B2650 3-point hitch interferes with backhoe - creative thinking needed

[dspan]

Hi Everyone,

First real post, first real tractor.

I just received my shiny new B2650 Kubota with 60" MMM, backhoe, forks and quick attach bucket. I love the tractor so far, the only annoying thing is the 3-point hitch and backhoe interference. According to the manual and dealer, you must remove the 3-point hitch to use the backhoe. This is fairly obvious because the lower hitch arms are long and stick out right in the path of the backhoe connection points.

Upon closer inspection, this could easily be avoided if someone manufactured a miniature 3-point hitch. The only thing Im using the hitch for is to raise and lower the mower deck.

Ideally, I would have my factory 3-point harness on the shelf somewhere in case I ever get an implement that needs the hitch and have a second "shorty" version that could peacefully co-exist with the backhoe. I don't plan on mowing with the backhoe, but it is super annoying to have to remove the 3-point hitch and pin up the mower deck when I just need to mount the backhoe for 3 minutes of use (moving a fallen log or something).

Any ideas? Anyone want to sell me a 3-point hitch they are not using so I can chop it up?

Thank you!

Mr. 2650 lol

 

[fried1765]

Hi Everyone,

First real post, first real tractor.

I just received my shiny new B2650 Kubota with 60" MMM, backhoe, forks and quick attach bucket. I love the tractor so far, the only annoying thing is the 3-point hitch and backhoe interference. According to the manual and dealer, you must remove the 3-point hitch to use the backhoe. This is fairly obvious because the lower hitch arms are long and stick out right in the path of the backhoe connection points.

Upon closer inspection, this could easily be avoided if someone manufactured a miniature 3-point hitch. The only thing Im using the hitch for is to raise and lower the mower deck.

Ideally, I would have my factory 3-point harness on the shelf somewhere in case I ever get an implement that needs the hitch and have a second "shorty" version that could peacefully co-exist with the backhoe. I don't plan on mowing with the backhoe, but it is super annoying to have to remove the 3-point hitch and pin up the mower deck when I just need to mount the backhoe for 3 minutes of use (moving a fallen log or something).

Any ideas? Anyone want to sell me a 3-point hitch they are not using so I can chop it up?

Thank you!

Mr. 2650 lol

I too have a TLB with a "quick disconnect" hoe, and the 3pt. arms must be disconnected to use the hoe.
My solution over the past 30+ years has been to leave the 3pt. lift arms in the barn, and the hoe mounted.
When I need the 3pt......... I use another tractor!
My tractors are OLD, but they are set up to do whatever I want, when I want.

 

[dspan]

Although that is interesting, buying another tractor to address this issue is not a great idea. If there was enough interest I could get a local machine shop to make shorter lower arms but I was hoping someone already came up with a solution.

I too have a TLB with a "quick disconnect" hoe, and the 3pt. arms must be disconnected to use the hoe.
My solution over the past 30+ years has been to leave the 3pt. lift arms in the barn, and the hoe mounted.
When I need the 3pt......... I use another tractor!
My tractors are OLD, but they are set up to do whatever I want, when I want.

 

[fried1765]

Although that is interesting, buying another tractor to address this issue is not a great idea. If there was enough interest I could get a local machine shop to make shorter lower arms but I was hoping someone already came up with a solution.

One cannot ever have too many tractors, or too many guns!
Wives.....? Now that is a different story!
ONE is MORE than enough!

 

[aczlan]

Tractor Supply and others sell lower arms, buy a cheap one, cut the ends off 8-10” in and drill a hole for the lift arm.

Aaron Z

 

[LD1]

Confused.

You said the only thing you use the hitch for is to raise and lower the mower.

Is this a mid-mount mower or a 3PH mower?

If its a mid mount mower, why do you even need to put the arms back on?

If its a rear finish mower, wouldnt shorter arms cause the mower to hit the back tires or the PTO to be too long?

 

[aczlan]

Confused.
You said the only thing you use the hitch for is to raise and lower the mower.
Is this a mid-mount mower or a 3PH mower?
If its a mid mount mower, why do you even need to put the arms back on?
If its a rear finish mower, wouldnt shorter arms cause the mower to hit the back tires or the PTO to be too long?

I am assuming that it is like the mid mount mower on our B7500 where the arms to lift the mower run off of the 3 point lift arms (they hook over them).
If you remove the arms, you then lose the ability to raise the deck.
Here is a picture (orange brackets at the front of the lower 3 point arms):


OP, does your model have the "latch up" bracket to keep the mower all the way up? On ours, there is a bracket for each side in the back that you can use to latch the mower up so it cannot drop down when using the 3 point.

Aaron Z

 

[LD1]

I am assuming that it is like the mid mount mower on our B7500 where the arms to lift the mower run off of the 3 point lift arms (they hook over them).
If you remove the arms, you then lose the ability to raise the deck.
Here is a picture (orange brackets at the front of the lower 3 point arms):


OP, does your model have the "latch up" bracket to keep the mower all the way up? On ours, there is a bracket for each side in the back that you can use to latch the mower up so it cannot drop down when using the 3 point.

Aaron Z

I see.

If thats the case, then yea, some short arms would be the way to go. But they have to be long enough to reach the vertical links, and if that clears the hoe, should work well.

 

[ryan08]

Sounds just like the BX25 and you can lift the MMM with the 3 point removed and the hoe on just fine. You do have to remove the hoe to put the 3 point on but if you are not using a rear mower, what is the problem?

 

[aczlan]

Sounds just like the BX25 and you can lift the MMM with the 3 point removed and the hoe on just fine. You do have to remove the hoe to put the 3 point on but if you are not using a rear mower, what is the problem?

The BX uses a similar but different system, it does not tie into the lower links for the 3 point like the system on the B does.

 

[aczlan]

Sounds just like the BX25 and you can lift the MMM with the 3 point removed and the hoe on just fine. You do have to remove the hoe to put the 3 point on but if you are not using a rear mower, what is the problem?

The BX uses a similar but different system, it does not tie into the lower links for the 3 point like the system on the B does.

Aaron Z

 

[zmansmac]

When I first got my B7500 in 2003 I used it for mowing with the 60 inch MMM. I didn't have a backhoe then but wanted to store the tractor in a shortened garage space and it would not fit with the 3 point arms on. And I didn't 3 pt attachments for a few years so I bought a lift arm like this (CountyLine Forged Lift Arm - For Life Out Here) from TSC and cut it in half. Then drill half inch holes in the non-ball end and used some 1/8 inch flat bar stock with holes drilled in each end to make the connection from the end of the now half lift arm to the upper lift arms. Not a lot of strength needed to just lift the MMM and the shorter arms didn't go back past the rear tires. Haven't used this setup for the past 2 years since I bought a ZTR but I can dig up the parts, install them and take a pic if anyone is interested.

 

[dspan]

bumping this thread after 5 years of never coming up with a solution, has anyone ever solved this one?

 

[Chanceywd]

On my L2501 when I have the backhoe on the lift arms come off and it has to have the 3pt control all the way down so the hydraulics for the back hoe isn't deadheaded. Don't know if your model works that way but something to keep in mind if it does.

Bill

 

[mikester]

I don't understand why it's too difficult to pull 7 pins to remove the 3PH. Need an app for that?

 

[NHBX]

I don't understand why it's too difficult to pull 7 pins to remove the 3PH. Need an app for that?

Thanks for the morning chuckle.

 

[dspan]

I don't understand why it's too difficult to pull 7 pins to remove the 3PH. Need an app for that?

I don’t think you understand the problem as I might not be explaining it well.

The B2650 can not have the 3-pt hitch installed with the backhoe, it is not possible and IMO a terrible design by Kubota. I was told by the dealer that the MMM and Backhoe could be installed at the same time WHICH IS TRUE, but it is also BS because without the 3pt hitch installed the mower deck is permantly pinned to the bottom of the tractor in the highest position about 8” above the grass.

In order for me to drop my mower deck to clean up some brush or whatever I have to.

1.) Find a flat spot (which is tricky for me).
2.) Remove my entire backhoe and prop it up with a bunch of wooden blocks. (20 min)
3.) Drag out and Install the 3-point hitch (5 min)
4.) Crawl under tractor and remove pins that hold mower deck up when 3-point hitch is not attached (not easy, that takes me 15 minutes on my best day)
5.) Mow lawn for ~30 minutes
6.) Raise mower deck, often with automotive jack to get the pin holes to line up.
7.) Pin up mower deck
8.) Remove 3-point hitch and all spacers/components.
9.) Wrangle backhoe back onto the tractor.

What should be a 30 minute lawn trim takes me almost 2 hours and a wrenched back every time.

Do you understand the problem better now?

 

[mikester]

My M59 has a removable BH and I have to install/remove the 3PH each time as well. 2 pins and 3 hoses to remove the BH. 7 pins to install the 3PH. 30 minutes pre-cab, now takes me 45 minutes because I have to remove the rear window and get a screw gun to re&re 4 SHCS. I find dealing with the cab the fiddliest part.

No belly mower. I use my ZD326 for lawn mowing. I have a 3PH mower for the M59 but that's 3 pins and a PTO shaft. The hardest part about the 3PH mower is getting out my forklift to pull the implement off the storage rack.

 

[LD1]

Get a second machine.

Trying to convert a single machine back and forth between a lawnmower and a backhoe is always gonna be more difficult than just jumping on another machine. And there will always be room to find fault with a design or setup

 

[pmsmechanic]

bumping this thread after 5 years of never coming up with a solution, has anyone ever solved this one?

I don't have a backhoe but my solution to switching implements just to mow the lawn was to buy a front mount mower. It reduced my lawn mowing time by about a third vs a three point hitch mower.