New Tractor Advice for a newbie please

PaulL

Well-known member

Equipment
B2601
Jul 17, 2017
2,483
1,410
113
NZ
The OP isn't comparing backhoe to no backhoe.

The suggestion is that he comparing a BX23S with backhoe to an L2502 without a backhoe. None of his listed tasks require a backhoe, a number of them would greatly benefit from an L sized machine.

He says he already outsources serious excavator work.

Given the constraints he provides, I'd say an L class machine is a better choice. If the OP can stretch to an L with a backhoe, great. But that's a lot more than a BX23S with a backhoe.
 
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Harley 2e

New member

Equipment
Zd21. Zd331, mowers, Kubota 1100Rtv., Kubota 121 excavator
Jun 10, 2024
2
0
1
55318
I'd agree that the backhoe is what's really pushing up your cost. If you're trying to fit a budget, you get a lot more tractor for your money without a backhoe. You can add a backhoe later if you need one, but nothing in your list of jobs requires a backhoe.

I'd look bigger than a BX for what you describe. A B is the minimum, an L would be nice. Depends if you want a MMM.
Food for thought
60 hp skid loader with
Around 2500 3500 hrs on it I prefer CASE
Front flailal mower
Back hoe attachment
There are more att.for skid steer loaders than you could ask for
Just a suggestion
Good luck
 

PaulL

Well-known member

Equipment
B2601
Jul 17, 2017
2,483
1,410
113
NZ
Food for thought
60 hp skid loader with
Around 2500 3500 hrs on it I prefer CASE
Front flailal mower
Back hoe attachment
There are more att.for skid steer loaders than you could ask for
Just a suggestion
Good luck
I can't imagine trying to brush hog 10 acres with a skid steer. And I struggle with them having a useful backhoe attachment. If the OP was looking for a used machine there would be many tractor options that were more suitable.
 

BAP

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
2012 Kubota 2920, 60MMM, FEL, BH65 48" Bush Hog, 60"Backblade, B2782B Snowblower
Dec 31, 2012
2,850
949
113
New Hampshire
Meanwhile, as everyone with unlimited budgets and no real concepts of a budget or how to make and stick to a budget keep posting on and arguing on here, the OP has not been back on the site since making his 1 and only post.
 

Hkb82

Well-known member

Equipment
M7060, Ford 5600, can-am defender
Nov 17, 2021
426
347
63
43
Ontario Canada
Typical backhoe
It s easy for the BH naysayers to be BH naysayers, because they simply have never had the instant access to a BH for those little jobs, that a BH can do best.
I don’t think anyone was being a backhoe nasayer as you called us. Realistically he said zero tasks requiring a backhoe and is predominately using it for grass and property maintenance. If money wasn’t an issue or he had no limit he probably wouldn’t have posted in the first place. Backhoes are great but not every tractor owner needs one.
when I was last shopping for tractors and specked out ones with backhoes versus ones without, I didn’t save anything by buying the backhoe at the time of purchasing the tractor vs after purchasing it. Like I said before financing it together makes sense but you gotta stay in your budget. 10-15k for some is a lot of cash. I definitely know at least two people that if it were me I’d regret buying the backhoe as one literally sits on pallets in their shop used for a few stumps I. The past 8 years. The other one hasn’t been used once I don’t think since the guy bought the tractor. To each their own personally I’d rather invest the 15,000 if I don’t have a use for the backhoe attachment.
 

fried1765

Well-known member

Equipment
Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.
Nov 14, 2019
7,914
5,099
113
Eastham, Ma
Typical backhoe

I don’t think anyone was being a backhoe nasayer as you called us. Realistically he said zero tasks requiring a backhoe and is predominately using it for grass and property maintenance. If money wasn’t an issue or he had no limit he probably wouldn’t have posted in the first place. Backhoes are great but not every tractor owner needs one.
when I was last shopping for tractors and specked out ones with backhoes versus ones without, I didn’t save anything by buying the backhoe at the time of purchasing the tractor vs after purchasing it. Like I said before financing it together makes sense but you gotta stay in your budget. 10-15k for some is a lot of cash. I definitely know at least two people that if it were me I’d regret buying the backhoe as one literally sits on pallets in their shop used for a few stumps I. The past 8 years. The other one hasn’t been used once I don’t think since the guy bought the tractor. To each their own personally I’d rather invest the 15,000 if I don’t have a use for the backhoe attachment.
I do absolutely agree with your hypothesis/conclusion!
If I could not afford, or did not enjoy eating fillet mignon...... I would never buy that either!
 
Last edited:

DenmanBC

New member

Equipment
Pending purchase
Aug 6, 2024
2
2
1
Coastal BC, Canada
Hello,
I am the OP on this discussion, and as correctly stated above I have only made one post on this site and it has taken me almost a year to reply back. Apologies to those who have been contributing to the conversation. Getting older ain't for sissies and health and family stuff took me out of the running for a while. Consequently I have not yet purchased a tractor but am still looking. The current tariff and economic turmoil may sideline me for a while yet though.
All of the above replies were appreciated and much food for thought.
Here is some clarifying information.
The potential need for a back-ho relates to my perceived need for the frequent ability to dig. I need/want to dig up patches of heavy dense blackberries and heavy broom. Currently they are too dense to mow or brush cut. Secondly I have a number of ancient solid rock piles (probably from old farming activities) that I would like to loosen and move. Thirdly, I have very uneven ground around the house with bumpy ground that is likely too dense to push flat, and my sense is that digging these solid piles flat would help with the landscaping. Finally I have a network of old drainage ditches that I would like to dig out. Yes, as mentioned I could hire someone or rent an excavator but my sense is that digging is likely a fairly common reason from owning a piece of equipment.
In terms of actual tractoring, the definite top need is for brush cutting/rough mowing so whatever tractor I buy needs to be sufficiently powered to handle a brush cutter or equivalent. With time I think it is possible that I may get rid of enough heavy brush to allow maintenance with a mid mount mower deck but that may be overly optimistic.
I went back to the local Kubota dealer recently and his thoughts were similar to those included in the replies above. 1) I may need more tractor than a BX and 2) Do I really need a backhoe.
I am still considering my options and have decided to get started by pouring a concrete pad and building a covered area to park whoever machine I finally decide to purchase.
Thanks to all for the helpful replies to my original post.
 
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fried1765

Well-known member

Equipment
Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.
Nov 14, 2019
7,914
5,099
113
Eastham, Ma
Hello,
I am the OP on this discussion, and as correctly stated above I have only made one post on this site and it has taken me almost a year to reply back. Apologies to those who have been contributing to the conversation. Getting older ain't for sissies and health and family stuff took me out of the running for a while. Consequently I have not yet purchased a tractor but am still looking. The current tariff and economic turmoil may sideline me for a while yet though.
All of the above replies were appreciated and much food for thought.
Here is some clarifying information.
The potential need for a back-ho relates to my perceived need for the frequent ability to dig. I need/want to dig up patches of heavy dense blackberries and heavy broom. Currently they are too dense to mow or brush cut. Secondly I have a number of ancient solid rock piles (probably from old farming activities) that I would like to loosen and move. Thirdly, I have very uneven ground around the house with bumpy ground that is likely too dense to push flat, and my sense is that digging these solid piles flat would help with the landscaping. Finally I have a network of old drainage ditches that I would like to dig out. Yes, as mentioned I could hire someone or rent an excavator but my sense is that digging is likely a fairly common reason from owning a piece of equipment.
In terms of actual tractoring, the definite top need is for brush cutting/rough mowing so whatever tractor I buy needs to be sufficiently powered to handle a brush cutter or equivalent. With time I think it is possible that I may get rid of enough heavy brush to allow maintenance with a mid mount mower deck but that may be overly optimistic.
I went back to the local Kubota dealer recently and his thoughts were similar to those included in the replies above. 1) I may need more tractor than a BX and 2) Do I really need a backhoe.
I am still considering my options and have decided to get started by pouring a concrete pad and building a covered area to park whoever machine I finally decide to purchase.
Thanks to all for the helpful replies to my original post.
[/QUOTE

If cost is not a major issue, it would seem that an L47 TLB would be perfect for your needs.
 

Cumberland Blue

New member
Apr 13, 2025
1
0
1
Vancouver Island
I'm guessing from your user name that I'm not far from where you're at... I'm in the Comox Valley...

I hope you don't mind that I hop on your thread it sounds like I'm going through a lot of the same work on my 5 acres I bought last spring... broom, blackberries, brush, LOTS of random rock piles. We are about 1/3 forest and I'm not looking to clear it, but I want to clean up the underbrush, maybe thin a few trees. Also planning to fence the whole property for sheep in the future and do a full lawn reno, plus driveway upkeep, etc

I just did a weekend 2.5 ton min-ex rental from home hardware and cleared out an area of about an acre of thick broom and blackberries, moved some rocks, and some other general stuff... I couldn't imagine trying to do that with a back hoe on a small tractor. I thought I wanted a backhoe before, but mini-ex rental is so easy...

My next task is preparing this former area of broom for crop planting. I'm might be a little ahead of myself clearing it as I want to get a cover crop planned and I don't have a tractor yet to grade and till the area. What's could I do to get this started without a tractor yet? I could rent a skid steer... or I could get an attachment for my ATV maybe? Maybe I could get lucky and find a tractor in stock...

I've been looking and casually shopping for a tractor since we bought the property. A year ago I just figured get a BX, but pretty quick I moved up through the sizes and now I've been pretty settled on an L3902. Attachments I'm considering include a loader, grapple and post hole auger for the front. I'm going to mow with this using a rear mount finish mower, also a tiller and a box blade.

And that's where I'm at...

What do you tractor experts think?

I'd appreciate any corrections or suggestions for what I need to be doing here.
 

PaulL

Well-known member

Equipment
B2601
Jul 17, 2017
2,483
1,410
113
NZ
Broom and blackberry I have cleared with my B2601 and mid mount mower, plus my FEL. I did not dig, I just pushed. I've also cleared gorse, which is harder, but I can push it over with the FEL.

The digging you describe isn't what I'd call backhoe digging, a lot of it you'd do with a FEL and a tooth bar. It's more levelling than digging. Also take a look at what you can do with a grapple, you may do a lot of clearing that way - refer this thread that popped up again recently.

I'd fill drainage ditches rather than dig them. An FEL will do that. I'd push and then bush hog blackberry and broom. I'd have a go at the rock piles with a grapple or FEL, or get a dedicated machine on rental for that. Bumpy ground is a tiller, or a box blade, or maybe FEL with tooth bar.

So, I'm still on the advice I gave a year ago. At least the B2601, but realistically for 10 acres I'd be an L. I'd much rather an L2502 without backhoe than a BX with backhoe. Sure, there are some tasks you just won't be able to do without renting. But they sound like about 5% of yoru tasks. Everything else will be substantially better with the L than a BX.

A BX is really too small for work out in the fields - it's a home and garden machine. Not much clearance, and since it's built down to a size it doesn't have the leverage and push needed for many tasks. Don't get me wrong, I had a BX for 3 year and loved it, it's a capable machine. But I had it on groomed lawn the majority of the time, when I took it in fields I bottomed it out really quickly, ran out of traction from the small tires, had a rough ride from the small tires, and found the 3pt to be quite limited in operation - the tractor is so low you don't have much range of motion. My B2601 is substantially better. You have way more property than me, so whilst a B or an LX could do the job, I think an L is the sweet spot. The L is also an economy machine, so you can get an L2502 for about the same money as an LX, and only a little more than a B2601. For your use it's a lot better buying.
 
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