I can only buy one: B7800, TC30, JD790, or CK30

[thcri]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( what kind of tires? If finish mowing is the majority of the work you'll want turf tires and weight means next to nothing with turf tires. )</font>

Drew,

Your original post that started this whole thing was with turf tires you did not have to worry about weight. I disagree with that statement, weight is and always will be of concern with finish mowing.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Crimbo . . . let me apologize for everyone here because this thread you started has spun far enough off topic and is literally becoming silly. Just in case you don't know, most tractors of similar size have similar tires sizes (give or take a little bit) so all this talk about tire size/pressure is pretty inane. Two 30 hp tractors side by side are going to have very similar ground contact point sizes. Air pressue makes up part of the equasion, as does side wall stiffness and a few other things too. But if you take a 4000# tractor (with loader) and put it next to a 2800# tractor (with loader) with similarl tires/pressures then you are going to have more weight on the ground under the heavier tractor because the heavier tractor may actually have the same, or very close to the same tire size. Most of the comments are simply nit-picking.

As to the comment about the 6600# ASV unit, please ignore that, if you are not familiar with ASV loaders they have 6' long 12" wide tracks, not tires. ASV makes a machine that is very similar to one I own (mine puts closer to 0.50 PSI onto the ground) that is designed for use on snow. I would not compare mine to a tractor under any circumstances.

I think To20Chris made some great points (for the record, the L2800 HST does have a more advanced PTO than the L2800 GEAR), "murph" simply is trying to inject some logic and reason. BTW, it should be pointed out that turf tires have solf side walls, they are not well suited for FEL work, and they pucture easier than other tire types, you really don't want to be using them in the woods where a stump may punture the tires.

You may want to re-ask your question about the specific machines you are looking at in the specifc brand forums. You will find people in the JD forum to answer your specific questions about the 790 and you will find owners of the L2800 in the Kubota forum who can answer specific questions about that machine.

 

[AutoUnionTypeC]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Murph . . .I totally agree with most of what you wrote but will slighly argue with the concept that you need a heavier tractor for loader work. And I am really just nit-picking on this point, but a heavier tractor does not mean the tractor has more lift capacity, I know you know that, but some folks don't. You point about the weight being distributed right is spot on. A properly balanced tractor is more important than a heavy tractor for lifting and there are plenty of examples of lighter tractors than can lift more than heavier ones. )</font>

Bob........one thing you do not seem to consider in regards to weight is the benefit it provides with bucket penetration when you’re dealing with a dense material, as well with most any other material for that matter. When you talk about the proper balance for loader work I assume you mean imbalance?

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( As far as transmissions go, HST is a major advantage for mowing and for FEL work. And while gear will do either job and has its fans, the reality is that both tasks are more quickly & efficiently accomplished with HST.)</font>

I feel that point is incredibly overplayed here on TBN; you’ve pretty much have to be doing loader work exclusively to make up very much in efficiency. I used to run a Fiat Allis FR35 and 945B, with a ten and six yard bucket respectively. The transmission setup was not all that different from a shuttle shift. In the course of a day it wasn’t uncommon to load as many as 130 trucks, a mix between tractor trailers and ten wheelers, 80 or so was an average day. In an application such as that a hydro system would have been of some benefit, but for the average homeowner and farmer it’s a luxury. If most TBNr’s were to make a good cost savings analysis I think it would be hard to justify. Having said that I know it’s not my money and can understand its popularity. I just don’t think it should be given that it’s going to save us all kinds of time, in most cases it will not.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The trend today in agriculture is to be very concerned about soil compaction so while weight is necessary, newer tractors are often lighter with higher horsepower than the previous models.)</font>

While true……….when dealing with tractors in our class it’s far more likely for an operator to damage his soil over using his tiller, ground compaction doesn’t much come into play with our class of machines

Regards, Jamie

 

[DrewL]

I know you disagree but keep in mind I said ...."weight means NEXT to nothing.........." not absolutely nothing

I'm trying to make the point of crimbo's requirements have the majority needing weight and the one thing, finish mowing, can be offset with a turf tire making the additional weight negligible in the sense of ppsi where it counts. I don't how to explain it in simpler terms for crimbo's question. It makes sense, answers his question directly and effectively

silly? I don't think so at all

 

[Dargo]

I have to assume that you are joking. Right? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[RedRocker]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">(
As to the comment about the 6600# ASV unit, please ignore that, if you are not familiar with ASV loaders they have 6' long 12" wide tracks, not tires. )</font>

Crimbo, you're free to ignore anything anybody posts. My ASV example was posted to show that weight is only one factor when considering ground pressure, not much help on tractor choice though I admit. I wanted weight, so I chose a CK30, great for clearing brush and pushing things around as well as box blading roads.

 

[AutoUnionTypeC]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I have to assume that you are joking. Right? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif )</font>

Nope.

 

[crimbo]

I'm back and ready to cause some more trouble.

I've spent the last few days visiting dealers and test driving tractors.

Update: The JD790 is out of the running. I finally found a local dealer that had one on the lot and drove it around. It's a good value and I was ready to go for it, but - I find the driver's cockpit a little cramped (I'm big-boned; my wife has a three-letter f-word for it). It's a little bit of a flexibility excercise to get on and off (and around the gearshift) for me.

So the new question:

How do you justify buying a green HST tractor?

And no - I'm not trying to be a wiseguy or get thrown off the site for starting a "brand war". I'm just making sure I have all of the facts before I make the decision. I'm looking for info/opinions from you experts that I can't find on a mfg.'s website.

Two tractors that look very similar to me:
(HP, PTO HP, weight, lift capacities)

Kubota L2800 versus John Deere 3120

Equipped the same (HST, FEL, 72" Rr Finish Mower, 72" Rr Blade, Turf tires), the John Deere is $3000 more.

I want to buy green for one reason: my brother-in-law just bought the orange one last month. He loves it, but seeing as we all ready have matching trucks - I'd like to break the pattern. However, it's not a $3000 problem. So can the $3000 be justified some other way or not?

I'm looking at everything; resale, maintenance costs, parts costs, warranties, reliability, construction differences, headlights/visibility, any wives' comments regarding driving either of these, etc.

No offense meant to anyone (including the red, blue, and other orange owners), with all of the quality choices out there I'm struggling.

 

[thcri]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">(
No offense meant to anyone (including the red, blue, and other orange owners), with all of the quality choices out there I'm struggling. )</font>


No offense to me crimbo. You have narrowed it down to two tractors. I guess I would forget about the 3k, don't think it is a big deal over a twenty year period. First which one fits your fat butt. I can say that because I have one too /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Then make sure the one that fits is from a dealer that you think is going to take care of you in the long run. That is the one I would buy.

Just for kicks, try out the New Holland TC33DA or Case DX33. You might like them over the TC30 that New Holland makes. The reason I say that is because my fat butt fits on my TC29D pretty good. But your on the right track.

murph

 

[riptides]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( with all of the quality choices out there I'm struggling. )</font> Yep. All are quality machines.

But, if it comes down to needs and wants, and it sounds like your on the edge, then get what you WANT. No sense driving around something with a liitle voice in your head saying "Should have", "Could have".... life is short, do something for yourself that will make YOU happy. If green makes you smile--- go for it!

-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif