My experience B2601 vs L3302

[Impala]

Just some info on my user experiences. Last year I purchased a B2601 with loader and grapple. It was an upgrade from my BX2350. I was looking for my weight capability and ground clearance. I loved my B besides the fuel filter location which aftermarket makes a guard for it. Did a lot of gravel work, grappling, and mowing with it. I had looked at a L3301 but liked the comforts of the B and thought it would be "enough". Wasn't really interested in the LX as it has the same smaller drivetrain as the B but a little bigger. If I was going bigger I wanted the weight and strength too.

With the hills on my property and sandy soil I discovered that even with ballast I was still constantly in 4wd with the B and was still getting pushed around some by my brush and finish mowers.

The L3302 came out and has a lot of new features that add to the creature comforts. I sold the B and bought the L and have no regrets. I went with the R14 tires instead of the R4. That combined with the extra weight I rarely have needed 4wd yet. The suspension seat is nice but I miss the armrests but they can be added. The cruise control is a $200 option but is leaps and bounds above the B. The lever on the B worked ok but was not easy to reach and would not engage and 100% forward speed, it was like 90%. The extra HP is nice. The B cound keep up with the brush mower but struggled with the 72" finish mower sometimes. This thing mows like a champ. It also has enough weight that I do not need to leave the bucket on for mowing. Plus with the bucket off it is about as manuverable and the B with the bucket on for needed weight.

I am not concerned about the regen on the L. Should happen about every 50 hours and I averaged 50 last year and this year will be a little more. Most of the issues I have read seem to be user error with the system.

The L3902 was not worth the extra to me as I was already at the top of my budget and it is only 4 hp gross. I had to draw the line somewhere LOL.

Just my worthless $.02 lol.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

are you sure you are not concerned about regen???

if you are regen'ing every 50 hours and Kubota says DPF is rated for 2,500 regen cycles you will need to service (or replace) the filter when you hit 125,000 hours of use..... for my amount of use this is not going to be any kind of a "pita". ....haha....

cheers on your new purchase. my 3301 has been flawless.

 

[jimh406]

Congrats.

 

[ItBmine]

How are the new LED headlights? Are those new side lights in the hood effective at all?

 

[trueg50]

Thanks for the info, any complaints with the loader stick location (especially with running the grapple comfortably)? How is stability (not sure if you had wheel spacers on the B)?

I too have a b2601 and from time to time feel like I should have gone "up a size" to the L series when doing some dirt work or woods work.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

Thanks for the info, any complaints with the loader stick location (especially with running the grapple comfortably)? How is stability (not sure if you had wheel spacers on the B)?

I too have a b2601 and from time to time feel like I should have gone "up a size" to the L series when doing some dirt work or woods work.

I had a B2620 a number of years back ( a little older version but similar to 2601) and my experience is the L:

- does twice the work in the same time when doing loader work
- when pulling a 6' mower about the same amount of work as we are in a very poor/weak/thin grass area so the B2620 was large enough
- back hoe work about twice as fast
- pulling a potato planter etc.... about 50% faster
- almost twice as capable in the woods as it handle my FX85 logging winch flawlessly. Winch seemed too big for the B
- moves snow with rear snowblower more than twice as quickly although now I also run a blower 66" wide versus 60" on the B. It could even handle a bigger blower


with respect to the loader stick location I am indifferent between the two. both comfortable and easy to get used to.b Being older than most here when doing a long days work on the L I keep my elbow firmly planted into my hip and adjust seat and loader stick in exactly the right place. I think the L is a little easier to make smaller/slow adjustments but might not be the engineering of the L might be the fact that my B2620 had double the hours of use on it.

I have no complaints about either but if more work in less time is needed then for sure a bigger / heavier / higher HP is good. Downside is of course more weight, larger size, etc....

 

[Impala]

How are the new LED headlights? Are those new side lights in the hood effective at all?

I have not played with it at night yet. Will post when I do.

 

[Impala]

Thanks for the info, any complaints with the loader stick location (especially with running the grapple comfortably)? How is stability (not sure if you had wheel spacers on the B)?

I too have a b2601 and from time to time feel like I should have gone "up a size" to the L series when doing some dirt work or woods work.

Stick location is fine. I am going to see if I can turn the grapple buttons to the side though. Dealer put them on top of the stick, I think it would be better on the side for my thumb. No wheels spacers on the B but did have ballast in the tires. Stability is much better. The weight is helping me on the hills and woods. It stay in 2wd 95% of time where the B was in 4wd 90% of the time. It is a little bigger so I have to be careful turning between the trees. I was always careful with the B because they say the loader is almost too big for the tractor which is why people bend them. This I am no afraid of.

 

[Impala]

How are the new LED headlights? Are those new side lights in the hood effective at all?

Tried them. They are definitely an improvement but I wouldn't buy it just for the lights lol. ROPS lights will still put out much more light. That being said the side lights are similar to fog lights on a car/truck. Helps fill in the sides. I tested it by blocking the side lights to see if they were doing anything. I was mowing the prairie and I could see my rows easier. I don't have ROPS lights and the loader arms block some of the light but was still usable.