finn
Well-known member
This. When I bought my CUT this is the discussion the dealer and I had had. He suggested a ZTR, but I kept my rider.. My friend ended up doing the same thing, ie a tractor for tractor stuff, and a riding mower for mower stuff.
Looking at subcompact/compact tractors.
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+1 on this advice. My tractor came with a backhoe. I bought it used with 59 hours. I had a 25hp Kubota with a backhoe before I bought my mini-x and knew I'd be selling this one before I even brought it home. I got $4000 for the backhoe. Taking it off and on every time I wanted to till, mow or use the pto ditch pump, etc. would get really old.
Some tractors can have a belly mower and backhoe at the same time, but that just sounds like a disaster unless it's a dry open area needing mowed.
Buckgnarly
Well-known member
X2. It's always the first thing people recommend, and I never get it. If you're PLANNING on having work done then you should probably be looking at other tractors. Parts are so easy to get via the net now also, and working on tractors is not exactly like working on modern cars.
Juiced06GTO
Well-known member
I went the swiss army route back in 2016 with a brand new Kubota B2601 with loader, backhoe and 54" belly mower. It is a great machine and has done a ton of work, including helping me build my barn. However, I really wish I had skipped out on the belly mower and just purchased a decent zero turn mower for the lawn.
The backhoe typically stays off the machine and hasn't seen much use in the past two years. The loader stays on the machine but I drop the bucket when I am using it to mow. I purchased a used power flow bagger for it, but had to modify it to fit around the backhoe subframe and it doesn't work great because of that. Pulling the belly mower on and off is a pain in the **** so it typically stays on unless I am doing a decent amount of earth moving.
For the amount of money I spent, i probably could have picked up a couple of used task specific machines and been way more efficient at the work I was trying to do. I also work for an equipment rental company and have been spoiled by how much better a mini excavator is at digging than a backhoe. If you have never used one, you'd probably not notice it compared to the backhoe, but once you have, there is no comparison, they are easily twice as fast, more maneuverable, and more powerful.
I work with a lot of diesel engines in the equipment world, and I would stay 26hp or less to avoid emissions equipment if you can. If you go bigger I would try to stick with the major engine brands as the systems will require dealer maintenance at some point and you may find trouble getting that type of support from some of the off brands. Kubota/JD/Yanmar(used by JD in their smaller tractors) have good local support typically. Iseki/Mitsubishi/Daedong might be harder to find dealer support for when an emission system issue occurs. DPFs will clog and need to be cleaned/replaced, especially if you don't run the engines hard and under load to get them hot. I don't think you are looking at tractors over 75hp so you shouldn't have any with DEF, but there will be lots of maintenance issues with those systems if youget up to that size machine.
All that being said, I love my machine! It has saved me more times than I can count. It is nice having everything right at the house and available when I need it. Good luck with the search, post pictures when you decide! Hope my post helps a little!
The backhoe typically stays off the machine and hasn't seen much use in the past two years. The loader stays on the machine but I drop the bucket when I am using it to mow. I purchased a used power flow bagger for it, but had to modify it to fit around the backhoe subframe and it doesn't work great because of that. Pulling the belly mower on and off is a pain in the **** so it typically stays on unless I am doing a decent amount of earth moving.
For the amount of money I spent, i probably could have picked up a couple of used task specific machines and been way more efficient at the work I was trying to do. I also work for an equipment rental company and have been spoiled by how much better a mini excavator is at digging than a backhoe. If you have never used one, you'd probably not notice it compared to the backhoe, but once you have, there is no comparison, they are easily twice as fast, more maneuverable, and more powerful.
I work with a lot of diesel engines in the equipment world, and I would stay 26hp or less to avoid emissions equipment if you can. If you go bigger I would try to stick with the major engine brands as the systems will require dealer maintenance at some point and you may find trouble getting that type of support from some of the off brands. Kubota/JD/Yanmar(used by JD in their smaller tractors) have good local support typically. Iseki/Mitsubishi/Daedong might be harder to find dealer support for when an emission system issue occurs. DPFs will clog and need to be cleaned/replaced, especially if you don't run the engines hard and under load to get them hot. I don't think you are looking at tractors over 75hp so you shouldn't have any with DEF, but there will be lots of maintenance issues with those systems if youget up to that size machine.
All that being said, I love my machine! It has saved me more times than I can count. It is nice having everything right at the house and available when I need it. Good luck with the search, post pictures when you decide! Hope my post helps a little!
23 acres with about 75% of it wooded and 15% mowable. I own a Kubota L2900 and BX1870. L does the heavy work moving trees, gravel, pulling the landplane to work the driveway, pto driven chipper, log splitter and backhoe work. The BX does everything else, mowing, loader work, moving trailers around and sometimes the York rake. If I had to choose one today I'd keep the BX because of it's lawn keeping abilities. While the BX doesn't mow as fast or as maneuverable as a zero turn,,,, it gets the job done.
Both have loaders. L is TLB
And both tractors have been reliable except for a pto drive dog issue on the L. Kubota doesn't use the same style anymore. Other than that,,,, regular maintenance, oil and fluids.
Both have loaders. L is TLB
And both tractors have been reliable except for a pto drive dog issue on the L. Kubota doesn't use the same style anymore. Other than that,,,, regular maintenance, oil and fluids.
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mngundog
Well-known member
Seems like every farmer here that have been brand loyal for the last 70 years, now have an L series Kubota in their stable now. A 5 year old 35-40 hp Kubota with 250 hours sell for around $22-25K on marketplace here. If buying used look for a tractor with the accessories you want as a package deal, I made the mistake of not doing that, thinking I'd grab that stuff cheap after the fact, huge mistake.
Meh,,,, My hoe stays off until I need to use it on my L2800. Takes about 2 minutes to remove. On my BX the loader takes 1 minute to remove and maybe 2 to reinstall. Don't even need to kill the engine.
finn
Well-known member
Guess I’d be interested in seeing a video validating this on and off times.
Do you have to buy new or do you want to ? There are options out there for decent used stuff. However, buying new from the dealer can offer a decent interest rate.
I started with a JD 1025R TLB and bought a 54" belly mower and pallet forks. I dreamed for something bigger and tried to solve that with a HYDROSPLUS performance kit and diverter. It helped alot but the tractor was still too small.
I kept on the look out for something used and when that came along, I jumped at the chance for a year old used JD 2032R (203hours) TLB with 3rd control function and grapple. Before I found this deal, I considered buying a repo/insurance job from a place like CoPart.
In the end, I should have bought the 2032R in the first place but I wouldn't have gotten a good deal. I sold the smaller 1025R and paid off the larger 2032R, but I kept the pallet forks. I will say there is a difference going from 25 hp to 32hp and up a series on the JD line.
Don't rush into something and I will say Green or Orange. You may not need to take it to the dealer but if you plan on keeping it, you want serviceability in the years to come.
I started with a JD 1025R TLB and bought a 54" belly mower and pallet forks. I dreamed for something bigger and tried to solve that with a HYDROSPLUS performance kit and diverter. It helped alot but the tractor was still too small.
I kept on the look out for something used and when that came along, I jumped at the chance for a year old used JD 2032R (203hours) TLB with 3rd control function and grapple. Before I found this deal, I considered buying a repo/insurance job from a place like CoPart.
In the end, I should have bought the 2032R in the first place but I wouldn't have gotten a good deal. I sold the smaller 1025R and paid off the larger 2032R, but I kept the pallet forks. I will say there is a difference going from 25 hp to 32hp and up a series on the JD line.
Don't rush into something and I will say Green or Orange. You may not need to take it to the dealer but if you plan on keeping it, you want serviceability in the years to come.
I've been very happy for 5 years with the other orange
KIOTI builds the best tractors via a vertical integration strategy.
Our tractor story is one of enduring commitment to quality & control. With unmatched consistency & reliability through a vertical integration strategy.
www.kioti.com
I guess there's two shades of ORANGE. I haven't heard anything bad about your shade. It seems like it's coming on strong but there's no dealers local whereas the other ORANGE there is and GREEN is the most prevalent here.I've been very happy for 5 years with the other orange
KIOTI builds the best tractors via a vertical integration strategy.
Our tractor story is one of enduring commitment to quality & control. With unmatched consistency & reliability through a vertical integration strategy.
finn
Well-known member
There are 22 Kioti dealers in Ohio. Looking at the dealer map, about half are in what I would consider North Central Ohio.
It's really not that complicated or time consuming. Fold down the integrated stand, lower the bucket, pull two pins, and four quick connects, back away.
Going on, pull up to the loader, plug in the four quick connects, unfurl buck and install the two pins. Raise bucket and fold up stand.
This is on a concrete pad. It can take a little fiddling if on uneven ground. I've swapped the loader in and out a couple times in a day. Not a big deal at all. I have plenty of practice. My L is a bit more involved and takes quite a bit longer but the BX is quite easy and quick.
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Closest one is about 45 minutes away from me, in that distance, there's probably 8-10 JD dealers. That's why GREEN is the favored color around here for the SCUT & CUT crowd.
There's actually a Summit dealer (atleast one) and two RK dealers closer than the Kioti.
If the OP wants a KIOTI, that's fine by me.
Not to further detail, but that's surprising to me as in the Northeast JD went through a big consolidation years back and a lot of the smaller "mom and pop" dealers aren't anymore.
For me blue, orange, green and orange are all about an hour, in 3 different directions. Mahindra and Massey are the closest, but that dealer *****.
jblnut
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I can have the loader off and back on again in a few minutes in my Deere 2038r. It’s bonkers quick. Takes longer to hop off the seat to hook/unhook the hydraulics than to do any other part of it.
The drive over auto connect mower deck is also insanely fast to drop and connect. Takes longer to flip the little floppy things to unlatch it than to actually drive on and off. Mostly it’s because my fat *** has a speed limiter lol
I’ve seen quite a few LS and Koiti machines showing up on larger dairy farms lately. They’re replacing all other brands to do things like manure squeegee things and feed push-up tasks. Those rigs will get upwards of 6,000hrs/yr on them and are all but junk when they’re done with them. Hired help is never kind to things. I know at least one farm has two LS tractors to do the job of one as one is almost always in the shop. They claim it’s still cheaper to operate than the Kubotas they replaced. I find it hard to believe but those guys know their numbers so
Crazyjake8493
Well-known member
I'm convinced the only offer belly mowers for tractors as an impulse buy to unsuspecting buyers. They're never a good idea. A zero turn or even a riding mower will be better than a compact tractor for mowing. The tractor is for brush hogging and flail mowing, not lawns.
I don't even have a backhoe but all summer long I have implements on my tractor - York rake, box blade, post hole digger. And I can't fit in certain areas even with just the loader on the tractor. It would be such a pain if I had to mow with it every 4-5 days.
I don't even have a backhoe but all summer long I have implements on my tractor - York rake, box blade, post hole digger. And I can't fit in certain areas even with just the loader on the tractor. It would be such a pain if I had to mow with it every 4-5 days.
The mower deck on my bx is a huge pita to remove and install. I always feel ridiculous running the loader or the tiller with the deck on, but it's not worth the hassle to remove it. Of course that limits access somewhat, and bangs around when raising and lowering 3pt hitch. It's just not ideal.
I picked up a zero turn for the mowing season this year and I'm looking forward to removing the BX belly mower for good.
I picked up a zero turn for the mowing season this year and I'm looking forward to removing the BX belly mower for good.
finn
Well-known member
Removing the loader on my CUT involves a similar process, but in the real world, it’s never done on a concrete floor. Gravel pad, yes. It takes me a lot longer, first because mine is a CUT, not a SCUT, and second, because mine is a cab tractor, and a little slip possibly leads to glass replacement. Pulling and installing the pins is easy if everything is perfectly level on plane, but it rarely is. In reality, the only reason to pull the loader is to install yhe subframe mounter blower, including snaking the chute controls to the rear remotes and installing the driveshaft. Best case scenario is a half hour to forty five minutes.
I’d guess your backhoe might be a little quicker than the front blower, but you’re still dealing with crawling underneath to install the subframe pins, unless the Kubota tlb doesn’t have a subframe, like most backhoes require.
Yankeefarmer
Well-known member
A compact tractor rides much more comfortably on rough lawns than a riding mower or a zero turn. And many tractors offer easy on/off loaders, so that is not a detriment to mowing duties. The belly mower is also useful for feeding a large tow behind leaf vacuum for fall cleanup. I sold my 3 point hitch finish mower when after buying a zero turn, but liked it for the ability to back it under trees for closer trimmer, and because it was a rear discharge, so it didn’t windrow clippings. All mower types have advantages and disadvantages.
And you can get a cab with AC!
glider
Well-known member
Bought this 39hp, hydrostatic, 10 years ago. Maintain 9 acres and don’t finish mow with it. Brush hog once a year, remove snow, any miscellaneous project. 200 hours on the clock, not very many.They are not very efficient mowers. If you wanna have a grapple, you have to have some weight to it. Should only have to buy one once.
Any front end loader work requires thee point ballast for safety which is different than wheel weights or filled tires. CUTs are built lightweight for a reason. Adding extra ballast weight is necessary for best performance.
Here’s a good video showing the effects of weighted tires and three point ballast.
Most people use the rocker pedal wrong1 Don't put your whole foot on the pedal. Use your toe and heel for forward and reverse! The two pedals side by side, very easy to push wrong one when loading something in your truck! I have a Kobota BX1800 with belly mower only. I can cut grass as fast as a Zturn and on hills and ditches. I have a Kioti CK2510 compact tractor with loader. I would not want a subcompact for everything. For the price of the belly mower you could get a used Zturn. you could rent a mini trackhoe for less than the cost of a backhoe for the tractor.
Treadle pedals are a hot topic....
I say try a few tractors and see what feels best. There were several ergonomic pluses on what I bought (pedals, joystick position and seat adjustments).
Other units would have worked, but at 320.** hours in 5 years I'm glad I went with what's comfortable.
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You misspelled “****”
I was being nice...
Different animals and situations. On the BX the mower is on all summer long with no need to remove it. But I drop the loader almost every time I mow for maneuverability. The mower deck is quite fiddly on the BX so that's why it stays mounted all summer.
Backhoe on the L is on a subframe. 2 pins, 2 quick connects. Would be a fairly quick process but removing the 3pt arms takes more time than the hoe.
No one wants to admit if they get their foot off the pedal and use their toes ( the same as an automobile) and heel for reverse. It works. In the end it is a personal choice. I have not had one person say I never thought of getting my foot off the pedal and only using my toes and heel. Both setups work down side to two pedals side by side is hitting wrong pedal. I used loading something in a truck as an example. I agree if you put your entire foot on the pedal it would ****!
It seems only Team Kubota loves the treadle pedal. I don’t like using it regardless of the method. Two pedals make more sense. If you’re in a position that requires extra caution a quick glance towards your right foot will confirm which pedal you’re on if you can’t tell from feel.
If a person is new to tractors and aren’t sure of the differences a quick test drive of both types would be a good idea.
Regardless of the direction/brand you go and reading dozens of websites with specs, I'd drive by a dealer and actually sit on a few tractors.
Ex - I see tons of JD 1025s for sale, I went by a JD dealer and sat on one and it was really cramped for me so I immediately crossed it off the list as it was very uncomfortable. Good luck.
manwithtools
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I can remove / install the loader from my CUT in less than two minutes and never leave the seat if I don't want to. It's got the Kubota SwiftTach package. Here's a video: LX-Series Swift-Tach
I have an open station, not the cab model.
finn
Well-known member
Kubota is the only one still clinging to the old rocker pedals. Everyone else, as far as I know, moved on to dual pedals.
The market has spoken.
finn
Well-known member
Nice feature, but not a deal breaker, since I haven’t had a reason to remove the loader except once a year when I drop it to install the snow blower and subframe. I wouldn’t pay extra for it.
The powered quick- tatch on the CTL is a big improvement over the manual one on the old skid steer though, since t frequently alternate between the bucket and pallet forks.
If I had setup my diverter valve differently I would definitely be putting one of these on the tractor...
Same reason cars and trucks don’t have FELs maybe. Cars don’t require frequent back and forth movements and aren’t operated in reverse but a very small percentage of the time.
Always gotta be that one guy out there to prove someone wrong lol
Hey I'm not the one arguing about peddles...