B3030 with BH75 or BH80-X Clearance?

[stimpee]

Hello Steve,
I looked at buying the B7800 Subframe and mounting it on the B3030.
Unfortunately, the subframes are different.
: (

The piece of sheet metal behind the B3030 seat comes off fairly easy.

I'm waiting for a free day to install the new BH75 on the B3030.

Later,
Rick

How different are the subframes? I thought the B3030 and the B7800 TRACTOR were built on the same basic frame. If that is true, it would seem that modifying the 7800 subframe to work on the B3030 would not be THAT complicated if you have some machining capabilities?

I would LOVE to see the 2 side by side and see how they differ. Do you have a contact at WOods that I could email or speak with? Maybe they would send some engineering drawings of the 2 subframes and I could look at them relative to my tractor and see what the deal is.

I think the Woods hoe looks very nice, and besides not being able to do the 42 month 0% on it, I would be very tempted to get that over the BH75. I really don't have any clearance issues on my property of any importance, so maybe it would be extra work for no reason, and I should probably just consider the B3030 subframe, but it can't hurt to think it through.

Steve

 

[Charlesaf3]

I think I'm missing something - why not get the 3030 subframe? Do you have access to a cheap 7800 frame?

That said, I confess I thought the 3030 and the 7800 were the same tractor, only with a few upgrades on the 3030 like engine etc. I wonder where the frame difference is?

I really do think the woods is a better backhoe, simply because its stronger. And I've found you can't have to strong a backhoe, hence moving way up to a TLB.

Btw, I saw a post somewhere saying you can't use the MMM and a subframe together. Not true, I have both.

 

[stimpee]

The 7800 subframe keeps the hoe closer to the tractor, and has 5 more inches ground clearance.

Maybe a non-issue, but just looking into it...

Steve

 

[Charlesaf3]

ah, gotcha.

That stuff really hasn't been an issue for me. Won't say it's impossible that it would be an issue, but I'm on hills and in woods every day and nothing so far that I've noticed.

I'll try to get some pictures at some point.

 

[bandit67]

Since the BH80X is only slightly stronger, I say go with the hoe that has the price and features you want. I'm digging into rock with my BH75 that I dug into with an L35 backhoe and a full size New Holland 95 series backhoe, and I'm no less impressed with the BH75 after using those other 2 bigger, more powerful hoes in the same spot. I can say I was a little surprised that the bigger hoes weren't able to get through it faster or easier than they actually did, but am also finding that the little BH75 is able to dig into it seemingly just as well.

The big NH had an 18" bucket, and the L35 and my BH75 have a 12" bucket. I think bucket size is a big factor in the type of digging you are going to be doing.

Initially, I wanted the BH80X for the added capacities, curved boom, and factory mech thumb, but decided against it because of the ground clearance and the extra 12" of overhang off the back, vs. the BH75. So far, I've not wished I had gone with the BH80X instead.

I'm sure whichever hoe you choose, you won't look back either.

Here's a thread with some pics of the rock I'm chipping away at.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/121268-new-b3030-impressions.html

 

[madslick]

How different are the subframes? I thought the B3030 and the B7800 TRACTOR were built on the same basic frame. If that is true, it would seem that modifying the 7800 subframe to work on the B3030 would not be THAT complicated if you have some machining capabilities?

I would LOVE to see the 2 side by side and see how they differ. Do you have a contact at WOods that I could email or speak with? Maybe they would send some engineering drawings of the 2 subframes and I could look at them relative to my tractor and see what the deal is.

I think the Woods hoe looks very nice, and besides not being able to do the 42 month 0% on it, I would be very tempted to get that over the BH75. I really don't have any clearance issues on my property of any importance, so maybe it would be extra work for no reason, and I should probably just consider the B3030 subframe, but it can't hurt to think it through.

Steve

Hello Stimpee,
Please see page 2 or page 3 of this discussion.
You will see the comparison there.

: )

 

[Charlesaf3]

Here are some pictures I had on hand. You can't really see the slope, but it's there, probably 15 degrees. You can see rocks and general forest - I bush hog before starting cutting, makes a huge difference.

Second picture is of the BH 80x lifting a pretty big oak tree. I was impressed and pleased - made cutting it up a lot easier.

 

[Charlesaf3]

Bandit makes a good point - bucket makes a difference. I'm using a 16, which is nice for dirt, but for a lot of the stuff I've ended up using it for a 12 would be better.

Understanding bucket size for your conditions and use is pretty key for a backhoe buyer, something I didn't completely understand until I got time on one.

 

[stimpee]

Hello Stimpee,
Please see page 2 or page 3 of this discussion.
You will see the comparison there.

: )

I understand that comparison, which is why I want to see the 2 subframes, OFF the tractor, for comparison to see what they look like and how they attach.

When I look at the terrain Charles is dealing with, and compare it to my property, which looks like a golf course by comparison, there is probably nothing I would ever deal with on my current property where the ground clearance of the woods and the B3030 subframe would be even remotely an issue, other than maybe loading/unloading from a trailer.

So, given that, I would probably be stupid if I went to the trouble to try to modify a 7800 subframe to do it. Then it is just a matter of whether I want to get the Woods or the Kubota unit. The woods unit looks a bit stronger and with a bit more capacity, and has 5-6" more depth capability. Not sure if I need that capability or not, so it would ultimately still be a difficult decision for me and might come down to price, and perhaps the ability to get the Kubota hoe with the 42 month 0% as a standalone item.

However a used unit, if cheap enough, could also be attractive. But if it is within 500-1k of a new one, not even sure that would make sense, especially if I had to drive to pick it up with the cost of gas to run my suburban and a trailer!

Heck, I am not even sure I can convince my wife that I NEED a hoe (or myself for that matter)! I need to find some of those threads to indicate what uses people have found for their hoes...

Steve

 

[bandit67]

Heck, I am not even sure I can convince my wife that I NEED a hoe (or myself for that matter)!

EVERY tractor owner NEEDS a hoe!