Snow Equipment Buying/Pricing 30ish hp cab tractor for mowing and snow clearing

[Robert_in_NY]

Hey guys, my girlfriend is going to buy a tractor soon. All she will use it for is mowing her yard (4-5 acres) and clearing snow from her driveway (it is a large drive that wraps around the house and second garage). Where she lives there is a lot of drifting snow so I told her to look for something with a front snow blower and to get a rear blade also. I cleared the snow there last year with my TN and the snow can get to 6' deep in large drifts if not kept up. I think 30 hp would be a perfect size for her and if it is under 60" that would be a plus as she could use it around the vineyard during the spring-fall.

So here is what I need your knowledge for, I have not followed compact tractors very close lately. What models will do what she needs and be simple to operate? It will be a hydro with FWA but I have not followed individual brands offerings. There are dealers for John Deere, Case-IH, New Holland, Kubota, Kioti, Valtra, Agco, Massey Ferguson, Mahindra, Deutz, Landini and TYM all within 30 minutes of driving from here so the options are all there.

One of the biggest things I am hoping for is that what ever model she gets it is easy to remove and install the mower deck and snow blower. Thanks

 

[MikeInEburg]

Kubota B3030 is a popular choice for this type of work.
Mike

 

[Ductape]

If her two targeted tasks are snowblowing and finish mowing, there is only one logical choice....... the Kubota B3030. If she wants to get into jobs that require a larger tractor, there are a bunch of great cabbed tractors over 30 horse. As good as the 3030 is, it makes no sense to use a much heavier tractor at 10 grand more money to mow and blow snow.

 

[ChuckinNH]

+ Me on the Kubota B3030 though right now I understand that there are great deals on the B2630 though you can't get that model with a factory cab. The standard blower is 63" I believe, and the mmm's are 60", and 72" and are ground contact mowers. If you leave off the factory cab, the Kubota B2x20 series, and JD 2000 series will also work very well for those chores. They both have drive over suspended mower decks (54", and 60") and both are available with front mounted snow blowers. The standard Kubota blower for the smaller models is 51" with "drift knives" that bring that out to 54", and JD is just now coming out with a 54" blower for that series. I would prefer the JD for finish mowing since the steering geometry is less likely to tear things up, and for the position control, and usuable steering brakes. I like the Kubota for most other things, and the B3030 does have the nice position control on the 3pt.

 

[dave1949]

If her two targeted tasks are snowblowing and finish mowing, there is only one logical choice....... the Kubota B3030. If she wants to get into jobs that require a larger tractor, there are a bunch of great cabbed tractors over 30 horse. As good as the 3030 is, it makes no sense to use a much heavier tractor at 10 grand more money to mow and blow snow.

That's a sweet looking snow machine Ductape!

 

[bpattie]

that is a nice looking machine Ductape. all posts seem to offer good advice. I can only add your choice may depend on what is available if you are buying used. Buying new you have lots of choices. also maybe proximity to the brand dealer location should be factored....just in case and depending on your ability to service. PS, nice to have a girlfriend that ants a tractor

 

[brandoro]

I just put a front mount blower (63") on my B3030 and am pleased with how easy the sub frame is to install and remove. Same for the FEL, dropped the sub frame for the blower and had the FEL back on in about 15 minutes, part of that was driving to the concrete pad I park the FEL on when it is off the tractor. It is snowing right now but still not enough to require removal so haven't tried the blower out yet. From pictures posted on this forum I think I will be pleased with its performance.
When I bought the cab tractor all I was thinking about was heated cab for snow removal but, on hot humid days that AC is pretty nice too.
If she decides to get a FEL later it only requires the removal of two spacers from the blowers sub frame mount.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

She has no need for a front loader. Her dad has three loader tractors and I have two. This tractor is basically going to be a toy for her to play with around her house as right now she uses an old Farmall A to mow with and I and a friend plow her drive for her but she wants to do it herself.

How does the B3030 handle in snow with turf tires? Would R4's be too hard on the yard? The yard she will mow is basically an open field, she has a lawn service mow the yard inside the driveway around the house.

Just to clarify, I was thinking 30ish hp but it doesn't have to be 30hp. It can be more or less but it has to have a cab. And we have just about every brand available within 30 minutes drive.

 

[FxdGrMind]

Watch out... she might be of mind to replace you with the new Tractor!!!

Grand to see a SO, having the desire to get a tractor though! Man, lucky guy!!!

No usefull info to share as I don't have a cab model (B7800)

I'll shut up now, green with envy.

 

[dodge man]

Another option is to add a cab to a tractor, such as a curtis. This might be a cheaper and open up the options of used tractors. A factory cab would by far be the nicest and be set up for heat, air, defrost and wipers.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Another option is to add a cab to a tractor, such as a curtis. This might be a cheaper and open up the options of used tractors. A factory cab would by far be the nicest and be set up for heat, air, defrost and wipers.

The tractor will be new or slightly used. Which ever she chooses will have a factory cab as this isn't a case of making due as she has access to a fleet of 20+ tractors. This is a case of her wanting her own tractor to play with.

I am familiar with Curtis cabs as I have one on one of my loader tractors and while it is nice when it is raining it really does lack in the creature comforts that only a factory cab can give as you mentioned. Thanks for bringing up the option as it may be of use to others viewing this thread.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Watch out... she might be of mind to replace you with the new Tractor!!!

Grand to see a SO, having the desire to get a tractor though! Man, lucky guy!!!

No usefull info to share as I don't have a cab model (B7800)

I'll shut up now, green with envy.

I am not worried about being replaced. She got a Kubota RTV1100 earlier this year and still found time to see me so if she takes more time away from me that just means I can get more of my own work done around the farms

 

[MFRED]

Drove a MF1635 hydro with a cab the other day. That thing was sweet. there's nothing like a factory cab. It's over the 60" width though. You should convince her to get one of those Vineyard tractors, they're pretty neat.

 

[brandoro]

How does the B3030 handle in snow with turf tires? Would R4's be too hard on the yard? The yard she will mow is basically an open field, she has a lawn service mow the yard inside the driveway around the house.


I have turfs on mine and get around quite well in the snow. Put a ballast box on the back and add/remove weight to keep enough weight on the rear wheels without taking too much away from the front and making it hard to steer when the blower is in "float". You don't need so much traction to follow a snow blower, not like pushing a blade or bucket full of snow. I usually run in 2wd so that if I hit something unexpected in the snow the wheels will slip rather than tear something off. Has worked most of the time.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Drove a MF1635 hydro with a cab the other day. That thing was sweet. there's nothing like a factory cab. It's over the 60" width though. You should convince her to get one of those Vineyard tractors, they're pretty neat.

Her dad has a couple cabbed vineyard tractors but vineyard tractors are heavy and are not ideal for mowing lawns. The idea with staying under 60" is so she can use it in the vineyard if she desires to in the future. She really has no need to but why limit yourself.

 

[Dmace]

Kioti DK35SE HST ?

I sat in a few and that factory cab feels huge inside but is very easy to see all around the tractor and the controls are laid out perfectly. I believe the DK35 is Kioti's smallest tractor with a factory cab.

It's 61.6" wide with AG tires but that should be close enough to your 60" width requirement.

Depending on dealers in your area, I bet you can get that Kioti for less then the Kubota B3030 and get much more machine.

The Kioti is a heavy machine (4,351lbs with cab, 3,915lbs with ROPS) which is not always ideal for mowing but it will better suited for winter use. Kubota only list weight without cab which is 1,852lbs which seems way too light for a machine that can lift over 2,000lbs on the 3pt hitch.

Those Kubota B3030 machines are very nice though so I am sure either would work great as long as it's orange.

 

[brandoro]

The Kubota Canada site lists the B3030 weight with cab (HSDC) at 2271 lbs and lift capacity of three point at pins as 1655 lbs.

 

[ovrszd]

Kioti DK35SE HST ?


The Kioti is a heavy machine (4,351lbs with cab, 3,915lbs with ROPS) which is not always ideal for mowing but it will better suited for winter use. Kubota only list weight without cab which is 1,852lbs which seems way too light for a machine that can lift over 2,000lbs on the 3pt hitch.

That's a trademark of Kubota, they are light for their HP. I like that about them. You can always add weight but it's real hard to take off weight. In the B models it makes them very useful for lawn work with never an issue of being underpowered. I had a B2910 which was the predescessor of the B3030. Loved that little tractor.

 

[ChuckinNH]

Though the B3030 seems to be a very good choice with it's "lightest factory cabbed" distinction, the John Deere 3x20 series cabbed tractors might not be too large either. It sounds like she is more than familiar with tractors. The 3320 cab is about 1500 lbs. heavier than the Kubota B3030 with cab, but that might not be a real issue either. I have to say that the JD cabs make for pretty classy, and comfortable toys.

 

[Will_C]

The 3030 sounds like a good machine. Turfs with chains sounds like the best tire choice for her application (about the same uses for a tractor that i have.)
Will