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I'm just a little farther along than you in the same type of project. I am getting ready to plant 20,000 sf of grass in very rocky soil and have worked it over pretty well. I only need to install the sprinkler system and then do the final grade before hydro-seeding.

First off, I highly recommend getting a box blade and landscape rake. My boxblade was invaluable for spreading soil and rough grading and there are many other uses I will have for it in the future as well. My landscape rake took some getting used to but also turned out to be a nice thing to have. The first time I used it the soil was pretty loose and I thought I had wasted my money on it since it seemed to collect as much dirt as rocks. When the soil compacted after a few rains however, I was able to collect the last remaining surface rocks and leave a very nicely contoured finish with the rake. It was level enough to be planted right then but I needed to till in some amendments to the soil first which leads me to my next to recommendations.

First, make sure there is some moisture in the ground before working it. When I tilled yesterday the ground was very dry and I was left with a fluffy mess of dirt. Now I need to run a sprinkler to get some moisture in it so I can grade it again and get it somewhat compacted. Second, I recommend getting a soil test of both the new and old soil. After investing as much as you will in your yard you don't want to discover that your soil is out of balance and can't support a nice lawn. Some deficiencies can easily be treated after planting grass but some cannot. In my case I had to add phosphrous to the soil which I was told is almost impossible to increase the phosphorous level of the soil without tilling it in before planting.

Other than that I don't know what else to tell you. It is pretty remarkable what you can do with the box blade/FEL combo. Add the landscape rake to that and I think you've got everything you would need to get that lawn planted. A harrow or skid or chain link fence section might be nice to get a good final grade as well but not necessary in my opinion with the landscape reake. Just remember to make multiple passes in different directions and try to get it as level as possible. You may want to run a sprinkler if it doesn't rain much to both help compact the soil and also to show where the water puddles up and you need to level more. Hope this helps a little.

Matt

Box Scraper and Rake for new Lawn
Garden and Landscape
Replies 21 Post by snmhanson

Thanks for the help on this one. It sound like it will be somewhat tough to find something that is portable and the right price yet provides enough power for my needs so I think I will probably just look for a simple portable one for now and not really worry about running the disc sander or die grinder at this time. I go to Costco about once every week or two so I will check it out next time I'm there. Otherwise I'll probably just get a package from Sears or Home Depot to get me started. When I build my shop next year I will then look for a larger non-portable unit to run the more demanding tools. Thanks again for the help.

Matt

What size air compressor
Home Improvement
Replies 12 Post by snmhanson

I just finished up my fifty hour service on my B7800 and went through the same thing. I initially got Deere fluid to put in it but after thinking about it a little decided to go on the hunt for Super UDT. Although I'm sure other fluids would work fine I went with what Kubota recommends for piece of mind. Particularly, if a warranty issue ever comes up I don't want the type of transmission fluid I used to be a potential point of contention (I've heard Kubota can be a little tough to deal with on warranty claims). After the warranty period I may switch to something else but until then I'm sticking with what they spec.

Matt

What hydraulic oil for replacement
Kubota Tractors
Replies 19 Post by snmhanson

I havn't mowed with industrials but did have them on my tractor before my turfs came in. I have mowed with my turfs once and even they will tear up the lawn if you're not careful. From what I hear industrials are not too bad on the lawn as long as the soil is firm and dry. I've actually read about some people prefering the Kubota industrials over the turfs for mowing because the turfs have a sharper edge that will cut into the grass a little easier than industrials. Having used both tires on bare dirt while doing lawn prep work I can see that soil conditions make a big difference concerning tire damage. When things were somewhat wet and soft the industrials tore things up more than the turfs. However, when things got very wet the turfs lost traction much quicker and dug ruts and made a big mess. When everything was nice and dry and firm the industrials left a more obvious mark but nothing that I would see as being a big deal unless you have an exhibit quality lawn and then you probably wouldn't want to mow with a larger tractor anyways. So I guess my thoughts would be get industrials if you want to mow whenver you want pretty much and want the added versatility and go with turfs if you are going to be patient and wait for your lawn to dry completely everytime before cutting. FYI, I am quite happy with my turfs for general tractor work. They pull a loaded 65" box blade just as well as my industrials did as long as it's dry. If we get much rain though it's a totally different story. And my disclaimer - I'm definately not an expert so take what I say with a grain of salt. Those are just my experiences so far with the tires. Hopefully someone else with more experience with both industrials and turfs will chime in.

Matt

Industrial Tires
Kubota Tractors
Replies 9 Post by snmhanson

Alright, I had to go to the big city anyway so I stopped by the next closest Kubota dealer and picked up some Super UDT. I'm sure the Deere oil would have worked out ok but it was only a five minute detour to get the Kubota fluid. I will return the Deere stuff or give it to a farmer down the road. Thanks for the help.

I was also hoping to give a run down of what I did for my fifty hour service just for a little reassurance that I did it all correctly. Here is what I did in the order that I did it:

- Conducted test of tractor starting per manual.

- Drained engine oil at both drain plugs, replaced engine oil filter, refilled engine oil, ran engine for a minute or so and added a little more oil to get it to the correct level.

- Drained tansmission fluid at all four drain plugs (the plug at the transmission housing was smaller than the other three and drained really slow?), replaced both transmission fluid filter and hydro filter, will remove strainer and clean with kerosene but I need to get a larger socket to fit the strainer and then will add ~3.8 gallons Super UDT.

- The old filters were all on pretty tight, especially the trans fluid filter. I actually dented the trans and hydraulic filters while taking them off with a filter remover. When putting the new ones on I followed the directions and only turned them ~1/2 turn by hand after the seal came in contact. However, they are not on as tight as the old ones were. Should I tighten them a little more or just leave them how they are?

- Also, some of the new filters are SLIGHTLY different than the old filters. By slightly I mean a couple of the holes on the inside are maybe just a different shape or size or configured a little differently and the aesthetics are maybe a little different but the filters themselves are the same size and they all fit well. I double checked the numbers on the boxes and they matched what the specs from the Kubota website called for. Is it normal for the replacement filters to vary slightly from the original ones? I think I'm just being paranoid here but I'd rather ask a dumb question than be sorry.

- Inspected and replaced outer air filter - It was pretty dirty and didn't let any light through when looking into it at a light.

- Still need to grease all points on tractor and FEL and check tire pressure and bolts but I do that somewhat regularly anyway.

I've never really done this type of maintainance work before so I'm just being a little cautious. Is there anything I forgot or did wrong? If, by chance, I screwed something up with the oil or filters would it be obvious when I run the tractor or can a mistake be made that will hurt the tractor without me knowing about it? The changing of the oil and filters almost seemed too easy but I followed the manual pretty closely so I think I got it all right. Any suggestions or hints would be great. Thanks again for all the help!

Matt

Kubota Transmission Fluid SUDT
Kubota Tractors
Replies 57 Post by snmhanson

I can't answer your question about a tiller, but I have a 65" box blade on my 7800 where the manual only recommends a 54" box blade. The weight of the blade is just about the same that Kubota recommends. It has worked fine for the thirty or forty hours I have used it so it seems to me that the limits in the Kubota manual may be a little conservative. I do get a little concerned about what would happen if I broke the tractor while using it though. It does say that your warranty can be voided if you use implements larger than recommended by Kubota. I'm not saying you should necisarilly get a larger tiller than Kubota recommends, just letting you know what my experience has been.

Matt

Implement Wt Limitation vs 3ph Max Lift Weight
Operating and Attachments
Replies 11 Post by snmhanson

Mark,

I'd love to be added to the list to get the "list". Just got a 7800 a couple weeks ago and would be interested to see what else I can get for it - and how mad I can get my wife at me. No hurry. Thanks.

Matt

Source for after market products
Kubota Tractors
Replies 62 Post by snmhanson

I just financed a B7800 for 0% for two years. I could have done it for three but would have been charged a 1.5% financing fee. In either case I only had to put 10 percent down. Anything longer than three years was going to start costing me interest. Not sure if this varies from dealer to dealer or area to area or if the offers have changed in the last two weeks since I made my purchase. Hope that helps.

Matt

0 0 financing offer question
Kubota Tractors
Replies 7 Post by snmhanson

I just put the tenth hour on my B7800 and am starting to really get comfortable with it. It has done everything I've thrown it's way without any complaints. Today I moved a pile of large rocks (up to ~1000 lbs) and used my box blade to level a 30'x50' area for my kid's future playground. However, I'm a little paranoid as to whether I'm treating my new toy right so I put together a list of general questions I have. Maybe you guys can help calm my fears or help me correct anything wrong that I may be doing.<br>
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1) What should I be doing or not be doing during the break-in period? I have been running the engine between 1800-2300 rpms and trying to vary the speed approximately every ten minutes and I have also been trying to take it easy when going over bumpy areas. Other than than I haven't been treating the tractor much different than I see myself treating it after the break-in period. Anything else I should or shouldn't be doing?<br>
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2) What should I be checking routinely and/or every day before starting it up? I check the oil but that's about it. My dealer said for the first 50 hours I shouldn't have to worry about too much unless I see an obvious leak or something. (BTW, he couldn't find the manual when I bought the tractor so he ordered one. It's not in yet so that is why I can't just read the manual for all of these questions.)<br>
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3) I have a 65" box blade attached to the back of it which has been working pretty well so far. However, when it is up and I am driving around it swings back and forth quite a bit, probably a foot or even a little more. Sometimes if the angle of the tractor changes quickly it swings pretty hard to the other side. It's not jarring but I can feel the tractor shift a little when it happens. Is this normal or do I need to adjust something to keep it from swinging so much? I see there are some threaded swing arms but they had a pin in them that kept me from easilt adjusting them. Should I make these tighter to reduce the swing?<br>
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4) Speaking of box blades, what is the best way to use them? In particular, what angle do I put the cutting edge at for grading versus ripping with the teeth? Also, I have been grading with it pretty aggresively going both forward and backward. I've heard a lot of clanking, especially when going in reverse, but it seems to just be the 3 point hitch adjusting and changing locations at the connections. Anything I want to keep an eye out for?<br>
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5) Any suggestions of what to get to attach to the tractor to carry miscellaneous stuff around such as a wrench, some chain, hammer, stakes, etc... so I don't have to run back to the house everytime I need something? I was thinking of some sort of equipment box or bag that attaches to the ROPS. Can you get something like this or is it something I will need to make for myself? Seems fairly easy to make but even easier to buy something that already exists.<br>
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Please excuse any dumb questions. I've never had or been exposed to tractors before and I haven't always had the best luck with cars, motorcycles and most other mechanical stuff I've owned in the past. I just want to make sure I take care of my tractor and don't abuse it, at least any more than necessary. Any other advice for a tractor neophyte would be greatly appreciated, even if it seems obvious. If I think of anymore questions I'll add them to this post and maybe it will provide some good insight for other tractor newbies.<br>
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Thank-you for your time and help,<br>
<br>
Matt

General Newbie Questions
Kubota Tractors
Replies 9 Post by snmhanson

Well, maybe I should change my user name to indecisive. After not using the tractor over the past weekend I called my dealer on Monday and asked if it was too late to move up to the 7800. He was happy to oblige but said it would take a few days to set up the loader and that he wanted to load the rear tires for me. So today I returned the 7510 and picked up a new 7800. I can say without reserve that I'm glad I made this choice. Even running low RPMs the 7800 just blows away the 7510. I've only had a chance to put an hour on it before my kid woke up from his nap but what a productive hour it was. Can't wait till this weekend when I will have time to really do some damage. Thanks for all of your input, I really listened to all of it. I would have looked at the B2710 for the reasons mentioned but my dealer didn't have any of the premium models in stock, all he had in the B Series was the 7510 and the 7800 (and a 7610 but it was already spoken for). I had an immediate need for a tractor and wanted to shop locally so those were my only choices. Hopefully I will get a box blade soon and be able to see how the 3 pt control works. Having never used a position control on a 3pt hitch before maybe I won't know what I'm missing.

Thanks again for all of your help.

Matt

Help 7510 or 7800
Kubota Tractors
Replies 35 Post by snmhanson

I don't know how much help I am going to be here but I am in a similar situation and just finishing up the same process you went through. We've got five acres in Washington down by the Gorge, two of which need to have extensive landscaping done (filling, grading, planting, etc...), an 800' drive to maintain and other projects to do. After the tough work is done I too will use the tractor mainly for mowing and snow removal among other miscellaneous jobs that come up. I started off looking at a BX2230 and Deere 2210 and then quickly decided to move up to at least a B7510. My dealer let me demo a 7510 and it probably would have been enough to do the work I needed but I decided to move up again to the 7800 just for a little insurance. I figured I will be able to run bigger and more powerful implements and get things done quicker and maybe even be able to do a few things the 7510 actually couldn't handle.

Anyway, I've posted a few times on this and another board, talked to a local farmer and talked with the dealer as well. Almost everyone recommended going with the 7800 as it should provide plenty of power to get just about anything I need done (within reason of course). They all said the 7510 would probably be enough tractor but I would be a lot happier with the 7800. I don't know if your ground in Gig Harbor is at all like ours down here (quite rocky and compacted), but I can't imagine it being too much tougher to work than what we have. Most people also told me that the 7800 was on the upper edge of what they would use for mowing with unless I wasn't too concerned about the end result and simply wanted the grass cut. For me that ruled out looking at anything bigger such as an L series tractor. More than one person told me to not worry about mowing with the tractor, get the biggest tractor I can afford and then but a rider lawn mower. But no matter how much sense that makes to me, it won't make sense to my wife.

I found the 7510 very comfortable and easy to use and I expect the 7800 to be basically the same. I think that my wife will even enjoy using it once she gets a little seat time. I'm 5'11" so I can't really comment on your height for the 7800 but otherwise for me the 7800 seems like the perfect fit, if not a little large. I'm picking it up tommorow morning so if you don't end up getting yours tommorow and you want me to I will let you know how it turns out for me. I'm sure others could and will give you more practical and hands-on advice but I just wanted to let you know what my experience has been and what people have recommended to me so far. Let me know if you have any questions.

Matt

B7800 or L3130
Kubota Tractors
Replies 5 Post by snmhanson

I think it is a great idea to remove the larger rocks first, however, they are mostly buried so I don't know where they are until I hit them. When I do find one I will probably just use a SHOVEL (thought I was buying a tractor so I could throw all my shovels away) and dig it out. It sounds like the 7510 and box blade will do what I need, though it may take some time. I think I'm going to get a quote on a 7610 and maybe even a 7800 just to see if I can stretch our budget and get a tractor that may be a little more suitable for my needs. Thanks for the input.

Matt

What Do I Need To Break Up Soil
Operating and Attachments
Replies 11 Post by snmhanson

Sorry, I accidently clicked the post button before I was finished with the message (almost before I started it). I edited it and it is now complete.

Matt

I think I m getting a tractor today
Kubota Tractors
Replies 6 Post by snmhanson

I posted a message earlier about which tractor I should get and have narrowed it down to a B7510. Now, however, after talking it over with the boss (she's on the fence) the question is should we buy a tractor or rent or hire? This is pretty similar to the post "do I need a tractor?" but a little different in that I'm only 31 and don't really have the aches and pains yet and my needs are a little different as well. <br>
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We've got a fairly flat five acres, two of which we want to landscape with grass and other miscellaneous features. We will probably hire someone with a big machine to till the entire area initially and get the large rocks removed. We will handle the filling, leveling, sprinkler system, etc... and then have it hydro-seeded. Once the landscaping is done we will need something to mow the lawn, maintain three acres of treed land, occassionally grade our drive (pea gravel), remove snow from our drive a handfull of times per year and maybe some odd jobs around the house. I will probably find other landscaping jobs around the house to do in the future but can't think of any off hand. I want to justify buying a tractor but there is a place we can rent an older 18hp Deere with a bucket only about three miles from our house for about $150 a day or $500 a week plus implements. Or we could hire all of the heavy chores out and maybe not need a tractor at all? If we didn't get a CUT we would still need to spend a few thousand on a decent lawn/garden tractor for mowing the lawn but the difference could go towards a new dirt bike and four wheeler or (if my wife had her way) a new hot tub and barbeque. I really want a tractor but I guess I do need to justify spending 15 large on one. SO, keeping all of my needs in mind, plus resale value, plus any uses that I may have in the future for a tractor that I'm not aware of yet, what do you guys think? Should we go for it or take an alternate route? Thanks for any help, this site had been invaluable so far in my decision making process.<br>
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Matt

Should I Buy A Tractor
Kubota Tractors
Replies 9 Post by snmhanson

Thanks again for all of the replys.

Grinder - My driveway is gravel. What works best for snow removal on a gravel drive? Even though it may increase my bargaining power a little bit I am probably not going to get a snow removal implement until next winter.

agentorange - Nice to hear you like your 7510. It helps alot since I think I am leaning in that direction. I need to pick up my parents at the PDX airport today so we may take a "short-cut" past Moen Machinery in Gresham to see what they can do. [It'll be perfect, they can watch my 2 1/2 year old in the tractor store while I talk business :)] Also, where is Oregon Vineyard Supply? (Willamette Valley I'm guessing?) I will look them up on the internet but I've never heard of them. Also, price being relatively close I will probably buy from my local dealer, Sheppards, in Hood River. Save sales tax, buy local, easy service and support. Right now though they seem a bit high on the 7510. ~15,000 with 302FEL and 60" mmm? What did you pay?

Thanks,

Matt

Which Tractor For Me
Kubota Tractors
Replies 29 Post by snmhanson