B or L series for MY needs

[Gary Fowler]

For moving and leveling dirt that is brought in my one dump truck load at a time, I would use the smallest tractor like a B or even a BX. The more you run your machine back and forth dumping or dragging (using a box blade) then the more compacted it is going to be. I wouldn't get anything bigger than a Kubota B series. They are small enough to get to most spaces, heavy enough to carry more than a wheel barrow full of dirt at a time and with a box blade, powerful enough to drag a good bit of dirt per pass.
If you aren't in a hurry as you posted (1-2 years to do the work) then the smallest, cheapest tractor will work for you and be more maneuverable. I do a lot of work with my B26 and it surprises everyone with how much it will lift, push etc. It is a lot heavier than a regular B series tractor because of the TLB frame and backhoe, but is the same frame and engine size as a B26XX series. Plenty of capability in these tractors for what you will be doing.

Also with a smaller tractor, it is much easier to be precise with your FEL placement.

 

[crashz]

$10,000 worth of fill could be anywhere between 200 CY to 10,000 CY depending on who is selling it. Do you have an estimated volume of soil that you need?

Even 200 CY is a fair amount of fill on a 1/2 acre lot. One thing to seriously consider is erosion. If you have steep slopes and un-compacted soil (even a slip plane between soil layers) you could be spending a lot of time and energy scooping up your fill from down slope. If you tackle this on your own, consider a small vibratory plate compactor and having some straw or jute mats to lay on the slope.

I have an L2501 and it probably would do what you want. With either tractor, you'll likely be able to sell it after the project is done for such a good price that it would be less that if you rented a SS for a couple of weeks. But hills are still sketchy even with filled tires. With a bucket full of dirt they can get wobbly. Make sure to properly ballast.

Again, I'm picturing steep slopes, but I think this is small dozer territory. If you are buying the fill, would the contractor hauling it, spread it out? Get a nice little BX to spread the loam, maintain, dig holes for plants, wall footing etc.