B2601 lift capacity

[msmcknight]

Hi everyone,

I'm a first-time tractor buyer and am a little confused on some of the specs. In particular, with respect to the FEL. The B2601 brochure states:

Lift capacity (bucket pivot pin, max height) = 948 lbs.
Lift capacity (19.7 in. forward, max height) = 659 lbs.

So... how much can I actually lift? If I scoop up a load of rock, pick up a tree with a grapple, or a crate with forks, does that mean I can only lift 659 lbs? Does that include the weight of the bucket/grapple/forks? If the actual capability of the tractor is only 659 lbs., why give the 948. lbs number?

I was dead-set on the B2601 until I stumbled across the Mahindra Max 26XL. The specs look about the same overall, but the 26XL can lift 1400 lbs at the pins. Guessing about the same loss at 19" out (31%), that would put the 26XL at 966 lbs real lift capability. That's a heck of a difference for a tractor that cost $1200 less.

This math just doesn't seem right to me so I thought I'd ask you guys about the real capability of the B2601. The 2650 is physically too big for what I need, and even it falls short of the cheaper 26XL. As you can see, I'm confused so any clarification any of you can offer would be appreciated.

Thank you,
-Michael

 

[85Hokie]

Mike,

doing some digging.....and I too am confused too!!!

here is a direct comparison b/w 4 different tractors.

http://www.kubota.com/assets/product/comps/B01/B01_Comps_Implements.pdf

I will tell you this, Kubota is famous for under rating their equipment. On a BX - the lifts and breakouts can be increased quite a bit without a lot of time or effort. Not saying it is the right way but I know from experience that the adjustment is worth it!!! I know that I have lifted weights that far exceed what is specified.

Others who have this machine will tell you more about those numbers.

 

[MadMax31]

Kubota is rarely the stronger loader on paper. As stated, numbers often on the conservative side.

Mahindra resale is awful around here. I know one guy with a cab Mahindra who is happy and two people who traded in towards Greene and Orange. Dealer support should be a factor in your decision as well. A local dealer, whom I really like, has an abismal repair shop as far as diesel powered or otherwise "heavy" equipment is concerned.

 

[sdk1968]

ive got a 2601 with the 434 FEL on the front...

can tell you first hand they way under rate this.

how much will it lift? vs how much will it curl?

vs you only on front wheels while the back is up in the air..

that was my problem. it will very easy lift the 900lbs... but if you dont have counterweight you will be doing a front wheelie.

lots of guys here will tell you that a bushhog doesnt make a good counterweight or not to use it as one.. but with the hog on the back & my tires now loaded?

it has no problem picking up close to 1K & riding it around. (say 12-18" off ground)

but in all seriousness: if you are gonna need to pick 1K up to high levels?

you need a bigger/heavier tractor regardless of brand. Kubo, Kioti, Mahindra, deere, ford.. none of these compact (25-26hp) tractors are designed to put 1K items at 6' + in the air.

its just plain old fashioned weight distribution vs safety.

 

[msmcknight]

I would have the tires filled and a ballast box on the back. I don't expect to carry things around that heavy, that high, but I need to unload 950lbs from the back of a semi with forks and haul it to a staging area. Once its off the truck, I could carry it near the ground.

I also need to move jetski's around. We have slings for them that we lift with forks. The ski's weigh in at around 750lbs. The boom would need to be kinda high just to allow for the height of the ski plus sling.

I'm pretty sure I can weigh the back end enough to make the load safe, but I was concerned that the loader wouldn't lift it.

Those are rare use-cases. Most of the work would be moving dirt, rocks and trees in some fairly confined spaces.

Thanks to you all for the replies. Any additional insights are certainly welcome and appreciated.

-Michael

 

[PaulL]

If you have definite use for the more capacity (rather than like many of us who'd just like a bigger number on our tractor), then I'd say get the tractor that can do that job. But I'd test it to be sure - go to a dealer and lift what you want to lift with each. I suspect the Kubota will lift more than it says, but a jetski is going to be a long way further out than you're spec'd for, and it's more weight than you're spec'd for. No point in buying a machine that can't do the job you want to do.

 

[sdk1968]

I would have the tires filled and a ballast box on the back. I don't expect to carry things around that heavy, that high, but I need to unload 950lbs from the back of a semi with forks and haul it to a staging area. Once its off the truck, I could carry it near the ground.

I also need to move jetski's around. We have slings for them that we lift with forks. The ski's weigh in at around 750lbs. The boom would need to be kinda high just to allow for the height of the ski plus sling.

I'm pretty sure I can weigh the back end enough to make the load safe, but I was concerned that the loader wouldn't lift it.

Those are rare use-cases. Most of the work would be moving dirt, rocks and trees in some fairly confined spaces.

Thanks to you all for the replies. Any additional insights are certainly welcome and appreciated.

-Michael

Micheal,

if you check my thread from yesterday you'll see the typical lifts i do with my forks on my FEL on the 2601.. this time it was a 500lb stumpgrinder off teh back of my truck. absolutely no problem with that amount with loaded tires & the wood chipper on the back as ballast.

& that was at about the 4' high mark.

the problem for you no matter what brand you buy is that as you go UP you lose lift capacity from the distance away/forward/angle & everything else.

then throw in that you are talking about using a sling? top lift height on any of these small tractors is around 8' (give or take a couple inches)... drop a sling from that & your load? you arent gonna be very far off the ground or have much lift ability when you do.

you literally need a taller tractor than a 26max mahindra or a 2601 kubota..

& unless you like losing money instantly? avoid the mahindra.

if a Kubota wont do because of price? then go to a KIOTI.

their CK series is a good bit taller & stronger than my 2601 Kubota & if i was gonna buy anything else brand wise? it would be one of those.

you could go up to a CK35 for less than the 2601 Kubo & have a lot more power/lift/height & so on.

but it STILL wont be a Kubota. Cadillac vs Chevy.

 

[ItBmine]

I was impressed today with my B2620. Had to unload a 534 pound crate and I have clamp on bucket forks. They rob a lot of power because of the added leverage being way out in front of the bucket.
It curled and lifted it effortlessly.

 

[jpf]

wow do you still use that big.................dish?

 

[ItBmine]

Hahaha....no. Just been too lazy to pull it out, LOL.

It was my favorite though. I miss the day of being able to get just the channels I want, and not paying for 200 channels of the same old crap.

 

[Dgas47]

I know I'm a year late but I just had to share this. The lift capacity is extremely underrated.

So I just picked up a B2601 with the 434 loader and a pair of Landpride 330 pound forks. I have the quick attach coupler. Anyway, I lifted a pallet of green beechwood 2 feet off the ground before the hydralics failed to go higher. The measured amount was 38" wide x 48" long x 36" high. Extremely conservative measurements yielded 38 cubic feet of wood. Multiplied that by 54 (weight per cubic foot of green beechwood) and came to 2,052 pounds. That does not include the weight of the pallet and forks. Now I know the wood was green because I cut the tree myself. Even if it was seasoned it would still weigh 1,710 pounds.

Now, I know you aren't lifting it to full height but the loader had NO problem lifting the load til it quit. Didn't get a pic of it on the loader as I was too busy gawking! PS, I had 1,000 pounds of ballast on the rear. Love this machine.

 

[mikester]

Hi everyone,
This math just doesn't seem right to me so I thought I'd ask you guys about the real capability of the B2601. The 2650 is physically too big for what I need, and even it falls short of the cheaper 26XL. As you can see, I'm confused so any clarification any of you can offer would be appreciated.

Thank you,
-Michael

Neither is going lift what you will want them or expect them to if you think a SCUT is too big for what you need.

Those SCUT loaders are simply powered wheel barrows, not portable cranes or construction equipment.

 

[Jchonline]

Neither is going lift what you will want them or expect them to if you think a SCUT is too big for what you need.

Those SCUT loaders are simply powered wheel barrows, not portable cranes or construction equipment.

Ah Mike now this did have me laughing out loud. I know I shouldn't but I did

 

[Jchonline]

I know I'm a year late but I just had to share this. The lift capacity is extremely underrated.

So I just picked up a B2601 with the 434 loader and a pair of Landpride 330 pound forks. I have the quick attach coupler. Anyway, I lifted a pallet of green beechwood 2 feet off the ground before the hydralics failed to go higher. The measured amount was 38" wide x 48" long x 36" high. Extremely conservative measurements yielded 38 cubic feet of wood. Multiplied that by 54 (weight per cubic foot of green beechwood) and came to 2,052 pounds. That does not include the weight of the pallet and forks. Now I know the wood was green because I cut the tree myself. Even if it was seasoned it would still weigh 1,710 pounds.

Now, I know you aren't lifting it to full height but the loader had NO problem lifting the load til it quit. Didn't get a pic of it on the loader as I was too busy gawking! PS, I had 1,000 pounds of ballast on the rear. Love this machine.

Glad it is working out for you! Were you able to travel with that load any distance? Curious how stable it was when moving.

 

[PA452]

Neither is going lift what you will want them or expect them to if you think a SCUT is too big for what you need.

Those SCUT loaders are simply powered wheel barrows, not portable cranes or construction equipment.

Eh... I wasn't around when he did it, but my dad lifted a 55 gallon drum of used motor oil onto a truck with my BX23 not long ago. Can't do that with a wheel barrow.

 

[Jchonline]

Eh... I wasn't around when he did it, but my dad lifted a 55 gallon drum of used motor oil onto a truck with my BX23 not long ago. Can't do that with a wheel barrow.

Hey he did say POWERED wheel barrow lol

Seriously though that is pretty impressive. I really like the BX23S. If it had 3 gear ranges I would probably already own one just because they are so handy. At our altitude I was pretty much in L the entire time (with the FEL and BH on).

 

[Dgas47]

Glad it is working out for you! Were you able to travel with that load any distance? Curious how stable it was when moving.

I moved it about 50 feet (20 in reverse and 30 forward and to the right). It was on level gravel so the ride was slow but smooth. RPMs were just under red line and I was in 4 low. The first time I attempted to move it the RPMs were at 2,300 (I saw this was posted a few times from guys on here for loader work) and it wouldn't pick.

I was also able to lift an IBC crate with 1,300 pounds of salt (26 50 pound bags) out of the rear of a Ford F550 dump. It only lifted about 3 inches but it was enough to clear the body and back out. I'd say it was about 48 - 54" high. What was weird was that after I brought the crate back down to travel height the machine wouldn't lift it at all until I re-positioned the forks and even then it only lifted 1 foot. But I accomplished my goal of UNLOADING the crate so I was satisfied.

I bought the machine "used" with 4 hours on it. I have not touched the hydraulics. It's real particular about where the weight is when you lift it. If I'm not 100% in to the pallet and the heaviest portion isn't closest to the pins it won't lift. But when I am man can this thing heave. My experience so far has been if it wants to lift it then it will, if it doesn't want to lift it then it won't.

I mainly bought it to do landscaping, driveway maintenance, and move firewood. I figured if I keep the weight of IBC crates with wood to 800 pounds this machine should have no problem double stacking them for storage. Love it now and I'm sure I'll love it for years to come. PS, loader valve is smooth as butter.

 

[Jchonline]

I really do like that little tractor. It is a great balance of size and capability for such a small footprint. There is a YouTube channel...GP Outdoors. He has a B2601 and does quite a bit with that machine..even on a larger property.

 

[Geotech]

All loaders have different lift and roll back capacities at different heights. Kubota publishes their's in their user manuals. Page 5 on the below link contains the lift chart for the LA434 loader. Convert from kilograms to pounds by multiplying by 2.2. It's lift capacity is nearly 2,200 lbs a few inches off the ground! A very HIGH powered wheel barrel, lol!

 

[Dgas47]

**I know the ROPS is not all the way up**

Okay so this stack of wood is a little smaller than the first stack I lifted. But it measured 44" wide x 38" deep x 28" high. The whole stack is beech wood that I split in October of this year (2018). Green weight is 54 pounds per cubic foot and seasoned weight is 45 pounds per cubic foot (numbers obtained through various wood sites). As you can see it's stacked on there pretty tight and the measurements taken were extremely conservative (I measured from the lowest point, most narrow point, etc). I tried to stack the "heavy" wood closest to the front of the machine.

Weight of the wood alone is 1,462.86 pounds (green) or 1,219.05 (seasoned). The IBC cage weighs 100 pounds and my forks weigh 330 pounds. So, in total, we have either 1,892.86 pounds or 1,649.05 pounds of weight on the front of the loader.

I forgot to measure how high it got but it is clearly high enough to move and I was actually able to go higher so I could stack one cage on top of the other. Judging by the picture it looks to be about headlight level and I was able to go higher than that. Say 4 feet to be safe.

I wanted to see if the 434 could lift it and it definitely can. Now I should be able to fill the cage to the top and the machine should be able to lift and move it without a problem. Stacking it is probably out of the question at that point. This is a 270 gallon IBC cage FYI. I was able to find pallet tarps on Amazon that fit IBC cages like a glove ($16 each) so all my firewood will be going in them instead of the woodshed. I'll have the top covered until it seasons then the full tarp will be dropped down to keep it dry.