Educate Me on Older Kubota

[rbargeron]

Gardener - on your original question, I think 30hp may be too small. My L345 was able to handle a 6' rotary cutter. It would also run a 7' rotary in light grass, but if it was dense or wet it was short on power. When I got a Woods RM990 rear finish mower (1200 lb), the L345 handled its weight ok but was well beyond its limit for power. Finish mowers soak up more power than a slower-turning rotary. A rough guide is about 6 horsepower per foot of width for rotary cutters - but 7 hp per foot is a nearer match for finish mowers. If you cut your fields often, then much less power is needed. But if they get tall like this year, power is the answer. I'd suggest an L or M Kubota model with a 4 next.

 

[The Gardener]

A mower will extend much farther than 24”.

I completely forgot to consider the increased depth of these decks. Thank You! That is the issue. It does raise some questions regarding the Kubota rear finish mower vs the Woods rear finish mower [quality, endurance, etc.].

Kubota 60" RFM deck = 550 lbs
Woods 60" RFM deck = 653 lbs

Kubota 72" RFM deck = 585 lbs
Woods 72" RFM deck = 719 lbs


If weight is any sort of indicator, the Woods mower decks appear to be far stronger than the Kubota decks. The B3030 allows for a 72" Kubota deck whereas we are now concluding that the B3030 cannot even accomodate a 60" Woods deck.

Can a B3030 owner who is using a rear finish mower please tell me what deck size and brand you are using.

Thanks,
The Gardener

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Weight Comparisons:

PRD6000, PRD7200, and PRD8400 Rear Discharge Mowers

Kubota Tractor Corporation - B Series - B2630/B3030 Compact Tractors Attachments

 

[DiezNutz]

Tom_H had some good posts in this other thread, on these subjects (I also agree with him):
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-buying-pricing/103286-b3030-b2630.html

 

[The Gardener]

I'd suggest an L or M Kubota model with a 4 next.

Either of those models would be fantastic, but I don't think we can afford that type of tractor once we commit to a B26 next spring - and those tractors are larger than we would prefer.

I can't go larger than the B26 TLB due to tighter spaces in and around the gardens and the buildings that we want to access with the tractor. I was hoping to solve the lawn mowing needs with something in the size range of a B3030 so it could also be used in tandem with the B26 while tackling projects in those same tighter locations.

I now see that horsepower and deck weight will limit the deck width of a RFM. I really want to mulch the field grass since I don't want to leave rows of dead grass which are unsightly. I know the Woods RFM decks offer a mulching kit. I'll need to contact Kubota to see if there RFM decks also offer a mulching option.

I know the B3030 offers a MMM solution, but I would need to be convinced [shown by a dealer] that the removal of the MMM is easy and very straight forward. After 2+ hours of mowing, I have little patience to struggle with that type of chore ;-)

Ground clearance is also an issue when we are tackling rock wall repairs and rock transporting. We have to enter into the woods in many locations to access the rocks. That would necessitate the removal of the MMM after each mowing effort. Plus, I really like to clean the deck after each cut. The RFM offers easy removal and easy access for cleaning. That's what I like about the RFM. If I find that the MMM is almost as easy, I'd have no hesitation going in that direction.

 

[The Gardener]

Tom_H had some good posts in this other thread, on these subjects (I also agree with him)

I just read through his posts and all the posts. He sounds extremely sensible, very competent, and certainly experienced with tractors and PTO implements. He is recommending a Woods RFM that is huge.

"If I were in your situation, and the rough cut area were hay only, and money were no object, I'd lean towards a B3030 and a Woods RM-990."

His recommendation completely contradicts the many comments in this thread. The Woods RM-990 weighs 1213 lbs. Who is right?

I was asking about the PRD8400 which only weighs 830 lbs. and I thought it was concluded [via this thread] that the B3030 could not handle that deck.



The Gardener

 

[DiezNutz]

Tom_H had some good posts in this other thread, on these subjects (I also agree with him)

I just read through his posts and all the posts. He sounds extremely sensible, very competent, and certainly experienced with tractors and PTO implements. He is recommending a Woods RFM that is huge.

"If I were in your situation, and the rough cut area were hay only, and money were no object, I'd lean towards a B3030 and a Woods RM-990."

His recommendation completely contradicts the many comments in this thread. The Woods RM-990 weighs 1213 lbs. Who is right?

Cripes! Well, I should've clarified that I agree with his logic and explanations only, I can offer no input on specific model recommendations. The RM990 actually weighs "only" 930#, but still... maybe he was looking at the brochure upside down and meant the RM660?!

 

[The Gardener]

As a B3030 owner w/ a 60" MMM, can you please share your experience with removing the MMM from underneath the tractor. I still like the MMM as the ideal mower for controlling the cut, but it would need to be an easy unhook & roll out affair to go that route. I would definitely be taking it off after each cut to use the tractor for rock work and other types of jobs requiring higher ground clearance than the MMM offers.

Thanks,
The Gardener

 

[hill]

Like the man above said, it's a simple matter of leverage. There is no corelation of the maximum amount that a PTO can lift and the maximum amount of weight that a tractor can be driven with lifted at the rear.

There will have to be a balancing amount at the opposite end of the tractor/lever.

Something to consider is the fact that a front loader includes, in most cases, some quite heavy bracketry that attaches permanently to the tractor if so equipped. This can lessen the need for additional weights placed on the front 'bumper'. So too do some backhoe systems include permanently attached bracketry adding to the overall weight of the base tractor, and since it rides ahead of the PTO mostly that weight serves to counterbalance the weight of rear attachments.

And don't forget to account for the weight of the tractor operator-can't let that slip through the cracks...

 

[art]

Just a small note here that the B-26 basically uses the 3030 chassis.

 

[GreenWannabe]

I recommend you check out the manuals for both the tractor you want and the mower. Woods manuals can be freely downloaded from their site, but you will need to see if your Kubota dealer has one for the tractor.

The Kubota web site shows that a 60-inch rear finishing mower can be used on the B-2630, B-3030, L-2800 and L-3400, but it takes an L-4400 to run an 84-incher, using Kubota's mowers which are lighter than the premium Woods units you are looking at.

The Woods manual for the PRD series mowers states that at least 25% of the tractor's weight including attached equipment must be on the front wheels when the mower is lifted, and that the unit must be weighed to assure that. This will probably require some sort of front weight, which could be a loader - but the only way you will know for certain is to do what Woods says - weigh it.

Good luck in your search.