New B2601

[RalphVa]

The B2601 was delivered this morning. $11.44k difference for it plus 5 ft box blade and added hydraulic on FEL and JD 2025R 2015 trade-in. $13k for the JD. He had a buyer up there (Winchester) for $14k. Retail on the 2025R is about $17k. Was MSRP on tractor. Gave $1,000 off on it and $400 or 500 (don't recall which) on the loader.

Had to be flexible:

1. Wanted R4s. Comes mostly with R14s. Supposed to have more traction. Hope they're just as tough. Absolutely no tire problems on R4s since 2013 (had on a 1025R, too).
2. Wanted TnT for the box. 4 weeks to get the kits and 34 weeks to get cylinders and lines. Scratched. Fit Right does TnT cylinders for Kubotas. Kubota does not have them.
3. Wanted 54 inch bucket because I had to bob and weave around stuff beside the trails with a 53-54 bucket. Only 60 inch available. Probably will remove the bucket when doing the upper trail. Easy to do, probably easier than on the JD.
4. Wanted a B2301. Really don't need 25ish hp. The 24.5 on the JD 2025R was excessive except for digging dirt or stumps. Had to go to Winchester just to get tractor with loader. None of the 3 closer dealers had loaders. Winchester only had the 2601.

DO NOT FOLD YOUR ROPS on your B like shown. If I'd had my top link extended much at all, I'd have bent it. The top of the QH just hit the ROPS. ROPS now straight back. Will check 45 degree position to see if will clear my garage door.

 

[Goose1776]

I took the ROPS off of my 2601 for that reason
It also always rattled more than I thought it should
Otherwise I loved my 2601. Plenty of power for the size and weight of the machine, and it was nimble enough to get into tighter areas that the Lseries

 

[Thomas]

Congrats on your new investment looking forward to action pictures from this weekend storm knocking on your door.

 

[RalphVa]

Well, I'm slowly getting used to the dreaded treadle pedal. Moving seat back to get a direct down stab at the reverse end helps a lot. Some pluses and minuses:

o Seems to start cold better than the JDs, which shuddered and issued slightly blue smoke. All diesels I've ever owned start with about 1/2 turn of the crankshaft, dating back to an old 1973 220D Benz. Nice thing about diesels.
o FEL seems more jerky, but the H130 on the 2025R was sooo smoooth and absolutely bulletproof.
o Float on FEL is very easily engaged, almost too easy.
o 2wd/4wd is so easy. Almost all JDs make this tough.
o Hydraulics are MUCH stronger. Flow is near 3 times.
o Idles nicely at 1,000. The 1025R was abnoxious at 1,650.
o Not many spots to put my tension cords that were held so easily on the H130's FEL.
o Tool box is way too small. Have another on order from Harbor Freight that I think will work, only $7.
o Drink holder is bigger than the joke one on the 2025R. Not sure it'll hold my little thermos. Not sure where to put my old Frontier doc holder cap that was a great cup holder on the JD. Kinda out of the way, behind and to the left.
o Parking brake is easier to disengage but seems a tad harder to engage.

Haven't connected nor used the rear PTO yet. Nice that it's covered like the mid one was on the JD. I presume the mid one on the B is covered as well. Not likely I'll use it unless I splurge and get a snow blower. Think it'd be a pain to connect the mid PTO on one.

Haven't tried that 45 degree position yet on the ROPS to see if it'll clear the garage door. JDs don't have this position: either up, down or 90 degree head bumper.

The HF QH went on with hardly a whimper, and those sliding gizmos to keep each lift arm in place are so easy to use. If I didn't have the QH, I'd replace those pins with self latching ones. With QH, I'll never touch them again unless some brush knocks one of them loose.

Odd that Kubota doesn't recommend some slippy stuff applied to 3ph moving parts. I always just squired with silicone.

Kubota definitely needs a warning on the front part of the ROPS top to not leave it dropped completely down.

Nice to have a temperature gauge. Wish we still had oil pressure and amp meters.

 

[number two]

Sounds like you are reasonably pleased so far.
Good Deal!
Just wondering what motor oil you're going to use when you drain the factory fill 10W30.
Thanks & Good Luck!

 

[prichard]

Congrats. I've had mine for 6 or so years and loving it.

The FEL can be though to get smooth. I've gotten a lot detter with it.

That wimpy flat strip that holds the tiny toolbox won't hold anything bigger. I got a piece of angle steel from home depot and ran it parallel with the factory bracket. Otherwise the ammo can I added was flopping back and forth.

 

[RalphVa]

Congrats. I've had mine for 6 or so years and loving it.

The FEL can be though to get smooth. I've gotten a lot detter with it.

That wimpy flat strip that holds the tiny toolbox won't hold anything bigger. I got a piece of angle steel from home depot and ran it parallel with the factory bracket. Otherwise the ammo can I added was flopping back and forth.

I'm getting another plastic one from HF. It's just a bit bigger, closer to the one I had on the JD.

 

[RalphVa]

Sounds like you are reasonably pleased so far.
Good Deal!
Just wondering what motor oil you're going to use when you drain the factory fill 10W30.
Thanks & Good Luck!

Already have 2 five quart containers of M1 0w30 ESP bought from Advanced Auto. It plus a little left over from when I did the JD will do the B and the Isuzu for its 10 year change. The Isuzu takes 7 quarts, the B 3.3.

 

[varmint]

One little mod I did for my L3400 was to rig a red warning light for the parking brake. It's proved handy more than once to prevent driving off with the brake some-what engaged. I posted how I did it a couple years ago. Silicone spray lube isn't good for much other than immediate assembly. Use something like Fluid Film? Tenacious oil (from a bike shop) is good, too.

 

[RalphVa]

Started up the B2601 and moved it outside to piddle around and let it sit idling while I piddled around and got 3 things done:

1. Cup holder attached to the hole in outer left of loader tower. It's the top to a Frontier (bush hog) doc holder. Little bit bigger and deeper than the one provided on the B behind the seat and handier out front.

2. Mounted the bottom part of the doc holder onto the inside of the left ROPS just in front of the triangle safety sign. The fire extinguisher slides right into it. Had to secure with 2 zip ties because there's no room even for a bolt head, as the fire extinguisher is an exact fit. The original lips that secured this doc holder broke off. Nowhere to bolt it.

3. Moved the roll over protection folding top to the 45 degree position. Clears the garage door by about 2 inches. Will provide more safety margin that at 90 degree position. May go back to wearing my seat belt.