to buy or not to buy - b6000E

GaryE · Jan 19, 2005

Mith,

I have a B6000 4wd with the "backward" PTO. The thing is a work horse. I have no problems with a 60 inch cutting deck. The previous owner rolled it twice but it just keeps going. My only complaints are parts are getting hard to find and there is too much of a gearing spread between 4th gear low range and 1st gear high range. It makes cutting my fields a little slow. But other than that, it is a great little tractor.

The manual says the 3ph Max. lifting is 795 lbs.(360 kg) at lower link tip. It lifts the Woods cutting deck without a problem, but I think that is really close to its limits.

I will soon be retiring the old girl once my new L3710 arrives. Going to miss her! Hope this is of some help.

Gary

Mith · Jan 19, 2005

seriously you run a 60" (is that 5 foot?) on the 12.5 hp? sweet didnt think itd do that much - is that a topper of RFM and is it rough on nice turf?
do you have many implemants for it was it hard having the messed up PTO?
have you had many problems with it - breakdowns ect?
thanks for any info

GaryE · Jan 19, 2005

Yep, I run a 60" (5 foot) Woods three blade 3ph finish mower. I use it mainly in the fields where it is too rough for my garden tractor but I have used it to cut some of the lawn with good results. It is tough to manuver around the yard and the rear wheels on the deck will chew up the grass if you turn to sharply but it does do a nice job if you are careful.

In the fields it will easily cut tall wet grass. I have even done a little brush hogging with it! That was pushing it a bit! But the tractor hardly complained.

As far as other implemants, the cutting deck is the only PTO implemant I use. I do have a few home brew brackets I have welded together to drag logs around. The B6000 does do a good job draging them out of the woods, but it does have it's limits.

As far as repairs, I have had to weld the 3ph a few times, replace the glowplug indicator and had a broken gear in the stearing box. The only ongoing problem I have had has been the the throttle linkage is worn and keeping the proper amount of tension on it seems to be somewhat of a challange. Other than that is is preaty much just change the fluids and fuel it up.

Sorry, not sure what you mean by "is that a topper of RFM"

Hope some of this info helps

Gary

voodoo · Jan 19, 2005

Mith,
Prior to my Iseki I had a B6000 (actually until recently I had them both). I bought it from an internet trader. Their web site was www.usedkubota.co.uk but on checking tonight it no longer seems available. They brought in machines from Japan, c/w rotavator and sold out at differing grades.
You might want to contact Steve Strange on 01257 472 444. He was a gentleman to deal with.
Grade A including respray and overhaul was £1750 + vat
Grade B overhauled was £1550 + vat
Grade C basic checks was £1250 = Vat
Note that these prices were in 2001 and had a 30 day warranty.

The B6000 is an excellent machine. Being an import it had "rice" bar tyres. These had really big deep lugs on them, and allowed it to power through anything. On several ocasions I was in ground so soft I could not stand on it. The machine would keep going until it was grounded on its belly. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
I was able to pull a 16' single axle caravan about with it. Much better for manuvering than the car.

Mine didn't have the 3pt lift arms as the rotavator bolted onto the diff casing over the pto. Didn't stop me making a set though.
At the end of the day, this is primarily why I sold it. I generally had a 4' transport box on the rear, and with any load at all on it, either the relief valve operated, or the tractor ended up pointing skywards.
The other issue for me was that the rice tyres couldn't be used on the lawn, so it was no use to me for grass cutting. With turf tyres and a rfm it would have been perfect for grass cutting.

I'll post some pics of the machine.

voodoo · Jan 19, 2005

Mith,
I posted some photos on Photo forum under Kubota [image]http://www.tractorbynet.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/980[/image]

Mith · Jan 19, 2005

gary - i never thought it would pull a mower that big - it sounds down on HP but i stand corrected /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
( Sorry, not sure what you mean by "is that a topper of RFM")
sorry reverting back to funny talk - topper = bush hog of=meant to be or >> is that a bush hog or rear finishing mower >> but you answerd the question anyway
that broken gear in the steering - is that a problem with all b6000 or just your do you know? - i just want to make safe my investment
thanks for all you help

Mith · Jan 19, 2005

voodoo - the link says page is unavailable guess it aint there
for the grades that you mention is that the overall price that you pay or is that something else?
your b6000 in the pics you posted looks real nice actually - had it just been cleaned before you took the pics?
btw nice sch trailer - good make but the y aint half pricey /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
the plus of me spending 1000 or less is that i can keep the lawn tractor /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
the one im looking at is on turfs and has a 4' topper. i plan to use it for rough cutting and generally driving around
thanks for the comments - doesnt anyone have anything bad to say about the b6000???

GaryE · Jan 19, 2005

Mith,

I am not sure if the gear is a common problem or not, but I just went to a good machine shop and they welded two teeth back on, then reshaped them a bit.... It has been fine now for two years. Cost me $50.00 US.

This tractor had been worked very hard for many years, rolled over, stored outside for most of it's life, but it keeps going. For me it was a good investment, if it were not for the need of a BH and FEL, I would probably run it for a few more years, maybe more.

"doesnt anyone have anything bad to say about the b6000??? "

I could use a better seat!

Gary

Mith · Jan 19, 2005

( I could use a better seat! )
im hearing you with this one - thats first on my to do list - more padding and some arm rests /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
thanks for all you help

voodoo · Jan 19, 2005

Yeah,
A seat was the first thing I added. Came with a metal pressed pan.
Went straight out and bought an off the shelf lawnmower seat for about £20.00, formed a fixing plate and was able to tip it up to keep the rain off just like the original.