question: loader / bucket sizeB series Kubota

[moosetracks]

Hi, Not sure the best place to post this but here goes. I'm trying to decide between buying a B7510 and B7610 and the different loader choices that involves. One of my primary (residential) uses is hauling creek gravel to maintain about 1 mile of roads. I wondered what the volume of the 48" bucket is and which of these combinations would best serve that use. Time is not really a factor but I don't want to over stress my equipment. A bigger tractor is not an option due to tight working spaces for other uses. Price needs to be in the 18K range for TLB (or less). As stated in another disscussion my other uses are tilling and some field mowing and bush hogging on hiily property. I guess the gist of my question is: Will the B7510 and a LA 272 (what my dealer stocks) haul gravel ok or do I really need to move up a size??? Thanks.

Moosetracks

Moosetracks

 

[Bird]

Try looking at these loader specs for the differences in the 272, 302 and 352 loaders; primarily in weight lifting capacity, with the 352 a couple of inches wider. Basically, I'd say the answer to your question is, yes, the B7510 and LA272 will certainly haul gravel; just not quite as much at a time as the larger tractor.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Moo . . . generally the smaller Kubota loaders are pretty weak and teh LA272 is a great example of that problem.

The 272 has a lift capacity of 685# at the pivot point at ground level, that capacity is reduced to 495# when you lift the bucket up, and the breakout force is 1003#.

To put that into perspective a 21hp Kioti CK20, using the 120 Loader has 30% more lift capacity --1074 pounds-- with 50% more breakout strenght --1511 pounds.

A 21hp New Holland TC21, using the 12LA loader, has 30% more lift capacity --1090 pounds-- and 70% more breakout strength --1720 pounds.

A 24hp Kubota B7610, using the 352 loader, has a lift capacity of 925 pounds (almost 25% more) and a breakout of 1336 pounds.

All loaders have lower capacities at full height, but at full height, their capacities are greater than the 272 loader has at ground level. You are talking about scooping up gravel, and gravel is typically heavy. I think you might want to reconsider and aim to the B7610, or perhaps open up to another brand if loader work will be a primary job. Understand that the smaller bucket can still be easily filled with more gravel than the loader can lift, this is true with any brand. Larger loader bucket size does not necessary mean that the loader is capable of lifting everything in the bucket. A bucket overfilled with mulch can be easily lifted, but a bucket 1/2 full of gravel or wet sand may barely get off the ground, or may not get lifted at all. A long driveway will require a lot of gravel topdressing. So you may seriously want to look at some other options.

I would also STRONGLY urge you to make sure that you get your rear tires loaded if you are going to be moving gravel so you don't flip your tractor.

 

[jim_wilson]

I just recently bought a BX23 for doing construction around my house. One of the first things I have used this for is excavation of about 2ft of topsoil with roots from cut down trees etc. so I can run my driveway about 120 feet to where I want to put a garage. Looking at the specs on the LA272 I see that they are not much higher than the specs on the LA210 loader that is on my BX23. I can say without hesitation that if there was something I wish I had on the BX23 was more lifting power for the FEL. I find that I can dig with it pretty good (especially with the toothbar) but I often have to dig a little, pull out, and dig a little more to get a full bucket. I have also run into a few rocks that the FEL just won't lift. I noticed in your profile that you have around 60 acres - based on my experience with the BX23 (with similar FEL specs to the LA272) I would definitely recommend going with the B7610 and the 352 loader - if you are digging gravel out of a riverbed you could use the extra power and the slightly bigger bucket capacity will reduce your trips somewhat.

 

[mwood]

I think Bob sums it up best...

While either of these will do the job, one will do it more efficiently and with less wasted trips.

I guess I figure it like this -- any trip where you can't fill the bucket has some wasted space. Now I realize that with gravel, this really isn't fair as many loaders (even my neighbors full size 100 hp farm tractor and loader) can't fill their bucket with gravel and get it off the ground. But it's just something to think about.

Also note that they often offer buckets which, when filled to the top with an average material (dirt or sand), will be around as much as one would want to carry. However, this means that the bucket is too big to be filled with rocks or gravel, and often too small to be at full capacity with mulch.

Must my $0.02

 

[pekabu]

All the dealers I talked to always said x could do what X can do but it will just take longer. Don't mean to start a war (reality stinks) but in this case it applies. Rarely do you hear someone buying too much tractor.

Though I have done a lot with my TC24 (and it's done everything i have asked) there have been many times I have wished it could do a little more. (Like I should have bought a TC29, but it really was too big for me).

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I think a little machine will do everything a big machine will do; and sales people often sell small tractors on that basis. I also think a shovel and a wheelbarrow will do everything a front end loader will do. But there are realities to the limits of both mechanical strength, time and the size of the projects we are all trying to accomplish. I like my little TC24 and I like my mid-size B2910. In retrospect, I wish the B2910 was a bit bigger and I really wish the loader was a lot more capable than it is.

But in the case of Moose and her project, she has 1 mile of driveway and needs to move gravel. Her tractor choices are both small frame tractors. The real question is not can she use a bigger machine than a small frame unit, because her budget doesn't allow that. The real question is between the small machines she narrowed things down to, is there enough reason, based on the job she outlined, to choose the higher HP unit with the higher capacity loader.

Based on what she wants to do, I think she needs, not wants, but actually needs, the best loader she can get within her budget on a small frame tractor to "reasonably" complete her tasks.

 

[v8dave]

Bob makes some good points on loader sizing.

I'll add a few points from my B7610 LA352 experience. I've only moved 20 to 25 yards of gravel, but probably a hundred or so of dirt. Breakout and lift capacity are fairly important when scooping up a load of gravel/dirt, not just digging as you might initially expect.

When you drive up to a pile to load the bucket, you start with the bucket low and drive in about a bucket's worth and then start to roll back the bucket back to fill the bucket to its capacity. At the same time you start lifting the bucket so you can clear the pile--all the while continuing to drive forward to keep the bucket filled.

Well, you can't do all this at the same time with a weak breakout (roll back the bucket) and lift capacity. What happens is the hydraulics will stall and you have to stop forward motion because the tractor push on the pile will exceeded the loader capacity. This means you don't get a full bucket load and you back up and attack it again.

After a while you get the feel of how much to ease up on the power pedal as you penetrate the pile and you roll back and lift a bit sooner to scrape a load off the front of the pile instead of digging it out of the pile. But, how quickly you fill the bucket from a loose pile of gravel/dirt is still related to the bigger mumbers Bob Skurka pointed out in loader capacities. Bottom line: smaller capacity numbers means longer times to move a pile and they are all related--not just the bucket size.

As Tim the tool man sez: More Power! Get the bigger tractor and the bigger loader. Between the 7510 and the 7610 you'll never regret the decision to go bigger. I wish I could have gotten the 7800, but, like you I had a size limitation (in my case the width of a passage way along side my shop) and got the 7610.

 

[To20Chris]

I agree with both Bob and Dave. I've been moving a LOT of topsoil lately, and you can almost always put more into the bucket than you can lift, especially if you have to break it out of the pile.

I would not underestimate the need for ballast and weight. My LK is a fairly heavy CUT, with filled tires, and I keep my BB on it while using the FEL (ok, so it's a cheesey KK 60", but it helps). Even so, I've gotten a back wheel lofting three times moving the topsoil, and it is NOT FUN! Light weight will also limit your traction while driving into that creek gravel.

Also, while I don't have one, a toothbar may help you a lot if you are digging gravel out of a creekbed.

 

[fishman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I wish the B2910 was a bit bigger and I really wish the loader was a lot more capable than it is.
)</font>

Kubota made the 3010 just for folks like you. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Bob, I don't know if you have the 54" or 60" bucket on your 2910, that may make a difference. With my 54" bucket and tooth bar, I can mound the dirt as high as will stay in, and the tractor will lift it right up. I find the loader to be the right match for the size and weight of the 2910. When you compare its capabilities to a heavier machine it will come up short, but that is to be expected.

Sometimes I wish for a larger tractor, sometimes I wish for a smaller tractor, but the vast majority of times I am happy with what I bought. That's a good thing. The original poster should seek that happy place and buy there.