B2320DTN Measurements - hilling potatoes

[peter_vii]

To all B2320DTN owners,

Can you post drawbar and front axle clearance?

Also, what is the inside width of rear and front tires?
(distance between inside of rims on rear and front wheels)

I'm trying to find a good tractor for hilling potato rows.

I have JD5083E but that is too big for this job with its 18.4" tires.

Kubota is the lightest from the big three. L models are too small for
two rows, too big for one row. Need either a small tractor to drive over one row, or a bigger one to take two rows but with narrow tires (9.5"). Today's tractors are not made for hilling potatoes :-( Hard to find light, bigger tractor
with 9.5" rear tires. L2800 is too wide for one row, too narrow for two rows.

Any advise, B2320DTN measurements would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,
Peter

 

[bp fick]

To all B2320DTN owners,

Can you post drawbar and front axle clearance?

Also, what is the inside width of rear and front tires?
(distance between inside of rims on rear and front wheels)

I'm trying to find a good tractor for hilling potato rows.

I have JD5083E but that is too big for this job with its 18.4" tires.

Kubota is the lightest from the big three. L models are too small for
two rows, too big for one row. Need either a small tractor to drive over one row, or a bigger one to take two rows but with narrow tires (9.5"). Today's tractors are not made for hilling potatoes :-( Hard to find light, bigger tractor
with 9.5" rear tires. L2800 is too wide for one row, too narrow for two rows.

Any advise, B2320DTN measurements would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,
Peter

The DTN version is a little rare here, it calls for a bit of patience on getting the right response, I suppose.

I have the standard B2320. We run a market garden operation and the 2320 had more ground clearance than everything else, in its class, of all the major name plates and that is why it is working my gardens now. The R1 Ag tires make the standard tractor very narrow and would be excellent for your purposes. But, the DTN, along with being narrower, has position control on the 3 pt which is a huge plus.

 

[peter_vii]

The DTN version is a little rare here, it calls for a bit of patience on getting the right response, I suppose.

I have the standard B2320. We run a market garden operation and the 2320 had more ground clearance than everything else, in its class, of all the major name plates and that is why it is working my gardens now. The R1 Ag tires make the standard tractor very narrow and would be excellent for your purposes. But, the DTN, along with being narrower, has position control on the 3 pt which is a huge plus.

BP,

What are the above measurements for B2320? Are you taking one row between the wheels when you do cultivation/hilling?

I agree, small Kubotas are the only option available with their high clearances and light weight. JD, NH completely ignored homesteader's/gardener's market.

Thanks,
Peter

 

[bp fick]

Peter,

I'll get you some "real world" measurements within the hour.

Yes, I needed a one row tractor and got it.

 

[bp fick]

Peter,

I have the R4's. Same R4 as the 2620/2920 so my sizes need to be factored. But, nonetheless, I have 13" of ground clearance under front axle and the same under the drawbar.

With R1s, you might lose an inch. I cannot say for sure, but I think so. JohnThomas has R1s on his and perhaps you could pm him, but just an inch is all you'd lose with R1 in ground clearance.

As for width, the R1s would give you an outside with of approx 40" and an inside width of 23" give or take. Again, these are dimensions on the standard B2320. JohnThomas could give you precise measurements on the inside/outside tire width. Trying to think if anyone else has R1s.

 

[peter_vii]

Peter,

I have the R4's. Same R4 as the 2620/2920 so my sizes need to be factored. But, nonetheless, I have 13" of ground clearance under front axle and the same under the drawbar.

With R1s, you might lose an inch. I cannot say for sure, but I think so. JohnThomas has R1s on his and perhaps you could pm him, but just an inch is all you'd lose with R1 in ground clearance.

As for width, the R1s would give you an outside with of approx 40" and an inside width of 23" give or take. Again, these are dimensions on the standard B2320. JohnThomas could give you precise measurements on the inside/outside tire width. Trying to think if anyone else has R1s.

Thanks BP.

That is very helpful. The clearance on yours is ok for hilling potatoes, right?
Would you go for DTN version if you had to buy B2320 again?

Thanks,
Peter

 

[bp fick]

Thanks BP.

That is very helpful. The clearance on yours is ok for hilling potatoes, right?
Would you go for DTN version if you had to buy B2320 again?

Thanks,
Peter

Yes, I cultivate and hill potatoes and all the normal tasks. The ground clearance is great!!! I don't think you can match ground clearance until you are into a HUGE tractor, which doesn't really work in this application.

Narrow? No, I don't think so. The lack of a FEL would be difficult for me. I have to clear snow in the winter.

 

[chriscos]

When I was first looking at new tractors the DTN got my attention too, but then I saw you could not use a loader with it.

I always wondered about the position control on the DTN... I wonder what would be involved (besides a bunch of money) in adapting the position control from a 2320DTN to a regular B2X20. It can't be as easy as unbolting a couple things and bolting on new ones, could it?

 

[peter_vii]

I found one dealer in Ontario who has a used B2320DTN in stock for $10.5K

Used 2010 KUBOTA B2320DTN Heavy Equipment For Sale | DUNDAS ON

Brand new is $11,850.

Would you go for used one for 10.5K or a new one for $11,850?

 

[bigbull338]

since theres $1,350 diff between new/used,id go with new no q because you get everything that goes with buying new.

 

[bp fick]

Normally, what a tractor is priced online from a dealer's used parking area will not actually sell for the "asking" price. The dealer knows this. Most educated buyers ought to know this.

Even if you were to bargain it down to a $1600 difference, let's just say, yes, I'd still go new. Warranty, zero percent financing, little or no money out of pocket and other reasons.

For $2500? You might get my attention, but it would still be hard to stack up $11,000 cash dollar bills and part with them. To each his own.

 

[ChuckinNH]

A dealer around here had one of the narrow B sized tractors, and it just sat in the lot. After over 3 years it was gone, but I'll bet he didn't make much money on that one! I raise potatoes, and see no use for the narrow tractor that the standard width tractor couldn't handle just fine. The R-1 tires that come on these are pretty narrow, and would work fine. I haven't used mine to hill my potatoes yet since I don't have a hiller for it, but it sure works slick for cultivating, and digging them up at harvest time. I doubt that you can find a better full size tractor for working gardens than the small B series like BPFlick has. I would only consider a narrow track Kubota B if I had to get between rows in a vinyard, etc., something already established. Now a B3200 with R-1 tires might be about the same width as a B2320 with R-4 tires, and it will have more clearance so that might be an option too now that I think about it..

 

[bp fick]

I agree with Chuck. The re-sale, because of lack of popularity, on the Narrow would be really rough, imho. The value of the Narrow seems more oriented to orchard/vineyard guys than potato guys, but that is just me.

The standard Bxx20 series is just fine. In fact, more than fine. It's the closest thing I know of to the Massey Pony, Farmalls, and super garden tractors of by-gone days. The FEL, as I said earlier is really not an option for me, as I lift snow banks and such.

Not trying to talk you out of the Narrow, if that is what you have your heart set on, but in my fields, the Narrow might actually work against me with my row crops, not for me, with my spacing. Actually, the standard with R1's would be awesome.

 

[peter_vii]

Got a quote for new 2320DTN+SQ148 cutter and Agro Trend 54" blower (as a
backup for my 90"), $15,400 before taxes. With 25% down and 0% for 30
months it works out to about $440/month.

Narrow is not just for potatoes, we do beans, buckwheat, corn, beats,
carrots, onions and countless varieties of herbs (my wife's domain).

We have planted about 2 acres of vegetables this year (seems like every
year we are expanding) . All by hand and hoe. Only field preparation was
done using bottom plows, disc, cultivator and tiller, all behind our 5083E. But
all the work after that was done manually. And it is not fun.

We also have a dozen of fruit trees, rows and rows of black currants and
strawberries.

I have looked hard at B series, older tractors and JD, NH to find anything
that would be closest to what we need and B2320DTN was always coming up
near the top of our list. I have FEL on my 5083E and my main snow blower is
Agro Trend 90". Never Stopped me on my 1/4 mile driveway. Even in 5'-6' drifts.

The only thing to perfect garden tractor would be if it was 300lb lighter and
have 4" higher ground clearance. 12" has to be enough I guess.
Being one of the lightest per HP on the market makes it a garden winner.
IMHO.

 

[chriscos]

If you don't need the FEL, then I think the 2320DTN is the perfect little garden tractor, especially with position control. That price with those attachments looks real good too.

Post some photos when you get it!

 

[peter_vii]

The wait time is 4 months here in Canada. I guess they have to ship it from Japan, or actually make them on order. Nobody wants them since very few people do gardens or vineries/nurseries on a small scale.

Will post pics once I get it.