ordered B3030 today

v8dave · Dec 24, 2004

( To answer a few questions, the delivery time is March. I don't think they really know. The HSD means hydro and the F means folding ROPS. The quick coupler on the FEL is a B2365. Now with some more questions. 6" on the FEL makes that much difference? My paths will be 10' wide in the woods for shooting lanes and atv riding. With this in mind, do you still suggest the 54" loader? How much narrower is the ag tire than the R4? Most of the ground will be forest ground, clover, and grass. It still gets very muddy at times. )

As Bob and Henro pointed out a bucket as wide as the tractor makes manuvering between trees a lot easier. You may have 10' wide paths but, with over 100 acres, there are going to be lots of areas without paths. How are you going to get the tractor in to haul out the game if you can't drive between the trees?

A 60" (5') bucket being half of a 10' path isn't going to help in reducing the quantity of passes thru for clearing. They never line up end-to-end like that. You'll still go down the middle for a clean-up pass--more likely 4 or 5 times.

The narrower bucket will also be easier to use for landscaping on irregular surfaces. The wider bucket is difficult to hit smaller areas with (a wider bucket disturbs more soil than you wish it to do). Sometimes, when I am moving dirt in shaping surfaces, I wish for an even smaller bucket than the 50" I have on my B7610.

Unless you are planning on hauling lots of bulky materials the narrower bucket is the way to go.

ronjhall · Dec 24, 2004

The quick coupler on the FEL is a B2365. 
Thanks for the response.
I'll have to check and see what the difference is. I hope there are no changes if I upgrade to the B3030. I had to modify my forks, Curtis snow plow, and Speeco quick hitch to fit the BL1767.
When I checked to see when my dealer was going to get a B3030 in. Latest status report said TBD. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

ronjhall · Dec 24, 2004

Here is a thread about the 54" and 60" buckets on the 402 FEL. It may help with your bucket decision. Click Here.
Check out other post in thread.

bowhunter3030 · Dec 24, 2004

I called my dealer and changed my tires to the ag R1 tires for the maximum traction. He told me that the tires are only 1" narrower than the r4's. My neighbor, with adjoining ground, said he would suggest the ags, also. He originally owned the ground and farmed some of it. I am going to stay with the 60" bucket. I won't be using the tractor to pull out my deer, I have a grizzly 660 for that. I also, ordered a tooth bar as was suggested. Thanks for the education.

rpeter · Feb 25, 2005

I will be buying a B3030 next month and will need to start haggling on price. From your posts I know you paid $17,120. Prices vary around the country. Do you mind telling me what area of the country you are from to see if I can expect to get anywhere near that price? (you can do a private message) Also please post those pictures when it is delivered.

JimMorrissey · Feb 25, 2005

I'd get the AGs if you're not going to mow. You'll always have the best posible traction that way whether you need it or not. You'll just have to keep it in 2wd and go easy when you encroach on lawn. Actually, I think the AGs are a little less expensive anyway.

**Ooops, looks like you got the AGs. Good choice. That's going to be a real nice machine.

TimP · Feb 26, 2005

I'm assuming with that price that it does NOT have the Cab ?

Why didn't you opt to get the cab?

I keep trying to convince myself that I "need" this new B3030 with a cab. Unfortunately, I have to convince my better half as well.

It's a tough sell......

Tim

Tom_H · Feb 26, 2005

( Why didn't you opt to get the cab?)

I can't presume to answer for BowHunter3030, but Rolando pointed out recently that on the B3030, you can get a backhoe, or a cab (and air conditioning if you get the cab), but not both cab and backhoe. I guess there isn't enough room to rotate the seat like the BX23 and to have BH controls which stay inside the cab. To do all that inside the cab of this sized tractor could get pretty complicated and expensive, possibly to the point that people would just move up to something bigger for a similar price.

ronjhall · Feb 27, 2005

On the B3030 the tractor seat and BH seat are separate seats. In the attached picture you can see how BH operator seat is next to the the FROP's. The rear of cab sets about 10" behind the FROP's.

Tom_H · Feb 27, 2005

Exactly Ron. That's likely part of the challenge for the engineers. With a BH, you either have 2 opposite facing seats, or 1 rotating seat. With a cab, it would be an even bigger problem to go back and forth between the 2 seats. Every tractor I've ever seen with both cab and backhoe had one rotating seat with FEL and BH controls inside (Of course, I've not seen every tractor and I imagine there are some with cab and 1 seat inside, 1 outside). A B3030 with cab most likely just doesn't have enough room inside to do all that. I imagine the engineers simply haven't figured out a way to make it work well for either scenario.