New owner of a 1989 Kubota B8200 manual shift with loader. First tractor.

[MAArcher]

I just got this tractor and don't know much about it, or tractors in general, are there any maintenance tips or tricks I should know about this particular tractor? At 600 hours I think its low hours. Is it a machine worth keeping or should I get while the getting good?

Any information is appreciated, thank you!

 

[MAArcher]

Also, given the age of the tractor, are there maintenance and wear parts that I should stock up on in case they become unavailable?

 

[PoTreeBoy]

I just got this tractor and don't know much about it, or tractors in general, are there any maintenance tips or tricks I should know about this particular tractor? At 600 hours I think its low hours. Is it a machine worth keeping or should I get while the getting good?

Any information is appreciated, thank you!

Welcome aboard! I can't help you with B8200 specifics, but others on here can. Does it have a loader? edit: I see that it does.

As far as fitness-for-purpose, you'll have to tell us about your property and what tasks you'd like to do.

 

[MAArcher]

As far as fitness-for-purpose, you'll have to tell us about your property and what tasks you'd like to do.

I will be using it to mow a couple acres, I think I might be getting a used land pride 1660. And if I can find a deal on a snow blower, I'll use it to keep a couple of driveways clear.

I'd like to convert the bucket to quick attach and get a front mounted flail mower like this one:
https://www.palletforks.com/skid-st.../hydraulic-skid-steer-flail-mowers/SEFGC.html but I'm not sure what it would take to upgrade my hydraulics to run it, I think I need more than twice the flow. If I could make all that work I'd use the machine to keep a couple small fields by mowing every year or two and maybe hire myself out to do a little land clearing/reclaiming around town. (I'm in northeastern Massachusetts suburbia.) Eventually I'd like to get a tiller too. With the flail mower and a tiller I'd make/maintain some small deer food plots.

The tractors fun to drive. If I could figure out how to make the flashing/emergency lights work I'd use it to drive down the street to the convenience store just for fun and to irritate all the people who speed on my street.

 

[Dave_eng]

I will be using it to mow a couple acres, I think I might be getting a used land pride 1660. And if I can find a deal on a snow blower, I'll use it to keep a couple of driveways clear.

I'd like to convert the bucket to quick attach and get a front mounted flail mower like this one:
https://www.palletforks.com/skid-st.../hydraulic-skid-steer-flail-mowers/SEFGC.html but I'm not sure what it would take to upgrade my hydraulics to run it, I think I need more than twice the flow. If I could make all that work I'd use the machine to keep a couple small fields by mowing every year or two and maybe hire myself out to do a little land clearing/reclaiming around town. (I'm in northeastern Massachusetts suburbia.) Eventually I'd like to get a tiller too. With the flail mower and a tiller I'd make/maintain some small deer food plots.

The tractors fun to drive. If I could figure out how to make the flashing/emergency lights work I'd use it to drive down the street to the convenience store just for fun and to irritate all the people who speed on my street.

Start by being more specific about the model of B8200 you have. Particularly the transmission. I assume it has 4WD.
There is a free Owners' manual on Kubotabooks.com for a manual trans model but many of the other details will be similar if your has a HST.
Manual
Your intentions are not different than most new owners of these small tractors. They are impressed by the tractors capabilities and start thinking they have bought a full sized backhoe or skid steer.
On a good day you have 16 HP at the pto. The engine HP number of 19 is not useful for you.
Depending upon the model you have the hydraulic flow is at best 6 gpm at full engine speed.
The flail mower you are looking at requires a minimum of 13 gpm and better performance at 21 gpm.
Since your existing hydraulic pump does not meet the requirements of the flail you decide to buy a pto driven pump and reservoir. To produce 13 gpm at 2,500 psi would require 19 hp. In other words the engine of your tractor does not have the power to drive a big enough pump to run your flail.

An alternative is to drive your flail with its own gas engine using the loader to position the flail.
You have a machine many would love to have. Respect its limitations and it will serve you for many years.
Dave

 

[Biker1mike]

Your tractor is the bigger cousin to mine. For mowing I think a belly mount or rear pto finishing mower is the better way to go. Add a brush hog for the once or twice a year fields. The tractor will skid logs but not the size needed to do large scale clearing.
These little tractors will do a lot of work but remember they are sub-compacts.
Unless you have a 'real' farm use for being on the public roads you might be asking for trouble.

 

[fried1765]

Your tractor is the bigger cousin to mine. For mowing I think a belly mount or rear pto finishing mower is the better way to go. Add a brush hog for the once or twice a year fields. The tractor will skid logs but not the size needed to do large scale clearing.
These little tractors will do a lot of work but remember they are sub-compacts.
Unless you have a 'real' farm use for being on the public roads you might be asking for trouble.

Yup.......Mass. cops will give you a ticket/fine for driving a tractor on roadways......guaranteed!

 

[MAArcher]

Yup.......Mass. cops will give you a ticket/fine for driving a tractor on roadways......guaranteed!

Coppers would have to catch me fist. Tractor hauls ass in high three.

 

[MAArcher]

Is there a way to float my loader bucket? If not, is there a way to add that function to an older tractor?

 

[Dave_eng]

Is there a way to float my loader bucket? If not, is there a way to add that function to an older tractor?

Float is a function or feature built into the loader valve.
Start by determining how many hoses connect to the loader valve. 6 or 7.
The answer will help advising you on a possible replacement loader valve.
Why do you think you need a float feature? Most tractors of the 1960's and 1970's did not have it and their owners coped quite well.
Dave

 

[MAArcher]

Float is a function or feature built into the loader valve.
Start by determining how many hoses connect to the loader valve. 6 or 7.
The answer will help advising you on a possible replacement loader valve.
Why do you think you need a float feature? Most tractors of the 1960's and 1970's did not have it and their owners coped quite well.
Dave

With a bad back I really like the idea of front mounted implements and I'm thinking if I can float the loader then it would be better for things like a snowblower or flail mower. I'm also guessing if I used the loader to scrap light snow off the driveway, I'll tear the driveway up less if I can float it.

I'll count houses this afternoon. Thanks

 

[PoTreeBoy]

According to Tractordata, there was a 60" front snow blower, model L322, a available. You could try finding one, but I wouldn't be optimistic. If you do find one, make sure it has all the mounting brackets and power drive components.

I think a front mower is overly optimistic on this small tractor. Your loader has about 700# capacity at the pins- less the further it hangs out. A 4', maybe 5, brush cutter should work well. Maybe with mirrors or backup camera it would work for you.

 

[MAArcher]

Start by being more specific about the model of B8200 you have. Particularly the transmission. I assume it has 4WD.
There is a free Owners' manual on Kubotabooks.com for a manual trans model but many of the other details will be similar if your has a HST.
Manual
Your intentions are not different than most new owners of these small tractors. They are impressed by the tractors capabilities and start thinking they have bought a full sized backhoe or skid steer.
On a good day you have 16 HP at the pto. The engine HP number of 19 is not useful for you.
Depending upon the model you have the hydraulic flow is at best 6 gpm at full engine speed.
The flail mower you are looking at requires a minimum of 13 gpm and better performance at 21 gpm.
Since your existing hydraulic pump does not meet the requirements of the flail you decide to buy a pto driven pump and reservoir. To produce 13 gpm at 2,500 psi would require 19 hp. In other words the engine of your tractor does not have the power to drive a big enough pump to run your flail.

An alternative is to drive your flail with its own gas engine using the loader to position the flail.
You have a machine many would love to have. Respect its limitations and it will serve you for many years.
Dave

This company says that this powerpack will give me the full 16gpm 2,500psi with my tractors 14-16hp PTO. https://www.greenhoecompany.com/hypo-max
They cost $2,450. So if they are being truthful, it could run the 61" snowblower at its maximum GPM and a 60" flail mower at its min GPM. I paid $5k for the tractor, the flail mower's $3,200 and I'm guessing the snowblowers similar in price and I'm getting a deal on a like new finish mower and debris blower for $1k. So for a total of $15k I have a good condition moderately used tractor and new implements that should do everything I want, hopefully for the next 20 years or so. Now if I can figure out how to sell my wife on the idea.....

 

[fried1765]

This company says that this powerpack will give me the full 16gpm 2,500psi with my tractors 14-16hp PTO. https://www.greenhoecompany.com/hypo-max
They cost $2,450. So if they are being truthful, it could run the 61" snowblower at its maximum GPM and a 60" flail mower at its min GPM. I paid $5k for the tractor, the flail mower's $3,200 and I'm guessing the snowblowers similar in price and I'm getting a deal on a like new finish mower and debris blower for $1k. So for a total of $15k I have a good condition moderately used tractor and new implements that should do everything I want, hopefully for the next 20 years or so. Now if I can figure out how to sell my wife on the idea.....

Even with only 600 hours, $15,000 is WAY too much to have invested in an already 32+ year old 19 HP tractor, with attachments!
Keeping it for "20 years or so" would then make it a 52+ year old tractor, with low residual value.
Better buy every spare part now that you can think of.
No matter what spare parts you might buy though, they will inevitably be parts you will never need.
Another idea might be to try to find/buy another B8200, as a spare parts tractor.

Best idea would be to sell now, and buy a new, or much newer/modern used Kubota.
I have a 33 year old (32HP) Ford 1920, (I think close to 20,000 were built) and both new and used parts are becoming somewhat difficult to find.
I have spent as much cash buying and refurbishing my Ford as I would have if I had bought a new Kubota when I bought the used Ford.

My best idea was 3 years ago, when I bought a 48HP 2006 Kubota L48 TLB with only 251 hours ........but it too is now 16 years old, and support for it will eventually become an issue. (I'll be dead!)

 

[MAArcher]

Even with only 600 hours, $15,000 is WAY too much to have invested in a now already 32+ years old 19 HP tractor, with attachments!
Keeping it for "20 years or so" would then make it a 52+ year old tractor, with little residual value.
Better buy every spare part now that you can think of.
No matter what spare parts you might buy though, they will inevitably be parts you will never need.
Another idea might be to find/buy another B8200, as a spare parts tractor.

Best idea would be to sell now, and buy a new, or much newer/modern used Kubota.

I do question how long the tractor can be in service, so I was thinking that I'd just run it till its done then buy another used one. There seems to be a lot of BX tractors around, maybe ten years from now they could be had used for a good price. What is it that typically kills these tractors? A remanufactured motor for a B8200 can be had for $3,500.

But its only $5,000 invested in the tractor right now, the implements can be made to work on lots of other tractors.

 

[Mark_BX25D]

The tractors fun to drive. If I could figure out how to make the flashing/emergency lights work I'd use it to drive down the street to the convenience store just for fun and to irritate all the people who speed on my street.

Welcome! Have fun!

 

[jyoutz]

Front mounted implements would be a huge disappointment on that small tractor. You need a mid mount or rear mower. A rotary cutter (4’) would work well for field mowing. Flails do break teeth/hammers and aren’t cheap to fix.

 

[TheOldHokie]

This company says that this powerpack will give me the full 16gpm 2,500psi with my tractors 14-16hp PTO. https://www.greenhoecompany.com/hypo-max
They cost $2,450. So if they are being truthful, it could run the 61" snowblower at its maximum GPM and a 60" flail mower at its min GPM. I paid $5k for the tractor, the flail mower's $3,200 and I'm guessing the snowblowers similar in price and I'm getting a deal on a like new finish mower and debris blower for $1k. So for a total of $15k I have a good condition moderately used tractor and new implements that should do everything I want, hopefully for the next 20 years or so. Now if I can figure out how to sell my wife on the idea.....

The B8200 loader should have a float position.

You can put a PTO pump and reservoir on the tractor for well under $1K. A realistic number is 1HP required for every gallon per minute of flow @ 1500 PSI. You can treat that as a linear relationship for both pressure and flow. So 16 input HP will max out at roughly 16 GPM@1500 PSI or 9.6 GPM @ 2500 PSI,

Its probably unrealistic to expect to see the OEM spec of 16 PTO horsepower on a tractor of that age.

Dan

 

[ken erickson]

In 2009 I purchased a B7100 HST with 800 hours and the only implement was a mid mount mower deck. I realized its not the same tractor as yours but it is somewhat in the same weight class with similar capabilities with a 16HP gross engine.

I now have a 50 inch front mount snowblower, 6 foot back blade , 4 foot box blade , 5 foot landscape rake and a 48 inch brush cutter which I recently traded.

I fully expect this tractor to outlive me and end up being the kids problem one day.

Other than routine maintenance here are the problems and parts that needed attention
New seat as the original had cracked around the mounting brackets. Replaced with a OEM seat, same style.
I had the radiator repaired around the 900 hour mark. The top tank was leaking.
The dynamo bearings required replacement around the 1050 mark.
HST pedal return to center required attention, adjustments but no parts.

As to your question , "What is it that typically kills these tractors?" I suspect running without coolant or clogged radiator and over heating would be close to the top of the list. Driveline abuse might be high on the list also. I like to think that I am in tune with my tractors and avoid extreme forces on the driveline etc.

 

[MAArcher]

The B8200 loader should have a float position.

You can put a PTO pump and reservoir on the tractor for well under $1K. A realistic number is 1HP required for every gallon per minute of flow @ 1500 PSI. You can treat that as a linear relationship for both pressure and flow. So 16 input HP will max out at roughly 16 GPM@1500 PSI or 9.6 GPM @ 2500 PSI,

Its probably unrealistic to expect to see the OEM spec of 16 PTO horsepower on a tractor of that age.

Dan

So the salesman at Green Hoe has it wrong you think, there's no way to get 16gpm/2,500psi from a 16hp PTO? It didn't seem like he was just telling me what I wanted to hear, he had to keep "checking" to get the answers.