Buying Advice Most Versitle B?

[pondviewfarm]

I've been researching the current lineup but I'm a little confused. I have 5-6 acres to rough cut, top dressing to move, holes to drill, woods to clean, and truck rows to till, snow to push, a little bit of everything. I could see using a mid-mount finish deck and a backhoe at some point. The vibration issues on the 4 pots have be a me little concerned. I think position control would be better over quarter inching, too.

 

[Tompet]

With the size of your property, work outlined and mostly to satisfy every capability exactly as you outlined your only choice would be...B2630.
If you can compromise on specifics listed you open your choices to rest of the B's with all kinds of secondary considerations.
tp

 

[TripleR]

You can get the new B3000 with position control and a backhoe, so that would be my choice.

 

[devildog1]

Look at the B3030 or the B3200 TLB. Both can easily do what you outlined, I have a B3200TLB and I can tell you vibration is not an issue at all.Now some folks talk about position control being better then quarter inching. I'm not a farmer I use the RFM and a rear rake and three point snowblower, for these tasks the quarter inching is fine for me.Hope this helps you?
DevilDog

 

[TripleR]

Look at the B3030 or the B3200 TLB. Both can easily do what you outlined, I have a B3200TLB and I can tell you vibration is not an issue at all.Now some folks talk about position control being better then quarter inching. I'm not a farmer I use the RFM and a rear rake and three point snowblower, for these tasks the quarter inching is fine for me.Hope this helps you?
DevilDog

I believe they are phasing the B3030 out for the B3000 which you can get with or without position control according to Messick. I agree the B3030 is a nice tractor.

 

[pondviewfarm]

This is our burgeoning "hobby farm," you could call it. There are about 20 acres of mixed ground that's not being tenant farmed. The backhoe is an unlikely to purchase off the bat but it might be nice down the line for irrigation work.

How good are these B's at pushing snow with a front blade? I'm close enough to family that it'd be great if I could dig everybody out in a pinch. Probably would need to bite the bullet and just get the thrower, I'm thinking.

I know it's unrealistic to think one model could do everything but these Kubota seem to get as close as anything out there. I'd say the priorities are rough cutting/brush hog, putting in truck rows, food plots, loader chores, cleaning up woods, small tree nursery stuff, auger for planting, fence work. I see "hooking up" being a big issue chaining logs and pulling bushes. I could probably used the weight of the L but not the size.

 

[easygo]

You don't say where you are and how much snow you get. Otherwise get a B/3030/2630/3000 they will all do the job. If you do get a lot of snow then forget the blade and go for the snowblower. You will be happier. Besides the Kubota blades probably cost as much as a snowblower. You can always pick up an old snowplow for $100 and adapt it to your loader.

 

[TripleR]

I really like the B Series, especially the 3030/3000, but they are really to small and light for me when considering any real work. For me the bare minimum would be a L3240.

I may very well have a whole different view of work than some if not most though.

 

[newbury]

I've been researching the current lineup but I'm a little confused. I have 5-6 acres to rough cut, top dressing to move, holes to drill, woods to clean, and truck rows to till, snow to push, a little bit of everything. I could see using a mid-mount finish deck and a backhoe at some point. The vibration issues on the 4 pots have be a me little concerned. I think position control would be better over quarter inching, too.

ANY B would B fine. I'm pretty sure even my 7610 would fit with what you've laid out.

Do you have any "needs" with specs? Like do you have to lift pallets weighing 1,000lbs? Have to dig 7' deep? Have to fit thru a 4' gate? Any specs like that might help to narrow the choices.

 

[wvpolekat]

You can always pick up an old snowplow for $100 and adapt it to your loader.

Sorry, but no, you can't. I have been watching CL in 3 states since June and have yet to see one under $500. While YOU may be able to, in general it can't be done unless you have years to wait.

 

[magicheater]

MINE!

 

[easygo]

Sorry, but no, you can't. I have been watching CL in 3 states since June and have yet to see one under $500. While YOU may be able to, in general it can't be done unless you have years to wait.

If you are looking for a functional setup with all the hydraulics then you are right. But. Just a plow blade can be had for very little and is easy to modify to connect to the loader.

 

[nspec]

I wouldn't trade my 2630 for the world. I love it. One of the reasons I bought it is because it has the 3 cylinder vs the 4. I honestly can't imagine needing more power in that particular frame. It's so light, you lose traction waaay before you run out of power. On the pto, one of my implements is a chipper capable of 5 inch wood - which I have run through it on occasion. The tractor is perfectly suited to this. Very nimble, refined tractor. I'm used to big equipment, and I tend to be pretty particular, and I can tell you that I'm very pleased and impressed with this little tractor.

 

[Verticaltrx]

I wouldn't be concerned about the vibration on the 4cyl models until you try them out and see for yourself. I use my B3200 for 8hrs a day sometimes and the vibration doesn't bother me, it is only at a very specific rpm and I see no need to run it that fast anyways.

In the current lineup the B3200/3300 or the B3030 would be the ones I consider most versatile. They are compact in size like the smaller tractors, but have a longer wheelbase (more stable, smoother ride), more 3pt and loader capacity, and more hp at the PTO. I run a 5' bush hog with mine and use all the available power in really tough cutting.

As to the position control vs quarter inching I don't think it's as big of a deal as a lot of people make it out to be. All my life I've been farming with tractors that have position control and I go back and forth between them and my B3200 interchangeably, I really don't even notice anymore. In fact, for some things like very precise grading the quarter inching is better IMO. I can move it in much smaller increments than with any position control setup I have run.