B series

[jeepfreak1972]

Mine was a 2010 B3200 and from the rear of the engine back was aluminum.

Do the newer B3200 come with Aluminum transmission cases?
Sorry to jump back to the start, but that is the model I am looking at right now.

Thanks,
M.

 

[Eddie Jr.]

Hmmmm, thanks for the info. Do you think this will cause me problems down the road for longevity? Or do you think it was just a weight saving / cooling measure?
Ps. That new one of yours is a beauty!! Congrats!

 

[jeepfreak1972]

Kubota has been doing this for quite a few years now and so had Deere. I don't think you have anything to worry about. I'm just old school and feel that aluminum has no place on a tractor but that's just me.

 

[eserv]

Unless you really need mid-mounted implements I'd recommend the basic "L" tractors over the larger "B" series. Not sure how they stack up price wise but the "L"'s are more like "real" tractors.
My opinion anyway!!! LOL
By the way Jeepfreak, I own one of those crawlers! Mine is the earlier Cletrac model HG42. No blade just the tractor and it's not for sale!
ED

 

[jeepfreak1972]

Agreed 100% and the price is not much different between a B3200 and the L 3200 / 3800 tractors. As far as the crawler goes, when I get my hands on one it will never be for sale either.
Steve

Unless you really need mid-mounted implements I'd recommend the basic "L" tractors over the larger "B" series. Not sure how they stack up price wise but the "L"'s are more like "real" tractors.
My opinion anyway!!! LOL
By the way Jeepfreak, I own one of those crawlers! Mine is the earlier Cletrac model HG42. No blade just the tractor and it's not for sale!
ED

 

[Eddie Jr.]

Thanks for the input guys! I need the lighter “B” for mowing over my septic field. There is almost a 900lb difference in the 2 models. I know the L is much more robust but, besides some landscape and all the snow removal, the tractor will be my lawnmower for the summer months. I don’t have any heavy lifting or towing of large implements in store for this little monster. I agree totally that the heavier L would be a much nicer unit to have but I have to “weigh” my options carefully here.
I love this site, you guys are all great! I appreciate the 2 cents from everyone!

 

[eserv]

Why not a BX then? lighter even than the B and the attachments are much easier to handle ( and less expensive!) People who own BX's rave about what they can do with their tractors!
Ed

 

[Eddie Jr.]

Ed, Thanks! I hadn't considered the BX. I am however looking at the B2920 as well with the "drive over" deck. I like the idea of the wide stance and 4 cylinder in the B3200, I plan on keeping the little "B" for a long, long time.

 

[Eddie Jr.]

Ok Ed, just had a peek at the BX. I have a DX22E Case right now with the FEL and rear blade and just find it a bit “wimpy” when I am moving gravel and what not. I got it stuck in the driveway this winter too, now the tires weren’t loaded and they are turfs as well but none the less if I am going to make the move up the ladder to a better and more powerful tractor I think the bigger of the B's is for me?
Thanks for the suggestion though, they are a slick looking little tractor for sure!

 

[eserv]

There is basically Three advantages that the B has over the BX. It is heavier ( more traction and loader capacity) It has larger tires ( a bit better traction and greater ground clearance) a three range transmission opposed to a 2 range on the BX.
The 4 cylinder is also considered an advantage by some folks, I think it is personal preference though, there is little difference in smoothness. For most homeowners I recommend the BX because of it's versatility and convenience over the B, If you have 5 acres to plow though get the bigger tractor!

 

[Eddie Jr.]

I have been looking at the B's since last year when my dad got his B2620. My little case has served me well but I know what I like, and the B has it. I have certainly done my home work on these little fellas, also had a look at the Green and Red ones too.
I feel with the Kubota I am maximizing my lift and loader capabilities, while gaining the stability I will need while mowing the ditches. The larger wheels and tires like you mentioned will give me a huge advantage in the snow this year too. All this while keeping the weight under 2000lbs (less the attachments of course) She is a winner in my books for sure. My sales guy has been off sick for the past two days, so I hope to get my deal done by the end of the week and maybe have my new toy by the weekend.
Out with the Red - In with the Orange!
I just need to get my head around the MMM situation, I really want it but most people are telling me to go 3pt for the mower ....

 

[eserv]

If you have a cement floor to set the tractor on for r & r the mower deck it is really quite simple. the wheels can be turned so it rolls freely in and out. If the floor is real smooth, it slides in and out easily even without turning the wheels.
Ed

 

[Eddie Jr.]

If you have a cement floor to set the tractor on for r & r the mower deck it is really quite simple. the wheels can be turned so it rolls freely in and out. If the floor is real smooth, it slides in and out easily even without turning the wheels.
Ed

Thanks Ed! Do you have a MMM ?? Kubota sells them, but no-one seems to actually own one! I do have a spot to swap it on and off in the form of a patio-stone area, and by next spring a full on garage with concrete floor. This makes me happy to hear. I really want the MMM so I can drop the FEL and just mow with a shorter version of the tractor.

 

[eserv]

No, I don't have a MMM. I have a Kubota F2560 with a 72" front mount deck. I am the senior mechanic ( in fact the only mechanic) at a medium size Kubota, Gehl and Husqvarna dealership in Alberta
Ed

 

[Eddie Jr.]

Ed, I bet you are the best mechanic there too! Just kidding! I thank you very much for the input on this. I am pretty well settled on the B3200, FEL, 6ft rear blade and MMM. My salesman is back in the morning from being sick, or so his email said. Time to get my arse on an Orange tractor and get to work!
Thanks again for the input guys!

 

[jeepfreak1972]

Well I have some more digging time on the L3800. The loader lifting capacity is much stronger than my B3200 was. Much more than the numbers on paper in my opinion. Even with the loaded rears I have lifted the rear off the ground when digging out a pine tree by rolling back the bucket. Also there is this comparison I do with tractors that I have owned. Way back, before I owned a tractor, I had rented a Kubota l2800 for 8 hrs and at one point I had to move an old truck for my nephew. It was a 77 short box Ford with a flat bed. Just messing around I picked the rear of that truck off the ground 4-5 feet and set him back down. Scared the crap out of him. Anyway fast forward to 2004 and I purchased a new Kioti CK20 with fel. My truck is an early 90's Chevy 1/2 ton 4x4 with an eight foot box. I remembered one day of the lifting the truck incident so I tooled over to my long box Chevy placed the bucket under the drawtite hitch and tried to lift. Never happened no matter what I did. Same with my 2007 John Deere 2520 and and the B3200. They all would raise the rear enough to extend the springs some but none of them ever lifted the tires off the ground. Yesterday I tried this with my L3800 on the same truck and lifted the tires, with ease, 2-3 feet off the ground at around 1500 rpm. Then I tried it at idle and it still lifted the truck off the ground with ease. So for my experience with the B vrs. L lifting capacity the numbers in the Kubota fliers definitely don't tell a good story. I'm very please with this new machine.

Another proud new papa!!

The "feel" that the loader is stronger might be due to the pump capacity. My 3300 has 9.9/min. and I would think the 3200 was about the same. What is the pump capacity of the 3800?

 

[WayneJessie]

I have been a Kubota owner for about ten years. I own a B,an L,and a M. My B2710 is about a 2003 unit and it's cast iron all the way back. That being said,if new Bs are aluminum from the engine back then I have purchased my last one. I'm sorry, my B2710 is on the light side with a cast iron tranny so I have no interest in aluminum. There was a day that a 25HP tractor of old would pull what a 50HP struggles with now because the older units had weight on their side. Not saying that weight is all that matters but it does matter. My personal feeling is that Kubota is cutting too many corners to try to compete with lowball tractors from Korea & India. I still think Kubota's engines are the best to be found but one wonders how long corners are cut there too. I've been looking to trade my B2710 with only 471 hrs on it and I can't believe I am actually considering another brand of tractor.

 

[Bulldog]

You said a mouth full about the weight of the newer tractors. I had a 67 model IH 2wd that from the factory was 95 hp. The pump had been turned up about 20 or 25% so power was not a factor to say the least. I think the book listed it at 11K and that was without optional weights or cab. Mine had a cab and the front weight box and 1000 lbs of weight hanging off that. The rear 18.4 x 38 tires were loaded as well. I wouldn't be surprised at all that tractor going between 13k - 14k easy. My Granddad bought it brand new and paid just over 5K for it. My 04 M 9000 DTC weighs in at 6700 lbs stock and I gave 35K for it. Half the machine for 7x the cost. I love my Kubota but it's hard to replace that old iron.

WayneJessie, just curious as to what brand would interest you if you did go away from Kubota. I've looked at about everything out there and none of them look good to me. Nothing is made even close to it's former glory.

 

[jeepfreak1972]

I'm not sure if you fellas got my point. The L3800 will lift a lot more in real world use compared to the B3200 that I had, versus what the Kubota fliers would suggest. That was the point of my post. And yes the B series is all aluminum from the bell housing back. I can't understand why Kubota and Deere do this with so many of their compact tractors. I for one feel that aluminum has no place on a tractor unless its for mowing only. The L series is all cast iron and is almost 1000 lbs heavier than the B series.

 

[WayneJessie]

You said a mouth full about the weight of the newer tractors. I had a 67 model IH 2wd that from the factory was 95 hp. The pump had been turned up about 20 or 25% so power was not a factor to say the least. I think the book listed it at 11K and that was without optional weights or cab. Mine had a cab and the front weight box and 1000 lbs of weight hanging off that. The rear 18.4 x 38 tires were loaded as well. I wouldn't be surprised at all that tractor going between 13k - 14k easy. My Granddad bought it brand new and paid just over 5K for it. My 04 M 9000 DTC weighs in at 6700 lbs stock and I gave 35K for it. Half the machine for 7x the cost. I love my Kubota but it's hard to replace that old iron.

WayneJessie, just curious as to what brand would interest you if you did go away from Kubota. I've looked at about everything out there and none of them look good to me. Nothing is made even close to it's former glory.

In what Kubota would call an L series tractor Massey now has the 1600 series tractor made by Iseki in Japan. I always though Masseys were the ugliest beast on earth but the 1600 series is sharp to say the least. All cast iron and steel construction. I don't think the Iseki engine is quite as refined as Kubota but they have proven themselves to be tough. In my M6800 series range the new HD Masseys are way heavier. Never really had any dealings with the Perkins engine that powers the HD series. I don't want to sound anti-Kubota. I own three and 10 years ago would not even have considered anything else. I guess some issues with my B2700 and my dealer and district rep's lack of desire to help have somewhat soured me toward buying another one. I was in the automotive service industry for 24 yrs. Most of that time I worked for Toyota. I see in Kubota the same attitude Toyota began to take back in the early 90s. They became arrogant and started decontenting their cars and profits soared for a while. Well, it caught up with them and a long-standing reputation for quality and durability has been tarnished to say the least. By the way, the HD2670 Massey is a 91hp tractor and the dry shipping weight of it is 7000lbs. Loaded for duty it is over 11000lbs. Again, I know nothing of their quality.