Looking at B2301, B2650, L2501, or maybe BX2380

[Inverness]

Hi all, new guy here looking to buy my first tractor for our property. We have a little under 9 acres, mostly wooded, with a loong dirt/gravel driveway that is in bad need of some TLC. Uses will be grading driveway, landscaping (not planning to mow with it), clearing land and trails through our woods including moving dirt to level some spots out, and various homesteading jobs.

I went to our local dealer to inquire about the L2501 promotion Kubota has going (L2501+box blade+quick hitch+mower, 84mo 0%) to take a look at it, see if I could for example substitute upgrading to HST for the mower, etc.

The dealer told me he thought the L2501 was not a very good tractor and that he didn't like the promotion. He instead steered me towards the B-series.

I tried the B2301 and B2650, liked them both. Cost is a big factor for me, so the B2650 would probably be a bit beyond my limit, but we'll see. Looked at the BX2380, great little tractor, I'm just concerned it will be too small (maybe I'm off base here). Price is right, though.

I got to wondering what was wrong with the L2501. What are your alls thoughts on this? I like (on paper) that it has bigger wheels, more weight, more HP, and more ground clearance than the B2301.

Also, the dealer recommended I go with a Grading Scraper (AKA, land plane, land leveler, etc.) for grading the driveway. What do you all think? I have lots of potholes and big rocks in the driveway, it is W shaped and need to recrown it.

Thank you all very much for your feedback!!!

 

[Fordtech86]

I think for your uses you would be better off with the bigger, heavier L. Unsure why your dealer doesn’t recommend it. They seem pretty popular on here. I have the L3200 which is basically the same as the 2501 and I love it. Have used it for a lot of clearing and dirt work. The think the 2301 and bx would be too small, although they probably would work slowly. B2650 pretty popular here too but if you don’t need all the creature comfort things of the b50 series then the L be a good tractor. Nothing fancy about the L01 series but they are workhorses.

 

[PaulL]

I did this comparison of them all, which you may find useful: http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37655

The B comes with mid PTO and is lighter. You don't seem to have a use for a mid-PTO and aren't weight constrained. The L does seem like the right machine for you. Do you get snow? Do you need a cab?

 

[Dunbar]

Some Dealers are idiots and it sound like yours is either that or wants to make more money off of a B series. The L2501 is a solid tractor and a bargain. My dealer tried to steer me away from getting remote rear hydraulics and from getting a quick hitch, both of which I can not deal without. The 2501 is small enough to work in the woods and heavy enough to do some real work. I have one and though I have not had it long, I am shrewd enough to glean that information from much more experienced operators on this forum and others. I would trust the majority on this forum much more than I would a dealer. Use this forum to get answers to your questions. In fact you will find many threads of folks with similar properties asking about which tractor and features will work best. You will find the answers, probably an advanced B or a basic L will meet your needs. Then when you know what you want, make a deal with the dealer on your terms.


If your dealer will not sell you a tractor without a cutter you don't need find another dealer even if you have to go farther. They will deliver. I studied this forum and a couple of others for over 6 months diligently searching, reading and asking questions before my purchase. Good luck.

 

[nbking]

I love my L2501, not sure why that dealer would say anything bad about one, or any tractor on his lot. It's a good size and fit for me, sounds like it would be perfect for you.
Good luck on your tractor purchase

 

[Missouribound]

You mentioned cost is a factor.
You may want to consider a box blade instead of a land plane.
There is some savings to be had there.
But if you plan to do a lot of leveling work the land plane is the better choice.....and you will pay for it.

 

[Inverness]

Thanks for the responses so far! I will see if I can get some quotes for the 2501 and go look at one.

You mentioned cost is a factor.
You may want to consider a box blade instead of a land plane.
There is some savings to be had there.
But if you plan to do a lot of leveling work the land plane is the better choice.....and you will pay for it.

Yeah I would rather get a box blade because it would be more versatile, but having no experience with either one, I’m afraid the box blade wouldn’t be good enough for the driveway. Maybe I’ll start another thread on that subject.

 

[Dunbar]

If you have a dealer that is patient enough he can run the numbers with different combos to see how much the monthly payment will be. If you need a land plane for that drive I would get it. I doubt the payment would be more than a few dollars more and you would have to tool you need. I'm really happy that I got 2 rear remote hydraulics and a 3rd function for the front in the purchase price. Sure I could have saved some money by installing myself later and gotten a better price on the parts, but it's 0% and done. I upgraded my box blade from the base unit to the BB1560 and the Rotary cutter to the RCR1860. More durable and able units over the lowest priced ones they usually bundle. I highly recommend the hydaulics and the SSQA on the front. A grapple is in your future with all that timber.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Move up a few pegs and buy a used one. Kubota's don't break as a rule. I just bought another M9 (90 pto) with a loader, 3 sets of remotes and 3500 hours with service records in 4wd of course for 18 grand. Nice tractor and 90 pto will do anything you want to and more.

new is nice but used is cheaper.

 

[dexterous]

Inverness,

I have almost the exact same situation as you. I have just under 13 acres of mostly wooded land, atv trails ditches that need cleaned and a very long driveway that was needs a lot of work on a regular basis. I have very little finish-cut grass which I mow with a push-mower.

Two years ago I purchased a BX23S which is a BX2380 with a front loader and a backhoe. The machine was a fantastic tractor/loader/backhoe and could dig ditches and move crushed limestone like a champ. The small size made the machine very maneuverable in the woods which helped a lot. It was also really good at getting into tight spaces between the various buildings on my property. However, after having it for a while, I discovered two issues that I couldn't live with. First, it had very little ground clearance and small tires which caused it to get stuck in the mud constantly. Second, it didn't weigh enough to pull a box blade or a plow very well, it had a reasonable amount of power but it would just spin the tires all the time. The base price on a BX2380 with a loader valve (no mower) is $12,647.00.

I sold my BX23S about two months ago and purchased a much larger B2650. Like you, I went into the dealer asking about the L2501 combo but my salesman didnt like the L2501 and tried hard to talk me out of it even though there was one sitting on the lot. We talked about the power that I needed for the tasks I planed on doing and it came down to either an L3301 or a B2650. These tractors are physically about the same size with the L being just slightly larger. However, the L weighs 1000 lbs more than the B which concerned me. I transport the tractor from time to time to help my family and the L would be right at the maximum for my flatbed trailer. In the end, I got the B because I didn't like the pedal layout of the Ls.

Having just gone through all of this myself, I strongly suggest that you make sure youre purchasing the correct size tractor the first time. The BX machines are nice for everything you listed except grading and scraping with a 3pt implement, they are just too small. The next size up is the B2301/B2601 which is a good bit larger than the BX. They have much larger tires, more ground clearance and more weight. You would need to purchase small 3pt implements that are well matched for this machine to be successful. The base, retail price on the B2301 is $14,674.00.

The next bump up in size takes you into the B2650. The B2650 will easily pull a 60 inch box blade and other more standard sized 3pt implements. Its a bit harder to turn around in the woods due to its size but its manageable. The base, retail price on a B2650 is $16,716.00 which isn't too much more than the smaller machines.

The L2501 is a no-frills, stripped down workhorse of a machine with very similar if not more capabilities than the B2650. The biggest difference is that the L2501 doesn't have a mid-pto so you would have to use a PTO driven finish mower if you ever had the need. Lots of people on this and other forums love the L2501, I dont think I have ever read any major complaints about them (beyond the pedals). I wouldn't get anything but the HST version of the L2501 due to the back and forth nature of the work you're talking about doing. However, the brake and HST pedals are on the same side of the tractor and I think this is a terrible layout that Kubota really needs to change. The base, retail price on the L2501 is $16,644.00

Of all these machines, I feel that the L2501 and B2650 would be best suited for the driveway box blading work. Perhaps consider purchasing one of them with a front loader from the Kubota dealer and then purchase the other implements from Tractor Supply? The only real advantage with getting 3pt implements from the Kubota dealer is the ability to roll them into the financing. For example, you could purchase the box blade from TS immediately which will feel like your first payment. Then the tractor payments will start the following month.

 

[Missouribound]

If you have a box blade and a FEL you should be OK. Granted the land plane is easier to use but a little practice with the box blade and you will be satisfied.
I have a 150' gravel driveway. I ordered a load of gravel and spread it with my FEL and box blade in a few hours. I had just bought my first tractor a couple of days before so it took a bit to get the feel of it. There is a learning curve with the box blade but as you said it is more versatile.
The box blade is more than adequate for driveway work. It just requires a bit more finesse and patience than the land plane.
One other thing to think about is that a box blade will move more material because of its overall height than the land plane. I have moved a full box of gravel from one point to another until it got where I needed it.

 

[PaulL]

However, the brake and HST pedals are on the same side of the tractor and I think this is a terrible layout that Kubota really needs to change.

People have different opinions on pedal layouts, and in particular the JD v's Kubota style is a real personal preference thing. However, the pedal layout on the L i think is functionally problematic, not just a preference thing.

On a gear drive machine, it's fine having the split brakes on the same side as the clutch. You put it in gear, then drive on the throttle and use the brakes to steer - you have a foot available for the brakes.

On an HST, it just doesn't work. You need to keep your foot on the treadle pedal or the machine stops moving. So there's no way to use the split brakes whilst moving, unless you set the cruise control (I wouldn't advise that on a hillside, which is where most people would use split brakes), or you have to left foot brake, which is cumbersome (but not impossible). It's not that often you use the split brakes, but if you have a property where you need to use them, be aware of that limitation.

Also note that the BX doesn't have position control. If you're doing a lot of box blade or other levelling work position control will make life a lot easier. I think realistically the BX is too small for what you describe.

Between the B models and the L it really comes down to cab/mid-PTO and weight. You don't seem to need the cab or mid-PTO. So then it's weight. If you trailer it, lighter would be nice, and ballast when you need more weight. If you don't trailer it and you're doing ground engaging work, then more weight is generally better.

Don't underestimate that the L has a much bigger engine. It's the same HP as the B, but they're bigger and lazier horses.

 

[dirtydeed]

B Vs L seems to be a very common comparison when tractor shopping. The L is a great machine that can do some real work, but I've heard several complaints about the operator platform, especially if you're a taller operator with large feet.

Anyway, as others have posted, the pedal setup and feel of the L was not comfortable to me. I didn't care for the 3 point lift arm adjustments (turn buckles) on the L either. Much easier to use the type found on the B series.

Here's a video comparison of B vs L features.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9fOIMiROKY

Based on your needs, I believe you can rule out the BX series. Best of luck in your decision.

 

[Freeheeler]

As mentioned, the 2650 and 2501 are very similar in many respects, and will both do what you are needing done. To me they had a very different feel. I would highly recommend test driving both to get a feel for the controls and how you position on it. For me it made my decision once I did that. If you feel comfortable on both and don't need the mid-pto, the L is the better bargain.