May up Grade from MX5100 to.....

OrangeToys · Mar 8, 2014

So I have been thinking about upgrading to a larger tractor from my MX5100, but not sure how far to go. The 2 main reason I want to increase size is for more lift capacity and the ability to run a 12ft brush hog (Batwing). The lift would mainly be for lifting full pallets of material and not having to remove 15-20 bags just so the MX can lift it, but then there is the stability issue. My tires are loaded and I have a 8ft blade on the back and still feels light.

What do you all think? I was thinking about going to a 7040 but would a 50 or 60 work?

TripleR · Mar 8, 2014

Lots of variables come to mind such as hilly or flat terrain, which 12' cutter, what will you be cutting?

My initial inclination is to skip to the 7060 as you can get the 12/12 transmission and it has the limited slip front differential that we have really found nice on our M8540. We chose to go with an 80HP machine after trying our a 70 HP as it bogged down on the roads going from farm to farm and had a little more power loss than desired going up our hills with a 10' rotary cutter in tall grass. It would do it all, we just preferred a little more HP and we already had a 70 HP MF.

Check on some of foreman Etexas threads, he had an M5040 and M7040 then traded the M5040 in on another M7040, I can't think off hand of anyone else with a 5140 or 6040 and of course chances of finding a new M40 are pretty slim now.

Good luck.

oosik · Mar 8, 2014

My M6040 will lift a ton or more with the FEL. I move LARGE basaltic lava rocks quite frequently and have a weight formula I use to determine estimated boulder weight. However, the specs do not list bat-wing mowers. Largest size cutter recommended is 84" & 1200lb. This is best a discussion with your Kubota dealer and the dealer selling the bat-wing mower. I just had a brain f--t, looked up 12' bat-wing rotary cutter in my Land Pride catalogue and they recommend 50-75hp for this unit. M6040 would be right in the middle and M7040 tends toward the upper side.

Regarding lifting large rock - First its the problem of getting the huge rock into the bucket - and when I finally do - I move/transport the rock with the bucket dragging/bumping on the ground. I've NEVER tried lifting a big(2000lb +) rock over 6" off the ground. I can tell by the "feel" of the tractor that a high lift with a large rock would be OK if the tractor was on a cement or the like pad. However, its right at the limit of lift and I have no desire to challenge fate. Know the max weight you will lift and max height and check the prospective tractor specs carefully.

Also - listen to Triple R carefully, he has a lot of experience and has alway been a straight shooter.

OrangeToys · Mar 8, 2014

TripleR said:
Lots of variables come to mind such as hilly or flat terrain, which 12' cutter, what will you be cutting?

My initial inclination is to skip to the 7060 as you can get the 12/12 transmission and it has the limited slip front differential that we have really found nice on our M8540. We chose to go with an 80HP machine after trying our a 70 HP as it bogged down on the roads going from farm to farm and had a little more power loss than desired going up our hills with a 10' rotary cutter in tall grass. It would do it all, we just preferred a little more HP and we already had a 70 HP MF.

Check on some of foreman Etexas threads, he had an M5040 and M7040 then traded the M5040 in on another M7040, I can't think off hand of anyone else with a 5140 or 6040 and of course chances of finding a new M40 are pretty slim now.

Good luck.

I would probably go with the Landpride RC2512. My biggest thing is I travel on the trailer a lot for commercial cutting. I would usually cut anything horrible, I'd keep my 6ft too just incase I got a small job with obstacles and heavy cutting

oosik said:
My M6040 will lift a ton or more with the FEL. I move LARGE basaltic lava rocks quite frequently and have a weight formula I use to determine estimated boulder weight. However, the specs do not list bat-wing mowers. Largest size cutter recommended is 84" & 1200lb. This is best a discussion with your Kubota dealer and the dealer selling the bat-wing mower. I just had a brain f--t, looked up 12' bat-wing rotary cutter in my Land Pride catalogue and they recommend 50-75hp for this unit. M6040 would be right in the middle and M7040 tends toward the upper side.

Regarding lifting large rock - First its the problem of getting the huge rock into the bucket - and when I finally do - I move/transport the rock with the bucket dragging/bumping on the ground. I've NEVER tried lifting a big(2000lb +) rock over 6" off the ground. I can tell by the "feel" of the tractor that a high lift with a large rock would be OK if the tractor was on a cement or the like pad. However, its right at the limit of lift and I have no desire to challenge fate. Know the max weight you will lift and max height and check the prospective tractor specs carefully.

Also - listen to Triple R carefully, he has a lot of experience and has alway been a straight shooter.

Only time I really use the loader for something heavy is when I have pallets of ice melt during the winter, on occasion gravel, usually dirt and mulch.

I've been trying to find thread of people upgrading buy it hard to find them, its usually just people saying they got a new toy and not what they traded

TripleR · Mar 8, 2014

"I've been trying to find thread of people upgrading buy it hard to find them, its usually just people saying they got a new toy and not what they traded.

Check the threads by bigbull338, he traded his MX5100 in for an M7040 and like foreman Etexas and a few others he makes a living with his machines, I am more of a hobbyist than anything else now.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-buying-pricing/284491-time-trade.html
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-buying-pricing/284875-bye-bye-mx5100hst.html
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/285247-modifying-7040-hd-su.html
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/288051-learned-alot-today.html

oosik · Mar 8, 2014

I sure do not make a living with any tractor I've owned. In 1982, when we moved onto the property, I bought a Ford 1710 4WD. It worked just fine on my property(80A) except driveway maintenance in the summer. The driveway will set up like concrete in the summer. I even tried a disk harrow to loosen it in the summer but to no avail. I traded the Ford for a new Kubota M6040 in the spring of 2009. I tried the new tractor with a rear blade and found that not only would it penetrate but I was well on my way to China. I've been in 7th heaven since obtaining the new tractor. I can now actually do more than leave scratch marks on the drive in the summer. I've purchased new implements (Bush Hog roll-over box blade & Land Pride grading scraper) and am on a long trek bringing the driveway back to what it once was. There is no comparison between the Ford I had and the new Kubota I now have. The main advantage of the Kubota is size and particularly weight. Implement size and weight are now properly suited for working the driveway. I finally realized that maintaining my mile long gravel driveway was not a hobby and could not be handled effectively with smaller equipment. Now with a larger, heavier tractor and appropriately sized implements I can move the exact amount of material required, either a little or a massive amount, to correctly repair and maintain the driveway. This new tractor has allowed me to take on and complete many new projects on my property that I never considered with the smaller Ford.

TripleR · Mar 9, 2014

oosik said:
I sure do not make a living with any tractor I've owned. In 1982, when we moved onto the property, I bought a Ford 1710 4WD. It worked just fine on my property(80A) except driveway maintenance in the summer. The driveway will set up like concrete in the summer. I even tried a disk harrow to loosen it in the summer but to no avail. I traded the Ford for a new Kubota M6040 in the spring of 2009. I tried the new tractor with a rear blade and found that not only would it penetrate but I was well on my way to China. I've been in 7th heaven since obtaining the new tractor. I can now actually do more than leave scratch marks on the drive in the summer. I've purchased new implements (Bush Hog roll-over box blade & Land Pride grading scraper) and am on a long trek bringing the driveway back to what it once was. There is no comparison between the Ford I had and the new Kubota I now have. The main advantage of the Kubota is size and particularly weight. Implement size and weight are now properly suited for working the driveway. I finally realized that maintaining my mile long gravel driveway was not a hobby and could not be handled effectively with smaller equipment. Now with a larger, heavier tractor and appropriately sized implements I can move the exact amount of material required, either a little or a massive amount, to correctly repair and maintain the driveway. This new tractor has allowed me to take on and complete many new projects on my property that I never considered with the smaller Ford.

We jut barely did.:laughing:

Nothing like having the right size tractor. We grew up farming, but got out for some time then bought a Ford NAA to keep up with bush hogging, later we added a well used and abused Case/David Brown 995. We had to borrow a tractor with a FEL from my father in law and transport it if we absolutely had to have one. We now have the right size and enough, but sure "got by" a lot of years with the wrong machines; life is much easier now.