kennywayne
New member
I did a thing.
I had an OLD Kubota B1500 that finally needed brakes, tires, the mid-mount mower couldn’t be fixed anymore, and I just got tired of figuring out a way to use a 15HP tractor to do a 30hp tractors job. It had 4005 hours on it 8 years ago when it was given to me and the hour meter didn’t work. Kept it maintained but it had seen better days.
I started looking at 40-60HP tractors for FEL and implement capacity, the old Kubota couldn’t pick up 500lbs and barely ran a 4’ finish mower.
It’s been really hard to find anything right now and I missed a tractors locally. I happened to stop by a dealer and there was a shiny new Kioti NX5510HST Cab still on the steel pallet.
I walked in pointed at the tractor and told him I wanted it and to write me a sales quote. Since I had Cat0 and light duty cat 1 implements I also bought any brand implements he had/could get quickly and found some good used ones on Facebook/Craigslist. Unfortunately between NX, an implement, FEL, and ballast that meant a new 14k trailer as well.
Sold the old tractor and 8 implements for enough to buy most of the new implements.
I did a good bit of lurking on here before I did anything thanks for all the good info. I stole goid ideas from several people. I had the dealer order 2 additional rear remotes, rear wiper, but they are on back order. I ordered all the filters for the 50hr service, and 4 extra keys. I added the true 3rd function, added an extra wireless backup camera I have for enclosed trailers, replaced the front halogens with a pair of rough country floods, waiting till I can get a good deal on a matching set for the rear, added the hydraulic top link, waiting on my tilt link, waiting on it to stop pouring down rain to weld on some expanded metal to the grill guard for the grapple, I added a BT radio using the cover plate as a mounting beacket, and a quadlock brand phone holder like I use in the truck and on the SxS to the right side door bar.
I am looking for a good way to keep tools with me considering there’s no real space for tools in the cab and looking for a way to mount my Milwaukee packout cooler somewhere, water y’all not beer on the tractor I’m not George Jones. I’m also looking for a light duty SSQA auger, wrestling a 3point auger is too hard on my back.
As of now I have 66” dual cylinder grapple, 4000# pallet forks, 72” bucket with Piranha bar on order, Dirt Dog 6’ rotary, Alamo 8’ flail, unknown green 7’ finish, Titan 6’ box blade, Dirt Dog 6’ grader blade, unknown 7’ disc with railroad rail for ballast, unknown 3pt auger, and Titan Quick hitch.
With the terrain around our acreage I had them set the tires (R14) as wide as they could be set and ballast them. I wanted 7’ implements so they stuck out 3-4” beyond the tires, and heavier duty but with limited supply I got what I got. There was a nice 7’ ModernAg rotary that was MUCH heavier duty I had ordered but it wouldn’t show until December and I couldn’t wait that long.
So far in 90-95 temps with 105-110+ heat index the cab and AC have been worth EVERY hard earned penny.
In 40hours over the last month my only issues have been an empty front axle (I double checked behind the dealer and manufacturer when I got it home didn’t have fluid at all), a single loose lugnut, a loose water pump/alternator belt, and a misaligned hood latch (looks like it got bent in shipping it had damage when still on the pallet) but I didn’t argue too much since there’s not a lot of inventory.
So far it’s cost me 2gallons of oil for the front axle, dealer was 2.5 hours one way, not worth the fuel to go get the free oil and a new tire on the new trailer after I found a screw to the sidewall.
The new 55HP is light years beyond the tired old 15HP, an FEL that could pick up the old tractor with the FEL and an implement, has been VERY useful moving pines I’ve cut down to make way for the first of two garage/shops, and hardwoods around where the pool is going to go. The grader blade makes quick work shifting all the gravel back into place on our hilly driveway after hard rains, and is going to get some use smoothing/leveling some ground. I have yet to decide if I like the finish better than the flail mower or not, they each have their virtues. I’m leaning towards selling the flail but either is 100x better than the tired old mid-mount mower that bogged in the thick grass or an underpowered ZTR.
Complaints, so far it needs a buzzer or beeper warning for the 2sec seat switch shut down, I have forgotten to put it in Neutral several times and I get my feet on the ground as I hear it shut off. A warning buzzer would remind me to shift it to neutral.
Other than that It’s only got 40hrs on it, and I did my due diligence before I bought it so I knew what to expect
I’ll post an actual finished picture of it later but I’ve been using it not posing for pictures.
For an assembled tractor, Here is a picture of a old HST IH the guy had that I bought the finish mower off of. He was running a 15’ batwing to cut 400acres with it.
I had an OLD Kubota B1500 that finally needed brakes, tires, the mid-mount mower couldn’t be fixed anymore, and I just got tired of figuring out a way to use a 15HP tractor to do a 30hp tractors job. It had 4005 hours on it 8 years ago when it was given to me and the hour meter didn’t work. Kept it maintained but it had seen better days.
I started looking at 40-60HP tractors for FEL and implement capacity, the old Kubota couldn’t pick up 500lbs and barely ran a 4’ finish mower.
It’s been really hard to find anything right now and I missed a tractors locally. I happened to stop by a dealer and there was a shiny new Kioti NX5510HST Cab still on the steel pallet.
I walked in pointed at the tractor and told him I wanted it and to write me a sales quote. Since I had Cat0 and light duty cat 1 implements I also bought any brand implements he had/could get quickly and found some good used ones on Facebook/Craigslist. Unfortunately between NX, an implement, FEL, and ballast that meant a new 14k trailer as well.
Sold the old tractor and 8 implements for enough to buy most of the new implements.
I did a good bit of lurking on here before I did anything thanks for all the good info. I stole goid ideas from several people. I had the dealer order 2 additional rear remotes, rear wiper, but they are on back order. I ordered all the filters for the 50hr service, and 4 extra keys. I added the true 3rd function, added an extra wireless backup camera I have for enclosed trailers, replaced the front halogens with a pair of rough country floods, waiting till I can get a good deal on a matching set for the rear, added the hydraulic top link, waiting on my tilt link, waiting on it to stop pouring down rain to weld on some expanded metal to the grill guard for the grapple, I added a BT radio using the cover plate as a mounting beacket, and a quadlock brand phone holder like I use in the truck and on the SxS to the right side door bar.
I am looking for a good way to keep tools with me considering there’s no real space for tools in the cab and looking for a way to mount my Milwaukee packout cooler somewhere, water y’all not beer on the tractor I’m not George Jones. I’m also looking for a light duty SSQA auger, wrestling a 3point auger is too hard on my back.
As of now I have 66” dual cylinder grapple, 4000# pallet forks, 72” bucket with Piranha bar on order, Dirt Dog 6’ rotary, Alamo 8’ flail, unknown green 7’ finish, Titan 6’ box blade, Dirt Dog 6’ grader blade, unknown 7’ disc with railroad rail for ballast, unknown 3pt auger, and Titan Quick hitch.
With the terrain around our acreage I had them set the tires (R14) as wide as they could be set and ballast them. I wanted 7’ implements so they stuck out 3-4” beyond the tires, and heavier duty but with limited supply I got what I got. There was a nice 7’ ModernAg rotary that was MUCH heavier duty I had ordered but it wouldn’t show until December and I couldn’t wait that long.
So far in 90-95 temps with 105-110+ heat index the cab and AC have been worth EVERY hard earned penny.
In 40hours over the last month my only issues have been an empty front axle (I double checked behind the dealer and manufacturer when I got it home didn’t have fluid at all), a single loose lugnut, a loose water pump/alternator belt, and a misaligned hood latch (looks like it got bent in shipping it had damage when still on the pallet) but I didn’t argue too much since there’s not a lot of inventory.
So far it’s cost me 2gallons of oil for the front axle, dealer was 2.5 hours one way, not worth the fuel to go get the free oil and a new tire on the new trailer after I found a screw to the sidewall.
The new 55HP is light years beyond the tired old 15HP, an FEL that could pick up the old tractor with the FEL and an implement, has been VERY useful moving pines I’ve cut down to make way for the first of two garage/shops, and hardwoods around where the pool is going to go. The grader blade makes quick work shifting all the gravel back into place on our hilly driveway after hard rains, and is going to get some use smoothing/leveling some ground. I have yet to decide if I like the finish better than the flail mower or not, they each have their virtues. I’m leaning towards selling the flail but either is 100x better than the tired old mid-mount mower that bogged in the thick grass or an underpowered ZTR.
Complaints, so far it needs a buzzer or beeper warning for the 2sec seat switch shut down, I have forgotten to put it in Neutral several times and I get my feet on the ground as I hear it shut off. A warning buzzer would remind me to shift it to neutral.
Other than that It’s only got 40hrs on it, and I did my due diligence before I bought it so I knew what to expect
I’ll post an actual finished picture of it later but I’ve been using it not posing for pictures.
For an assembled tractor, Here is a picture of a old HST IH the guy had that I bought the finish mower off of. He was running a 15’ batwing to cut 400acres with it.
. Nice looking tractor, look forward to more pictures when you get it all set up.
