B7800 owners--Do you like your front end loader?

[sixdogs]

My B7800 is really just a dedicated lawn mower but I do spray with it and use a couple of attachments around the house. It does not have an FEL because I have other tractors that do.

Now I wonder if I should get an FEL for it. What has changed is that my wife needs more help gardening and moving rocks and things and feels better about the smaller size of the B7800 with HST. I have a JD790TLB but she's afraid of it. She has big gardens and while I have thought about a loader in the past, it would have been for me and not for her. I questioned if it would have been a wimpy loader that I would regret or something more rugged that would be worth the $$ it cost. The topic did not search well and the pictures I find are difficult to see. There are few testimonials that I can find.

So I'm asking...what do you think of your loader for the B7800--or current model of it-- and is it a good value? Is it rugged? Compatible with the mower? Is it a quick-tach loader for easy on and easy off? Any other comments?

Thanks in advance.

 

[nybirdman]

Don't own a B7800 but have used one quite a bit.The loader is suitable for the size of the tractor for sure.I believe it is a QA loader.They are a nice sized and handy tractor.

 

[MikeInEburg]

For around the house and garden, I can't imagine a tractor without a loader as it increases utility considerably. It's my 30 horsepower wheelbarrow.
I have a factory loader on my B7800 - I think it's LA 402, but not sure. It's not QuickTach - and sometimes wish that it was. The size and capacity are more than adequate for my needs.

 

[3v0]

I agree with the previous posters. A loader has to paired to the tractors weight and maybe stability. Kubota seems to do a good job of making that match.

I have a BX2200 with the LA211 loader and it works well in the garden, the B loader should be even stronger. Like Mike much of the time I uses it to save my back. I have a Piranha Tooth Bar which lets it dig a bit easier and hold just a bit more in the bucket. It is a good addition.

 

[lostcreekranch]

We have a Kubota LA-402 on our B2710 and use it all the time. Like Mike, wish bucket was QA. You will not regret getting a FEL.

Good luck!

Rick

 

[sixdogs]

We have a Kubota LA-402 on our B2710 and use it all the time. Like Mike, wish bucket was QA. You will not regret getting a FEL.

Good luck!

Rick

I'm OK with the bucket being stationary but is the loader itself QT? Seems I would need to take the loader off for mowing, assuming the mower can be used with the loader frame on it.

 

[3v0]

The loaders comes off and goes on very easy. You can mow with the loader on.

 

[lostcreekranch]

Yes, the FEL can be installed or removed in a few minutes. We don't remove ours for mowing. If we get close to a fence corner just raise bucket. Use bucket to level gopher mounds instead of mowing over them. Easier on blades.

Edit; we have 72" Kubota mid-mount mower and it works with or without FEL.

 

[rpeter]

The factory loader on my 7800 does a good job. Takes about 15 minutes to put it on or take it off. The key is doing it on a flat level surface.

 

[ronjhall]

The 402 loader on my B2910 works very well. Can lift about 800 lbs without problems. I have a pin type QA. That works well for this size FEL. I take FEL off to mow the lawn. Takes about 10 minutes.

 

[oldballs]

You may also want to consider her experience/training in safety i.e. the use of ballast for really heavy stuff, traveling with the bucket low, use of the ROPS etc.

 

[sixdogs]

You may also want to consider her experience/training in safety i.e. the use of ballast for really heavy stuff, traveling with the bucket low, use of the ROPS etc.

Wife will fill bucket, lift a couple of feet and head to her destination. Occasionally she may tip the bucket but is not a risk taker and already knows what not to do. Also, she has been around other tractors with loaders so is clued in enough to add that to her list of everything she knows about everything.

 

[Dan W]

My B7800 is really just a dedicated lawn mower but I do spray with it and use a couple of attachments around the house. It does not have an FEL because I have other tractors that do.

Now I wonder if I should get an FEL for it. What has changed is that my wife needs more help gardening and moving rocks and things and feels better about the smaller size of the B7800 with HST. I have a JD790TLB but she's afraid of it. She has big gardens and while I have thought about a loader in the past, it would have been for me and not for her. I questioned if it would have been a wimpy loader that I would regret or something more rugged that would be worth the $$ it cost. The topic did not search well and the pictures I find are difficult to see. There are few testimonials that I can find.

So I'm asking...what do you think of your loader for the B7800--or current model of it-- and is it a good value? Is it rugged? Compatible with the mower? Is it a quick-tach loader for easy on and easy off? Any other comments?

Thanks in advance.

Sixdogs, you are wise to ask rather than purchase an regret it later.
I have owned mine for 10 years now and the B7800 with FEL is the best machine I have ever bought, also bought the backhoe several years ago. I would recommend both the FEL and hoe any time. I can take the FEL off in a minute or two, the key to putting it back on, like others have said, is a flat hard surface, if not, the its a real pain.
Dan

 

[avillahdw]

I purchased my B7800 11 years ago with FEL and BH. I can honestly say I have never had the FEL off of it. It looks easy enough but I never had any reason to want it off. I ran a 72" finish mower behind it for a couple of years but my wife never liked that so I sold it and bought an Everide Hornet zero turn, which she loves (and I don't discourage her from that)! I pulled a 5' bush hog taking care of 35 acres of pasture once a year until I got a 55hp LS this year that has inherited that job (gonna upgrade to 8' BH this spring). The B7800 has been nothing but great for me. It's a great all-purpose machine for its size. Definitely get the FEL, hydrostatic tranny and 4WD if you can justify it.

 

[George the Beagle]

When I bought my BX1860 I wanted the FEL but thought deep down that it was kind of an extravagance. This didn't stop me from buying it, however, and after three years I can say it's the smartest money I've ever spent. My wife can run it, and she's never cared about using my equipment at all.

 

[vrmnthntr]

I owned a b7800 for 4 years before I sold it to my brother in law. I used it for 90 percent loader work. The other, bush hogging or general work around the house.

In that time we had a couple blizzards where I had to use the loader to clear a couple feet of snow (larger snow drifts).

My wife and I cleared 2 acres of woods for our new house. We cut and moved all trees by ourselves, except the stumps.

I moved a lot of fill dirt and top soil. 60 23 ton loads of dirt that I can think of.

Cut in a new driveway and spread gravel.

I did many more things, those are just a few. My wife used it just as much as I did. Very user friendly.

The B7800 is a very capable tractor. I had no problems other than needing counter weight. The engine is strong for its size.

My brother in law still has it and has not complained about the loader not being under or over sized.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I had a B7800 FEL for 3 years and for me that is a record. It did a great job, paid it off and traded it to a L3240 FEL for under a year and traded the L3240 to a B3200 FEL. Used the B7800 more than any other Kubota I've owned and the only one I'd prefer over the B7800 is the BX25 because of the backhoe and more compact size.
The only issue I had with the loader on the B7800 was the fuel cap was under the loader crossbar which made refilling fuel a bit difficult or not easy for a pour and dump instead of a hose method.
A tractor without a FEL is a ............well a big strong heavy duty mower/puller. I bought my first ever tractor, a BX2200 FEL MMM a bit over 10 years ago thinking it was my lifetime mower with an expensive wheelbarrow on the front but why not, it would be my last one. After a year of discovering what a workhorse and how much of the work was done by the FEL I traded the BX2200 to the B7800 FEL and then started doing a bit more serious work. Used a 6' rear finish mower on the B7800 along with a BX1500 MMM for the next 3 years.
As I remember the B7800 has what Kubota calls a quick attach front bucket which was 2 pins that you drove out to release the bucket. Only did that one time and would never do it again after finally getting the bucket back on by myself. Maybe easier with a helper. My L3240 had the SSQA (skid steer quick attach) which was 2 levers and much easier to do. If getting quick attach find out if a SSQA which is also more universal for attaching different attachments.
Finally, consider trading your B7800 to one or near equal value with a FEL already installed.

 

[sixdogs]

Good advice and great comments from everyone. From the advice here, I asked the dealer for a quote yesterday and I should hear something today if he's there. If not, Monday for sure.

JOHNTHOMAS--I really don't want to trade up for something larger because I already have something larger and really like the four cylinder in the small B7800 package. This is so my wife can get around but I'm also thinking of the day when I have only one tractor :hissyfit: and a smaller yard. Perish that thought but I hope I live long enough to see it.

Great personal experience comments. Thank you.

 

[MikeInEburg]

JOHNTHOMAS--I really don't want to trade up for something larger because I already have something larger and really like the four cylinder in the small B7800 package.

I think JOHNTHOMAS was suggesting that you maybe trade your existing B7800 for another B7800 that already has a loader.

 

[sixdogs]

I think JOHNTHOMAS was suggesting that you maybe trade your existing B7800 for another B7800 that already has a loader.

Yes, I'd say you are correct. Thank you for pointing that out.