Best roughly 30hp kubota tractor for mowing on hills

woodlandfarms · May 22, 2009

Power-Trac 1430....

neucam · May 22, 2009

A L4400 is over 60 inches wide, smaller tractors are about 50 inches wide, makes quite a difference. On the farm all are smaller tractors were about 70inch wide. rollover was never an issue. Also never use a FEL on slopes. Just installing one empty raises the center of gravity. I have a Kubota 50inch wide with FEL and wish it was wider at times, my ground is uneven. But if it was wider then I could not get into tight places. You kind of have to weight your final useage of the tractor. Rollover is something to avoid at all costs.

candersen10 · May 22, 2009

Does Kubota offer FOPS on the B3200HSD? FOPS seem to be an essential safety feature when working on steep slopes in a wooded area and I have been unable to find information about them for the Kubota B3200HSD.

shakin · May 22, 2009

a 44 hp tractor is way more than you need you may want it but you dont need it. a grand l is heavier the 3240 would be fine i would recommend r-4 tires and load them, set them on maximum spacing. then standard l series are lighter.

lawn_king · May 25, 2009

My kubota B7500 had adjustable rear tread with, not sure if that option is still in production? Thats a little less hp, but she was ok on hills with the turfs set wide.

ChuckinNH · May 25, 2009

The new B2x20 series does not have the adjustable axle like the old ones did. Wheel spacers are available for all of the B's however.

farmboy12 · May 25, 2009

candersen10 said:
Does Kubota offer FOPS on the B3200HSD? FOPS seem to be an essential safety feature when working on steep slopes in a wooded area and I have been unable to find information about them for the Kubota B3200HSD.

I think you mean ROPS...that comes standard on most all real tractors. I think FOPS is the canopy on ROPS. If so, FOPS is no safer than ROPS, if not less safe because it will break.

Kyle

carpenter383 · May 25, 2009

flusher said:
Here are specs for that B3200

TractorData.com Kubota B3200 tractor dimensions information

This question of mowing on steep hills comes up a lot on TBN. Here's my take on rollover stability.

My 1964 MF-135 diesel has a squat setup for orchard work. The rear axle centerline is 20" high and the distance between the outer walls of the rear tires is 83", which gives an 83/20= 4.15 aspect ratio.

It would take some doing to roll this particular 135 unless your hills are exceedingly steep, in which case you should probably forget about mowing with a standard tractor.

When you go tractor shopping, take your steel tape along and measure these dimensions. Anything much below 3.5 AR to me is getting tippy.

But like a lot of things in life, it's different strokes for different folks. Last year I bought a 1951 Farmall Super A with a belly mounted sicklebar mower. Axle height is 20" and tire width is 63" giving an AR of 3.15. The seller works for CalTrans and this tractor was used for highway mowing including steep sections near overpasses. He told me that he never rolled that Super A, but came close several times.

Since rollover is a safety concern, I would give it top priority when you are looking at tractors.

I checked my dk40. The wheels are set to the widest setting. I have 75" wide and 23" to the axle centerline. So I'm at 3.26 AR. Seems to be pretty stable to me. (Tires are filled too)

candersen10 · May 25, 2009

farmboy12 said:
I think you mean ROPS...that comes standard on most all real tractors. I think FOPS is the canopy on ROPS. If so, FOPS is no safer than ROPS, if not less safe because it will break.

Kyle

I appreciate the input but this is just wrong. If you roll a tractor down a slope and have FOPs plus ROPS it will actually prevent you from getting crushed by a tree or other obstacle that might lie in the unguarded area in front of the thin ROPS structure. Unfortunately, it appears from my research that the 3200HSD is not available directly from Kubota with a FOPs structure like those that are featured on Kubota backhoe models.

shakin · May 25, 2009

the material that the canopy is made from is not intended to protect user in a roll, it it designed to keep the weather/sun off the operator. if you are looking for a larger cab unit then yes the cab does provide protection. i agree that the tlb units may incorperate some protection but i'm sure someone who has one will comment.