Buying Advice It shouldn't be this difficult...

[Hotrocks]

I have to admit that I am really torn as any one tractor is going to be a compromise. Personally, if I had to decide on one machine, I would go with a B3030/3000. As pointed out by Verticaltrx, the total acreage throws some of us off. We have over 110 acres that have never seen any of our tractors except from a distance. Now if you will be working in the woods dragging trees then that will change the equation.

You will be transporting, so the B will be easier and require less costly equipment than the L.

You can pull it with a full size pickup, but I would go with an 18 foot I believe to allow you to balance your load.

The ideal situation is to do as Chuck recommended and separate mowing and tractor work, but $$$$.

I do feel compelled to add that tractor work/plans are a lot like battle plans and often don't survive the first engagement without modification. You are going to have all that land and a tractor. It may not be long before your tasks outstrip your equipment, so take some time to evaluate all those things dancing around in the back of your mind and see where you stand.

I probably haven't helped much, but the reality is you can go with a small L or big B with one having advantages in one area and one in another.

The 50 plus wooded acres is mainly for hunting, so I'll make a few trails, move hunting stands, maybe dig a very small watering hole, plant an acre plot of food for deer, move some cut trees (mostly light cedar), etc. I'm afraid if I go to big, I'll have highways through the woods instead of trails. I can see where people with huge fields want big tractors... But I need something nimble on the hilly wooded land. My biggest field to bush hog might be 5 acres. Then about a 3 acre field and then the last couple acres is just random openings around the pond. I think it's important to be able to finish mow with the tractor because it is hilly and I want 4 wheel drive especially when the grass could be wet. Nothing worse than a riding lawn mower you have to get of and push every couple minutes or won't stop on a slippery hill when you want it to.

And I don't want to get to big because there are lots of landscaping I'd like to do near the house.

Thanks everyone for the advice.

 

[TripleR]

The 50 plus wooded acres is mainly for hunting, so I'll make a few trails, move hunting stands, maybe dig a very small watering hole, plant an acre plot of food for deer, move some cut trees (mostly light cedar), etc. I'm afraid if I go to big, I'll have highways through the woods instead of trails. I can see where people with huge fields want big tractors... But I need something nimble on the hilly wooded land. My biggest field to bush hog might be 5 acres. Then about a 3 acre field and then the last couple acres is just random openings around the pond. I think it's important to be able to finish mow with the tractor because it is hilly and I want 4 wheel drive especially when the grass could be wet. Nothing worse than a riding lawn mower you have to get of and push every couple minutes or won't stop on a slippery hill when you want it to.

And I don't want to get to big because there are lots of landscaping I'd like to do near the house.

Thanks everyone for the advice.

Sure sounds like you have a nice piece of property and fun projects. It sounds as though the big B will work well for you and if you run into a situation it won't handle, you can always do what do and rent something.

I prefer the B3030 over the 3200 for the position control 3PH and extendable lower arms as well as independent PTO and tilt steering wheel and not the vibration some complain of on the 3200. Both will do the same amount of work though.

I have considered the 3030/3000 and as recently as a week ago discussed it with my wife, but even it is too big for around our house without a trimming mower, so we will stay with our BX2660; everything is a compromise it seems.

 

[Hotrocks]

Sure sounds like you have a nice piece of property and fun projects. It sounds as though the big B will work well for you and if you run into a situation it won't handle, you can always do what do and rent something.

I prefer the B3030 over the 3200 for the position control 3PH and extendable lower arms as well as independent PTO and tilt steering wheel and not the vibration some complain of on the 3200. Both will do the same amount of work though.

I have considered the 3030/3000 and as recently as a week ago discussed it with my wife, but even it is too big for around our house without a trimming mower, so we will stay with our BX2660; everything is a compromise it seems.

Well, I want my projects to remain fun and not get to large and turn into work. I don't mind to use finese instead of brute stength with to large a tractor. I don't mind taking my time.

And the land is really nice. For KY, we have a nice view since the home is on top of a hill.

 

[TripleR]

Well, I want my projects to remain fun and not get too large and turn into work. I don't mind to use finesse instead of brute strength with too large a tractor. I don't mind taking my time.

And the land is really nice. For KY, we have a nice view since the home is on top of a hill.

I have learned that sometimes finesse won't quite get it, so we got someone to bring in dozers to build our ponds and bartered for a skid loader and excavator on a couple of occasions as to do the same jobs with any of our tractors would have been "work".

Not long after I retired, I was working on one of our roads and fixing some washouts with one of our smaller tractors, hauling rock some distance, about a half a mile. After a few days my wife asked why I didn't go to another farm and get a bigger tractor. I said, "What else have I got to do, I don't mind taking my time.:laughing: Well, some time later, I won't say how much, but I went and got another tractor and the following year bought another one so I wouldn't have to be moving them between farms.

I am not saying this will happen to you, it just reminded me of that as my wife has "reminded" me of it a couple of times especially when we went tractor shopping and actually picked out our L5030.:laughing:

We have a combination of hills, flat row crop ground and woods.

 

[Hotrocks]

I have learned that sometimes finesse won't quite get it, so we got someone to bring in dozers to build our ponds and bartered for a skid loader and excavator on a couple of occasions as to do the same jobs with any of our tractors would have been "work".

Not long after I retired, I was working on one of our roads and fixing some washouts with one of our smaller tractors, hauling rock some distance, about a half a mile. After a few days my wife asked why I didn't go to another farm and get a bigger tractor. I said, "What else have I got to do, I don't mind taking my time.:laughing: Well, some time later, I won't say how much, but I went and got another tractor and the following year bought another one so I wouldn't have to be moving them between farms.

I am not saying this will happen to you, it just reminded me of that as my wife has "reminded" me of it a couple of times especially when we went tractor shopping and actually picked out our L5030.:laughing:

We have a combination of hills, flat row crop ground and woods.

That's pretty land. I'd say mine is just a little more hilly.

 

[Hotrocks]

Yes, it is the standard L series that has the 3pt problems, those models ending in "00". The vibration issue is the only thing I've heard with the B3200. Try before you buy on either of these models. The mmm on the Bxx20 series is held up by the tractor while mowing, the depth of cut controled by a knob on the tractor deck, and the wheels only touch on bumps, humps, etc., and function strictly as anti scalp wheels. The mmm on the B3200 actually rides on those wheels, and the cut height is adjusted by raising, or lowering the wheels to fixed positions.

With 66 acres, I would strongly consider keeping the finish mowing around the house separate from the tractor needs for the rest of the land. If you do that, you might want to look at something a bit larger than the B3200. The B3200 will handle a 5' rotary cutter, but I'm not sure that it would be the best choice on really hilly land. Though quite a bit more expensive, the Grand L might be best here. In NH, they switched to Grand L's a couple of years ago for mowing the median strips, and sides of the Interstate highways, and I see there seems to be more of them this summer, so I'm guessing that they are working out well. An interesting side note here is that in many cases I've noticed that the rotary cutters they use are not as wide as the tractor. I'm guessing that this is for much better control on the steep areas. I think that is a great plan, and I sure wouldn't want to to larger than the 4' mower I have on my B2620, or on a B2920 for that matter. It is not a question of power, but a question of weight, and how far back it is. Rotary cutters get long fast when you go up in width.

So on the 3200, it doesn't pick the mowing deck up when your not mowing like the 2920 does? It can't be "suspended" while you do other things? That would seem like a real pain to me. Am I missing something?

 

[Verticaltrx]

So on the 3200, it doesn't pick the mowing deck up when your not mowing like the 2920 does? It can't be "suspended" while you do other things? That would seem like a real pain to me. Am I missing something?

What they are referring to is in the mowing position. The mower is on larger caster wheels that ride directly on the ground. To adjust the mowing height you have to adjust the caster height. Not sure why a lot of people dislike this type of mower, IMO it does a nicer job, and is also what is on most large commercial machines. The deck still raises like any other, and can be pinned up if needed so you can use the 3pt hitch with the mower still on.

 

[TripleR]

That's pretty land. I'd say mine is just a little more hilly.

Some of ours is so hilly, I have never even been on it with my Rhino, I have trouble walking, so I have never seen it. As a rule though, it is much more hilly to the north, east and south, we are in sort of a transition area. SW MO is probably closer to your land.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I have Ky hillside property. I started with a BX2200 FEL MMM. Life time mower with a high priced wheelbarrow on the front. Did much more than I ever firgured it would do so year later traded it to a bigger tractor, a B7800 FEL Rear Finish Mower plus bought a BX1500 MMM for closer mowing. After three years and those two paid for I traded to a L3240HST FEL and a BX2350 MMM. Traded those two off quick since the BX2350 jerked so bad when I backed up and the L3240 was scary on my hillsides and was underpowered with the weight on the steep hills. Back to Barlopws.
Went to a BX2660 MMM FEL and a B3200 FEL. All were HST, no geared. I like the RFM for open field mowing but for closer work I like the MMM. I didn't notice the vibration issue at the RPMs I ran my B3200, full throttle did have some vibration but not that bad and I rarely ran it a full throttle.
I had a Dodge Dakota V6 and it pulled my B3200HST FEL on a 16' dual axle trailer but it slowed down going up hills. Traded the Dakota to a Dodge Ram 1500 V8 and it pulled fine. I had pulled the L3240HST FEL on the same 16' trailer with a Cev Avalance and it did OK. I was probably over the weight limit on the trailer with the L3240.
I now have a B2320 geared (my first and last geared) and a couple of F's for mowing.
The higher you are off of the ground the more scary it is when one wheel goes over a rock, log or in a hole. I never felt secure on my hillsides with the L so went back to a B.
Buy a B and if it don't work then go back to Barlows and get a different one, I've found they are always willing to take one back toward the purchase of another one or just buy it back from you.
Here's my hillside property with my birthday present to myself.

 

[Hotrocks]

I have Ky hillside property. I started with a BX2200 FEL MMM. Life time mower with a high priced wheelbarrow on the front. Did much more than I ever firgured it would do so year later traded it to a bigger tractor, a B7800 FEL Rear Finish Mower plus bought a BX1500 MMM for closer mowing. After three years and those two paid for I traded to a L3240HST FEL and a BX2350 MMM. Traded those two off quick since the BX2350 jerked so bad when I backed up and the L3240 was scary on my hillsides and was underpowered with the weight on the steep hills. Back to Barlopws.
Went to a BX2660 MMM FEL and a B3200 FEL. All were HST, no geared. I like the RFM for open field mowing but for closer work I like the MMM. I didn't notice the vibration issue at the RPMs I ran my B3200, full throttle did have some vibration but not that bad and I rarely ran it a full throttle.
I had a Dodge Dakota V6 and it pulled my B3200HST FEL on a 16' dual axle trailer but it slowed down going up hills. Traded the Dakota to a Dodge Ram 1500 V8 and it pulled fine. I had pulled the L3240HST FEL on the same 16' trailer with a Cev Avalance and it did OK. I was probably over the weight limit on the trailer with the L3240.
I now have a B2320 geared (my first and last geared) and a couple of F's for mowing.
The higher you are off of the ground the more scary it is when one wheel goes over a rock, log or in a hole. I never felt secure on my hillsides with the L so went back to a B.
Buy a B and if it don't work then go back to Barlows and get a different one, I've found they are always willing to take one back toward the purchase of another one or just buy it back from you.
Here's my hillside property with my birthday present to myself.

For my purposes, if I have narrowed it to the B2920 or B3200, which would you chose? We live in Harrodsburg. Thanks for the advice

I'll probably spend a third of my time mowing around the house with MMM, a third doing landscaping, and a third building trails and cruising the land looking for something thing that needs tractor work.