Help Me Pick Out A Model... 3.5 acres 400' driveway

[chim]

I am going to think about a soft cab maybe, in non winter ops I want fresh air… I’ll water the lawn so it’ll never be absurdly dusty

Dust is part of the problem when mowing. At times the pollen is more irritating.

I clearly remember one cold damp morning (on an open station Kubota) in the light rain clearing slushy snow ahead of colder air moving in. Although some say "there's no such thing as bad weather, but there are bad clothes", I don't subscribe to that idea.

 

[SDT]

What's the advantage or disadvantage of going geared?



Thanks! I'm not sure on the wooded stuff, probably not a lot, it's not as large as it appears from the arial shot, the wooded part that is. Not that I may not clean it up a bit, but not priority.... Won't be heating with wood, probably a good number of bonfires with woods clean up.

I am going to consider a 3pt mower... Seems a little like asking for a lot of trimming pulling a mower but I will investigate. I need too to learn about flail mowers....

Reason I was leaning against front blower were as follows: I figured the front ones seem pricier, the simplicity of the 3pt ones just seemed like they may be more powerful too, idk. But it would allow me to keep the FEL on to move piles, and I figured I could then drive forward towards the garage, drop FEL and back blade out from the house a ways, to drive over to where I could drop the blower on dry pavement and then simply back out to the road. It's very straight, I won't have a lot of maneuvering to do. So it almost seemed similar. If I get a front end blower, I guess I'll just need to make sure to get a back blade to do the same concept but blowing from the front... But that is the why of why I was thinkin 3pt blower.

I think I'm leaning B2601... I'm hoping to get one with bh but not a must.

One thing if I end up in a pickle occasionally for size is I am moving near two friends whom one has an M and the other an L....

A gear type transmission is more efficient and considerably less expensive than a HST, all else remaining equal. It is also less convenient and operator friendly.

In your case, get an HST.

 

[GrassLakeRon]

I have 2.68 acres all rolling with a 300' driveway . My b 8200 is perfect. If it ever dies a lx or standard l

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

I have a BX2370 and use it for pretty much everything, though it's kind of tiny (it was huge when I bought it). I should probably have a 26 HP B-Series, but do like how the BX fits everywhere and with 4" of wheel spacers is very stable. The 60" mid-mount mower deck comes on/off every few weeks and once I got used to it isn't as bad a job as many claim, but it is a bit of work.

I found myself putting in a new well (water) which required a lot of ground removal, and for that the stock BX Front End Loader is pretty weak (bigger hydraulic cylinders are on the shelf waiting for install). I put a toothed bar on the front as the BX can't really dig without one, and it makes a huge difference but the BX isn't really a digger. For small jobs it's great, anything more than yard-work it's a bit of a stretch but will still do it.

I would likely step up to a B if it was a bigger upgrade, but it just doesn't pack "that much more punch" given I already have a heavy investment into making the BX more capable and lIke the small size of a BX in the woods.

An LX would be a better upgrade than the B, but my "moist" Wisconsin lawn in the woods would likely suffer from the weight according to other members. It would blow heavy snow better--that's the only time I've found the BX to need more engine power, otherwise it's surprisingly capable. The BX frame is pretty slight for a back-hoe or stump-grinder. though people have made that work.

The takeaway for me is: "Bigger is better" on paper, but the up-front cost and space requirements for implements adds up quickly.

Your situation is different: Your lawn is bigger, more open, and flatter, driveway longer, and you probably won't be in the woods nearly as much from what you're saying. You could probably get an LX with 3-point finish mower and a front-mount mid-PTO powered snow blower and power through your primary jobs easily. The Front End Loader would do what you need, and hopefully it all fits under your door height. A BX or B would still blow the drive, just take longer.

If you do get a B instead of LX the ride would be rougher, and a BX moreso (smaller tires), which is why several members have a zero-turn mower with suspension.

What you might want to do is put together a list of your most-important tasks and how long you think they'll take with each machine, then look at "optional" tasks and what might accomplish those best, plus figure out how important they are. I really wanted a backhoe until finding out a mini-excavator with tracks far better fits my needs, plus the lifting/digging capability generally far exceeds a tractor. So that's that, find out what jobs are important and what best fits those needs.

BX2370 vs boulder

 

[Russell King]

I think you may be able to rent these smaller tractors at Home Depot or rental yards. That way you can see how they work, ride, fit on your property.

The dealer may have rentals or demonstrators to use?

 

[PaulL]

Gee, I don't pay attention for a couple days and everyone else has all the fun. But I'll add my 10c.

1. Definitely an MX.

2. I'd say your property is a bit big for a BX. It will do it fine, but you have enough distance that the 2 speed box will annoy you (slow), and you have enough undulations and woods that the ground clearance will annoy you. A B2601 is not much more money and only a tiny fraction bigger, but quite a lot more capable. An old table I made here: https://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/threads/bx-vs-b01-vs-b50.36719/ Note that the B-50 is now the LX, but basically same machine with same measurements. Note that the B2601 lifts twice as much on the 3ph, and about 30% more on the FEL, plus having quite a bit more ground clearance. The BX is built to a size - so far as I can tell it's built so that guys can sneak it past their significant other by claiming it's a ride on mower. It's a good machine, but it's compromised by its height.

3. A B or an LX would both work. Both have mid PTO and can have a MMM. The Grand-L can have a mid-PTO, but (at least in the USA) there's no MMM for it. And whilst a Grand-L is a magnificent machine, it's also expensive, and I don't get the impression you have limitless money. I'd say B is your minimum, LX is your "I just want a bit bigger machine".

4. Backhoe I personally could take or leave. I've lived without one and it hasn't upset me. I'm about to inherit a mini-ex, and I suspect that will be super useful. On our new property I might have been tempted to get one if I wasn't getting the mini-ex.. The great thing about a B or LX is that you can add the backhoe later (on the BX you really have to order at time of buying). That's what I told myself when I bought the B, and I never added it.

5. At your size of property, arguably you don't need a tractor at all. So you're really into "what makes me happy" territory. It's important to go and sit on them, they're much different person than you think. And they shrink when you get them home, so don't be scared of something that feels a bit big in the dealership. And if your budget can stretch to it, I'll mention again that a Grand-L is a magnificent machine, and if you had one you couldn't help but be happy.

6. Lots of people recommend rear mowers. I have a MMM and like it a lot. It's easier to manoeuvre and I find it easier for my better half to drive (and she mows the lawns sometimes). Lots of people claim they're hard to take on and off, but I take mine off all the time, it's about 1 minute off, 2 minutes on. The B is way way easier to take the mower deck off and on than the BX. Of all the implements, I think a BH is actually hardest to take on and off (the FEL is pretty easy like the mower). I think a rear mower works best if you want to be able to back it under low trees. A MMM best if you want to cut close to obstacles because you can easily see exactly where the deck is without twisting your neck. I mow a lot of roadsides and rough country with my B and a MMM, and it's pretty bulletproof. A flail is good buying if you want something sort of halfway between a rotary cutter and a finish mower, and that doesn't stick out as far as a rotary cutter. My feel is you're more in lawnmower territory than mowing fields......so I'd go MMM.

 

[dirtydeed]

I've only skimmed thru the other comments, so if it has been mentioned already my apologies...

Remember that the BX (as well as many of the Deere's) only have a 2 speed rear. Move up to B or LX and get the 3 speed rear and 3 pt position control. The turnbuckle style three point limiters on the BX suck in my opinion.

I had a 2006 BX23 (with backhoe) for many years. It was a little beast and made some decent money for me with the work that it did...but the LX sized machine that I have now is far superior in just about every way.

Bets of luck in your decision.

 

[Huckster79]

Gee, I don't pay attention for a couple days and everyone else has all the fun. But I'll add my 10c.

1. Definitely an MX.

2. I'd say your property is a bit big for a BX. It will do it fine, but you have enough distance that the 2 speed box will annoy you (slow), and you have enough undulations and woods that the ground clearance will annoy you. A B2601 is not much more money and only a tiny fraction bigger, but quite a lot more capable. An old table I made here: https://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/threads/bx-vs-b01-vs-b50.36719/ Note that the B-50 is now the LX, but basically same machine with same measurements. Note that the B2601 lifts twice as much on the 3ph, and about 30% more on the FEL, plus having quite a bit more ground clearance. The BX is built to a size - so far as I can tell it's built so that guys can sneak it past their significant other by claiming it's a ride on mower. It's a good machine, but it's compromised by its height.

3. A B or an LX would both work. Both have mid PTO and can have a MMM. The Grand-L can have a mid-PTO, but (at least in the USA) there's no MMM for it. And whilst a Grand-L is a magnificent machine, it's also expensive, and I don't get the impression you have limitless money. I'd say B is your minimum, LX is your "I just want a bit bigger machine".

4. Backhoe I personally could take or leave. I've lived without one and it hasn't upset me. I'm about to inherit a mini-ex, and I suspect that will be super useful. On our new property I might have been tempted to get one if I wasn't getting the mini-ex.. The great thing about a B or LX is that you can add the backhoe later (on the BX you really have to order at time of buying). That's what I told myself when I bought the B, and I never added it.

5. At your size of property, arguably you don't need a tractor at all. So you're really into "what makes me happy" territory. It's important to go and sit on them, they're much different person than you think. And they shrink when you get them home, so don't be scared of something that feels a bit big in the dealership. And if your budget can stretch to it, I'll mention again that a Grand-L is a magnificent machine, and if you had one you couldn't help but be happy.

6. Lots of people recommend rear mowers. I have a MMM and like it a lot. It's easier to manoeuvre and I find it easier for my better half to drive (and she mows the lawns sometimes). Lots of people claim they're hard to take on and off, but I take mine off all the time, it's about 1 minute off, 2 minutes on. The B is way way easier to take the mower deck off and on than the BX. Of all the implements, I think a BH is actually hardest to take on and off (the FEL is pretty easy like the mower). I think a rear mower works best if you want to be able to back it under low trees. A MMM best if you want to cut close to obstacles because you can easily see exactly where the deck is without twisting your neck. I mow a lot of roadsides and rough country with my B and a MMM, and it's pretty bulletproof. A flail is good buying if you want something sort of halfway between a rotary cutter and a finish mower, and that doesn't stick out as far as a rotary cutter. My feel is you're more in lawnmower territory than mowing fields......so I'd go MMM.

Thank You so much!!! Yea I think I'm leaning B2601 or 2650. I may look for one with a cab for snowplowing and just the take the doors off for summer. I realize the 2601 would be an aftermarket, but there are two for sale right now in my area on marketplace with a nice looking non-factory cab that look quite nice. Neither have heat or ac, I'm good with no ac if I can take the doors off, and no heat is still better than snow in the face, and less to break.

I think the 2601 looks like the right size, I watches the GP Outdoors review and what he does with his, that is heavier work than I'll perform on a regular.... And physical size seems good. I'm worried if I keep bumping up a model because "it's not much bigger-but more capable" I will end up with a unit that is very capable but physically larger than I'd like. I have a friend with an L and an MX within 2 miles of the new house, so in an occasional pinch that Im under-gunned I likely can call in back up. Its one reason I'd like BH if I can, is they don't have one- so I'll be the smallest rig of them I could help them on projects like that so I can get their help if I did need some heavier equipment.

Neither one right now comes with MMM. So now I gotta decide if Id get one like that if I would get a mmm, or if I have to buy a mmm would I just buy a zero turn. I know the zero turn will get the job done faster, but frankly I'm a little excited to have a tractor and using it to mow would be the primary way I can spend time using it... Sure there will be non-mowing times but not the frequency. Long term I probably would like the zero turn better to save time, but frankly there's nothing besides the speed advantage on paper that excites me about using one...

I likely won't be buying for a couple months, so these individuals may be gone, but I'm wondering if a lot of the cabbed ones may have skipped the mmm so I'll be seeing a similar conundrum. But I'm glad I'm starting this venture now to learn a lot before buying. I think I likely would have bought a bx had I bought fast, and I think it would have cut it, I think the B is going to be the goldilocks rig for the yard I'll be maintaining, and improving.

I will see where I end up budget wise once my Mooney sells and I get an old low and slow taildragger back in the hangar, as that will influence the extras namely: snow blower, cab, BH, and then a whole line up of extras- tiller, box blade, auger, forks, etc...

I love your table, I have made similar ones myself for other projects, helps to get the data laid out as just data... no marketing bs, no flipping back and forth to google a spec. Thank You

 

[Huckster79]

I've only skimmed thru the other comments, so if it has been mentioned already my apologies...

Remember that the BX (as well as many of the Deere's) only have a 2 speed rear. Move up to B or LX and get the 3 speed rear and 3 pt position control. The turnbuckle style three point limiters on the BX suck in my opinion.

I had a 2006 BX23 (with backhoe) for many years. It was a little beast and made some decent money for me with the work that it did...but the LX sized machine that I have now is far superior in just about every way.

Bets of luck in your decision.

Thank you, yea I think I've eliminated the BX. I think I'm leaning B2601 or 2650/LXequiv. I'm trying to find goldilocks and I think BX is too small, L I think is too large for my needs, so now just need to refine which B or LX, right now I'm thinking 2601. I probably will go used so some may depend on what's available when I get ready to pull the trigger... Might seem silly but I really like the old school guages vs a screen... But wouldn't stop me if all else was right...

 

[Huckster79]

A gear type transmission is more efficient and considerably less expensive than a HST, all else remaining equal. It is also less convenient and operator friendly.

In your case, get an HST.

Yea absolutely... Iv driven larger geared tractors many a moon ago, I was engaged to a girl in college who's daddy was a cash crop farmer in MN, I helped him on breaks and such. But yea for yard stuff I wouldn't want one, was just curious of the technical advantage. Makes sense for work where you are getting going a speed and holding it for a long time regularly like field work. The constant changes of landscape, lawn mow, diy type stuff is HST territory for sure...

 

[hedgerow]

Size wise you will have to decide what is best for your acreage. I myself wouldn't spend the money on a backhoe. I would just hire or rent a mini when you need one. I also would never have a MMM again. had one on a 30 HP compact and there were two good days with it. The day I bought it and the day the tractor and the MMM left the farm. That mower was pain in the backside to remove and install. I just bought a 3 point finish mower and ran that on the tractor for mowing. It worked fine for mowing. Now days I do all my mowing with a zero turn and wouldn't ever go back to mowing with a tractor for yard work.

 

[Huckster79]

Size wise you will have to decide what is best for your acreage. I myself wouldn't spend the money on a backhoe. I would just hire or rent a mini when you need one. I also would never have a MMM again. had one on a 30 HP compact and there were two good days with it. The day I bought it and the day the tractor and the MMM left the farm. That mower was pain in the backside to remove and install. I just bought a 3 point finish mower and ran that on the tractor for mowing. It worked fine for mowing. Now days I do all my mowing with a zero turn and wouldn't ever go back to mowing with a tractor for yard work.

that's not a bad idea... The BH is a lot of investment, so I'm still interested but it's not my top priority. Maybe I should try to get a cheaper mini-escavator stand alone and after the first year or two most of those projects are done, sell it off. More convenient maybe than renting and it looks like they can be had for less than the attachment.

For mower, maybe I'll just get a 3pt finish for my fist year, and then once I'm happy that I've driven my tractor a bit, sell or stow it and get a zero turn...

All good thoughts everyone is giving me

Thank You

 

[jimh406]

If you are talking tiny Chinese excavator, this information might be helpful to you. Tim talks about how to use Auctiontime to buy at auction.

 

[Huckster79]

If you are talking tiny Chinese excavator, this information might be helpful to you. Tim talks about how to use Auctiontime to buy at auction.

Yea, maybe.... If I have some work to do, and really the work I would need to do with one would be "front end loaded" no pun intended of the property ownership.... Egress Windows, stump removal, planting of some pines, maybe doing a ground level trampoline for the kiddos and possibly the trenching for a new well if we put a new well in. All of which would be nice to handle myself on my schedule, but recognizing that once done it may be rare I need one and with them a $8-10k option for the kubota might just be an alternative.

So I may be able to just peddle it off when done, unless I just find it too handy to keep around. That is if they even are known to last at all, just a new idea mixed in here where I might be able to avoid the rental hassle I'd like to, more just being confined to times. I'll have to watch his video on that!

 

[Trustable]

I really think a B series would probably be the best for you at least from kubota, I can’t speak to the other brands. I have an l2501 on 6.5 acres and am moving to 10 acres and feel it is a nice balance. If my current property wasn’t as wooded and rough as it is I would have gotten a B. I much prefer the size of the B, but i needed a lot of ground clearance. only issue you’ll probably have is lift capacity if trying to use it as a forklift or pull something out of the ground with the FEL. You would need to upgrade to probably an mx if your main goal is lift capacity. But an MX on 3 acres may be a bit much, but I’m not judging.

also I saw your Michigan. With a b you’ll have plenty of options for snow removal -bucket, front blower, snow pusher, rear blower, rear blade, and maybe even a hydraulic broom if you wanted.