Which Kubota do I need?

[Anonymous Poster]

I just built a house in Indiana on about 15 acres. About 7 acres are wooded and the rest is grass/brush. All of it is hilly, with very few areas of open flat ground. Some of the hills are quite steep. Having never owned a tractor, I can't decide how much tractor I need. I am going to be mowing several acres of uneven ground, and I know I want a FEL and a mower. I also have about an .8 mile of gravel driveway to maintain and clear of snow in the winter. Add to these tasks a lot of general landscaping and some large gardens. Lots of seat time!

I like both the 2410 and 2710, and they look like they would do the job. What do you experts think? Could I get by with a nicley setup BX2200 or should I go with the 2710. I don't mind speding the money, but of course I don't want to waste it either.

Any comments would be appreciated! I look forward to being a part of the TBN community

 

[fishman]

<font color=blue>I am going to be mowing several acres of uneven ground</font color=blue>

This seems to be a task better suited to a 2710 than the bx, in my opinion. I have 10 acres that are much less demanding than yours, but I do have a lot of clearing, landscaping, and dirt work (FEL time!!/w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif). I went with the 2910 after looking at the 7500 at first. Again, my opinion, but I think that although BX is a great mowing/gardening/general task tractor, it does have its limitations.

I am sure there will be those of us that disagree with that statement, and then there will be others that recommend a 3710. I am suggesting you look somewhere in the middle, which appears to be what you are doing anyway.

 

[Thomas]

Have you consider Compact Tractor Book??..for there a lot of great info.

Maybe your local K-dealer has a demo to try out.

 

[Will_C]

Hoosier; I have a BX and I love it! Having said that, I think Fishman is correct. For your application, a 27/2910 makes perfect sense. Depending on the amount of grass you cut, the L series may be worth considering. I take care of two three acre parcels, but it is all finish mowing. With brush and woods, definitely consider the B's. Just my thoughts,
Will

 

[Wood_Butcher_Dav]

I'll throw my two cents in. As a proud owner of a BX2200 I think you would be asking a little too much from this tractor with the amount of ground you'll have to maintain.

Dave

 

[gerard]

A little too big is a LOT better than a little too small! B2910, L3010 (ideal), L2600

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Thanks to all for the quick and insigtful replys. I purchased Muhammad's book a couple of weeks ago and found it extemely helpful. It helped me arrive at my original decision of going with the 2410 or 2710. I guess I wanted to be sure I wasn't just justifying the larger tractor to myself.

I am going to take your advice and see if I can get a demo to try out on my hills.

Thanks all!

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Well, after looking at the tractor configurations and their respective price tags, I figure the 2710 is my best bet. Do you really think a 2910 or even a 3010 might be necessary? Here I thought a 2710 was more than enough, but maybe it is just enough?

 

[DAP]

YOU also have a common problem, one not easy to solve. You mention "quite steep slopes".

The 2710 has a lot of mass. It will roll on steep slopes with side approaches. In a perpendicular approach (much safer), it may lose traction.

I have some 20+ degree slopes on my property (short runs though) and would NEVER even think about taking a CUT larger than a B7400 on them.

I use an 18hp JD with a 4ft MMM for all my mowing tasks. A CUT would not fit in the many tight spaces I have around flowering trees, shrubs and structures on my 7 acres.

My forthcoming entry into the CUT market for a 27-30hp machine will not remove my mowing needs so the JD stays in my barn. With 2 horses, 2 greyhounds, 2 goats, a felon cat, 12 acres (7 mine, 5 trying to be mine), I can justify the 2nd machine.

Be careful with those slopes. Bigger is not always better. Nor is it always faster.


For clarity, my mowing acreage amounts to about 2.75 to 3 acres. It takes me just under 3 hours to do this amount with the 48" deck. To prove the point, the maneuverability I get on this garden size tractor pays dividends in terms of time, due to the specifics of my mowing obstacles, slopes, structures etc.

I had to resign myself to the fact that I need multiple machines to manage this property properly and efficiently. I thought a lot about a zero turn machine for mowing, however, the LX288 is a fantastic mower, and have gotten some utility out of it other than mowing (pulls a 1 ton capacity wagon with no problem, integrates and pulls a 400lb leaf vacuum/mulcher/chipper with no problems). I also have used it to drag a chain harrow in 2.5 acres of paddock (though that chore will be off loaded to the CUT when it arrives in the barn.).

 

[Boondox]

Hoosier -- Your mowing duties are similar to mine (154 acres, but only 7 isn't forested), as is the terrain. I started with a 20hp Kubota, but it didn't have the power I needed. I considered a 2710, but the 2910 had a far better power to weight ratio, and in my testing proved to be a MUCH better climber. I eventually went with an L3010 because of other demands I placed on my tractor, but given your situation would seriously consider the 2910 over the smaller machines. Ballast the tires, and place them at the widest setting.

On the other hand, take a serious look at your property. of that 7 acres, how much of it won't be mowed because of buildings, ponds, etc? How many trees or other obstructions will you need to navigate around? If none, go with the 2910. If not, go smaller. In my experience, mowing 7 acres with a 20hp tractor was a chore, but mowing with my L3010 is a dream and only takes part of a morning.

Pete