Kubota B1550 Reviews
Great Little Tractor
Model Year: 0
My B1550 has dual range HST, bi-speed turn, 4-wheel drive, power steering, a 3-point hitch, and a heavy-duty front-end loader attached; plus I bought a 40-inch rotary hoe (Howard), a 40-inch Slasher (Amatec-Moorehouse), 48 inch heavy duty swivel grader blade, and a post hole digger for it. I bought this machine with 5,000+ hours on it already, and it had been used as a loader for a garden soils supply yard, so the front-end loader and the steering components were well worn. I don't think that it was maintained as well as it should have been, so I had some failures. The steering bracket that bolts on top of the R.H.S. front gear hub broke, the ball joints on the steering rod from the steering box to the front failed, and the L.H.S. front gearbox suffered a bearing disintegration. It sounds bad, but given the hours, the application it was used for, and the lack of maintenance, it is not too bad at all. All of these failures were due to heavy constant front-end loader usage without reasonable maintenance. The tractor has performed very well, and surprised me with its capabilities given its tiny 855cc engine capacity. The torque is sufficient to run the 40-inch rotary hoe in heavy clay soils to a reasonable depth, and to run the 40-inch slasher over long thick grass and weeds, but only just. I probably should have gone for a 36-inch hoe and slasher, or a B1750 tractor, but I have no complaints really, as it does cope. If your property is 5 acres or bigger, I would suggest that this machine is barely big enough....depending on what you want to do. It certainly would not run wider implements than the ones I bought. Low range is slow, but un-stoppable, high range is limited in power. 4-wheel drive is mandatory for front-end loader usage.
Pros: Torquey, economical, reliable if maintained, compact, well spec'd
Cons: Coolant recovery system, and air filter for the trans case (hydraulic reservoir) not std, luckily easy to retrofit both though
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Model Year: 0
My B1550 has dual range HST, bi-speed turn, 4-wheel drive, power steering, a 3-point hitch, and a heavy-duty front-end loader attached; plus I bought a 40-inch rotary hoe (Howard), a 40-inch Slasher (Amatec-Moorehouse), 48 inch heavy duty swivel grader blade, and a post hole digger for it. I bought this machine with 5,000+ hours on it already, and it had been used as a loader for a garden soils supply yard, so the front-end loader and the steering components were well worn. I don't think that it was maintained as well as it should have been, so I had some failures. The steering bracket that bolts on top of the R.H.S. front gear hub broke, the ball joints on the steering rod from the steering box to the front failed, and the L.H.S. front gearbox suffered a bearing disintegration. It sounds bad, but given the hours, the application it was used for, and the lack of maintenance, it is not too bad at all. All of these failures were due to heavy constant front-end loader usage without reasonable maintenance. The tractor has performed very well, and surprised me with its capabilities given its tiny 855cc engine capacity. The torque is sufficient to run the 40-inch rotary hoe in heavy clay soils to a reasonable depth, and to run the 40-inch slasher over long thick grass and weeds, but only just. I probably should have gone for a 36-inch hoe and slasher, or a B1750 tractor, but I have no complaints really, as it does cope. If your property is 5 acres or bigger, I would suggest that this machine is barely big enough....depending on what you want to do. It certainly would not run wider implements than the ones I bought. Low range is slow, but un-stoppable, high range is limited in power. 4-wheel drive is mandatory for front-end loader usage.
Pros: Torquey, economical, reliable if maintained, compact, well spec'd
Cons: Coolant recovery system, and air filter for the trans case (hydraulic reservoir) not std, luckily easy to retrofit both though
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Kubota 1550 HST
Model Year: 1989
Bought used with -800 hrs. on the machine. I purchased a box blade, scrape blade, single moldboard plow, disc harrow, 48" finish mower, 48" bush-hog, 60" root rake, and dirt scoop for this machine. The little beast has done a lot of work, and I am constantly amazed at where it will go and what it will do. I have replaced the fan, water pump, and had the magneto rebuilt once. I change the oil every 50 hrs. and the air filter and fuel filter every 100 hrs. The hydro fluid I have only changed twice, she now has -1800 hrs. This has been a remarkable machine. For the serious gardener, this is a great tractor. I purchased a larger Kubota two years ago as my plans for land use have increased.
Pros: Reliable and easy to use, surprisingly tough.
Cons: Finish mower taxes horsepower for this machine in heavy grass.
Model Year: 1989
Bought used with -800 hrs. on the machine. I purchased a box blade, scrape blade, single moldboard plow, disc harrow, 48" finish mower, 48" bush-hog, 60" root rake, and dirt scoop for this machine. The little beast has done a lot of work, and I am constantly amazed at where it will go and what it will do. I have replaced the fan, water pump, and had the magneto rebuilt once. I change the oil every 50 hrs. and the air filter and fuel filter every 100 hrs. The hydro fluid I have only changed twice, she now has -1800 hrs. This has been a remarkable machine. For the serious gardener, this is a great tractor. I purchased a larger Kubota two years ago as my plans for land use have increased.
Pros: Reliable and easy to use, surprisingly tough.
Cons: Finish mower taxes horsepower for this machine in heavy grass.
Small But Good
Model Year: 0
Mine is not 4-wheel drive, which I miss. I use it for preparation of game food plots. I use a bush hog and tiller. I wish I could find a small disc that I could use. Thinking about purchasing a quick-attach from Pat's.
Pros: Reliable and easy to work on.
Cons: Size and no 4-wheel drive.
Model Year: 0
Mine is not 4-wheel drive, which I miss. I use it for preparation of game food plots. I use a bush hog and tiller. I wish I could find a small disc that I could use. Thinking about purchasing a quick-attach from Pat's.
Pros: Reliable and easy to work on.
Cons: Size and no 4-wheel drive.
My Guy!
Model Year: 0
Man I love this tractor! It is just right for my 3 acres of old woods and grass. I had to remove the belly mower as it kept getting hung up in the scrub. I bought it for the name, and the front bucket. I am no longer going to stand in my driveway looking at a few feet of snow with only a coal shovel and a teenager, the coal shovel works every time as long as I am driving.
Pros: Very simple and straight forward design and use.
Cons: I really have no cons at this time.
Model Year: 0
Man I love this tractor! It is just right for my 3 acres of old woods and grass. I had to remove the belly mower as it kept getting hung up in the scrub. I bought it for the name, and the front bucket. I am no longer going to stand in my driveway looking at a few feet of snow with only a coal shovel and a teenager, the coal shovel works every time as long as I am driving.
Pros: Very simple and straight forward design and use.
Cons: I really have no cons at this time.
Excellent for Small Acreage Owner
Model Year: 1996
The B1550 is exactly the right size for my 7 acres of field and forest. It is small enough to get through the trees with a log splitter or wagon and big enough to drive a 4 foot tiller in my field and make sand out of rocks. The only thing I don't understand is why they have a split brake peddle so one wheel can be locked but it's on the same side as the hydraulic drive peddle and it doesn't have a hand speed control.
Pros: Small and powerful.
Cons: Fairly light so weights must be added for some jobs.
Model Year: 1996
The B1550 is exactly the right size for my 7 acres of field and forest. It is small enough to get through the trees with a log splitter or wagon and big enough to drive a 4 foot tiller in my field and make sand out of rocks. The only thing I don't understand is why they have a split brake peddle so one wheel can be locked but it's on the same side as the hydraulic drive peddle and it doesn't have a hand speed control.
Pros: Small and powerful.
Cons: Fairly light so weights must be added for some jobs.
B1550 HST with loader and backhoe.
Model Year: 1986
A really solid, well built little tractor. I'm very happy with it. No frills or complicated electrics but its got all the main requirements. Seems very economical, especially at the low revs I use most of the time. HST in a tractor this size (and this age) is brilliant for yard work, but probably not so good for field work. My only complaint is the 2 speed ranges. Low range is powerful but little better than a crawl. High range is much faster but very weak and useful only for moving the tractor from A to B. An absolute must is to check the 2 metal mesh screens that deliver oil to the HST and attachments.
Pros: Reliable, solid and simple. Very easy to use and maintain.
Cons: Just 2 speed ranges.
Model Year: 1986
A really solid, well built little tractor. I'm very happy with it. No frills or complicated electrics but its got all the main requirements. Seems very economical, especially at the low revs I use most of the time. HST in a tractor this size (and this age) is brilliant for yard work, but probably not so good for field work. My only complaint is the 2 speed ranges. Low range is powerful but little better than a crawl. High range is much faster but very weak and useful only for moving the tractor from A to B. An absolute must is to check the 2 metal mesh screens that deliver oil to the HST and attachments.
Pros: Reliable, solid and simple. Very easy to use and maintain.
Cons: Just 2 speed ranges.