New Purchase

   / New Purchase #11  
I would just bite the bullet and go with the L3901 if you don't need a cab. Maybe look at the 02 series in this model. I wouldn't mess with a mid mount mower and just get a zero turn for mowing.

When I first tractor shopped I kept hearing the saying "Buy one size of tractor greater than what you think you need". How true that was for me.

Definitely use the NCHA membership to get 20% off the tractor and implements. NCHA

I sold my L3301 to a a guy with horses before I upgraded to my MX5400.
 
   / New Purchase #12  
One of the main reasons I bought a tractor in the first place was living on top of a steep hill and having to maintain the gravel road on it.

If you have a steep driveway where the gravel tends to wash down the hill and you find yourself having to drag it back up, then the weight of the tractor, HP, and 2 WD vs 4WD start coming into play. In this application, I would lean towards an L series.

It has also been my experience that a rear box blade is the easiest attachment to work a gravel driveway because it holds the material in the box and is pretty self leveling compared to a rear dirt blade which, IMO, requires more skill to get the material where you actually want it to be.

You might could move some snow with a rear dirt blade, but not so much with a rear box blade.

Ask or search for recommendations in the snow removal forum. I tend to think the preferred approach will be to have a front snow blade and another rear mount attachment for gravel maintenance.
 
   / New Purchase #13  
Local dealer apparently has some B2601s and an LX2610 in stock so I'm going to be looking at those likely this weekend to see if either would meet my needs. I suspect the bx23s is probably too small given the hilly terrain and the L series is likely more tractor than I need though I'll look at it while I'm there if he has any. Originally I was thinking an LX3310 might be a good choice but I'm sure if I need that or not.
In stock? As "not sold" or just available to try out?
That's a key point because I read on here LONG wait times in some areas.
The BX23 would be good, if you had a large barn and wanted it for clearing stalls :) But I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be good for the rest of your uses.
 
   / New Purchase #14  
Another consideration is that you'll probably get a lot of use out of the FEL in moving wet manure. You can get tire ballast, but in my experience, you'll also want some implement on the rear hitch for more stability. Instead of investing money in a ballast box, I tend to think that money is better spent on either a box blade or a rear blade in many situations.
 
   / New Purchase
  • Thread Starter
#15  
Question for you. Is your wife going to be operating the tractor? If so, take her when you go shopping.
You know, that's a pretty good point. I'll keep that in mind.
 
   / New Purchase #16  
It’s so easy to spend other people’s money. 😉 A Kubota B series is plenty. I maintain 52 acres of very hilly, heavily wooded ground and 1400 feet of steep driveway with a 33 HP Kubota. Outsource any major earth moving. A compact tractor is not a dozer or an excavator.
 
   / New Purchase
  • Thread Starter
#17  
The L3901 seems like an awful lot of tractor for my use case. Buying both that and a Zero turn mower is going be a large chunk of change. Other than "bigger is better" I'm not sure I understand the justification for that.

So far, gravel washing to the bottom hasn't really been an issue for the driveway, it's more about ripples, potholes and other forms of unevenness that occur over time as people use it.

Good question on the "in stock" comment. I'm not totally sure, I'll find out later this week when I go in to chat with them.

I do expect to move some manure around, though mostly just managing the compost area. Our horses spend most of their time outdoors in the pasture.
 
   / New Purchase
  • Thread Starter
#18  
A compact tractor is not a dozer or an excavator.
I'm on the fence as whether I should get the backhoe or not. It seems like it would be really useful, especially with a thumb, but it's not exactly a cheap attachment.

I need a tractor that covers 90% of what I need, everything else can be hired out.
 
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   / New Purchase #19  
I'm on the fence as whether I should get the backhoe or not. It seems like it would be really useful, especially with a thumb, but it's not exactly a cheap attachment.
I’ve needed an excavator maybe 4 times in the last 14 years and I either rent or hire it done. I don’t want to tie money up in stuff that won’t be used a lot, and to be honest, usually I need a bigger bucket than I could afford to buy.
 

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   / New Purchase #20  
The L3901 seems like an awful lot of tractor for my use case. Buying both that and a Zero turn mower is going be a large chunk of change. Other than "bigger is better" I'm not sure I understand the justification for that.

So far, gravel washing to the bottom hasn't really been an issue for the driveway, it's more about ripples, potholes and other forms of unevenness that occur over time as people use it.

Good question on the "in stock" comment. I'm not totally sure, I'll find out later this week when I go in to chat with them.

I do expect to move some manure around, though mostly just managing the compost area. Our horses spend most of their time outdoors in the pasture.
Weight and engine power.
I’m actually going to recommend you take a loo at the MX as it’s larger size will help with stability in your terrain, it is larger than the L but not really taller so you’ll also have more stability there, and if you plan on feeding rounds or large squares you’ll have way more confidence moving and stacking with the weight of the MX and the 1065 (~2300lb capacity) fell than you will with the L and it’s 525 (~1100lb capacity). Just because it will lift an object doesn’t mean it won’t prematurely wear out carrying it around and bouncing through a field or down a dirt road.

ETA, when the end comes is also a consideration. MY MX has buried several horses and a few cows for neighbors. They aren’t easy to move either, especially the horses. Just like many things with a tractor, you won’t really know what all you need it for until you start using it.
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