B2601, B2650 or, LX? Big B or little B for me?

[Sid Post]

I need a smaller tractor bigger than a BX on my 40-acre homestead and out on the farm. The BX's I have use have too little ground clearance, tires are too small for a pasture, and they lack torque to pull any descent grass load mowing my front yard with a 54" deck.

Primarily, I'm debating a B2601 against a B2650. Perhaps I should wait for the 33HP LX which my local dealer will get in early Summer.

In real-world use, how do these tractors compare to each other? I have been told the B2650 is top heavy so, it won't be a good option for the more sloped areas of my pasture and around pond dams. I can get the BX under trees easy enough and the B2601 hood and seat height aren't too far off. How are sightlines mowing on these B's? Will the larger displacement B2650 engine have more torque or a tangibly better torque curve?

Why would you choose one over the other assuming a 60" MMM and/or a 5' brush hog (shredder) to used in and around pastures, ponds, damns, and orchards?

TIA,
Sid

 

[jeff9366]

A B2601 or B2650 can only spin a light duty (400 pound) Rotary Cutter in grass.

I would wait for the new LX if you think you want to spin a medium (600 pound) Rotary Cutter.

VIDEO: Kubota B261 VS Kubota B265 - YouTube

Comparing Kubota's 26hp Compact Tractors - YouTube

 

[Sid Post]

With ~20HP on the PTO, out here most people would stop at 48" but, I'm thinking 60" as I can always cut narrower if the grass is really heavy except for the first pass with a brush hog.

 

[tlj87]

I would skip the little B for your application and go with the larger of the big B (upcoming LX), or consider moving to the L3560. Either would run a 60” rotary mower in a pasture situation. The L3560 would need to use a 60 or 72” rear mount finish mower since a mid mount is no longer an option for the grand L series. You will be more comfortable and have much greater capabilities with the L series machine.

 

[Sid Post]

I would skip the little B for your application and go with the larger of the big B (upcoming LX), or consider moving to the L3560. Either would run a 60 rotary mower in a pasture situation. The L3560 would need to use a 60 or 72 rear mount finish mower since a mid mount is no longer an option for the grand L series. You will be more comfortable and have much greater capabilities with the L series machine.

I have an L4600 now so, a Grand L is out of the question as it would be even worse around trees, buildings, etc. The L4600 has the PTO power to pull 5' very easily in my pastures out in the open. I don't really want to drag it through tree limbs or mow bad slopes with it as it is too tall and too top-heavy (I have come close to rolling it twice already ).

I need something with a LOWER CENTER OF GRAVITY, an appropriate width, and something with less overall height. Less length, a better turning radius, and more appropriate around buildings is important.

If I go bigger, it is going to be something along the lines of a MF4707 or similar bigger tractor with a much larger loader and much better ground engagement than my L4600.

 

[tlj87]

I have an L4600 now so, a Grand L is out of the question as it would be even worse around trees, buildings, etc. The L4600 has the PTO power to pull 5' very easily in my pastures out in the open. I don't really want to drag it through tree limbs or mow bad slopes with it as it is too tall and too top-heavy (I have come close to rolling it twice already ).

I need something with a LOWER CENTER OF GRAVITY, an appropriate width, and something with less overall height. Less length, a better turning radius, and more appropriate around buildings is important.

If I go bigger, it is going to be something along the lines of a MF4707 or similar bigger tractor with a much larger loader and much better ground engagement than my L4600.

Gotcha. You could add wheel spacers to an LX to improve stability. Or, have you considered something like a Steiner or Ventrac? Very low COG, articulated for good maneuverability, etc.? I’m just not sure a small B would be a big enough jump from a BX.

 

[SDT]

I have an L4600 now so, a Grand L is out of the question as it would be even worse around trees, buildings, etc. The L4600 has the PTO power to pull 5' very easily in my pastures out in the open. I don't really want to drag it through tree limbs or mow bad slopes with it as it is too tall and too top-heavy (I have come close to rolling it twice already ).

I need something with a LOWER CENTER OF GRAVITY, an appropriate width, and something with less overall height. Less length, a better turning radius, and more appropriate around buildings is important.

If I go bigger, it is going to be something along the lines of a MF4707 or similar bigger tractor with a much larger loader and much better ground engagement than my L4600.

My thoughts:

The 2601 has no more PTO power than does the BX 2680 and the CG is higher, though so is the ground clearance.

I operate a 60" rough cut rotary cutter with my B3350 and certainly would not try to do so with a 2650.

I have decades of experience on extremely low CG Ford 8Ns as well as other tractors, and, though the 3350/2650 does not have the low CG of an 8N, I do not consider it abnormally high.

Tree clearance is determined by the ROPS or cab. I routinely mow around and beneath trees and do not buy cab tractors as a result. Though no Kubota has the tree clearance (or low CG) of a Ford 8N, which has no ROPS, the B or BX series probably have the best tree clearance.

From what I have heard about your requirements and desires, I suggest that you wait for the forthcoming LX 3310. You can add the 1 3/8" Kubota supplied wheel spacers if desired (I have these on my 3350) while still using a MMM so long as you do not specify the oversized R-4 tires.

SDT

 

[skipperbrown]

I have a b2650 open station and I have pulled a medium duty 60" ford brush cutter with either a bucket or forks on the front. The cutter didn't throw the tractor around. I was cutting thick waist high pasture grass and 6 ft overgrown food plots and I had to slow down often. I inquired about buying a new 60" cutter from my dealer and he didn't want to sell me a 60" cutter for a b, stating it was too big for a b and the torque could break off the top link transmission hook up. I am doubtful of that thought, but that was the salesman's position. I have turf tires and with the open station, I don't feel top weight heavy. My tractor clears my 8' door opening by 1/2", so the ROPS is much higher than with my bx by about 18". The nice thing about the 2650 is the lack of any emission features. If you already have a L, I don't think the large B is going to benefit you a whole lot considering what you are going to pay to get it. Finally, it takes some mighty heavy overgrown yard grass to bog down my bx with its 60" mmm. The only time it bogs is if the discharge chute is rolling out grass in chunks instead of spraying it out.

 

[Gary Fowler]

With regard to mowing under trees, the first thing I did when I got my property was to take a pole saw and trim up all the trees lower limbs to allow my tractors to get underneath them. I do the same thing for trees in my yard so I can get my zero turn around them without getting limbs in my face. To me, trees look much better anyway with high branches rather than hugging the ground.

Then as for your sloped mowing, widen the stance as much as possible, put liquid ballast in the tires and you should be good. IF the slope is still to much for a tractor, then suggestion is to go with something like a Ventrac or Steiner with front mower. Dual wheels are also available for them and according to the website, 45 degree slopes can be mowed safely.

 

[Sid Post]

I have a b2650 open station and I have pulled a medium duty 60" ford brush cutter with either a bucket or forks on the front. The cutter didn't throw the tractor around. I was cutting thick waist high pasture grass and 6 ft overgrown food plots and I had to slow down often. I inquired about buying a new 60" cutter from my dealer and he didn't want to sell me a 60" cutter for a b, stating it was too big for a b and the torque could break off the top link transmission hook up. I am doubtful of that thought, but that was the salesman's position. I have turf tires and with the open station, I don't feel top weight heavy. My tractor clears my 8' door opening by 1/2", so the ROPS is much higher than with my bx by about 18". The nice thing about the 2650 is the lack of any emission features. If you already have a L, I don't think the large B is going to benefit you a whole lot considering what you are going to pay to get it. Finally, it takes some mighty heavy overgrown yard grass to bog down my bx with its 60" mmm. The only time it bogs is if the discharge chute is rolling out grass in chunks instead of spraying it out.

You understand my position well! Yes, I have bogged the 23HP BX discharge chute down mowing the 'pasture' in front of my house with only ankle-high grass going very slowly. It just would not clear the grass from the discharge chute (stalled it out more than once) and when it did it left windrows. Weeds are also very hard on the BX with its limited torque. Finally, it is traction limited pulling a drag to knock down molehills and, this tractor was on AG tires, not R4 or Turf tires.

If the B3350 didn't have so many emissions-related issues, I would be considering it over the lower HP B2650. The size relative to my L4600 is certainly smaller but, I am leaning towards the B2601 to be a little more "BX-like" except with more ground clearance and larger tires. I've tried the BX and it won't work for the long haul bottoming out the front end into unseen washouts over time and similar uses outside of a more traditional 'ranch'ette' with groomed yards and pastures. With the larger 1.1L and 1.3L engines, both the B's should have a bit more torque when the going gets tough.