Go BottomMowing with a B7500
 | Jim Elliott
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2003-01-20 47831
Hello everyone, I'm new here, and in need of some advise. My old Honda 3813 rider mower is about done for and by spring time, I will be needing a mower to use for around 5 - 6 acres of finish mowing around the house. I like the looks of the Kubota B7500, and would like to hear some comments from folks who use one of these units as a lawnmower. I am considering a B7500 with the LA302 loader, and 60" mid mount mower.
I have always wanted a small loader tractor for various chores around the farm. We are strictly hobbiests, we have 60 acres with around half in pasture. I am sure the B7500 would be very handy around the house/farm, but I hesitate to get one if it will not make a practical lawnmower. I have a John Deere 2240 (50pto hp) for heavier work, so I am not worried that the B7500 would not be big enough, I'm concerned that it may be too large for cutting close to the house, around flower beds, etc. I would hate to get the 7500 just to find out that I need to buy another lawn mower as well. If this rig is not compact/manueverable enough to double as a lawnmower, I woulld be better off with a Kubota or comparable ZTR mower.
Any comments are welcome, I would really like to hear from folks using the B7500 to cut grass. Thanks in advance for any help. Jim
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| GaryB
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2003-01-21 47868
I use a 7500 with a 60" rear mower to mow about 8.5 or so acres every week. The machine has been bulletproof so far (about 400 hours over three mowing seasons). I wish my mower was a midmount, but other than that I am very satsified. I have nothing bad to say about the tractor. It's also fun to use. ....
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| Jim Elliott
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2003-01-21 47892
Thanks for the info, Gary. I believe I will check with the dealers in my area, and see if someone will let us borry a B7500 with a mid mount mower to try out for one grass cutting session this spring. The wife does the vast majority of the grass cutting, so I have to be sure whatever I get meets with her approval. By the way, it's not that I'm too lazy to do these chores, she just loves running the mower or tractor. She does not work outside the home, and usually has all the finish mowing, and bushhogging done by the time I get off from work.
I have seen some low hour, late model 7500s on one dealer's lot, I think they are rental returns. I have bought equipment, supplies, etc. from this guy, so I expect he will let us borrow one of these used rigs to see how we like it. If it works out as well as I am hopoing, I may just keep it depending on how much I can save verses buying new. ....
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| morgan
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 126 Albany, NY
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2003-01-21 47907
It's too big a tractor to use just for mowing a lawn!! You better get turf tires to go easy on the lawn, but even still, the tractor with mower and FEL and your wife sitting on it are going to weigh over 2200 pounds, so if your lawn has anything other than hard dry dirt under it, you will ruin the lawn with such a big rig. Any soggy spots, and your turf will be destroyed. But if you don't load it up with ballast you can't really do much with the FEL because they need rear ballast! And FEL's work better with ag tires or ind tires, but those treads will ruin your lawn faster that a plague of locusts. And turf tires are lousy for anything but turf.
You can shave some weight off by removing the FEL, removing all ballast and make sure your ballast is all removable such as suitcase weights (making sure you don't load the tires with Calcium because you can't remove that), and telling your wife to take off her heavy mud shoes, but it's still too much tractor to mow 5 acres. Maybe 40 acres of hay, maybe 40 acres of rototill, but if all you have is 5 acres of lawn, you might use a lighter rig. Like, for example, a LAWN MOWER.
The Kubota 7500 is a tractor, not a lawn mower. ....
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| dcsmith02
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2003-01-21 47909
I use a 7500 for mowing(finish) 4 acres at my house. I have a 60' rear mount with no FEL. My yard holds a lot of water it doesn't tear things up to badly. Of course it weighs only about 1700lb with the mower. It really is a well built little machine. ....
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| zedosix
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 23 Ontario, Canada
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2003-01-21 47917
Hope to hell your not cutting 40 acres of hay with a B7500. I am planning to purchase a B7500 or even larger compact tractor, the majority of work for this rig will be cutting 5 acres of grass and a 4' bushhog to clean between my spruce tree nursery (20 acres) My dealer is trying to sell me the 2910 but I feel this is too big for lawn cutting. This is the first time I have heard a comment like this regarding the B7500.
Does anyone else agree with Morgan. ....
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| DK35vince
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 689 Western,Pa. 
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2003-01-21 47919
No,
I don't agree.
I would not want any smaller than a 7500 for 5 or 6 acres of lawn !! ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley 
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2003-01-22 47925
Morgan's comment should be thought through. Part of the answer does depend on what kind of lawn is wanted. My Ford 1710 weights a bit over 3,000 lbs. with loader and unloaded turfs. It does pack the grass down when I drive on the lawn. I do have to avoid sharp turns, and I do try to stay off the lawn when the ground is wet. We aren't too particular about a lawn, but the grass is pretty delicate due to our very sandy soil.
How close a tractor can get to buildings depends on how far a MMM comes out from the sides in comparison to the rear wheels. A big orchard tractor probably could get very close, but a big tractor takes longer and more room to turn around at the end of rows or small odd-shaped areas. A big tractor can't get under low tree limbs and may leave a lot of trimming. A big tractor does gain time in the open. A 5' cut compared to 4' saves one pass in four not counting overlap.
I guess the answer depends on what is there and what is wanted. In our case, we finish mow 2 acres total in two properties. There are bunches of low branches buildings and small odd-shaped areas and my wife likes to leave patches of wild flowers. I've never considered a MMM for my 1710 and I'm reasonably sure that a 3ph mower would take longer than the 12 hp riding mower we use and might even take longer than a MMM.
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| Jim Elliott
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2003-01-22 47927
Thanks for all the advise, guys. I believe my original plan to borrow a tractor to assess how well it works to cut grass is the only way to settle this once and for all! Morgan, you're not from north Georgia are you? I'm sure your concerns about tearing up the yard are valid for many parts of the country, but that is not at all a problem for us! Our home is sitting on top of a Georgia red clay hill. Unless it has rained in the 8 hours or so, I can drive all over the yard with my ~6000lb, ag tire equipped 2240 John Deere, or Dodge diesel pickup with a bed full of mulch, firewood, or whatever. I believe the manuverability is going to be what makes or breaks my decision. I'm hoping for the best, because while the jury is out on using the 7500 as a lawn mower, I am positive it will be very handy for various other chores that the JD is just too large for.
I am sure that a premium lawnmower, tractor type, or ZTR would be as good or better for grass cutting, but thats all it would be good for. The 7500 would be much more versatile. Also, for hobbiest like us, when you buy a tractor, you basically have a piece of equipment that will last a lifetime. With a lawn mower, even a very good one, you will still be looking at replaceing it in around 10 years or so - we have gotten 13 years out of our old Honda, but it has started to nickel and dime us pretty bad in the last few years, one more season will definately finish it off. ....
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| C WEST
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2003-01-22 47929
I had B7300 and mowed my yard for three years with it. My yard is not dry at all, but I didn't have any trouble with the tractors weight. Kubota has a tire on the b7300 that is a cross between a turf tire and an ag tire, I think it is called a terra turf. This tire has very good traction but will not cause problems in your yard. The only reason I sold mine is that I needed a bigger tractor. I think you and your wife will be very happy with this tractor for mowing your yard. ....
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| ponds
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 10 Northern Va.
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2003-01-22 47957
I owned a b7500 for mowing. I had the mmm. I also had the grass catcher. Its a great mowing machine. I mowed up to 6 acres with it. I live in Virginia, and never had problems with it tearing up the lawn. Yes get the FEL, you will never regret it.
I recently traded up to a 2910 and sold the Kubota for what i owed; great resale value on the kubotas. This tractor is made for mowing, its not really heavy enough to do real tractor work. ....
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| zedosix
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 23 Ontario, Canada
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2003-01-22 47966
Hi Ponds.
Just wondering if you will be planning to use the 2910 for lawn cutting, now that you sold your 7500. Any input on this tractor would be appreciated.
Thanks
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| Pacesetter
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 178 Maine
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2003-01-23 47974
I'd check out the BX2200 too! That will probably be all you need and you'll save a few grand. Saw one recently advertised on the net for under $12K with FEL and belly mower. When my Honda 4518 dies that's going to be on my list. JD and Massey have competitive tractors that owe their existence to the popularity of the BX2200.
Good luck with your search!
Pacesetter ....
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 | DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2003-01-23 48006
1-09-03
"BX are not tractors. They are lawn mowers."
1-21-03
"The Kubota 7500 is a tractor, not a lawn mower."
"It's too big a tractor to use just for mowing a lawn!!"
"Maybe 40 acres of hay, maybe 40 acres of rototill,...."
Ok Morgan. You have chosen two 1300 pound orange tractors. The BX has 22 horse power and the 7500 has 21.
One is good to go on 40 acres of hay and the other one is out of its element when it gets too close to the edge of the lawn.
I don't want to start a urination olympics here but maybe you would consider a middle ground where both tractors can meet.
There are hundreds, maybe thousands of new tractor buyers out there reading what you post, lets help them not confuse them more. Mark
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| Morgan
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2003-01-23 48028
Okay, I admit I never had turf tires on my B7500, it has always had ag tires. When the lawn is wet it ruins it just to even drive on it, probably because of the ag tires and the fact that the mud season up here in upstate NY is really long. But it might be a whole different story with turf tires. After all, my pickup truck weighs more than my Kubota and it doesn't ruin the lawn (unless it's mud season). Turf tires look like that.
Here's points where I disagree:
1. The B7500 certainly can do lots of heavy duty tractor work, and it sure as hell is not built to be a lawnmower. It's built of much heavier gauge steel than any lawnmower ever dreamed of being, and the PTO can run all sorts of things like chippers, generators, bush hogs. What lawnmower can torque a 5 foot bush hog or run a wood chipper?
2. They don't weigh 1300 pounds unless you fill the tires with helium.
3. I forgot #3.
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| DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2003-01-23 48043
Factory specs: Kubota B7500
Weight with ROPS..... (HST)HSD/1367 pounds,.........(Manual transmission) DT/1323 pounds.
My BX22 with ROPS weighs 1520. My JD 4100 weighs 1517. ....
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| Morgan
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2003-01-23 48045
Great. Compare the weight of the stripped down B7500 with nothing attached to the weight of a BX with FEL and backhoe, just to make it look like the BX was a bigger machine than the B7500. Are you kidding?
Did you ever wonder how much a B7500 might weigh if it had a freaking backhoe? And if you put the FEL back on? I'd wager 2,400.
The BX is just a lawnmower, with things attached to it that don't belong, just to make it look like a tractor. The B7500 is a real tractor.
How much is the volume of the bucket on the backhoe of a BX? How much dirt can you move with each scoop? About 25 pounds of dirt? It's a joke, I can dig dirt faster with a freaking manual shovel I bought at Walmart for $7. That's not a back hoe. It's only a prop for show. It's a back show. ....
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| DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2003-01-23 48047
Morgan, go the the Kubota website and confirm what I am telling you.
The BX22 weighs 1520 with just the ROPS. The loader and backhoe add about 1100 pounds.
The bucket is listed at 5 cu.ft. leveled off and 6 cu. ft. heaped. It is 48 inches wide just like the B7500. ....
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| Morgan
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2003-01-24 48051
Don't mind me, I'm just a computer geek typing at home. I really don't know anything about tractors. ....
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| Morgan
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2003-01-24 48052
It's just that the B7500 is listed as a compact tractor and the BX22 is listed as a sub-compact. Sub-compact tractors are basically designed to be lawnmowers. The B7500, from the kubota web site:
"From light construction to nursery work to small chores around the house, the B Series line from Kubota gives you the strength, comfort and reliabilty that you need to get the job done. Take a look at the B Series Tractors that deliver heavy-duty performance in demanding situations."
....
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| Koby
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 16
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2003-01-24 48074
The way I see it, the BX series is essentially the same as the B7500, except for wheel size and 3 point hitch. The BX 22 has more hp, weighs more, is probably more stable, and should turn a wider mower than the B7500. If the intended use is for mowing, than the BX should be the first choice. Any work on a woodlot requiring greater ground clearance, or if there is a need for a Cat 1 3ph, then the B series makes more sense. ....
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| DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2003-01-24 48076
I have now tried all of my Cat 1 implements purchased for my 4100 on my BX. It handles and runs all the following without problems, including raising to an appropriate height:
1)48 inch box scraper (385 pounds)
2)60 rear blade
3)posthole digger
4)boom pole
5)carryall forks
6)3pt. trailer hitches
I did find it necessary to shorten the top link by 2 inches to make everything work. It was a pretty easy procedure. ....
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| Koby
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 16
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2003-01-24 48078
Mark, awesome news for anyone considering a BX series!
Thanks! ....
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| Jim Elliott
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2003-03-22 51618
Hello everyone, I thought I would bring this one back to the top since spring has sprung, and I'm going to have to start cutting grass any day now! When I originally posted this thread, I was considering a B7500 with 60" Mid Mount mower, and a FEL. The original post describes what I want to do with this machine, so I will not get into all that again. My question now is what are the model number(s) of older Kubota tractors that are of the same basic size as the B7500? I am going to at least look at used equiment before buying, but do not know what to look for, at least in the Kubota line. What older Kubota models should I be looking at, and what should I expet to pay for a clean, low hour unit? I hate to spend ~17k for a machine that will be used primarily as a lawnmower, a low hour used unit would probably last us for a lifetime of mowing/light FEL work. Thanks in advance for any advise. ....
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| DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2003-03-22 51621
Mowing and light FEL work sounds like it might be accomplished by a BX 1500. They are priced very attractively. Might be worth a look.
Where are you located? In the Pacific Northwest $17+K will get you a new 7500 TLB. ....
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| Jim Elliott
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2003-03-24 51742
Mark,
I'm in north Georgia, and I can get a new B7500 with 60"MMM & FEL for around 17K. I will check out the BX tractors, but would still prefer a used machine, with comparable specs to the 7500 if I could save a significant amount of $$$. I can afford a new 7500, and will probably get one, just wanted to check out the used market before plunking down the cash. If I could save a significant amount of dough, and get a machine that will do what I need it to do, so much the better. ....
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| DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2003-03-24 51745
Jim, I just went back and re-read the whole thread. I don't know what is in your neck of the woods in terms of used tractors but I would bet there are some good deals on BX1800/2200's that got orphaned when the BX22 hit the market.
I forgot that you already have a big tractor, so that makes buying a small one that much easier. The BX1500 has a light duty loader and can be had new for the price of bigger machines that are used. Right now Kubota has some zero down, zero interest deals going, if that interests you.
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| Morgan
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2003-03-24 51773
About 10 years ago they were selling B series that ended in 200, they were I think the B5200, B6200 B7200 B8200 and so forth, the biggest one was the B 8200 I think. Maybe you can pick one of them up cheap and maybe it's comparable in HP to the new B 7500. ....
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 | WillieH
Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 543 New England
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2003-03-24 51798
Jim - Oh the chat on this thread...
You have a good game plan, seek an older unit for comparison. Morgan touched on the previous "B" series, damn good, and damn strong machines and yes , your now reading a testimonial...presently have a couple of B5200's , just sold a previous model than these,B7100 , and a newer model the B1750. All have an FEL, all with turf tires, though aggressive tread turfs.
The base weight of these tractors, ballbark around 1100 lbs w/out FEL. Add another 400+ lbs for the FEL, then add another 1000lbs for the Woods 650 backhoe on it. I get hired out because it WON'T rut the lawns, even with all this weight. Common sense dictates to a degree,ie. yes you will get ruts if you drive the beast in mud season through a soft spot, elementary.
The B_200 series that Morgan and I are referring to, actually had a baby sister as well, it was a B4200. Really could not do too much with it as it was so light and designed totally different.
If you try to find a used one, You'll be hard pressed to find one first off, and to find one that is not beat to heck is another thing. Very good units, and people with them really want to hang on to them, myself included.
On a different note, recently, I found a used BX2200 with 78hrs on it, original. They wanted $8200.00 for it.
Point being, if you look hard enough, you will find something, but, it may take awhile.
And to add a level of ambiguity, straight from Mother Kubota, the comparison specs from the B7500 delivering 21hp running at 2600 rpm's is not a direct comparison to the BX22, rated at 22 hp at 3200 rpm's. (previous thread and documented by Mother Kubota). Point being here, if any body wishes to compare one unit with another, it should be done so in a fashion where everything is operating at or in the same parameters for a more realistic comparison. Beyond this statement, I'm not going any farther; it's been beaten to death!
Willie H. ....
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| DanJL
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2003-04-16 53215
I have a B7500 with a FEL and only 145hr. I have not had any problems with it. I am looking at getting a bigger tracktor and am going to sell it. I am asking 12,000. I bought this tractor new 9/2001 ....
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| Jelliott
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 58 North Georgia
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2003-05-29 55875
Hello everyone, I thought I would dredge this one up out of the archives and give you all an update. I purchased a B7800 hydro with bar tires, 72" Mid-mount mower, and LA402 loader. Paid $16,925. I take delivery on Friday (tomorrow!). I opted for the 7800 primarily because it appeared to be considerably more capable than the 7500 for non-mowing chores, but close enough in size to be nearly as handy for mowing. With the 72" deck, it will actually be a more capable mower in the open. I will post an update once I have the chance to try it out over the weekend. ....
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 | Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
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2003-05-29 55879
Jim, you mentioned the key word in your opening post......FINISH MOWING. You already have a tractor for larger jobs. You need a finish mower that will cut efficiently and make a good cut finish appearance. I have a John Deere 4410 with a 72" MMM that is great for open pasture and large areas and is not worth a crap for lawn finish mowing around the house. I use a John Deere F525 with a 48" front mower (very similar to a zero turn radius mower) that can cut circles around ANY tractor with a mower rear or mid mounted. I would suggest that you look at either a front mounted mower or a zero turn radius mower if your primary use is finish mowing. If you want something to run smaller implements such as a tiller then get the tractor. The John Deere 737 or 757 would be a good zero turn mower for you. I am sure Kubota makes something along this line is you are an "Orange Paint Man". The professional mowers love the 757, very well built piece of equipment. ....
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