Upgrading to B model.

[Caden]

primarily looking at B2601 and B2301. But I’m wondering about the B3030 and B3200.

This thread went off course. As they usually do.

@Bald1 , you gave a list of 4 tractors you were considering, and yet didn't expect that people who own the 4 such tractors would give you buying advise?

As I see it, its a pretty ambiguous thread title and question, so saying people de-railed your thread is kinda out of left field IMHO, since they are all just trying to help you make an informed decision on the topic you brought up.

 

[Bald1]

@Bald1 , you gave a list of 4 tractors you were considering, and yet didn't expect that people who own the 4 such tractors would give you buying advise?

As I see it, its a pretty ambiguous thread title and question, so saying people de-railed your thread is kinda out of left field IMHO, since they are all just trying to help you make an informed decision on the topic you brought up.

I asked directly about anyone having experience with a 4’ brush hog mainly on the biggest of the B series. I’m buying a B series with a BH. Yet guys are talking about skid steers and mini excavators. I understand thread drift. Happens all the time on the gun forums. Guess we can just kill this one.

 

[Shawn T. W]

Sometimes we don't think of all the options ...

If back when I was looking for a BH ... If someone had told me to consider a Mini-X ... I definitely would have looked at that, and probably would have bought one over my little SCUT TLB! (And then bought a bigger tractor for tractor work ...)

I only bought the SCUT TLB as it was all I could find within a 100 miles of me ... This was March of 2022, not much available in tractors or TLB's then, not sure of the Mini-X availability back then, as I didn't think to look ... But I'm heavily invested now in my SCUT TLB, so I'm keeping it, and making do without buying a Mini-X ...

 

[JasonW]

A guy asked a question then doesn’t like the opinions that were offered…

If a 4’ cutter works with your BX why wouldn’t it work on a B series? I can run my 4’ cutter on my M6040 but that wouldn’t make much sense.

I brought up older excavators due to cost. I recently bought a KX040 that cost less than a B series with loader and backhoe. And you can get a larger one even cheaper. Since you wouldn’t have to haul it anywhere that’s what I recommended.

 

[Bald1]

A guy asked a question then doesn’t like the opinions that were offered…

If a 4’ cutter works with your BX why wouldn’t it work on a B series? I can run my 4’ cutter on my M6040 but that wouldn’t make much sense.

I brought up older excavators due to cost. I recently bought a KX040 that cost less than a B series with loader and backhoe. And you can get a larger one even cheaper. Since you wouldn’t have to haul it anywhere that’s what I recommended.

it would run and operate just fine. My concerns were, does 3 inches narrower than tracks on back matter. I wondered if tall grass got matted down and didn’t get cut on next pass….. as to opinions offered. That’s what forums are for. But when opinions don’t address a pretty direct question it’s not much help.

 

[Bald1]

@Bald1 , you gave a list of 4 tractors you were considering, and yet didn't expect that people who own the 4 such tractors would give you buying advise?

As I see it, its a pretty ambiguous thread title and question, so saying people de-railed your thread is kinda out of left field IMHO, since they are all just trying to help you make an informed decision on the topic you brought up.

 

[Bald1]

Title of thread was “ upgrading to a B”. Nothing ambiguous about that.

 

[Caden]

Title of thread was “ upgrading to a B”. Nothing ambiguous about that.

Well, if you had titled it "Can I run a 4ft mower on B3200" , you would have gotten a focused response, rather than getting buying advise that goes with the current tittle of "Upgrading to a B".

 

[Shawn T. W]

Well ... Kinda sorta along the same lines ...

I originally got a so called 4' brush hog with my 25 HP SCUT, which actually is 4' outside to outside, cut is 44" ... after I put on 3" spacers my SCUT rear tires are 50" wide outside to outside ... I had to mow with one set of tires on the previous cut area ... Especially on a turn, as it has quite a tail swing!

I ended up the next year trading it the next year for a 5' version which has a 56" cut worked fine, but required me keeping something in the bucket for front ballast weight, as it was obviously a foot longer, and also heavier, so it was a bit light on the steering at times ...

With all that said ... I then bought another tractor, but didn't have the cash to buy a mower for it, so put the 5' brush hog behind it as I was eager to mow with my much more comfortable larger tires, and A/C ... It worked just fine! IIRC tires are 68" wide ...

My concerns were, does 3 inches narrower than tracks on back matter. I wondered if tall grass got matted down and didn’t get cut on next pass

It's just the nature of the brush hog design, you gotta run over the grass before you cut it ... My guess is that using a 4' brush hog behind a B, inorder to have a slight overlap, you will want to have one side of the tires on at least part, if not all of previous pass of cut grass ...

Do you know if your 4' brush hog actually cuts 4', or is it less like my Bush Hog Brand is?

 

[Bald1]

Well, if you had titled it "Can I run a 4ft mower on B3200" , you would have gotten a focused response, rather than getting buying advise that goes with the current tittle of "Upgrading to a B".

ok, I check with you before my next post. Not looking to get into a pissing match over this. Have a nice day.

 

[Oliver]

My situation somewhat mirrors Bald's. When I originally bought the property I'm on now it consisted of 49 acres with about 1.5 cleared which I left as a little meadow. I had another 2 acres cleared for my home site, the remaining 45.5 acres were wooded which we cut some walking / atv trails through.

I wanted a tractor with a loader and mower deck to maintain the 700' drive, snow removal, moving material, mowing the lawn around the house and also the meadow a couple of times a year. I looked at a BX but was concerned about its limited ground clearance so decided on a B7500 (similar to B2301), loader with 4' bucket, 54" mid mount deck, and 6' rear blade. I was saving for a 4' rotary cutter to buy later.

With this combo I was able to accomplished all my tasks in fact the MMM raised all the way up was able to cut the tall grass/weeds of the meadow just fine so I never bought the cutter. This little tractor just with a strap around the bucket moved and stacked a few hundred 11' pine logs. It could only lift the very largest ones about a foot though. It mowed the lawn, cleared snow, spread gravel, and did various other chores, it was all the tractor I needed.
I was considering buying forks or even adding a 3rd function and grapple to it when a neighbor's larger property came up for sale. After I added it to what I had, I felt I did need a larger tractor because there was a lot more to mow and a lot more wooded trails to maintain. My whole point here is don't under estimate what a 21hp tractor with a loader, mower, and rear blade can accomplish.

I have a grapple for my current tractor which is extremely useful on wooded property, had I kept the B7500 I'd have bought a small one for it because it's probably used more than anything.

 

[Bald1]

Well ... Kinda sorta along the same lines ...

I originally got a so called 4' brush hog with my 25 HP SCUT, which actually is 4' outside to outside, cut is 44" ... after I put on 3" spacers my SCUT rear tires are 50" wide outside to outside ... I had to mow with one set of tires on the previous cut area ... Especially on a turn, as it has quite a tail swing!

I ended up the next year trading it the next year for a 5' version which has a 56" cut worked fine, but required me keeping something in the bucket for front ballast weight, as it was obviously a foot longer, and also heavier, so it was a bit light on the steering at times ...

With all that said ... I then bought another tractor, but didn't have the cash to buy a mower for it, so put the 5' brush hog behind it as I was eager to mow with my much more comfortable larger tires, and A/C ... It worked just fine! IIRC tires are 68" wide ...

View attachment 180649




It's just the nature of the brush hog design, you gotta run over the grass before you cut it ... My guess is that using a 4' brush hog behind a B, inorder to have a slight overlap, you will want to have one side of the tires on at least part, if not all of previous pass of cut grass ...

Do you know if your 4' brush hog actually cuts 4', or is it less like my Bush Hog Brand is?

I’ve never measured it. But I’d guess it’s the same as yours. I’m lucky in that most of my brush hogging will actually be light brush as opposed to grass. And it’d only be a couple acres in a pond area with an old grain house

My situation somewhat mirrors Bald's. When I originally bought the property I'm on now it consisted of 49 acres with about 1.5 cleared which I left as a little meadow. I had another 2 acres cleared for my home site, the remaining 45.5 acres were wooded which we cut some walking / atv trails through.

I wanted a tractor with a loader and mower deck to maintain the 700' drive, snow removal, moving material, mowing the lawn around the house and also the meadow a couple of times a year. I looked at a BX but was concerned about its limited ground clearance so decided on a B7500 (similar to B2301), loader with 4' bucket, 54" mid mount deck, and 6' rear blade. I was saving for a 4' rotary cutter to buy later.

With this combo I was able to accomplished all my tasks in fact the MMM raised all the way up was able to cut the tall grass/weeds of the meadow just fine so I never bought the cutter. This little tractor just with a strap around the bucket moved and stacked a few hundred 11' pine logs. It could only lift the very largest ones about a foot though. It mowed the lawn, cleared snow, spread gravel, and did various other chores, it was all the tractor I needed.
I was considering buying forks or even adding a 3rd function and grapple to it when a neighbor's larger property came up for sale. After I added it to what I had, I felt I did need a larger tractor because there was a lot more to mow and a lot more wooded trails to maintain. My whole point here is don't under estimate what a 21hp tractor with a loader, mower, and rear blade can accomplish.

I have a grapple for my current tractor which is extremely useful on wooded property, had I kept the B7500 I'd have bought a small one for it because it's probably used more than anything.

View attachment 180703

Thanks for the insight. I agree that people underestimate what the smaller factors will do. I’d love to find one with a MMM as well. I (my wife) currently mow with my BX.