Buying Advice New Tractor buyer: BX23s or B2601 or XJ2025H?

[AndyW]

With the light tractors you are considering, you may be disappointed in grapple capacity.

Consider a Ratchet Rake bucket attachment for tearing out brush and consolidating debris into piles. Ratchet Rake is a force multiplier mounted on small tractor buckets. Easy to store when not attached to the bucket.

If you want to tear out roots 10" deep, consider a three shank Field Cultivator/All Purpose Plow. Field Cultivator will also pull debris to a burn pile. Heavy work should be accomplished from the Three Point Hitch. Tractors are designed to PULL.

You can tow tree trunks from the rear of the tractor using chains. Tractors are designed to PULL.

VIDEOS: TRACTOR RATCHET RAKE - YouTube

All Purpose Plow - YouTube

Holy cow...this is very helpful as I am ignorant of all the implement options. Pictures and videos truly tell a thousand words! Thank you. What you say makes sense wrt PULLING and makes needing the grapple much less of a need now. You also might have just saved me $6K because we really like the BX23S. Besides the FEL capacity the only other negative we are really seeing now is the tire size compared to the B's for our frequently muddy property.

 

[jeff9366]

Holy cow...this is very helpful as I am ignorant of all the implement options.

MORE RR/APP/TOW: https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/375397-ratchet-rake-today.html?highlight=

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/339095-dirt-dog-all-purpose-plow.html?highlight=

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...rs-cross-drawbars-illuminated.html?highlight=



IMPLEMENTS IN GENERAL: everything attachments videos - YouTube

https://www.lsuagcenter.com/~/media...aa214276e14dacb/pub2917tractorimplements1.pdf

 

[Milo]

Personally I like the 3 range hst, larger tires, and ground clearance that you get with a B series. Your uses don't really require the additional power of a B2601 over the B2301 which will lift and pull the same. So you might consider a B2301. For 26hp the larger frame B2650 (which is being re numbered to LX2650) would get you more lift and a better back hoe over a B23/2601.

 

[jeff9366]

My interest in a grapple is the ability to root up the typical bushes up here as well as lift and move larger tree parts. Your logic on a grapple needing more FEL capacity is well recieved...which is why I am leaning toward the bigger tractors.

VIDEOS: The downside to a skid steer quick coupler - TMT - YouTube

Kubota BX Series VS. B Series - YouTube



For 2.5 acres $100 Pallet Forks which clamp on your FEL bucket may meet your needs for moving debris. Shorter Pallet Forks maintain loads closer to the bucket than longer Pallet Forks. I use 38" SSQA Pallet Forks on my 3,700 pound bare weight L3560. 30" Pallet Forks may be optimal length for light tractors.

EBAY VENDERS: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr....TRS0&_nkw=tractor+pallet+forks&_sacat=257887

3" 15lbs capacity Clamp on Pallet Forks Loader Bucket Skidsteer Tractor chain 71395229 | eBay

 

[AndyW]

So...we pulled the trigger on a B2601 TLB. Added the 3rd function option and it comes with a bucket thumb. Was $32K after 9% tax and KTAC. No cash discount so 0% for 60 made sense to us.
I also know some quarters gripe about KTAC, but it seems like decent targeted insurance.

We did look at the 2650 (in fact they had all three - BX23s, B2601, B2650 - next to each other when we went in today so you could really compare) and while it was only ~$2K more, it really seemed like too much for our needs...time will tell, I suppose.

There is definitely a price premium for Kubota (and JD!) but from our perspective, it was a peace of mind thing. "You get what you pay for" has proven true for us in other areas of life and will hopefully prove true here.

Jeff...I will be ordering a ratchet rake shortly...and maybe some pallet forks! Not gonna consider a grapple until I thoroughly explore those much cheaper and simpler options.

Thx to everyone for all the good advice...I am sure I will be back for a lot more once it gets delivered next week and we start using it. This is clearly a very welcoming forum. Hopefully I'll learn enough to pay it forward in the future.

 

[Milo]

Congratulations on your new toy... oops I mean "tool". You'll be surprised just how much that B2601 will do. My first Kubota, a B7500, was a similar size machine only with 21 hp, 2 range hst, and LA302 loader (the number on Kubota's loader roughly correlates with its lift capacity in KG) so your 435 will be markedly stronger. I didn't have a hoe for it but that tractor did most everything I needed done on my property, it was my mower, moved a small forest of 12' logs, cleared snow, spread gravel with the rear blade, etc. The only reason I moved to a small L was I acquired a fair amount more property, otherwise I'd still have that tractor.





Did you go with the new R14 tires, or with a back hoe R4's?

 

[fried1765]

So...we pulled the trigger on a B2601 TLB. Added the 3rd function option and it comes with a bucket thumb. Was $32K after 9% tax and KTAC. No cash discount so 0% for 60 made sense to us.
I also know some quarters gripe about KTAC, but it seems like decent targeted insurance.

We did look at the 2650 (in fact they had all three - BX23s, B2601, B2650 - next to each other when we went in today so you could really compare) and while it was only ~$2K more, it really seemed like too much for our needs...time will tell, I suppose.

There is definitely a price premium for Kubota (and JD!) but from our perspective, it was a peace of mind thing. "You get what you pay for" has proven true for us in other areas of life and will hopefully prove true here.

Jeff...I will be ordering a ratchet rake shortly...and maybe some pallet forks! Not gonna consider a grapple until I thoroughly explore those much cheaper and simpler options.

Thx to everyone for all the good advice...I am sure I will be back for a lot more once it gets delivered next week and we start using it. This is clearly a very welcoming forum. Hopefully I'll learn enough to pay it forward in the future.

Definitely DO get pallet forks!
You will find that much of what might be done by a grapple, can also be done with pallet forks.
I do not have a grapple (yet), and use my pallet forks more than the bucket.

 

[AndyW]

Congratulations on your new toy... oops I mean "tool". You'll be surprised just how much that B2601 will do. My first Kubota, a B7500, was a similar size machine only with 21 hp, 2 range hst, and LA302 loader (the number on Kubota's loader roughly correlates with its lift capacity in KG) so your 435 will be markedly stronger. I didn't have a hoe for it but that tractor did most everything I needed done on my property, it was my mower, moved a small forest of 12' logs, cleared snow, spread gravel with the rear blade, etc. The only reason I moved to a small L was I acquired a fair amount more property, otherwise I'd still have that tractor.





Did you go with the new R14 tires, or with a back hoe R4's?

Thx! Nice to see they last. I said "industrial" for the tires so whatever comes on a backhoe version. I'll ask my salesperson tomorrow. Is there something I should prefer?

 

[AndyW]

Definitely DO get pallet forks!
You will find that much of what might be done by a grapple, can also be done with pallet forks.
I do not have a grapple (yet), and use my pallet forks more than the bucket.

Did you just use two? Seems like four would be better on a 54" bucket.

 

[Milo]

The new R14 tire looks promising giving good traction from what I have seen but I do not know how stiff or puncture resistant they are? R4 industrial tires are the most popular, especially on a TLB, so probably the best choice.