Buying Advice Need Advice and Expert Opinion - B2650 tractor!

[lnapz]

Hi guys, first time posting to any sort of forum & I have a few questions and concerns regarding a particular tractor (B2650) . I can't find a "hands on expert", aside from all the dealers who claim their machine is superior, to give me some honest feedback.

I am pricing a job to snow plow 60-80km (37 - 49 miles) of sidewalk during this upcoming 2018 season. Kubota tractors are the most cost effective equipment by far but i am having a hard time getting honest feedback about its ability and reliability to plow this much snow for a 5 year contract term.

The facts:

Plow in question Kubota B2650
The average snow fall in this region will typically be under 1" but can get up to 12" on the rare occasion.
Total route in km = 60, in Miles = 37
Budget per machine 40k - 60k ( Canadian )
Blade - 60" v-Plow on the front
Metec Salt Dropper on the rear

I guess my question is:
In the event of a worst case scenario, can the B2650 handle 60km(37 miles) of 1" - 12" of snow, for a 5 year term? ( total 25 months )

 

[LouNY]

From what I have seen around here sidewalks are hard on equipment because of all the irregular joints and then the driveway cuts, the jarring that a blade will give the frame
would be my biggest concern and that jarring will be transferred into the drive train.
Have you considered a front mounted power brush for under 6" storms were I have seen those used It seemed to work very well.
Good Luck

 

[lnapz]

Unfortunately the contract requires a blade, I don稚 think the brush would work well based on the wide ranging types of snow we get here. We get Everything from freezing rain, to slush, to wet heavy, to light powder.
I should have mentioned that in the facts above.

 

[RalphVa]

Have you considered a snow blower? You can get the rear ones for a reasonable price.

I had a Gravely with big snow plow the first 3 years here in central Virginia where our snow falls are about what you experience. One time about 7 inches of sleet hit us. Could not touch it with the snow blow. Luckily, I had an old square chute snow blower for the Gravely. It did the job.

I handle snow with FEL and back blade on my JD 4010 and now JD 2025R (much like the B2650). Sometimes, when we get >8 inches or so, I wish for a snow blower. Clearing it with the FEL is slow, and more than about 8 inches is too much for the rear blade.

Ralph

 

[lnapz]

Thanks for the reply Ralph, the contract unfortunately requires a blade. I have attached a picture of a bigger machine (M7040) that handles these types of contracts with ease, however for the purpose of this new job it is too expensive for the town to agree to. I have attached a couple of pictures of the set up they have. I basically need to know if the B2650 can handle this much plowing for a 5 year term.

 

[Blue14]

From the conditions you described and the way you are going to equip the Kubota you should have no problem, the only other thing I would suggest is to fill the rear tires.

 

[nybirdman]

My son works for the local village as an equipment operator and one of his duties is side-walk snow removal.His route is maybe 6-7 miles every snow-fall.You "don't"want a snow blower for side-walk snow removal.The blade is the way to go and a "V" makes a lot of sense.
They just traded a JD 2320? for a Kubota B2650 cabbed tractor.

 

[lnapz]

So from your experience, do you think a 26HP machine like the B2650 would work well? Local competitor dealers consider this size a "hobby tractor" for people with large properties doing miscellaneous work and not for "commercial use" i just can't tell if he is being biased and wanted to upsell me a larger machine.

 

[Rock Crawler]

I use a 72" straight rear blade in Western Pennsylvania, we don't acknowledge 1" of snow, that's flurries

Your talking about a foot shorter than mine, and it's a V plow, so your never really pushing/plowing, your more sliding snow out to your sides. That will be cake work for a B2650 with fluid filled tires and around 500-800 lbs of rear ballast. Kubota makes a ballast box for this size tractor that is only about $300. You can also use a PTO drive salt spreader as your rear ballast.

All in all, that plow would be a walk in the park for my B2650 in medium range unless it was literally a 12"+ nasty, wet, heavy snow.

May I strongly suggest doing your build with the wider/heavier ballasted B3350SU R4 tires? I'm plowing paved surfaces with them and traction is never an issue while I see others talking about chains and the such. Unless I needed plow on ice or up honest to goodness steep slopes, chains are totally not needed. Because I'm on blacktop, there is never ice. Even in a 0°F day I can plow it and the sun his the visible cleaned black stripes and it heats it and starts melting. After plowing in the AM, the entire drive will be dry blacktop by the time the sun goes down. I only salt in the areas that are always shaded.

 

[lnapz]

If he is also from upstate NY you guys aren't too far from us so it's more or less similar conditions. I'm wondering if he has any dislikes of his new machine?