bx24 VS b26

[cabinboy]

I am considering a bx24 and the b26 kubota`s I would like to use this to brush hog and box scrape my driveway. I will be digging some pine stumps and general clean up around my cabin. My question is which machine would be the better choice ? And why is there such a large price differance in these two machines . A low hr bx24 is @ 12000 to 15000 were a low hr b26 is @ 23000 and up .

 

[JoelD]

Two completely different machines, one is a small homeowner machine. B26 commercial machine, BX small homeowner machine. B's loader capacity is double that of the BX.

Have you physically looked at the machines? The difference is clear.

They really can not be compared in a reasonable manner. Kinda like comparing a semi to a 3/4 ton.

Go the dealer and check them out.

Joel

 

[BigD23]

Welcome to TBN...Joel hit it right on, there's a big difference in the two machines.

Don

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Two completely different machines, one is a small homeowner machine. B26 commercial machine, BX small homeowner machine. B's loader capacity is double that of the BX.

Have you physically looked at the machines? The difference is clear.

They really can not be compared in a reasonable manner. Kinda like comparing a semi to a 3/4 ton.

More like a full size 8' bed pick up to a S10 short bed. They will both haul stuff but one will do it in less trips. Same difference between B to an L. HP may be same or near same but weight increases.

Go the dealer and check them out.

Joel

The biggest difference is ground clearance. I've had and have 3 BX's, 2 B's an L and an F. Currently have a B3200, BX2350 and F2880E (for flat land job mowing). B for fel and faster boxblading and landscape rake. BX is for mowing and pulling Ferguson over seeder. Costs more to have 2 different machines for home but each has an area of strength but the B and BX will do mostly all of the same jobs but one saves a bit of time over the other. Mostly mowing-BX. (BX will also do FEL work and BH but a bit slower and closer to ground) Mostly FEL and need higher ground clearance-B. (B will mow also plus other functions)

 

[Tom_H]

The others are correct. Go to the Kubota site; under products, select tractors. The B26 isn't listed under the B series tractors, it's listed under the TLB series as that is a commercial series. You migit want to look at the tractors listed in the B series category. I would also recommend you read through the currently running thread on grading scrapers. That would be more appropriate than a box blade for grading your driveway.

 

[cabinboy]

Tom I did see the thread on the grading scrapers and the looked like they awsome piece of equipment. After reading the feedback you guys gave me I am thinking the bx 24 may be a little small for my needs and also a little low in the ground clearance dept. Can a brushhog and box scraper be used on the b26? I did not see one listed in the info. for the b26. I will also be looking at the b series models @ 30 hp.

 

[Tom_H]

If you go to this page and click on "Photo Gallery", you will see a B26 with bh off, and 3ph on, using a variety of 3ph implements.

Kubota Tractor Corporation - B26

I maintain 5 acres with a BX2200. My 40" heavy duty Gearmore brush hog cuts 2" dia saplings without slowing down. Do not be certain that a BX is too small. Maybe it is and maybe it isn't. Search the archives and you will see BX22, 23, 24, and 25 digging up some sizeable stumps. Look through this thread in which blackmajicwoman uses a Woods BH6000 backhoe on a BX1500 to accomplish all sorts of tasks.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/54527-bx1500-woods-bh6000.html

This BX1500/BH6000 combo is impressive and a BX24 or 25 will certainly outperform that. If you just need some really serious stumps pulled one time, and just need to maintain this one property after that, you could rent a bigger tractor and then the BX should work fine for the rest of your needs. This is assuming you are not talking about a real farm or ranch. Then you really do need greater capacity.

Be aware that the BX24 went through a series of modifications. The first ones were loaded with plastic. The floorboard is attached to, and supported by, the fender. Stepping on the floorboard caused numerous fenders to break. Later models were still plastic, but with some reinforcment ribbing on the back. The last of them went back to metal. The first BX24s had the old style seat, and the last ones had the new seat. There was something similar to a recall on the fender. For a period of time Kubota replaced the first plastic fender with the reinforced one for free. You might want to check on which of the 3 fenders is on the model you're interested in. You can find tons of info re. the fender and seat by searching the archives.

This is just my opinion: a BX might meet your needs. If I were looking at a B series, I would look at a B3200. The B3030 is also a good tractor, but the MMM for it is not suspended. The MMM on the B3200 is. I personally would look at any of the regular B series as opposed to a B26, but that is just my own preference.

Maybe it would help if you describe how many stumps and what size, tell us how many acres you have, if you will have lawn, pasture, cut and transport logs, do landscaping, etc. I think we could give much better advice if you could give a higher degree of specificity regarding your property and goals.

 

[cabinboy]

What does MMM stand for ? And yes Bmw works that machine hard.

 

[Tom_H]

What does MMM stand for ? And yes Bmw works that machine hard.

Mid-mount mower, aka belly mower. It is a finish mower carried under the middle of the tractor. I don't think the B26 will take one. Would you re-read my previous post? I edited it and added more.

 

[cabinboy]

I have 20 ac. in the mountains in wy it is not flat the beetles are killing alll of the larger pine trees so the stump are @10 in to @30in would like to do some landscaping some day but I will be busy taking down dead trees for awhile. And the elevation is @8300ft. so I will be losing some power from the engine.

 

[ultrarunner]

With that many trees... I think you will find the B26 lacking also...

I think of the B26 as the ultimate tractor for a Residential/City Landscape Contractor... small enough to get in most places, light enough to trailer with a regular truck and powerful enough to run most accessories.

One of the local Dealers has set up a few B26's with hydraulic post hole diggers mounted on the backhoe boom attached to hydraulic lines normally used for the thumb.

I've got a BX23 and it has done a lot of work... I don't know probably moved a 100 yards of gravel and punched in some trails through the woods... it has done everything asked of it... even digging out a 36" pine stump... took about 3 hours for one stump and had to reposition several times...

Ground Clearance will probably be an issue... most of us have added the belly skid plate to our BX series...

Right now I see some good prices on low hour units... saw a L39 with 250 home owner hours for 27-28k... just a thought.

 

[Tom_H]

In that case, a B series is likely better, especially if you are going to be handling logs. You might even go L series.

I checked and the B26 will not take an MMM. It is a construction tractor, not a landscape maintenance tractor. You did mention brush hogging, will you have any lawn? My guess would be no, as I am familiar with the soil, climate, ecosystems in the area and elevation you describe.

There are special attachments you might want to consider, such as log grapples that will tow logs in linear allignment behind the tractor.

The logs in my log house came from 8500+' el. in MT, but were live cut harvest. Beetle killed trees can still be harvested and used as logs or lumber when correctly treated.

 

[JoelD]

Stumping is something I've got a lot of experience with.

Pines are by far the easiest to come out. Unless that is you are in rocky soil, in which case nothing comes out easy.

There is no machine on the planet (in my humble opinion) that is better at stumping than and excavator.

I dug on a stump with my Kioti LK (30 HP machine, 7.5 foot hoe) for 3-4 hours and still could not get it to wiggle. Cat 311, and 2 minutes I popped it out. Went after another of equal size and from scratch had it out in 10 minutes with the cat. I rented the cat for 8 hours and ran out of stumps to dig up, mine were elm in the rockies soil, other than ledge, possible.

YouTube - Picking up Stump with Excavator

My machine can pop pines out all day, as long as I don't run into big rock, 30 inches on the other hand is a big stump no matter what the brand tree.

I've stated in numerous posts that stumping is a an animal all its own and you need the right equipment, otherwise it can be a never ending frustrating process.

I paid $500 all in for the excavator for a day (actually used 8 hours over a weekend as they dropped it for the weekend) and will do it no other way going forward.

Good luck,
Joel

PS, Former Kubota owner, super nice machines.

 

[cabinboy]

Iam going to use the brush hog for cutting some sage brush I have in front ,I will be having to move some of these logs around also .I will also have @ a mile of dirt road to try and maintain with a few culverts to be put in . And after that is done I would like to have @ 1 acker of yard to level and maintain. Then I can move onto some other projects in my spare time.

 

[Tom_H]

You might want to think about your attachments prior to making a final decision on the tractor.

For moving your logs, there are a number of grapples available to either complement your FEL bucket, or to put on in its place. These all put a log perpendicular to the tractor. If you are moving the logs out of an area that still has standing trees, your logs will have to be cut to short enough lengths not to impede travel. There are, however, 3ph grapples that will tow logs linearly behind the tractor. Here is an example:

Tree Grapple

I don't know how tough the sage will be nor how fine you want your acre of lawn to be. There is one hybrid between a brush hog and a 3pt finish mower, the Woods RM990. It has three stump jumping spindle pans with two free pivoting blades each. The deck has more of a RFM (rear finish mower) chassis, and the blades have an edge so that they can cut as well as break:

Woods Equipment Company - RM990 series 90?

The more you tell us about this property, the bigger the size of tractor I think you need. I'd encourage you to think about how big the attachments need to be and make sure you don't get a tractor that isn't up to the job of running them.