790

[twodogs]

Hey folks!
I am considering a 790 to cut my 3 acre yard, & mow a about 15-20 acres of field. I also considered adding a FEL for future use. For those of you who have them, what are your thoughts about the 790? Any regrets? I am comparing to a Kubota 7800. The Kubota has HST, & is equipped similarly from what I can tell, for about the same price.

 

[RobS]

I've had my 790 for several years now and love it. I do landscape projects, snow removal and bush hog about 6 acres. I have a lawn tractor for our small amount of finished lawn. The 790 might be overkill for 3 acres of mowing but perhaps undersized for 15-20 acres of field. How often do you anticipate cutting? I use a five foot cutter and my six acres takes about four hours to cut. Some of that time is "trim" work along the drive, road and around trees we've planted. I have no regrets with my 790 but be prepared for the GST/HST debate /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[_RaT_]

My neighbor owns a 790. It is a no frills basic tractor that is well made. If I were going to pick on it, I would say it is ergonomically incorrect for me. This includes cockpit room, location of loader and 3 pt hitch levers (on his they actually interfere with each other), as well as where the manual gear selector is. For mowing, it will be fine.

 

[Michigan_Mike]

I've had my 790 for a little over a year now, and have no complaints. I have a 6' cutter that I use to brush hog about 5 acres. I only cut two or three time each year. I also have a FEL and back blade to move snow from my 400 foot drive and 1/4 mile of road. For that type of work, I sometimes wish I didn't have to keep shifting.

 

[rockyridgefarm]

Well, the 790 is nice, but I'd have to say, look hard at that 'Bota!

Do be sure and get complete pricing, it usually is much better to get the loader at time of initial purchase.

 

[JohnMC]

Before I bought my 4210 which is the comparison model against the B7800, I was very close to selecting the Kubota, however, you could not get the tilt steering wheel on the Kubota although the brochure stated you could. The ergonomics of the steering wheel was not comfortable for me when I sat in the seat. Otherwise I loved the Kubota. The other thing I noticed on the Kubota was that the Reverse pedal was behind your heel. The JD has the pedals side by side which made a difference in the level of comfort when going from forward to reverse. Although the Kubota was almost $2000 cheaper I chose the JD because it also had other little features such as a larger GPM hydraulic pump and I thought about resale down the road but I think both machines are equal on that item. It's a personal choice but there are little comfort things that I considered when I made my decision..Good luck. There was a section somewhere on the web were you could compare the B7800 against comparable brands but I don't remember where....

 

[Joe1]

I think you will find very few complaints from the 790 owners. You should compare not only HP and PTO HP but FEL and 3PT lift capacities. Some may feel the 790 is a little light in that area. My 1998 770, (the last year before being replaced by the 790) has been a very reliable and easy to operate and maintain tractor. (The main difference is just a couple of HP less on the 770 than the 790). As far as lift capacity, the 770 handles a full bucket of wet sand without any problems. Even with loaded tires and a 54" box scraper in back for balast, I wouldn't want to lift much more weight than it does now, so greater lift capacity is a non-issue for me.

You absolutely need to drive both and see how you fit and how they feel. I have no problems with interference between the FEL and 3PT controls. They do not interfere with each other on mine. I also like the location of the FEL controls better than on some Kubota models. The FEL lever falls right to hand without a reach.

If you're on the fence after driving both, the dealer's service reputation may be the deciding factor.

Another option might be to buy a larger tractor for the 20 acres and a decent Garden Tractor to mow the lawn. AG or Industrial tires can tear up a wet lawn, and turf tires might not provide enough traction in the fields, even with MFW (Mechanical Four Wheel Drive). (It sure is easy to spend someone elses money).

Also, I believe the Mid PTO on the 790 is an option.

Good luck on your purchase decision.

 

[GONO2]

I love mine but I mow with my 335.....

 

[JerryG]

What is the lift cap. on the loader of your 770? Do you know if the part number for the front axle is the same for 770 and 790?

 

[Joe1]

Lift capacity for the 770 with the 70 Loader (I believe the 790 uses a different loader) with a 7.0 cu ft, 54" loader is as follows:

Full Height: 755 lbs
At 72" 735 lbs
At 36" 1,010 lbs
At 18" 1,190 lbs

Breakout for the bucket is 1,570 lbs.

I do not know if the same front axle is used on the 770 and 790. As I stated in my message, from other postings, some people say the lift capacity may be a limiting factor for the 790. As far as I'm concerned, it is not for my 770.