Which Kubota is right?

[rmac802]

Apologies for the long post, but I'm trying to answer questions you might ask.

This is one of those am-I-buying-the-right-thing questions. I’m not new to tractor ownership – I owned a Deere 850 for quite a few years – but I’ve never owned a SCUT and not anything from this century. My use case in those days was way different.

Intended uses and non-uses:

• Property maintenance on and around my 1-acre yard and 2 acres of hilly woods.
• Heavy-duty landscaping of ½ acre of scrubby brush and rocks. Building a stone wall is part of the dream.
• Moving stuff like firewood, stones (100#-200#), topsoil and mulch. My back does not appreciate lifting anymore.
• Light work in rough woods, mostly moving brush and snaking logs out from time to time.
• Not mowing. The lawn isn’t suitable for a tractor mower due to grade and small, irregular corners. (I could probably do it, but at best it isn't a priority.)
• Not a backhoe. Though it would be useful for a few things, when I need one, I can rent an excavator locally and do far more. (I borrowed a New Holland Boomer TC29D for a while, and its backhoe couldn’t do most of what I tried.)
• Not brush-hogging.

Here’s what I’ve settled on so far:

• Kubota, but you probably guessed that already. A big reason is that I like the local Kubota dealer. They have a good reputation, and I want to deal with a family-owned business, not a mammoth chain.
• I’m buying new. I almost never do, but I’m at a stage of life where I own an aging house, lots of older equipment, etc., and I’m tired of fixing things. I just want to use the tractor and do routine service. I don’t want to have to repair it. (Fingers crossed I get a good one, unlike my F-150.)
• Four-wheel drive. Parts of the woods are soft.
• No snowblower. I live in northern Vermont where we (used to) get a lot of snow. :-/ However, a walk-behind snowblower does all I need. Last winter, I didn’t even need that.

Leanings so far:

• Probably a B2601HSD. A lot of what I want could be done with a BX, but I think the extra ground clearance of the B series will pay off in the woods. (B2601 clears the ground by 12.8", BX2680 is 8.9".)
• I could be convinced to go BX, if it seems like it would be enough tractor.
• Attachments: FEL.
• Things I don’t think I need but could use: Grapple, snowblower.
• Things I definitely don’t need: Mower, backhoe, brush hog.
• For resale, I would like a subsequent owner to be able to add any of these attachments. Realistically, I won’t own this for very many years. (Statistically, I won't be ALIVE very many more years.) The B2301 and B2601 come with mid PTO, which I believe is required for MM mowers and maybe snowblowers.

Questions:

• Is this the right level of tractor for this work? I know nobody ever complained that their tractor was too powerful, but the bigger the tractor, the less maneuverable it is in the woods. (Strangely, the turning radius of the B2601 seems to be less than the BX2680.)
• Should I consider BX?
• Would the B2601 provide better traction in the woods than a BX? I've taken a rented BX into these woods, and it acted like it wanted to get stuck there.
• What kind of tires? It will be going back and forth over my terrible lawn, and I don’t want to make it worse.

Thanks very much.

 

[lynnmor]

I think you are on the right track with the B2601. I thought the same thing about buying a trouble free new one, but the backhoe was junk that had the tractor tied up for months and the useless warranty will never make it right. Fortunately you will be side stepping the backhoe issues. I use the grapple more than anything from ripping up brush to moving logs. I have the R14 tires and they are a good compromise since they only rip up the grass a little and still have good traction.

 

[PaulL]

I agree with your assessment. B2601 sounds about right.

More detail.

The B2601 has a tighter turning circle because it has split brakes. Actually turning that tightly requires using the split brakes, and you shouldn't do that on your lawn. Turning circle was never an issue for me on my BX, and hasn't been on my B2601 either.

The B2601 is faster (3 speed gearbox), taller (ground clearance), bigger tires (better traction and more sidewall when pushing through the woods, plus less ground pressure on the lawn), it lifts a lot more on the 3ph, and lifts materially more on the loader. It's really about the same length/width as a BX, it's just taller with bigger tires and a beefier frame. The front wheels on the BX are quite small, easy to squash those tires when loading the loader up.

You should look at ballast. I usually recommend a ballast box for the woods, especially if you don't have other rear implements yet. Others will recommend loading the tires, I'm not personally a fan of that.

If you have a gravel driveway consider a land plane, a box blade or a rear blade. A rear blade could also do some snow work, so although they're harder to use on the driveway, it may give options. It could also be ballast so you wouldn't need a ballast box - and a rear blade sticks out less far as ballast than a land plane. Having said that, I'd still recommend a ballast box.

For the woods a grapple would be excellent. They are expensive, but people who have them swear by them (I don't, not really available in my country). If you don't get a grapple, consider forks as a poor man's grapple, you can do quite a bit with them.

For my machine, my implements are:
- Loader
- Forks (they go on 3ph or the loader)
- Chipper
- Cheap sprayer (small boom sprayer plus a wand, great for glyphosate and selective lawn spray a couple times a year)
- Cheap electric fertiliser spreader
- Tow bar for the 3ph - makes moving trailers a lot easier (and I use it to put the boat in the water)
- ballast box
- landscape rake (waste of time, don't buy one)

As I say, things I'd like but don't have:
- grapple
- blade or land plane (but I don't have a gravel drive)

 

[rc51stierhoff]

Apologies for the long post, but I'm trying to answer questions you might ask.

This is one of those am-I-buying-the-right-thing questions. I’m not new to tractor ownership – I owned a Deere 850 for quite a few years – but I’ve never owned a SCUT and not anything from this century. My use case in those days was way different.

Intended uses and non-uses:

• Property maintenance on and around my 1-acre yard and 2 acres of hilly woods.
• Heavy-duty landscaping of ½ acre of scrubby brush and rocks. Building a stone wall is part of the dream.
• Moving stuff like firewood, stones (100#-200#), topsoil and mulch. My back does not appreciate lifting anymore.
• Light work in rough woods, mostly moving brush and snaking logs out from time to time.
• Not mowing. The lawn isn’t suitable for a tractor mower due to grade and small, irregular corners. (I could probably do it, but at best it isn't a priority.)
• Not a backhoe. Though it would be useful for a few things, when I need one, I can rent an excavator locally and do far more. (I borrowed a New Holland Boomer TC29D for a while, and its backhoe couldn’t do most of what I tried.)
• Not brush-hogging.

Here’s what I’ve settled on so far:

• Kubota, but you probably guessed that already. A big reason is that I like the local Kubota dealer. They have a good reputation, and I want to deal with a family-owned business, not a mammoth chain.
• I’m buying new. I almost never do, but I’m at a stage of life where I own an aging house, lots of older equipment, etc., and I’m tired of fixing things. I just want to use the tractor and do routine service. I don’t want to have to repair it. (Fingers crossed I get a good one, unlike my F-150.)
• Four-wheel drive. Parts of the woods are soft.
• No snowblower. I live in northern Vermont where we (used to) get a lot of snow. :-/ However, a walk-behind snowblower does all I need. Last winter, I didn’t even need that.

Leanings so far:

• Probably a B2601HSD. A lot of what I want could be done with a BX, but I think the extra ground clearance of the B series will pay off in the woods. (B2601 clears the ground by 12.8", BX2680 is 8.9".)
• I could be convinced to go BX, if it seems like it would be enough tractor.
• Attachments: FEL.
• Things I don’t think I need but could use: Grapple, snowblower.
• Things I definitely don’t need: Mower, backhoe, brush hog.
• For resale, I would like a subsequent owner to be able to add any of these attachments. Realistically, I won’t own this for very many years. (Statistically, I won't be ALIVE very many more years.) The B2301 and B2601 come with mid PTO, which I believe is required for MM mowers and maybe snowblowers.

Questions:

• Is this the right level of tractor for this work? I know nobody ever complained that their tractor was too powerful, but the bigger the tractor, the less maneuverable it is in the woods. (Strangely, the turning radius of the B2601 seems to be less than the BX2680.)
• Should I consider BX?
• Would the B2601 provide better traction in the woods than a BX? I've taken a rented BX into these woods, and it acted like it wanted to get stuck there.
• What kind of tires? It will be going back and forth over my terrible lawn, and I don’t want to make it worse.

Thanks very much.

Good day and welcome.

I think you are asking correct questions.

Only thing I would additionally ask is:

1. Any future plans or uses maybe not mentioned? Any plans for animals, gardening, hauling sap/syrup, or anything else (other chores)? I’d try to think about any other chores and implements you might want. Then consider what size machine need to use them

2. When you do firewood, will you want to drag / skid branches or logs? Weight helps IMO. Ground clearance helps in the woods too.

3. In general think about heaviest stuff you want to lift or pull…what size do you need to do that?

IMO get what you want…it’s very thoughtful to think about next owner…you are making me blush actually…I guess I forgot to mention I’d like to buy your cabbed M4.

joking aside I think there is a lot of overlap and either model you are considering will do what you described for tasks…is there anything else (tasks you forgot)? Good luck.

 

[rmac802]

Thank you all -- very helpful. Some notes:

• I had a ballast box in mind and almost listed it under attachments I need, but I didn't because it doesn't feel quite like an attachment. Anyway, it was on the (mental) list.
• I live on a long, private dirt road, but fortunately, my neighbor across the way has a larger tractor with a box blade, and he takes care of it so I don't have to. (On the other hand, I can't use that as an excuse to buy more stuff. I know how this works...)
• My driveway (not the access road) is getting paved later this year, so no further need to grade that.
• Towbar - yes, absolutely. I had one on the old Deere and used it a lot but hadn't thought about it for this machine. Thank you.
• Future plans and uses? Realistically, none of those things unless I move somewhere else. I live on a rocky, Vermont hill made out of what the glacier left behind 10,000 years ago, and there's nothing tillable up here. As for sap, I have nice sugar maples, and my neighbor collects the sap and gives me syrup in exchange. A sweet deal indeed, pun intended.
• Chipper: Hadn't thought of that. I have plenty of stuff to chip.
• As regards moving, we have considered land that would require a longish access road. If we did that, I would want to add a snowblower, but I think the mid-PTO allows for that, right? A rear blade doesn't have appeal because it's hard for my body to twist around and stay that way.
• Firewood: Yes to dragging logs out so I can buck them easily. @PaulL, you make good points that argue for the B2601. The dealer started out wanting to sell me an L (of course he did), but that seems like overkill.

@rc51stierhoff. as soon as I buy an M4 that I want to sell, you will be the first to know.

This is great -- thank you all. Happy to hear more, too.

 

[PaulL]

An L wouldn't be unreasonable, and isn't a lot more money. If you don't want to mow, you'd probably be super happy with an L. But a B will do the job.

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

L2502.

It's overkill for your property size but it's a hardcore very serious tractor. Probably better resale value than a B.

If i didn't need a cab, I'd have an L2501 or L2502.

 

[BAP]

I would stick with the B2601. It’s a lot of tractor in a nice size. Also, it gives you the flexibility of adding a front mounted snowblower or belly mower should your needs change without having to buy a new tractor. The L series doesn’t allow that. The B2601 is a simple tractor with a good track record.

 

[InTheWoods]

None of your intended uses points to anything bigger than Kubota's smallest 4WD model fitted with a loader. You list nothing needing the PTO, so more HP isn't getting you a lot. You don't say what you want to spend, or whether you just want a big tractor for other reasons.

So, from a purely practical standpoint, pick between the B and BX based on whether you want the increased clerarance of the B or the lower CG (Of some value on hills, I suppose) of the BX. In a heavily wooded area, smaller wheelbase has its advantages. Sit on a B. Sit on a BX. Look underneath them too, to get an idea for the differences. Pick the one you like. You really can't go too wrong.

From a non-practical standpoint, pick the one that moves you. It's more an emotional reaction than a lot of guys want to admit. Big tractors are cool.

Make sure the FEL has SSQA (optional 2-Lever Quick Coupler), so you can easily switch from forks to bucket. R14 tires are best, as long as you don't need to go in mud. Get AG tires if mud traction is important.

I'd personally lean toward the B, and I'd not assume the higher HP added any value to me. The bigger tires of the B2601 might make it the better choice though. But, again, they'll give the B2301 a slightly higher CG than the smaller tires of the B2301.

Get forks and SSQA !!!

 

[skeets]

OK I will chip in here,, my BX has done everything you want it to do. From skidding logs ,with in reason of course, to snow removal to mowing on grade that would scare the crap out of a goat. It lower then the B, and just as wide, and will move in and out of places the B wont. And since I have both I feel that I can speak on the ups and downs of both. A skid pan on the BX will in most cases save the fan, the rad is in back toward the operator so it is protected , the B is up front,, pokey things will find it! For what you are going to do a BX would fill the bill. DO NOT let anyone tell you that a BX is just a lawn mower, cause they aint!

The B while has a lot of good points would fill your bill but in all honesty would be a much larger tractor than you really need. The BX 2680 is the same motor as the 2601, and on both you will run out of traction long before you run out of power. Just MHO of course your mileage will vary

 

[nbryan]

Bump up a bit to a 26HP LX series and you won't be disappointed.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Most (all ? ) BX series since 2018 have a 'fan guard' installed, so no real need for under belly armour to save the fan.
I've been using and abusing my BX23S for 6 years now on +-20 acres. Has SSQA bucket and pallet forks. I use those probably 50% of the time, no need for a grapple.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

A B-Series is a lot of tractor for 3 acres.

The lower height of the BX might be beneficial on hills regarding tipping, maybe @skeets could give advice on that. I have a BX and heavily wooded, rocky, hilly land and the BX is great, though I'd be happy with a B too. I did get a BXpanded underside shield and will put guards over the steering boots and hood. (The fan guard is stout and reasonable though doesn't shield the hydraulics, filters, or completely protect the fan.)

Larger implements are more costly, and as I get older I'm fine with smaller implements because physically I'm not in the same condition as when I was 21. If you're chipping larger branches look at what Woodmaxx USA-made unit fits your needs and the HP requirement--expect the minimum HP will chip 75% of the rated branch diameter of pine, 50% diameter of hardwood like oak. Get enough PTO-HP to power the chipper you want.

With either B or BX you'll likely be happy.

Example: I use larger limbs for fencing so will only chip 2" and smaller branches. The MX-8600 chipper is rated for 6" branches maximum (soft wood) and requires at least 15 PTO-HP, I have hardwood so 15 PTO-HP would chip 3" branches, so my size needs are covered. The BX has 17.5 PTO-HP so the power need is covered and the chipper won't over-stress the tractor for my workload (plus I can chip twisted 3" branches if they're unusable). The BX can lift the MX-8600, taking into consideration I added Pat's Quick Hitch Couplers and the load is pushed out an additional 4", reducing the lift capacity.

Ideally I'd like a MX-9900 because of the much larger infeed which is great for brush and wide-branching tree limbs, and a BX could manage the MX-9900 for my workload, but it's "not practical nor necessary" and will strain the tractor's clutch at startup and 3-point when lifting. Plus with the cost savings by getting a smaller chipper I bought 3 full sets of chipper blades, extra oil filter, a flail mower and 3 sets of hammers (for paths).

 

[GrassLakeRon]

Apologies for the long post, but I'm trying to answer questions you might ask.

This is one of those am-I-buying-the-right-thing questions. I’m not new to tractor ownership – I owned a Deere 850 for quite a few years – but I’ve never owned a SCUT and not anything from this century. My use case in those days was way different.

Intended uses and non-uses:

• Property maintenance on and around my 1-acre yard and 2 acres of hilly woods.
• Heavy-duty landscaping of ½ acre of scrubby brush and rocks. Building a stone wall is part of the dream.
• Moving stuff like firewood, stones (100#-200#), topsoil and mulch. My back does not appreciate lifting anymore.
• Light work in rough woods, mostly moving brush and snaking logs out from time to time.
• Not mowing. The lawn isn’t suitable for a tractor mower due to grade and small, irregular corners. (I could probably do it, but at best it isn't a priority.)
• Not a backhoe. Though it would be useful for a few things, when I need one, I can rent an excavator locally and do far more. (I borrowed a New Holland Boomer TC29D for a while, and its backhoe couldn’t do most of what I tried.)
• Not brush-hogging.

Here’s what I’ve settled on so far:

• Kubota, but you probably guessed that already. A big reason is that I like the local Kubota dealer. They have a good reputation, and I want to deal with a family-owned business, not a mammoth chain.
• I’m buying new. I almost never do, but I’m at a stage of life where I own an aging house, lots of older equipment, etc., and I’m tired of fixing things. I just want to use the tractor and do routine service. I don’t want to have to repair it. (Fingers crossed I get a good one, unlike my F-150.)
• Four-wheel drive. Parts of the woods are soft.
• No snowblower. I live in northern Vermont where we (used to) get a lot of snow. :-/ However, a walk-behind snowblower does all I need. Last winter, I didn’t even need that.

Leanings so far:

• Probably a B2601HSD. A lot of what I want could be done with a BX, but I think the extra ground clearance of the B series will pay off in the woods. (B2601 clears the ground by 12.8", BX2680 is 8.9".)
• I could be convinced to go BX, if it seems like it would be enough tractor.
• Attachments: FEL.
• Things I don’t think I need but could use: Grapple, snowblower.
• Things I definitely don’t need: Mower, backhoe, brush hog.
• For resale, I would like a subsequent owner to be able to add any of these attachments. Realistically, I won’t own this for very many years. (Statistically, I won't be ALIVE very many more years.) The B2301 and B2601 come with mid PTO, which I believe is required for MM mowers and maybe snowblowers.

Questions:

• Is this the right level of tractor for this work? I know nobody ever complained that their tractor was too powerful, but the bigger the tractor, the less maneuverable it is in the woods. (Strangely, the turning radius of the B2601 seems to be less than the BX2680.)
• Should I consider BX?
• Would the B2601 provide better traction in the woods than a BX? I've taken a rented BX into these woods, and it acted like it wanted to get stuck there.
• What kind of tires? It will be going back and forth over my terrible lawn, and I don’t want to make it worse.

Thanks very much.

My situation is similar to yours....I have 2.54 acres of rolling, wooded earth. I went with a B8200. I know you are looking for newer, but here me out. The B8200 is the same size as an L2501. It is a lighter duty tractor then the L. I use a carry all to move firewood getting rid of the need for a FEL, same principle just on the back end which I can drop easily. The B2601 is smaller then the B8200.....But the comments about getting an L is a good idea. If I had to get a new one, I would get an L or an LX. 106 inches is not to big but seems to be a sweet spot.

 

[pigdoc]

I bought a low-hour used 1993 L2500DT last year for $6,000. I like the older Kubotas better - less plastic.
The only plastic pieces on it are the light lenses/bezels and that accent strip around the hood.

I've been fairly happy with it. Runs great! I have 12 wooded acres, mostly sloped. I use the tractor for moving logs, rocks, and soil, and grading and snow removal for my 1/2 mile-long sloped gravel driveway. It has FEL and a 7-foot blade on the 3-point.

It has a wheelbase of only 61 inches. This is the shortest WB tractor I have ever operated, and it often wants to lift the rear wheels off the ground if I overload the oversize FEL bucket. [I need to get fluid in the rear tires.] So, I'm not a fan of short WB tractors. On uneven ground, it will pitch up and down, lengthwise. Scary if you get both a front wheel and (opposite) rear wheel off the ground at the same time. [I rolled a tractor on top of myself when I was 13 years old.] I'm in the habit of thinking of the speed I want to move at, and then selecting the next lower gear.
Us old guys are allowed to move a bit slower.

When I bought my tractor, the front drive propeller shaft was stripped. I fixed it, but these are not built heavily enough to take much abuse. I would never drive it in 4WD on a hard surface. Luckily, I can avoid that... I'm VERY happy with the traction pulling that 7-foot blade up a slope in 4WD. But, I just put new Galaxy 13.6-24s on the rear! Incredibly, with those rear tires, the rolling circumference ratios between the front and rear tires are exactly the same in both 2WD and 4WD (Galaxy 7-16s on the front).

When you look at tire sizes on used 4WD tractors, it is common to see mismatches of front-to-rear tire circumference. Not healthy for the front drive propeller shaft.

-Paul

 

[PaulL]

The BX 2680 is the same motor as the 2601, and on both you will run out of traction long before you run out of power. Just MHO of course your mileage will vary

This is not correct. They are both 26HP motors, but the B2601 is larger capacity, and makes the 26HP at lower revs.

 

[rmac802]

EDIT: I cannot seem to get my comparison table to appear, either as a table or an image. I'll put it in manually when I have a little more time. Sorry.
--------------------
Thanks for all - lots to consider here.

Because there are now several models in play, I made a table with a few key comparisons. I may not have picked the most comparable models or perhaps missed data points I should include, but here's a first cut. Source links are below the table. Beyond this, I need to attend to some other things but will analyze all your posts in the next day or so.

One takeaway: The L2502 is a beefy tractor compared to these others!
Another takeaway: These particular stats make these models look more similar than I think they really are.



Sources:
BX2680: https://www.kubotausa.com/docs/defa...eets/bx-series-brochure.pdf?sfvrsn=c783b090_6
B2601HSD: https://www.kubotausa.com/docs/defa...ets/b01-series-brochure.pdf?sfvrsn=cacc5402_4
LX2610HSD: https://www.kubotausa.com/docs/defa...20_04_08_lx_series_ktc.pdf?sfvrsn=35d4f886_10
L2502HST: https://www.kubotausa.com/docs/default-source/brochure-sheets/l02_specs_2023.pdf?sfvrsn=2b5ca18a_1

 

[JimmyJazz]

I agree with your assessment. I have a B2601 bought new and now with around 130 hours on it and love it. I use mine primarily for mowing but have also dealt with many large both fallen and cut trees on my 2 1/2 acre suburban lot. I also "stepped up" and bought a Stihl professional grade (MS460) chainsaw at the time. Two great and complimentary purchases. They both get lots of use. Good luck!

 

[chim]

I won't give you a sales pitch on any certain size. I will advise you to carefully consider your future needs and buy big enough. I've mentioned one should "buy your fifth tractor first" a few times. To be honest, I could have gotten by with any of the previous 4 tractors we've had.

Each one grew smaller as I became accustomed to it. The loader didn't reach quite as far as needed. It wouldn't pick quite enough weight. It would be nice to run a wider RFM. Etc, etc....

I took care of mowing for an older widow neighbor who had something less than 1/2 acre with each of the last 4 tractors we've owned until she passed. Sure, it may have been overkill, but it didn't take long to mow her lawn with the L4240

 

[fried1765]

I won't give you a sales pitch on any certain size. I will advise you to carefully consider your future needs and buy big enough. I've mentioned one should "buy your fifth tractor first" a few times. To be honest, I could have gotten by with any of the previous 4 tractors we've had.

Each one grew smaller as I became accustomed to it. The loader didn't reach quite as far as needed. It wouldn't pick quite enough weight. It would be nice to run a wider RFM. Etc, etc....

I took care of mowing for an older widow neighbor who had something less than 1/2 acre with each of the last 4 tractors we've owned until she passed. Sure, it may have been overkill, but it didn't take long to mow her lawn with the L4240

The cardinal rule of tractors: "Buy enough tractor?