New kid in school, seeking advice.

[GrumpyFarmer]

I use my B a lot and would not want to be without it. That being said it runs out of traction before it does HP.

Looking back to your first post, you referenced experience with an 8N. IMO a standard L is a lot more like an 8N (stance/weight/grunt) than a B would be. If an 8N is too big in your estimation, then the B may be just the right size. Only you will know for sure, and sometimes that is hard without hindsight. The 8N is just a nice blend of weight and wheel size. If you liked what the 8N could push pull or drag that would be something in the 2700lb weight range.

Good luck.

 

[Russell King]

Makes sense. I am actually not against buying new. I have just always bought everything used my whole life. Trucks, cars, atv/utv's, boats the whole 9. I usually let the first guy take the depreciation hit.

You might look at new financing options for tractor and implements if they are all purchased at once. Kubota used to offer 0% on some models for some period of time. The Kubota insurance is supposed to be good insurance also.

 

[cpow]

I use my B a lot and would not want to be without it. That being said it runs out of traction before it does HP.

Looking back to your first post, you referenced experience with an 8N. IMO a standard L is a lot more like an 8N (stance/weight/grunt) than a B would be. If an 8N is too big in your estimation, then the B may be just the right size. Only you will know for sure, and sometimes that is hard without hindsight. The 8N is just a nice blend of weight and wheel size. If you liked what the 8N could push pull or drag that would be something in the 2700lb weight range.

Good luck.

I loved the 8N for it's size and what it was capable of, whether it was willing or not it always held its own. I don't think I will need a tractor that big anymore. Thank you for all of the input

The B2650 was the perfect choice for me to replace my older John Deere 750MFWD. It's used on the 18 acres we live on. I also have another 2.5 acre building site to mow that's 6 miles away. Plus, we have had another 50 some acres of woods and lake lot to take care of that's about 80 miles away.

The older JD had a mid mount mower and I was always cussing at that mower because it was always in the way and had to come off to do most anything else with the tractor. It sounds like your situation will be similar, and you'll be needing to do all kinds of chores on your acreage besides the regular mowing. I found myself putting off jobs because the mid mount mower was still on and the lawn would be needing mowing in just a day or two. Then it would rain and postpone things even more.

Being able to switch between the rear finiah mower and other attachments in just minutes on the B2650 is a godsend. In my situation, the advantages of being able to mow with the older mid mount mower were easily outweighed by the advantages of using a rear finish mower.

I've found that yes you can do larger jobs with a smaller tractor.....it just takes a little longer. But there's plenty of times that a larger tractor couldn't do the jobs or get into the work places that my B2650 can get into. It really boils down to knowing how to use and work safely with the tractor you have. Everybody's situation is different.

Working "smart" with a properly sized tractor for your needs can far outweigh haveing a tractor that is either too big for your situation or too small for your situation.

Very good point and something I was not necessarily thinking about. I was only thinking about the mowing aspect and getting close to things like landscaping etc being easier with a MMM. I am now thinking much harder about that decision. Being able to switch between attachments quickly is big positive.

 

[cpow]

You might look at new financing options for tractor and implements if they are all purchased at once. Kubota used to offer 0% on some models for some period of time. The Kubota insurance is supposed to be good insurance also.

How often do they run financing deals like that? I have seen some in the past and I think that's probably the only way I would splurge for several attachments at once unless I was finding them used on marketplace or other places. 0% is tough to beat and makes looking at new much more appealing.

 

[Russell King]

They generally have it all the time as far as I know. Right now it ends at the end of February, but I imagine it will be extended. Look at Kubota finance site and there are many different offers to look through.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

I have a BX with MMM because I have tight spaces where a 3PH mower won't work, and put the MMM on&off every time I use it due to also working in the woods with the FEL and other implements. I'm very proficient at swapping it on/off according to others, and say with confidence if a 3-point hitch mower will work for you by all means get one.

The Kubota MMM setup is really nice plus well designed and goes on/off "easily," but "easily" for a large mower is relative to it's size and your age. There are other benefits of 3PH mowers, which I'd be happy to tell you about if I owned one.

 

[check 6]

For what it is worth , I started 25 years ago with a BX, thought I needed bigger so I went to a B then finally to a Grand L cabbed…. Great tractor , stable strong and with it used a PTO finish mower but actually most of my mowing is with a diesel zero turn. Anyway at 82+ I decided the GRAND L had its limitations getting into some tight spots so I downsized to a BX 2680 and while it does almost everything well in retrospect I should have gone with the B 2601 … you notice I’m staying below 26 hp and thus no teir 4 emissions . The B has more ground clearance than the BX same hp but larger displacement engine so it runs at lower RPM and has more hydraulic capacity so more FEL lifting capacity.
i agree with others a zero turn or PTO driven finish mower to eliminate the hassle of installing and removing the mid mount mower
hope that helps rambled more than I should
PS as I have learned big is great but sometimes it is too big and actually make projects more difficult

 

[dirtydeed]

Despite what some others have said about the large B 50 series (same as current LX models), I use mine commercially. It's an outstanding "landscape" tractor without the bulk. It punches well above its weight and will lift 1K without an issue. It's maneuverable in the woods with better ground clearance than some larger machines.

If you're dead set on either a MMM or front snowblower, your options are limited to an LX. I do believe that it's possible to get the mid PTO on a grand L (not sure about a MMM on them).

From what you describe in tasks, I would think that an LX would fit those needs. You can also bump up the HP (to 40 I believe) in the new LX-02 models to run a larger rotary mower (or better yet, a Flail mower).

 

[cpow]

They generally have it all the time as far as I know. Right now it ends at the end of February, but I imagine it will be extended. Look at Kubota finance site and there are many different offers to look through.

Definitely something I will look into.

I have a BX with MMM because I have tight spaces where a 3PH mower won't work, and put the MMM on&off every time I use it due to also working in the woods with the FEL and other implements. I'm very proficient at swapping it on/off according to others, and say with confidence if a 3-point hitch mower will work for you by all means get one.

The Kubota MMM setup is really nice plus well designed and goes on/off "easily," but "easily" for a large mower is relative to it's size and your age. There are other benefits of 3PH mowers, which I'd be happy to tell you about if I owned one.

I am mechanically inclined enough to know that I could do it but the convenience of the the 3pt finish mower sounds like it's tough to beat. There won't be anything tight enough that I can't use a 3pt finish mower. Maybe I'll keep the zero turn and let (future) wifey do all the round the house mowing and use the 3pt for the rest.

For what it is worth , I started 25 years ago with a BX, thought I needed bigger so I went to a B then finally to a Grand L cabbed…. Great tractor , stable strong and with it used a PTO finish mower but actually most of my mowing is with a diesel zero turn. Anyway at 82+ I decided the GRAND L had its limitations getting into some tight spots so I downsized to a BX 2680 and while it does almost everything well in retrospect I should have gone with the B 2601 … you notice I’m staying below 26 hp and thus no teir 4 emissions . The B has more ground clearance than the BX same hp but larger displacement engine so it runs at lower RPM and has more hydraulic capacity so more FEL lifting capacity.
i agree with others a zero turn or PTO driven finish mower to eliminate the hassle of installing and removing the mid mount mower
hope that helps rambled more than I should
PS as I have learned big is great but sometimes it is too big and actually make projects more difficult

My main concern is ending up with a tractor that feels too big and not quite as agile in the woods. So basically, B2601>BX2680?They both seem like the right size. Does the 26hp ever feel like it fell short? Maybe I will keep the zero turn for any of the tight areas we end up with but I think I've decided to go with a 3pt finish mower at this point.

I don't mind the rambling, usually things I haven't thought of or wouldn't even consider come up that way.

Despite what some others have said about the large B 50 series (same as current LX models), I use mine commercially. It's an outstanding "landscape" tractor without the bulk. It punches well above its weight and will lift 1K without an issue. It's maneuverable in the woods with better ground clearance than some larger machines.

If you're dead set on either a MMM or front snowblower, your options are limited to an LX. I do believe that it's possible to get the mid PTO on a grand L (not sure about a MMM on them).

From what you describe in tasks, I would think that an LX would fit those needs. You can also bump up the HP (to 40 I believe) in the new LX-02 models to run a larger rotary mower (or better yet, a Flail mower).

At this point I think I've decided against the MMM but I really would like to run a front snowblower at some point. As for 3pt mowers, I know the flail mowers do a great job and leave a better finish than a rotary cutter. The couple reasons I prefer the rotary cutter is cost and I have lots of experience with them. The areas I would be using it I would not really care about the "finished" look the flail mower provides.

 

[dirtydeed]

At this point I think I've decided against the MMM but I really would like to run a front snowblower at some point. As for 3pt mowers, I know the flail mowers do a great job and leave a better finish than a rotary cutter. The couple reasons I prefer the rotary cutter is cost and I have lots of experience with them. The areas I would be using it I would not really care about the "finished" look the flail mower provides.

The only reason that I mentioned a flail is that they can perform both duties (finish and rough cut) and you can generally run a larger sized flail than a rotary with limited PTO HP.

Remember that there are two sizes of the B series. The B'01 series is a bit smaller than the B'50 (now LX).

Regarding the BX consideration - I had a BX23 (2006) that I used for a landscaping business. Made lots of money with that little beast and it also provided a very good cut on the lawn. However, I wouldn't suggest that for your needs for several reasons:

2 speed hst (not fun at all)
limited ground clearance in the woods leads to broken HST fan unless you add underbelly armor
no position control on three point hitch
wont lift 1K with the loader

There are lots of folks on here that can help guide you based on their own personal experiences. I have a similar sized plot and the large B is a perfect fit (for me) in addition to commercial landscaping dutes.

Best of luck in your decision

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

.... I am mechanically inclined enough to know that I could do it but the convenience of the the 3pt finish mower sounds like it's tough to beat. There won't be anything tight enough that I can't use a 3pt finish mower. Maybe I'll keep the zero turn and let (future) wifey do all the round the house mowing and use the 3pt for the rest. ....

From a convenience factor the 3pt mower should be fantastic. I'm also mechanically inclined and worked out a system for fast swaps of the under-armor, wheel spacers, mid-mount mower, & Front End Loader (all get changed out for mowing the lawn), but...say one day you tweak your back doing something innocuous, and the next day you need to put on the mower...do you want to drag a 70" deck and horse it into alignment (three times if anything is a bit off or a pin locks out before it's in position), -OR- back up to a 3pt mower and push locking pins??? And it's not just your back, you can tweak a knee, or wrist, or neck... A good solid steel deck--which is what you want--is a lot to wrestle with on a good day, but on a less-than-good-day....

My main concern is ending up with a tractor that feels too big and not quite as agile in the woods. So basically, B2601>BX2680?They both seem like the right size. Does the 26hp ever feel like it fell short? Maybe I will keep the zero turn for any of the tight areas we end up with but I think I've decided to go with a 3pt finish mower at this point.

Assuming you and I have a similar use case, the BX23 falls short on lifting logs and "blowing heavy snow quickly"--in that regard an L or MX would be nice, but I have a lot of stuff to fit under (in the woods) and between (woods and yard) so the small footprint of the BX works great. With a FEL sticking out the front and chipper on the back a sub-compact isn't "compact." But with the property and plans you have "something bigger" is likely a better fit for you. From how you describe things you might want to pick the "ideally and logically correct" size tractor, then go one size bigger, maybe two. So if a B "would likely work okay" and an LX "might be a bit big" then maybe consider stepping up to an L, unless an L is for some reason "too big." To me it seems better to under-work a big tractor than over-work a small tractor, but I'm new to tractoring so take that with a few grains of salt.

At this point I think I've decided against the MMM but I really would like to run a front snowblower at some point. As for 3pt mowers, I know the flail mowers do a great job and leave a better finish than a rotary cutter. The couple reasons I prefer the rotary cutter is cost and I have lots of experience with them. The areas I would be using it I would not really care about the "finished" look the flail mower provides.

A note on flail mowers: There are two main types of flails that I hear discussed on OTT, Y-shaped for cutting grass, and hammer flails for beating the pulp out of stuff. Flails "should" be swappable in my opinion, but I guess that's not always the case and some mowers take one type or the other--at least so says WoodMaxx regarding the mower I bought (as far as I understand, and since at this point I just want to pulverize stuff it doesn't so much matter). So you might need to look into what type of flails you want before you buy a mower, and if a particular flail is available and will fit a particular mower. (I also bought extra flails when I bought the mower because....rocks. So far the flails took out two rocks with only minor nicks and no imbalance on the shaft.)

 

[dirtydeed]

good post by Hedgehog.

The one thing that I think we all failed to post is the fact that any tractor you get will certainly shrink once you get it home.

 

[cpow]

From a convenience factor the 3pt mower should be fantastic. I'm also mechanically inclined and worked out a system for fast swaps of the under-armor, wheel spacers, mid-mount mower, & Front End Loader (all get changed out for mowing the lawn), but...say one day you tweak your back doing something innocuous, and the next day you need to put on the mower...do you want to drag a 70" deck and horse it into alignment (three times if anything is a bit off or a pin locks out before it's in position), -OR- back up to a 3pt mower and push locking pins??? And it's not just your back, you can tweak a knee, or wrist, or neck... A good solid steel deck--which is what you want--is a lot to wrestle with on a good day, but on a less-than-good-day....


Assuming you and I have a similar use case, the BX23 falls short on lifting logs and "blowing heavy snow quickly"--in that regard an L or MX would be nice, but I have a lot of stuff to fit under (in the woods) and between (woods and yard) so the small footprint of the BX works great. With a FEL sticking out the front and chipper on the back a sub-compact isn't "compact." But with the property and plans you have "something bigger" is likely a better fit for you. From how you describe things you might want to pick the "ideally and logically correct" size tractor, then go one size bigger, maybe two. So if a B "would likely work okay" and an LX "might be a bit big" then maybe consider stepping up to an L, unless an L is for some reason "too big." To me it seems better to under-work a big tractor than over-work a small tractor, but I'm new to tractoring so take that with a few grains of salt.


Note on flail mowers, there are two main types of flails that I hear discussed on OTT: Y-shaped for cutting grass, and hammer flails for beating the pulp out of stuff. Flails "should" be swappable in my opinion, but I guess that's not always the case and some mowers take one type or the other--at least so says WoodMaxx regarding the mower I bought (as far as I understand, and since at this point I just want to pulverize stuff it doesn't so much matter).
View attachment 149203

All good points and things to consider. Thanks!

I think I'm set on the 3pt mowers regardless of which model tractor I end up with. I would still like to be able to run a front snowblower in the future. I remember reading in a reply here that some will and some wont run a mid pto.

I think I'm narrowing my search to LX2610/2620, B2650 or L2502/2501(whats the dif?). Maybe even a 3302 if one presents itself. I haven't seen them all in person, but they all seem like they could fit bill in overall footprint and work well for what I want them to do. I just can't remember which do/don't have the capability of a mid-pto for a front blower at this point.

 

[chim]

Although it doesn't seem logical the most nimble tractor I've owned was also the largest. Compare the turning radius of each of the contestants.

 

[dirtydeed]

I just can't remember which do/don't have the capability of a mid-pto for a front blower at this point.

You need a mid PTO in order to run a front blower. That leaves all the "L's" off of your list. The only "L" that can/has a mid PTO are the Grand L series.

Edit:

Said another way, BX, B01, B50, LX and Grand L have mid PTO. I don't know for sure if the Grand L comes with it standard or as an option. There were some variants of the B50 and LX series called the "SU" models. They do not have mid PTO's.

 

[cpow]

Although it doesn't seem logical the most nimble tractor I've owned was also the largest. Compare the turning radius of each of the contestants.

Although it doesn't seem logical, I definitely understand what you mean. I had a 2007 Ram 2500 that turned on a dime. My current F150 turns like a school bus.

You need a mid PTO in order to run a front blower. That leaves all the "L's" off of your list. The only "L" that can/has a mid PTO are the Grand L series.

That clears that up. Looks like the 2501/2501 is off the list. Looks like it is down to the LX's or B. Thanks!

 

[dirtydeed]

Although it doesn't seem logical, I definitely understand what you mean. I had a 2007 Ram 2500 that turned on a dime. My current F150 turns like a school bus.




That clears that up. Looks like the 2501/2501 is off the list. Looks like it is down to the LX's or B. Thanks!

see edited post...the "SU" models of B'50 and LX series do not have a mid PTO.

....I know, clear as mud....

 

[cpow]

see edited post...the "SU" models of B'50 and LX series do not have a mid PTO.

....I know, clear as mud....

And just when I thought I had it figured out

 

[check 6]

I think you have eliminated the BX but for what it is worth I use a grapple , front loader , pallet forks a box blade and an airiator with my BX 2680 and it does the job . I have a PTO fertilizer spreader on order just sometime have to do the job slower.

 

[nbryan]

... a 1946 Ford 8N which was a fantastic tractor, could kick it's teeth in all day and it would beg for more...

LOL