L2501 the right decision?

[G-money]

The last 6 months has been a whirlwind. We bought 80 acres of all wooded rocky land the end of November. Now we have purchased a new home that also has 18 acres with it and 5 acres of yard to mow. I need something bigger to mow the lawn when we get in our new house than my current 48" zero turn. I am considering keeping the zero turn for right around the house and buying a L2501 with a finish mower for the other 4+/- acres of wide open field/yard area. No trees or any real obstacles to speak of. Then I could haul the L2501 out to our property where I've been clearing a four-wheeler sized trail around the perimeter and do some work out there too when I want.

My question is... Will the 2501 be a good first tractor for mowing and also a good woods cleanup tractor. I don't plan on doing any farming but maybe buy a tiller to pull behind for a garden at some point. Probably cut and haul some firewood maybe dig up some rocks and push some around that are in my way. Seems like the 2501 is small enough to get around in the woods but big enough that it feels more like a traditional tractor than a big lawnmower. Would like to have the grapple but not sure if that is a necessity right now for the extra cost I would be looking at.

The L2501 has pretty good reviews and I wanted to reach out in the forum for any feedback that I could get. Thanks a lot. Much good information on this site.

 

[Oliver]

I think it would work for what you want it to do, but for mowing 5 acres a bigger zero turn would probably be better.
When I bought adjoining property I ended up with about that to mow. The previous owner used a 60" ZTR. I first tried it with my B2650 with 72" mower deck which didn't work very well because the ground is so rough I felt like a bobblehead being shook side to side and the deck was bouncing and banging due to the relatively small ground contact deck wheels. So I traded the B2650 for an L2501 and bought a Ferris Z2100 with 61" deck for the mowing and it rides smoother, is MUCH faster, and cuts better. I also use it with the deck all the way up to mow the trails through the woods.
For mowing down the 5 small meadows each Fall I use a flail mower on the L2501. Other uses are mostly loader, grapple, rear blade, and pulling an aerator each Spring. The small L is wider and more stable than the B2650 (LX2610) but otherwise about the same size which seems just right for working in the woods.

 

[Henro]

If I were in your shoes I think that’s the tractor I would buy. I almost upgraded to an L 2501 last fall, but finally came to my senses and realized the B2910 is all I need on my 8 acres as far as a working tractor goes.

The B2910 cut grass very nice with a rear finish motor. At the time, in my case, I was cutting around and close to things and I found the rear finish mower inconvenient, as it struck out the back and was difficult to use when cutting on curves and wanting to stay close.

The L 2501 weighs a bit more and than my B2910 and is just slightly larger I think. With a tractor weight is your friend.

If I were in your situation I would not hesitate to buy the L 2501. No emission controls to worry about and so on. You might find it’s the perfect tractor for you.

 

[85Hokie]

G,

welcome to the forum - lots of great folks here to help.

Question 1 - is the 2501 pushing your budget to the max or is there room to move up another step?

the l2501 is a fantastic machine but you may need to step up to the next level IF money allows.

Q2 - what size mower you thinking about getting?

 

[jimh406]

I have a L2501, so maybe I’m biased. It’s a very good tractor that is very capable, and I agree the bonus is no emissions. It’s the largest Kubota tractor that has that checkmark in the new models. I don’t have enough trees to need a grapple, but if you are going to get one, don’t forget to get the third function kit.

 

[ken erickson]

While not able to address mowing duties yet I have used my L2501 for woods clean-up and trail creation and maintenance . The tractor feels much more tractor like than my B7100 yet its very easy to maneuver in the woods. The added expense to have a third function and grapple from the very start was the best thing I could have done!
As many have addressed here on the forums the cons have been,

Seat. My biggest issue with the seat is the non-adjustable back. I like to sit very upright and with the back reclining too far it gives me absolutely no back support. Its like I am sitting on a bar stool. With the seat all the way forward in its track , if I was reclining on the back rest , I am not sure my arms are long enough to reach the steering wheel!

The 3pt position control stop knob is in such a location as to be really difficult to loosen and tighten. As other members here have done I replaced with a cam type locking lever and now its a joy to use.

I personally do not like the fuel cap location. It is tough to fuel from a 5 gallon jug, plus it attracts dirt and dust around the filler neck. I prefer the arraignment on my B7100 with the filler cap under the hood. I know its not fair to compare because the two machines are completely different animals. One of my priorities after my tractor shed is built is to work out a fueling station.

Pros,

I love the simplicity of this tractor with its lack of electronics and regeneration systems. For my work , and that may change when I hook up either a flail mower or rotary cutter, I have not wanted for more HP.
After 60 hours I am very satisfied with my choice. It has preformed very well, maintenance seems straight forward. Quality of the build has not disappointed.

 

[Elliott in GA]

I have an LX2610 SU (slightly smaller but very stable with the large tires - same size as L2501?). I mow 2.5 acres with a 60" LP finish mower, and it all works very well. To be more accurate, I mow the perimeter and a few rough spots (we are reclaiming the field) with my 60" LP rotary cutter, and then I mow 85%+ with the finish mower. It is a field, and I do not think that a zero turn mower would be a better choice.

I preferred the LX operator's station to the L's, and the LX SU saves you ~$1,500. All of that is just personal preference. However, I think this size L or LX tractor will serve you well. Additionally, I have already refreshed the driveway, leveled a 30x30 foot shed site and moved over 40 tons of crusher gravel (driveway and shed site).

 

[UpNorthMI]

I'm with 85 Hokie, is this your budget limit and what size mower do you plan to run?

I think the L2501 is a great machine and is super popular and resalable, my personal opinion is that the rear 19 PTO HP for a HST model is just a little low for my personal use (5' brush hog, 52" rototiller, 5-6' rear snow blower, large chipper). I've seen the number of 5 PTO HP per 12" of rear cutter quoted many times and believe it to be good advice, at least for a brush hog rotary cutter type use.

If you are only running a finishing mower over nice grass areas you may not need to be concerned with the 19 rear PTO HP. The L3301 gives you an extra 7 PTO HP and the L3901 a little bit more, both are more money and have regen systems.

Overall the L series are very capable machines and I have to believe that the L2501 is the best selling model for many reasons. You will find many users on here that will support your decision. My advice is to just take some time and work out your real needs and the type & size of attachments you plan to run. You can download an L2501 Operator Manual online and you can see Kubota's recommended size of attachments for this tractor.

Whatever your final decision is I recommend that you add the 3rd function kit (for grapple) at the time of purchase. Think about a rear work light fitted by your dealer. I would suggest that you have the rear tires loaded to help with front end loader balance. You also need to work out what type of tires you want as there is quite a selection these days and all have pro's and cons.

Good luck with your new tractor.

 

[Rdrcr]

First and foremost, I don't know your budget. And as others have suggested, that's a pretty important piece of the puzzle.
Initially, however, I would suggest a larger tractor with the size property (s) but, since you will be heading out into the woods with the tractor and you're only planning on maintaining 5 or so acres of grass, the L2501 may be a perfect choice.

For your usage, I believe the largest concern with the L2501, is PTO HP. The L2501 has only 19 PTO HP which will limit your choices of mowing attachments. If you feel you need more PTO HP, you may want to look at the L3301/L3901.

Personally, I plan on doing a couple tweaks to my simple non-emissions L2501 to gain some additional PTO HP so I can run a larger variety of implements (larger wood chipper / flail mower).

Mike

 

[forky]

I'm also totally happy with my L2501. I waited to buy being concerned about buyers remorse. I shoulda bought back in Jan before the 3% increase, but glad I did in March with everything I wanted at the dealer before the shortage woulda caused some waiting.
Both the box scraper and the 58" tiller work very well. I broke a new garden in our heavy soil with no problems at all. The only remorse I have is waiting so long....I've had no problems with the PTO power. I plan to buy a rear snowblower and have rear remotes for the chute.

 

[G-money]

Thanks to all for the responses. Great information! The 2501 would probably be at the top of my budget. I've been going back and forth between the tractor or just getting a larger zero turn. Don't think the wife will let me get both right now. The zero turn would be cheaper option for now but I can do so much more with a tractor that I really want to make it work. PTO horsepower has been a concern of mine but the few dealers that I've talked to have not even flinched when I suggested using a 6' finish mower and a 5' brush hog. It's a large purchase and my reservations really keep coming back to weather the tractor and finish mower will be efficient at knocking down the grass in my large open area. The zero turn would cut a lot of time off of mowing I'm sure. However I haven't seen a zero turn with a loader and a 3 point hitch lol.

 

[BigG]

I think the L2501 would do you well for what you outlined in your post. As others have said get the third function for a grapple now. Even if you put the grapple off for awhile.

Just a thought, perhaps a flail mower with Y-blades for cutting grass might work well for you. As you might be able to skip a couple of days longer between mowings.

Also if you do go with a finish mower Swisher makes a 5 foot tow behind mower that could be hitched beside the RFM so you could mow 10 foot at a time very easily. I have done this with a Wheel Horse tractor and Swisher combination and it worked very well.

Many on here will disagree with me but I would get the ag(R1) tires to play it the woods and if you use 2 wheel drive you can mow your yard also. Load the rear tires and with the ag tires you can set the rims out wide to make the tractor very stable in the woods.

Best of luck in your new home!

 

[Nicfin36]

I think the L2501 would be a good woods machine. However, I think you should consider a grapple as I find it indispensable for the clean up work I do. At the very least, consider having the 3rd function installed on your tractor. You can always purchase a grapple later.

I'm torn on recommending the L2501 for mowing, because I bought a zero turn mower last year and there is no comparison on speed with a zero turn vs cutting with a tractor. I have been keeping my fields cut with an older tractor and a 6 ft rotary cutter. The advantage over a mower is I can let it get very tall and still be able to cut it with the rotary cutter. But, for mowing, I can cut much faster with the zero turn and it is a smaller 54" deck compared to the 72" of the rotary cutter. If you plan to keep it maintained with a rotary cutter on the L2501, that may equal out things.

I only have 10 acres. You have considerably more. Not saying a L2501 won't work, but you may be wanting a bigger machine at some point. Just something to consider.