Buying Advice 2007 Kubota B3030

[sodak]

Hello! I am very close to purchasing my first tractor. It is a 2007 B3030HSD that has under 400 hours, industrial tires (60-70%), and a loader. The hydraulic pump was recently replaced by the dealer. I can get it for just under $13,000.

I have 13 acres, mostly open/flat land, with a tree grove and several trees that I mow around. Tractor will be used primarily to mow, haul compost / clean chicken coop with FEL, and to till a large garden, pumpkin patch, and hops yard.

3 main questions:

1. Is that a good deal?

2. Should I be concerned about using an HST for tilling or other ground work?

3. Given that I will mostly mow and till with it (I have a plow truck for snow), should I load the rear tires with Rim Guard for an additional $250?

For the mowing, I will probably buy a new RC72-30B MMM Deck (an additional ~$3500).

Thanks for your help and guidance!

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

I'd think it would serve you well. Price prob not awesome but not horrible arround here.

I had a B3300su.You'll need to add weight for non-tilling ground work (more than just rimgard). Loading should be free as well as bucket hooks.

I think you'll be VERY unhappy with a MMM. A rear finish mower will be lots cheaper and way easier to take on/off.

 

[bp fick]

Each to his own, but a tractor of the size and larger starts getting too big for lawn mowing, in my universe. Everyone sees things differently and everyone's obstacles are different when lawn mowing too.

I'd rather mow with a lawn tractor. Nimble and dedicated to the job. That $3500 would buy a nice, nice lawn mower.

Changing between a B3030 as a field tractor and a lawn mower would be a PITA in my world. Again, each to his own. Loading is great for FEL work safety and for snow pushing. Not as great on the lawn. Perhaps we try to justify our purchase by thinking that the tractor can do this and this and this and that.

We're probably better off focusing on what a tractor does best. What a zero turn does best. What a lawn rider mower does best. Hope that helps a bit.

 

[Leejohn]

I would say to #1-yes
# 2-no
# 3-yes
# 4- no to the mmm.

 

[jeff9366]

1.) I sold my Kubota B3300SU tractor loader package, 406 engine hours, for $13,000 in January 2014. It was always stored in a humidity controlled garage.

I purchased it new in February 2012 for $17,200. The way I figure it my depreciation cost was $10 per operating hour. Cheap entertainment and a good reason to buy a new tractor every two to three years.

(Yes, I had fuel costs, service costs and one $250 KTAC insurance deductible on a FEL repair.)


2.) HST is IDEAL for roto-tilling. It is a rare Kubota 'B' that is not sold with HST.

3.) I did not load the rear R4/Industrial Tires of my B3300SU, however I did mount an implement on the Three Point Hitch as counterbalance whenever I expected to lift anything over 50% of loader capacity. Usually I ballasted with a Box Blade. Weight cantilevered behind the rear axle is more effective, pound-for-pound, than filling the tires. The front axles on 'B' tractors are light, you need to be careful not to stress front axle and front bearings overly much when carrying a heavy load in/on the FEL.

Liquid in the two rear tires has the advantage of lowering your center of gravity, improving stability at all times.

4.) Mid-PTOs to power MMMs are optional on most of the B's. Do you have one?
I'm not keen on MMM's. With an MMM mounted you have no ground clearance.

Once you get the tractor home you will discover dozens of uses for it.

A Ratchet Rake is extremely useful on a 'B' bucket. You buy RRs from the T-B-N store. Here are some U-Tube videos: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Ratchet+Rake

As you are new to tractors, I highly recommend purchasing Kubota's KTAC tractor repair insurance: https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=ktac+insurance&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&gws_rd=ssl

A Handi-Hitch will allow you to tow from your Three Point Hitch: HANDI HITCH

IMPLEMENT LINK: http://www.lsuagcenter.com/NR/rdonl...45263BDD8/11557/pub2917tractorimplements1.pdf

 

[sodak]

Great tips - I might get a Ratchet Rake right away. If I do not go with the MMM, what do you recommend as a good 72" finish mower?

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Lots of good used ones on CL. It will handle a 6ft fine.

 

[4570Man]

IMO a finish mower is vastly superior to a MMM. They are much cheaper. They are way easier to remove and hook up. They have better resale value because they fit most machines. They are easier to remove the blades. They can be lifted up out of the way for most work a MMM would have to be removed to to do. Pluses to the MMM is it is easier to mow in a tight place with. Some will tell you a MMM provides a better cut, but when compared to a good finish mower this is not true. A 72" finish mower will be fine for your tractor, but if it has drastic stick out from the rear wheels I'd go with a 60" mower. I have a Howse finish mower. It is a good heavy duty mower. The deck is 7 gauge steel and the mower weighs 750 pounds. It has a blistering fast blade tip speed of 26,000 FPM, yes you read that right and it wasn't a typo. It sounds like a dang airplane about to take off. My ZTR has a blade tip speed of "only" about 18,000 FPM.

 

[sodak]

Yeah, I'm really struggling on whether the MMM is a good idea - I do have a LOT of trees that require mowing around (as well as a lot of open area) which is why I initially wanted to go with the MMM.

That said, I suppose the HST + rear finish mower I assume will still be a great deal less painful than the 5' bush hog I am used to using on the family's old Ford 8N.

 

[4570Man]

Depending upon how many A LOT of trees are I'd recommend getting a good quality ZTR and skip mowing with the tractor.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

I agree with bp fick, $3500 will buy a fairly nice consumer mower that will be easier, faster, and better around obstacles.

 

[jeff9366]

Depending upon how many A LOT of trees are I'd recommend getting a good quality ZTR and skip mowing with the tractor.

SODAK: If you are in good shape financially, 45/70's is the best mower recommendation you will read. Some wives love to mow on a Zero Turn.

 

[rswyan]

Have a B2910 with MMM ... I'd agree with others: it's a PITA to put on/take off ... if I had it to do over again I'd go with a RFM ... or even more ideally, go with a machine dedicated to mowing (zero-turn or front-mount)

How many acres are you mowing ?

 

[sodak]

I have a 60" zero turn that is well past it's prime and is probably 30%+ of my justification for getting a compact. I suppose I could continue to maintain that and get one for the 3 point on the B3030 for the rest. I'd say there are probably 3-4 acres where I have trees to mow around, and another 6-7 without (some of which is pasture that I will hopefully turn to hay once the thistles are under control).

 

[4570Man]

If you used the ragged out ZTR to mow one pass around the trees it would greatly simply mowing with the finish mower. That is a lot of mowing, but a 72 finish mower should be able to cut it pretty quick.

 

[tractorworks]

"That said, I suppose the HST + rear finish mower I assume will still be a great deal less painful than the 5' bush hog I am used to using on the family's old Ford 8N."
Whole new ball game. HST with rear finish mower is excellent for backing under trees. Put a rear view mirror up and it's even easier. I sometimes wish I had a 6' belly mower again but for your application I'd say rear finish mower. Land pride mowers have curved sides so a 6 footer will bounce off most obstacles. The wider width makes it easier to trim around fences also.

 

[rswyan]

I have a 60" zero turn that is well past it's prime and is probably 30%+ of my justification for getting a compact.

I have a Simplicity CFC 18 (Commercial Front Cut) zero-turn with a 46" deck in addition to the B2910 with 72" MMM ...

It's a mid-1980's unit with a 2-stage chain reduction drive (PITA to maintain) ... I just spent around $400 this past year to replace most of the sprockets and chains. Really wish it had the larger deck (60" or 66") ... hated to spend the money on something that old, but as 4570Man states it is very useful for trimming around trees. I wouldn't want to rely on just the B2910/MMM alone. Plus we use it to haul a small (dump cart) and a watering rig.

I suppose I could continue to maintain that and get one for the 3 point on the B3030 for the rest. I'd say there are probably 3-4 acres where I have trees to mow around, and another 6-7 without (some of which is pasture that I will hopefully turn to hay once the thistles are under control).

You'd be mowing about double the amount of acreage of what I am.

Assuming that you have other uses (projects) for the B3030, and assuming you plan to mow on a regular basis (weekly ? bi-weekly ?), I think you'd find installing/removing the MMM regularly to be a bit of a PITA. You can pin the MMM deck up ... but even that is a bit of a PITA ... and it will still reduce your ground clearance.

Personally, I'd look at getting a Quick Hitch for the 3PH ... which makes changing implements much easier.

I also wouldn't load the tires, if you plan on mowing with the B3030 ... just stick an implement on the 3PH if you need a counter-weight for loader work.

 

[jeff9366]

Hello! I am very close to purchasing my first tractor. It is a 2007 B3030HSD that has under 400 hours, industrial tires (60-70%), and a loader. The hydraulic pump was recently replaced by the dealer. I can get it for just under $13,000.

As you have revealed this is an auction source tractor, I would not pay more than $10,000 for it.

I would NOT assume the recorded engine hours are correct.

Two new rear tires will cost $700 installed, filled with air.

I would make sale contingent on satisfactory-to-buyer inspection by a tractor mechanic.

Auction anything is BUYER BEWARE, NO WARRANTY.

My purchaser had my B3300SU service log and checked up on me and the tractor at the local Kubota dealer, where tractor was serviced. Tractor was stored inside with humidity control. No rust nor paint oxidation at all.

NEW may be net cheaper for you than AUCTION.