l2501 review for perspective buyers

[ipwanab]

Is it just me or does Kubota keep bolt sizes secret? I have looked over my owners manual and can find no mention of what size socket/wrench fits wheel bolts nor my landpride rfm . Also had to buy a right angle grease gun fitting to grease the loader and wheel bearings on rfm. Why could they not just put an angled fitting in from the factory? And the absense if a drain on the rfm gearbox should be criminal.
Other than that I really like the 2501. I traded up frm B2601 (which was a fantastic tractor). The little bit bigger frame and wheels are nice. Really nice ground clearance as well.The large motor that is idled down to 2000 rpm for rated pto is just my cup of mild rpm tea.The rollbar is so hard to change it will encourage people who need to lower to get in the garage to just leave it down which is a shame.
I bought the 2601 over a competing deere due to the slower turning motor making more hp than the yanmar at a much higher rpm. The 2501 is even gruntier. I don稚 understand why some are complaing of hp. To me this is a torque monster for it痴 hp rating. It spins a 60 inch rfm very easily. It will slow somewhat going up a hill in M with mower running and loader on but not too much. I have not tried without the loader yet.
I will say the b2601 had a superior brake/hst placement but it did not have a clutch operated pto to contend with.I like the capability of 渡ursing 鍍he rear pto into operation tnough. I have had two pedal and treadle. The two pedal is superior because it has a better relationship to your foot and softer springs. The treadle could be vastly improved with a softer spring and perhaps different heel/toe relationship with the floor. I cope ok with the treadle though. It did not keep me from buying this model. I switched from turf tires to R4 (which I have had before) and as before I liked the turfs much better. My only complaint with turfs is getting hedgeapple and locust thorns,(R4 seem to resist them a little better). I plan to add a cruise control, right handle on fender and armrests. My main use is cutting large area of grass and these add ons help a lot with fatigue.
It is far too early to tell but it seems to be a tough little tractor. The loader is very smooth. I have a grapple and have picked up some pretty big rocks and moved them around very easily. I don稚 know how much they weigh but they are about 2x2x3. The tractor will NOT fit a standard 7 ft garage door with Rops up. (Ask me how I know)

 

[goeduck]

Lots of fans of the L2501 on here! I wish I had one.

 

[jeff9366]

.The rollbar is so hard to change it will encourage people who need to lower to get in the garage to just leave it down which is a shame.The tractor will NOT fit a standard 7 ft garage door with Rops up. (Ask me how I know)

Following information is for a Kubota Grand Ls but I am fairly sure fitting information will apply to L2501 as well.

The ROPS are made in Kubota plants in Georgia, not Japan. ROPS fittings are inch standard, not metric.

The factory ROPS hinge bolt is 5/8" X 16 threads per inch (fine thread). 5/8" bolts are easy to find but are usually 12 tpi, (coarse thread). If you find a 5/8" X 16 tpi thread bolt in your local hardware store it will almost certainly be Grade 8.

5/8" X 16 tpi bolts are always available on eBay.



I replaced the two factory ROPS hinge bolts with 9/16" X 4" clevis pins. Clevis pins are slip fit. Clevis fitting permits rapid ROPS fold.

LINK: Clevis Pin Universal 9/16 x 4 LCS ZC (8 Pieces) | eBay

These are perfect length. Hairpin clip goes in hole #2.

After you hit your garage header a couple times, plus a few tree branches, the ROPS will vary a few 1,000s, so the pin holes will not line up.

On the front of the ROPS there is a welded on nut on each side, there so one can insert a bolt as a stop, to line up the ROPS pin holes perfectly. Welded on nuts on the front of the ROPS take 3/8" - 24 thread per inch (fine thread) X 1" bolts to align the ROPS holes. Tight fit the last 1/8", probably due to paint in threads. Turn well lubricated bolts with a wrench the final 1/8" during first insertion.

Tractor Supply Company (TSC) has 3/8" fine thread bolts NOT in the bin section, where 3/8" coarse thread bolts are, but in the Grade 8 drawers, in two-bolt packs.

As stops will seldom be moved I suggest lubricating bolts with anti-seize compound.

Note: One of the "cup holder" type bays on the operator's console has a channel cut on the inner side, so two ROPS bolts will fit in the bay with an inch of the bolts and perpendicular hairpin clips protruding through the channel.