30 HP Tractor...Which one????

[Bob_Skurka]

There is another advantage to the B3030 and that is the new hood design and the new loader. I'm a long time critic of the straight arm loaders and the long flat hoods on the Kubotas. The new B3030 uses a sloping and curved hood, while not as radical in slope as the New Holland tractors, it sure is not the flat plank like hood that is on the B2910 or B7800. The new loader for the B3030 is still a straight arm design, but the arms taper down slightly to increase the view forward. I find the New Holland curved arms and the curved sloped hoods to be very helpful in using the front end loader and I find they help me work better/faster. The B3030 is an improvement on the B7800/B2910 design and that improvement is more than cosmetic.

Take a look at the photo comparisoin between a TC24 and a B2910. The B3030 won't offer quite as good a view as the TC, but it will offer a better view than the B2910/B7800. Front View Comparision Now I don't recommend you put your daughter in front of the tractors for photo ops . . . I had to keep the engines reved up because she wouln't sit still and the only way I could out run her was to already have the machines on After chasing her down and scooping her up in the bucket a few times, she finally got tired enough to sit for the photos.

 

[ronjhall]

<font color="blue"> After chasing her down and scooping her up in the bucket a few times, she finally got tired enough to sit for the photos. </font> /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
This statements kind of bears out my thoughts on this whole subject of visibility. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
No injuries reported by either tractor. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Of course, this could have been the fault of person being pursued and not the pursuant. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Ron, actually I used 2 different techniques. With the NH, I was able to get underneath her and scoop her up because I could see her feet.

With the Kubota, I raised the bucket over her, pointed it down and lowered it over her head to effectively trap her under the bucket. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif I also found that when she was younger, I could use a similar technique with the play pen. The lovely Mrs_Bob has the entire concept all wrong in how to put a kid in a play pen. Kids want to get OUT of a play pen to play on the ground. If you set the kid on the ground, and turn the playpen upside down on top of them, you contain them in the space and provide them with the ground they seem to want to dig into. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I considered it a "win-win" as she didn't hurt herself climbing out and I didn't get in trouble because she got hurt. Although, I will admit, that as she got larger I had to put some rocks and other weight on top of the inverted play pen to hold her in there. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[ronjhall]

Bob
Betty has made a couple of comments about your post that I cannot repeat here on TBN. Does the Lovely Mrs Bob have a address that Betty can send a personal reply to. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Bob_Skurka]

<font color="red"> Does the Lovely Mrs Bob have a address that Betty can send a personal reply to. </font>


WHO???? I disavow any knowledge of any prior comments.

 

[HODAK]

KIOTI CK30HST - much heavier. CK20HST? Those 3030's are nice though. I compared the L2800 and L3400 to the KIOTI. Price was very close. Bought the KIOTI. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Hodak, not wanting to get into any sort of brand war here, but in the very first post the point was made that this tractor will be used for mowing. The CK30 is a nice tractor for sure, but it is probably a 1000# heavier than a B3030 and the mid mount mower on the CK30 is suspect in terms of quality of cut according to the foremost authority on the brand, who has recommended not to buy the CK30 when a mid mount mower is being considered.

Further, the CK20 is probably about the same weight as the B3030 but it has MUCH less horsepower so it would be forced to use much smaller implements that the B3030 would use. Now there is no arguement that the CK20 would be less expensive than the B3030, but there would be such a large drop in power (about 32% less) that you'd spend a lot more time mowing the lawn with the smaller tractor and if you consider time as money then in the long run the smaller machine would cost more to own and operate.

 

[shoppintractors]

<font color="blue">...the mid mount mower on the CK30 is suspect in terms of quality of cut.... </font>

To my knowledge, there is not a mid-mount-mower available for the CK30 yet.

Don

 

[Bob_Skurka]

KiotiJohn has referred to one a couple times. In fact, here is what he posted in another thread a few days ago : If you're going to want an MMM, go with another tractor as the ones made for Kioti are just not worth it in my book. One lets too much out the front, clogging the radiator too often, and the other has a too small pulley for the belt that leads to quick wear out and other problems. So I was mistaken about the quality of the cut as being suspect, in fact the issues were different but still show that for mowing there are better choices.

 

[shoppintractors]

<font color="blue">KiotiJohn has referred to one a couple times. </font>

I'll defer to Kiotijohn to respond & clarify which Kioti model he is referring to.

Don

 

[Bob_Skurka]

<font color="blue">
KiotiJohn has referred to one a couple times.
</font>
Well I will stand corrected, I looked deeper and John stated the MMM is not available for the CK30. I was confused. He was referring to the MMM for the CK20.

But this is what he stated in the same thread when comparing the CK30 to a Kubota. <font color="red"> MMM= the Kubota in my book. </font>

I believe the point to my earlier post holds true, despite my error on the model number on the Kioti. And as the original poster, and the follow up questions were all related to Kubota, it seems like the thread is somewhat derailed. So getting back on point, the B3030 has all the features to make it an excellent machine for the types of work that was orginally asked about, and in comparison to the B7800, the B3030 has some advantages that, while they come at an increased cost, might be worth it over the long life of the tractor, if the owner chooses to place value on things like a more comfortable seat.

 

[carrerascott]

The dealer I am dealing with told me Kubota changed their financing today to 36mos/0% even for the B-series (not just BX) so glad I didn't buy last week! Looks like with that lowered monthly payment I may just upgrade to the B3030, sounds like it's more worth it than I thought...

 

[cag]

I have a question here that might be a little off topic, here it goes... Can the B3030 be as productive as the CK30hst I know that weight can be positive for traction but isn't it also true that light weight can also have it's positive side, here's the difference.. CK30FEL 4800 pounds, B3030TLB around 3600 pounds, I know that I should be comparing theCK30 to kubota L series but truly believe that the B series as an advantage here over the CK being light weight.. If I'm wrong here in my assessments can someone point it out to me...cag

 

[Bob_Skurka]

cag . . . I think your question could honestly be answered with "it depends."

Bear in mind all circumstances are different. I use a B2910 which is larger and heavier than a TC24 which I also use. In wide open spaces, the B2910 is more productive with a loader or box blade. On a lot of my property I don't have wide open spaces so the smaller less powerful TC becomes more productive.

For example, I just transported into my fenced yard about 60 bucket loads of clay to fill an area where I will be pouring a new patio. The area is fairly small, sandwiched between a wall with a protruding natural gas meter/piping, a couple of trees, and a sloped drop off, the gate is about 64" wide(?) and the bucket on the B2910 is a 60" bucket. The B2910 is about a foot and a half longer than the TC24 and the TC24 has a 54" bucket. Now in that area, with that gate, the smaller machine is much more productive to use.

I've found that for many other tasks the two are really pretty similar. For example, both easily handle the PHD with no advantage to either. Both easily handle the tiller, with no advantage to either; however the B2910 could use a larger tiller because it has more HP. Both easily handle the 60" snowblower, I favor the TC simply because it is smaller and gets closer to the house. Both easily handle the spray rig. Both easily handle a spreader.

Now in the case of the CK30 and the B3030 there is no PTO HP difference so PTO powered equipment would be handled pretty equally. I'd give the CK30 an edge for rough rotary cutting because of the added weight. I'd give the B3030 a big edge for finish mowing, especially if a MMM is considered. For loader work, the CK30 clearly has more capacity. The CK30 is a larger machine overall, it won't fit into some of the tight spaces so for close quarter work the B3030 would be more productive. For heavy pulling work, the CK's weight would be a clear advantage.

So lack of weight can be good in the garden when tilling, cultivating, etc where soil compaction is bad. The B3030's light weight is also an advantage for finish mowing. Many tasks are weight neutral. And then some are going to lean toward the CK being more productive due to weight & capacity issues.

Like I said, it depends . . .

 

[Rolando]

Ron,
Have you thought about getting the ATI skid steer quick attach for the 3030 FEL and welding skid steer plates to all your implements? There's a weight penalty but the cost wouldn't be too bad.

 

[Rolando]

There's another difference between the B3030 and the 7800/2900 that I don't think has been mentioned here: The mid-PTO is offset, making it a little easier to take the belly mower on and off.

 

[cag]

Thanks for the reply Bob... Unfortunately both machine are on the BO list, just have time for a quick reply as I'm leaving for the job site thanks again...cag

 

[ronjhall]

<font color="blue"> Have you thought about getting the ATI skid steer quick attach for the 3030 FEL and welding skid steer plates to all your implements? </font>
The cost would be at least $100 each attachment. I have 4 FEL attachments that would need to be modified.
Do you have your ATI quick attach yet? Sure would like to see some pictures of it. What does it weigh? Can it actually use skid steer attachments with a 900 lbs FEL?

 

[ronjhall]

I have never found that my MMM PTO as hard to hook up. Just do it from rear of tractor.
When I inspected the B3030 the offset mid pto did not look like it would help much on a 72" MMM.

 

[Rolando]

I don't have the ATI quick attach yet, I'm still waiting on the tractor. At the time I asked, they were in the process of designing the QA for the 403 loader so they weren't sure, but they felt confident it wouldn't weigh more than 80 lbs.

It should look similar to the attached. I'll post a picture of the actual thing once I have it.