1526 vs Max 26XL

[AchingBack]

the pink paint issue doesn't seem to be much of an issue in later model machines.

My 2005 model 2615 is holding it's red paint quite well. Sadly, it is the loader which has deteriorated. The tractor was painted in the Mitsubishi factory. The loader was powder coated by KMW. It makes me wonder if all red powder coating turns pink. I keep the tractor clean, and protected with lemon furniture polish.

 

[oldpilgrim]

I've only had my 3016 for 3 summers but everything looks as good as it ever did. My KMW loader and bh are definitely painted.

 

[Huskerfan]

Matemike, if HST is your plan, make sure you're comfortable with the brakes/hydro pedals being on the same side on the Max. Also remember that the Max is a 2 speed HST vs. 3 speed HST of the B2650 and the B2601.

 

[oldpilgrim]

But the Mahindra 1526 is a 3 speed.

 

[Huskerfan]

Didn't know that. Thanks. When conducting my prebuy, I only drove the Max 24 and Max 26XL with the 2 speed HST.

 

[DavesTractor]

They changed paint and powder coat formulas in about 2008 and that has helped a ton with the fading issues. It was really an issue with the earlier tractors and some loaders.

We sell a lot of both the Max26 and the 1526. They look pretty close as far as capacities on paper. But in real life, it seems the Max26 is giving it's all to meet all of the published specs, while the 1526 (especially will filled rear tires) pretty much does it effortlessly. If the extra 8" or so in width isn't a show stopper for your application, I think you get a lot more tractor with the 1526 for not much more money. The 3-range HST is helpful. The larger tires get better traction. Having said that, there are applications where you really do need to stay more compact.

 

[mike69440]

They changed paint and powder coat formulas in about 2008 and that has helped a ton with the fading issues. It was really an issue with the earlier tractors and some loaders.

We sell a lot of both the Max26 and the 1526. They look pretty close as far as capacities on paper. But in real life, it seems the Max26 is giving it's all to meet all of the published specs, while the 1526 (especially will filled rear tires) pretty much does it effortlessly. If the extra 8" or so in width isn't a show stopper for your application, I think you get a lot more tractor with the 1526 for not much more money. The 3-range HST is helpful. The larger tires get better traction. Having said that, there are applications where you really do need to stay more compact.

Dave is correct about the specs, question is is a 1526 too much for 2.5 Acres? 2.5 Acres is a lot of land or not, depending what those 2-1/2 Acres look like.

 

[matemike]

Dave is correct about the specs, question is is a 1526 too much for 2.5 Acres? 2.5 Acres is a lot of land or not, depending what those 2-1/2 Acres look like.

The first picture is from across the street looking at the front yard and front of the house. It's about an acre of grass; Zero turn territory only, no tractor work there.




The back yard is also about an acre of grass with a half acre of trees and heavy underbrush/vines outside of the black rod-iron fence. I want to clear that area leaving just the trees.
That's also where my burn pile is. Excuse the pic of the burn pile as that pic was taken during a flood we had and there's standing water in the ditch. Plenty of opportunity to get a tractor stuck though. haha





Excuse the back yard pics, we were in the middle of having dirt work done and a busted up limestone walkway replaced with concrete.

 

[DavesTractor]

Nice place. I'd say your 2.5 acres is mostly finished landscape. In that way of thinking, you are buying a task/chore tractor to deal with 1/2 acre and some chores. The Max24 or Max26L would do they job just fine. You don't need anything larger. That being said, just buy the 1526 and don't look back.... See how easy it is for me to spend your money?

With regard to HP in these smaller Mahindra tractors, the Mitsu S3L2 engine has been used in a bunch of different models over the last 10 plus years. Let me try to recollect...2415, 2516, 2615, 1816, 3016, Max24, Max25, Max26, 1526. And I bet I am forgetting a couple. It is generally rated between 24 and 28 HP, and the rating, as far as my dyno can tell, is all done by varying the rpm at which you read the HP. If you bump the rpm up on a Max24, it puts out 28 HP. Etc. A great engine, super reliable. We have sold hundreds of Mahindras out of our little dealership with that particular engine over the years. It's dead reliable, unless you let dirt bypass the air filter or grossly overheat it. It hauls the 1526 around pretty well. We have had complaints in the past with the 3016 HST if it had a loader and backhoe and filled tires and the people lived in hilly areas, they felt it was a little underpowered. The 1526 loader and backhoe are a little lighter that the 3016 units and this seems to be about a perfectly balanced tractor between weight and power.

 

[mike69440]

Nice place. I'd say your 2.5 acres is mostly finished landscape. In that way of thinking, you are buying a task/chore tractor to deal with 1/2 acre and some chores. The Max24 or Max26L would do they job just fine. You don't need anything larger. That being said, just buy the 1526 and don't look back.... See how easy it is for me to spend your money?

With regard to HP in these smaller Mahindra tractors, the Mitsu S3L2 engine has been used in a bunch of different models over the last 10 plus years. Let me try to recollect...2415, 2516, 2615, 1816, 3016, Max24, Max25, Max26, 1526. And I bet I am forgetting a couple. It is generally rated between 24 and 28 HP, and the rating, as far as my dyno can tell, is all done by varying the rpm at which you read the HP. If you bump the rpm up on a Max24, it puts out 28 HP. Etc. A great engine, super reliable. We have sold hundreds of Mahindras out of our little dealership with that particular engine over the years. It's dead reliable, unless you let dirt bypass the air filter or grossly overheat it. It hauls the 1526 around pretty well. We have had complaints in the past with the 3016 HST if it had a loader and backhoe and filled tires and the people lived in hilly areas, they felt it was a little underpowered. The 1526 loader and backhoe are a little lighter that the 3016 units and this seems to be about a perfectly balanced tractor between weight and power.

Dave, I will not argue the 1526 is the value tractor, but look at matemikes place. It is not the New Hampshire/Maine Mountains and woods. If it was the 1526 is too small.

It is free of any rocks as near as i can tell, flat and well cleared. A nice place. I hate Subs with their small tires, but a Max is better suited for the property and has decent tires.

Now that I've carved out my chuck of the wilderness, my need if large equipment is way down.

 

[DavesTractor]

Dave, I will not argue the 1526 is the value tractor, but look at matemikes place. It is not the New Hampshire/Maine Mountains and woods. If it was the 1526 is too small.

It is free of any rocks as near as i can tell, flat and well cleared. A nice place. I hate Subs with their small tires, but a Max is better suited for the property and has decent tires.

Now that I've carved out my chuck of the wilderness, my need if large equipment is way down.

Better suited, maybe or maybe not. Is the 1526 needed on this property over the Max26? I don't think so. I think a Max24 would be fine even. So I am not arguing with you. I just think if you have the $$ and the space, the 1526 is still a nice size manageable CUT and it is a great value.

But then again, when I buy a Jeep I get a Rubicon, when I buy a vette I get a Z06. So I may not be a very good example of practicality and buying just what is needed. I think if you are going to spend a good chunk on something and spending a little more makes it awesome instead of just adequate (and if the budget truly allows), then go ahead.

But the practical answer is that the Max26 is plenty adequate.

 

[mike69440]

Dave,
Back when I was tractor shopping, I couldn't but help look at the 3016 (Similar to the 1526), and as you say, the price difference, between the Max and the 15XX is not tremendous.

I had to really take hold of myself, realizing that size wise, the 3016 was just a bit smaller in physical size to my L39, even though the L39 is 2 ton's heavier. The 3016 would have not maneuver in the horse barn aisle well, with all the other clutter in there, would have been more clumsy in our small horse arena, and cleaning out our "Cow Camp" would have been the mostly the old fashion way vs. just 15 minute of rake and pitch fork work.

Its important to match the machine for the Job. Sure there were times I wanted an M59 or Full size TLB over my L39 or a 14-16 ton excavator over my PC75, but of those times, there were very few instances that a bigger machine was truly needed. (Hated to, but rented or subbed) There were many other times where having a larger machine would have been less utility, created more work and wasted time.
PS a Turbo Miata, (cute little thing that it is) sometimes is the better tool than a Z06. (And a ZR1 is easier to Mod and has more headroom)
Rubicon, heck ya, only way to go.

 

[DavesTractor]

Dave,
Back when I was tractor shopping, I couldn't but help look at the 3016 (Similar to the 1526), and as you say, the price difference, between the Max and the 15XX is not tremendous.

I had to really take hold of myself, realizing that size wise, the 3016 was just a bit smaller in physical size to my L39, even though the L39 is 2 ton's heavier. The 3016 would have not maneuver in the horse barn aisle well, with all the other clutter in there, would have been more clumsy in our small horse arena, and cleaning out our "Cow Camp" would have been the mostly the old fashion way vs. just 15 minute of rake and pitch fork work.

Its important to match the machine for the Job. Sure there were times I wanted an M59 or Full size TLB over my L39 or a 14-16 ton excavator over my PC75, but of those times, there were very few instances that a bigger machine was truly needed. (Hated to, but rented or subbed) There were many other times where having a larger machine would have been less utility, created more work and wasted time.
PS a Turbo Miata, (cute little thing that it is) sometimes is the better tool than a Z06. (And a ZR1 is easier to Mod and has more headroom)
Rubicon, heck ya, only way to go.

I think if you have a larger tractor at your disposal, then certainly get some variety. For you to have an L39 and then buy a 30HP size tractor, you would not add much versatility. The Max26 is a great tractor.

I upped my mini-ex from a 7500 lb machine to a Vio55 (12k lbs) recently and a few times I have regretted it. I haven't done it yet, but surely I am going to catch an eave or smack into something. There is a place for smaller machines. Your PC75UU2E is a beast.

Did a cam and tune on the C6 Z06 and picked up 105 HP. At 610HP and 3050 lbs, it gets with it. But I think the guys flogging a Miata around the track are having just as much fun and running cheaper tires, cheaper brakes and if they do spin out they don't have to sell the house to fix the car. In a lot of ways, that makes a ton more sense than a more expensive ride. Sorry to get off subject.

 

[mike69440]

I think if you have a larger tractor at your disposal, then certainly get some variety. For you to have an L39 and then buy a 30HP size tractor, you would not add much versatility. The Max26 is a great tractor.

I upped my mini-ex from a 7500 lb machine to a Vio55 (12k lbs) recently and a few times I have regretted it. I haven't done it yet, but surely I am going to catch an eave or smack into something. There is a place for smaller machines. Your PC75UU2E is a beast.

Did a cam and tune on the C6 Z06 and picked up 105 HP. At 610HP and 3050 lbs, it gets with it. Sorry to get off subject.

I sure hope you changed those shakey Sodium Filled Exhaust Valves Chevy must hove bought offshore when you did the Cam!
Sorry to get off subject also, your ZO6 at 610HP and 3,050 lbs certainly would smack my 587 Hp 3,700 LB 03 Cobra around, straight going and stopping or in the curves, but the Ford is comfortable enough, has good visibility, and averaged +22MPG for the last 4K miles of driving. It does not feel especially under powered. Best of all it has not been Found On Roadside Dead. Now if that diesel conversion kit would just fit??

 

[DavesTractor]

I sure hope you changed those shakey Sodium Filled Exhaust Valves Chevy must hove bought offshore when you did the Cam!
Sorry to get off subject also, your ZO6 at 610HP and 3,050 lbs certainly would smack my 587 Hp 3,700 LB 03 Cobra around, straight going and stopping or in the curves, but the Ford is comfortable enough, has good visibility, and averaged +22MPG for the last 4K miles of driving. It does not feel especially under powered. Best of all it has not been Found On Roadside Dead. Now if that diesel conversion kit would just fit??

Funny you mention the valves. I should have changed those very cool sodium exhaust valves. The guy I sold it to was going through the gears a few months after I sold it and dropped an exhaust valve. That's a $20k experience at a shop. Part of the issue is that this 427 LS7 redlined at 7k and would not rev limit until about 7200. 59 in 1st, 88 in second, 121 in 3rd, shift into 4th to go through the traps at 127. If enough room 157 in 4th and top out in 5th at roughly 200. I never did a top speed run, lacked the place to do it and perhaps the nerve as well. So... they get shifted more than occasionally at 7000 rpm, and that's some work on those valves. My car had about 55,000 miles on it when it dropped a valve. I'm not defending GM, but 50k miles on a 600 HP car that saw the track occasionally is honestly not too bad.

I drove a Hellcat the other day. Heavy, so heavy, but the 707 HP did a lot to mitigate the weight. It would be a sweet cruiser for long distant road trips and vacations. A lot of fun, but a lot of weight.

That is a good looking Cobra. You just can't beat a Mustang for smiles/dollar. Fast, sturdy, relatively cheap. A few cars before the Z06 I had a Cobra clone, 1995 or 1996...can't remember. Supercharged, lowered, headers and all. I bought it home rather sheepishly and told my wife I bought her a car. Of course I actually bought me a car, but under the pretense of a car for my gracious wife. She drove that surging, rumpty-rump header scraping over speed bumps car every day for a couple of years. She then mentioned if I want another car for me, then don't tell her it's for her! That car was a lot of fun for the $$.

Sold all of the fast cars, now we do "extreme picnicking" in the Rubicon and I'm building a Unimog for even slower and more extreme fun. It's more along the proper lines for a tractor guy. There, I brought us back around to tractors! The Unimog in the background of the picture is a 404. I sold it and bought a diesel 416. That gives me diesel, disc brakes, onboard air and hydraulics, and a 20-speed trans, air lockers, etc., all factory. It's a project though, far from done. It's a 2-door convertible truck, and I want to make it into a 4-door with a removable hardtop.

My apologies again for the derailment. I hope some can enjoy the chatter anyway. A lot of tractors guys are car guys.

 

[dickfoster]

Funny you mention the valves. I should have changed those very cool sodium exhaust valves. The guy I sold it to was going through the gears a few months after I sold it and dropped an exhaust valve. That's a $20k experience at a shop. Part of the issue is that this 427 LS7 redlined at 7k and would not rev limit until about 7200. 59 in 1st, 88 in second, 121 in 3rd, shift into 4th to go through the traps at 127. If enough room 157 in 4th and top out in 5th at roughly 200. I never did a top speed run, lacked the place to do it and perhaps the nerve as well. So... they get shifted more than occasionally at 7000 rpm, and that's some work on those valves. My car had about 55,000 miles on it when it dropped a valve. I'm not defending GM, but 50k miles on a 600 HP car that saw the track occasionally is honestly not too bad.

I drove a Hellcat the other day. Heavy, so heavy, but the 707 HP did a lot to mitigate the weight. It would be a sweet cruiser for long distant road trips and vacations. A lot of fun, but a lot of weight.

That is a good looking Cobra. You just can't beat a Mustang for smiles/dollar. Fast, sturdy, relatively cheap. A few cars before the Z06 I had a Cobra clone, 1995 or 1996...can't remember. Supercharged, lowered, headers and all. I bought it home rather sheepishly and told my wife I bought her a car. Of course I actually bought me a car, but under the pretense of a car for my gracious wife. She drove that surging, rumpty-rump header scraping over speed bumps car every day for a couple of years. She then mentioned if I want another car for me, then don't tell her it's for her! That car was a lot of fun for the $$.

Sold all of the fast cars, now we do "extreme picnicking" in the Rubicon and I'm building a Unimog for even slower and more extreme fun. It's more along the proper lines for a tractor guy. There, I brought us back around to tractors! The Unimog in the background of the picture is a 404. I sold it and bought a diesel 416. That gives me diesel, disc brakes, onboard air and hydraulics, and a 20-speed trans, air lockers, etc., all factory. It's a project though, far from done. It's a 2-door convertible truck, and I want to make it into a 4-door with a removable hardtop.

My apologies again for the derailment. I hope some can enjoy the chatter anyway. A lot of tractors guys are car guys.

Let us know when you get the mog done, Dave.

 

[DavesTractor]

Let us know when you get the mog done, Dave.

Might be years. Here it is after I removed the snow blower. I have an extra cab as a donor to help make the 4-door.

 

[dickfoster]

Might be years. Here it is after I removed the snow blower. I have an extra cab as a donor to help make the 4-door.
View attachment 485297

Looks like a fun project. It shouldn't take you all that long since I take it you're leaving the suspension and drivetrain all stock. Are you planning to drive it on the pavement or get a really really big tow rig? The Germans made all sorts of attachments for those things so maybe you could do some shoulder mowing along the highway while getting to where you're going and get the state to pay you instead of you paying them.

 

[mike69440]

Let us know when you get the mog done, Dave.

I need to get some pics posted of my buddies 5 ton army truck. 5 tons is a bit conservative, as it will carry 33000 lbs! Not that a Mog is tiny in any way, but the Mog is a compact by comparison.

 

[dickfoster]

I need to get some pics posted of my buddies 5 ton army truck. 5 tons is a bit conservative, as it will carry 33000 lbs! Not that a Mog is tiny in any way, but the Mog is a compact by comparison.

Yeah but a deuce and half (probably what it is) is kinda big for the trails. However a lot of people use the Rockwell axles from under them for bomb proof rock crawling axles.