bbse
Platinum Member
I have got about 28 hours on this CT225 now, I realize that is not much but I have been able to make a few observations so far. Let me say that this is the fifth tractor I have worked on my property, which is a hilly spot of 15 or so acres just north of Nashville TN. These tractors were
1. Massey 235 (father in laws) loaded R1's pucker factor 8
2. Kubota L3450 (brothers) w/loader & loaded R4's pucker factor 7
3. Kubota L3010 GST w/loader & loaded R4's pucker factor 6
4. Kioti L3054 w/loader & loaded R1's pucker factor 4
5. Bobcat CT225, loaded R4's, 68" material bucket on loader, deluxe seat, 6ft box blade-5ft Bush hog-6ft finish mower (mine) pucker factor 1.5
(Pucker factor based on a scale from 0 to 10)
As you can see, I have been over this ground with many different tractors. I want to start with stability. Being hilly, this is very important to me. I will say that the CT225 is the winner here. The Massey is a older 2wd and I had to play it real safe. The two Kubotas were L frames with R4's and were very top heavy, really give you that pucker factor except very straight up and down. The LK3054 is great without the loader. It is a tough little tractor that I still have. I have a after market Great Bend 260 loader and it makes it too top heavy but without it, it is OK. After I loaded the tires on the Bobcat(all four of the others had loaded tires also), I am extremely impressed with this Bobcats stability. I have been hauling dirt all weekend over the same turf and I cannot begin to express how solid it has been on these steep hills. I love the hydro tranny, the loader is quick, and I have been able to do the back and forth on this steep terrain with no pucker factor at all. I keep waiting for just a 3 or 4 out of 10 and I am not getting it. I even started turning on the slopes, not sideways but just left and right 4-5 feet at a time. No problems and this is with the loader and a box blade. I do have to do everything in low range on the hills, mid range just does not have enough to get up those hills. Wouldn't make a difference but I am bringing the dirt from some distance so I am having to shift ranges. Working in mid would have been even nicer.
As to layout, I am getting used to it thought sometimes I still zig when I meant to zag. Too many years on geared tractors. I miss not having a foot throttle but I realized there is no real way to use it unless I keep the cruise locked in. The deck is nice, I have to watch getting off going right as I was hitting the key. They gave me a couple of small keys so I stopped using the large one as I bent it once getting off the tractor. It is really more of a problem that I have short legs so I have to scoot the seat up. Going left I have to dodge the range lever but that has not been a problem but once when I was wearing shorts and I hung a leg.
I am glad this tractor is stable with the loader installed. Removing the loader is fairly simple but I find the QD's being under the deck as a little odd and a pain in the B*tt. So I plan to leave it on for most jobs. The 68" material bucket works for me as I do not plan to doing any digging and that width will cover my tracks when I back drag. If I were planning to do a lot of digging, I would want the Ct235 and a 60" HD bucket with teeth.
Not really related to lay out but just some observations on controls. I think I would like the brakes on the left instead of the right above the clutch. I think I see why some say they like two pedals side by side for forward and reverse instead of a rocker pedal. No big deal but I can see that. The speed with which I can change direction, control the loader and bucket and the volume of dirt moved and redistributed in a very short period of time is amazing...at least to me in comparison to the other 4 tractors I have used. I look forward to doing some more brush cutting in a couple of weeks which has been one of the few weak points that I have experienced but I plan to have the dealer to check the pressure relief valve for the hydro as it seems to let off early as I climb those hills with a 5ft brush cutter and a loader. Other than that I cannot complain. I wish I could have justified the extra 2 grand for 7 more HP of the CT235 but for that much I can do low range on the steep parts of my property and brush cut without the loader. There is no guarantee that the 235 would be able to do it either as far that that goes.
I will end the way I started, I say this as honestly as I can muster, I am impressed....really impressed.
1. Massey 235 (father in laws) loaded R1's pucker factor 8
2. Kubota L3450 (brothers) w/loader & loaded R4's pucker factor 7
3. Kubota L3010 GST w/loader & loaded R4's pucker factor 6
4. Kioti L3054 w/loader & loaded R1's pucker factor 4
5. Bobcat CT225, loaded R4's, 68" material bucket on loader, deluxe seat, 6ft box blade-5ft Bush hog-6ft finish mower (mine) pucker factor 1.5
(Pucker factor based on a scale from 0 to 10)
As you can see, I have been over this ground with many different tractors. I want to start with stability. Being hilly, this is very important to me. I will say that the CT225 is the winner here. The Massey is a older 2wd and I had to play it real safe. The two Kubotas were L frames with R4's and were very top heavy, really give you that pucker factor except very straight up and down. The LK3054 is great without the loader. It is a tough little tractor that I still have. I have a after market Great Bend 260 loader and it makes it too top heavy but without it, it is OK. After I loaded the tires on the Bobcat(all four of the others had loaded tires also), I am extremely impressed with this Bobcats stability. I have been hauling dirt all weekend over the same turf and I cannot begin to express how solid it has been on these steep hills. I love the hydro tranny, the loader is quick, and I have been able to do the back and forth on this steep terrain with no pucker factor at all. I keep waiting for just a 3 or 4 out of 10 and I am not getting it. I even started turning on the slopes, not sideways but just left and right 4-5 feet at a time. No problems and this is with the loader and a box blade. I do have to do everything in low range on the hills, mid range just does not have enough to get up those hills. Wouldn't make a difference but I am bringing the dirt from some distance so I am having to shift ranges. Working in mid would have been even nicer.
As to layout, I am getting used to it thought sometimes I still zig when I meant to zag. Too many years on geared tractors. I miss not having a foot throttle but I realized there is no real way to use it unless I keep the cruise locked in. The deck is nice, I have to watch getting off going right as I was hitting the key. They gave me a couple of small keys so I stopped using the large one as I bent it once getting off the tractor. It is really more of a problem that I have short legs so I have to scoot the seat up. Going left I have to dodge the range lever but that has not been a problem but once when I was wearing shorts and I hung a leg.
I am glad this tractor is stable with the loader installed. Removing the loader is fairly simple but I find the QD's being under the deck as a little odd and a pain in the B*tt. So I plan to leave it on for most jobs. The 68" material bucket works for me as I do not plan to doing any digging and that width will cover my tracks when I back drag. If I were planning to do a lot of digging, I would want the Ct235 and a 60" HD bucket with teeth.
Not really related to lay out but just some observations on controls. I think I would like the brakes on the left instead of the right above the clutch. I think I see why some say they like two pedals side by side for forward and reverse instead of a rocker pedal. No big deal but I can see that. The speed with which I can change direction, control the loader and bucket and the volume of dirt moved and redistributed in a very short period of time is amazing...at least to me in comparison to the other 4 tractors I have used. I look forward to doing some more brush cutting in a couple of weeks which has been one of the few weak points that I have experienced but I plan to have the dealer to check the pressure relief valve for the hydro as it seems to let off early as I climb those hills with a 5ft brush cutter and a loader. Other than that I cannot complain. I wish I could have justified the extra 2 grand for 7 more HP of the CT235 but for that much I can do low range on the steep parts of my property and brush cut without the loader. There is no guarantee that the 235 would be able to do it either as far that that goes.
I will end the way I started, I say this as honestly as I can muster, I am impressed....really impressed.
