Sub compacts are under estimated

[bunyip]

Not really for the Kubota forum as it is a general thought on peoples perceptions of sub compacts.
I have a BX2370 and was out leveling sand in the arena a few days ago when our stock agent came in with some 20' x 7" poles, he had trouble getting a gate off the tray as the poles had moved and were pushed up hard against it so I raised the bucket and gave them a push so he could remove it, that done he dropped the poles in the arena and asked if I wanted a hand to move them, I said it was OK and I would pick them up with the jaws on the 4 in 1 bucket and drop them over the fence.
He became alarmed and said that I should be very careful as I would probably tip the tractor over, yes the poles are heavy but not anything that the tractor couldn't handle and after he left I grabbed them one at a time and raised them about a foot off the ground, drove to the fence raised the bucket about 5' shifted forward and dropped the poles, repeat another 5 times, too easy.
Despite the compact nature of the tractor it weighs just over one ton and has a low centre of gravity, the grader on the rear whilst marginall lighter than the counterweight sat out about 4' so easily offset what I was lifting.
The poles were picked up in the centre so were balanced and there was no struggling with the lift.
I suspect people look at the size and think it is just a ride on mower with a bucket whereas it is quite a serious and capable tractor that can do everything I want around the place, we started looking at 40hp tractors and decided that it simply wasn't necessary when this would do everything we want and more.
Have others encountered the same perception with sub compacts?

 

[RNeumann]

Yep- It is a ride on mower with a bucket! Haha

It think most CUTS are looked at this way. My heavy equipment contractor was working around my place and I offered to do some of the finish grading. After I was done he looked shocked at what I was able to do. He also commented at how nice it came out. I just smiled and said- “Not bad for my first day huh?”

We are blessed to have the little machines!

 

[oldnslo]

My only issues with the kubota BX was ground clearance while trying to do tillage work and traction. I use my potato plow like a single bottom mold board plow and I have to very careful or I would Hi center while driving in the furrow.

That is the main reason I upsized to the Branson 2400H (Kubota "B" series) size tractor.

Yes for a hydraulic wheel barrow they are impressive little machines.

 

[MossRoad]

I spent 6 hours on my little PT425 today dragging firewood out of the woods about 1/4 mile back and forth between stumps and landing. The little machine snakes in and out of the forest in just 42" width, can lift 800#, and goes 8pmh forward and reverse. We replaced an 8000# tractor loader with cab with this little machine. Sometimes too big is, well, too big! :laughing:

 

[bunyip]

The BX2370 claims 145kg (about 300lb) lift with the 4 in 1 bucket which makes it a bit heavier than the standard bucket but I just know that the heaped up bucket full of wet packing sand weighs more than that, despite this it does not complain and curls and lifts with no effort.
I must admit I prefer it to a shovel and wheelbarrow although I now have the daunting task of leveling everything off before putting on the top layer of sand.
At the moment it is all over the place, the rake is too aggressive so I may have to put on the grader with the following wheel to maintain a level.

 

[pmsmechanic]

I'll never forget digging dry clay out from under the swings at the local school so we could install pea gravel to make it safer for the kids. The air wasn't moving at all and we were working with the smell of burnt rubber in the air from my John Deere 955 slightly slipping all four tires on the hard clay to cut out a 4"lift of dirt at a time. There were larger tractors there but they couldn't cut dirt with the accuracy that I was. A couple of farmers and I learned something that day.

 

[4570Man]

Some people think you need an 85 hp tractor to do anything. I don't use a sledgehammer to drive nails, I don't use my framing nailer to hang trim, I don't drive a semi to cruise town, I don't use use my 9" grinder for paint removal. Use the right tool for the job.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Yep...hear it all the time....powered wheelbarrow. Until I dug a giant hole for a 1000 gal septic tank, then picked up the tank w/ the BH and set it down into the hole. Proceeded to then dig 2 trenches 24" wide, 5' deep, and 60' long. Filled the trenches w/ 3-4" rock with the loader. Saved myself about 5 grand. Grade a common shared road w/ the box blade, does better than what a neighbor tried to do w/ a bulldozer. Subcompacts have come a long way!

 

[4570Man]

That's a nice looking trench. Ours are full of roots and rock. Digging 5' deep is a very rare luxury here. It's usually solid rock within a couple feet.

 

[bunyip]

That is impressive, I have a trench to dig that is about 200', that would not justify a backhoe as much as I would love one.