common problems with kubotas and heavier work

[bigballer]

I am pretty close to deciding on a B7800 for my 6 acres and i have some pretty heavy work to do. For example, removing felled trees, cleaning up pasture, moving dirt from a hillside in prep for a rock wall, driveway work, field cutting, posthole digging, etc.. My question is what is the most common failure on these tractors and how much do typical repairs cost? I know this an open ended question but any ideas I can get are appreciated. I am also concerned with having the steering rods on the front of the front axle exposed. Is there a way to add some sort of protection to this? Is it even required? Are there other common "weak points" I should know about. I know most people use these tractors as mowers first and other projects as secondary. I am just wondering if this tractor will hold up to some heavy tasks..

cheers,
bigballer

 

[themichelob]

Bigballer,
I've had my B7800 for a little over two years now and used it for most all of the work you described--no post hole digger, though. Haven't found any "weak points" yet--no issues with the steering rods or any other failures. In fact, the more I ask of it the more it does. Also been watching these forums for two years, and have yet to see a pattern of problems with this model. Hope you have the same experience I've had...
Regards, Mike

 

[rswyan]

I am pretty close to deciding on a B7800 for my 6 acres and i have some pretty heavy work to do. For example, removing felled trees, cleaning up pasture, moving dirt from a hillside in prep for a rock wall, driveway work, field cutting, posthole digging, etc.

Sounds like the typical kinda stuff. I have about 16.5 acres here.

My question is what is the most common failure on these tractors and how much do typical repairs cost? I know this an open ended question but any ideas I can get are appreciated.

Good question ..... my failures have consisted of the following:

1. Bent lift linkage arm for the MMM (due to incorrect installation by the dealer - they failed to bend a cotter key to secure it and it came loose and got bent up when I unloaded it off the trailer first time home. They provided new parts and I replaced it.)

2. Broken left turn signal lens (I inadvertently bumped into it when I wasn't paying attention.)

3. The rubber floor mat has worn thru in one spot.

4. Both front tires (R4's) have slow leaks in them ...... think it's an issue with them sealing at the bead. It's annoying because I need to remember to recheck the pressure prior to any heavy loader work.

I am also concerned with having the steering rods on the front of the front axle exposed. Is there a way to add some sort of protection to this? Is it even required? Are there other common "weak points" I should know about.

I'd say it's likey a non-issue unless you are navigating thru a field of boulders or logs. The steering linkage sits above, or at the top, the axle - so your axle will likely contact something first. I've run in the woods with lots of debris (logs, stumps) on the ground and haven't had any problems thus far.

I know most people use these tractors as mowers first and other projects as secondary.

I wish I could get to that point, but at this point for me it's been pretty much the reverse.

I am just wondering if this tractor will hold up to some heavy tasks..

I've used my B2910 (deluxe version of the 7800) to:

1. tear up and remove about 400' of 6 inch thick asphalt driveway.

2. excavate (remove) the topsoil for the new driveway (8" to 20" deep and 12' to 18' wide and about 600' long)

3. Spread all the gravel for the new drive (something on the order of 250 tons of No.2 and crusher run)

4. clear a 100' by 100' pad for the new polebarn. (One corner had to be excavated to a depth of 4' or better and the opposite corner had to be filled in as much or more. I also had to remove a couple of large boulders - these were heavier than the loader could lift - about 3.5' or 4' in diameter - so I chained them to the bucket and dragged them in reverse to get them to where I wanted them.)

5. remove (with the backhoe) probably in excess of 50 to 75 tree stumps ranging in size from a couple of inches to 24" in diamter.

6. trench (with the backhoe) and install about 500' of french drains.

I have probably moved something on the order of 750 cubic yards of earth using the loader alone (there's a pile of dirt up in the field that's 25' wide x 50' long by 7' high - and that's not all of it) And I used the loader and my 4' x 8' dump cart to move around 120,000 lbs of sheep manure from my neighbors manure pile to my garden (at least 30 trips of about 4000lbs each over a distance of 3000', round trip.)

All in addition to mowing around 4 or 5 acres of lawn.

I just finished the 600 hour service on the B2910 this evening and it's running great. I would say that these are pretty solid machines - I know I've given mine a workout. I don't pamper it - but I try not to abuse it either. Cosmetically it's gots some minor scrapes, dings, and places where the paint needs touched up, but keeping it greased and the oil changed will go along way to making it (and your B7800) last a long, long time.

 

[bigballer]

1. Bent lift linkage arm for the MMM (due to incorrect installation by the dealer - they failed to bend a cotter key to secure it and it came loose and got bent up when I unloaded it off the trailer first time home. They provided new parts and I replaced it.)

2. Broken left turn signal lens (I inadvertently bumped into it when I wasn't paying attention.)

3. The rubber floor mat has worn thru in one spot.

4. Both front tires (R4's) have slow leaks in them ...... think it's an issue with them sealing at the bead. It's annoying because I need to remember to recheck the pressure prior to any heavy loader work.

It sounds like most of these have been operating issues and not nessiscarily mechanical. Good to know.

I'd say it's likey a non-issue unless you are navigating thru a field of boulders or logs. The steering linkage sits above, or at the top, the axle - so your axle will likely contact something first. I've run in the woods with lots of debris (logs, stumps) on the ground and haven't had any problems thus far.

My first project would be clearing part of the pasture. There are several cedars, doug's, and alders some felled from rot or blowdown and others still standing. The smaller alders I would like to dig out but without a backhoe, this might be impossible. Can smaller stumps be handled with the loader??

There are many years of blackberry and brush overgrowth it's hard to tell what's under it all. Also standing is a large pile of logging debris, probably 20 feet high and 30 feet acround. I would like to systematically remove all of this but have no idea how big the stumps are since it's covered in berries. I know a dozer would make short work of this. heh.. My concern over the steering rods/front axle was specifically re: these tasks. It seems this work might be pushing the limits of a CUT but it sounds like the right approach is to take it one step at a time and remember that slow and steady wins the prize.

I wish I could get to that point, but at this point for me it's been pretty much the reverse.

I have about an acre (3 different sections) of grass which takes about 90 minutes to cut with a 42" riding mower and plan to continue with that for now. Maybe later will add a MMM.

I've used my B2910 (deluxe version of the 7800) to:

1. tear up and remove about 400' of 6 inch thick asphalt driveway.
2. excavate (remove) the topsoil for the new driveway (8" to 20" deep and 12' to 18' wide and about 600' long)
3. Spread all the gravel for the new drive (something on the order of 250 tons of No.2 and crusher run)
4. clear a 100' by 100' pad for the new polebarn. (One corner had to be excavated to a depth of 4' or better and the opposite corner had to be filled in as much or more. I also had to remove a couple of large boulders - these were heavier than the loader could lift - about 3.5' or 4' in diameter - so I chained them to the bucket and dragged them in reverse to get them to where I wanted them.)
5. remove (with the backhoe) probably in excess of 50 to 75 tree stumps ranging in size from a couple of inches to 24" in diamter.
6. trench (with the backhoe) and install about 500' of french drains.

This is another dilema I have, I would have plenty of use for for a BH as I have many feet of ditches and drains that need to be repaired and/or built but I don't know that I can justify spending an additonal $6k. At one point considered the BX24 TLB which is priced about the same as the B7800/FEL but the chassis seems too small for most of my jobs, especially clearing and having the extra start height for the 3pt seems better.

Another thought is that a mini-excavator would be more agile and quicker to get a job done since you can reposition and dig all from one seat. Maybe renting one for a week to knock everything out would be a better use of funds. Convenience of having one fulltime onsite is ideal but again, the cost seems to high to justify.

Thank you RS and Mike for you comments. I am about ready to pull the trigger and it just seems the kubota is the right choice overall, maybe just talked myself into that. Really I'm just tired of pouring over the same .pdf's again and again, comparing specs, prices, etc. hah.. I just want to get some work done now that it's summer!

Cheers,
bigballer

 

[john_bud]

big,

I have a 5+ year old L3410 with HST and loader. The only issues I have had were operator induced. Pushing a log that got stuck and snapped back over the hood - dented it and pushed the steering wheel onto my leg hard enough for a 12"x12" purple reminder to go slower, be more cautious and less stupid. Bent 3pt arm from moving a 35' long log that weighed more than the tractor. had to pull it about 3/4 mile and up a river bank hill that goes up 30' at about 35 degree angle. Uh, had to touch up some paint, uh change the oil, uh uh uh that's about all the bad. Everything else has been good. Add fuel, turn key - use tractor.

Gotta love it!
jb

 

[ronjhall]

No bent tie rods after 6 years of use. FEL is usually on to protect them.
I wish there was a heavier bucket for the FEL. 60" bucket can be bent. I did put a reinforcement on the top edge to stop bending when using hooks.

Everyone that has a "B" series tractor seems to complain about the front screen and radiator needing to be cleaned often when doing bush hogging. I can do my 2 acre Field with a cleaning at end of job. But temperature will have moved above its normal position.
One other item that can be a problem is HST and Hydraulic filters are in rear in front of axle. There have been reports of them getting hit by sticks that get shoved up when working in wooded areas. This can be corrected by adding a belly pan.
My tractor has Turf Tires. I wore the original front tires out in just over 200 hours from running in 4WD on asphalt while loading rock and top soil. When I replaced the tires I put tubes in and have learned to only use 4WD on pavement when I need added traction.
My tractor has been almost trouble free except for normal maintenance.

 

[LBrown59]

At one point I considered the BX24 TLB which is priced about the same as the B7800/FEL bigballer

*********
This is one of the factors that caused me to go with the BX23 over the B2410 I started out to purchase.

 

[bigballer]

Are there heavier buckets available aftermarket that will fit the 402 loader for the B7800? I am thinking something in black would be sexy. ;-)

It looks like the 2630/3030 and L series loaders actually attach differently to the frame and do not use the over-the-hood support brace. To me it just looks like a more solid design but I don't know if it really is.

Since I am going to be moving a lot of dirt and using the bucket to break dirt free, lift logs, level areas, this is an important consideration.

cheers,
bigballer

 

[rswyan]

It sounds like most of these have been operating issues and not nessiscarily mechanical. Good to know.

Yup.

Can smaller stumps be handled with the loader??

Yes, with a toothbar on the bucket yoiu should be able to get some of the smaller ones ...... although you didn't define small. I've used mine to take out small stuff up to a few inches in size. I usually raise the loader up to 5' or 6' and push the tree over - at least partially popping out the rootball in the process (you have to be careful you don't jam the rootball up into the front of the tractor) and then pop it all the way loose with the bucket/toothbar lowered.

My concern over the steering rods/front axle was specifically re: these tasks.

If you leave the loader & bucket down it won't be a problem, since they will be the first point of contact.

Another thought is that a mini-excavator would be more agile and quicker to get a job done since you can reposition and dig all from one seat. Maybe renting one for a week to knock everything out would be a better use of funds.

Yup ....... when we were putting in the polebarn I rented one (Kubota KX-91) for a month. I used it for various projects ...... to do some of the trenching, to finish up the removal of the drivewway, and mostly to load my dump cart, which was attached to the B2910. It was a ball to operate, very productive (much more so than a CUT with a backhoe) ........ wish I had a spare $40K lying around to buy one.

 

[ronjhall]

I do not know if the 403 loader is any better than my 402. But the attachment points are closer together on the 403's loader. If anyone abuses their loader it may be me. I have this Curtis 6'6" snowplow that is have used for 6 winters now with no problems with my FEL.
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