Considering new tractor

[pmhowe]

Hi All,

I bought my last tractor back in 2012. I first bought a L4600. It had a three point hitch that was so jerky that it was almost useless. I traded it for a L4240, which was a lovely tractor. I wish I had it still. However, I moved from mountains of Colorado to mountains of North Carolina, downsized, and couldn't (and needn't) bring the tractor.

Now, I find I will need another tractor. I have lots of grading to do, a large amount of standing dead and sick trees to deal with, firewood cutting and storage, and the usual other chores. I am looking for a much smaller tractor than the L4240 - although I loved it, I don't need a tractor that capable any longer, and the budget won't stand for it.

I am thinking about a 25 hp tractor for lots of loader/grapple work, a fair amount of box scraper work, a little amount of blade work, lots of greatly oversized wheelbarrow work, and a very modest amount of snow removal. I only have four acres of very steep terrain. I am retired, so I can work slowly (and do, regularly), so I don't have to go big. What would you recommend?

Thanks for the help.

Phil

 

[jeff9366]

I am thinking about a 25 hp tractor for lots of loader/grapple work, a fair amount of box scraper work, a little amount of blade work, lots of greatly oversized wheelbarrow work, and a very modest amount of snow removal.

I only have four acres of very steep terrain. I am retired, so I can work slowly (and do, regularly), so I don't have to go big. What would you recommend?

Kubota B2650 or re-named LX2610.

VIDEOS: Kubota B265? VS Kubota LX261? - Are they the same? - YouTube

Comparing Kubota's 26hp Compact Tractors - YouTube


Spread the rear wheels as far apart as possible. Load the rear tires with liquid.

 

[Wagtail]

Evergreen is roughly 29 miles (47 km) west of Denver. The population was 9,038 at the 2010 census.
...
Evergreen, Colorado
• Total 11.6 sq mi (30.1 km2)
• Land 11.6 sq mi (30.0 km2)
• Water 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2) 0.52%
Elevation 7,220 ft (2,200.6 m)

Jeff... he doesn't live in Colorado anymore. At the end of the first paragraph he states that he moved to the mountains of North Carolina.

Sure, pmhowe hasn't updated his details, but that's no reason to 'go off' at him.

 

[Tinhack]

Sounds like a tractor with tracks would better serve his needs. Hilly terrain and grapples give me the chills. :shocked:

 

[pmhowe]

Thanks for the comments. The two videos were very helpful. I was raised on the”bigger is better” philosophy, and the videos are making me reconsider. In particular, the B2601 looks like it could meet most, if not all, of my needs

Also important is the fact that there was no comment regarding the jerky three point hitch. Back when I bought my first Kubota, the threads on that issue were very long, and somewhat testy. It was clearly a design weakness with the L-series tractors of that time. I infer that that problem is long solved, as it should be.

A crawler would indeed be a good solution, given my terrain. However, I have a mix of chores, most dominated by areas I would not want to chew up with tracks. Nonetheless, if I were younger and more ambitious, I would go for a crawler in a NY second. In Colorado, my neighbor had a skid steer. What he could do with that was amazing. However, I didn’t want it anywhere near my lawn. Same problem as with a crawler.

Again, thanks for the advice. It is appreciated.

 

[ovrszd]

This thread has been chopped so much I don't understand the conversation.

I did get the part where a Mate from Australia had to educate a local on where the OP lives.

 

[jeff9366]

The two videos were very helpful. I was raised on the”bigger is better” philosophy, and the videos are making me reconsider. In particular, the B2601 looks like it could meet most, if not all, of my needs

The LX tractors have about 600 pounds heavier weight and considerably more FEL lift capacity. You will appreciate every pound of additional weight using a grapple on uneven terrain.

Stop by a Kubota dealer and obtain a brochure for each model. Ask about wheel spread adjustment for each model.

Also, the operating station on these small tractors is tight for some. Try on the tractors.