Traction Kubota B2710 problems and wondering if I should keep it

[Alan L.]

I have a 1999 B2710 with nearly 1000 hours. I bought it new and it is well taken care of but seems like a pretty tough little tractor to me. Doesn't have the weight or the power to push over a 6" tree in our clay soil, but it doesn't break, just spins the tiires.

 

[jeff9366]

Then last week while pushing on a 6" thorn tree bang and this awful metal gear grinding noise.

Turns out the U bolt coppler on the 4 wheel drive blew up and the rear pro isn't working - so minimum $1200 for the 4 wheel drive and they haven't worked on the PTO.

Was the mower deck ON or OFF the B2710 when this incident occurred?

 

[art]

For you to breaking the parts you have I can have some thoughts. Who turned up the hydraulics? The tires are loaded? We have them out with 2,000, 3,000 hours and more without driveline failures.

 

[s219]

I agree that a B2710 is too small to be pushing over 6" trees, and depending on how you're doing it you'll either break something or simply run out of traction. I have a larger L3200 and can push over a 6" pine tree if I first bust up the surface roots, and I do it all by hydraulics so that it would go into relief before something breaks/bends (in contrast, if using the wheels to push loader against a tree, it can mess up the loader arms).

I suspect maybe you have been harder on the tractor that advisable in those last 100 hours. Doesn't matter if it's a new tractor or a used tractor in that regard -- you can break them just the same.

Skidding logs is not too hard for a B2710. I had a B2920 and skidded lots of logs, up to 16" diameter. In fact, I found it easier to skid logs with that tractor than my L3200 just because of size. The B was a lot easier to maneuver in the woods. If you lift the butt of the log with the 3-pt before skidding, to get it off the ground, it will go a lot smoother and make much less mess. I think a B will just run out of traction if the log is too big.

 

[frankwintroub]

Frank,

Sorry to hear that the dealer sold you a beat up tractor. ! was fortunate to find a used 2012 B3200 Kubota tractor with 28 HR of use. Otherwise with high hours it becomes a gamble. Kubota recently introduced a new line of tractors including a B3050 which has a 33 hp engine. However, they still have plenty of the new B3200 (32 HP) for several thousand dollars less. Keep in mind this is a great tractor but as others stated " It has it limitations". If you are removing a lot of trees you may want to consider a bigger tractor or one with a backhoe attachment for removing the stumps.

Good luck!

Tobyone!

Thanks Tobyone, I'll check out the B3200. After the repair its groaning which makes me nervous. Friends who know tractors think it should go to 5000 hours no problem, and the mechanic said everything else looks good. So thinking it over again. Thanks again. Frank

 

[frankwintroub]

Yup. Mower deck on.

 

[frankwintroub]

Thanks. Good advice.

 

[jeff9366]

I have owned the Kubota B2710 for about 1 year and half. It has a loader, and 72 mower deck.

Last week while pushing on a 6" thorn tree bang and this awful metal gear grinding noise.

Turns out the U bolt coppler on the 4 wheel drive blew up and the rear pro isn't working - so minimum $1200 for the 4 wheel drive and they haven't worked on the PTO.

Was the mower deck ON or OFF the B2710 when this incident occurred?

Yup. Mower deck on.

While the B2710 has 'big tractor' ground clearance without a mower, it has a lot less with the mower deck attached.

Your PTO problem may be related to the mower deck, and mid-PTO which powers the mower deck, taking a shock while you were pushing the Thorn tree.

You would be wise to remove the protruding mower deck when venturing into the rough, although it is tempting not to do so.

Mower decks are engineered for operation over relatively smooth ground.

 

[frankwintroub]

While the B2710 has 'big tractor' ground clearance without a mower, it has a lot less with the mower deck attached.

Your PTO problem may be related to the mower deck, and mid-PTO which powers the mower, taking a shock while you were pushing the Thorn tree.

You would be wise to remove the protruding mower deck when venturing into the rough, although it is tempting not to do so.

Mower decks are engineered for operation over relatively smooth ground.

Thanks for info. Turns out PTO was not properly connected by last service guy. Coupling between drive shaft and
Cuppler was left off so working inside but not at very back. Easy 1 1/2 fix.

Still thinking to sell. It's groaning after repair when it didn't before, and now I seem to have
2400 hours. Not sure where. XTra 1000 hrs. Came from but too much too fast to make me confident all is well.

Mahindra 3016 or Max 28 or kubota something in that range.

 

[rswyan]

Still thinking to sell. It's groaning after repair when it didn't before ...

I have a B2910 ... the B2710's bigger brother - in engine size only ... everything else (chassis/frame) is essentially the same ...

There is an issue with these machines (B2710/B2910/B7800) with the plastic cover that goes over the front driveshaft.

The cover is secured with one or two clamps.

It can rotate slightly over time.

When it is out of position it causes a rather nasty "squealing" noise as the tractor is driven. May vary according to speed. Probably harmless, but certainly annoying.

On mine it usually only happens in one of the two drive modes (2WD vs 4WD or vice-versa)

Take a ratchet, loosen the clamps and rotate the plastic cover ... and the noise goes away ... until it works itself out of position again.

Cheap and easy fix.

and now I seem to have 2400 hours. Not sure where. XTra 1000 hrs. Came from but too much too fast to make me confident all is well.

Not really sure what that's all about ...

But my B2910 has 1600 hours on it ... with a lot of really hard use (including pushing over trees larger than what I should have attempted) ... and it's still running strong ... with no significant breakage. Just don't use like it's a tractor twice it's size.

BTW ... my 72" MMM has a rather significant bend in the back edge (got caught on a stump) ... from me being stupid and not taking it off before heading into the woods.