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Kubota B7100

LarryJ Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 10 Kingsport, TN

2002-12-18          46262

I just joined the forum but have been reading it for a while. I enjoy learnig from all of you.

I have 2.5 acres and mow about 2 acres with about half on a steep grade. I currently have a Gravely Proffesional G that just does not do the job on the steep portion of the property. The engine is in the back under the seat. There is very little weight on the front and the tractor just works its way down the hill.

I have located a Kubota B7100HST 4WD with a 60" MMM. It is a 1996 model with 111 hours on it. Are these good on steep slopes? The dealer is asking $8000. Is this reasonable? In addition to mowing I would like to get a rear blade for snow removal and maybe a tiller for some gardening in the future. Would the B7100 do all this for me?

Thanks for your help.
LarryJ


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Kubota B7100

SammyC Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 6 Indiana

2002-12-18          46282

Hi Larry ! I just joined also. Just minutes ago. I don't even know what a B7100 is but I'm responding to your post anyway. :-) I have just started looking for compact tractors and the kubota has caught my eye the most. I have priced some used ones at the dealers but they seem to want almost new price's for them. My theory is if I'm gonna have to pay almost new prices I might as well buy a new one. This way I can at least have a decent warranty and also can get a much better loan rate. Just a thought. Happy hunting.... Sam... ....

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Kubota B7100

slowrev Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 231 Winchester , KY

2002-12-19          46286

No tractors are safe on STEEP slopes. The taller the tractor, the more likely it is to turn over on YOU. search the posts here for that subject. There is quite a bit on that. I have an 812 Gravely rider and it is more stable on slopes than many or all of the compact tractors. I have owned/worked with several brands of tractors and what I have found is the taller they are the more likely to turn over they are, unless they have an extremely wide wheel base. The lower center of gravity helps. There are some speciality articulated 4wd tractors that are made especially for logging work that are probably the most stable of the lot, however they are a lot more expensive.

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Kubota B7100

TomG Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley

2002-12-19          46294

It's best to work up and down hills if at all possible and some slopes just aren't reasonable to work. When I was a city kid, a buddy used to mow a steep section of lawn going down to a sidewalk by tying a rope to a push rotary mower, letting it slide down hill and pulling it back to the top. Some places the wise fear to tread and it's true for tractors too.

Side hill stability gets to be a complicated issue. Tractor CG, balance, weight, stance, tire type etc. combine with slope, terrain, soil stability, weather etc. factors. I don't think it's really possible to say what would work best or even at all in general.

In general, wide, low cg, heavy and 4wd improves stability. Tires can be loaded and wheels adjusted wider. A BX with low ground clearance might work better than a 7100 but neither may be much better than the Gravely. Ironically old Ford N tractors are reputed to be about as good as any on side-hills.

The trouble with these general ideas is that conditions where the soil is unstable may benefit from a light tractor, but with other soils a light tractor may not have the traction to hold steering, which seems to be a problem now. Anyway, it sure would be a pain to throw big bucks at a tractor if mowing was the prime job and then find it wasn't an improvement. Maybe a dealer would offer a trial or something could be rented to try it out. A dealer also might look at the slope and say nothing is going to be safe, then maybe my old buddy's rope trick would serve.
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Kubota B7100

LarryJ Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 10 Kingsport, TN

2002-12-19          46303

Thanks for all the input.

When I say a steep slope, this is not real severe. When I try to mow around the slope, the front end of the Gravely works it way down the slope making it impossible to mow with any consistancy. I have tried to mow up and down but the gravely just spins going up which makes it impossible. I end up mowing down, driving back up the drive way and then taking another pass. It takes a long time to mow.

My thought for the B7100 were, it has much larger tires, it has 4WD, and it has considerable weight on the front end which should improve steering.

The dealer did offer to allow me to take it home and try it out free of charge as I have already told him my situation.

In addition, I have also spoken with the previous owner, looked at his property and he has a slope very simlar to mine. He said it did a wonderful job, around and up and down the slope.

I suppose the real question now is the price. It has set outside on the dealer lot since early last spring when the previous owner traded it in. It has some rust developing in many areas on the tractor and mowing deck.

Is $8000 too much for this machine?

Thanks
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Kubota B7100

jeff r Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 428 burton. michigan   Pics

2002-12-19          46327

IMO I think he is about 1000 bucks too high. The question is how bad do you want the tractor? ....

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