Total Newb: How small is useless?

[dochockin]

Hello,

I'm sure this has been discussed plenty here already, so links to relevant discussions is just as welcome as specific responses to my situation.

I'm considering buying a SCUT or CUT. I have 5 acres, mostly pasture. I can appreciate what a tractor can do for me, but since my 'farm machine' experience is limited to push mowers/leaf blowers/shovels... I'm not really sure how small is useful for what I'd like to do.

Some details: We don't have large animals, and are unlikely to ever keep any overwinter. We get little snow, and our house is near the road, so even when it snows, we don't need to remove it. I'm concerned about compaction, so I'd rather have a lighter/smaller tractor. I do plan to plant hedgerows/tree rows to divide the pasture (silvopasture style).

Things I can foresee using a tractor for: FEL for moving materials (wood chips/compost/soil/gravel). Scrapper blade for smoothing rutted ground and repairing driveway (we do have a longer drive from the house to the barn). Flail mower for pasture maintenance (no need for 'lawn mowing'). Auger for digging post holes, or even for loosening ground for planting young trees. Combination 'plow' and FEL for light trenching/ditching (obviously serious digging would require an excavator). Dragging animal shelters (future plans for raising broilers/hogs to feed the family) Are there more future uses? Pasture seeding? Tilling ground? Honestly, I don't really know.

My real problem is, with no experience, I have no frame of reference in regards to HP/ PTO HP/ FEL capacity... I'm leaning towards Kubota, since it's the only dealer in my area. We live on Vancouver Island, which is bigger than Vermont, but nonetheless limits access ($150 round trip for car and driver on the ferry). I am also impressed by the fact that used Kubota's aren't easily available, nor are they cheap (which suggests good quality and longevity to me).

Seeing as there are Kubota BXs from 18 to 25 HP and Bs from 23 to 33 HP... how much difference will it make? I understand the idea that more HP is more strength or faster results, but at what point does a tractor become too small to do what I need? Unfortunately money is an object... would a new 18 HP (for ~$1400 after taxes and the like) be better than a used 2005 Kubota B7510HSD (3300 hours, ~$1100) or a 1981 Kubota B7100DT Tractor (900 hours ~$7000)

Will I be able to dig postholes with an 18 HP tractor? Lift much with the FEL? Move/scrape much earth? Use the FEL and a plow to trench?

In short, please educate a city boy gone country (with a small property and a limited budget...) what size isn't even worth the money.

Thanks!

 

[tractchores]

I think the b series would do what you need. The bx may be hard to fit a post hole digger to due to its height. The b will have plenty of power for your activities and provide better ground clearance than the bx. You will be surprised at the number of jobs you'll find a tractor helps with. No size is useless, its more a matter of the jobs at hand and time to do them (bigger often equals faster)

 

[dochockin]

Thanks for the reply!

Let me ask a more specific question. I've been looking at the Kubota page. I've been trying to compare the BX2370 and the B2320 HSD. The spec sheets are full of info, much of which means nothing to me...

They seem fairly similar in HP, PTO HP, Weight... The B2320 is a bit faster (but I'm not going cross country) and a bit bigger in some dimensions. As far as I can tell, the BX comes with a FEL but the B doesn't. According to the Kubota site the BX is $2000 cheaper...

What am I missing here? How are they different? Going back to my original post, what can I do with the B that the BX won't handle?

Cheers!

 

[tylertown]

I think the b series would do what you need. The bx may be hard to fit a post hole digger to due to its height. The b will have plenty of power for your activities and provide better ground clearance than the bx. You will be surprised at the number of jobs you'll find a tractor helps with. No size is useless, its more a matter of the jobs at hand and time to do them (bigger often equals faster)

couldn't have said it any better

 

[bcp]

I bought a BX because the only flat land I have is under the house. Otherwise I would have a B. I probably would have rolled a B by now if I had it. I believe the B is just a little more capable in all but lawn mowing and sidehilling.

You might think of the BX as a B modified to be a better at lawn mowing. (Lower, and with wider tires)

Bruce

 

[kiotiken]

From your list of tasks, the only one that neither the BX or B are going to be any good at is digging ditches with the FEL, other than that, you'll get the job done with either. I prefer a bigger tractor with a much larger lift capacity, but we all use tractors differently and yes, my 7000 lbs tractor with R4's has compaction issues. I can dig easily with the FEL though.

Some things to look for that will affect the stuff you're doing.

1) 3 pt hitch. It's not position control for the BX, not sure about the B. Some people care some don't mind. From what I've read, non position control is not as good for grading type jobs
2) PTO hp
3) Hydraulic flow, gpm.
4) 3 pt lift capacity
5) FEL lift capacity, weight and height.
6) ground clearance and stability


It doesn't sound like you have anything that requires large PTO hp, so that may not be a huge issue. It also doesn't sound like you're going to be lifting anything heavy with the 3pt hitch, so that might not matter as much either. When considering the FEL, the B and the BX will have much different lifting heights. That matters for 2 reasons. First, you need to be able to lift things high enough for your needs obviously. Second, ratings are always given to full height and a FEL's lift capacity drops quickly with relation to height. So if you have two tractors that can lift 1000# but one lifts 6' and the other lifts to 8' the second will be stronger and able to pick up more off the ground. You almost never use the FEL to capacity at full lift height (at least not with a change of shorts). The breakout force is a more important number to look at.

Features are important, but confusing when they're listed on paper. If you're going to change between implements often, telescopic link ends on the 3 pt hitch will be important, if you want to change between pallet forks or some other FEL attachment, SSQA (or the Kubota version) will be important (and not available on the BX I believe).

Kubota is great, but so are plenty of others. My first tractor was a JD because I didn't know much about tractors and wanted to stick with the name I knew. If I was buying again today, it would be LS or Kioti because of they way they're built and the value the give.

 

[TripleR]

Sure can't beat the information given by the others. We went with a BX over a B as we needed a primary lawn mower on steep terrain, we also have a John Deer SCUT on another farm for the same purposes, BUT we have larger tractors for the heavier work. If we didn't I would have gone with a B though I prefer the higher price B Series with position control three point hitch and a few other features. If I bought a Bxx20, first thing I would do if I had hills would be wheel spacers. I would also get a set of stabilizer bars from Stabilworks to replace the turnbuckle type.

JOHNTHOMAS and bp fick have owned both and it might help to read some of their old threads on it.

I agree with kiotiken and honestly think I would probably go with Kioti over the Kubota Bxx20 Series; everyone makes a good tractor in this size it seems, so it sure pays to look at them all to see what fits you and to find a good dealer. We own different brands.

Good luck.

 

[/pine]

When I was shopping I originally wanted a 20-25 HP machine...I compromised a bit with a 17 HP kubota_ (B1700D) that had every other thing I was looking for...it is an amazing machine...I have never needed more horsepower, if this size tractor lacks in anything it is overall weight...

Granted, with this size/power tractor you have to take things in stride...many things take a little longer than they would with a bigger machine capable of of bigger heavier implements...

4X4 and power steering are a must with an FEL...an HST or shuttle shift will work best for FEL and other tasks...FELs are "loaders" not dozers...!

FWIW...I dig/maintain ditches with a rear blade (with top and tilt) digging 6' of ditch at a time operating perpendicular to the ditch...

Good Luck...

 

[Tompet]

For the implements, acres, chores and some future plans wether you go forward or not with those, I would suggest looking over all of the B series Kubotas minimum since that was your brand reference. I have had both a scut and cut and IMO, no matter the brand look at cut size tractors for your chores and property as outlined.

If you are not in a big hurry keep reading and visit the local dealer and you will start to pickup differences on models and little details which may or may not be important to your situation. You received some specifics from TripleR & kiotiken to keep building your info base.

Sounds like you have a nice location!

 

[s219]

A BX with a backhoe can do things my larger no-backhoe B2920 couldn't do, so there's an example of a smaller tractor being more useful.

Generally, the larger tractors will be heavier and have more capacity in the hydraulics and structure. Your capabilities will scale up with that. So a B would have more FEL capacity (both bucket size and lift), it could take a larger backhoe, it can handle a larger mower, and it can handle bigger stuff on the 3-point and PTO.

The B was a good size for me. The 2320 was on the smallish side, so I focused on the 2620 and ultimately went with the 2920 for more horsepower (handy for PTO stuff). I probably could have gone up to a B3200 in retrospect, but can't say the 2920 has been too small except for one or two instances in two years of ownership.