New Prospective buyer small-mid size tractor for the woods

[basod]

Hello everyone. Joined over here at the recommendation of some members of a wood hoarding forum I frequent.

My property is mostly hills here in central Alabama. I'm looking at a Kubota B2301/2601 with FEL +3rd function for grapple and backhoe - not that I'm 100% sold.

This is mostly for woods maintenance, firewood processing a small amount of bush hogging and some landscaping along with septic install/repairs(hence the backhoe)

So what are folks real world experience operating these machines on slopes (not sideways) but longitudinal and any concerns with HST pump starvation or worse yet engine oil pump?

I'm not a tractor rookie, just been out of the farming game for 15+yrs, ran 2wd Fords, 70HP JD's, old Farmall/Cubs for years in my youth.

 

[newbury]

I've a Kubota B7610 w/ FEL and a Woods BH70x backhoe and a Kubota M4700 w/ FEL plus a lot of other attachments.

My B7610 is on the small side for serious wood processing, the M4700, pictured below, is just right.

The B2301 and perhaps the 2601 would be a bit small.

/edit - that's the M4700 in my woods about 180 miles NW of Munford.

 

[Garandman]

We have woodlands and the L series was recommended as being heavier and thus more suitable for woods use. Not sure how the B and L models line up now.

 

[jeff9366]

My property is mostly hills in central Alabama.

Backhoe for septic install/repairs.

So what are folks experience operating these machines on slopes (not sideways) but longitudinal and any concerns with HST pump starvation or worse yet engine oil pump?

Have tractor rear tires filled with liquid to lower center-of-gravity on slopes. Ponder selection of R1/ag/barred or R4/industrial tires carefully.

Consider a Kubota L2501 as well as lighter Kubotas. Weight equals stability: B2301/1,566 pounds, B2601/1,632 pounds, L2501/2,623 pounds (all bare tractor). L2501 has significantly wider stance. Not that much difference in price.

No HST nor engine problems on slopes.

Contemporary diesel, HST, 4-WD tractors are hugely better than tractors of 20-25 years ago.

 

[Milo]

My property is mostly hills here in central Alabama. I'm looking at a Kubota B2301/2601 with FEL +3rd function for grapple and backhoe - not that I'm 100% sold.

This is mostly for woods maintenance, firewood processing a small amount of bush hogging and some landscaping along with septic install/repairs(hence the backhoe)

So what are folks real world experience operating these machines on slopes (not sideways) but longitudinal and any concerns with HST pump starvation or worse yet engine oil pump?...

I think a B2301/2601 with a small grapple would work great for what you have in mind. Personally I would hire out the septic install and forego buying (and storing) a backhoe. I suppose it could occur but I've never heard of an issue with HST or engine oil pump starvation on a Kubota, certainly never experienced it on my B7500 here in hilly WV.

 

[jibe717]

What is the clearance of a 2301 or 2601? I would be concerned about that if I was doing much of any woods work at all. I had a L3800 Kub and I'm thinking if it was me I would want something a bit bigger than a B model.

 

[jeff9366]

Bs and Ls are 12" to 14" ground clearance. (The BXs have just 9" ground clearance.)

 

[Milo]

B2301 has 12" of clearance and the 2601 almost 13". Plus their size makes them able to get into places and be more maneuverable than the larger B50 series and L series.

 

[audsp98]

Hello everyone. Joined over here at the recommendation of some members of a wood hoarding forum I frequent.

My property is mostly hills here in central Alabama. I'm looking at a Kubota B2301/2601 with FEL +3rd function for grapple and backhoe - not that I'm 100% sold.

This is mostly for woods maintenance, firewood processing a small amount of bush hogging and some landscaping along with septic install/repairs(hence the backhoe)

So what are folks real world experience operating these machines on slopes (not sideways) but longitudinal and any concerns with HST pump starvation or worse yet engine oil pump?

I'm not a tractor rookie, just been out of the farming game for 15+yrs, ran 2wd Fords, 70HP JD's, old Farmall/Cubs for years in my youth.

How many acres are you going to be maintaining with your tractor?

 

[roadhunter]

I'd find something with a low center of gravity for working in hilly terrain. Small rear tires will help a bunch for driving around on slopes.
Maybe septics are really shallow there but I can't' imagine trying to do that with that size tractor.

 

[4570Man]

Have tractor rear tires filled with liquid to lower center-of-gravity on slopes. Ponder selection of R1/ag/barred or R4/industrial tires carefully. How many acres of land do you have? Consider a Kubota L2501 as well as lighter Kubotas. Weight equals stability: B2301/1,566 pounds, B2601/1,632 pounds, L2501/2,623 pounds (all bare tractor). Not that much difference in price. You should be able to do septic install and repairs with FEL bucket equipped with a Tooth Bar and save yourself $6,500. DIGGING WITH FEL BUCKET/TBN ARCHIVE: Google tractor fel digging - YouTube No HST nor engine problems on slopes, so long as tractor remains on its wheels. Contemporary diesel, HST, 4-WD tractors are hugely better than tractors of 20-25 years ago.

I'd like to see you do a septic install with a FEL. If that's the only use for a backhoe you'd be better off renting one, but personally I'd be hard pressed to part with mine. I find all kinds of uses for it. When we were building a house I had enough uses to justify buying it, but I still use it enough to justify keeping it. Even in its most useless state it provides excellent ballast.

 

[basod]

How many acres are you going to be maintaining with your tractor?

I own 12. Adjacent neighbors have ~25-30 more adjoining mine and they have no problem with me clearing trails and removing dead/non-productive trees.
Then another couple thousand in Talladega national forest land that abuts all 3 of our properties.

 

[basod]

I'd like to see you do a septic install with a FEL. If that's the only use for a backhoe you'd be better off renting one, but personally I'd be hard pressed to part with mine. I find all kinds of uses for it. When we were building a house I had enough uses to justify buying it, but I still use it enough to justify keeping it. Even in its most useless state it provides excellent ballast.

The backhoe is not specifically being potentially purchased for the septic, lots more stuff to do around here. Everything here on the base of the mountain is a shale/clay mixture = pick-axe and shovel for any hole/trench opened.
I'll second your comment on "digging" with a subcompact FEL- been there and beat my head against that wall

 

[mike69440]

I own 12. Adjacent neighbors have ~25-30 more adjoining mine and they have no problem with me clearing trails and removing dead/non-productive trees.
Then another couple thousand in Talladega national forest land that abuts all 3 of our properties.

This will work, 6' wide and a lot of digging power.
http://www.machinerytrader.com/listings/construction-equipment/for-sale/list/?Manu=KUBOTA&Mdltxt=L45

PS, My L39 has 2,100 hours and still feels new, especially after I tended to a few items this year, so I certainly would not be afraid of a non DEF fluid low hour L45. I bet you could find someone to haul it cross country for $2K. Just saying.

 

[newbury]

<snip>
Contemporary diesel, HST, 4-WD tractors are hugely better than tractors of 20-25 years ago.

20 years ago is about when my M4700 was built, has there been that much advance?

/edit - I realize my M4700 is not HST but it seems most of the late 90's and more recent are pretty similar in the lesser HP's like the L3710.

 

[basod]

This will work, 6' wide and a lot of digging power.
MachineryTrader.com | Can We Help You Find Something?

PS, My L39 has 2,100 hours and still feels new, especially after I tended to a few items this year, so I certainly would not be afraid of a non DEF fluid low hour L45. I bet you could find someone to haul it cross country for $2K. Just saying.

The link you posted doesn't work. But on that note my search inn new is sub 25HP for the Tier IV reasons.
I'm not opposed to a used machine or am I set on a color but, anything tier IV is out for me. Plan on buying for the long haul and at worse the tier IV is a used market distractor from what I'm seeing in my searches.

 

[mike69440]

The link you posted doesn't work. But on that note my search inn new is sub 25HP for the Tier IV reasons.
I'm not opposed to a used machine or am I set on a color but, anything tier IV is out for me. Plan on buying for the long haul and at worse the tier IV is a used market distractor from what I'm seeing in my searches.

Sorry I fixed the Link.

In any case, A Subcompact tractor would not clear small trees, at least I would not try using one. L45 is not Teir 4

 

[audsp98]

The link you posted doesn't work. But on that note my search inn new is sub 25HP for the Tier IV reasons.
I'm not opposed to a used machine or am I set on a color but, anything tier IV is out for me. Plan on buying for the long haul and at worse the tier IV is a used market distractor from what I'm seeing in my searches.

Mahindra would be an option. They don't have the DPF filter.

 

[Kentuckyfarmer]

I grew up on a dairy farm in Minnesota and we had several tractors. Smallest was around 50 hp and biggest was 150 hp. That was long ago and now I just have a half dozen feeder cattle, chickens and a couple pigs and just 22 acres. I bought a bx23 a few years back and couldn't live without it. The loader doesn't lift anything heavier than about 450 lbs and the backhoe only digs about 5 ft deep. It can't do what a big one does but it does everything I need it to. I have dug sewer lines, water lines and I mean lots of them. Never tackled lateral lines but I wouldn't have any trouble doing it if I needed to. Wouldn't be the fastest in the world but no dought it would do it. Septic tank different story because I don't think I could get the hole deep enough. I use the little thing for everything, pulling fence post, stretching fence tight, drainage ditches. Just can't tell what all I use it for and it has a 5 ft belly mower I use to mow a 4 acre yard too. It's small enough to get in just about anywhere. But I just use it for me, family and a couple friends. For field work and bush hogging pastures I have a bigger tractor. You might say the bx is my utility tractor and the other one is the farm tractor. The place I had before the place I own now had about 9 acres of timber on it and when we cut fire wood we used it to load and push around logs and never had any trouble just have to remember it's a small tractor and it can only tackle something so big. Dug a few stumps but nothing over 12 inches across and depends on what kind of tree as to how fast I could get it out. Back hoe, loader and mower is very easy to remove and put back on and only takes a couple minutes for each. The newer bx' are a little faster and probably better but I'm retired and am in no hurry to do a project. What I use to do all day now takes me all day to do and then some.

 

[bspeedy]

This will work, 6' wide and a lot of digging power.
http://www.machinerytrader.com/listings/construction-equipment/for-sale/list/?Manu=KUBOTA&Mdltxt=L45

PS, My L39 has 2,100 hours and still feels new, especially after I tended to a few items this year, so I certainly would not be afraid of a non DEF fluid low hour L45. I bet you could find someone to haul it cross country for $2K. Just saying.

That L45 or similar is the ticket. Unless you have lawn mowing to do. I'm unsure why the TLB's aren't more popular with CUT buyers.