PTO Power - b7800 vs l3130

[Stef]

I have a B3030 equipped with a FEL and BH. I have no problem moving up hills even with the loader full (I'm talking of the mid-range gear here not the low one). I have a 60" MMM (better cut on hills than a 72") and I was really impressed two weeks ago when I cut my lawn, it's like I was mowing nothing (starting height: 7"; finishing cut: 2.5"). Ok, I bagged it afterward because there was a huge amount of clippings. And my snowblower is 64"... but I'll have to wait to try it on my B3030, because I switched my former BX23 for a B3030 only this Spring. It was ok on my BX and it'll be awesome on my B3030 I'm convinced of that.

About traction... yeah 30hp for a tractor the size of a B3030 or a B7800 (same thing) it's a lot of power for it's weight, but personally I prefer something smaller with a lot of power rather than something big with the same amount of HP (IMHO). When I switched, I looked at the L3130 but it was too big for my needs and too heavy. My truck can tow 5000lbs so I'm limited and I don't plan to change it soon. So 3500lbs for my B3030 TLB is ok.

My lawn is ok, but I have to admit that passing several times on the same spot is deadly for the grass... and it's only a B3030. I don't want to imagine something bigger on my lawn like a L3130. I know there's a lot of people mowing with a L3130 around their houses and they tell me that it's ok, but as I said I have a B3030 and I use it to do a lot of work around the house and I see my lawn week after week and I know that bigger than a B3030 would deal even more damage to the lawn.

So my opinion, if you want to mow around the house... no bigger than a B3030. If you use your tractor for big heavy jobs, if you have a lot of room to move, and if you don't care about your lawn or if you mow only in a field then... go for a L3130.

Ok, for loader and backhoe work the bigger and heavier the better. For instance, when working with the loader on a B3030, if you move the tractor a little bit too fast in a pile of dirt or stone dust, your rear wheels will lift a bit from the ground and spin (even with a BH mounted) doing small bumps (washboard). But as you learn to work with the tractor you stop doing this. With a heavier tractor, you'll push the pile instead of stopping abruptly and make bumps.

I'm not trying to discredit a L3130 here. I like that tractor but it's too big for me (above all it's too heavy). That tractor is nice though but I wouldn't exchange my B3030 for it.

The pic shows a B3030 TLB (with 60" MMM) on a 16' aluminum trailer... total weight: approx. 4800lbs.

 

[Rick_Morrell]

Ray:

I have an L3130 GST and a level 5 acres. I can tell you right away that if I had forested land such as yours I would probably have bought the next smaller frame size. I do a little logging / clearing for my father-in-law on his wooded lot in Northern WI. While I can physically do more with the L3130 (lift bigger logs, etc.), maneuvering it amongst the trees was no picnic due to the tractor's length with the loader and BB attached.

For additional insight, I suggest you may want to PM Henro. He has a B2910, and I believe he has a wooded lot as well (outside Pittsburgh, so it's nice and hilly).

Good luck. Either way you're getting a great piece of equipment.


Rick

 

[RayMunising]

I can't thank you all enough!!! Awesome information. From the sounds of it the B7800 would suite me perfectly. Plenty of power with sufficient traction for my purposes. That's what I was kinda thinking and you guys confirmed it for me. Makes me a lot more confident that I'm making the right choice.

THANKS!!!

 

[ronjhall]

I looked at the snow blower specs for the B7800 and L3130. I have no doubt that either tractor will do the job. But with Upper Peninsula snow depths. I would want the largest blower I could get, The spec's seem to indicate that the blower for the L3130 is larger. For your area I would get the L3130HST. If power is a concern (I don't think it will be) spend the extra $1000 and get a L3430. It's easy to spend others money. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Don't forget a block heater for those days when it is below zero. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[RayMunising]

I know I could throw money at the problem (l3430) and not have to be concerned about it but I'm hoping to be able to afford name brand cat food in my golden years. From what I hear the store brand stuff isn't fit for human consumption.

But really, I plan on having this tractor a l-o-n-g time so I don't want to be stupid about it. I'll spend what I need to in order to get the job done. If the general consensus is nothing but an l3430 could handle Munising snows then that's what I'd get and deal with the cat food issue when the time comes. On the other hand, if a B7800 can handle the job then I'd like to save the money. I figure a B7800 with front blower & FEL will cost around 20K. A L3130 maybe around 25K ... both with block heaters, chains, HD alt, etc. So it's around 5K diff (25% more than the B7800).

I can't find detailed specs on the blowers. I know both machines will take a 60" blower. The L3130, 3430 & 3830 all take the same model blower. That doesn't sit real well with me. With the L3130 I'd be buying a big/heavy tractor with the smallest engine they make for it and using a blower that my engine is the smallest that will handle it. Hmmm. Doesn't give me that warm fuzzy feeling and if I'm spending 25K I need some warm and fuzzies!

Again, I don't know much about tractors so I can only think of these things in terms I can relate to. Let's think of a B7800 as a Ford Ranger and an L3130 as a Ford F-350. The Ranger/B7800 weighs 1/2 that of the F-350/L3130. Now let's take a 200hp V6 and put it in the Ranger. The Ranger owner would say great power. Lots of pickup. Can go lots of places but spins its tires once in a while because its light weight but the truck barely taxes the engine at all. Now let's put that V6 in a Ford F-350. That poor V6 uses almost all of its power just to move the truck. The F-350 owner says I've got lots of traction and can do some serious grunt work with the truck as long as I keep her in low gear.

Now let's put a box scraper on the trucks. Hmmm, the ranger has all kinds of power but can't move the box scraper. Hook it up to the F-350 and the truck creeps along pulling the scraper without spinning a tire. The F-350 wins hands down in this ground engaging test.

Now let's attach something that needs engine power. These new Ford trucks just happen to come with a PTO!! Now we hook up a special power hungry attachment to each truck. This special attachment requires the truck to move up an incline while it is in use. What happens? The little ranger handles the attachment without a problem. It had plenty of power to run the attachment because it took very little power to move the truck. So what happens when we try the test with the Ford F-350??? Stalls the engine as soon as we try to move.

Moral of the story ... buy a L5030! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[freedogs]

I think my situation is somewhat like yours though I do not have any snow to deal with. I have 130 acres of mostly heavily wooded, rolling land and a one mile hilly, gravel drive to maintain. I got a B7800 and haven't looked back. I mow along creeks and trails among tall trees and in about 40 acres of rolling pasture with ease. The rear blade and FEL keep the drive passable for my wife's VW and friends' cars. I've not had to remove the FEL yet even when moving fallen trees in very tight spaces. Sure, it takes more time to do some tasks but I wouldn't give up the ability to range around in the woods for quicker mowing or dirt moving. Extra weight and larger machines are probably an advantage in many situations. If you are going to do big tractor tasks in small spaces, though, go with the B7800 and don't get in a hurry.

 

[wushaw]

B7800 looks like a good choice for your needs. If you need more weight for.... whatever there is always filling the rear tires or other methods.

 

[ronjhall]

I do not think you will have problems with the B7800. I'm not an expert on snow blowers. Got my first one last fall. It is hook to my <font color="green"> JD </font> front mower. It will move a lot of snow. But for SE Michigan I prefer a snow blade.
I looked at a L3430 last spring. One of the items that made me change my mind was the need to get something heavier than my Chevy Astro Van to tow with. Would also have needed to replace my trailer. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[ronjhall]

<font color="blue"> I can't find detailed specs on the blowers. </font>
I found information on <font color="orange"> Kubota's </font> site. Look under attachments for each specific tractor. Unless your looking for better info than they have listed. You will have to go to dealer for that info.

 

[Stef]

I have a Pronovost 64" snowblower for my B3030.

For specs about those snowblowers you can look here:

Pronovost snowblowers

It'll give a an idea.