Another which tractor thread

[BAYOUBENGAL]

Been lurking a couple of months but this is my first post. About to pull the trigger on my first tractor and wanted some input. I have 12 acres in middle Georgia, about half of which is woods. I mow about 6. Slightly rolling but not rough. My only real requirement is mowing. But, what fun is a zero turn? - I want a tractor. We are building a new house and will be doing some landscaping, lawn leveling, tree planting etc... We also ride dirt bikes and want to build tracks with whoops, jumps, and table tops. What I require is a mower. What I want is tractor, FEL, finish cut rear rear discharge and a tiller.

So I go looking and surfing the net, and reading posts from you guys. I like the BX2350 but can't seem to get past the fact that it looks like a mower and I'm paying tractor money. Pretty shallow but that's where I am. So I look at the B7610/B7800/L2800/B3030. Funny cuz each step is "just a nickel more to go first class". I finally decided on the B3030 but the realization hit that I was spending nearly $21K and all I truly needed was a $8000 zero turn. So here I was justifying the unjustifyable. (Please no "justify to who" comments - I bought an airplane one time and THEN came home and told the CINCHOUSE)!

So this is what I've come to: B7610/Kubota FEL/Bush Hog rear discharge, rollers, solid tires/ about $15K/no tiller - look for used or even TSC cheap brand since tilling is my lowest priority.

Actually had a JD dealer talk me out of the 2320 I had planned to buy.

Standing by for incoming.

bayoubengal

Polaris Sportsman/Mule/DR Field and Brush Mower/WR450F/K1200LT/Junk Murray Rider that came with property & can't handle 12 acres/NO TRACTOR/No ZT in my future

 

[DVR]

just my opinion-
the lift height on the fel for the b7610 is not high enough. the 3 point hitch will not stay where you want it and requires constant adjustment.

i just sold my b7510 with fel and bought a L3400. the 3 point adjustment is much better on the 3400.

the b7510 was a nice little tractor though. lots of features that make it user friendly.
the L series tractors are pretty much no frills and value priced. you get alot more for the money in the L's.

 

[DVR]

btw- the bx's is a great machine but a very poor choice of you plan anything outside of lawn care. the underside is very prone to damage in rough terrain.

 

[Jaybr]

I'm not going to reccomend a tractor model, because I'm in the same boat as you - still shopping.

I will reccomend you get a decent tiller though. I built an MX track on a previous property, and once built, I used the tiller more than anything for track maintenance. We rode mostly quads on it, and I'd have big group rides a few times a year. I'd run the tiller over the track and it took all the ruts out and made for some great riding.

I had a JD 790 with FEL at the time, and it was almost useless for building jumps, just couldn't move enough dirt. I had a freind with a BIG track loader move most of the dirt into place for the jumps to get started, then rented a skid steer when I wanted to make any major changes.

 

[Z-Michigan]

I'm really curious how you got to $21k on a B3030, unless it was a cab model. Seems waaaay too high for a non-cab model.

I would look at the L2800 again, it may be a good size for your "Want" tasks and small enough for your one "need" task - mowing.

 

[BAYOUBENGAL]

Thanks for the feedback guys. The B3030 price breaks out as follows:
B3030 13300 (FWD/Folding ROPS/R4s/HSD)
FEL 3285 (Kubota)
RFM 2100 (Bush Hog)
Tiller 1800 (Kubota)
TOTAL 20485
Seems like some agreement on the L2800. It's been on my radar screen all along. I will go back and review and reconsider. Great feedback on the dirt bike stuff also. I just keep coming back to mowing being my only requirement and that being an $8K bill.

DVR - you mentioned on the small Bs the 3 point won't stay put. I'm a tractor novice. What does that mean and what can you do about it? Does your experience tell you the 7610 would not be sufficient for my property?

My two big fears are overspending and underbuying. I notice many people's signature blocks mention their current tractor plus the one they used to have. I'd like to finish my signature block initially. Again, thanks for the feedback. It's great to get advice from someone who doesn't have an economic interest in my decision.

bayoubengal

 

[ToddW]

For what its worth my L2800 HST has handled every task I've thrown at it so far, FEL work, bushhogging and rear blade work. I can never get enough seat time on it.

/Todd

 

[jbrumberg]

BAYOUBENGAL:

Welcome to TBN ! I have a blue equivalent to the L2800HST and I agree with Todd as to this size tractor's competencies. I jumped into the Orange Forum due to boredom as well as avoiding the task of picking up all this Winter's large dog deposits on the "lawn", but my comment is related to the L2800's weight for lawn mowing. The L2800 weighs in at 2600+ pounds which would require unweighted R3's in order to not chew up your lawn. My "lawn" is just a motley collection of low lying weeds with a lot of dog droppings so it does not matter what my weighted R!'s do to it (I also use a RC.). I do have a rider lawn tractor for that little area of real grass. Just my $0.02- Jay

 

[Bob_Young]

Hey Bay,
Welcome!

I've got a B7610 and love it for mowing around trees. The small size makes it quite agile. However, I think it's a bit small for what you've got planned.

On the other hand, when you get into the L2800/3400, there's enough weight to do serious damage to a damp lawn....though they'd be ideal for the other work.

Best compromise, if you're restricted to one tractor, would probably be the B7800/B3030 machines. Heavy enough for some tiller work without being too heavy for the lawn. The B3030 will give you position control which corrects the 3pt. hitch issues raised by DVR. The B7800 still has quarter inching which can be a pain...though you do get used to it with use.

Might be better to look down the road a bit and see that a tractor plus a dedicated mower would be the best solution. The long-range plan might then be to buy the small L-series and keep the Murray going until you can replace it with a Zero Turn or a BX.
FWIW
Bob

 

[DVR]

DVR - you mentioned on the small Bs the 3 point won't stay put. I'm a tractor novice. What does that mean and what can you do about it? Does your experience tell you the 7610 would not be sufficient for my property?

bayoubengal

do a search on the 1/4 inching valve. tons of info from people who understand it better than me. all i can tell you is- i did not like it at all. i had to lock the 3 point in place with the knob and the could not adjust it by lever until the knob was loosened. otherwise it would not hold the position i needed. nothing i cut was ever level so constant adjustment was required.

i am sure the 7610 would be sufficient. great tractors. the 7800 has about a foot more lift height though. we fenced in 2 duck ponds with drive posts to keep wild pigs out. my (LA302) loader hardly came up high enough to drive them. countless other times extra height would have been helpful.
the L series has the higher lift and better 3 point. if you plan alot of loader work the hst (although pricey) is money well spent. also a great option if you have a wife or kids that might want to operate the machine.

i liked the b7510hst i sold. i don't buy unless i find a deal. my needs have changed. this time i find myself with a gear model.

as a novice all of the tractors you are looking at will be great. some just have features and options that will make your life easier. power is not a big issue as the 7610 makes the most of it. why thay can't extent the lift and change the 3 point valve is beyond me. that considered it is still one of the finest compact tractors available today.

bottom line you will get more for your money in the "L" series. I would consider the L3400 in your group. if you want to turn 5ft attachments some (if not all) of the machines you are considering are too small. at 5ft width the options are greater and the work gets done quicker. we all love our tractors but bush hogging with a 4ft cutter gets old quick.

i'm no pro but i will be glad to try and help with your decision.

i will also tell you- decide on a tractor and price shop it all over.
don't fall for the local dealer at any price bs. kubotas hardly ever require service. most you can do yourself if you can change the oil in your car. i'm fairly confident if you are serious enough to make your own mx track you know how to turn a wrench?

 

[BAYOUBENGAL]

Thanks. Again great info. How 'bout a price check?

Tractor Price FEL RFM Tiller Total
B7610 10050 3065 1945 1800 17060
B7800 11475 3225 2100 1800 18800
L2800 11735 3485 2100 1800 19100
B3030 13300 3285 2100 1800 20485


All are HSD, FWD, Kubota FEL, Bush Hog Rear Discharge RFM, Kubota Tiller. The dealer is 45 minutes away and has busted his rear to earn my business. A father and son family business. My closest dealer (10 miles) has been slow to respond to request for info and pricing, and has not followed up at all. Both have good reps. Neighboring dealer is $650-$950 higher. I don't want to brow beat folks on price as I respect everyone has to earn a living, but as an airline pilot I've lost literally half the value of my career through my company's bankrutcy. With three monsters yet to go thru college I have to watch my change.

bayoubengal

 

[Bob_Young]

You should be able to save $400-$500 off the tiller price by going with a King Kutter from TSC. They're gear driven and have a good reputation for everything except paint quality. I just bought a 6 footer and am waiting to try it out.

I think CCM, one of the vendors that post here, also has a sturdy gear driven tiller that costs about the same as the KK. Freight might cut into the savings, however.
Bob

 

[Z-Michigan]

Of the prices you quote, the L2800 is by far the most tractor per dollar, and I don't think it's excessively big. Your quote on the B3030 makes a bit more sense with details but still seems kinda high. Maybe they are a hot item in your area.

I would note that it's just as possible to buy too big the first time as to buy too small, so I don't automatically recommend going bigger. But the L2800 is not all that big nor much bigger than a B3030, but it has more capability and in your case is priced lower.

 

[BAYOUBENGAL]

May have found an '04 Kubota. Owner getting model info etc...

Where do you get tractor values for used equipment? Does NADA/KBB/Edmund's do tractors?

bayoubengal

 

[Ace Power Equipment]

Bengal,

How bout this

2004 B2910HSD Turf Tires
60 inch mmm
LA402 Loader
BL4690 Backhoe
16 Inch Bucket
75 Hours
Paint still inside both buckets.

18900.00

Brian

 

[BAYOUBENGAL]

Bengal,

How bout this

2004 B2910HSD Turf Tires
60 inch mmm
LA402 Loader
BL4690 Backhoe
16 Inch Bucket
75 Hours
Paint still inside both buckets.

18900.00

Brian

Thanks for the offer but no need for a backhoe. Of course no "need" for a tractor either but I can't let the facts get in my way.

bayoubengal

 

[fishpick]

btw- the bx's is a great machine but a very poor choice of you plan anything outside of lawn care. the underside is very prone to damage in rough terrain.

I say - Rubbish.

 

[DVR]

I say - Rubbish.

short memory?? the main issue was covered in a thread you started!

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/88849-fan-uner-bx24-mid-section.html?

 

[ToddW]

BAYOUBENGAL:

Welcome to TBN ! I have a blue equivalent to the L2800HST and I agree with Todd as to this size tractor's competencies. I jumped into the Orange Forum due to boredom as well as avoiding the task of picking up all this Winter's large dog deposits on the "lawn", but my comment is related to the L2800's weight for lawn mowing. The L2800 weighs in at 2600+ pounds which would require unweighted R3's in order to not chew up your lawn. My "lawn" is just a motley collection of low lying weeds with a lot of dog droppings so it does not matter what my weighted R!'s do to it (I also use a RC.). I do have a rider lawn tractor for that little area of real grass. Just my $0.02- Jay

Pretty much the same situation here. I actually have filled R4's on my 2800 HST but use my low end JD lawn tractor to cut the grass around the house, about 2 acres. Actually lately my 23 year old step daughter has been enjoying the seat time on the JD, so I got her an official JD hat at TSC When I see her walking out to the barn with her JD hat and IPOD on I know the lawn is about to be cut.

Jay, the TC30 was on my list of 3 tractors (TC30, JD 790 and L2800) until it turned out that my very local dealer (about 3 miles away) wanted almost 2K over MSRP. He quoted me about $20K for the TC30 with loader and 5' bush hog. I laugh every time I drive by there now. Nice tractor, bad dealer.

/Todd

 

[workinallthetime]

well ive got to get into this,lol
first i have to say i used my bx for everything but lawn work and made alot of money doing it but had to move up to handle bigger jobs and so i would quit looking like a shriner in one of those spin around cars,lol
i moved to the b3030 and absolutly love it !!!!!
way more stable than the b monster and the increse in power is great and is so much more quiet also.
12 acres id be looking at the 3030 for what you are doing and want to do. you say mowing but are you getting a brush hog type mower or a finish mower? im not that up to date on the terminaolgy of mowers, i do all mine with a zd326 but thats another thread,lol
good luck man