Is B3030 the right one?

[topshop]

I have been following the discussions for some time, but this is my first post. Here's my dilemma. I have 80 acres that is mostly wooded, but also with some untended open grassy and brushy areas. The most predictable use of a new tractor would be for finish mowing areas totaling approximately 2-3 acres. I might expand that somewhat over time. I also want to create and maintain about 2-3 miles of trails and do some brush hogging and rototilling in the open areas and occasional woods cleanup and logging.

I feel that the B3030 would be satisfactory for finish mowing and yet might do the trick for moving soil, gravel, etc. with the FEL. Is it powerful enough to level knolls and push out stumps from scrub trees like autumn olive? Can you do satisfactory brush hogging and rough mowing of thick field grass with the B3030?

I know that many recommend going bigger than smaller, but I hope to be able to do the lawn mowing and the other work with the same tractor. I like the GL series, but they just seem too big for getting in and out of areas I would like to work and for lawn mowing. The L3400 is interesting because it is smaller than the GL series, correct? Would it be worth considering instead of the B3030 so I could mow the lawns but also have enough power to do the other things I may want to do in trail building and brush hogging? Why don't they make a GL series tractor with the smaller frame size and width of the L3400?

Thanks!

 

[FamilyFarm]

Welcome!

I am with you on the desire for a Grand L tractor the size of the L3400! That would be perfect!
It sounds like the ideal thing for you would be the L3130 - along with a ZD zero-turn mower for the 2-3 acre lawn! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
Best wishes on your search!

Terry

 

[JT1972]

I have been shopping for a tractor for an almost identical situation to you yours. I researched all of the major brands, New Holland, John Deere, Case IH, Kubota.
Went to each dealership and looked each unit over, took pics of the front axles, engine, operator platform, three point, rear axles, etc. After this research, I compared the specifications. When it comes down to it, I am probrably going to buy this tractor once and wanted to make sure I made the right choice and it was going to be durable enough to last me my lifetime.
I did find out some interesting things, The Kubota B3030 is basically kubotas old B2910. Here are some other things I found out after narrowing the field to New Holland and Kubota:
The NH TC29DA tractor has alot more PTO hp than the 3030. 23.6 vs. 19.5, more hydraulic flow, 800lbs heavier- the kubota is very, very light in the axles, superior visibilty with a loader, no comparison here, the kubota loader was half as heavy, and has poor visibility, loader lift capacity is 1256lbs for the Nh vs. 1091 for the Kubota. The NH has 4 halogen headlights plus sidelights versus two of the kubota, mainly because the kubota only has 14.4 volts vs. 40 of the NH. The kubota also uses integral power steering which I didn't know. Much older technology wise vs. the NH. These are the things that stuck out for me. I was able to nearly push over the Kubota tractor because of its lightweight. The kubota has stamped steel axles versus cast of the NH tractors.
Overall durability of the product of the NH was much better. I also compared components like the air filters, hydraulic pumps, radiators- flow through for NH, screened for Kubota.

Overall NH has put alot more money into the product than kubota is doing at about the same money.

Hope this helps. Same warranty also.

 

[Ronster]

Per the Kubota brochure: The B2630 has 19.5 PTO hp, B3030 has 23 PTO hp and cast iron front axle. It's lighter than most equal hp tractors, but that's not all that bad if you do a lot of mowing.

 

[fishman]

Topshop,

I have the b2910, which is the precursor to the 3030. I really like it for my 10 acres and it has plenty of pto hp to run my 5' hog. I don't have a finish mower for it, but most would recommend a 6' if going with a rear finish mower.

I use mine primarily for loader work, actually, and that seems to be where your question is mostly directed. I have used it to haul enough dirt to cover 1/3 acre an average of 6" deep to make a lawn on the bedrock surrounding my house. An L-series tractor would have been much faster, but the 2910 was up to the task once I installed a toothbar . In my opinion, that is a must-do and is the equivelant of getting the next size up tractor. Using this combination of 2910, FEL, and toothbar, I also cleared several small areas for pole barns, food plots, and gardens. I have rocky soil, which may differ from yours, but I was able to uproot most trees in the 2" to almost 5" diameter. Larger trees had to be cut. Smaller trees/shrubs often just bent over and were either sheered off by the FEL or I used a hand-held brush trimmer.

The b2910 is no pushover, figuratively or literally (as suggested above).

However, given the size of your property, it would seem logical for you to go larger unless you had issues with storage, maneuverability, or a tight budget. You can rear finish mow just fine with a much larger tractor, and faster too. There is also no substitute for weight when doing loader work. Also, larger tractors would allow you to get a much more effective backhoe should you so choose down the road. I have done a bit of work on a New Holland TC40D and it is much more capable than the 2910, although difficult to turn around in tight places.

As much as I like my 2910, I would seriously consider upsizing if I were to purchase 80 acres. If I didn't have a tractor at all, then I would be looking at the L Series or perhaps the NH 35, 40, or 45D.

 

[rpeter]

It looks like you will have to decide which of your jobs you would like to optimize. I just bought a B7800 because I wanted the small size for working in and around trees in my “forest”. The B3030 will be the better mower too. However, if loader work is your main issue you might be better off with the TC29DA. They do not make a tractor that is big and heavy, yet fits in between trees and is a great finish mower /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[topshop]

Thanks for the helpful comments. Do others have thoughts on the NH TC29DA or TC33DA vs. the Kubota B3030? There seems to be some disagreement on their relative quality.

Can the B3030 FEL push out small stumps and flatten knolls? Is it heavy enough to handle a 5-ft Brush Hog satisfactorily?
/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[pdub]

I can't answer specifically if the B3030 will get the job done that you are looking at, but I just did some research for my own knowledge and I can tell you that I would go for the NH TC29DA or TC33DA for a few basic reasons:

1) it is approximately 700 lbs heavier
2) 12.7 gpm hyd flow vs 9.1 gpm
3) Loader lift capacity: 1256 (NH) to 1090 (Kubota)
4) standard rubbers: 11.2x24 (NH) to 12.4x16 (kubota)

All of these things are important for the applications you will be using your tractor. If you are just looking at a mowing application, it is more of a toss up to your individual preference. I personally am a gear head and wouldn't buy the B3030 simply because it is only offered in HST!

*Source: Current Literature

 

[topshop]

Thanks Pdub. You make some good points. I'll admit that I feel that Kubota makes more reliable machines, but they have a gap in their tractor line--no equivalent to the NH TC33DA or 29DA (heavy and powerful yet small enough to mow and maneuver). Will New Holland be reliable?

 

[familyman]

It sounds like you want an L3400 HST.
Light enough to mow with, convenient and quick due to HST, yet large and heavy enough to do more serious work than the 3030. Had it been in production last year that's what I would have gotten. As it is, my L2800 gear is plenty capable and very maneuverable in tight spaces.
The New Holland units look nice too. Drive them all and go with your gut. One might fit you just right.