Question for B2920 owners.

[nnelg]

I'm in the process of looking for a good all around tractor. I'm trying to close the gap and make my decision. I would like to have a tractor by the end of the month.
I need a tractor to Snow blow a 1000 ft driveway, mow 2 acres, and haul cut wood out of the forest. ( Not looking to haul logs. )

How do you like your B2920? What kinds of jobs are you doing with this tractor? Does it do everything you're asking of it?
Does it have enough power for the job? What kind of tires do you have on your B2920 and why?

If you have a front snow blower are you happy with it and what size do you have?
If you had to buy a new tractor would you buy the B2920 again or go bigger?

Thanks your all your input.
nnelg

 

[Mr. Ace]

I have the B2781A 51" front blower on a B2320, which is one of your options on the 2920 (I believe your other option is the 60" blower). I can unequivocally tell you that my 51" is a beast even on my little tractor. I have about 2x as much driveway as you, with moderate hills, and am in a crazy major lake effect snowbelt. I have eaten through 2' of snow numerous times, even stale compacted snow. Granted, at that depth I'm just crawling along lest I bog the blower down too much, but am still getting the job done. Unless you have an extreme situation, I doubt if you would need a 60" blower. Perhaps though, you could clear your drive with two passes of a 60" , rather than 3 passes with a 51"? If you do go with the 51", a 2920 would power it really well; and my guess is that it would have no problem powering the 60". Apparently, the general rule is you want at least 5hp per 12" of blower. I'm impressed with the performance of the 2320, but someday I would love to power-up to the 2920.

I have industrial tires with chains front & rear. In retrospect, I probably would have been better off with turf tires since I run chains. I have found chains to be a necessity for my terrain and performance.

Sorry I can't give you much help with mowing or hauling wood. Good luck with your tractor purchase.

 

[Tractorrr]

I am happy with my b2920 so far. I will use it primarily for mowing and I have the 60" MMM. The only problem I have found with it so far is with the adjustment dial height for the deck. The first time I mowed I scalped the yard a few times because I would hit a bump or somehow the mowing deck would drop to the ground and the adjustment dial would turn from 3 inches to zero. It is possible that the dial is just too loose but they are hard to tighten without special tool or taking back to dealer. So I have learned that if I lower the deck down to the height adjustment and then bring it slightly up off the adjustment piece then this seems to solve the problem as the hydraulics hold the deck up without putting the pressure on the adjustment dial causing it to drop.
Otherwise it has lots of power. I have turf tires primarily for mowing but I have pulled a trailer and a small boat around and it does this easily. I may eventually get a bush hog and box blade and possibly other implements.

 

[ericher69]

Yes happy with b2920.

Bought new in 2008

Residential drive snow removal; up to 50/day on $13 of diesel.

Have changed the dynamo to 40amp alternator as I added a SIMS cab, 4 spotlights 55w each electric wiper, 3speed heater, strobes and electric chute actuator.

Have the 51" industrial blower

Wish I would have bought the b2782 63" blower as my rear blade is 60" and will cause spoils to fall in freshly cleared path. Blower is 4.5" narrower than rear blade.

Great tractor never bogged down the 51" and could easily handle the 63"

R4 tires for all around all season use

Tractor runs out of traction before hp.

No mower

http://youtu.be/BGa_VbKfK8I

 

[tractchores]

I've had my B2920 for a few years now. it's a '10. I have done a LOT of projects with it, both big and small and have been very satisfied. The power is great and it's VERY surprising what you can do and move with this tractor. As a rule you will run out of traction long before you run out of power. I haven't needed more lift capacity on the FEL (again with more the tractor would need to be bigger / heavier), the BH is the same way. I run loaded turf tires for a couple of reasons - They have better traction than R4's in many conditions (mud, snow, ice, pavement, etc), but they are also gentle on the lawn. R1's would tear up my landscaping so I don't use them. Chains can help in the winter, you don't want to use R4's on ice or packed snow. The loaded tires are absolutely nessisary if using the FEL.

Here are some projects I've done recently:
- Redid my lawn, twice spreading and levelling 30 yards of loam / composted loam each time. It is about an hour to spread and level 10 yards of loam (goes very quickly).
- I have a lot of treework and have used the tractor for tree removal and firewood processing probably the most out of all my tasks. I have a wallenstein bx42 wood chipper for the limbs (great match for this machine). I use the FEL to move logs either in the bucket, on the bucket, with chains or with a pair of log tongs. I use the 3 pt hitch to skid logs with tongs (I can pull pretty large logs with no issues). I use the BH 65 backhoe to hold up logs while I cut them into firewood lengths and to stack logs into piles for drying. I use the tractor to put tension on trees when cutting or pulling them over (great for hung up trees). I use the BH to remove the stumps. I use a 3pt carry all to move split wood to my woodpile under my deck (removing the FEL and lowering the rops to fit it in there).
- I plow my driveway in the winter using the FEL and a backblade. I'm planning on a snowblower sometime soon. The drive is 500' long and I do cleanup on a .5 mi association road as well.
- Wood chipping is probably the most common task I use the tractor for in terms of hours. The wallenstein is a great match and the 2920 provides plenty of pto power.
- I've used the BH and FEL to rebuild stone walls and move stones around. The BH thumb is a must for this and with some practice you can stack stones with it.
- I trenched a 265' trench around 30" deep in majorly rocky soil for an electrical service. See pics and details here http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/291945-electrical-trenching.html
- I use a 3pt trailer hitch to move my utility trailer around, and to move my 7,000 lb boat around my drive and into a parking area (including a relatively steep hill). The tractor has no issue with this at all.
- I use the FEL in a variety of lifting tasks, from moving and spreading mulch, to moving my generator on a chain to a giant mobile toolbox. You'll want to get bucket hooks for your FEL welded on (dealer will likely do it with no cost as part of the negotiation).

In terms of attachments / adds on that I have and get a lot of use out of: FEL, BH65 backhoe, bucket hooks, work lights on ROPS (a must for nighttime snow removal), 6' back blade, wallenstein bs42 wood chipper, 3pt trailer hitch, TSC 3pt carryall with a wooden deck and rails, heavy duty chain, heavy duty log tongs for skidding.

If you do get one I'd recommend making a dolly for your attachments:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/236155-bh65-backhoe-dolly-build.html
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/236156-wallenstein-bx42-chipper-dolly-build.html

 

[sandyc]

My 2620 does all that I ask of it. I have the 60" blower on front with hydro chute. It will move anything that I run into. Also just got the 60 blade with hydro angle for when the ground is not frozen as I have a gravel drive. Backhoe is great for digging stumps and anything else you want to move.FEL will lift any and all wood I load into it.....all in all it's a great tractor!

 

[check 6]

I have a B2920 which I bought this past Spring to replace a BX 25. I am very happy with the tractor and the additional power. The seat is marginal but I'm about to upgrade it. I like the location of the FEL control stick better than where it was on the BX, the additional ground clearance is also a plus. Being in South Texas snow blowers are not needed but other implements work so well with the power. I use a turf aerator and plugger that weighs 650 lbs and the three point hitch lifts and controls it with no issues. Likewise the additional capability of the FEL is a plus. I have a quick disconnect bucket and quick attach forks for lifting and I was easily able to lift a 680 lbs box for a neighbor. Bottom line the B2920 was a great replacement for the BX 25 and does everything I ask of it yet overall it is not to large for easy handling in tight areas. Of course then there are always the personal mods one must make to make it "their tractor"

 

[deathtoblackberries]

Purchased my B2920 in Feb 2013, over 100 hours on it so far and its been great. Lost count of how many stumps I dug up, I worked the FEL hard clearing land, just starting to mow the new lawn the last 6 weeks or so, I let it grow extra tall, maybe 8 to 10 inches tall, I have the 60" MMM and the tractor didn't even know the grass was there, I kept waiting to hear the RPMs drop and nada, this is no riding lawnmower its a beast. Can't speak to snow blowing but I hauled a 550lb reverse tine tiller through some summer baked clay and while it was a rough yeehaw ride the tractor ground that stuff to dust after a few passes. Its been a great mobile crane for lots of heavy lifting jobs also. Completely happy with the tractor so far.

 

[nnelg]

Do any of you have the Quick Coupler on the FEL Bucket?
I'm thinking that would be handy but one of the dealers I'm talking to is trying to talk me out of it.
He said it will push the bucket out farther away from the tractor and lower the amount of weight is can handle.

Thanks for all your input it's great to hear about your tractors and what you have been doing with them. :thumbsup:
Looks like I will be pulling the trigger on the B2920 in the next week. Just deciding on what extras I would
like put on at the dealer. I would love a backhoe but need the snowblower more.

 

[deathtoblackberries]

My two cents on that nnelg, I don't have the quick coupler, what are you thinking you need beyond the bucket pallet forks? I do a lot of heavy lifting with my FEL, 500-700lb range with a chain and would not want the weight further out in front. It got front tippy on me once lifting a stump and that's with my backhoe on for ballast.

 

[nnelg]

My two cents on that nnelg, I don't have the quick coupler, what are you thinking you need beyond the bucket pallet forks? I do a lot of heavy lifting with my FEL, 500-700lb range with a chain and would not want the weight further out in front. It got front tippy on me once lifting a stump and that's with my backhoe on for ballast.

Thanks for your input, that is the kind of information I'm looking for. I'm completely new to tractors and have been reading and talking to a lot of people about different tractors. A lot of info to keep straight. Your right, bucket forks would work just fine.

 

[deathtoblackberries]

tractorbynet is the MIT of tractor schools, keep posting questions and reading.

 

[tractchores]

X2 on the quick attach. Unless you plan to switch buckets a lot then you're better off without the extra weight and better lift capacity. There are a few good youtube videos of the b2920 with a snowblower, it looks awesome!

 

[sandyc]

I have the 2620 and love it.....Maybe the extra 3 hp would make a difference but I have no problems plowing and or blowing snow, digging stumps (40-50 so far), and moving many yards of loam around the yard. The ground clearance is great for moving around rough terrain as well as getting underneath the beast to service it! Money well spent!

 

[Freddieboy]

My 2920 has handled all the items you mentioned and more very well. I run R4 tires and chain up in winter. Implements.....rear blower, finish mower, bush hog, box blade, middle buster. An excellent choice.

 

[architect]

have the quick disconnect, bucket and forks, found that you can take off bucket and do mowing, 60" mmm, without taking off frame of loader, quicker than finding level place to remove loader. 400' drive OK with loader, but do have a 32" separate snow blower if needed. Quick disconnect add very little to length, maybe 2".
I have BAR turf tires, best traction in snow or on ice without chains.

 

[Dan W]

tractorbynet is the MIT of tractor schools, keep posting questions and reading.

That’s very true "deathtoblackberries" (now thats quite a name BYW), for example, (talking snow removal, home made snow plow made in 2009 on front end on my B7800) I have received the answer I was looking for from a TBN post after weeks of trying to figure out why my installation would not work. The hydraulic cylinders would not work properly, they were locking-up, I was using 2 single acting cylinders to angle the blade. Nothing I tried would work. I was using the existing FEL Kubota supplied hydraulic valve, which I found out by reading a post was never going to work on single the acting cylinders I have installed due to a special hydraulic circuit used on during the dumping action of the bucket, called a bucket regenerative flow valve. We all learn from each other on TBN, a great website & very useful tool, not to mention like-minded people.
Here is a shot of what I used to clear snow for years and the B7800 is same as B2920, very strong and reliable.

Dan

 

[cal2620]

I have the quick attach on my b2626 TLB and I can lift the same weight as with out the quick attach. I have four attachment i use on the loader. Standard 50" bucket, pellet forks, 48" open bottom grapple,and snow plow.

 

[oldballs]

Cal......I'd say that you have the ideal set up. I had a BX without a QA and it really was a pain to "pin on" the pallet forks. On my B2620 I just went with some clamp on forks. Your front hydraulics and QA make a world of differance...I'm envious but plan on getting along as is. Cheers, Mike

 

[Gary Fowler]

I would get the QA bucket if you plan to use pallet forks or any other lifting device on your tractor. Not only are they easier to change out, but lift capacity if much better with QA implement rather than bolting something on to the FEL bucket. Drop the bucket rather than pin on forks to the bucket lip which really springs the bucket bottom. You can lift more with QA attached pallet forks than you can by using them pinned on to the bucket (bucket weight has to be deducted from lift capacity plus they are 2 or more feet further out from the tractor when pinned on the FEL bucket.) My brother in law has round bale fork that pinned on to the FEL bucket. It was marginal for lifting a round bale even with a bush hog on the back since it stuck out so far in front of the tractor. We built a QA attachment and used a rear mount hay fork welded to the QA bracket. NOW it lifts round bales to full FEL height without feeling squirrelly.
You are not going to feel any difference in FEL lift capacity as most all FEL's will lift a rounded load of material in the bucket without any issues as long as you have correct amount of rear ballast