2710/2910

fishman · Oct 2, 2001

O.K. I've got a price on both, and the 2910 is $875 more than the 2710 (and, incidentally, $1975 more than a 2410). One of these days I'm going to have to make up my mind.

And to those who are interested, these prices are all about $100 more than the "great price" posted by Will at this link http://www.kazez.com/~will/kubota.html

So my question to those of you who have made a choice between the 2710 and the 2910 is: Why did you buy what you bought? I am relying on the collective wisdom of TBN to help me with my decision and I appreciate any and all input.

Bird · Oct 2, 2001

When I bought my B2710, the B2910 did not yet exist, so I didn't have to make that decision. All the advantages lie with the B2910, in my opinion. The only question is what they are worth.

Cruise control lever on the right: Ought to be especially handy if you ever need to use brake steering. I seldom do; nice feature, worth very little to me.

Tilt & Telescoping Steering Wheel: My B2710 is in the right position for me. Not worth anything to me, but if my wife or others were also using the tractor, might be very nice.

A little more horsepower: Usually run out of traction before you run out of power, but I'll take all the power I can get; would consider it worth a little bit.

A better suspension under the seat: Mine's pretty comfortable for me, but now we're talking about something I'd be willing to spend a few dollars on; rough ground and too much speed will let my seat give me a beating.

Telescoping lower links: Sure are handy for changing implements; that would worth a good bit.

$875 difference? Tough decision. Glad I didn't have to make it, 'cause I'm still not sure which way I'd have gone./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Bird

ronjhall · Oct 2, 2001

John
2910/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif 2910/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif 2910/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif 2910/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif!!!!!! $875.00 for creature comforts and 3 more horsepower. What a deal. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif OK I'll calm down. /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif That sounds like a good deal. I just came in from hooking up my Box Blade. Telescopic Lower link end makes it easy. Rachet-Type 3PH lift rod also helps. Cruise control makes it easy to make long straight runs when Brush Hogging. Being able to tilt & adjust Steering wheel in & out allow for many hours of comfort in the seat. Then there is the seat. It has more bounce in the rough stuff. An extra 10 cubic inches and 3 horsepower is something any tractor owner will tell you will not hurt operation of larger attachments. These item are what sold me on a 2910./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

fishman · Oct 2, 2001

Hmm, a neutral and a positive. Let's see what else is out there. Highest score wins!/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Thanks Bird and Ron!

Von · Oct 2, 2001

I was working on getting a new B2910 when the deal of a lifetime came up for a B2710. If I didn't get the tractor I have now I would have gotten a B2910. Over the long haul, $875 will seem like pocket change. I would like to get the lower 3 pt. links for mine, I'll have to see what they want for them.

ronjhall · Oct 2, 2001

Von
About $875.00. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

ronjhall · Oct 2, 2001

Von
I couldn't pass up to $875.00 cost./w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif Here is some helpful information./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif
Some part #'s that you should be able to get a quote from Tractorsmart or Carver.

6C170-6551-0 LH. Lower Link
6C170-6542-4 LH. Lower Link
6C170-6551-0 RH. Lower Link
6C170-6552-4 RH. Lower Link
6C170-6543-0 Lever Two needed
6C170-6545-0 Pin Two needed
6C170-6544-0 Spring Two needed
05511-50530 Split pin Two needed

Kelvin · Oct 2, 2001

When dreaming about upgrading either my B7100D or my B2150HSD to a B2710 or B2910 I decided that all of the B2910 extra features would be worth up to $1000 for me. With a differential price of $875 there would be no decision to make...B2910 all the way.

I finally decided that my B7100/B2150 combo handled all of my NEEDS for "his & her" mowing and all other duties and so I didn't upgrade (of course she gets the newer B2150...). Sure wish I had them telescoping arms though...

Kelvin

Von · Oct 2, 2001

Ron,
Thanks for the parts #'s. Since I almost stole the tractor, I don't mind upgrading it a bit. I already changed the top bracket for the 3 pt. to the heavy duty one made for backhoes, thanks to Hayden for the great deal on one! According to my wife this tractor has to last me along time, so I am hoping to add a few things to make it last.

glennmac · Oct 2, 2001

I thought the features were worth the price differential. The two differences that are most important to me are the seat, which is much more comfortable, and the extra power.

The extra power is not trivial. There is more than a 10% increment in hp and displacement. Many, many, many times I have stalled my 2910's pto while cutting heavy brush on my 11 acres, and could have used more power. As to whether this issue applies to you, I offer into evidence the following description of your property: "10 acres, mostly brush and rocks".

Alan L. · Oct 2, 2001

For $875 I would go for the 2910. There weren't no such thing when I got my 2710. The telescoping links would be worth it.

Now if someone would come up with an easy way to hook up the PTO shaft I'd pay $8000 for that.

Alan L., TX

MDNick · Oct 3, 2001

Someone did come up with an easy way. On several tractor makes (i.e. the Ford and a David Brown of my dad's) the operator can freely rotate (as in around and around, very little resistance) the pto shaft by hand when making the connection. Now you want to be careful doing that, for the cautious ones (not me admittedly) you could turn the tractor off. Allowing it to turn freely makes a hookup so much easier, rather than trying to horse the equipment pto shaft. Of course, I am only familiar with an L3010DT, maybe the other models allow you to turn the shaft. While turning it just a bit by hand to get the splines to line up would be easier, the hydraulic clutch on my tractor can be bumped to get the splines to line up. The control lever location makes this fairly easy, but not as easy as just turning it a few degrees by hand.

This is an annoying thing to me. Perhaps they do it specifically to keep people from grabbing the pto shaft when the engine is running. Properly designed and turning sufficiently freely, you don't have to grab tight. A thumb and finger can turn either of the 2 pto shafts I referenced above.

On another issue, the telescoping sway bars also annoy me. They allow as much as an inch of sway at the tips of the lift arms, which correlates to 5-6" out at my mower. When I am in close to something, when the wheels caster it occasionally bangs into things. That David Brown has simple solid bars that goes in the same place, but rigidly attaches at both ends on pins much the same as the end of a lift arm. That system is ROCK solid. It won't move an 1/8" inch. Much simpler and cheaper. But this telescoping is 'user friendly', a piece of crap, though it may be. I agree that every once in a while a bit of slop in the system is handy when you bang into something solid, but if the slop is already taken up for some reason, this safety factor is negated.

'Nuff venting. Really, other than these 2 minor issues, I love my tractor.

Farmer kid usetabe, Farmer Wannabe

Bird · Oct 3, 2001

MDNick, it's very easy to turn the PTO output shaft on my B2710 to line up the splines for hooking up implements; I do it all the time. That's easier than trying to turn the driveshaft. And you're right; I might be overly cautious, but I don't hook up (or unhook) a PTO driveshaft without shutting the engine down.

Bird

fishman · Oct 3, 2001

Glennmac,

After I get the tractor, I hope to be able to change my bio from "10 acres, mostly brush and rocks" to "10 acres, mostly cedar chip mulch and gravel"! /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Thanks to all so far. I count one neutral and four positives. Any negatives? Does the slop MDNick talked about in the 3010's extendable link arms also occur in the 2910?

MDNick · Oct 3, 2001

Just a quick clarification. I do not have extendable link arms. Only telescoping sway bars. These keep equipment on the 3 point from swaying back and fourth. The slop in them comes from various swivel locations, the pin holding the telescoping parts not being perfectly sized (even if it were, it will wear eventually), etc. I have just seen better systems on a 1974 tractor and at the sake of what some may see as convenience, we have given up system rigidity. I don't like things swaying back and fourth AT ALL. The only exception being plows (not blades). Plows need to float back and fourth a bit. There is the potential for FAR to much strain on the system if they didn't.

Where this is a real issue is post hole diggers. That digger can flop around 6+ inches just on sway. Much more difficult to nail dead center of a future hole with that much slop. Call it a pet peeve of mine. Unfortunately, you get used to it. Doesn't mean you have to like it.

Nick

Farmer kid usetabe, Farmer Wannabe

RBrown · Oct 3, 2001

Fishman,
A year ago almost to the day I faced the same decision you are now facing. Which way to go? I chose the 2710 because I thought the $1,000 "savings" would look better to my wife. Especially since I started telling her that the 2410 would be perfect for me. Well,,,I now wish I would have faced the wrath of my wife and gotten the 2910. I have added a weight suspension seat and as I buy more implements the extendable lower links would be really nice to have. Maybe in 10 or 15 years I'll be able to talk my wife into trading up, but for now I am very satified with the 2710, as my wife tells me almost everyday. Hope this helps!

fishman · Oct 3, 2001

Rbrown,

Hey, that describes my situation exactly. I, too started with the 7500, and quickly convinced the wife that the 2410 was "perfect". Now you see where I am at./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

As someone who has used both the 2710 and the 2910 style seats, what is your take on them? Obviously you liked the weight-distributing feature enough to pay for it specifically, but what about it is different? I have not seen one in person, only the 2710 which was just great. Thanks.

Kelvin · Oct 3, 2001

To all,
Doesn't all newer gear-drive Kubota tractors have built-in overrunning clutches? If so, doesn't this mean that the the PTO shaft should always turn freely in one direction?

Kelvin