I have to agree with every ones opinion on the FEL. I use my tractor for side work maintaining hunting land/leases. It never fails that when I arrive at someones property whom I've never done work for, to do some bushhoggin or disc work, they see I have a FEL & then want me to repair washed out roads, move downed trees (thanks to Ivan). In short your usage of a FEL is limitless. Spend the extra $$'s, Its worth it in the long run. Oh yeah, forget the blade & go with a BoxBlade. Good luck & god bless.
Box Scapers vs Blades
- Thread starter schmeal
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KubotaSteve
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2003
- Messages
- 834
- Location
- eastern panhandle of WV
- Tractor
- Kubota B7800 with loaded R-4s
I have 6.5 acres myself and have a B7800 which is almost the perfect size for me. I mainly use mine to mow with but due move trees from time to time as well as various other tasks such as snow removal. I was amazed at what a boxblade could do and glad I bought it. The tractor the 7800 replaced was a smaller B series without a FEL. I had no idea what I was missing until I got the 7800 with the FEL. I use the FEL for everything. One other consideration is if you plan on loading a truck with the FEL, the BX has a limited dump height. That is one reason I went with the 7800 is that the bucket height in the dumped position will easily clear a the side of a pickup. I would rather go a little too big than too small. I was surprised at how well the B series mow around things in the yard. With the power steering it is quite easy to get close to things without ripping the yard up.
Ahhh, this is getting more expensive by the minute! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Those of you that have FEL, do you ever take it off, if so, how hard, time consuming? If not, do you find it hard to mow around stuff with it on? Lots of tree to mow around, (thinking mid-mower (belly mower as we called it growing up). I think think they mow better, and you don't have to work about the swing around that bushhogs have. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
I think you guys have talked me into looking at the B series over the BX (I'm still hoping to find a good used one, (or Similar NH) as funds are limited, while trying to adjusted to a new budget and a higher house note.
Not much snow here in Louisiana, but the weather has been wonderful outside, especially for November, now if I could just get all the painting inside done so I could go outside and play in the yard!
Thanks for the feedback
Neal
I think you guys have talked me into looking at the B series over the BX (I'm still hoping to find a good used one, (or Similar NH) as funds are limited, while trying to adjusted to a new budget and a higher house note.
Not much snow here in Louisiana, but the weather has been wonderful outside, especially for November, now if I could just get all the painting inside done so I could go outside and play in the yard!
Thanks for the feedback
Neal
Will_C
Veteran Member
- Joined
- May 24, 2002
- Messages
- 1,773
- Location
- Upstate N.Y.
- Tractor
- Kubota L3560, Toro 52" and 60" ZTRs, Kubota RTV 900
Neal, On almost all new tractors, you will find the FEL comes on and off very easily (about 5 minutes for each procedure.) I have had mine on/off 2-3 times in a day. I never mow with mine attached. Good luck shopping, that's half the fun!
Will
Will
I bought a L3830dt, & I 've taken my LA723 FEL off a couple times, only takes a few minutes. I prefer to leave it on though. I have no problem bushhoggin with it attached. The only problem I've found w/ the FEL is when it's dark it's hard to see where you're going, cause the bucket blocks the lite, unless you lower or raise the loader out of the way.
btolle
Platinum Member
</font><font color="blueclass=small">( I think you guys have talked me into looking at the B series over the BX)</font>
I actually made a deal on a BX2230 with FEL. Brought the owners manual home and got to looking at the ground clearance. My old B7100 has 9", the BX was 6", and the B7510 is 12". I didn't see how I could get by with less clearance than I had with the B7100.
The more I thought about it the more I got an uneasy feeling that I was making a mistake. Don't get me wrong, the BX is a fine machine, just not the right one for the way I use it. I am clearing a couple of acres and the BX would spend a lot of time high centered. It is also vulnerable under the belly because of the cooling fan that is underneath. And, the way the front steering is set up I could see my self hitting a stump 8" high and bending the cylinders on the power steering rams.
I went back and gave them $1,150 more and got a B7510 and am sure happy I did. I know I would have been dissatisfied with the BX very quickly.
The B series also has dual hydraulic pumps, the BX a single pump. Larger tires, tachometer, and other features.
It was too big of an investment to turn around and try to sell a BX 6 months later so I could move up.
As for the FEL: I will never buy another tractor without it and the Markham Toothbar is fantastic. I can use the toothbar/loader to pick up downed trees and carry them to "the pile". A loader is handy for lifting things like turning the bush hog up side down to work on blades, carry heavy objects around the place, smooth dirt, dig holes, turn over brush piles so they will rot faster, carry a load of dirt from a few hundred feet away to fill holes, and lots of other things.
Bill Tolle
I actually made a deal on a BX2230 with FEL. Brought the owners manual home and got to looking at the ground clearance. My old B7100 has 9", the BX was 6", and the B7510 is 12". I didn't see how I could get by with less clearance than I had with the B7100.
The more I thought about it the more I got an uneasy feeling that I was making a mistake. Don't get me wrong, the BX is a fine machine, just not the right one for the way I use it. I am clearing a couple of acres and the BX would spend a lot of time high centered. It is also vulnerable under the belly because of the cooling fan that is underneath. And, the way the front steering is set up I could see my self hitting a stump 8" high and bending the cylinders on the power steering rams.
I went back and gave them $1,150 more and got a B7510 and am sure happy I did. I know I would have been dissatisfied with the BX very quickly.
The B series also has dual hydraulic pumps, the BX a single pump. Larger tires, tachometer, and other features.
It was too big of an investment to turn around and try to sell a BX 6 months later so I could move up.
As for the FEL: I will never buy another tractor without it and the Markham Toothbar is fantastic. I can use the toothbar/loader to pick up downed trees and carry them to "the pile". A loader is handy for lifting things like turning the bush hog up side down to work on blades, carry heavy objects around the place, smooth dirt, dig holes, turn over brush piles so they will rot faster, carry a load of dirt from a few hundred feet away to fill holes, and lots of other things.
Bill Tolle
EastTexFrank
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2003
- Messages
- 1,422
- Location
- East Texas, USA
- Tractor
- Kubota Grand L4740, B2400 and F2680
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( <font color="blue"> mid-deck mowers, how easy/hard/time consumming are they to take on and off. </font> )</font>
For the most part, they are a pain to take off and put on. There are several tricks to make it better (search on this board) but it's never easy especially when compared to a rear mounted mower. My experience has been that they are best suited for exclusively yard mowing machines. Once you go "offroad" into the pasture or woods, they tend to be hindrance since they hang up on vines and get high centered and consequently beaten up. They do make the tractor more maneuverable though. It all depends on how you are going to use it.
As for the FEL, it may be the most expensive wheel barrow you ever buy, but you'll never regret it. It's so versatile and only takes a couple of minutes to take off and put on. Don't leave it on for yard mowing because it's so easy to wipe stuff out ... like small trees and fence posts. Don't ask me how I know.
I prefer a box blade to a regular blade but if you have ditching to do a blade will be better. As far as tractor implements go, they are both relatively cheap so get both. I love spending other peoples money, it's fun!!!!!!
For the most part, they are a pain to take off and put on. There are several tricks to make it better (search on this board) but it's never easy especially when compared to a rear mounted mower. My experience has been that they are best suited for exclusively yard mowing machines. Once you go "offroad" into the pasture or woods, they tend to be hindrance since they hang up on vines and get high centered and consequently beaten up. They do make the tractor more maneuverable though. It all depends on how you are going to use it.
As for the FEL, it may be the most expensive wheel barrow you ever buy, but you'll never regret it. It's so versatile and only takes a couple of minutes to take off and put on. Don't leave it on for yard mowing because it's so easy to wipe stuff out ... like small trees and fence posts. Don't ask me how I know.
I prefer a box blade to a regular blade but if you have ditching to do a blade will be better. As far as tractor implements go, they are both relatively cheap so get both. I love spending other peoples money, it's fun!!!!!!
snmhanson
Bronze Member
I was in your almost exact situation about a year ago. I started out looking at a BX2230 and a few months later I ended up with a B7800 w/ loader, mid-mount mower, box blade and rake. More powerful, heavier but not too heavy to mow with, bigger tires, etc... I have five acres, half cleared half treed and I would say the B7800 is almost perfect but in reality a B7510 probably would have been perfectly adequate. I had some kind of heavy work to do at first and the extra power and small weight advantage of the B7800 sold me on it. However, now that I have grass and am doing a lot more mowing the B7510 would probably be a better fit for me. I do think that it would be very smart to strongly consider the B7510 over a BX - you gain so much more in terms of capability and in terms of implements you can use. Anyway, to answer your more specific questions:
1) The FEL is extremely easy to take on and off once you do it once. If I was racing I could probably have it off in about two minutes and back on in about three or four. Just make sure you always do it on level ground. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
2) The mmm is a different story. Although not incredibly difficult it does take some effort. It usually takes me about ten minutes to put it on and maybe half of that to take it off. The problem is that you don't want the deck on when you are doing anything on a surface that isn't level. For me this means I pretty much have to take the mower deck off anytime I want to do any other work and put it back on when I want to mow the lawn. This inconvenience would not make me second guess my tractor choices but it is something to think about. Unless you are going to get a rear finish mower or a seperate dedicated mower I think you would have this issue with any tractor you get. You may want to consider using the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ you'd spend on the mmm and get a decent rider mower instead. If you do go with the mmm just make sure everything is set up exactly as shown in the maual. My front link arm was a little off when I got it and it made it incredibly difficult to get the deck back on after I took it off the first time.
3. As far as the box blade versus rear blade, I have never used a rear blade but I do use my box blade extensively. In my opinion the box blade is almost as necessary as the FEL if you are going to be doing any grading/material moving work. I am however going to get a rear blade in the next few weeks to plow snow with and it will be nice to have for a couple of other things that the box blade isn't ideal for. I would buy whichever one sounds like it will be most useful to you now and then you could keep your eyes open for a cheap used one of the other. I see used blades in the paper all the time around here but they are always sold by the time I call on them. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
4. As far as used versus new (wasn't one of your questions but I'll answer it anyway), around here a used tractor in good condition isn't much cheaper than a comparable new tractor. If you can find a good price on a used one I'd say go for it if it is in good condition. However, I think that Kubota still has 0% interest for two years going on through the end of the year so if you aren't opposed to financing you could take advantage of that. Then you get a nice new pretty tractor that you know hasn't been abused. Just my opinion.
Hope I helped you out a little here.
Matt
1) The FEL is extremely easy to take on and off once you do it once. If I was racing I could probably have it off in about two minutes and back on in about three or four. Just make sure you always do it on level ground. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
2) The mmm is a different story. Although not incredibly difficult it does take some effort. It usually takes me about ten minutes to put it on and maybe half of that to take it off. The problem is that you don't want the deck on when you are doing anything on a surface that isn't level. For me this means I pretty much have to take the mower deck off anytime I want to do any other work and put it back on when I want to mow the lawn. This inconvenience would not make me second guess my tractor choices but it is something to think about. Unless you are going to get a rear finish mower or a seperate dedicated mower I think you would have this issue with any tractor you get. You may want to consider using the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ you'd spend on the mmm and get a decent rider mower instead. If you do go with the mmm just make sure everything is set up exactly as shown in the maual. My front link arm was a little off when I got it and it made it incredibly difficult to get the deck back on after I took it off the first time.
3. As far as the box blade versus rear blade, I have never used a rear blade but I do use my box blade extensively. In my opinion the box blade is almost as necessary as the FEL if you are going to be doing any grading/material moving work. I am however going to get a rear blade in the next few weeks to plow snow with and it will be nice to have for a couple of other things that the box blade isn't ideal for. I would buy whichever one sounds like it will be most useful to you now and then you could keep your eyes open for a cheap used one of the other. I see used blades in the paper all the time around here but they are always sold by the time I call on them. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
4. As far as used versus new (wasn't one of your questions but I'll answer it anyway), around here a used tractor in good condition isn't much cheaper than a comparable new tractor. If you can find a good price on a used one I'd say go for it if it is in good condition. However, I think that Kubota still has 0% interest for two years going on through the end of the year so if you aren't opposed to financing you could take advantage of that. Then you get a nice new pretty tractor that you know hasn't been abused. Just my opinion.
Hope I helped you out a little here.
Matt
Thanks for the input... so how much can I expect to spend (new) on a B7 series? FEL, MMM, Box scraper?
It hasn't been a question I had asked, but snmhanson did address new/used, question, and I've just about convinced myself new would be better, especially with financing through Kubota, then I'm not taking a hunk out of savings I can spend a bit more, and I know it hasn't been abused.
Also someone mentioned a rake. In North Louisiana, many, many pine trees which = lots and lots of pine straw. How well do these work? Growing up, we had an old "hay rake" the kind that was pulled behind horses, but this one had been converted to be pulled behind a tractor, but required someone (yep, that would be me) to ride and operate it when "raking" It worked pretty good, except for taking 2 people...
Thanks
Neal
It hasn't been a question I had asked, but snmhanson did address new/used, question, and I've just about convinced myself new would be better, especially with financing through Kubota, then I'm not taking a hunk out of savings I can spend a bit more, and I know it hasn't been abused.
Also someone mentioned a rake. In North Louisiana, many, many pine trees which = lots and lots of pine straw. How well do these work? Growing up, we had an old "hay rake" the kind that was pulled behind horses, but this one had been converted to be pulled behind a tractor, but required someone (yep, that would be me) to ride and operate it when "raking" It worked pretty good, except for taking 2 people...
Thanks
Neal
