Cedar said:
we have 8+ acres to cut, most flat but some hilly spots as well. Need something that will do it all.
Welcome to TBN, Cedar!
I read this post - and thought about it while I browsed some others - then it became clear to me what to ask yourself:
Are you planning on "mowing" (ie finished lawn) this on a weekly basis? If so then you may even want to start thinking *bigger*...
I have the B7610 w 54" MMM (need to fit through a 5' gate - else would've the 60") - and it takes me 1 hour + a few minutes to mow @ 2-2.5 acres. Extrapolating this to " 8+ acres " - even with a 60" MMM - and I think you'll be close to 4 hours mow time. (gotta go slower on hilly areas etc.)
Do you have many trees / rocks to mow around? If not - then a rear finish mower (RFM) will likely be cheaper - but more importantly - you can possibly get a 72" RFM for the B7610 (extra hp a must) - which may then makes the mowing time more reasonable.
If only a smaller portion is "lawn" - and the rest is "field" - then a rotary cutter or bush hog etc may be a better option....and again I think "bigger is better" if this is going to be a regular chore.
(There was another recent thread here that mentioned the possibility of B7610 w/ 72" RFM:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-buying-pricing/97548-another-tractor-thread.html
--> 72" RFM discussed on Pg. 3)
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In terms of getting a CUT that "will do it all" - then the extra hp / bigger LA352 FEL capacity of the B7610 is a bit of insurance if just choosing between the two (of course I'm biased!
) Kubotas. I think it would help us all better understand your needs if you could give us a little idea of what else you had in mind (or fill out your user profile) - in terms of:
- approx. driveway length for snowblowing / amount of snow / year
- how many post holes do you have to set? (you may be able to rent one as needed instead - and use the extra $$ for .....)
Perhaps helpful - I posted a bunch of pics of my B7610 doing various jobs on my website (link in signature) - pics from other TBNers of their CUTs at work were crucial in helping me decide which features / capabilities I needed when I was purchasing a few years ago.
Hope that helps!
Dan
PS Ooops! I just saw that Raddad asked much the same (in far fewer words!
)