First Tractor

   / First Tractor #21  
Here are my thoughts......

Get rid of the Kubota proprietary quick attach on the loader. Have your dealer install an ATI skidsteer style quick attach. ATI Corporation - Tach-All(tm) Quick Attach

Get the 60" B26 style round back bucket, or a Woods brand 60" bucket with bolt-on cutting edge.

Nix the $1500 in extended warranty coverage.

Get a set of light-duty skidsteer style forks.
 
   / First Tractor
  • Thread Starter
#22  
Here are my thoughts......

Get rid of the Kubota proprietary quick attach on the loader. Have your dealer install an ATI skidsteer style quick attach. ATI Corporation - Tach-All(tm) Quick Attach

Get the 60" B26 style round back bucket, or a Woods brand 60" bucket with bolt-on cutting edge.

Nix the $1500 in extended warranty coverage.

Get a set of light-duty skidsteer style forks.


Is the ATI quick attach widely regarded as better than the Kubota? Because it's not proprietary or because it's better in other ways (quick connection/disconnection of attachments?)?

Are you referring to the the Woods LC102 Compact loader? I'm not sure what a bolt-on cutting edge is (I looked, but couldn't find).

Extended warranty isn't worth it? I need the dealer (or someone) to come to my place for service (whether routine or repair).

What would I use the forks for?

Thanks!
 
   / First Tractor #23  
Is the ATI quick attach widely regarded as better than the Kubota? Because it's not proprietary or because it's better in other ways (quick connection/disconnection of attachments?)?

Are you referring to the the Woods LC102 Compact loader? I'm not sure what a bolt-on cutting edge is (I looked, but couldn't find).

Extended warranty isn't worth it? I need the dealer (or someone) to come to my place for service (whether routine or repair).

What would I use the forks for?

Thanks!


There is nothing wrong with Kubota's quick attach, but it is proprietary to Kubota. They do make a compatible set of forks, but that's about it. If you chose the skidsteer style by ATI, you can attach virtually any skidsteer compatible bucket, forks , grapple, etc. The skidsteer style attachment is a wildly more popular attachment method. I'm just looking ahead here for you. There may come a day down the road where you will want to put something other than your original bucket or set of forks on your loader...... brush grapple, bucket with teeth, etc. Every bucket manufacturer makes them skidsteer style, not many make them to fit the B series Kubota. Also... you may find a used bucket or grapple (SS Style) in your area on CraigsList. I can guarantee you won't find a used Kubota QA grapple on CL. Its always cheaper to do it now instead of after you've had the tractor for a year. I only suggested the Woods brand bucket (not the Wood loader) because that is what my local dealer would spec on a B3200 with an ATI SSQA.... a well made bucket. Any approprietly sized SSQA bucket would also work though. I also suggest a 60" bucket either way, because you may find you want to add Kubota's rear wheel spacers to add stability. Then your tractor's rear wheels are now wider than your bucket. IMO, the bucket should be at least as wide as the tractor. The B3200 will handle the 60" bucket fine.

The extended warranty...... well, that is up to you. I wouldn't see a need for it myself. Feel free to read here how many owners have any expensive repairs here just out of the warranty period. I don't think you'll find many. For ME..... I'd feel better putting that money into the ATI SSQA and bucket, which I'd gamble I'd get alot more use out of than the extended warranty. Your mileage may vary.
 
   / First Tractor #24  
As already noted wet, slippery, and tractors don't go well together. If your road settles under you or you slide off you could find your at risk of tipping. once your over in that peat you might need a sky hook to get out. A smaller tractor will put less load on the road over the peat.

How wide an area do you need to traverse across? Will you be moving logs across the swamp/peat area. This will add load to your road. As will a backhoe.

Once you get the tractor you will design the trails to fit the tractor especially on 100 plus acres.

Check into state/ fed programs for forest stewardship. They usually pay you X$ per acre to clear for fire fuel reduction or habitat restoration. My brother has paid for all his fuel, chipper rental, and spending money for a couple high school kids to help him.

One attachment I did not see mentioned is a box scraper. You can use the ripper teeth to pull up some of the rocks. The the box to level your path.

Here is a link to the tooth bar I bought. I liked it because it protects the underside of the FEL, it does not catch material inside, and it adds a small edge when back dragging.
http://www.wrlonginc.com/

Good luck
RoN

PS I'm jealous - wild rhododendrons?
 
   / First Tractor
  • Thread Starter
#25  
As already noted wet, slippery, and tractors don't go well together. If your road settles under you or you slide off you could find your at risk of tipping. once your over in that peat you might need a sky hook to get out. A smaller tractor will put less load on the road over the peat.

How wide an area do you need to traverse across? Will you be moving logs across the swamp/peat area. This will add load to your road. As will a backhoe.

Once you get the tractor you will design the trails to fit the tractor especially on 100 plus acres.

Check into state/ fed programs for forest stewardship. They usually pay you X$ per acre to clear for fire fuel reduction or habitat restoration. My brother has paid for all his fuel, chipper rental, and spending money for a couple high school kids to help him.

One attachment I did not see mentioned is a box scraper. You can use the ripper teeth to pull up some of the rocks. The the box to level your path.

Here is a link to the tooth bar I bought. I liked it because it protects the underside of the FEL, it does not catch material inside, and it adds a small edge when back dragging.
W.R.Long the 4N1 Bucket People

Good luck
RoN

PS I'm jealous - wild rhododendrons?

It's probably an issue of mine, but I'm loathe to get the gov't involved -- seems there's always limitations and costs involved in any project (and not them paying me). My gut is that there's no way NYS or Sullivan Co will pay me for work I'm doing on my own property.

Box scraper looks interesting. I think I'll leave that to the next round of attachments.

Want some rhodes? Come and get 'em. They do have beautiful flowers in Spring and the abundance of them is magical. But, they are so hearty here that when we first got the place, my wife was so excited and would walk into the back and bring back clippings for around the house and said she loved them. Then I took her for a hike through the up-to-2" diameter impossible to traverse tangle of woody vines, 14' high, 500' deep wall of them. She now thinks they are the most evil plant around.
 
   / First Tractor #26  
.....
Want some rhodes? Come and get 'em. They do have beautiful flowers in Spring and the abundance of them is magical. But, they are so hearty here that when we first got the place, my wife was so excited and would walk into the back and bring back clippings for around the house and said she loved them. Then I took her for a hike through the up-to-2" diameter impossible to traverse tangle of woody vines, 14' high, 500' deep wall of them. She now thinks they are the most evil plant around.

Seems we always want what we can't get. Unfortunately the soil here is teribble and I am just far enough from the Oregon coast that we don't get much mosture in the summer and only a few very harty varieties can get established and deal with the 100 degree days without a lot of watering and care. In addition to the blooms I love the evergreen quality of the Rhodes.

Regarding the forest maintance stuff you might check in with the Ag department/extension or local JC/college and see what you can learn about the programs. Mr. Bush made a lot of money avaialble and many of the programs seem to still be funded at least on the west coast, especially in areas with high fire issues and wildland urban boundaries. You can always decide after you know the pros and cons.
 
   / First Tractor
  • Thread Starter
#27  
Seems we always want what we can't get. Unfortunately the soil here is teribble and I am just far enough from the Oregon coast that we don't get much mosture in the summer and only a few very harty varieties can get established and deal with the 100 degree days without a lot of watering and care. In addition to the blooms I love the evergreen quality of the Rhodes.

Regarding the forest maintance stuff you might check in with the Ag department/extension or local JC/college and see what you can learn about the programs. Mr. Bush made a lot of money avaialble and many of the programs seem to still be funded at least on the west coast, especially in areas with high fire issues and wildland urban boundaries. You can always decide after you know the pros and cons.

So interesting because I consider our soil terrible also. It's almost entirely stone (in fact, the USGS classification for some of my land is "very stony" and for other parts is "mostly stony." But, the rhodes grow in what is classified as "Palm Muck" which is (I think) up to 50" deep of organic non-decomposed material (I've heard it called peat) that is either very wet or fully wet (stick a finger in and the hole fills with water). The rhodes alone, at least where I am, seem to love it.

I'll see what I can find out about the gov't money.
 
   / First Tractor #28  
josephny said:
So interesting because I consider our soil terrible also. It's almost entirely stone (in fact, the USGS classification for some of my land is "very stony" and for other parts is "mostly stony." But, the rhodes grow in what is classified as "Palm Muck" which is (I think) up to 50" deep of organic non-decomposed material (I've heard it called peat) that is either very wet or fully wet (stick a finger in and the hole fills with water). The rhodes alone, at least where I am, seem to love it.

I'll see what I can find out about the gov't money.

Sorry for not replying to your post. You've got the water and the organic material going for you. We're wet in the winter and dry for five month. The clay soil turns to hard pan. Only thing you can do is remove half or two- thirds of the clay and rock then add a lot of compost material. Part of the justification for a tractor.

Thanks for the reply and best wishes

RoN
 
 
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