer pin holes of the drag links. This was not enough for most of my pallets (gotta lift the carry-all too). I had to cheat, and tilt the pallets backward with my HTL (hydraulic top link) (another thread), and then lift with the 3PH to take up the slack on the front, and then tilt back level with the HTL. It is also a bit weak at lifting a PHD (post hole digger) when it is stuck.
After putting about 85 hours on it, the new owner is picking up the B7100HST today.
I had considered adding power steering, as many on this form that have fabrication skills have done. it is about $500 in parts, plus labor. Then, I'd still have a weak 3PH.
So, starting around Feb., I started watching for a good deal on a tractor the met my needs. I figured that with the economy down, I'd find some good deals. I watched craigslist and ebay, and some other searches. I missed out on some nice deals. One was a 400-hour '99 B2400 for $8000 with LA351 FEL, a 14' trailer, and back blade. Another was an early '90s 420 hour B2150 with a Bushhog-branded loader that went for $6200ish on ebay (I didn't log in to bid in time).
I finally, last week, picked up an 127-hour '05 B7610 with a Woods PHD, Kubota
ballast box and a King Kutter rake for $7,500. Luckily, I saw the Craigslist ad about 25 minutes after it was posted. Two days later, I had a $500 deposit on my B7100HST (Woods FEL, 60" MMM, home-made counterweight, the rake that came with the B7610, and my Leinbach PHD), two sets of tires/wheels (R1's, and turfs that were new last year).
I got $7275 for everything. So, for $225 + gas and tolls, I have my power steering, and 1300 lbs rear lift (at pins, 1080 24" back).
The B7100HST had also come with a 50" 3PH snow blower (of which, I already had one), so between selling the gear-driven B7100 and the other snow blower, I did that upgrade for about $500 + about $800 that I invested in the tires and wheels.
So, my advice, is if you don't buy the tractor you want, and settle for less, you'll end up buying the one you want sooner than later. Hopefully, you don't lose money in the process (I got lucky).
There are good deals out there, just be patient. It took my about 4 months of watching craigslist (and other sites) many times a day to get the deal I got.
The B7100 is a great tractor. It is a nice, rugged, simple design. If you can live with the manual steering, and (relatively) week 3PH lift, then get one.
IMHO, I think that you'd do better with a B1550, or B1700 for about the same price as a nice B7100HST will bring. The B1550 and B1700 are approx the same HP as the B7100HST.
My search was for the following models:
B1550, B1750, B2150 (17, 20, and 24HP)
B1700, B2100, B2400 (17,21, and 24 HP)
B2410 (24 HP, basically, a deluxe B7610)
B7500, B7510, B7610 (21,21, and 24 HP)
I didn't bother searching for Bxx20, or Bxx30 tractors, as they are very new, and would be way out of the target price (I was shopping under $8k).
I also didn't include the B7200, B8200, B7300 or B7410 in my search as none of them have power steering. I don't know if the B9200 does, but it was a little larger than I wanted. I also didn't bother looking for B2710, B2910, and B7800. Way more power than I need, and also a little larger than I wanted.
I would have been happy staying in the same HP range as the B7100 (16HP), but am happy that I have 24 HP now, as I'm about to start using a 53" 3PH, PTO-powered rototiller, and know that 13HP PTO power is a the low end of the range for that tiller.
Good luck with your search,
Jay
