Time to downsize

isenbed · Sep 29, 2015

The time has come to get a smaller tractor to finish my projects. Current ride is a McCormick CT28 with loader and backhoe. It has been great for building the house and landscaping the upper yard, but now I'm ready to tackle the bottom yard. I'm building a switchback road down to the lake so width and turn radius are very important. The tractor uses will be finishing the road, and moving dirt, rocks,trees, and building supplies. I believe the BX25 size machines are just a little to small so I have narrowed it down to three so far.
1. Kubota B26. Love it except there is no way I will spend close to $40k, plus with the fixed canopy it won't fit in the basement.
2 Kubota B2650 with loader and backhoe. Really nice machine, gonna be around $25k
3. Mahindra Max 26xl with loader and backhoe. Just under $21k, has all the specs. The only thing I don't like is the brakes are on the same side as the hydro foot pedals which makes steering with the brakes pretty much impossible.

Pretty much everything else I see has the backhoe as an afterthought which makes them very long with little ground clearance.

Thoughts?
Thanks,
David

jenkinsph · Sep 29, 2015

I am a little puzzled by your choices the B2650 has the same wheelbase as your CT28 so how much difference can there be in turning radius?

Have you considered renting a mini excavator for a month or less and using it to cut the road down the hill? Seems that would be far better and cheaper than trading.

Coyote machine · Sep 29, 2015

What he said ^^^, and consider Kioti too. They have awesome hoes and tractors in general.

isenbed · Sep 30, 2015

Length and width is the biggest problem. The McCormick is 65" wide with R4 tires and the road is only 60" in some spots with really sharp turns. I have used a mini ex some to build the road, but it doesn't solve being able to get the machine to the bottom of the hill for future use.

isenbed · Sep 30, 2015

The Kioti CK20 and 2510 are very nice, if they had a more compact backhoe option with a swivel seat I would probably own one.

Gary Fowler · Sep 30, 2015

isenbed said:
The time has come to get a smaller tractor to finish my projects. Current ride is a McCormick CT28 with loader and backhoe. It has been great for building the house and landscaping the upper yard, but now I'm ready to tackle the bottom yard. I'm building a switchback road down to the lake so width and turn radius are very important. The tractor uses will be finishing the road, and moving dirt, rocks,trees, and building supplies. I believe the BX25 size machines are just a little to small so I have narrowed it down to three so far.
1. Kubota B26. Love it except there is no way I will spend close to $40k, plus with the fixed canopy it won't fit in the basement.
2 Kubota B2650 with loader and backhoe. Really nice machine, gonna be around $25k
3. Mahindra Max 26xl with loader and backhoe. Just under $21k, has all the specs. The only thing I don't like is the brakes are on the same side as the hydro foot pedals which makes steering with the brakes pretty much impossible.

Pretty much everything else I see has the backhoe as an afterthought which makes them very long with little ground clearance.

Thoughts?
Thanks,
David

I have a B26 that I bought used with only 60 hours for a minuscule sum of $20,500. If I were looking at small backhoes, I would look at a slightly used B26 in preference to the 2650 for $25K. There are many out there that can be had in near new condition for the $25K that you are looking at in the 2650 and the performance is going to be much better.

isenbed · Sep 30, 2015

Wow, that was a great deal! The B26 is my first choice except for the fixed canopy. My basement door is only 6'8" tall, so I would have to build a folding ROPS.

isenbed · Oct 31, 2015

Pulled the trigger today. Hopefully I made the right choice, new Mahindra Max 26xl with loader and backhoe. I just couldn't justify the extra $4500 for a Kubota B2650.

looch · Nov 6, 2015

Canadian list pricing from their respective websites:

Max 26XL 4WD Cab: $31710
B2650HSDC: $29332

Makes it a pretty easy decision on this side of the border. I was also dismayed by the apparent nickel and diming by the Mahindra configurator - oh, you want mirrors on your cab? $180. Heat? $760 - and so on.

jenkinsph · Nov 7, 2015

isenbed said:
Wow, that was a great deal! The B26 is my first choice except for the fixed canopy. My basement door is only 6'8" tall, so I would have to build a folding ROPS.

I would much prefer a small tlb such as the Kubota for your use. If it does not fit the existing shed I would build a new one. Guess we all approach these problems from different angles but I suspect the B26 would be a better tractor with a better fit for your property imo. Hope the new Max26 works out for you.