What is the little B4200 capable of?

[njc110381]

Hi guys. As you may have seen in my first post in the new members section, I've just bought myself a B4200. I haven't got it home yet but it is promised to be in good working order with no leaks or problems.

The tractor comes with a 40" mid mounted deck and I plan to use it for mowing a regularly maintained lawn of about an acre and also to tow a trailer to put weeds and grass cuttings in. When it gets here though what else can I expect of it? I quite fancy a loader and perhaps a small PTO saw to cut firewood if it's up to it? I'm also thinking of running a small hydraulic splitter, although I think I may need a PTO pump for that if it will do it at all?

The loader wouldn't be used for heavy moving, just wood chip and compost. What sort of size/weight object can I sensibly expect it to lift?

I look forward to your response - hopefully the machine I've bought is large enough for my needs. As always I've jumped in and paid my money before doing much reading! Oops!

 

[RobertN]

I thought you meant B2400 till I searched the web...

You might be able to get an aftermarket loader to fit, like the smallest Bushhog loader. I had one on a B8200(little bigger tractor). I would prepare for stick shock though; it cost US$3100 12 years ago. Prices have gone up since then. That loader would handle about 600lbs.

The only PTO saws I have seen were old, and known to be dangerous. For a splitter, a 13hp tractor would not have the hydraulics to do it... At best, they eould be low flow and make for a very slow splitter.

The tractor should do fine mowing, and towing a small trailer, or scraper. Even a small plow and cultivator for the garden.

From pictures on the web, it looks like a nicetractor

 

[njc110381]

From looking around a little more I've found a loader to fit - you're right though, not cheap! I also found a youtube video of a chap using this tractor to run over branches and shred them up with a rear mounted flail type tool. That looked good! Back to the loader, 600lb is a lot! 1/4 ton ish?

Am I right to assume that a 13hp two cylinder diesel engine is going to produce quite a bit more torque than my 1cyl 12hp Briggs and Stratton engine that's fitted to my current Toro 12-32? I'm hoping it will mow longer grass but time will tell.

 

[RobertN]

The little diesel will have a wide torque curve, whereas the Briggs will make peak power in a very limited rpm range. That is part of the beuaty of a diesel engine.

Curious what loader you found in the UK? I would guess that maybe you have brands available that we do not in the States?

Am I right to assume that a 13hp two cylinder diesel engine is going to produce quite a bit more torque than my 1cyl 12hp Briggs and Stratton engine that's fitted to my current Toro 12-32? I'm hoping it will mow longer grass but time will tell.

 

[njc110381]

The loader I found was called an L220 - it was second hand and had no maker name that I could see. I can't find the advert now which is annoying, but it was well out of my price range anyway!

Another one I spotted was a genuine Kubota part, again used and expensive. It was a B1620.

I think I may try to make my own. I'm pretty new to metal work but have a lathe and a welder, and if I offer beer I have a mate with a plasma cutter and welding qualifications too!

 

[easygo]

I would say you bought a nice little tractor that will do far more then a fancy lawn mower. If you do build a loader for it keep in mind that the whole tractor weighs about 1000 lbs so I would not try to fabricate one that will carry more then 550-600 lbs.

 

[kuboman]

I had a b4200 with the 1620 loader for a few months. Quite capable for it size. I never used the mower that came with it but had a 48" mower that the previous owner used and said it did well. I found it difficult to get on and off plus the manual steering and tranny were a pain for loader work. I am not young anymore though.:laughing:
I would suggest getting the Kubota loader if available. It will bolt right on and away you go.:thumbsup:

 

[njc110381]

Thanks chaps. I'm feeling quite pleased with my purchase now you've reassured me of a few things.

I have just had one shock - it's 250 miles away! For those of you out there in the states and Canada you're going to laugh at me for thinking that's a long way but that's about as far as I drive in a month normally! I think I'll book a hotel for a night so I can drive over the night before, sleep and then come back.

Loader wise I think I'll leave it for now. I'm going to try to fabricate one of those scoops that some of you have on your linkages and that should do all I need at first. It would be nice to be able to load chip and compost into my pickup but that can come later.

 

[bikerdib]

A poor man's loader was going to be my suggestion. AKA a 3pt scoop. I kept the one I had for my first tractor that didn't have a FEL. I used it quite a lot. In fact, even though I had a FEL on my second tractor and have one on the current tractor I still occasionally use the scoop in addition. I can load up the scoop then the FEL and move that much more material in one trip.

 

[RobertN]

Some years back, there were a couple folks here on TBN that fabricated rear loaders. They made what looked like a pretty typical loader bucket that might be used with a regular front loader. The placed the linkage attach points so that the 3-point lower arms basically lifted the bucket. The toplink was hydraulic, controlling the roll forward/back of the "loader bucket". Unlike a "Scoop" or "Poor Man's Loader"(I had one for a while...), these were as wide as the width of the rear of the tractor.

They built these for smaller tractors like the B6100, B4200

I wish I could find that thread; I have looked for it a few times in the past...