Buying Advice B2620 or B3300SU

[MikeInMaine]

Thanks bxowner. My friendly neighborhood tractor dealer gave me the exact same advice regarding the mmm and the backhoe, so it's good to hear consistent advice from different people.

It might be a case of ignorance, but I'm not too put off by the 1/4 inching control. Maybe someone could explain why I'd regret it later.

Funny story about your right leg falling asleep in the Audi. I'll ask for a test drive!

Thanks again, Mike

 

[KU Gator]

The 1/4" valve on the 3pt hitch is used on all of the Kubota BX's and all the B's except the Bxx30's. It is probably cheaper than the position control valve. On the equipment I use like the box blade it does not really matter. It goes up and down just fine with reasonable control of the speed. But when I use the rotary mower (brush hog), as I mow, the front of the mower gradually sags down so I need to ease it back up with the control. The rotorary mower has only one wheel in the back and the front is supported by the 3 point hitch. Out of curiosity I put my box blade on the back of the tractor. It weighs about 500 lb. In ten minutes with the motor on or off, the box dropped about 3/4" from the fully raised position. If you used a rear finish mower (RFM) it would not matter because it has wheels on all four corners, so it just rides on the ground.
The Position control valve used on the L models and B2630 or 3030 will maintain the implement at a set height so the mower would not sag down. It also would be more easily repeatable to get an implement like a plow to the same depth on each pass.
When we test drove tractors, the dealer gave us the keys to a BX, the B2920 and a B7800. My wife and I each drove all three 2 times each. They even offered to get a BX24 out of the show room as it was what we were considering. Make sure as bxowner says, you give them a good ride and get them up to PTO speed.
BXowner - German cars always have hard foam (MDI based). I have had an Audi and 2 VW's (My BMW motorcycle doesn't count). I know your pain but love their cars.

 

[ChuckinNH]

There is a mechanical stop on the 3pt hitch control rod that can be set to limit how far the hitch will drop, and I find that worth setting if I'm going to be doing a bunch of brush / rough cutting. It is a sliding stop on the operating rod.

 

[TripleR]

There is a mechanical stop on the 3pt hitch control rod that can be set to limit how far the hitch will drop, and I find that worth setting if I'm going to be doing a bunch of brush / rough cutting. It is a sliding stop on the operating rod.

Thanks for the info, I will have to try that.

 

[KU Gator]

Yes, thanks Chuck for posting that again. You sent it to me last October and for some reason I could not seem to find it in my computer. Will probably be mowing this weekend if we don't get too much more rain today.

 

[MikeInMaine]

That's a nice tip, Chuck. How do you like your BX42 chipper?

 

[ChuckinNH]

The BX42 chipper works very well, and my neighbors like it as much as I do! I did have to adjust the knife clearance when it was new to keep it from plugging on really leafy, or viney branches, but it has been great. It even works pretty good on leaves if I run it at 960 pto rpm ( an option available on the B2X20 series.) So far I probalby have about 40 hours on it.

 

[MikeInMaine]

I want to thank all of you who helped me with my first tractor purchase. You gave me a lot of good things to consider.
At the last minute, the dealer threw another model at me to consider: the L2800, because there were additional customer rebates which brought its price down to where I could consider it. I did test drive that, and the B2620. In the end, while the L2800 was probably the better deal, and is a more able machine, I put a "hold" on a B2620, and will purchase it later this week. I know I'm getting a real nice machine, and you'll probably hear more from me down the road.
Thanks again,
MikeInMaine

 

[TripleR]

Congratulations on your new tractor, are you bundling it with your implements?

 

[MikeInMaine]

Thanks, TripleR. I'm just starting out with the FEL and a landscape rake. I've got a lot of use for a good PTO chipper, but can't afford it or anything else at this point. I'd like to think there's a snowblower in my future too. A good friend nearby with a Kubota B7500 has a box blade he'll let me use. Maybe we'll go halvsies on something else down the line.

There's actually a lot of work that I can do here with just the FEL and rake, so I'll concentrate on that, and acquire more implements as time and finances allow.
MikeInMaine