Well, my first 8 hours on the new B3030

[makwa]

My first impressions of the new B3030.

Lots of power in all three gears (L,M,H).

The front bucket works fast and easy to operate (403). Bucket controls are easy to reach and far enough forward to enter the tractor from both sides.

I did not feel any of the vibration from the wheel like others have experienced. Steering is easy and on the spot. power steering works great.

Didn't use the breaks very much because as soon as you let off the foot pedal, the tractor will stop. The break handle is easy to reach.

The 4 wheel drive 2 wheel drive selector was easy to reach and operated smoothly.

Dash was easy to read.

Fuel consumption was okay. Used just under half a tank in 7 hours

Things that did concern me,

The tilt steering wheel button on the floor can get in the way at times, I would hit the button by accident and the wheel would move up on me.

The forward and reverse pedal took a little while to get used to. Also my foot would get stuck in the "C" shaped pedal while exiting the tractor causing me to almost fall off the tractor ( I have a size 12 shoe)

Cup holder behind the seat!!!

Tool box behind the seat was small but fine for a few wrenches, but the metal on the top of the opening was very sharp. Had to take a little sand paper to round that off after I put my Band-Aid on my finger.

I did like the seat with all the movement it can take but felt it makes me sit leaning forward a little too much.

The H, M, L selector would be a little temperamental at time to change the gears.

The 3 point hitch height selector has a knob to set your hitch at designated heights( works great if you can keep it on), the knob vibrated loose and fell off somewhere in mother earth.

All in all I think this tractor is a great machine and well worth the hard earned money.

-Duane

 

[cart99]

60 hours on mine....

>>>Lots of power in all three gears (L,M,H).
definitely

>>>The front bucket works fast and easy to operate (403). Bucket controls are easy to reach and far enough forward to enter the tractor from both sides.
yup

>>>I did not feel any of the vibration from the wheel like others have experienced. Steering is easy and on the spot. power steering works great.

mine has the vibration, but it really doesn't bother me.

>>>Didn't use the breaks very much because as soon as you let off the foot pedal, the tractor will stop. The break handle is easy to reach.

I have yet to use the brakes, other than setting them for parking on a hill

>>The 4 wheel drive 2 wheel drive selector was easy to reach and operated smoothly.

yup

>>>Dash was easy to read.

yup during the day. At dusk/night with the lights on it's not nearly as clear.

>>>Fuel consumption was okay. Used just under half a tank in 7 hours

I think I get closer to 10 hours, but not sure. All I know I use less fuel than my JD lawn tractor.

>>>The tilt steering wheel button on the floor can get in the way at times, I would hit the button by accident and the wheel would move up on me.

never had this problem (size 9 shoes!)

>>>The forward and reverse pedal took a little while to get used to. Also my foot would get stuck in the "C" shaped pedal while exiting the tractor causing me to almost fall off the tractor ( I have a size 12 shoe)

never had this problem either

>>>Cup holder behind the seat!!!

Cup holder is great for 3ph pins and such when switching implements, useless as an actual cup holder unless you really like drinking hot, flat refreshments (or what little there is left that hasn't sloshed out)

>>>Tool box behind the seat was small but fine for a few wrenches, but the metal on the top of the opening was very sharp. Had to take a little sand paper to round that off after I put my Band-Aid on my finger.

Haven't had this problem. Can't fit the big wrench i like to use on the top-link nut to adjust length, but no biggie.

>>>I did like the seat with all the movement it can take but felt it makes me sit leaning forward a little too much.

Seat works well for me, forward lean MUCH less noticeable than NH's I test drove.

>>>The H, M, L selector would be a little temperamental at time to change the gears.

Yes! I really wish they had a shifter where each position is offset from the next like on M-B cars. Too easy to pull past M when going from H or L.

>>>The 3 point hitch height selector has a knob to set your hitch at designated heights( works great if you can keep it on), the knob vibrated loose and fell off somewhere in mother earth.

Don't worry about losing it, it's awkward and useless. Just remember what number you set it on and put it there every time.

>>>All in all I think this tractor is a great machine and well worth the hard earned money.

totally, totally agree!

Ok, here's my one nitpick. When wearing shorts, I always try to remember to exit the left side of the tractor, because almost every time I try to exit right, my shorts catch the 3ph lever (which I usually have all the way down before exiting) and I end up hanging up on it and flailing around like an idiot.

 

[Barnboy]

The H,M,L gear selecter gets beter with break in. After the fluid change at 50 hrs mine operated beter. Now Im at 105 hrs. I'm going to wear this thing out /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Sully2]

Im with ya! A little more than 22 hrs on mine so far.

The cup holder?? Is someone kidding me or what?? And the toolbox...geeze! Id in the process of adding a 50 caliber ammo box on the right side...like I saw pics of on here where someone had added it to a BX model. That "box" behind the seat is an utter joke!

Have you added the left hand "step" on your yet?? REALLY helps if your short legged like I am. It bolts right onto the left hand side ...factory setup for..?? L models I think it is?...anyway...its a nice cheap addition.

 

[kingoflawns]

My experience was the same, after the 50 hour hydraulic service my 3030 shifts much better. As cart99 mentions, i have also gotten caught on control levers when wearing shorts.

 

[makwa]

In the picture I attached. The knob works great so you don't have to keep looking back at the handles position. But make sure when you move it back to the bottom that you tighten it up good or you will lose it.
I did not know where the nut came from that I found under the tractor, so I took it to my dealer and asked him what he thought. He went right to a tractor on the show room floor and took it off that one and said this it what your looking for. He knows his tractor or this happens alot. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

-Duane

 

[FrogLick]

Couldn't agree more with most of your early impressions.

Haven't noticed any steering wheel vibration and it's very responsive.

I'm often on some hilly areas so I use the parking brake a lot. I need to install an indicator light as others have done since it's easy to forget and drive off before noticing.

Little early to tell about fuel consumption for me since I've been mowing some tall grass with a heavy RFM. I've not gotten as good as you are experiencing yet.

Yeah I've hit that tilt steering wheel button on the floor several times. Seems to be right where my foot often wants to sit.

I've also had a tendency to get my foot (size 9) caught in the pedal but I'm getting used to it. Seems to happen to me more while in use not while getting off. Trying to get off on the left side more since there's less in the way to hang up on.

That cup holder behind the seat is totally useless except as a holder for pins etc. while making hitch attachments.

Forward lean on the seat is my biggest complaint - always feel like I'm sliding forward. Will have to put a spacer under the front mounting bolts to improve that situation.

Nice to know that others have found the speed selector smoothness improved with a little more break in time, but it's not really been a problem. I don't change speed ranges that much anyhow.

Haven't lost that 3-point set knob yet, but I've lost a couple of clevis/cotter pins and a poorly fitted cover plate (left side of the dash).

Overall a really great little tractor and I sure am having fun!