more kubota help

[gwdixon]

Would you buy a Porsche with a manual or automatic transmission? Everyone would have a different opinion based on their driving skills, intent, and the use of the car.

I have both styles. The L48 backhoe simply MUST have the HST. The BX2200 w/HST is used by the wife so is especially convienient for avoiding gear grinding, etc., and for the simplicity. The M7040 has the hydro syncro shuttle manual and is great for pulling a disk, box scraper, mower, rototiller, and whatever needs to travel in one direction with a heavy load.

BTW, my Porsche is manual.

 

[quackaddict]

the porsche would definitely have gears

good Lord this is worse than picking out a truck...

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

the porsche would definitely have gears

good Lord this is worse than picking out a truck...

It can be if you have no confidence in advice from experienced users here. You picked 3 to chose from and I believe all suggested the same specific one of the 3 you listed based on our experience and your described needs and some gave you good reasons why. After their advise you say it's a hard decision. Did we not pick the one you wanted us to pick? If not, then give us a clue as to what you want use to really say.

 

[quackaddict]

1) i've just never really had a problem with geared tractors
2)I want to be sure that 23.5 PTO HP will be sufficient if i go with the HST
3) I have a problem making up my mind about anything I buy

 

[Ken45101]

1) i've just never really had a problem with geared tractors
2)I want to be sure that 23.5 PTO HP will be sufficient if i go with the HST
3) I have a problem making up my mind about anything I buy

How much HP you need depends on the size of the implement you put on it. You cannot put a 10' bush hog on a 23 hp tractor, but you can put a 4' one on it. I've had a B2710 HST (about same hp) for a lawn mower (5' deck) for 10 years. It's always had plenty of power.

As I noted, if you want a tiller, you really need HST. End of discussion. I do have a 5' tiller for mine and it's always been plenty of hp. Now if you put a 10' tiller on it, you'd be in trouble.

I like geared tractors for bigger work and open field mowing. I'm even happy with a geared tractor with for loader work. But an HST is much preferred for operating in tight areas like mowing a lawn because you can slow down for tight maneuvering while keeping the rpms up for the mower.

Look at the manual for each of the tractors. It will tell you the implement limitations for each of the units.

Ken
M5040DT/FEL, M9540DT geared
B2710 HST
B21 TLB HST

 

[MarkV]

I understand, it is a hard decision. Here is my take. As I recall from your other posts you are on 5 acres with only 2 that will be bush hogged. The remainder will be finish mowed with a different machine. Your other planned tasks were tilling a garden and setting some fence posts as well as general loader work.

The 23.5 PTO hp will run a 5 foot rotary mower just fine on 2 acres. I mow a bit more than that 4 or 5 times a year with 13.5 PTO hp. For tilling the HST will give your better speed control which is important when tilling. I also do that with the small tractor because my 39 hp gear tractor just runs too fast even in an established garden. Setting posts either gear or HST will work. Loader work I do with both tractors, gear and HST, without problem.

I don't think you need to jump up to the 3400 for what you plan personally. One question though. When you say gear do you mean a straight gear tractor you have to stop and clutch to shift or Kubota's GST, shuttle shift, gear tractor that you don't have to clutch except to stop?

MarkV

 

[quackaddict]

I've never driven one with the shuttle shift, so I mean an older, have-to-stop-to-change-gears tractor...but the HST sounds better and better the more i think about it.

 

[Thomas]

veresjwv.
"How old are you and how long do you intend to keep it? Clutching reaks havoc on old knees"

Not tadpole anymore..54 years w/bang up left foot.

Hopeing to keep L2800 14 years or longer like the B7100HST if not longer...got whopping 16hrs. on meter since Mid march of this year.

 

[Ken45101]

veresjwv.
"How old are you and how long do you intend to keep it? Clutching reaks havoc on old knees"

Not tadpole anymore..54 years w/bang up left foot.

Hopeing to keep L2800 14 years or longer like the B7100HST if not longer...got whopping 16hrs. on meter since Mid march of this year.

You guys need more seat time But then I'm 62 and retired. Clutching has never bothered my knee and I've got 150 hours on the M5040DT that I bought last year, with a fair amount of loader operation in those hours. But then I learned to drive a car with a clutch, so maybe that's part of my acceptance.

Heck, I've even caught myself reaching for the reverse lever on an HST tractor, LOL.

Ken

 

[Harvest Moon]

If you've never had HST, you'll never miss it. Kind of like if you've never had a car with AC and you live in the south. If you're worried about HP, try to scrape up the extra for the L3400, I've never herd anyone complain that it's underpowered.