Post-Purchase Depression and Upgraditis

[ejb]

Glennmac,

I have no experience with the Kubotas, but I have a 27HP Yanamr (about 15 years old, 2wd, turf tires and a 60inch belly mower and a Woods vacuum/grass catcher) that does an absolutely beautiful job of mowing my finished lawn...golf course quality job in fact, real nice. I do have do the trimming with a small push mower around some trees, but besides that I have never felt it was too big to do the mowing...never chews up the lawn, and is still manueverable enough to mow just about anywhere. I don't beleive a 27HP mower would be "too big" for mowing.

On the other hand, it will, in all likelihood, be too small, still, for pulling stumps...so don't be suprised.

I have always been suprised at how hard it actually is to pull stumps, digging them out with a backhoe would be much easier I would think. Besides my Yanmar, I have a JD5410, 65HP, 4WD, loaded tires, loader etc, and even it has a very difficult time pulling out even small stumps (4+ inches). If you try to pull them out with a loader, the back tires come out of the ground and if you pull them with a chain, not only is it dangerous, but it makes a god awful mess on your lawn when the wheels start spinning.

You'd think they just pop right out with a big tractor, but they really don't want to come out. Don't set yourself up for another disappointment when your next tractor still can't pull modest stumps out of the ground.

Good luck.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I've been lucky enough to be able to play with a BX and a B2710, my neighbor owns a B2710 and a Land Pride 72" finishing mower, I own a BX1800 with a 60" belly mower. I would have to say from what I have seen the BX is about the best if you want a nice lawn and be able to do other tractor stuff. What do I have against the B2710, it's to heavy for mowing lawn. My neighbor bought the B2710 because he has about 8-10 acres to mow, the soil in my area is sandy, this summer we have seen plenty of rain which in turn has caused plenty of ruts in the yard compliments of the porky B2710. When I mow my yard it is a pretty smoth ride, but the last couple of times I helped my neighbor mow it was rough, his yard has taken on a wash board look from the weight of the B, he doesn't have loaded tires or a front end loader on it. I guess you could say I'm glad I chose the BX, I spent plenty of days wondering should I get a B series or a BX, then it was should I get the BX1800 or the 2200, my dealer wanted another $750 for the BX2200, it just wasn't worth the extra dollars when you consider the BX1800 and the BX2200 will both handle the same attachements. I might have spent the extra $$ if the BX2200 would have done more than the 1800, it just wasn't there.

 

[Roy]

It all comes down to finding the right tractor for our use. No matter how much research we do, we can never be absolutely sure until we put some hours performing the task that we require. There is a basic 'goodness' in the rule to always size up, but as with every rule of thumb, there are limitations and exceptions. It's a tough call and as they say, the final proof is in the pudding.

Msocko3; I agree that there is really no difference between the two. The $750 price differential is enough to make one think which model do they really need. When they were first introduced, the differential was less than $400. That was too close in my humble opinion to warrant much thought. Sounds like pricing wise they have achieved a better balance.

Glennmac; I like others, am very impressed that their was no taking a bath. Sure can't beat a $12.50/hr rental rate, and you didn't even have to that 50 hour maintenance!

 

[Anonymous Poster]

My suggestion to chain pull them left out one minor item! You would also have to ax cut as many roots as possible. Some trees are amazing. I was digging out a small willow tree, 3-4" maybe. Couldn't break one of the roots with the hoe. Hm, I'll just go farther away and dig. Still stuck. Hooked a chain on just that root 2 feet away from the stump. Pulled out a 15 foot long root that was running along the surface! From a 3-4" tree! The wood was unbelievable strong, much bigger roots from most other trees just snap, this was like a piece of tow rope!

 

[glennmac]

Yeah, Del, that's what I'm facing--willows. My German Shepard, Max, who is a stick-aholic, can get these roots out better than my tractor. He can easily chew though them because they are soft wood, and then he plays tug-of-war and peels the root from the ground like the string from old bandaids.

Glenn

 

[W5FL]

Look at one thing while you are making up your mind. Some of the newer models actually have the extendable lower links that make hooking up to the 3 point at least $1000 easier and save a lot of knuckles. You will enjoy the ground clearance of this series and they are a true compact tractor with a lot of capability.

 

[Bird]

The B2910 has the extendable lower links that the B2710 does not. I sure do believe they could be interchanged, but don't have proof as yet.

Bird

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Sounds like you need some more motivation for your assistant. How about filling a big bowl with dog food, filling it up with water, drain the water off and coat the roots with it! Sit in a lawn chair and watch the work begin!

Dogs truly are man's best friend, sometimes...

Now and then we have a mole in the yard, the ones that make the tunnels you just tamp down with your foot are great, others pop up every foot and bring their excavated dirt up. We thought that was the worst of it. Then the dog began "helping". Massive excavations! Never catches the mole as she's just chasing their scent!

Sure would be nice if I could train the moles to help me install an underground sprinkler system without disturbing the sod! They can't seem to maintain the same depth and dig like they are lost!

del

 

[scruffy]

Del, I used to have a Ridgeback that I swear I coulda got rich from hiring her out to till gardens....if I could've just figured out how to replicate the mole scent! That dog dug up more territory than your average 3 pt tiller! Funny thing is, she actually caught some and then played with them like a cat does with a mouse.

 

[glennmac]

What you see depends on where you look.

I continue to appreciate the thoughtful comments and am continuing to evaluate my upgrade possibilities. The range of your feedback is fascinating, everthing to defending the merits of the BX to the L series.

I am clearly at the 2410 in my mind now. The question is whether to go further up. If I do go up, I would probably go to the 2910 because it has the same frame size as the 2710, thereby being just as "bad" for my mowing maneuverability concern ("bloated" according to one view), but has 3 more hp and some ease of use amenities.

So, 2410 vs. 2910 (or even bigger).

Now, what do I see. If I look at my current 2 acre lawn, both can do it, obviously, but I see the 2410's more maneuverable frame size as preferable. If I look at my 2 cleared but rough, small-stumpy creek-straddling acres, I see a mixed bag: both can clear (as could the BX), but the 2910 would be faster. However, once cleared, the 2410's maneuverability may again be better, and also the lighter machine should be better in the often wet or soft ground. If I look further out at my next 3 acres of completely wild, semi-wet acres--cattails, brambles, phragmites, grassy-weedy and small trees--I suppose if I could drain it into the creek somehow (can this be done}, it could become a nice, field or meadow or growing plot. I've never done any of that stuff, but I assume bigger is better here. Finally, if I look even farther at my 3 acres of sloping, hilly acres of northern harwood forest--well, I have no idea what kind of tractor is good in the woods, or what I would even do there. I think maybe cut a few trails and clear stuff. Maybe nothing; who knows.

These views of my land are listed in order of priority. The lawn must be cut and so must the creek acres. I invested in an expensive gazebo near the creek and a 54" inside width arching railed bridge over the creek. (This bridge has been limiting my thinking. It is the only access to my back 8 acres and I cant get anything bigger than a 2410 with a 48" brush cutter over it. But I have now accepted the fact that I will have to build another vehicle bridge.) The other, over-the-creek 7 wild pasture/hilly woods acres dont have to be tractored at all. But maybe I'll want to. That all depends to me on whether tractoring is fun or a chore--which I dont know either.

So, if I look at my definite needs, I see the 2410 as meeting my needs. But if I look farther over the creek and wild wet pasture and up the hill--which I often do both with my eyes and my mind--I can see that bigger would be better.

How far do I realistically look? Neither time nor money is limitless. What weight do I give to the competing views? There are no objective answers to these questions. No machine specs can answer them.

I am beginnig to believe that the "right" tractor is not so much one that right for my property, but one that is right for my mind.

Glenn