B2601 TLB on the way and have a question about spacers

[Hillhigh Guy]

Hi, new here and have a B2601 TLB set to be delivered this week. I wanted maximum stability as most of my property is on a hill and I asked for the Kubota rear wheel spacers with my package. When I build it on line, it flags me when I try to add the spacers with the backhoe. I asked one of the dealers that I was negotiating with why it would make a difference. He said he called Kubota and also asked his mechanic and said it would be fine and they would add them. I then negotiated a better deal with my local dealer in town and tried to add the spacers and he refuses stating that he called Kubota and they would void my warranty if I added them. So why is it an issue? Is it the weight of the BH that is the issue? I thought the spacers were hubcentric and would not shift the weight out to the spacers? Thoughts?

BTW, I will add pics when it arrives!!

 

[nick2010tundra]

Flipping a tractor ain;t cheap and if it can't handle spacers I wouldn't want it. That being said I found a huge difference on my bx25 when I added 2 inch spacers, Night and day stability difference. If your dealer won't add them to the deal, buy them off the internet and take them off any time you take it to the dealer.

 

[Butch]

So guys ... if I am reading it right if you don't use a back hoe Kubota will give a thumbs up on the spacers. This might be a dumb question but.... what about attachments like ballast boxes and 3pt hitch implements? I am REALLY interested in the stability issues.

 

[swmo]

I'm not sure what the issue would be with adding spacers and having a backhoe. Also not sure you would need spacers. I had owned a BX2200 for 17 years. When I purchased it I was looking for stability on steep slopes. At the time the BX looked best for that application. I have recently traded in the BX2200 for a BX23S, wanting the same tractor but with a backhoe. The 23s was either a lemon or the newer design of the BX simply is not up to par with the older design. I was truly unhappy with the 23s so I traded up to a B2601 which I think is a far superior tractor then the BX2200 and B23S. surprising it does not feel much bigger when in use than the smaller tractors and I can squeeze it thought the same tight spots that I could with the BX. One thing I noticed is the BX would lean while on a side slope whereas the B2601 does not. I think the B2601 is much more stable on a slope than the BX series. My yard ranges from flat to a 22 degree (not percent) slope. I have turf tires and I guess they use different rims than the industrial tires so the valve stem is farther in on the rim and the fluid is over the stem, so to check the air pressure I had to lean the tractor so to move the fluid away from the stem. I had the tractor at 28 degrees to do that. I inched my way into the 28 degrees. it will give you that pucker factor. also the tractor was dog legging along that slope while sliding down hill at the same time. I think 28 degrees is close to the max angle the tractor can do. That being said... You may not need spacers with a B2601. I inquired about spacers when purchasing the 2601 and the dealer said I would not need them that they are really for just moving the tires out so to be able to match widths of crop rows. After running this tractor on my sloped hills Im very satisfied with its stability. I now mow my yard (up to 22 degree slope) with a 60" belly mower and the FEL frame on (no bucket, just the loader frame) with no spacers. Hope this info helps and good luck with your new tractor.

I also have the BH70.
I have the tall turf tires (tractor can come with tall or shorter turf tires).

FYI. if you get the backhoe with the tractor ask the dealer to include the items they remove from the tractor to install the backhoe. The backhoe swivel seat frame will raise the seat height about 3 inches. with my short legs I was tippy toed on the go peddle so I put the stock no swivel frame back on the tractor so I could comfortably operate it. I am making my own seat for backhoe use (ie: tilt stock seat forward and then tilt custom backhoe seat into position to operate backhoe).

 

[Hillhigh Guy]

Thank you SWMO, that is good useful information! My slopes are similar and I will be pulling a RFM so we will see how stable it is. That is interesting info about the seat with the BH. I didn't realize that it would raise the seat 3". I'm not sure I am going to like that. I'd like to know more about the seat mod you are going to do.

 

[swmo]

For the BH seat I plan to attached a small seat to the cross bar (the bar your upper 3-point link clips to when not in use) that goes from fender to fender at the back and have that be the tilting point for the additional seat. The seat will then tilt into position and rest on the same springs the stock seat sits on when its tilted into its use position. Hope that makes sense… The cross bar will need to be beefed up as it does not look like it can hold much weight. I will also make brackets that go from the cross bar to the blinker light tabs on the ropes since the cross bar in stock form only attaches to the fenders and the fenders are kinda weak on the back there.

That cross bar also gets removed when you use the BH swivel seat.

Cheers

 

[Butch]

I'm not sure what the issue would be with adding spacers and having a backhoe. Also not sure you would need spacers. I had owned a BX2200 for 17 years. When I purchased it I was looking for stability on steep slopes. At the time the BX looked best for that application. I have recently traded in the BX2200 for a BX23S, wanting the same tractor but with a backhoe. The 23s was either a lemon or the newer design of the BX simply is not up to par with the older design. I was truly unhappy with the 23s so I traded up to a B2601 which I think is a far superior tractor then the BX2200 and B23S. surprising it does not feel much bigger when in use than the smaller tractors and I can squeeze it thought the same tight spots that I could with the BX. One thing I noticed is the BX would lean while on a side slope whereas the B2601 does not. I think the B2601 is much more stable on a slope than the BX series. My yard ranges from flat to a 22 degree (not percent) slope. I have turf tires and I guess they use different rims than the industrial tires so the valve stem is farther in on the rim and the fluid is over the stem, so to check the air pressure I had to lean the tractor so to move the fluid away from the stem. I had the tractor at 28 degrees to do that. I inched my way into the 28 degrees. it will give you that pucker factor. also the tractor was dog legging along that slope while sliding down hill at the same time. I think 28 degrees is close to the max angle the tractor can do. That being said... You may not need spacers with a B2601. I inquired about spacers when purchasing the 2601 and the dealer said I would not need them that they are really for just moving the tires out so to be able to match widths of crop rows. After running this tractor on my sloped hills Im very satisfied with its stability. I now mow my yard (up to 22 degree slope) with a 60" belly mower and the FEL frame on (no bucket, just the loader frame) with no spacers. Hope this info helps and good luck with your new tractor.

I also have the BH70.
I have the tall turf tires (tractor can come with tall or shorter turf tires).

FYI. if you get the backhoe with the tractor ask the dealer to include the items they remove from the tractor to install the backhoe. The backhoe swivel seat frame will raise the seat height about 3 inches. with my short legs I was tippy toed on the go peddle so I put the stock no swivel frame back on the tractor so I could comfortably operate it. I am making my own seat for backhoe use (ie: tilt stock seat forward and then tilt custom backhoe seat into position to operate backhoe).

Thank you SWMO! This was a great post; detailed, concise and observational...

 

[PaulL]

With slopes, there's a difference between what you can inch a tractor into, and what you can drive comfortably. Momentum is the problem, if you're driving at mowing speed and hit a bump that can tip you over, whereas that same bump at slow speed would be fine. So really it comes down to what you're doing and how fast you're doing it.

 

[Hillhigh Guy]

Well, I plan on going slow no matter what. The hills are fairly significant and there are suitcase size rocks half buried everywhere. I'm new to the tractor world so I will be extra cautious as I learn my way around the tractor.

The below happened to my buddy a few months back. He survived but that image is etched in my brain. Hence my slope stability concern !

[/URL][/IMG]

 

[Butch]

You are 100000% correct... slow and steady can get you out of a jamb... It gives the butt in the seat time to contact the brain

 

[AndyM]

Well, I plan on going slow no matter what. The hills are fairly significant and there are suitcase size rocks half buried everywhere. I'm new to the tractor world so I will be extra cautious as I learn my way around the tractor.

The below happened to my buddy a few months back. He survived but that image is etched in my brain. Hence my slope stability concern !

[/URL][/IMG]

THAT is one scary pic. given the tree and the seat.

 

[TRA]

Im in the same boat you are in. Uneven terrain in the mountains on a 2601.

I***8217;ve heard good things about these guys,

http://www.bro-tek.com/wheel_spacers/

I think im going to buy a set.

 

[Hillhigh Guy]

I've heard good things about bro-tek too. My dealer was pretty emphatic that spacers would void my warranty on the machine given Kubota doesn't allow it. I'd hate to have to remove them if I needed to take it in for service

 

[Tractor Dell]

I've heard good things about bro-tek too. My dealer was pretty emphatic that spacers would void my warranty on the machine given Kubota doesn't allow it. I'd hate to have to remove them if I needed to take it in for service

I have 2 inch Brotek spacers on my BX23S. When Messick's picked it up to install my 3rd function valve, they installed it, which I am pretty sure involved removing the rear tire, and they didn't say anything about it. I am not concerned at all.

 

[TRA]

Does it really void the warranty? All lf the warranty? Just on the rear end?

 

[Hillhigh Guy]

Maybe I have a "dealer" issue