From a 20 Year old B7100 to a B7610 review

[ChuckinNH]

Raddad,
You mentioned that the collector on your tractor is loud. In the picture I can't tell if it is motor driven, pto driven, or driven by a pulley on the mower deck. The collector on my Simplicity is driven off the deck, and has worked well, so I was looking at the B7510 / B7610 partly for that reason. Could you supply more information, or a picture from the chute side of the tractor? Thanks. I enjoyed your review.
Chuck

 

[Egon]

That is a nice looking seat on the B7100. Where did you get it. My 7100 needs a new seat.

How does pulling ability compare between the two tractors?

 

[Raddad]

There is a second gearbox mounted on the right hand pulley that connects to the short drive shaft you see in the picture. The shaft spins a pulley that connects to the blower pulley by way of a short belt. I think having the blower connect to the bags with a large non coragated solid PVC tube helps with performance also.

 

[Raddad]

The seat is from Tractor Supply. You can see in the attached photo I used the brackets from the old seat to mount a 1/4 in steel plate that I then bolted the new seat to. It makes you sit higher because I chose an adjustable position seat.

 

[Raddad]

Sorry, I forgot to answer your second question. It's an interesting idea I haven't thought about. I think the tractors are about the same.

On the 7100 I had wheel weights on all 4 and I had weights on the front frame. The old tractor had a very low creeper gear that you could not stop. When pulling small stumps and fence posts, using a tool bar chained low to the ground, and add the downforce on the rears by pulling up on the 3pt., with the differential lock engaged that thing could pull pretty good.

I havn't done much pulling with the 7610 yet. I don't have any weights on the 7610 and I don't think the hydrostatic in low is geared down as much as the 7100. The tractor is heavier and has more horse power. The hydrostatic drive might waste some horsepower because it isn't as efficient as the gear transmission. The 7610 has bigger loaded tires and they aren't mounted backwards.

Mabey I'm biased toward the old 7100. That thing with 20 years and 4000 hours on it has been a mechanical billy goat. This new one will have to earn my respect with time.

I think we'll need a tractor pull to find out for sure. I'll bet people have pulling contests with small tractors. ****, if it has wheels i'm sure men have raced, pulled, crashed and blown them up.

 

[liddingt]

I went from a B7200 to a B2910 the difference was amazing. The B7200
has a place in my heart and was an amazing tractor. I brought it new in
1988, so it must have been one of the last to be made. It has pushed snow
with no problem, handled a five foot finishing mower with no problem, every
task I put it to it was able to complete. When I retired and moved to S.C.
I bought it with me and in the span of about 100 hours I had the front yard ready to sow grass. People down here laughed at it, but not for long after they seen what it could do. (Or maybe because I am a Yankee!) The problems I had with it in the fifteen years, are I had none.
I think I know where you are coming from. Enjoy the new tractor, they have
made some improvements since the B7200

 

[Rusty]

Quote: "The mower transport pins are impossible to install and remove."

Raddad: I had to adjust the lift height for the mmm on my B7500. Even after increasing the lift, I still have to lift one side of the deck slightly and depress the other side slightly to engage the transport pins. Just a little up/down pressure while pushing the pins into their holes.

 

[Rusty]

Raddad: I also replaced the mower deck transport pins with McMaster-Carr P/N 98485A495. I really like these pins.

Description: "98485A495 (Same as 97320A495)
Znc-Pltd Stl Shoulder-Style Quick-Release Pin Ring Grip, 1/2" Diameter, 1.5" Usable Length In stock at $2.33 Each"

 

[Raddad]

Thank you Rusty. I just ordered the pins you suggested and I think they will work perfect.

 

[Egon]

If the mower is like the one on my B7100 a slight adjustment on the bottom rods from the three point hitch to the mower may help line things up.