Buying Advice BX2660,B2320,B2920,B3300SU - Which One?

[Mac25]

I too have a B2320 with the LA364 FEL, GS1548 Land Pride grading scraper and a Speeco quick hitch. I have moved quite a bit of dirt with FEL, graded my 150 foot gravel drive and graded a friends acre lot that he just had a home built on. I heavily researched the tractor prior to the purchase so I pretty much had my mind set on price, attachments, usefulness and therefore can't speak of the other models. So far I give it a 5 out of 5

 

[BX25Bota4me]

Don't let the BX25 fool you. I have had one for almost a year now. It is a awesome machine. I had a Kubota L3010 prior to this. I have been able to do more with the BX25 than the 3010. At the end of the day, it just depends on how much money you want to spend. I had as much in the 3010 as I do in my BX. You can not put a value on the backhoe. I have used mine more than any other attachment. But I had about 20 large stumps to remove. If you can afford a B model and a backhoe get that. If not, buy a BX. You will only be sorry if you buy, of any size, a tractor without a backhoe. Good luck.

 

[Verticaltrx]

Sounds like anything from a B2620 up to a B3300su would fit the bill, depending on your budget.

As far as the backhoes go, Kubota has them well matched to the B-series tractors and the new integrated seat on the B-series is also nice (keeps everything a little shorter). I don't know about the BH65 (never used one), but the BH77 is capable of doing some fairly serious work for it's size. The one big advantage of the BH77 over the BH65 is the 77 has 180* swing vs something like 150* on the smaller unit. May not sound like a big deal, but once you get experienced with it you'll see the reasons to be able to dig completely to the side (cleaning out a ditch adjacent to the tractor, working against a wall, etc...) Also, of course, the BH77 has a fair bit more breakout force which is important if you will be uprooting small trees, stumps or brush.

With that said, if the B2620 and BH65 are what fits your budget then I wouldn't hesitate to get that combo. It is still a pretty powerful little backhoe and a much nicer overall package than some of the other makes offer in that size.

 

[homeputter]

Wow. Thanks for all the input and all the advice!

Since I think I want a BH as well as a FEL, I am leaning towards a BX. Price is a factor, as always. I am over 6' tall and have a slight limitation of motion in my right leg. I plan to go to another Kubota dealership that has BXs in stock and see if I feel cramped operating them. The acre my cabin sits on is not THAT rough. (Hey, if I have a FEL I can level out the high spots, lol). It is a sloped lot and I had a excavator with a serious Case tractor (380?) FEL and BH come out to dig out a flat site for my future 30'x26' garage on this sloped lot. I had him push the excess fill down the slope to help level it out. He moved about 100 cu. yds in about 4 hours and "smoothed" the fill down the slope. At $65 - $75 per hour, I will use him if I have heavy BH work in the future. I plan on using my new tractor to detail some of that new dirt slope and rock that was uncovered. I also plan to use some of the rocks uncovered to build a retaining wall.

I hate to pay $9k-$10k additional to step up to a B size tractor if the BX feels ok.

Thanks again for all the advice.

 

[Verticaltrx]

I hate to pay $9k-$10k additional to step up to a B size tractor if the BX feels ok.

Thanks again for all the advice.

To just go up to a B2320 with loader and backhoe would only be about $3K more than the BX25. IMO, money well spent, but I know there are a lot of happy BX owners out there as well.

 

[homeputter]

Verticaltrx,

Thanks, I did not realize the price difference was that close. I only printed out pricing options on about 10 different tractors up to the B3300 size, not counting the 4 or 5 prices I got from the dealer. Somehow I missed that.

I would prefer the larger tires on the B2320 over the BX. I can probably justify this price.

 

[skeetman]

Do not want to hijack the thread but having same thoughts on these models.

I have been going through the which one syndrome between the b2920 and b3200 with
Curtis cab. I lot operated a b3200 with cab and 2360 without, no 2920's together to try.
The 2320 was much smoother and quieter than the b3200 with or without cab, My main thrust
is cab, snow removal with a front blade b2765 or b2775 and mowing with MMM.

I have about 1400 feet of gravel driveway to plow and 3-4 acres of grass to mow. I have other
equipment for heavy dirt work here, an 863 bobcat with steel tracks, bobcat 311 excavator,
MF35 and a Mahindra 2310. I tend to keep my stuff a long time so I am trying to make my decision
a sound one.

I live in northwestern Pa. and we get our share of snow but I get a lot more seat time
mowing than anything else so I have been leaning toward the 2920 but just cant pull the trigger
between these two. I would be running chains and ballast on either one. Any thoughts?

To the Op, the 20 series have a very spacious flat platform and as I am weightily challenged this
was a concern so I could get my fat *** comfortably on the tractor but I felt very comfortable
at 6' + and 270 lbs, Ok Ok 295 in the seat. The seat probably felt different about it than I did.

 

[BX25Bota4me]

I'm 6'4" and I have no problems getting on or off the BX25. Nor have I ever felt cramped while operating. I have operated a lot of bigger equipment in my past and the BX25 is an awesome machine for it's size. Sometimes bigger is better and sometimes it's not. Only you can decide that for your situation. All Kubotas are great equipment. You will enjoy whatever you buy.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Had a BX2660 MMM FEL, B3200 FEL and even went to a L3240 FEL at one short period of time. I currently have F's for mowing so current tractors are for tractoring, not mowing except the B2320 does have a Bush hog (Rotary Mower) for it to use.
My current stable is a BX25 for FEL and BH work and a B2320 for plowing, tilling, boxblading and Overseeding.
I have 5 or six acres of hillside gullied, rocky, treed and some terraced levels. I had a BX2200 for my first year and due to need for more ground clearance I went to a B7800 FEL for tractoring and a BX1500 for mowing only. I later traded the B7800 to a L3240. I am one of the rare tractor guys that will say you can go to big. The L was scary on my hillside property. I quickly trade the L3240 to a B3200.
Anyway, the big difference between the BX and B is ground clearance. But remember, any time you go to higher off the ground seating there is more puker factor on hillsides or when one tire goes over a rock or one tire drops down in a hole. Also, the BH causes a bit of puckering on hillsides. So, a BX25 is a bit scarier than a BX2660 with out a BH since the BX25 has a BH but the BH can be taken off the BX25 (both) except for when it's needed.
I drove my B2320 a couple of days ago and it's not a real high sitting tractor but crossing a hill reminded me that it is a bit taller off the ground than the BX25, that's after getting off of the BX25 and straight on to the B2320.
Flat land can handle any shape or size tractor. Hillside is more comfortable on the one that the seat is closest to the ground.
The BH on my BX25 is my most used attachment and it took me years of tractor owning before I broke down and bought one with the BH. I do lots of personal landscaping and the BH is fantastic for adding a tree or plant or moving one. The BH extending out to move rocks and stuff from the tractor, which may be perched on a hillside, is also very useful. Some times scary but useful.
Hope these thoughts from my hillside and different tractors experience helps with your decision. For sure, go sit on them and drive them around a bit before making the final decision.
Flatlanders don't appreciate the difference of operating on a hillside.

 

[BX25Bota4me]

Someone mentioned in an earlier thread that a backhoe for a B model was 3-4 thousand to add on. Those backhoes are more like $6500 to add. That jacks the price way up for those tractors. For all that extra money you can purchase many many many attachments to use with your BX. Money is always a factor. You will get more bang for the buck with the BX. The B model will not make that much difference. Buy less tractor and more attachments.