Buying Advice What model to buy???

[dodge man]

Just me thinking out loud here, but it seems like an L would be overkill. I would also say a BX would be to small. A BX might be a good choice if you plan on turning the pasture into a lawn some day and will use it more of a lawnmower. I maintain about 3 to 4 acres of lawn and trees with a BX and feel its the right size machine for me, but half of its use is as a lawnmower.

My advice would to also look at a larger B series, they are very nice machines. I was looking at a B3200 on the dealers lot, and they are a lot taller, wider and stronger than a BX, but it didn't look that much longer.

 

[jwrambo]

Local dealer just made me an offer on a B3200 with loader for what I think is a real good deal, 16,600??? What size bush hog could I use with this machine? For what I want to spend this is at the upper limit, and I am hoping this will do everything I will ever need, thoughts?

 

[bp fick]

Personally, that is a great price, I think. Have you checked that price against other dealers, to be sure? Barlows is always a touchstone for pricing, for many folks here.

5' brush hog and you'd have lots of grunt, with a 6', I'd suspect you'd likely have to have better cutting conditions, but it would run it.

 

[jwrambo]

Update. Borrowed a friends 3410 today to bush hog the pasture area. I learned that power is important. I am not sure the smaller B series would have done it. It had rained earlier, so I am sure that added to the difficulty. Even with the more gradual slopes, I had to mow in low gear which is fine since the land is pretty bumpy right now. When it dries in a couple of days, he is going to let me borrow it again to try my hand at moving some dirt and a little grading. With the Georgia clay and the slopes, I could not leave the grassy pasture. I did once, and learned what it was like to slide down a slope! Another dealer has the B3300 very close in price, and he said the only difference is the tire package. Anybody have any thoughts on the B3300 vs. the B3200?

 

[ChuckinNH]

"I find the quarter inching 3pt hitch excellent for grading, some would vehemently disagree however. "

Well, I would have been one of those folks you talk about though I wouldn't have 'vehemently" disagreed with you. Once I found that most Kubotas that have the 1/4" ing are not adjusted to work right at the factory, or at the dealers things between me, and my 3pt hitch became more civil. I tweaked it a little more just today, and then worked on my trails in the woods with a box blade for a few hours, and I have to say I am coming to like it for that kind of work.

 

[Verticaltrx]

Update. Borrowed a friends 3410 today to bush hog the pasture area. I learned that power is important. I am not sure the smaller B series would have done it. It had rained earlier, so I am sure that added to the difficulty. Even with the more gradual slopes, I had to mow in low gear which is fine since the land is pretty bumpy right now. When it dries in a couple of days, he is going to let me borrow it again to try my hand at moving some dirt and a little grading. With the Georgia clay and the slopes, I could not leave the grassy pasture. I did once, and learned what it was like to slide down a slope! Another dealer has the B3300 very close in price, and he said the only difference is the tire package. Anybody have any thoughts on the B3300 vs. the B3200?

A B3200 will handle the right 5' bush hog with plenty of authority. 6' is too big for this size tractor. You want a 5 footer that weighs under 600lbs and is fairly open on the back to easily discharge clippings. We had a 5' JD bush hog that was completely enclosed on the back and it took over 30 PTO hp to pull it properly. I use a 5' Kodiak brand cutter and my 23 PTO hp B3200 rarely struggles with it.

As for the B3200 vs B3300, they are virtually identical aside from larger tires on the B3300 (in R4's only), and the lack of cruise control and mid-PTO. $16600 is a pretty good price on the B3200, I paid almost that two years ago and that was the bottom dollar anywhere within 100mi. One other word of advice, if you plan on doing a lot of digging, pulling, pushing, or work on muddy ground get the R1 Ag tires. The provide an exceptional amount of traction compared to the R4 Industrial tires (I have a set of each for mine.) For lots of heavy loader work such as moving a lot of rock or gravel the R4s are a bit sturdier.

 

[jwrambo]

The bush hog I was using was enclosed in the back, and your advice makes a lot of sense. Would you buy the Kodiak cutter again?

 

[JiminGa]

Have you been to see Neal at James Short in Alto? Great guy, very knowledgeable with these tractors....I'd think the B3200 would be a good fit.

 

[jwrambo]

Yes, Neal is one of the dealers I am working with. He does seem to know his trade well.

 

[ChuckinNH]

JohnDeere Media Player


I think that some folks here are reading a bit much into the OP's needs, and perhaps we need to review what he is asking after the movie.