Want a new tractor. Looking for suggestions.

[pgmrdan]

I have a BX2380 and use it some almost daily. If something happened to it I'd get a current version in a heartbeat to replace it. I use it to mow the lawn and haul stuff in the dump trailer.

I also have an old (55+ years) utility tractor that has seen better days. If I replace it I need something for mowing my 14 acres of fields and doing some other work where I need a front loader.

Any suggestions? Should I stick with another Kubota or get some other make?

Thanks.

 

[Bearcatrp]

If your 2380 is working fine, why get something else? Just get the right attachment.

 

[pgmrdan]

What would be the right attachment for mowing 14 acres of weeds and very small cedar sprouts that won't over stress the BX2380?

 

[Bearcatrp]

Go research bush hog. Maybe find a rental to see your tractor can do the job before buying another tractor.

 

[Elliott in GA]

What would be the right attachment for mowing 14 acres of weeds and very small cedar sprouts that won't over stress the BX2380?

You need to determine: (1) how many times per year you are going to mow the 14 acres and (2) how tough are your weeds/cedar sprouts.

A BX is usually paired with a 4 ft. rotary cutter. It will probably take you about 11 hours to cut the 14 acres. I cut a ~6 acre field with a 5 ft. cutter twice a year, and it takes about 3-3.5 hours. The field is not very fertile, and I am mostly cutting tall but thin grass and briars. When I cut the field the first time, it was full of tractor hood high weeds and briars. How much time do you want to spend cutting your field(s)?

If the weeds are fairly standard and the cedar sprouts are just sprouts, any rotary cutter should be able to handle it. Obviously, the first cutting may take much more time. I had to stop about every 20 minutes to blow off the tractor/engine/radiator with a leaf blower the first time I cut the weeds.

 

[jyoutz]

I would be very concerned about using a BX to field mow, especially with small trees and shrubs in the field. There’s simply not enough ground clearance and the small wheels will beat you to death on rough ground. To cut 14 acres I would be looking for a tractor with good ground clearance, larger wheels, and the ability to handle a 6’ brush hog.

Edit: I rotary cut my 20 acres with a MX and 6’ rotary cutter. I think it’s perfectly sized for this task.

 

[jimh406]

I'd consider a Grand L 4060 or 4060LE with upgraded loader or MX5400 all can be had with a cab. Keep the BX for what it is doing now.

 

[pgmrdan]

I'd consider a Grand L 4060 or 4060LE with upgraded loader or MX5400 all can be had with a cab. Keep the BX for what it is doing now.

Yep, that was my plan when I posted. The BX takes more than a couple of hours for our 2 acre yard with its obstacles of trees, house, outbuilding, chicken coop, garden, orchard, berry bushes and briars, etc. It would take forever to mow 14 acres. I think that would be a huge mistake.

Not only do I want to get rid of the old utility tractor but also the skid steer. I mainly use the skid steer to lift brush up and drop it on the top of our brush pile. Occasionally I use it for snow removal but only rarely.

Along with mowing the 14 acres I'd like to use the new tractor to drill holes for planting trees and to put brush on top of the brush pile. I'm sure I'd have about another half dozen tasks for it too.

So the Grand L 4060 or the 4060LE. Thanks!

Other recommendations?

 

[jimh406]

Other recommendations?

Do also look at the MX5400.

 

[PaulL]

If you're only mowing and doing a bit of loader work, an older machine would be appropriate. Again in the grand-L range, or an MX or M.

If you're mowing reasonably regularly then a flail is practical. You can run a wider flail than you can a rotary cutter, and a wider mower lets you get more acreage done per hour.

 

[Elliott in GA]

If you are willing to buy a 50-60 HP tractor, you could run a 12 foot flex wing cutter to mow.

Example: https://www.rhinoag.com/products/rotary-cutters/flex-wing/ts12-stealth/

 

[jyoutz]

Do also look at the MX5400.

Yes and the MX also has the advantage of being able to use heavier duty category 2 implements.

 

[chim]

...........................So the Grand L 4060 or the 4060LE. Thanks!

Other recommendations?

Depending upon how cluttered your yard is, you might find the L4060 and a rear finish mower handy.

 

[pgmrdan]

Depending upon how cluttered your yard is, you might find the L4060 and a rear finish mower handy.

This is not for the yard. My BX2380 is for the yard and has a nice 60" belly mower on it already.

I'm asking for recommendations for a tractor to mow 14 acres of fields and for other miscellaneous chores in the fields.

 

[chim]

This is not for the yard. My BX2380 is for the yard and has a nice 60" belly mower on it already.

I'm asking for recommendations for a tractor to mow 14 acres of fields and for other miscellaneous chores in the fields.

I didn't explain well. What I meant was the L4060 could do both. A decent 6' RFM for the yard and a bush hog for the 24 acres. I mowed the neighbor lady's >1/2 acre with my L4240 and love itonour 3-1/2 acre yard. Our little tractor is now our "Gator" by adding a 3-point carry box.

 

[pgmrdan]

Thanks for clarifying!

Is a 3-point carry box another name for a carry all? I'd love to have one of those for carrying bags of mulch, fertilizer, potted plants, etc. My wife wanted the dump trailer we have but it's cumbersome when I have to lift everything over the sides.

 

[Vlach7]

Yep, that was my plan when I posted. The BX takes more than a couple of hours for our 2 acre yard with its obstacles of trees, house, outbuilding, chicken coop, garden, orchard, berry bushes and briars, etc. It would take forever to mow 14 acres. I think that would be a huge mistake.

Not only do I want to get rid of the old utility tractor but also the skid steer. I mainly use the skid steer to lift brush up and drop it on the top of our brush pile. Occasionally I use it for snow removal but only rarely.

Along with mowing the 14 acres I'd like to use the new tractor to drill holes for planting trees and to put brush on top of the brush pile. I'm sure I'd have about another half dozen tasks for it too.

So the Grand L 4060 or the 4060LE. Thanks!

Other recommendations?

Be careful/slow to get rid of your existing tractors, if it is like around here, I made sure some appreciative good neighbors got a good deal.

 

[Bmyers]

If you looking more for just a field mower, I would consider a M6060/M7060 line. You can get a 12ft to 15ft mower (based on info on Woods website).

Plus these models are nice utility tractors.

 

[jyoutz]

Thanks for clarifying!

Is a 3-point carry box another name for a carry all? I'd love to have one of those for carrying bags of mulch, fertilizer, potted plants, etc. My wife wanted the dump trailer we have but it's cumbersome when I have to lift everything over the sides.

The loader bucket works well for those tasks.

 

[mcmxi]

If you looking more for just a field mower, I would consider a M6060/M7060 line. You can get a 12ft to 15ft mower (based on info on Woods website).

Plus these models are nice utility tractors.

Absolutely! A similar model from Kioti and possibly a few other manufacturers could be a good choice too. I'm certainly Kubota loyal and they will always be my first stop when looking at equipment, but I could just have easily bought a Kioti RX7320 about three years ago and am sure that I would like it as much as I like the M6060.

As an M6060 owner who uses a 12ft folding cutter (Land Pride) to cut at least two fields in the 10 to 20 acre range a few times a year, there is nothing smaller from Kubota that compares, or is as capable. Despite Kubota listing the MX as the entry level "utility" tractor, it's a big step up to the M6060/M7060 but worth every penny. I find it interesting that the "utility" tractor class starts with the MX and goes all the way up to an M6.

I have a very hilly property but the M6060 is a tank that handles it with ease, even when pulling a 4,000lb folding cutter. The first photo gives some idea of the elevation change which is on the order of 200 feet.