B3030 Help with Decision

[Double Orange]

Biz Doc, Here's another 2 cents.. I own a B3030 HST Cab w/6' RFM and 5' FEL, and LUV It. I don't abuse any of my equipment.... but I expect it to work just as hard as I do. I mow 2-- 10 acre horse fields, cross 2-4'' deep creeks, climb 500' hills, to keep the horse trails clear. Use a 7' tilt rear blade and keep the 980' drive way clear of snow and potholes. All from the comfort of a Cab... did I mention radio cranking!! This unit is capable of all my choirs, with ease. And after a full days work it easily slips into a garage. I mentioned the garage becuase some of the cab models I checked out where to tall to fit . Any hoot.. which ever way you go, you sure did your homework. P.S. Post pictures of your new toy///// tool !

 

[DiezNutz]

OK just to clear up a couple of points/questions that were asked:

• Woods might not make a FEL QA for the B3030, but Kubota, ATI and a couple of others do.
• I plow a 750' driveway with my FEL and rear blade. The FEL is hardly what I would call fragile. I have a hard time believing there would be something laying in MY OWN driveway big enough to damage it, that I'm not going to notice sticking out like a sore thumb, even under a blanket of snow.
• There are a few options available for front forks (including Kubota), I don't why someone would tell you it wouldn't work well or lift them. The FEL can lift (at bucket lip) close to 1500 lbs to about 20" - lift ability diminishes with height, to a minimum of about 780 lbs at max height. Of course, you have to have an appropriate amount of rear ballast as well.
• The Woods BH subframe doesn't interfere with the MMM. You can't lift the 3PH once the BH is installed obviously, so you might want to pin the MMM up first. For big jobs, you might want to go ahead and take it off for the extra ground clearance.

I agree (and appreciate) that the B3030 could be considered light by some standards. But it's never been "too light" to do any job I've thrown at it.

 

[BizDoc]

What model of FEL does Kubota make for the B3030 that is QA? My (kubota) dealer told me they didn't make one (without being converted), I'd like to run that by the dealer. The Kubota 2007 Full line book lists the B3030 as hoving one Front Loader LA403, and it's listed as having a lift capacity of 882 pounds lbs. The book also shows the fel arms fitted with palet forks. I'll have to take the book with me to the dealer. I picked it up at the Pa Ag Show, surely he also has one of these. I really can't imagine needing to lift more than 900 lbs on a regular basis.

I agree with you on the driveway obstructions (and so did the Woods guy), it's when the neighbors come over asking for help with their driveways, and who knows what's lurking in theirs. How do you tell a neighbor no I won't assist you. The dealer wanted to sell me an under belly mount blade that would require removing the FEL arms and MMM arms plate. I don't have a problem taking off the MMM arms plate to attach the plow, but I want the arms left on so when the snow gets to high with the plow I can move it with the bucket. I don't have to do that every year, but about every 3 years we get a winter that snows every day, and after a while I run out of room to plow the snow and have to relocate it.

I have a back blade and have used it for 4 years when plowing with the NH I sold. I don't like pulling the snow, and like even less having to look behind me and trying to keep the tractor straight while driving backwards.

Lastly, the B3030 with cab, FEL w/ a conversion plate to make the arms QA, dozer blade, third hydrolic valve to make the dozer blade 6 way, 72'' MMM, was quoted to me at $26,500, the same configuration in a JD3320 is $28,650, and the Kubota dealer is looking to beat the JD3320 price on the L3240. For $2,000 I may as well get the bigger unit. Yet he tells me he would really to move this B3030, as it's been on his lot for quite a while.

Guess I'll see Monday what Kubota has to say.

Thank you, excellent food for thought.

 

[DiezNutz]

You can always go slow(-er) in uncertain territory. It would have to be a pretty darn big rock or fallen tree to stop you cold. I've dug into banks of hard soil before that stopped the tractor with all 4 tires spinning, it didn't feel like anything was going to break.

The Kubota QA I was referring to is the B2365 Quick Hitch. It installs on the end of the LA403 arms in place of the bucket. It is arguably not as versatile as some of the other types, I only threw it out there as an example that they do exist for this unit. The ATI version is more like a skid-steer QA. You would have to get an adapter welded onto the back of the Kubota bucket to use it... not a big deal.

 

[ChuckinNH]

The good thing is that I think the standard factory buckets, and forks can be used without modification using the hitch that DiezNuts mentioned. I don't think Kubota has a front blade for that QA, but they do have a front blade that uses a quick hitch that mounts easily to the front of the tractor frame. The hitch can be left on while using the loader, but the blade must be removed obviously. I believe that both a 60", and a 72" blade are available for the B2630, B3030, and B7800.

 

[amigauser]

I also own a B3030HSDCC (cab model) and I have had it a little less than one year and I have 50 hours on it. The tractor will lift anything you can get into the bucket. I have had heaping buckets of gravel and wet top soil and it lifted them with no problem. If you are planning on using it for mowing, the weight of the B3030 (or lack there of) is actually a plus so you do not compact or damage your lawn. You just want to make sure you have rear ballast when lifting a lot of weight in the front end loader. But that is true of any tractor. I have my rear tires loaded with rim guard which adds around 400 lbs or so and I also have a rear ballast box for added rear weight.

My B3030 has the ATI Tach-all skid skeer type q/a adapter and the WR Long electric/hydraulic 3rd function with the front bulk head kit. I had my stock bucket converted to q/a with a weld on plate so I can use it. I also have Bradco compact tractor pallet forks and a WR Long RBG2 grapple. All work fine with the q/a on the B3030.

I have the Kubota quick hitch with the Kubota 72" (6 foot) power lift and angle front blade. I used it last winter and it works great. The quick hitch can be put on or taken off the tractor in probably about 10 minutes. It basically just hooks on the front of the tractor frame and is pinned up underneath the tractor. It uses the same hydraulic connections as the front loader so you probably would not want both on at the same time. You can leave the front mid mower mounts on the tractor with the quick hitch attached but the mid mower itself has to be removed. The quick hitch will also allow use of a front snow blower and front power broom but you would also need the mid pto kit which brings power from the mid pto to the front of the tractor to power either item.

All in all I have been very happy with my B3030. I have not found any limitation in the things I have asked it to do for me.

Norm

P.S: Putting a blade on the front loader arms of any tractor is asking for trouble in my opinion. If you have the blade angled you are putting a large angled torsional load on the front end loader arms that they were probably not designed for. With the load that far out in front of the tractor I could see the blade steering the tractor instead of the tractor steering the blade to.

 

[BizDoc]

Did you have to remove the MMM arms along with the mower. I was going to do this but the dealer told that I would have to remove the mmm arms, and that it was a long and laborious process to make the change. I always take my MMM off in the fall and pin up the arms, no big deal, so If I can continue to work in this fashion and mount the quich hitch blade I'd be happy with the 3030.

I believe the 72 inch mmm is a drive over deck, so I can just back up and strap the MMM to my FEL and move it out of the way, remove the FEL, and put on the quich hitch blade.

By the way, did you put in a radio, and if so did you install it or someone else. the dealer thought the 3030 was prewired for the radio, but I couldn't see anywhere that it was or where speakers would go.

I've got to print some of these listings and take them with me.

 

[DiezNutz]

My B3030 has the ATI Tach-all skid skeer type q/a adapter... I had my stock bucket converted to q/a with a weld on plate so I can use it. I also have Bradco compact tractor pallet forks and ...

That's the ATI setup I was referring to... thanks, I couldn't remember the model name.

Putting a blade on the front loader arms of any tractor is asking for trouble in my opinion. If you have the blade angled you are putting a large angled torsional load on the front end loader arms that they were probably not designed for. With the load that far out in front of the tractor I could see the blade steering the tractor instead of the tractor steering the blade to.

I agree on all points, especially regarding an angled blade. This past Valentine's Day when we got the ice storm, with the rear blade at any angle, the dense snow/rain/ice was so heavy the blade couldn't force it to the side very well. Once enough of it rolled up in front of the blade, I found myself "crabbing" down the lane sideways. That situation would've been extremely stressful on FEL arms. At that point no choice but to turn around and move the iceberg with the FEL, so I wouldn't have wanted to be without my bucket that day.

 

[Double Orange]

Biz Doc. You asked about the radio. The 3030 comes pre-wired, the speakers are elbow height behind you. The radio mounts up on your over head panel. The dealer installed it. However I installed the one in my Kubota RTV 1100 in less than 1 hr. Hope this helps, Frank

 

[amigauser]

Did you have to remove the MMM arms along with the mower.
By the way, did you put in a radio, and if so did you install it or someone else. the dealer thought the 3030 was prewired for the radio, but I couldn't see anywhere that it was or where speakers would go.

The dealer installed my factory radio but it looks pretty simple. I believe it uses an under dash radio mounting kit that is bolted to the tractor ceiling. At least that is what it looks like to me. I am not sure if it is prewired?

When I remove the mower I just remove the front rods that go from the mower to to the front of the tractor. They attach to the mower deck and there is no way to pin them up anyway. Just the front bracket that the rods connect to is left on the tractor. I believe this is the way Kubota designed the mower deck to be removed. The front bracket itself does not prevent use of the quick hitch. I had the same question myself last fall but once I removed the mower and put on the quick hitch I found my answer.

Norm