compact utility tractors

[tamersinger]

My wife and I are looking at around 8 acres mostly wooded to put our home site on. We will have a 800'=/- driveway which will have varying elevations and sloped sides, a septic field to bush hog and landscaping and general duties around the house. I have narrowed it down between a few different models(mostly kubota) the b2601, b2650 l2501 and kioti ck2610. I feel that the larger kubota l2501 may be to much of a machine for the given duties, although we may purchase 6 more acres in the future to maintain for hunting purposes. I don't know anything about the kiotis other than many mixed reviews. I also wanted to like the john deere but they don't offer a 3 speed hst in the 3025.

implements will probably be a box blade fel and bush hog, maybe a finish mower but I have a 21 hp craftsman. the only thing I worry about is not being able to effective box the driveway or clear pine cutover trails.

I have no equipment experience and this will be my first tractor(grandpa had a farmall and ih, dad had deere.)

 

[ericm979]

When I asked about running tractors on installed leach fields, half the answers here said "no problem" and the other half said "you'll ruin the leach field". I went with the latter opinion. It helps that I can't get my tractor on the leach field without either running over the lawn or the septic tank itself. That sounds like an especially bad idea. I cleared mine of 20+ years of brush by hand.

The tractors you're looking at weigh less than mine, some significantly so. Can they be run on a leach field? Depends on your soil and how deep the drains are. Maybe you can spec how deep they are when you have it built.

 

[tamersinger]

When I asked about running tractors on installed leach fields, half the answers here said "no problem" and the other half said "you'll ruin the leach field". I went with the latter opinion. It helps that I can't get my tractor on the leach field without either running over the lawn or the septic tank itself. That sounds like an especially bad idea. I cleared mine of 20+ years of brush by hand.

The tractors you're looking at weigh less than mine, some significantly so. Can they be run on a leach field? Depends on your soil and how deep the drains are. Maybe you can spec how deep they are when you have it built.

I may spec them to be a certain distance from my shop area, depending on the regulations and I could treat it as yard and use my ride on, my friend runs his 4200 on his fields.

 

[jeff9366]

My wife and I are looking at 8 mostly wooded acres to put our home on. We will have a 800'+/- driveway which will have varying elevations and sloped sides, a septic field to bush hog and landscaping and general duties around the house. We may purchase 6 more acres for hunting purposes.

I have I have a 21 hp Craftsman Lawn & Garden tractor.

I have narrowed potential tractor purchase to Kubota b2601, b2650 l2501 and kioti ck2610. I feel that the larger kubota l2501 may be too much machine for the given duties. I don't know anything about kiotis other than mixed reviews.

Implements will probably be a box blade, FEL and bush hog, maybe a finish mower. I worry about not being able to grade the driveway and clear pine cutover trails.

Use the Craftsman to mow the septic leach field. (I have mulched garden beds over my septic leach field.)

WEIGHT IS YOUR FRIEND in ground contact work. Your primary ground contact task is maintaining your 800' driveway.
Consider a Land Plane Grading Scraper as well as a Box Blade.
VIDEO: land plane grading scraper - YouTube

Safe hillside work requires more tractor weight than flat land work. Hillside work requires 4-WD.

Selling a used tractor is easy. Selling light implements in order to buy heavier, wider, implements for a heavier tractor you take a hit in depreciation. Passing time with multiple browsers is a pain. ((Ask me how I know.))

I would choose between the two heaviest options: Kubota L2501 or Kioti CK2610.

Heavier tractors have more tractive power pulling ground contact implements. Greater mass of heavy-chassis tractors increases tractor stability when transporting loads in the FEL bucket, the most rollover prone of routine tractor tasks. Heavier tractors have larger wheels and tires better able to bridge holes, ruts and downed tree limbs, yielding a smoother, less disturbing passage over rough ground.

Recommended tractors can operate a 60" Bush Hog in grass to 24". If you want to operate a wider Bush Hog or to cut long grass purchase a tractor with 35-horsepower.
If you want to cut saplings, buy a heavy duty 60" Bush Hog and a tractor with 45-horsepower.

 

[tamersinger]

Use the Craftsman to mow the septic leach field. (I have mulched garden beds over my septic leach field.)

WEIGHT IS YOUR FRIEND in ground contact work. Your primary ground contact task is maintaining your 800' driveway.
Consider a Land Plane Grading Scraper as well as a Box Blade.
VIDEO: land plane grading scraper - YouTube

Safe hillside work requires more tractor weight than flat land work. Hillside work requires 4-WD.

Selling a used tractor is easy. Selling light implements in order to buy heavier, wider, implements for a heavier tractor you take a hit in depreciation. Passing time with multiple browsers is a pain. ((Ask me how I know.))

I would choose between the two heaviest options: Kubota L2501 or Kioti CK2610.

Heavier tractors have more tractive power pulling ground contact implements. Greater mass of heavy-chassis tractors increases tractor stability when transporting loads in the FEL bucket, the most rollover prone of routine tractor tasks. Heavier tractors have larger wheels and tires better able to bridge holes, ruts and downed tree limbs, yielding a smoother, less disturbing passage over rough ground.

Recommended tractors can operate a 60" Bush Hog in grass to 24". If you want to operate a wider Bush Hog or to cut long grass purchase a tractor with 35-horsepower. If you want to cut saplings, buy a heavy duty 60" Bush Hog and a tractor with 45-horsepower.

solid advice, I am mainly looking new so a 26hp is as large as I will go because of the tier 4. I could go used but the kubota financing options are so enticing.

 

[prichard]

I bought my 2601 for basically the same tasks. My land is smaller and flatter than yours but I do wish I had more weight. I don't recall the 2650 vs L2501 weight or price difference but that is where I'd look if I were to do it again.

 

[Gary Fowler]

If your septic system is installed right, running your tractor over it wont be a problem. It should be 18-24" below grade and at that depth, you can run a 20K rig over it when the soil is dry without disturbing the leach field piping. The Kubota is going to be worth more after depreciation than the Kioti at least where I am because of lack of dealers and of course the more recognizable name.
The 2650 would be a great size for your 8 acres.

 

[Tractorable]

FWIW, I also have eight acres with very similar needs as you. I'm strongly considering either the Kubota L2501 or Yanmar YT235.

 

[cphilip]

Im finding my Kioti 2610 to be all I need and to work well on about 9 acres. I do some work on an adjoining 10 acres. Just some limb clean up and some mowing over there. I downsized to it as a matter of fact. But I also keep my Toro ztr for the around the house mowing chores. But I till, mow, bush hog, move gravel and mulch, moving things around with a fork set and soon will be using a Grapple on it as well. Hauls around my saws and tools. Not had any trouble at all with the 2610hst. Its doing all I ask it to do. Good size. Good power. Good torque. Very dependable and well made from what I can tell so far.

 

[Michael Aos]

The L2501 is really nice, but I would be tempted by the more deluxe features of the B2650.
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