Have the chance to purchase a 16hp Kubota B7300HSD 4wd w/ 52 hrs or a brand new 18hp New Holland tc18 4wd for $220 less. Main uses are field mowing four acres w/ bush hog and garden tilling. Any ideas on what is the better buy?
New Holland vs Kubota
- Thread starter victor
- Start date
- Views: 5687
Thanks folks for your input (see buying kubota). I'm going with the Blue. The principle use of the new tractor will be to mow about 3-4 acres w/ a 60" woods bush hog. The dilemma now is wether the tc21d vs tc18 would be a smarter buy for $2600 more. The tc21d only has two more rear pto hp than the tc18 but has power steering, an option on the tc18. Both are hydrostatic. Any thoughts?
Bird
Rest in Peace
Victor, it's really just a matter of personal choice and you have to decide if it's worth the extra money. I'd very likely still have my B7100 if I hadn't had both hands operated on for carpal tunnel syndrome and decided to shop for a tractor with power steering (and in the process decided to move up a bit on size, power, and comfort). Of course, I like power steering anytime, but especially for front end loader work. They can be a bear to maneuver with a load in the bucket and no power steering.
Bird
Bird
JimBinMI
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2000
- Messages
- 1,026
- Location
- Coldwater, Michigan
- Tractor
- 2014 Kubota BX25D-1, 2014 Kubota BX1870
Victor,
If you've read anything I've written, you know I'm BLUE to the bone so, I'm happy you're going BLUE. However, looking in my NH brochure I'm showing that the TC18 & 21 are only rated for a 48" Rotary Cutter. You have to move up to the TC25 for a 60" rating. I am using a 60" rear finish mower, Woods, on my TC18 that it is not rated for, the salesman said he had sold several for the TC18 and customer feedback was great. I have used it several times and have no problems except having to add front weights to keep the front end on the ground. I want to add a 48" rotary cutter to my collection of attachments.
I haven't used a rotary cutter before but my neighbor has a 5' one that he said shook his Ford 8N around when he used it on that. He said I could try it if I wanted to but I haven't taken him up on it yet. He currently uses a Flail mower for what most people would probably rotary cut and he really likes it. The TC18 & 21 are rated for 50"/60" Flail Mowers. Good Luck, sorry if I muddied up the waters! You might ask several NH dealers if the smaller TC's will handle it or not? Please let us know. JimBinMI
If you've read anything I've written, you know I'm BLUE to the bone so, I'm happy you're going BLUE. However, looking in my NH brochure I'm showing that the TC18 & 21 are only rated for a 48" Rotary Cutter. You have to move up to the TC25 for a 60" rating. I am using a 60" rear finish mower, Woods, on my TC18 that it is not rated for, the salesman said he had sold several for the TC18 and customer feedback was great. I have used it several times and have no problems except having to add front weights to keep the front end on the ground. I want to add a 48" rotary cutter to my collection of attachments.
I haven't used a rotary cutter before but my neighbor has a 5' one that he said shook his Ford 8N around when he used it on that. He said I could try it if I wanted to but I haven't taken him up on it yet. He currently uses a Flail mower for what most people would probably rotary cut and he really likes it. The TC18 & 21 are rated for 50"/60" Flail Mowers. Good Luck, sorry if I muddied up the waters! You might ask several NH dealers if the smaller TC's will handle it or not? Please let us know. JimBinMI
PaulB
Gold Member
Just a thought - 3-4 acres isn't that huge, so how about going with the 18 and a 48 inch bushhog, pocket the $2600, and take a llittle longer to get the job done? Believe me, it will not seem like work, just fun, so taking a little longer to get the "work" done might make it easier to explain to "somebody" why you need the day on the tractor rather than going to visit the inlaws!
JimBinMI
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2000
- Messages
- 1,026
- Location
- Coldwater, Michigan
- Tractor
- 2014 Kubota BX25D-1, 2014 Kubota BX1870
Support!
Bird
Rest in Peace
You say your neighbor says his 5' rotary cutter "shook" his Ford 8N? What did he do; sharpen the blades and get them badly out of balance?
Bird
Bird
James
Member
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2000
- Messages
- 34
- Location
- Middle Tennessee
- Tractor
- kubota L3710hst, fodable rops, FEL with quick attack heavy duty bucket,and woods RM8400 mower and M120DTC,FEL, air-ride seat
I agree with Bird on this one, I have used an old 8n, and 5 foot rotary cutter, and it never shook the tractor. I just had to go real slow to cut down what I was mowing.
MChalkley
Elite Member
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2000
- Messages
- 3,198
- Location
- Eastern Virginia
- Tractor
- EarthForce EF-5 mini-TLB (2001)
I think that's most likely, too. Of course, he could've been missing a blade completely, or had a bent shaft.
Mark
Mark
JimBinMI
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2000
- Messages
- 1,026
- Location
- Coldwater, Michigan
- Tractor
- 2014 Kubota BX25D-1, 2014 Kubota BX1870
Bird & others,
Let's remember everything is subject to perspective. He uses a Flail mower which I believe is very smooth. He might think it shook too much compared to the flail? He even has weighted tires! I will however share with him the wisdom of this board and maybe he'll check out the rotary. It looks really old...that's my perspective on it./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif JimBinMI
Let's remember everything is subject to perspective. He uses a Flail mower which I believe is very smooth. He might think it shook too much compared to the flail? He even has weighted tires! I will however share with him the wisdom of this board and maybe he'll check out the rotary. It looks really old...that's my perspective on it./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif JimBinMI
Can anyone tell me where the tc series is made? Who makes the engine? I'm still considering the tc21b vs tc18 issue. Did get a quote for the green tractor (2100) for about the same as the tc21b w/ same features hydro, ps etc.
tbarber55
Bronze Member
try this
http://www.shibaura.com
http://www.shibaura.com
JimBinMI
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2000
- Messages
- 1,026
- Location
- Coldwater, Michigan
- Tractor
- 2014 Kubota BX25D-1, 2014 Kubota BX1870
Bird,
Regarding the 5' rotary, you refer to blades, do most have more than one? I ran into my neighbor tonight and he said this old beast only has one blade under it and it shook a lot. It's his dad's rotary that he gave to him and I think he only tried it once or so. JimBinMI
Regarding the 5' rotary, you refer to blades, do most have more than one? I ran into my neighbor tonight and he said this old beast only has one blade under it and it shook a lot. It's his dad's rotary that he gave to him and I think he only tried it once or so. JimBinMI
Bird
Rest in Peace
JimBinMI, All the "lawnmowers" and finish mowers I'm familiar with have a solid blade, or blades, with a hole in the middle that attaches to the spindle, i.e., one blade with two sharpened ends. However, every brush hog (rotary cutter, shredder, or whatever name they use) that I've seen actually have two separate blades; outer ends sharpened for cutting and inner ends bolted to a plate (disk, pan, stump jumper or whatever name they use for that) which is, in turn, mounted onto the spindle. That allows the blades to swing instead of being one solid blade all the way across. They are much thicker and heavier than lawnmower blades, generally not sharpened as sharp as a lawnmower blade, and they can swing back when they hit something solid and go on around instead of stalling the tractor or shearing a pin. Of course, the extra weight and swinging design allow them to take advantage of the centrifugal force to keep turning. Each blade on my 4' Bush Hog weighed approximately 5.5 lbs. when new. I know some folks who sharpen theirs without removing them from the pan, but I always remove mine and then make sure they still each weigh the same after sharpening.
Bird
Bird
Alan L.
Elite Member
A very good explanation Bird. I didn't know you were using a 4' cutter on your 2710. Did you make that choice, or was it the one left over from your smaller Kubota?
Steve Carver generally discourages it, but my 5' cutter works great on my 2710. It still amazes me how it performs under tough conditions, backing up under trees where there is thick brush, uneven conditions, and it still cuts the pasture grass prettier than I would have imagined.
The blades on my cutter weren't very sharp at all even when new. Now they have a few dings in them from running over chains (that I laid on the ground)and running over the guard. And they haven't sharpened up any either.
Of all 3 implements I own - cutter, finish mower, and box blade (not counting loader), I use the cutter the most, and also appreciate it the most.
Steve Carver generally discourages it, but my 5' cutter works great on my 2710. It still amazes me how it performs under tough conditions, backing up under trees where there is thick brush, uneven conditions, and it still cuts the pasture grass prettier than I would have imagined.
The blades on my cutter weren't very sharp at all even when new. Now they have a few dings in them from running over chains (that I laid on the ground)and running over the guard. And they haven't sharpened up any either.
Of all 3 implements I own - cutter, finish mower, and box blade (not counting loader), I use the cutter the most, and also appreciate it the most.
Bird
Rest in Peace
Alan, I used the 4' Bush Hog for the example because I had sharpened those blades several times and weighed them. But when I bought the B2710, I traded it in on a 5' Howse that I'm using now (I wouldn't want anything smaller than a 5' for the B2710), but I haven't had to sharpen the blades on it yet, so I haven't had them off or weighed them yet.
Bird
Bird
