Help with Buying Decision

[LBrown59]

1*You cannot leave the mid mount mower on while you are doing "rough ground work" without possibly damaging it.
2*A rear mount finish mower (RFM) may make more sense if you want to use it with a wide variety of attachments.
3*Power steering is probably important for a mower
4*Without HST (forward and backward pedals), you have to downshift or slip the clutch (bad!) to slow down. 5*For something that is primarily a yard mower, I would highly recommend power steering and HST.
6* Ten years ago, I bought a Kubota without power steering for mowing 5 acres.
7*I was trying to keep the price down.
It went back to the dealer after about 5 hours use and I got a B2710 (PS, HST), which I still have.
8*Remember, it's less costly to spend a bit more in the first place and get the right tool rather than to be dissatisfied and end up trading it in after a year or two.
******************************Ken

******************************
1*But you can always remove it if really required.
2* Switching attachments is like playing musical chairs.
Adding a rear mount finish mower to the mix creates another chair that will always be there to deal with.
A rear RFM makes wide swings when turning and it's easy to run into stuff with it.
They also require extra storage space.
3*And even more so for a FEL.
4*Gear not near as nice with a FEL either.
5* I'd recommend them even more for loader use.
6*I made the same sorta mistake.
7*The price twice is never down.
Wonder why it's so hard to learn that ?
8*Yep one is always less than two.

 

[Ken45101]

I don't feel the way LB does about the importance of HST for loader work. I have both a M5040 w/ FEL with synchroshuttle and a B21 TLB (tractor-loader-backhoe) with HST. I've never noticed the synchroshuttle being a problem. Perhaps if I were spending 8 hours a day using it I would feel otherwise.

Ken

 

[dodge man]

If you are a new tractor owner, I would strongly recomend HST, its not expensive on most of the smaller Kubota's, and most of the newer ones come that way. Another piece of advice, make sure you can get things for a used one. For example for some of the older Kubota's it might be hard to get a front end loader or belly mower, others you can walk into a dealer and order a brand new end loader. It just depends on the year and how popular they were.

Do you know someone near you that is into tractors? I'm not sure where you are in Missouri, but you would be welcome to try out my BX and learn a little bit. I'm about 1 hour Northeast of Quincy Il. if your are in that area at all. Mine is smaller than a B, but it would at least give you an idea of how things work.

 

[hr3]

If you have your heart set on the 7100.. check out these people.. SSB Tractor: Tractor Front End Loaders They make loaders,, about $2,400.. Or you can aways make your own,, There are some pritty smart people here that have done it already,, and they love to share,,

 

[hpa_missouri]

Well, a quick update. I finally found a tractor. I bought a B8200 with a Woods RM-59 3 rear mount mower on it. I am really impressed with this tractor too. My first Kubota and I can see why all the hype now. For a tractor that is nearly 20 years old, this is one nice tractor.

It has been kept indoors all the time and I bought it from the second owner who was friends with the first owner.

I bought it from the wife who was getting a divorce and she didn't know a lot about it but had all the manuals. There was 400 hours on the meter and she told me that she thought that was right. It wasn't. I found notes in the manuals where service was done over the years and it showed hours so I now know it actually has 1,400 hours on it.

It is in really nice condition though and I got it for $3,300. The only two things I've found wrong with it so far are one headlight bulb out and it has three "splits" in the seat covering. The paint is slightly faded and it doesn't have a lot of scratches on it. It looks GOOD! I'll see if I can add a picture or two tomorrow.

It has HST but no power steering or belly mower. I've run it around the yard a bit and I don't think it needs power steering if I'm just going to be doing mowing type stuff. If it had an FEL on it I think it would need PS. I have found where it is possible to put PS on it for less than $200 if I need to though. I may look into this some time in the future.

I had totally forgotten the old diesel engines though and the need for the "pre-heat" reminded me. Old technology but it still works fine.

New owner and already a fan.

Thanks to all who offered guidance and suggestions. Kubotas Rock !

Harry

 

[Ken45101]

Harry,

Welcome to the Kubota owners Sounds like you got a reasonable but good deal.

I have a bunch of Kubota stuff here and only one other piece of equipment, a JD (Kubota doesn't make skid steers).

Ken

 

[dtl2900]

Seven years ago we moved onto 3 1/2 acres of grass with trees and a couple of small ponds. We were able to buy a used 1995 kubota L2900 GST. This is a 29 hp 3 cyl diesel. I didn't realize at the time that this was a top of the line tractor. It has a clutch, a separate shift to move between 8 gears and a lever to move between foreward and reverse. It came with a 5ft wide bucket, a rotoriller, a 5 foot 3 blade 3 pt hitch mower, and a blade. It had 485 hours on it and we paid 10K for the package. I saw some bolt on forks that can be fastened to the bucket and made some for my use. For hauling branches to a burning pile and to move logs, lumber pallets, etc, they are indespensible. I didn't realize how important the 4 wheel drive is and with chains on the front it is a lot more effective for snow removal. I can mow our grass faster with a 48" riding mower as I can go faster and be able to trim around trees and plants easier than with the tractor. This tractor has turf tires on it and they are good on grass but sometimes I wish I had the standard tractor tires.
I guess what I am suggesting is that for 10 acres you need a bigger tractor and that there are some good used ones around. I have seen several instances where people have gotten started in a rural hobby farm like ours, and things change in their lives, and they have to down size. Check with your local dealers and even craigs list can lead you to good equipment.
Good luck, dtL2900

 

[CHDinCT]

I have a bunch of Kubota stuff here and only one other piece of equipment, a JD (Kubota doesn't make skid steers).

Ken

That's about to change real soon.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...t/114713-kubota-releasing-2-tracked-skid.html

 

[Ken45101]

That's about to change real soon.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...t/114713-kubota-releasing-2-tracked-skid.html

No it's not going to change soon. Kubota is only introducing compact track loaders (CTLs, rubber tracks), not skid steers (wheeled). CTLs are about $10k more and are much more expensive to maintain. Furthermore, rubber tracked machines don't work well on the mud and hills I have here (steep hills, greasy mud in winter). Even yesterday (we just have mud so far, not the greasy winter mud), my rubber tracked Kubota mini excavator was having trouble moving in mud on only a slight grade.

I know one contractor who sold his CTL because it was so useless around here in winter.

Furthermore, I have my doubts that Kubota will introduce the new machines until the construction economy improves, which I doubt will be "real soon". They would be entering a market with a heavy surplus of new and used competitor machines that are being heavily discounted. I predict that Kubota will wait a long time before introducing the new machines in the U.S. They will wait until the market improves so that they can be successful.

And yes, I've been following the threads on the new Kubota CTLs.

Ken

 

[CHDinCT]

Ken, you obviously are following the Kubota CTL developments and sorry I thought you were talking generically about Kubota not having a skid loader/CTL since they have neither at the present time. But, while I have no experience with either, I'm surprised a tracked machine would be less useful in the conditions you describe than a wheeled machine.