What would you do?

[MarshallTractor]

With just under 2 acres to mow (10 acres in woods), but a 1200 ft, steeply sloped gravel drive to maintain. Landscaping (preparing packed red clay for grass, flower beds) is very high on the list too. House site is basically on top of a small knoll so all sides slope away. I will be mowing sideways on a hill (although not very steep).

Get a

1. BX2230 w/FEL, MMM, various attachments, or
2. B7510 w/FEL & same various attachments along with a riding lawn mower
3. B7510 w/FEL, MMM, and various attachments


The price difference isn't too great between 1 and 2, and I don't want to make the wrong decision because I'm worried about the quality of cut, ease of use of MMM (taking on and off), etc. For mowing considerations I'd lean toward the BX2230 I think. Is there that much difference between the two tractors in that regard? I guess that's the question I'm having trouble with. I just don't want to get an undersized tractor because I'm worried about how well/easy the thing will mow. And I'm sure you'll tell me all of the other things I should be more concerned with.

As you can see I've almost made my mind up, even though my wife thinks that will never happen. I appreciate all of your input. You guys are great. And fast. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[jpr62902]

I was in the exact same position when I decided on my BX22. I picked it because I wanted the backhoe but not the extra 5k in cost for the B7500 TLB. To me, the extra $ wasn't justified by the 7500's better specifications. The BX is also a little smaller which gives me more storage options. The B series is more of a tractor's tractor.

Can't say I'm disappointed in the least with my choice. Great little tractor that's a Jack-of-all-Trades (albeit master of none).

You'll save a little money with the BX, but the B7500 offers one thing the BX just can't match with extra hours -- ground clearance.

Still, the BX is an excellent mowing machine. Whatever your choice is, you won't be disappointed.

 

[BillyP]

Given the choices you show, I'd pick the 7510. But if it were me, since you have 12 acres, I'd kicked it up a notch or 2.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

2 acres of mowing is easily accomplished with either size tractor, the hard part to mowing is getting around your landscapings. A slightly taller tractor can not get under trees. I have a NH TC24D which is similar in size to the B7510, but do most of our mowing with a Cub Cadet. If you need to get up close to the house or to small trees, you are better off with the smaller tractor. I don't know how much snow you get there, but if it is not much, then tending the drive will be mostly dragging a box blade, and the BX series should do that, but the B7510 will do it easier and faster. That said, you will only do that a few times a year and you will probably be mowing every week for 7 or 8 months, so if you can cut your mowing time by 15 to 30 minutes because the smaller tractor turns tights and fits under your tree branches, then you will save many hours a year on just mowing.

Understand one key thing, it take more work to CONSTRUCT your landscaping than to MAINTAIN it. During the first couple of years when you are constructing your landscaping you will prefer a larger machine. After the beds are prepared and the grass is growing, you will probably prefer the smaller more manuverable machine. If you have the money then buy both, but realize the little machine will sit idle for a couple years, then it will do the bulk of the work while the larger machine sits idle. How do I know that? Because I have a Kubota B2910 that pretty much sits, but was a great workhorse when I needed it. In fact, I wished then it was even bigger. Now I almost never use it. I mow the fields with the TC24D and around the house and pool areas with the Cub Cadet.

I think a lot of people recommend big tractors becuase they are fun. Well the fact is that they ARE fun. But for the long run, get the tractor that will do the most work the fastest. Take a serious look at what you need it to do for the long term and size it accordingly. Some of us have lots of tractors, but those of us who are honest will tell you that some machines are used more than others . . .

 

[frank_f15]

i kind of opt for #2 . get the 7510 skip the mmm, aget a lawn tractor for around the house there are going to be plenty of times u are not going to want to use a big tractor for mowing. u can get a rear finish mower for doing the majority of the 2 acres of mowing if u want. plus if u are going to be do anything in the wooded area, u will defenitly like the better clearence of the 7510

 

[Henro]

As much as I hate to admit it, I have been thinking that sometime in the future my B2910 will take the back seat, as far as seat time goes, and that I will be using my BX2200 more and more as I improve my property. Sort of like Bob, I guess... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

The BX, with the mower off, has something like 6.5 inches ground clearance, under the axles, and about 12 under the frame if I remember right. Do you plan on doing any improvements on those 10 acres of yours that are woods? Will you harvest any fire wood or anything like that. Make trails?

If you might, then the B7500 might be a good compromise tractor. I don't know how much difference there is between the bx and the B7500 to the top of the rops. I am sure there is some difference.

The bx will cut those 2 acres of grass pretty fast and it will be fun doing it too. Get the 60" mmm if you get a bx, so you can cut close to things more easily, as it sticks out more.

How steep is "not very steep," as far as those side hills go? People report that the bx feels more stable on side slopes, but that could be because one sits lower on the bx. I don't know. I do know that side slopes greater than 15 degrees don't feel comfortable on my B2910 when I am sideways on it, that is for sure.

I started out looking at the bx22. I decided on the B2410, because I knew the B2910 was too much tractor for my needs. I ended up buying the b2910 (TLB), and it turned out perfect, and as time passes it grows smaller in my eyes.

But it was not perfect for grass cutting in my case, because I don't have that much grass! So I traded in my RFM and bought a bx and love it. Each year the amount of grass I have increases. Pretty soon I will not have to sneak over on my neighbors grass anymore to get my fill of grass cutting on the bx2200... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Anyway, what if I could only have ONE tractor? And had to keep it for the next ten years without option of changing? My guess is I would choose a B7500 or B2410, with MMM. I could add a backhoe later if I wanted, would have more ground clearance, it would have a more standard 3PH [the bx has limited lift height on the 3PH]...and so on.

Hope this adds something to the discussion... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[crown]

If I were you I would go with option #2, except I would get a RFM instead of the riding mower. The BX would be the better mower but with 10 acres you may want to do some extra chores and find other uses for the 7510 I feel would then have the leg up. I find my B-7500 seems very stable I think it will for you also. You may want your chosen dealer to bring each tractor out to your property and demo them choose the one that feels best to you in real world applications. Ain't tractor shopping fun. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[GregJ]

Marshall,
I have option #2 and am very happy with it. Now if you were planning on just doing mowing, option #1 might be better. I definitely wouldn't want to be mowing sideways on a slope with my B7500. I like the low center of gravity of my JD riding mower. I think a BX would be better on the sideways slopes.

Now if you are planning to do more with your tractor, option 2 would be great. My tractor does "tractor work" and my lawn mower mows the lawn. I really needed the extra ground clearance and I like having the extra power. It really gives you a little more flexibility. Besides that, when I open my shop door and look in to see a JD and a Kubota sitting side by side, it just feels darn good. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Hope this helps,

Greg

 

[Henro]

On the mower question.

RFMs work well. I was real happy with my RFM as far as cut goes. BUT it was only slightly wider than my rear tires, and this made it a huge pain to cut close to things. Also it is very difficult to cut close to things you have to drive around. like trees, curved walls, small pond edges with a pretty good curve to them.

This is because the RFM swings opposite the front wheels. As the front moves to follow a curve, a MMM will also follow the front wheels, but the RFM will swing away from curved edge.

For wide open spaces, a RFM will work great. For me, with a lot of things to cut close to and around, the MMM is much better. Had I bought a 72" MMM initially with my B2910, I would probably still be a one-tractor owner... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif The RFM on my B2910 cut my yard better than my little garden tractor did, and it was MUCH more fun doing it witha quality machine.

 

[MarshallTractor]

I think that I'd like to have the larger tractor, just to have more options in the future. I'm pretty sure that I can get a riding mower for the price of the MMM on the 7510 and then wouldn't have to hassle with taking the MMM on and off.

One of the tractors I thought about initially was a BX23 for the backhoe option. I'd like to think that sometime down the line I might be able to get one, but I know that wouldn't be possible if I buy a BX2230. And maybe someday I could get a subframe mounted hoe for the 7510.

This is all predicated on my desire to buy a tractor once if at all possible. Of course that's not desirable /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif