NH TC29DA vs. Kubota B 2910

Rolando · Sep 16, 2004

Hello everyone,
I have been spending a lot of time looking at Kubota models and someone recently suggested perhaps I should look at the New Holland models, specifically the TC29DA. I thought I would put out the question to the NH forum and get your perspective on it.

First, I have a 5 Ac parcel (flat, sandy, dry, no rocks, no stream/creek of any kind), with almost compleat tree canopy but very young trees, 4 to 8 inches, less than 30 feet tall, a lot of laurel oaks, some live oaks, a few black jack.

Initially, I will be clearing an area for the house I will be building, moving fill in to build up the area around house and moving building materials around as needed (pallet fork), but not masonry products as those will be placed on delivery. More long term, I want to selectively clear the balance of about 4 acres leaving the best trees and creating a grass lawn (the remaining acre I will leave undisturbed around the perimeter for buffer). Eventually, I would be mowing and doing landscape maintenance.

Sorry about the long-windedness, but wanted to give you my intended use for the tractor. I started looking at the Kubota L3130, having been urged by tractor-owning friends that kept telling me I didn't want to buy too small. After a lot of research and opinions on this forum, I began to think that while the 3130 was a good choice for my initial needs, my longer term needs would not be well served by this heavy a tractor.

I then started looking at sub-compacts and considered the Kubota BX-23, thinking that its backhoe might make up for the weaker front-end loader, and I would end up with a smaller tractor that was more appropriate for maintaining a 5 acre parcel.

But the loader capacity of the BX23 kept bothering me in terms of my needs for a pallet fork and its ability to handle a grapple for gathering brush and moving portions of felled tree trunks. Someone then suggested that perhaps I should look at the Kubota B series as a compromise between the 3130 and the 23. That lead me to the Kubota B2910.

Then someone else mentioned that perhaps I should look at some of the other brands and suggested the TC29DA. Interestingly, when I went through the "Product Counselor" feature on the NH web site, one of the models suggested was the TC29DA. NH has some interesting features like the sloped hood, curved loader arms, "SuperSteer" and "Sensitrak". Although I must say I have found it difficult to get some critical information from the NH web site, like the weight and size of the tractor. Hopefully you all can tell me where to look.

Anyway, I would be interested in your thoughts and opinions about these two tractors and their suitability for my needs. Thanks in advance for your help.

thcri · Sep 17, 2004

Rolando,

If I had time this morning I would find the link on the New Holland web page that gave all the specs. I have the TC29D the predissor to what your looking at. I have really like my tractor and performance has always been there and have had really no troubles with it.

When I started out I started looking at Kubota's. I didn't like the feel of the Kubota but that is not what killed the deal. The Kubota dealer killed the deal. I just didn't like the way he bad mouthed John Deere and New Holland. I ended up with a New Holland because I just like the way it fit my butt. I really liked the dealer also and he did end up being the lowest in price. My response to you is, both tractors are good, go with the one you like the best and the one that has the dealer you like.

If your looking at the 29 get a price for the 33. Same size just a bit more HP
murph

Bob_Skurka · Sep 17, 2004

Rolando, the NH website is pretty bad. However, Case's DX Farmall is the same tractor as the NH Boomer series. The Case website is almost as bad as the NH but between the two, you can often extract the information you are looking for. The Case DX29 weighs 2474 pounds dry. Add the weight of the loader on top of that. As for comparing the loaders of the L3130 to the TC29DA, the L3130 has more lift capacity but the TC29 has more breakout strength. The L3130 can lift to 8'6", the TC29 up to 8'2" so either unit will easily dump its bucket over the side of a roll off construction dumpster.

I use both Kubota & New Holland and like them both, but I don't use either of the two machines you are looking at. For FEL work, if that is what you will be doing a lot of, I would opt for the added visibility of the NH unit. In real world working conditions, I find I use my NH far more often than the Kubota for FEL work because of the visibility offered by the the curved arms and sloped curved hood.

tillboy2001 · Sep 17, 2004

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Although I must say I have found it difficult to get some critical information from the NH web site, like the weight and size of the tractor. )</font>

Amen to that! I wish NH and others would take a hint from Kioti - not that I would buy a Kioti, but at least they have more info and PICTURES. Here's an example:
http://www.kiotitractor.com/products/tractors/DK35.asp

http://www.kiotitractor.com/products/tractors/DK35/index.htm

Why is this so difficult? I'd like more pictures on NH's site. Close-ups, walk-around, etc.

MessickFarmEqu · Sep 17, 2004

I sell both, here is my take.

The TC/DX29 falls between the B2910 and L3130. Price wise its as much, if not more than a L3130. One thing that caught my eye is that you want to use a bucket grappel. If thats the case and your planning on lifting tree's I would not consider anything other than the L3130/LA723. You will want the larger wheel base and lifting capacity of that tractor for that kinda work. If thats not the bulk of your work the TC could be a great option as it is a more compact yet very powerful machine. The super steer option is very cool but does add $1000+ to the cost of the machine.

Bob_Skurka · Sep 17, 2004

Neil, do you think it is fair to say the the B2910 really should not be compared ot the TC29? It seems to me, having never used a TC29, but having looked them over on the dealer's lots, that the TC29 is much more machine than the B2910.

Bird · Sep 17, 2004

Bob, he said it was between the B2910 and L3130. Yes, it's a little bigger and has bigger wheels, etc. than the B2910. I have a cousin who has a TC29D and it's a nice tractor, but I'd be inclined to agree with Neil that an even bigger tractor might be advisable for a grapple.

Bob_Skurka · Sep 17, 2004

Bird, the reason I asked Neil his take on comparing them is because they don't seem to be a very even match up in my mind.

Just look at some of the capacities:
Loader lift height: L3130 = 8'6" , TC29 = 8'2", B2910 = 6'8"
Breakout: L3130 = 2605#, TC29 = 2712#, B2910 = 1684
3pt capacity = L3130 = 2650#, TC29 = 1630#, B2910 = 1300#

From the standpoint of a loader, the B2910 doesn't belong in the the same category for comparison. From the standpoint of 3pt capacity, the B2910 is only 50% of a L3130, but not too far behind the TC.

I guess my real question is IS IT EVEN FAIR TO COMPARE THESE TRACTORS GIVEN THAT THEY LOOK LIKE A TOTAL MISMATCH?

Rolando · Sep 17, 2004

Thanks to Bob's suggestion to look at the Case web site I have found out a little more about the TC29DA, although as he said the Case site is not much better. I found out that the TC29DA weighs 2,474# so that rather than being between the BX23 and the L3130, it is actually between the B2910 and the L3130. I also found out the NH is 3 inches shorter in wheelbase than the B2910, still nothing about he width. That much weight again concerns me as being too much to put on a lawn. I will be planting centipede or st. augustine and irrigating. This grass is not a durable as the argentine bahia that may be more typical of pastures.

I had been thinking that the B2910 might be a good compromise between the L3130 and the BX23, being a lighter tractor than the L3130 while still retaining more capability in the front end loader than the BX23. Speaking tractor weights only, the BX23 weights 1,520# while the B2910 is 1,736#. The L3130, however is 3,305#. As you can see, the L3130 weights almost 100% more than the B2910, while you only gain about a 30% increase in loader capacity. Because after a year or two the main chore will be mowing, I was concerned about how heavy the L3130 would be.

I think I understand the limitations of using a grapple with this size tractor. I was thinking that I would get a root grapple, and perhaps only 4 ft wide, to reduce the amount of dead weight. And still realize that I would need to cut tree trunks down to 6 or 8 feet long in order to be able to pick them up. Remember I'm talking about trees no bigger than 8 inches in diameter. Picking up branches and scrub shouldn't be a problem.

The pallet fork is another issue. I believe the pallet fork weighs about 200#, which would leave about 600# of capacity with the B2910 and 740# with the TX29DA (after deducting the bucket weight). I don't know if the additional 140 or 150# in loader capacity is be worth the additional 700# of tractor weight.

MessickFarmEqu · Sep 17, 2004

I agree with you Bob, its not a fair comparision. Of course given that they are all so close in HP its given that its gonna happen. We all know there is way more to a tractor than just net HP.

If you compare on price I think its very fair. The TC29 is very close in cost to an L3130. At least for us, we put the about the same margin on either one.