which Kubota

[JimBinMI]

Paddock,

Thanks for the detailed explaination.

For clarification, Kubota BX's are the only "sub" compact that I know of, the TC18 is a "compact". /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

JimBinMI

We boys and our toys!

 

[MChalkley]

Rat - Uh, thanks. I think. Now, with the obligatory thank you out of the way, just what in blazes do you have against Amsoil??? (Just kidding.) /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

I sympathize with you in many respects. I do sometimes weary just a little of being primarily interested in a size of tractor that interests probably 5% of the board's membership. I'm usually answering questions (whether correctly or incorrectly remains to be seen) for people who have tractors 1/3 to 1/2 the size of mine. (And believe me, I'm in no way implying they're less useful, lower in stature, lower class, etc. Only that they're not the same.) So, when a guy with a 20 hp tractor asks a question, he gets 40 replies. But when I ask one, I get 3. Maybe (I'm sorting this out in my mind [contradiction in terms] as I ramble) the issue is more experience level than tractor size. I don't know, but sometimes I do feel that if I want advice, I don't stand nearly as good a chance of getting help as the average member. Somehow that sounds arrogant, but that's not at all the way I mean it. My point is that there are a few folks (comparatively, not literally) that are in the same situation, whether they feel the same way about it or not.

But, having said all that, I feel the negative I just mentioned is more than compensated for by the appreciation and high level of participation shown by so many of the members of this forum. I remember a couple occasions where I've spent half an hour researching a question by a "New Member" or "Unregistered" person, and known for a fact that the information was correct, but never even got a response. I don't even know if they ever checked back and got the information. That's discouraging. But it's also very very rare. "The gang" here is unusually vocal about help provided and unusually silent about negative things. It's a very useful opportunity for all of us, but as with everything, the exact value of it will vary from person to person.

Mark

 

[stvman]

Jim,
The main reason I am looking to down size is the option for moving the tractor (all I have is a 1/2 ton p/u ) paying $150.00 to have the tractor moved (friends always needing favors)/w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif gets old fast....

Also did your dealer have any bent towards NH or Kubota, the one I went to is very pro Kubota which caused me to have doubts in the NH. He told me that they sell Kubota 4-1 over NH but #for# the NH keeps calling my name./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[stvman]

<font color=blue> Jim,
Just wondering what your favorite tractor brand is</font color=blue> /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[W5FL]

Weight seems to be a tricky specification (and not everyone calculates it the same way), although it sure is simple to take them down to the scales. My M6800SD tractor with loader & filled tires jumps from 4608# to 7600# then with a mower it is 8600# and the trailer weighs nearly 2000#. 10,600# is about as much as I would like to pull behind my 1/2 ton pickup too. Trailer brakes work wonderful. The L Series is a little more transportable and mine would be 1500# lighter without the anti-freeze (non/toxic) in the tires.

 

[JimBinMI]

Wen,

That's a lot of weight to pull behind a 1/2 ton! What engine/make do you have?

JimBinMI

We boys and our toys!

 

[JimBinMI]

stvman,

My dealer only handles New Holland. Another dealer that I visited for price comparison handles NH & Kubota. He slanted towards the Kubota but he also had more Kubotas in stock. This was the type of dealer that I was referring to that plays second fiddle to NH-Only dealers, the guy that handles both has a harder time getting NH tractors because the NH company doesn't like it when they carry competitive brands. Therefor the NH only dealers get more tractors, faster.

The NH & Kubota dealer was so swayed towards Kubota that when I told him that he could sell me a TC18 for less than a B1700, he didn't believe me, so we went to his desk and he did the numbers and was shocked! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif His prices were even higher than my dealer maybe because he is closer to Lansing (larger city, state capital).

Honestly, after reading the previous versions of this board, when it was Kubota only I was really swayed towards Kubota, I even had the wife convinced that I was buying an Orange tractor. When I got prices and really started looking at the specs, the dealers, etc., I went BLUE and feel that FOR ME it was the best buy! /w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif

Good Luck, JimBinMI


We boys and our toys!

 

[Bird]

JimBinMI, proper trailer towing is almost as complex a topic as tractors. All the pickup manufacturers have charts showing maximum "recommended" trailer weights, Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), axle weight ratings, Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating (GCVWR - truck and trailer), and it's based not only whether it's a 1/2 ton, 3/4, or 1 ton, but the combination of engine size, which transmission, differential gear ratios, heavy duty suspensions, heavy duty cooling, auxilliary transmission coolers, load distributing hitch platforms, 5th wheel hitches, brakes, battery and alternator capacities, etc., etc. The last I knew, the federal recommendation was to have trailer brakes for any trailer that weighs 40% or more of the towing vehicle's weight. Like most topics, pretty simple after a little time and experience, but not so simple for a novice. And if you ever buy a truck for towing, you'll find that the salesmen frequently know very little about the topic. The worst I found was a young salesman showing me a new pickup truck and when I asked which engine it had, he said it was a V-8. When I asked which one, he didn't know Ford made more than one.

Bird

 

[JimBinMI]

stvman,

Almost forgot, someone on this board, I honestly can't remember who, private e-mailed me that he visited a NH & Kubota dealer that said he sold them 50/50. Don't know where in the country this was, this information seems to be hard to get ahold of, it might be nice to know how many tractors that each manufacturer sold. What if we all found out that Cub Cadet was selling more compacts than anyone else, would that change buying habits of this board, I don't know. I do know that Kubota is a very smart company, they saw a nitch and met customer demand for a quality product. I believe that New Holland with the Boomer series has stepped up to the plate very well and John Deere has a nice series of 4000's too.

I think that with Kubota's BX series, you should see New Holland and John Deere coming out with something to compete with it soon, it must be a money maker for Kubota if this board is any indication of sales.

JimBinMI

We boys and our toys!

 

[JimBinMI]

Bird,

I know a little about towing, I've towed a 27' travel trailer for a few thousand miles over the last 5 years.
I don't call that a lot of experience, when I said a little, I meant it. I've driven Motor homes with tow vehicles. Even crossed the might Mackinaw Bridge with the travel trailer too, cross winds are real fun! /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

I have a '95 GMC 1/2 ton 5.7 liter, 3.73 rear end and it's only rated to 6,500 lbs. It's kinda pretty because it is also a stepside, extended cab, Z-71 off-road.

I used to own a '93 Jeep Grand Cherokee with the 4.0 liter 6 cyl. I just love it when people advertise this with a V-6 when it's a straight 6 with great torque! /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif I pulled my trailer with that for about 3 months and it did an awesome job but looked awful small up front, got a lot of looks. The trailer is aluminum frame and is only 4,380 lbs dry.

JimBinMI

We boys and our toys!

 

[MChalkley]

Yikes! It's hard to believe a 27' travel trailer could weigh so little. My custom 24' flatbed three-axle Winston trailer that I haul my equipment on weighs almost 4,500 pounds - empty.

Mark

 

[Bird]

OK, JimBinMI, I seem to recall you mentioning not having a trailer to haul that Boomer, so I didn't know you had a little trailering experience. I haven't kept up with the trailering recommendations much in the last few years, but if I remember right, the 1989 1/2 ton Chev. (before the 4-speed overdrive transmissions) was rated to pull 10,500# with the 350 cu.in. (5.7L) engine and a 4.10 rear end (if you didn't have too much other load in the truck).

Bird

 

[Bird]

Yeah, Mark, it's amazing how light they can make some of the travel trailers. My 32' 5th wheel was aluminum frame and pretty light, but the manufacturers know that the RVers are going to load them up. By the time I put the optional generator, washer/dryer, air-conditioner, filled water tank, etc. it wasn't quite so light anymore. However, I was still only running 2,000 pounds on the pin and 7,300 on the axles. When I first got it, I had a 1 ton, single rear wheels, 350 engine, and 3.73 rear end; not bad, but not great either. It was a pleasure to drive, though, with the 1-ton dually, extended cab, 454 and 4.10 rear end, especially with the Gear Vendors (and after I replaced the 3,500 pound axles under the trailer with 5,000 pound axles, radial tires, and bigger brakes).

Gordon may know more than I, but I always guessed that about 75% of the travel trailers on the road are running over the GCVWR of the towing vehicle (and I wasn't one of them).

Bird

 

[W5FL]

I pulled a 20 ft travel trailer all over the US. It was 3400# empty. Pulled it with a Chevrolet Malibu Station Wagon after redoing the cooling system and using an equilizing hitch, then with an International Travelall. I pull my tractor with an old 88 Ford truck with a big 6 cylinder and 5 speed (gear naturally). The difference is the travel trailer pulled nicely at 80 MPH and never get the tractor above 50 MPH. A good brake controller is a must. Most people also don't pay enough attention to the hitch receiver on the car or the hitch mount to get one rated for over 10,000#.

 

[JimBinMI]

Wen,

You're really working that truck pulling that kind of weight behind it!

JimBinMI

We boys and our toys!

 

[JimBinMI]

Bird,

My truck has the four speed overdrive tranny but I rarely pull in OD, usually, as recommended, I pull in 3rd. Can't imagine pulling 10,500 with that engine, even with the 4.10's!

The weight I posted with the trailer was "dry" with no options so you have to add water, LP, battery, air conditioning, awning, microwave, jacks, cargo, etc. Never had it weighed full but the trailer was rated to go up to 7,000 lbs.

JimBinMI

We boys and our toys!

 

[MChalkley]

Bird - I'm sure you're right. From what I've seen, I think that at least the majority of the trailers on the road are over the GVWR rating. When I pull my tractor, I usually am, too, but I've got way more brakes than is stock on both the truck and trailer, way more power than is stock, etc. I've also had the truck re-certified for higher GVWR.

Mark

 

[gandalf]

Thanks for all of the advice, at least before the question got side tracked into brand loyalty, different auto trans types and trailers etc etc etc etc.

I agree with the advice to get something comfortable and big enough to do the job, so I'll go to the dealer and try a few models on for size. I'll also try the different types of transmissions too.

I won't worry about the rig to pull the tractor because I have a new Dodge 2500 with a cummins turbo diesel engine that has been modified by DIESEL DYNAMICS in Las Vegas, Nevada and puts out 306 HP and 610 ft lbs of torque to the rear wheels on their dynometer. The truck also has a DUNRITE heavy duty towing complete auto trans, low stall with all the goodies! 0-60mph 7.4 seconds! The trailer I use to haul is a 1999 PACE 25ft shadow, tandem, fully enclosed with drive up ramp and side door, electric brakes, heavy duty 6 lug wheels etc! I got it all---but I still need a tractor!! Thanks again, Sam

 

[W5FL]

Answers usually stay on topic for a little while. Hopefully you got a little valid data from everyone, but it all boils down to needs and wants and what if's. The more land you have the broader range of what if's. I have a lot of rocky soil and that makes everything cost more and take more power to just do things that would be simple in sandy soil. Every place has a different set of requirements. People actually move sometimes and the problems are suddenly different.

 

[Bird]

Aaah, now you threw another variable in there. How high's the roof on that trailer. You'll have to stay with a small enough tractor that the ROPS isn't too tall to fit into the trailer./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif Sounds like a mighty nice rig you've got./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Bird