I have 2 options. A 154 loboy with a blower,tiller, rear blade and deck or a kubota b7100 4 wd with a rear blade and i have a loader that will fit. Whats the opinion as i cant decide. Wish i had enough for both.
Kubota or 154 loboy
- Thread starter wep0520
- Start date
m1garand762
Gold Member
If you have a loader available that sways my vote. If it were me I would get the lowboy if you didn’t already have the loader. Parts will be available for it until the end of time . I believe woods even still makes the mower for it. The engine in the 154 is reliable and simple to work on
Sawyer Rob
Super Member
Assuming you are talking about an IH Lowboy, Keep in mind, those Lowboys are a bit underpowered.
I don't like the early 7100, a later one may be OK though.
SR
I don't like the early 7100, a later one may be OK though.
SR
Sawyer Rob
Super Member
I never ran a newer one, I did own an older one, and it didn't have a water pump, it thermo-cycled the water. I wouldn't ever buy another one of those.
Where will you get the loader mounts to put the loader on the Kubota?
SR
Vigo327
Platinum Member
So ive got a 4wd b6100 w/loader, 4wd b7100 (for sale) and a parts donor loboy (but never operated a running one).
The loader is a huge factor BUT it is not going to just ‘bolt on’. Many small japanese tractors of that era share VERY similar designs and mounting points, but they are not identical. You will have to be able to cut and weld fairly thick metal (1/4-3/8) to get that properly mounted, and be able to either tap into the factory hydraulics or mount an external pump.
OTHER than the loader, they are similar size machines and pick up a similar amount on the 3pt, but the kubota has a bunch of advantages. ALL 7100s have low range, only some loboys do. ALL 7100s have a regular 540rpm rear pto (plus multiple pto speed ranges, and an hst 7100 has a mid pto too) no loboys did. 7100s could be 4wd, loboys aren’t. That’s a huge one sonce tractors this size can’t pull any ground engaging tools very hard without 4wd! All 7100s had diff lock, no loboys did. All 7100s had steering brakes, only some loboys did. 7100 fuel consumption will be WAAAY lower and you’ll likely never have to touch the fuel system other than replacing crumbling 5/16 fuel hoses, unlike an antique carbureted gas machine that can have fuel system problems from top to bottom.
I like loboys and still want a good one, even got my eye on one on marketplace right now, but the two machines are VERY different. A b7100 is like a full featured agricultural tractor thats been miniaturized, while a loboy is more like an overgrown garden tractor, and if it doesnt have the creeper trans is in some ways LESS capable than a lot of smaller garden tractors. A loboy with the creeper trans (low range), 3 pt, and steering brakes is a pretty cool little thing, but it takes the BEST version of a loboy to even be comparable to a B7100.
The loader is a huge factor BUT it is not going to just ‘bolt on’. Many small japanese tractors of that era share VERY similar designs and mounting points, but they are not identical. You will have to be able to cut and weld fairly thick metal (1/4-3/8) to get that properly mounted, and be able to either tap into the factory hydraulics or mount an external pump.
OTHER than the loader, they are similar size machines and pick up a similar amount on the 3pt, but the kubota has a bunch of advantages. ALL 7100s have low range, only some loboys do. ALL 7100s have a regular 540rpm rear pto (plus multiple pto speed ranges, and an hst 7100 has a mid pto too) no loboys did. 7100s could be 4wd, loboys aren’t. That’s a huge one sonce tractors this size can’t pull any ground engaging tools very hard without 4wd! All 7100s had diff lock, no loboys did. All 7100s had steering brakes, only some loboys did. 7100 fuel consumption will be WAAAY lower and you’ll likely never have to touch the fuel system other than replacing crumbling 5/16 fuel hoses, unlike an antique carbureted gas machine that can have fuel system problems from top to bottom.
I like loboys and still want a good one, even got my eye on one on marketplace right now, but the two machines are VERY different. A b7100 is like a full featured agricultural tractor thats been miniaturized, while a loboy is more like an overgrown garden tractor, and if it doesnt have the creeper trans is in some ways LESS capable than a lot of smaller garden tractors. A loboy with the creeper trans (low range), 3 pt, and steering brakes is a pretty cool little thing, but it takes the BEST version of a loboy to even be comparable to a B7100.