B2650 too big for 3 acres?

[wngnut]

I posted this on another forum and then I found this one so I thought I'd post it here as well. The other forum isn't brand specific so the orange experts are hopefully all hanging out over here.


I mow three acres and have about 400 feet of gravel driveway that I plow in the winter so that will be 90% of the use.

I currently have a JD2305 with a 62 inch deck and a 54 inch front blade that I bought three years ago when I bought the property.

Three main reason for looking for a new tractor.

- I want to mow faster....currently takes me about three hours or so every weekend in the summer to keep it mowed.

- My 2305 has struggled to plow the drifts in the winter that I get since my house sits on top of a hill.

- I want a cab with heat and air!!...


If JD made a smaller tractor with a factory cab I'd be looking at it but the Kubota B2650 seems to be the smallest one out there with a nice cab. I've owned a couple different JDs now but never a Kubota.

There are a few used ones out there but they're not a huge savings over new. My local dealer quoted me a little over $29K with loader and 72 inch MMM and a little over $26K without the loader. I'd probably go ahead and get the loader since it's fairly cheap and I could probably find a use for it from time to time....most of the time it would be off the tractor and stored in my building until winter. I got another quote from a dealer three hours away that's right at $2,000 cheaper.

I would trade my JD2305 in on it.


Thoughts??...comments from anyone that has one for similar use?...or has one at all?? I assume R3 turf tires would be the best option vs. the R4s? I have turfs on the 2305.

I have looked at them in person several times trying to decide.

Is it just too big for my intended purpose? I realize it's bigger than I "need" but more concerned about cut quality, is it too heavy for a mower, maneuverability...etc. etc.. I don't want to buy it and then end up trading down later because it's too big.


Thanks!!

 

[RCW]

First - if you have to contend with drifts on a big driveway, you might want to consider a snowblower on a tractor.

Front-mount is the best in my book, and can cut your plowing time a lot. Does it cut it enough to skip a cab tractor??..??.. Only you can answer that question

I don't know how much snow you get there, but I'm near both the "Lake Effect" and Nor'easter part of New York, and we can sometimes get dumped on, or none.

Is a B2650 a good lawnmower on 3 acres? I don't know, but a couple guys with them will probably chime in.

Honestly, I think a smaller tractor with a snowblower will do winter work. Maybe a Zero Turn to mow?

 

[eng1886trk]

I have a B2650 on 4 acres (1.5 is wooded) and a 450' drive way with a parking area and the size is perfect for me.

As far as mowing, I have a 60" exmark and can mow all 2.5 acres in about an hour. That's with bagging it all too.

I don't think I will ever mow with the 2650 and that is mostly due to all the hills and obstacles on my property plus the speed. If you have all flat, I think you will be fine.


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[wngnut]

Besides my big driveway I have two other parking areas I plow and in front of my outbuilding and it's all gravel. If it was paved a blower would be great but I can't chance throwing rocks everywhere so that's why I ruled out a blower.

We don't get huge snow but enough to cause some considerable drifts up on our hill. There are times when most of the drive is blown off down to the gravel and then there are a few 20 foot long stretches where it's drifted 3 feet deep. The 2305 handles it most of the time but it just takes a little bit of time sometimes. A bigger tractor would plow it or FEL it pretty easy....especially in a heated cab..

There's no way I can mow my 3 acres fast and that's mainly because I travel all week for work so I can only mow once a week and it's usually past due to be mowed by the time I get home so I can't fly through it no matter what machine I have. I'm not a fan of the zero turns because they're too single purpose for me. I want a machine to handle everything. The extra hour it might save me isn't worth it to me to have to buy two machines.

The main purpose for me buying a different machine is the cab. I'm tired of baking in the sun and being covered in the wind blown grass in the summer and freezing my butt off in the winter.

If there were a smaller tractor with a full factory cab with heat and air I would already own it. I've been going back and forth on the B2650 with the cab since they first came out but I'm hesitating because of the size of it. It won't fit inside my enclosed trailer either like my 2305 does but I don't haul it often.

 

[kckndrgn]

Here's my take, as a new BX2370 owner. I have the 60" MMM and I have 2 acres at home and 22 acres for recreation/hunting.

While I like my BX and all it can do, for mowing, I think investing in a ZT or at least a dedicated mower would be better. I can cut my yard a lot faster than my 42" Craftsman, but, mowing on it, just feels odd (maybe I'm just not used to it yet). I can mow my 2acres in just over an hour, and that's having to go around 14 or so trees (10 of which were planted this spring) and various other yard items. Of that 2 acres about 1/2 an acre is fenced in for the dog and we mow that and the ditches with the push mower.
I'm seriously considering removing my for general mowing. I just don't have a good place set it right now, so it stays on the tractor.
For the snow work (I don't have that here, well not a lot of it anyway) I think the B will be fine, but I have no experience with it

if you get the FEL, you will find a use for it

 

[wngnut]

How does the BX2370 compare in size to the B2650? I thought John Deere's numbering system was jacked up until I started looking at the Kubotas....they make no sense to me at all but I really haven't studied them much. I've just been focusing on the B2650 because it's the smallest unit I can find with a factory cab.

I realize I could buy an aftermarket cab for some smaller tractors but I want heat and air and that's not really an option in an aftermarket cab. I guess I'm just getting old and spoiled.

 

[aeronutt]

I might be going against the grain a bit here, but I don't think you need a compact tractor at all. You're going to mow much more than move snow so bias your machine in that direction. Assuming that you don't need a loader, you'll be way better off with a zero turn mower. They are single-use machines, which I know you grumbled about, but they are absolutely fantastic for that one purpose. I previously mowed with a 72 inch finish mower on the PTO of a Farmall tractor while a helper ran the 42 inch Craftsman mower for the areas that the Farmall just didn't fit into. It took both of us working together 3-4 hours to mow it all. Now, I do the whole area by myself in 45 - 60 minutes. This includes dodging about a hundred trees and various other obstacles. The speed difference is unbelievable unless you've experienced it yourself.

For the snow removal needs, you can run a snow blower with the skid shoes set about 2 inches down. This makes sure that you don't pick up rocks and there's pretty much no car in the world that's going to get stuck driving over 2 inches of snow. Oh, and that "single use" thing for zero turns? Nah... https://youtu.be/1Owf8vs7y5A

I also have a hitch on the front of mine to maneuver trailers around the shop. It works very well for a 4x8 utility trailer or parking a boat. I wouldn't try it with something heavy like a horse trailer though.

You've given us conflicting wishes too. In the first post, you said the first reason you want a new tractor is to mow faster. Later, you said saving an hour isn't worth having a different machine for. How much faster do you want to go? A commercial quality 60 inch zero turn machine will cut your mowing time down to 1 hour. 1:15 if it's overdue by a few days.

What this doesn't solve is the desire for a cab. Of course, if you're only out for an hour, maybe a cab isn't that important?

 

[wngnut]

I do want to mow faster but I said saving time wasn't worth it to me to have two machines. If buying two machines was the only way I could save time I'd consider it but buying a bigger tractor with a wider deck will also speed it up. I don't have a ton of stuff to mow around. I use the 2305 now and never use a push mower to trim around anything. I have too many toys taking up space already.

I know I don't "need" a compact tractor. The 2305 is really sized about right for what I do most of the time other than the challenge with snow drifts some of the time and taking longer to mow than I'd like. If I could buy a tractor the size of the 2305 with a factory cab I'd be all over it. I think there are tractors that size with 72" decks in the JD line.

I appreciate everyone taking the time to give me their comments. It's always helpful to hear input from others with similar tasks.

I guess it comes down to the fact that I really want a cab for the winter and being out of the sun and wind blown grass in the summer. I just need to know if the B2650 with a 72 inch deck does a decent job of mowing grass that's past due....once a week in the fast growing season. The cut quality of the John Deeres have always been great... WAY better than my cub cadets ever mowed.

And is the B2650 too heavy to mow without tearing up the grass?...I'm guessing that it would be OK with turf tires?

 

[chim]

My L3200 isn't too big for the 3-1/2 acres I mow. It can be done in under 1-1/2 hours with the 72" Landpride RFM without beating anything up. If the grass gets ahead of me it works better to mow in a clockwise direction even though the deck has a rear discharge. I use the same setup to mow the grass at a neighbor's place that's about 1/2 acre. It takes all of 20 minutes to pull the solar driveway lights, mow, trim, blow the clippings off the driveway, pop the lights back in and wish her a good day.

It has R4's and works very well for mowing and snow removal. Our driveway is about 100 yards long and the blower makes short work of it. I take care of snow removal for a few neighbors and our church.

After a few winters in the homemade cab, an open station tractor doesn't appeal to me all that much. With the doors off in summer it is better than being in the sun. I've said before that if that rich uncle (that I don't have) should pass and leave me a bundle, I'd have a Grand L in the 40 horse range to get a mower another foot wider plus A/C to be out of the dust in hot weather.

The snow blower on the rear works better for me because I clear some parking lots that are too wide for me to throw the snow off of them. I made some side extensions for the bucket to turn it into a pusher for the lots.

 

[eng1886trk]

As far as tires, I have R4 tires and regularly move light to heavy loads across my yard in the FEL. As long as I dont drive like an idiot in 4 wheel drive and the yard isn't wet, it's fine. Now, for your case and mowing, R3s all the way. I only got the R4s because IMO they are better for loader work because the tires have better weight carrying capabilities. Plus loader work and 3 pt work was my soul purpose for buying my tractor.

The other thing you need to think about is, while you may not have tons of things to mow around, how flat is your yard? My yard is a mix of flat and hilly areas. I know I cant go larger than a 60" deck; if I do I would scalp many areas. So going with a larger mower deck isn't always a good idea depending on your yard.

Last thing to think about and this may not be an issue for you; I know I could never buy a cab because I wouldn't be able to park in my garage. All my garage doors are 7' doors. (Annoying I know - Not my choice) B series cabbed tractors need an 8' garage door. I have my ROPS lowered a notch to get in the door as it is now.

Just food for thought.

 

[aeronutt]

I guess it comes down to the fact that I really want a cab for the winter and being out of the sun and wind blown grass in the summer. I just need to know if the B2650 with a 72 inch deck does a decent job of mowing ... And is the B2650 too heavy to mow without tearing up the grass?

If the cab is your deal breaker "must have" item, you'll likely be happy with a B series tractor, assuming you're not trying to store it behind a standard 7-foot high garage door.

For your specific questions: Yes, but you'll need to slow down a bit when chewing up overgrown grass.
No, the B2650 with turf tires will only tear up your yard if you do dumb things like mow in the rain.

You might check with your local Kubota dealer about doing an on-site demo of the tractor you're considering.

 

[RCW]

wngnut - -

Just a suggestion - don't eliminate a snowblower as an option on a stone driveway.

I've used JD, and now Kubota tractor-mount snowblowers for 15 years on stone. Used a walk-behind for 10 years before that. With skid shoes all the way down, the JD and Kubota blowers will clear almost 2". Couple passes to make a base, and your good to go.

You need to compensate for the stone, but it can be done, and well.

Search this forum, there a several threads that talk about it.

I myself have considered moving up to a B, and snowblower is an important option for me, probably as much as the FEL.

Best wishes!

 

[kupitz]

wngnut - -

Just a suggestion - don't eliminate a snowblower as an option on a stone driveway.

I've used JD, and now Kubota tractor-mount snowblowers for 15 years on stone. Used a walk-behind for 10 years before that. With skid shoes all the way down, the JD and Kubota blowers will clear almost 2". Couple passes to make a base, and your good to go.

You need to compensate for the stone, but it can be done, and well.

Search this forum, there a several threads that talk about it.

I myself have considered moving up to a B, and snowblower is an important option for me, probably as much as the FEL.

Best wishes!

X2
As long as you don't have fine stone or millings that might roll into wet snow a blower is fine on a stone driveway. If you have some dips and elevation changes you may have to finesse it a bit from time to time but it'll do the job and eat up drifts like nobody's business! I wouldn't live without one.

 

[D2Cat]

Aeronutt, you mentioned, "They are single-use machines... (speaking of Zero Turns for those who don't real the entire post).

Most are, but look at a Grasshopper. Their out front mower has many features, like power lift deck, sweepers, push blades, etc.

https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs...&fr=ytff1-tyc-sc&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-006

 

[virginiavenom]

Aeronutt, you mentioned, "They are single-use machines... (speaking of Zero Turns for those who don't real the entire post).

Most are, but look at a Grasshopper. Their out front mower has many features, like power lift deck, sweepers, push blades, etc.

https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs...&fr=ytff1-tyc-sc&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-006

what D2 said. they have snow blowers, blades, and I believe they even have cabs. I own a scag cheetah for my 0 turn, and I wish it had some additional capabilities. it's built very well and I use it for many things since I didn't have a tractor (I've spread gravel with it, pushed dumpsters, pushed logs and telephone poles etc) but not having the ability for additional attachments really limits it. I don't understand why they don't make a dozer style blade, or a pto driven brush assembly etc. can't wait to have an actual trailer.

 

[RCW]

I myself have considered moving up to a B, and snowblower is an important option for me, probably as much as the FEL.

For what its worth, if I did move up to a B, it would have to be my mower, too.

I just don't have the room to store another machine like a zero turn.

 

[wngnut]

Wow!! Lots of great input here....a lot more responses than the other forum I posted my questions on. Thank you!!

Ok so a blower might be an option...but....then I'd REALLY want that cab for blowing snow out in the wind on top of the hill. See....maybe I do NEED a cab. Actually if I buy it with the FEL I probably wouldn't need the blower and the FEL would have other uses too. I realize the blower would be quicker.

But so far nobody is talking me out of my upgrade that I want but don't really need!! LOL

 

[jrepp44]

wngnut,

I have a B2650 HSTC with FEL and a 5' rear finish mower. I use it to mow and maintain 5 acres. Except for the loud hydro noise I really like this tractor. I got rid of my zero turn, I hated the dust and grass it thru all over me, and the exposure to the sun, and I really did not like the constant steering effort required with the handles. The A/C works great, the power steering is wonderful, inside the cab is clean and comfortable. The turf tires are great even when using the FEL. The cruise control is also a great feature. Good luck with what ever choice you make. I can't speak to the snow removal, we had winter last year, but I slept late and missed it.

 

[kupitz]

Wow!! Lots of great input here....a lot more responses than the other forum I posted my questions on. Thank you!!

Ok so a blower might be an option...but....then I'd REALLY want that cab for blowing snow out in the wind on top of the hill. See....maybe I do NEED a cab. Actually if I buy it with the FEL I probably wouldn't need the blower and the FEL would have other uses too. I realize the blower would be quicker.

But so far nobody is talking me out of my upgrade that I want but don't really need!! LOL

I just upgraded from a B7100 with front mount blower to a BX2660 with heated cab and front mount blower and FEL. Did I need it? No, the B7100 was more than enough and has years of life left, but that heated cab....and a cup holder! Makes me feel like clearing everyone on the street's driveways.....ok, not really but it sure is nice!

 

[wngnut]

For what its worth, if I did move up to a B, it would have to be my mower, too.

I just don't have the room to store another machine like a zero turn.

I could probably find space for it but it would be really tight. I'm already moving stuff around all the time to get things in and out of the garage or the out building.

My out building has a 10' overhead door so the cab won't be a problem getting it in there. I think I'd have to take the loader off to get it in there though.