Buying Advice Kubota model selection Advise please!

[70boss]

Ok, I have posted some of this in the past, but I am very close to buying something now. Here is my situation.

Roughly 1.5-2 acres of finish mowing, ground is not real level, some steep areas, ground is not real smooth.

2-4 acres light brush hogging inbetween small trees.

Moderate landscaping, moving dirt, and gravel.

SNOW REMOVAL..probably the most important, 750 foot gravel drive, one VERY steep section. ( I used a Polaris ATV to plow this past winter..worked great)

Machines I currently have unrestricted access to, 1.5 miles away (in-laws)

John Deere 2640 (60 HP diesel) with FEL, and the biggest and heaviest Bush hog I have ever seen (7 foot I think)

Gehl 6635 ( 80 HP!!) skidsteer... will do more excavating and loader work than any of these compact tractors could ever hope to ( 2200 lift capacity), the thing is a tank...7000 pounds!

I am now leaning towards the BX1800/2200 only for the extra stability on slopes. I have looked at the 7500, and B2400 too. In fact I have found a B2400, FEL, 48" Bush hog, 60"woods 3pt. finish mower, 500 hours for 10,500. That seems like the right buy, but stability is most important.

Sorry for the long wind, but the access to heavy machinery may sway some of your opinions. I also live on 63 acres, right in the middle of the woods. Has anyone gotten stuck with their BX2200?

Thanks for reading the "book"
Rob

 

[GlueGuy]

Rob,

Sounds like you could get your work done with a BX, especially if you could snow plow your "worst" section with the Polaris.

That said, how rough are your <font color=blue>not real smooth</font color=blue> areas? If ground clearance is an issue, you may want to try to demo a BX on that rough area to make sure it isn't too rough.

I have a B7500, and it is doing real well. The heaviest work I am putting it through is maintaining our driveway (4300').


The GlueGuy

 

[Darins]

70Boss, I also have a new b7500, My property is fairly flat with trees and lots of brush. With some slopes. When I just received my new B- they had set the wheels all the way out. And filled them with calcium to. I did have it on some hills this weekend and it felt very stable. I have used my nieghbors tractor which is a little larger w/ no caluim just a 600# weight on the back and my tractor feels a LOT more stable. And it also has great ground clearence. I have taken it in the woods and it has no problem going over the trees or all the brush. So far I love it.

 

[70boss]

Thanks for the response, one clarification. I am selling the Polaris. My intent is to sell all of my machine to replace them with one. The 8N Ford is gone, the Polaris is for sale or trade, and the Cub Cadet I will get rid of, or trade-in when I get my new tractor. I think I will try them both out once the snow clears. The BX2200, and the B7500. Any BX2200 owners with a similar use??

Thanks,

Rob

 

[bpence]

For $10,500 you might want to investigate the B2400 some more. That's a fine tractor and with a FEL it's a real worker. You can always widen the rear stance, add wheel weights, fill the tires, or all of these if you feel stability is an issue. About all you'd need to get serious about pushing snow around would be a back blade. I know a brand new tractor is a real draw sometimes (I went through it), but the best values are often found in used tractors, if you're at the right place at the right time. Sounds like you might be looking at an opportunity with the B2400. If it were me, I'd look real hard at the B2400.

Bob Pence

 

[Roy]

Rob; Similar use question…. Mowing… very happy with the BX. Snow removal with a rear blade… also very happy with the BX. Moderate landscaping, moving dirt, and gravel… very happy with the BX. Heck, it can excavate. Never got stuck with the BX (snow, mud, loose dirt)… but then again, I am not in swamp conditions /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.

Roy

 

[Thomas]

Snow removel,land scaping,mowing the BX sound real good.
Brush hogging I would think the B2400 would be tad better also for snow removeal,also if you plan later on to get a tiller.

Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[DaveNH]

Another satisfied BX owner. I moved up from a 14.5 Murray with a 42" cut.
Primarily used for mowing and some snow and dirt moving.
I move snow with the FEL. 12 inches no problems but had a time with the recent 26".(My fault for waiting too long.) I can and do get it stuck. Rides up over the snow and high centers. Have to push myself back with the FEL. Lose traction before power.

We're all in this together! (3)
Yuppie tractor owner.

 

[Charliebrn]

Ditto what the others have said. I have a BX, and am very happy with it. On occation I've lost traction trying to move too much, but I'm sure it's because i have turf tires. The others have mentioned adding ballast to the 7500 to get a bit more stability, and it does work, just remember that more weight isn't necessarily good for your lawn. In any case, you won't be disappointed with either machine, they're both fine machines...

 

[DavidH]

Rob: The rental store near me where I rent equipment on a as needed basis has a B2400 HST with front end loader. He's rented it out for over a year now and has had no problems with it. That's over 500 hours of abuse use and he says it runs as well as the day he put it in service.

DaveH