@wave_crusher just purchased a tractor and I believe he looked at several different manufacturers before settling on a Kubota. He could probably give you some good information.

 

First thing is just to figure out what you want to do; then what you are going to want or "might want" to do down the road. That'll steer what you get in the direction you want.

Decide as in, do you want a belly mower? If so that'll limit the size of the machine you get, cause the larger compacts don't have belly mower options. Things like a Kubota B and BX series have belly mower options, and are pretty good machines. All kind of of options; larger compacts like the L series, mine is an L3901 don't have an option for a belly mower, but have more capability. How much 3pt do you want, might you want later on? Do you mostly just want a bucket? There's a lot of options for basically a lawn mower on steroids, though they're about useless to me. There's a lot that you can figure out you can do with a good machine, so that's why thinking about what you "might want" to do in years future is a good way to start as well.

Sorry, Know you posted some ideas of what you want, but I like to always throw the above out first. So, for 25hp or less, looking at say a B series Kubota. what do you want less than 25hp for? I only ask cause I talk to a lot of people that want that less HP or older cause of the DPF system; though personally I have not had one problem with it so far. I went with Kubota, cause I could not find anything used that was worth the purchase. At the time, the only thing used in the range that I wanted, was a 1996 L3300 (or whatever it was). An almost 20 year old tractor, for $3,000 less than I could purchase new. Kubota was running a 0% financing for up to 84 months; so that was a no brainer for me to buy new. I picked up a L3901, I wanted the higher HP I could get in a smaller frame. I run a lot of ground engaging and mowing 3pt so the HP was a necessity. The loader lift was the same with either a 25hp and 39hp, so it was the PTO HP that I was looking at. Plus, I knew Kubota and like their tractors, like what I heard from warranty work, and I have a pretty local dealer that i've done lots of business with.

I didn't like anything about John Deere, I don't like their 3pt setup, nor the plastics on the hood, and overall didn't like it. Admittedly, I did not look too close at them. I was not impressed by New Holland, just same thing in general. The TYM I liked, I looked at a few, actually liked the tractors slightly more than Kubota; but the financing was a cluster fuck, IMO. In the end, the simple, 0% financing, known brand, won out for me. Haven't looked back since, and i've done a lot of work in the little time i've had the tractor.

Just did a quick look at Ginop sales website, the dealer I bought my tractor from, and without knowing your budget, they have some really good looking used B series tractors.

Equipment Detail » Ginop Sales Inc., Michigan

www.ginopsales.com

Equipment Detail » Ginop Sales Inc., Michigan

www.ginopsales.com

Equipment Detail » Ginop Sales Inc., Michigan

www.ginopsales.com

The BX series is the tiny ones, but they're really popular.

 

I bought a Kubota LX2610 earlier this year, which is just a renamed version of the tried and trued B2650. I love it. Basically it was the biggest chassis size available with a mid PTO, which I got because I wanted to go for the one-size-fits-all approach and mow my yard with it. It does it very well too. Lift capacity front and rear are both very good. For my yard size I easily could have gotten by with a BX(subcompact) or small B(small compact) but I wanted the increased lift capacity for all the firewood and crap I move around in the fall and winter. A B2601 probably would have been the perfect mid-range option for me, but the LX2610 was only slightly more money, slightly more capable, and easier to get. I would have had to wait 3-4 months for a B2601, where I had to wait a week and a half for the LX2610. An L would be even better for stuff like moving firewood, is way heavier duty, and nearly identical in cost to mine, but it would be much harder on the lawn and isn't avaible with mid PTO. Better for farm-type work, worse for homeowner-type work.

For what you're doing it sounds like a midsize would be about perfect. Still great as a regular lawnmower, but also shockingly capable for lifting, digging, etc.

Brand choice is up to you. For a midsize I'd have gone with a John Deere 1025R all day. It's close in price to the Kubota offerings but more capable in just about every way. The side-by-side forward/reverse pedals are much nicer than the Kubota treddle pedal too, but either works fine with a little getting used to.

Brands are personal preference, I'd find a dealer that you like and trust and buy whatever they're selling.
Most of the smaller John Deere are basically rebadged Yanmar.
Kubota is all Kubota.
Rural King is rebadged TYM.
TYM is TYM. Limited parts/dealer support compared to Kubota or JD.
LS is LS. Limited parts/dealer support compared to Kubota or JD.
Kioti is Kiota, but has a lot in common with Kubota design/styling. I hear some of their loaders are heavier duty that Kubota. Limited parts/dealer support compared to Kubota or JD.
New Holland is rebadged LS.
Bobcat I think is rebadged TYM.

General recommendations:
If primary use is mowing and lawn work, turf tires will do the least damage. My R4s aren't bad on the lawn but I have to be careful turning tight, especially going uphill. I suspect a lot of that is due to tractor size and weight though. R14s seem to be a great all-around, but are primarily only available on Kubotas so far. I kinda wish I'd gone with those over the R4s.
I'm a big, big fan of hydrostatic for general home and yard work. I've used manual a bunch as well and like hydro infinitely better. The 3 speed Kubota is much nicer than 2 speed JD.....although the smaller ones might still be 2 spd.
The swift-tach loaders on Kubotas are much sloppier and more problematic, I'd avoid that option. Even the standard loader only takes a couple minutes to remove or install.
Absolutely, positively, 100% do not buy a pinned bucket, get a quick attach, whether it's SSQA or JD's system. I use pallet forks and stump bucket as much as the standard bucket, not being able to switch out would suck.
BXPanded Pirahna tooth bar is a must for any digging or scooping.

 

I bought a Kubota LX2610 earlier this year, which is just a renamed version of the tried and trued B2650. I love it. Basically it was the biggest chassis size available with a mid PTO, which I got because I wanted to go for the one-size-fits-all approach and mow my yard with it. It does it very well too. Lift capacity front and rear are both very good. For my yard size I easily could have gotten by with a BX(subcompact) or small B(small compact) but I wanted the increased lift capacity for all the firewood and crap I move around in the fall and winter. A B2601 probably would have been the perfect mid-range option for me, but the LX2610 was only slightly more money, slightly more capable, and easier to get. I would have had to wait 3-4 months for a B2601, where I had to wait a week and a half for the LX2610. An L would be even better for stuff like moving firewood, is way heavier duty, and nearly identical in cost to mine, but it would be much harder on the lawn and isn't avaible with mid PTO. Better for farm-type work, worse for homeowner-type work.

General recommendations:
If primary use is mowing and lawn work, turf tires will do the least damage. My R4s aren't bad on the lawn but I have to be careful turning tight, especially going uphill. I suspect a lot of that is due to tractor size and weight though. R14s seem to be a great all-around, but are primarily only available on Kubotas so far. I kinda wish I'd gone with those over the R4s.
I'm a big, big fan of hydrostatic for general home and yard work. I've used manual a bunch as well and like hydro infinitely better. The 3 speed Kubota is much nicer than 2 speed JD.....although the smaller ones might still be 2 spd.
The swift-tach loaders on Kubotas are much sloppier and more problematic, I'd avoid that option. Even the standard loader only takes a couple minutes to remove or install.
Absolutely, positively, 100% do not buy a pinned bucket, get a quick attach, whether it's SSQA or JD's system. I use pallet forks and stump bucket as much as the standard bucket, not being able to switch out would suck.
BXPanded Pirahna tooth bar is a must for any digging or scooping.

Bumping as we our lawn service lady is retiring, and we either need to start mowing our yard or find a new service. We were getting the next door neighbor deal, so I'm nervous what a real world cut will cost.

We have 2.5 acres that is mostly open space. It will get used for the bucket to pick up stuff off the trailer, plowing, and cleaning up yard projects. As my wife and I talked last night, the list of stuff she wants done around here grew.

I talked with Kickstand a bit ago and he has a L2501, which has no mid-mount PTO. He has a rear 3pt finish mower. He's happy with his tractor, and I think we have similar goals.

@bbaXJ - sounds like you have LX2610 with the 60" belly mower. How hard is that to install and uninstall?

I'm trying to weigh between L2501 with the pull behind or the LX2610 with belly mower. Not sure how frequently I would truly need to drop the mower, but if I were doing some ditch clearing, I may want that clearance. I do sense the belly mower would be easier to mow with.

I'm thinking either way to get R14 tires, hydrostatic, 4wd, front bucket, forks, and mower to get started. Any advice is appreciated.

Absolutely, positively, 100% do not buy a pinned bucket, get a quick attach, whether it's SSQA or JD's system. I use pallet forks and stump bucket as much as the standard bucket, not being able to switch out would suck.

More info on this? Definitely want to swap between bucket and forks, and maybe the stump death device you showed a while ago.

 

I'll also agree on 0% financing. I was fully planning to buy a used machine with cash, but even something 5-10 years old was only $3-4k less than a new one from the dealer with a warranty and 0% financing. It just didn't make sense to go the used route with such high resale.

 

I'm not even a year into my purchase and I think i'm already in good positive equity on the tractor. Prices went up and I must have just gotten the last one in time before they jumped.

Granted I don't plan to, probably ever, sell my tractor, unless I want a bigger one. Still, tractors keep their value, probably always will.

 

Another think that I'm not sure what other manufactures' have/don't have; is the quick disconnect loader on the Kubota. It literally took me 5 minutes to take off the whole front loader on my tractor the very first time. Now I can do it in about 2 minutes.

x34billon on the quick connect bucket/implements. I would not, and will not ever go back to standard pinned buckets. The ability to change from my bucket to pallet forks in less time than it takes me to get off the tractor and pull the levers, is awesome. I have added some convenience things to my tractor as stated, and think another thing I want to put on is a level indicator for the bucket; so I easily know when it's level to the ground. A lot of tractors have those already, but they're not standard on mine. Mine is cool, but it's a more economy tractor.

 

^^^^^ On my fathers deere the top of the bucket is parallel to the bottom of the bucket. Is there more reason to need a level indicator?

 

Don't mow lawn with a $20-40k tractor. Mow lawn with a $3-10k zero turn. It will go faster (about twice as fast as a normal garden tractor), your back will thank you, there will be little lawn repair needed and no ruts, and it will keep the hours off your expensive tractor. If you value your time at all, the time saved by using a much faster piece of equipment and not having to deal with the bullshit of donning and doffing the belly mower will pay for the zero turn in a few years. I've got 9 seasons and 700 hours on my zero turn with nothing other than a set of blades (Oregon G6) drive belt, deck belt, oil, and filter change every year... and once I replaced the filters and fluid in the wheel motors. I used to mow with different tractors, including one that went way faster than my zero turn, and it still took twice as long.

What are you going to do with it? To me, it is kind of pointless to have a tractor if it can't lift ~2k at the pins. Needs to have fast hydraulics so you can run a 3 point backhoe. So you're looking at a 30-40hp tractor. Otherwise, why spend $20-40k on a tractor when you can buy a 30 year old used one oldtimer bought when he was a middle-aged man to mow the lawn and till the garden for $5k? There are lots of suitable $5-10k 80s 2wd and 4wd tractors out there that are easy to work on. A lot of them just sit in the corner of a pole barn.

My cousin has two subcompact tractors, including a BX23S TLB that he mows the lawn with. It's the dumbest thing I ever saw to see a guy driving around with a TLB and a belly mower mowing the lawn. And he's got another tiny tractor, a Cub 6284D TLB, that just sits there because the Kubota is "prettier" (he has been saying he's going to sell it for years). They both can only lift about 1,000lbs at the pins and the loaders suck for digging so you pretty much have to use the backhoes. I have an old Bolens that can lift more, in fact, the limit is the weight on the tractor and I have loaded tires with 300lb lead wheel weights on it.

One of my friends has a Massey GC1725MB. Suffers from the same problem as my cousin's tiny BX23S TLB. Only can do about 1000lbs, FEL sucks but for whatever reason does better than my cousins BX23S for digging, backhoe only digs down 6' with what I call a trenching bucket, etc.


How much does the "dealer" actually matter to you? The kind of people that are on off-road forums tend to be handy. I doubt you buy your car because of the dealership experience. So why would you do the same for a tractor that at worst you can load onto a car hauler and take somewhere? I'd understand it more if it was a row crop or true utility tractor that you either need to drive there or have someone come and work on it. But we're talking tractors under 82" wide and 10,000lbs. So load it on a trailer. And how often are you planning on needing the dealer? Once every few years? I, personally, am going to buy a tractor I expect to never have to have the dealer look at after the warranty is up. Just like my cars.


So, I'm kind of a fan of Massey (AGCO) tractors. They tend to make their own stuff, but have other people's engines. You have to look at the particular model. There are good ones and bad ones and the whole line might have the same engine or not with different levels of "boost". Perkins, Shibaura, Mitsubishi, etc, you never know. Some of the "bigger" ones just have/had EGR instead of DEF by some magic. The Premium line of tractors is usually a better bargain. Oh, and the engines can change year to year. They sell an electronic manual of how to use diagnostics for like $40. In the compact to light industrial/light utility area you tend to get the most tractor for your dollar.

Deere is kind of a shitty company. They're the ones that were fighting to lock everyone out of their tractors (new ruling says Right to Repair is a thing again). They were very hard on this, until they realized they were losing a couple years ago. Now they have a shitty webpage saying they are happy to help, but most of the new old stuff still require a software update to open up the diagnostics through the menus. They're also the same company that always tries to buy a competitor and can't, they sue the shit out of them. They were trying to buy a seed planting company and the courts wouldn't allow the monopoly to be created so they waited until someone else bought the company then started suing the shit out of them. Deere's business practices make them a no-go for me. Plus most of Deere's equipment I'd buy is just Yanmar with green paint. When I was looking at zeroturns half the shit on them had MTD part numbers.

The only thing I don't like about Kubota is they're hard to work on, especially their smaller stuff, because everything is one engineered unit. But they don't break often so there is that. You can probably plan on it lasting with nothing but oil changes just fine until the 0% financing is complete.

Kioti... is like a Kubota as far as I'm concerned. I used to think they were sharing shit between them, and apparently they did, then there were lawsuits. If you look at them side by side they literally look like they share the same engineers. Kiotis aren't sufficiently cheaper than a Kubota to warrant getting a Kioti. It's like buying a Kia that costs 5% less than a Chevrolet. Why? If you ever need to sell it, nobody wants a used Kioti for the same reason no one wants a used Kia. They say you were too poor to buy a real car years ago and now you know it is going to Grant and Benjamin you to death on repairs.

I've spent a lot of time looking at LS. I want to like them... but get a Kubota.

New Holland still exists... but they aren't cheaper anymore. Might as well get a Massey, Deere, or Kubota. Most of their small stuff is rebadged anyway.

TYM makes stuff for a lot of other companies just like Yanmar but I haven't bothered looking at either of them. They seem to be the MTD of the subcompact/compact cheap tractor world. Only they aren't any cheaper than a Kioti.

 

I recently bought a LS MT225S because I wanted the belly mower, It's too big to mow with the bucket on it, so I don't even use the belly mower. I like the tractor, but if I would have realized I hate the belly mower I would have gone with the MT225E I think, it's still a 25hp. But bigger tires, weighs more, and has more bucket lift capacity. If I would have realized how often if be using the tractor or lift stuff I would have bought with a better lift capacity.

 

I was worried about that as well, but I've discovered that 90% of my loader usage is in the offseason for mowing so it actually works out well. Spring landscape work, firewood hauling, snow clearing, etc. I haven't pulled the mower deck off since I first installed it(fortunately it can be pinned up to the frame so it doesn't move with the 3pt), and I've only had the loader on and off since the start of mowing season 4 or 5 times.

I wholeheartedly disagree with Wrath's opinion about not mowing with your good machine. It works out great for me, and I can still mow my 2 acres of super hilly grass with lots of trees and obstacles in ~45 minutes. It takes me as long to weed whip as it does to mow. I was worried it would be a pain and if it was I had another machine available to use for strictly mowing(the one I've been using for the past 7+ years). No need. And it's that much less crap to store and maintain. Others' situations, terrain, and desires will vary so I won't claim it's a one size fits all approach, but I can say with absolute certainty that it works for me far better than expected. Knocking 5-10 minutes off my mowing time isn't worth having an entirely separate machine on hand. I've put 50 hours on the machine in 7 months, that's fine, that's what I got it for.

 

I forgot, I'm on my third battery in my zero turn. I should probably replace a spindle or two. I have them sitting in the garage because I've thought they were going bad for two years. I think I changed the air filter once, but I'm not sure. It has a prefilter on it and I blow it off with the leaf blower when I'm done mowing. I mow about 3 acres, sometimes four, depending on if I mow everything. It takes between 1h40m and 2h to mow the 3 acres, another hour to do the rest (mostly trails and open areas in the woods). It used to take 5 hours or a Saturday to mow with a tractor. This is 100% due to all my trees. I only have an acre that is "open" but still has trees... cut this in about 30 minutes depending on direction I mow it and if I mow full width or overlap.

I also like the zero turn because I can mow steep hills. It's still a white knuckle ride but I don't have to sit on the fender like my garden tractors. I have a lot of spots in my yard that are 30 degree slopes. The pond is pretty much always a bit dicey because the banks are steep and the grass is always moist due to the water table. Usually at least once a year I lose the lawn roller and/or the garden tractor in the pond and have to use another tractor or my truck to pull it out. So far with the zero turn I've gotten it stuck a few times along the pond and probably 20+ times in the woods but if I got off and operated the controls it got itself out. Safety second.

It takes me 4 tanks of fuel in my Stihl Kombi to trim everything, or approximately 5 hours. I trim about 3 times per year. All my plantings and landscapings are such to maximize my ability to not need to trim with the zero turn. Due to this, I've made some light modifications to the deck (no discharge chute, reduced size on the discharge so the blades suck the grass in, no antiscalp roller on the other side of the deck because it'd push the grass out, all safeties disabled but the parking brake set to start). After a while you get used to it and you run the mower WFO all the time. I don't slow down for much.

The reason I say all of this is my Dad has 2100h on his zeroturn, it's twice the age of mine, he's wore two sets of tires to the cords for the front and the rear tires are bald. He never even changed the fluid in his wheel motors. I think he's on his fourth PTO clutch. Deck is getting tired (rust). It kept all that wear off his tractors. My cousin's two tractors are noticeably sloppy in the steering and rear end, I don't know how many hours but last time I sat on them they were at 700 and 300. I don't have a lot of tractors to compare to, but I do use the neighbor's Kubota ( a bigger one, I forget model, but it does have a 8' backhoe attachment it runs well) once in a while. It's probably 10 years old and drives like new, but it only has 150 hours on it and probably 100 of them are backhoe hours. My cousin's tractors are as sloppy as a 15 year old Kia Sportage. Rear end slop and steering slop galore. If I had a BX23S that was shiny and pretty but as sloppy as a second generation Dodge Charger I'd be pissed. It's not as bad as my firewood beater Bolens for sloppyness, but it's close.

When I was looking at the smaller end of utility tractors (compact?) the ones with available belly mowers wanted $1500-3500 for the belly mower. Looks like Kubota wants $3k for one. WTF. It's a metal box with spinny bits. You can get a serviceable zeroturn for that. And put the neighbor kids or your own kids or even your spouse to work on it without destroying your real tractor.

 

Yanmar had 5 year financing 0 down 0% interest when my brother bought his 24hp loader two years ago. Compacts are cool, but I would spring for a bigger size. You'll find SO MANY USES with a tractor and you'll want to do more with it. They have nice belly mowers you drive over and hook up as well for finish mowing. Or drag a brush hog. Yanmar also has a killer warranty and they make all of John Deere smaller tractors...under 24-30 HP.

Rural King also has some nice machines with a yanmar diesel engine.

 

I’m learning.
There are two sizes of compact tractor: Too big and too small.

 

So. True!

 

@XXXJ you're missing a leg, correct? Which one? I just thought of this. If it's the right one, I'd give the throttle pedal some serious consideration. I don't mind the treddle peddle on my Kubota, but with a prosthetic it'd be a PITA. Something like the JD side-by-side pedals would be much easier for that. Just something to keep in mind as well.

 

Left leg.
Hence keeping the two garden tractors I have. One has a parking brake on the left side, the othe has no left pedal and a right foot clutch.

Ironic that I used to joke that “automatic transmissions were for people without left feet”.

 

My brothers has the clutch on the right side. The engine RPM is a lever on the column. Transmission is automatic.

Available Tractors & Attachments | YANMAR Tractor

Discover YANMAR sub-compact tractors and attachments engineered for a perfect fit. Check out our detailed specs and find the right tractor for the job.

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With forks I can JUUUUUUST lift a fully dressed cummins 12 valve on a skid.

I'm sure whatever you get you'll be happy. All size tractors have a use. I can get this one through the woods no problem as well.

 

So what size compact tractor are you looking for based on what you're trying to do with it?

I counted, I have more "tractors" than fingers and they're all 80s and older. They're all too small. The "biggest" one I have has a 75" wheelbase. I think the smallest I have is a 1963 Cub Cadet model 70 which is the size of a lawnmower. But it shares the same transmission as my 1947 Farmall Cub, which is significantly larger. I have a pile of Bolens garden tractors (subcompact), they're my favorite, especially the later large frame with the locking differential, mostly because they're indestructible. But they're only good for lifting a Dana 60 or a BBC at most and the biggest bucket I have is 54".

I nearly killed myself lifting an 8.5' Fisher commercial plow and frame with it and driving across my yard when I hit a raised tree root and it tipped. I ended up having to pull the bucket off to get the weight closer to the tractor and throwing some suitcase weights on the back (tires are already loaded and have kustom cast lead wheel weighs with truck drums as the mold). Then I switched to a different tractor to carry it the rest of the way. I like the Bolens because they have one pedal to control forward/reverse so I use left foot for "oh shit, hang on, what we hit", right foot for forward/reverse/brake, right hand to steer, left hand to run the controls.

Unless you're doing a lot of dirt work like tilling I don't think horsepower matters as much. I'm more interested in fluid flow rate vs pressure and what it can move without killing me.

None of my tractors are 4wd, but all of them have ag tires and either a locker or cutting brakes. I have gotten the Farmall Cub stuck in the woods a few times pulling a bottom plow to make ditches but I'm pretty sure 4wd would have just gotten me stuck "gooder". I'm pretty sure most of the modern 4wd compact tractors that are sub-40HP sit so low it'd be dragging the whole way through the paths I take with it anyway.

The small end of the "compact" tractor size is like 1000lb with the top end being around 60hp 4200lb tractor as far as I can tell from perusing websites.

They're also all different, even from the same company. Massey's cheaper tractors use a rocker pedal like the old Bolens. Their premium tractors don't, I was wondering if it had something to do with the fancy draft/limit/cruise control. Depending on the model, they often use different loaders which have different specifications like digging depth. A digging depth of 2" is lame. You can't even get under the grass roots to peel sod up.

I'm thinking the "small" end I'd find useful is a 2500-3000lb tractor. So something like a Kubota L3901 or Massey 1835M. You can get a backhoe for either of them that is "almost good enough" meaning it digs to 7' and change. If one were to go too big (Kubota Grand, Massey 2800 series) I think you'd be irritated with its usability and tearing up the lawn but you can lift 2500lb+ so I don't know. Maybe once I had a bigger tractor (something that can lift a real 2000lbs) I'd wish I'd gotten an even bigger one. But I don't think so, I don't live on a farm.

 

So what size compact tractor are you looking for based on what you're trying to do with it?

The small end of the "compact" tractor size is like 1000lb with the top end being around 60hp 4200lb tractor as far as I can tell from perusing websites.

I'm thinking the "small" end I'd find useful is a 2500-3000lb tractor. So something like a Kubota L3901 or Massey 1835M. You can get a backhoe for either of them that is "almost good enough" meaning it digs to 7' and change. If one were to go too big (Kubota Grand, Massey 2800 series) I think you'd be irritated with its usability and tearing up the lawn but you can lift 2500lb+ so I don't know. Maybe once I had a bigger tractor (something that can lift a real 2000lbs) I'd wish I'd gotten an even bigger one. But I don't think so, I don't live on a farm.

There's compact and sub-compact; sub-compacts would be the BX and B series for Kubota. I don't know models for other tractors. Compacts would be the L series, LX series Kubota's. Like my L3901. As you said seems like the general cutoff is about the 40hp mark; as I would not classify the L4701 as a compact tractor though it still might be considered one.

I find the BX series to be not very usefull as a tractor; Maybe if all you need to do is load buckets of mulch or similar I can see that purcahse, but as a utility tractor it's a waste of money IMO. I don't think they're geared for that kind of thing either. There the Big B tractors like the 26hp that you can get some better numbers on for loader capacity but nothing with a pto hp to run anything more than a finish mower.

Back on topic, on the tractor front, I‘m leaning toward a B model, in the 23hp flavor.
The 0% financing is tempting. If I pay it off in five years, with inflation, it could be worth damn near what I paid for it.

0% financing is going to be hard to beat anywhere. tractors and equipment are just going to keep going up in price in the next couple years; and they keep their value even without inflation. I know the B2301 is very popular. I would look at the LX2610 too personally; slightly smaller than the L2501, but bigger than the B series. Kind of like a Big B series tractor. Plus the LX2610 doesn't have the DPF system while still being tier 4 compliant. You can get a few more fancy options with the LX that you don't get in the L2501. Plus it still has the options for a belly mower.

Like I said, I went with the L3901 because I had a lot of ground engaging 3pt equipment that I needed the HP and PTO HP for, and the use was more utility than homeowner type work. I will say, that on every Kubota now, they all use a quick on/off system on their loaders that make it ridiculously easy and quick to take the whole loader off the tractor; not the swift-latch system (mentioned earlier I think)

 

There has been a ripple in the “The Force”.
My 1992 riding mower that has been my faithful steed for 18 years has come up lame. Could be something with a brake in the trans axle. It won’t back up without locking up, and drags going forward.
So, follow my logic, I am going out to buy a nice riding lawn mower. Something uncomplicated, simple yet comfortable that won’t break the bank. This will enable me to put the germangirl in the saddle on a newer “fun” machine so she can assume grass cutting duties. You know, like Tom Sawyer’s fence. If I buy the right riding mower, I think she will take over.
Those MAN hours can now be dedicated to “Man’s work”... or fishing.

Back on topic, on the tractor front, I‘m leaning toward a B model, in the 23hp flavor.
The 0% financing is tempting. If I pay it off in five years, with inflation, it could be worth damn near what I paid for it.

 

I highly recommend an orange B for mowing purposes. Here is mine, I used it to cut 2 acres of what should have been wet hay field.
Careful though 1st gear tends to be a bit high for heavy cutting and tends to want to stall. Never rolled it or got it stuck though.

 

Great point on ballast box. I have one as well. But normally I just keep the box blade on the back and it’s heavy enough. I hate changing out 3 point things. Always takes forever to get it all lined up. Can also have tires filled with beat juice for added weight.

 

I like the ballast box because it doesn't have a huge swing like a lot of implements, so it's less of an issue for stuff like working in woods hauling logs.

I absolutely love my quick hitch. I bought the Harbor Freight unit to see if I liked the one piece style. It was only $80 with the discount, but it's pretty thin so I actually tried to break it with no luck so far. It's taken zero damage, even with a reciever welded to the thin Chineseum steel. I only have a few rear implements so it's easy to set them up for the same rear spacing but if I had lots of different pieces/sizes I'd get the much more flexible Pat's Quick Hitch system. They're all worth their weight in gold for hooking and unhooking implements. It takes me longer to get off the tractor and raise the kickstand for my back blade than it does to actually hook up to it.

 

I now feel like I have been living behind a rock. I had to google quick hitch to see what it was. Does this work on most 3 point tools? Would it work on a brush hog, backblade and a snowblower?

This is painfull to ask, since I grew up farming...... lol

 

XXXJ -
I'm probably only about 30 minutes north of you and have a 2014 L3800 4wd Kubota. If you would like, you are welcome to stop up some evening or weekend and take it for a spin. I have acreage with woods, meadows and trails to get a feel that you may not be able to get at a dealer. Once you have one, you look for things to do with it...you may never be the same again.

 

XXXJ -
I'm probably only about 30 minutes north of you and have a 2014 L3800 4wd Kubota. If you would like, you are welcome to stop up some evening or weekend and take it for a spin. I have acreage with woods, meadows and trails to get a feel that you may not be able to get at a dealer. Once you have one, you look for things to do with it...you may never be the same again.

I would definitely take you up on that generous offer.

When I moved in I never though I would need a tractor much bigger than my Simplicity. Maybe newer and better, but not bigger. The major reason for balking at the sub-compacts is half my property is on a slope. Gentle as it is, it’s enough to scare me up to a compact size. And, you know, “if bigger is better, MORE bigger is MORE better”, or something like that.


Her: ”are we gonna need a pole barn for that tractor?”
me: Where in the hell are we going to put a pole barn?
Her: “on that spot you are going to clear with your new tractor”

 

I use suitcase weights on a rack I built. You can get suitcase weighs for cheap at auction and just weld up a rack for the back. Nice thing is it keeps the weight tight and low, plus is easy to remove. Mine I have set up so to remove weight you just need to flip up the cover when it's on the tractor and pick up a weight, otherwise they just dangle. I try to have the least amount of weight on the back as possible because I don't like tearing up the grass and it "teeters" and bounces less. My "big" tractor has 28" rubber filled, plus another 600 of wheel weights, then I can put like another 600 or so on the back. The more I think about it, the more I suspect it's probably around 6,000lbs.

I think you need to go sit on some tractors. It's pretty easy to fall in love with the first one you sit on so make sure you pick a good one for the first one. The first new tractor I sat on was a Kubota L3901 I believe.

So, I've spent a lot of time looking at:
Kubota LX2610 HST
Kubota L3901 HST
Kubota L4060 HST
Kubota L4760 HST

Kioti CK2610 HST
Kioti DK4710SE HST

Massey 1825E HST
Massey 1835M HST
Massey 2850M HST

They seem to be best of breed for features and size/capability for the dollar of the brands I'd consider. They seem to get no complaints short of "I should have gotten a bigger tractor". I've been looking at getting a new tractor for so long the models have rolled over.

The problem is that you get way different features and whatnot with each, so it makes it difficult to compare. They're all considered "compact" tractors and they are way different in size and capacity. The Massey 2850M can lift more, is physically larger, and costs less than the Kubota L4760. But the features are different. It's like shopping for a mattress.

My favorites on the list are the first one and the last one.

 

If you get a lot of snow start saving for a 3pt snow blower. Also if you happpen to have random snow banks, chunks of 4x4 that need moved, etc.... Dad has one for the back of his tractor and it will eat up a windrow faster than you can drive into it.

 

Dad bought a 72" snowblower to go behind his Nortrac 45XT last year. I was a little skeptical as to how it would handle it as his tractor is a gear drive. I never noticed a difference between when the PTO was off and when it was on and eating snow. I was throwing 12" deep snow as fast as it would eat and it would take a hard windrow just as fast. I tried it against my snow pile which was as big as my truck and broke off a chunk and started pushing what it couldn't eat.

 

My little beast. Ingersoll 6018 loader backhoe. I also have another that's a loader only. They are 2wd but for what I paid for them I'll do circles around the new stuff.

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Is that a light wood? Because if that's hardwood, that super impressive that little thing picked thay up.

 

Well that log was 28" dia. Poplar. 10' long. Guessing around 1600lbs. That's not the heaviest load I've carried. I think breakout force is only 1400lbs at most on the loader lift but this little guy likes to flex his muscles. Lol

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That's awesome, I highly doubt my brand new, larger tractor would lift that. Think my break out force is 2300, max lift at pin is 1067 pounds. But I haven't tried to lift anything with a pallet fork attachment though

 

That is impressive, it's because of the spacing between the lift cylinders and lift arm pivots. Way more mechanical advantage than most of the newer stuff. It always seems silly to me how close they put the cylinder to the pivot on all the newer stuff, it's losing a lot of potential lifting power. Probably partly due to necessity to maintain the quick-attach loader setups, but mostly driven by lawyers not wanting the machines to lift so much that they get sketchy. Lots of stupid things can happen when you challenge physics.