enough tractor

[HR_Mutt]

<font color=blue>justify a larger tractor but a 2910 to mow with? as it's primary use?--nope</font color=blue>one of the reasons I purchased the L4610 was to mow with/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.The 15' batwing mower would be a little underpowered on a smaller machine/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif.
Hops, I used a smaller tractor for years, a Kubota B7100. The smaller machine WOULD DO anything you asked of it.But....you do it with smaller attachments and less power,etc. Just plan on spending longer to do the job.Oh, the 2 tractor post is a good idea/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif. I'll NEVER part with that gutsy little B series tractor. However when it is time to do a tractor project I'm usually climbing on the bigger one to do it.
Best of luck in your shopping and hope you end up with the machine you need for your new place.
regards
Mutt

 

[r0GuE]

I call it the Rogue whale rule. If it looks feels and acts entirly to big for your needs, income and property, downsize one notch. repeat as necessary! The real question is, will the B's feel tippy on your hill. ALSO, if you have to load the tires for them not to feel tippy, how much weight do you have rolling over the lawn, which seems to be job #1 for now. And yes, the BX MMM is pretty much uncontested as one of the best decks going.
The BX is not a big LG tractor. Think of it as a leatherman tool, fits in tight spaces, very strong etc.



Rogue

 

[Anonymous Poster]

How about the possibility of an L 2600 or L3000. Neither have been mentioned and both have quite a bit to offer from what I can tell. Either would easily pull a 6' mower and have much greater FEL lift capacity than the BX. Cost? Less than 15 big ones for the L2600 with a LP 6' 3pt. mower. Another $800 for the L3000. The downside? They are traditional gear shift transmission models but will be far less to fix in the future than HST or GST trannies. We used to mow 7-8 acres of grass every week as kids with an IH-A and a woods 6' belly mower with ease so I can't be convinced that an HSD is a necessary expediture for the financially challenged of us???? Just another thought to throw in the mix and see what people on this board think.

 

[TresCrows]

Mowing a hayfield and mowing a lawn are two different things, most guys do not mow their yards with a bat wing mower /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif . Eight acres is not very much and I see people mowing/tending 10 or more acres with a Sears lawnmower so to say a L series tractor is appropriate for eight acres of lawn and a hill I suppose depends on a persons perspective but to me it is way overkill. Mowing fields with such equipment typically results in a rough cut -field look---not what I want for my yard and not what most people want when it comes to their front lawn area. Not being a smart alec or questioning others needs/requirements but most people do not mow their lawns with a Kubota 2900 or 4600, the other needs mentioned by the original question could be satisfied by much smaller equipment that once the constrcution chores are done will over the years be suitable for maintaining the place and not squashing the heck out of it. Of course if owning a large tractor is what you really want then I suppose it is a fine and useful hobby. J

 

[TresCrows]

Sorry for all the posts, I think on reflection and re-reading your posts and imagining your property in Missouri and a 120 yard drive and have decided you need a 2410--why do not people recommend the 2410. It is shorter and wider for it's length than the larger 'botas and is a very capable small tractor and nearly as manuverable as the BX (7500 also but it is somewhat more narrow). No one ever recommends the 2410 but always jump from the BX to the L series. That BX must be a heck of a machine to cover all that ground all the way up to a L series or 2900. Maybe Kubota just ought to drop everything inbetween. I will shut up now--sorry. J

 

[Von]

Hops,
I thought I would jump in here as well and give you my .02 cents worth. I have a B2710 with FEL and 72" MMM with loaded turfs. I have two pieces of property that I maintain. My home sits on 5 ac. that is mostly lawn, and it takes about 2 1/4 hours to cut all of it. At my shop I have 3 ac. that is very steep hills, and I use a rotory cutter to cut about 2 1/2 ac. I think I might be able to do some of the work with a smaller tractor, but the heavy stuff would be way too much for a BX2200. Plus I wouldn't be able to take the BX2200 into the woods like I do the B2710 or the B8200 that I had. As for rear vs MMM, I had a rear mower on my last tractor and it worked great, but I would much rather have the MMM as I do now. Also the cut is better, and my yard has never looked better. Like a lot of others have said before me, bigger is better when doing alot of things when it comes to tractors, will you get by with a smaller one? maybe, but its not for me. My time is way too valueble to waste doing it in smaller bites because I don't have the right equipment.

 

[toddler]

B2410 is a nice tractor. Thought about the 2400 back before I bought my 2710. Can it use a 72" deck? If it can, that's be a nice set up. Me, I like my 60" deck, not because it cuts better than the 72", but because it fits my property better.

I'm curious, is the drive going to be paved or gravel? If you're paving it, the cost difference of the BX to the B2410/2710/2910 would get you a front mount snow thrower. I use a 3pt snow thrower on my old packed #2P gravel driveway with no problems, but would recommend caution to anyone with a new gravel drive worried about throwing stones.

In any event, since we're talking about cutting here, why hasn't anybody mentioned a gas powered power-trac. They'll mow/rotary cut on slopes I wouldn't touch. You can also put a front mount blade or snow thrower on them. I can't bring myself to spend that much on something that has no local dealer, and I prefer the universality of a 3pt hitch, but if they were made by Kubota and I had a local dealer, I think that would be an ideal machine for what we're talking about here. I also think they may cost less than the BX, but I'm not sure.

If we're going Kubota, I'd say BX with a thrower on the front, even though I think finish mowing that many acres with anything slower than a zero turn is tedious. I wouldn't want to cut more than my 3 on a regular basis, even if I put a 72" deck on. It'd take too much time away from my daughter. If you decide to do more than cut and move snow, you can always hire out or recuit friends. The only downside I see to the BX is the little wheels. Would make for a killer bumpy ride on my land.
Todd
ps) I know the BX will do more than cut and move snow, I'm referring to serious landscaping. I'm hiring out having a creek re-dug. Too much for my 2710 with the trees growing in it. Bulldozer/backhoe work!

 

[toddler]

Hey Von, while I was doodling away at my post and making calls for the past hour, you snuck in there. I agree with the time thing, that's why I'm a fan of bigger tractors, voted BX for the $$ savings.
Todd

 

[BruceW]

hops,

when I was shopping for my tractor one of the dealers (the one I ended up with) convinced me that he really did not care which tractor I decided on but in his opinion for a long term purchase you are much better off being on the average to light usage of your tractor rather than be always pushing it to it's limits. This thought helped me decide to move from the 2710/2910 up to the L3010 and I have been extremely happy. In your case with your list I think this same thought would move you from the bx to the 2410.

good luck

bruce

 

[Anonymous Poster]

What Tractor to Buy?

I'm really new to this, so be gentle ...

In about 2 months we're moving from 1/2 acre to 15 acres
The land is a combination of open field, woods & grass. We will also have a 1/3 mile long driveway (it is currently gravel, but I will be getting it paved or coated with chip & tar).

My primary concerns are maintaining the grass & plowing ther driveway during winter. But I also suspect I will discover lots of other things to do with a tractor once we live there for a while.

I've been looking around for a little while & am quite confused as to what I should get. It does seem, however, that a BX2200D might be too small & I'm now thinking about a B2410HSD.

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.