Go BottomB7300 or something else
 | jankjo
Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 6 Northern New York 
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2003-08-24 62590
I need a tractor!
I just bought 18.1 acres of property. I am putting in 500 foot gravel driveway that I will need to maintain and remove snow from in the winter. I plan to do some mowing and light landscaping and hauling (lots of dead wood).
I don't want to spend the money on a bucket right now, but I can imagine wanting to move rocks around occasionally.
Any recommendations about what I should get? There is a used B7300 for sale here for 8500 with a front blade and MMM.
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 | DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada 
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2003-08-24 62592
You might could get by with the tractor you describe. I have roughed in a 700 foot drive with a front blade on a BX22 and it was up to the task, at least in my brushy environment. Not so sure if there are trees involved.
Without an FEL, you would have to get the gravel truck to spread the gravel for you. Once it is spread you can even things out with a front blade and a drag mat of some sort.
There are some three point scoop and dump rigs that might work for you, but nothing replaces the sheer utility of a FEL. It would be hard to haul dead wood. Do you plan on using a trailer?
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| jankjo
Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 6 Northern New York
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2003-08-24 62608
Yep, I was planning to use a trailer to haul dead wood...would I be able to do that? What is the difference between a "scoop and dump" rig and an FEL. By the way, I am having someone with a really big backhoe and bulldozer put in the driveway, so I only have to maintain it. One other thing, the property isn't flat. Nothing is terribly steep, but there are some hills.
There is also a used 7100 at my dealer. It has a cab...sort of...roof, but not glassed in. It has an FEL and a rear snowblower. It only has 600 hours (unless it has rolled over), but looks lots older than the used 7300 which has 128 hours and looks brand new. ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2003-08-25 62634
There are drawbar wagons for tractors. Some people use standard auto utility trailers. There are 3ph gadgets that have standard trailer ball hitch receivers. A trailer can cause a 3ph to float up to its max height and break the 3ph. I think all manufactured 3ph trailer gadgets have a chain that restricts the height of the 3ph. Homemade ones should have a chain as well. You should be aware that tractors are much better at pulling that stopping. It's good to keep the speed down when going down a hill with a trailer load and avoid going across slopes.
A dirt scoop (dump may be the same thing) is a 3ph implement. You can pickup loose material by backing into a pile and then dumping it elsewhere. They are fairly inexpensive and not too painful to basically throw away if a loader is purchased later. Their main limitation compared to a FEL is that they don't lift very high and they don't hold down-pressure. You can't dig with them. I think most have a simple mechanical trip for dumping.
I use a box scraper with hydraulic top-link for most landscaping work including maintaining gravel drives. I have a FEL but I used mostly the scraper to spread the last load of gravel I got from a pile. A dump truck can't spread it if there's no room to stop. I could have gotten by with the loader. Other people do most of this type work with a FEL and I sure wouldn't want to be without mine. Among other things, I depend on it for snow removal from my gravel drives until the gravel freezes and I can use my blower.
There are a bunch of related subjects to the question. There's a lot of information about them in the archives and further questions should receive useful comments. ....
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| jankjo
Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 6 Northern New York
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2003-08-26 62705
Thanks for the advice!
I have spent hours reading messgaes on this website. It looks to me like people generally say that the b7300 is underpowered. Mowing hills is tough apparently as is heavy landscaping. I don't know if I will be doing much landscaping, but my meadow is on a hill. Some like the b7300 anyway, and some don't, but almost all say it is underpowered. My problem is that the price is right. From everything I have read, it looks like I would be happier with a b7500 (5 more hp and powersteering), but the price is probably 5 k more.
The used B7300 has 128 hours, a mmm and front blade for 8500.
I found a b7500 with 33 hours and a loader for 12,400.
(I'd probably need to buy a bush hog for it too and I want to remove snow, so a blade or a blower).
I really didn't want to go above 10k, but I also don't want to get something that won't work for me.
Any words of wisdom???
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| amnbrzacr
Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 10 Pennsylvania
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2003-08-26 62713
I bought a 99 B7300 new. So far, that machine has paid for itself 100 times over. I now have 770 hours on it, and lets just say that I was really surprised by it. You say people keep telling that the machine is under powered, well I can assure you that with the right equipment it is not. As with any machine there are some implements that you just can't use due to power requirements. But with this little machine you would definitely get your money's worth. The only problem that I have found is that you are only able to use a max of a 60" finish and 48" brush hog. This would more than likely take some time cutting your 18 acres. That was the only drawback, that I found so I bought a larger tractor just for field cutting. ....
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| jankjo
Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 6 Northern New York
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2003-08-26 62717
This is really good to hear!
do you think I could mow or bushhog on a hill? ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2003-08-27 62752
I'm not sure if the question is about safety or power. Safe mowing on hills depends on the hill, soil, tractor and mower. There is a bunch of discussion in the archives although finding a subject by searching on titles can be challenging. It is very good to gain an understanding of the issues and some experience with mild exposure.
Aside from safety issues, if the question is about power, then the answer becomes whether the tractor can go up the hill while carrying the mower. If so, it likely can mow the hill. If the tractor is power challenged, most times a person can mow going downhill and drive back up. ....
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| jankjo
Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 6 Northern New York
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2003-08-27 62753
Sorry, my question was definitely about power, not safety. I think that the hill is steep enough that I would prefer to mow up and down the hill rather than across it. ....
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| amnbrzacr
Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 10 Pennsylvania
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2003-09-01 62992
As with any other implement, I guess it would depend on the size of the brush hog and how high the grass really is. If you fit the tractor with the right equipment, it should do what ever you want it to, within reason. ....
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| johnfundy
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 71 NE Ohio
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2003-09-01 63035
jankjo,
Just my two cents. I have a 1990 B6200 w/ 60"MMM that I mow three acres of field with twice weekly. That tractor will mow all day long without a hint of being underpowered. I even mow my neighbors field which includes grass and weeds up to the height of the tractor. Naturally, I do it in low gear to keep the blade speed high compared to ground speed, but it's quite effective on those types of jobs. Power is a relative term-but I wouldn't sell the 3 cylinder diesel short. I like my 6200, which is essentially the 7300 with a little less horsepower.I also maintain my 100' gravel driveway with a rear blade. Sorry, but I can't make a comment about FEL since I don't have one. But for mowing, snow removal and landscape work, I would give the 7300 a thumbs up. Sure, the new 7500 with extra HP is nice, but it's still basically the same frame size which is just as important as HP. The money you save buying the 7300 can be used to rent a large tractor for those "one time only" jobs, plus enough cash left over to buy a nice rear tiller.
JF ....
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