Buying Advice B2601

[Lilguy]

Ive settled on a B2601 to replace my 1985 L2250 which I've had since new. 60 in mmm, 60 in QT front loader and 70 series BH. Several questions to start.

No experience with suspended deck, been using contact decks for 42 years. Any issues on rugged terrain. My place is not a smooth football field.

Do I need a mechanical thumb for 400 bucks.

How about bucket size, 12 or 16 inch.

With BH off, is there any interference with 3pt hitch function from the added BH
Frame. Getting turf tires, any issue with infrequent BH use. Tree planting, digging out koi pond and such?

Any other input appreciated.

 

[Paystar]

Awesome little tractors. You will be happy and amazed at what they can do. I have the old series (B2620) and my yard is also far from level. I have no issues at all with the suspended deck. It cuts way nicer than my past two lawn tractors.
And the drive over deck feature is an added bonus. Makes it so easy to take on and off.

As for the thumb, what are you doing with the backhoe? The thumb will make it much easier for you to handle large rocks, roots or tree stumps.

If you have hard ground, a smaller bucket will give you more power.

 

[Lilguy]

Thanks Paystar. I'll go with the 12 in. I'll mow with it 85% of the time. My old L had calcium chlorate solution filled rear tires. Not filling them this time with anything, will a ballast box do for counter weighting
Frt loader? Dealer was not alarmed at the thought of not adding weight to backend because of the backhoe. But it will be stored much of the time while mowing.

 

[DHD]

Lilguy...
Not filling my tractor tires with anything anymore either.

I had a 1969 Ford 2000 that had that calcium chlorate solution in the rear tires, rims rusted thru.
I was not going to have any liquid ballast in my next tractor.
When I got my Kubota B7800 in 2005 I did not have any liquid ballast added to any of my tires.
I wanted to keep my tractor light in weight because of soft areas in my field where I mowed.
Another benifit I discover was when I mounted tire chains on my rear tractor tires.
Before mounting the chains, with my tires jacked up off the floor, I deflated the tires, then hooked up the tire chains, then filled the tires with air again.
Chains stay very snug and don't move around.

I do not miss having liquid ballast in my tires and when ever I do FEL work, I just insure there is a heavy implement mounted on the 3 point.

 

[Paystar]

I have pics on all these forums of work I have done. I have moved over 330 metric tonne of stony pit run now and my tires aren't filled. I grab full buckets with only my 60 inch Land Pride box blade on the back and it has never lifted the rear wheels off the ground. Even my angle blade does the trick.

 

[s219]

I had a B2920, same as B2620 but with some extra HP, and a full load of gravel in the front loader bucket would definitely make the back end light, and that's with loaded tires and a box blade on the 3-pt. Just having the rear tires on the ground isn't an indication you have enough ballast, and when the back end starts getting light it means the front axle is overloaded. Ideally, you want to keep at least the same amount of down pressure on the rear tires as when the front loader is empty, and that means you will sure need some ballast to offset the front loader's payload. Both the weight and the lever arms come into play. There is a lot longer lever arm from the 3-pt to the front axle than from the loader bucket to the front axle, so rear ballast has an inherent advantage. If you want to do the simple math,

Weight_Ballast_Needed = Weight_FEL_Payload * (Length_FEL_To_Front_Axle / Length_FEL_To_3PT)

Keep that basic rule in mind and you'll avoid overloading the front axle.

 

[mike69440]

I have pics on all these forums of work I have done. I have moved over 330 metric tonne of stony pit run now and my tires aren't filled. I grab full buckets with only my 60 inch Land Pride box blade on the back and it has never lifted the rear wheels off the ground. Even my angle blade does the trick.

Kubotas specs are to full height, but I suspect more than other tractors, Kubota's FEL geometry is such that they proportionally more lift to mid height than comprable tractors with the same lift to max height specs. W would not be surprised if a B2601 could not lift 800-900 lbs in the bucket a few feet off the ground. Not so much to protect the front axle, but more you, put some weight in those tires.

 

[mike69440]

I have pics on all these forums of work I have done. I have moved over 330 metric tonne of stony pit run now and my tires aren't filled. I grab full buckets with only my 60 inch Land Pride box blade on the back and it has never lifted the rear wheels off the ground. Even my angle blade does the trick.

Kubotas specs are to full height, but I suspect more than other tractors, Kubota's FEL geometry is such that they proportionally more lift to mid height than comprable tractors with the same lift to max height specs. W would not be surprised if a B2601 could not lift 800-900 lbs in the bucket a few feet off the ground. Not so much to protect the front axle, but more you, put some weight in those tires. Kubota's in general are light tractors. Take the FEL off to lighten.

 

[Paystar]

No doubt more ballast is safer, just saying it wasn't necessary. But I don't keep my full bucket way up running up and down these hills I filled in and rebuilt.

 

[WilliamBos]

No need to load the front tires, too much weight on the front axle is not a good thing.