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Looking for advice towards buying a kubota

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backwoodsal
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 15 Cambridge VT
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2007-02-26          140042


Hi all. I've been reading lots of your posts and believe I've found a place to answer some questions before I decide what size Kubota I would like.

Here's what I would like to do: I would like a front mounted snow blower, possibly a box blade, brush hog, maybe a FEL.

I have 40 acres of mostly wooded land. I currently own a Case 580K backhoe and a case 450 dozer. I use a IHC loadstar 1700 4wd dump truck to plow with but that last storm up here in New England left some pretty big banks.

What I'm looking for is something small enough to go through the woods, possibly either dragging out logs for firewood or pulling a small trailer with wood in it. The backhoe is way too big and the dozer is just too hard on the ground. I have a 1/2+ acre cleared lot that a brush hog would be nice for and my driveway is dirt. Currently I use the dozer but it's almost a mile long (including the ROW) but it takes a long time to go from one end to the other. I would like a backup for the plow truck, hense the snowblower, as well as an easy way to cut down on the banks when they get too high. My driveway is a little steep and kind of narrow in spots. The backhoe works but it's just too big for some places.

Really I feel the need to buy a toy to play with. My thoughts were possibly something like a B7500 to B7610. I want a little more clearance than the BX have but would like a mid PTO. I'm not stuck on Kubota but I've always liked them. Any opinion as to horse power ranges I should be looking in or just your thoughts on what you have and how you like it is very welcome.

Alex




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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2007-02-27          140045


Alex; I don't own a Kubota, but I think some of the basic recommendations apply to most any brand. I have a 4310 Deere, about 32 hp., I'm not sure what model kubota corresponds in size to the 4310, but that size range is small enough to get around pretty well in tight quarters but big enough to do an amazing amount of work. I'm a fan of stsying with the majors, (Ford NH, Kubota, Deere) just for the security of always having a dealer network capable of supplying parts and service. Another one of my belief's is that of the big 3 all are pretty equal in comfort, reliability and resale value, so choosing a dealership can be more important than the brand. if you don't like the dealer, you won't like the tractor. Best of luck. Frank. ....


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Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2007-02-27          140047


I'd actually look up a frame size for your tractor with the larger B-series chassis. With the addition of a third range it opens up a lot of choices of speeds during different jobs. The mid range actually can be the most used range for most jobs and the size is not that much larger. ....


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kevinj54
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 31 Michigan
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2007-02-27          140061


I recently ordered a Grand L3940 cab for a similar size property with a snowblower. I also own a B7500 with FEL and a BX1850 with mower and snowblower from my previous home. ....


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backwoodsal
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 15 Cambridge VT
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2007-02-27          140062


How did the BX do at blowing snow? Seams a little small to me. Since this will be more of a toy to play with I would rather get something that's not too big. I'm sure it use would be very limited. So far I could see myself grading the driveway twice a year, maybe two or three times snow blowing and I burn about 3 cords of wood so maybe a weeks worth or moving fire wood. I'm sure I would invent things to use it for. ....


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kevinj54
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 31 Michigan
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2007-02-28          140064


The BX does a great job on snow in general. My new place has areas which have drifted up to 4' so I am opting for a larger machine to replace my old Case 430 and to clear the main drives next winter. ....


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Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2007-02-28          140081


Frank, the big three are no more alike then Ford and Toyota! They may be able to do the same tasks but that is where it ends. Remember I sell two of them as well as another brand. With some brands it is more important to like your dealer more as you will see him more! ....


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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2007-02-28          140091


Back to the basics........

If the brush hog is important to this equation, then that will determine the size of the tractor to a large extent.

The smaller Kubota's will only handle a 48 inch hog and if you have a lot of land to cut that will take extra time as compared to a 60 inch cutter.

One other glaring item: I love those BX's..... even owned one for a while.... but they are NOT what you want in your woodlot.

Those small tires and the exposed HST cooling fan are best used on already graded land.

....


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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2007-02-28          140093


Art; So that's why everyone at the Deere dealership knows me on a first name basis. Then someone who buys a Cadet or a Kubota from you never sees you again? Seriously, I like to treat everyone the same whether they like White,GRRRREEEENNN, or what color is that other brand you sell, Orange? We were part of the big midwest power outage, so I could'nt have seen the color difference for a few days anyway unless it was daylight. Most all of eastern Iowa went dark on Saturday evening, we got ours back now, but the evening news said there are still about 80,000 homes that will get power by Saturday. keep smiling. Frank. ....


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Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2007-03-01          140107


Frank, believe me when you look at the warrantee reports and see what's in the shops and for what reasons, for me it's a daily thing not just for play or occasional use.
I had a local businessman come in one day who was trying to enhance his business with wholesale products. He told me his reasons that I should be selling his parts and chainsaw chain. I responded to him about our success with our chain (our customers prefered) we were selling and his response was that I'm wrong and I'd be able to make more money selling inferior brands and be able to see my customers in the store more often and be able to increase my bottom line.
Although I'm not in any of one of our stores all the time I often get to see customers in off hours, to have them be expressing there thanks for giving them a machine that out performs with out extra maintence needed is the best advertising I can have.
Yes there are differences, one of the most interesting is the fact that they are the only ones that I'm currently aware of that actually builds on the assembly line like Henry Ford did with the start of the modern assembly line! ....


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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2007-03-01          140114


Art; Yes, I was speaking from a point of view which I had no data to back up my statments. In a radius of about 50 miles from where I live there are probably four full line Deere dealers, and a couple Compact,lawn and garden Deere outlets, two for sure or maybe three good sized Kubota dealerships, and one Case IH full line store, but it is a big one. My main reason for using Deere is a long relationship with the dealership, going back a couple decades or more with farm equipment and the compacts. Yes, I've had service issues, but they always treated me right whether ir was warrany or not, so that takes me back to likeing the dealership equals liking the tractor. One of my brother in laws is on his second Kubota, he traded to get a bigger machine, he too has had a few service issurs, but like me has always been treated right so he is happy too. I see some Cadets as I drive around, but don't know the owners, so I have no feed back from them. The 4310 is my third Deere compact, the resale on my first two was outstanding, but I've also heard that a nice used Kubota on the lot or in the paper don't last long either, Cadet's I don't have much knowledge on resale, but I've never heard a negative about them either. Art, I do apologize for being outspoken without having true fact to base my opinions on, I do hope you will forgive me. Frank. ....


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Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2007-03-01          140130


No offense taken! A dealer does make a differnce! I do get to here that often enough and with your past farming experience you must be able to appreciate it when you need your equipment working at it's peak. How are they doing with your power, they say it's headed this way. ....


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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2007-03-02          140140


Art; We are pretty fortunate right here, we have been off and on with the power since last Saturday, so we are getting by Ok. Another 20 miles west of us people are still waiting to be reconnected. We drove over thru there on Wednesday, it is just unbelievable to drive at least a mile before even one power pole is still standing, and this goes on for quite a way. One county REC just west of us had over 600 poles to replace. Haven't bought a standby generator yet, still in the head scratching stage of purchseing something. Nearly a total white out as I look out right now. Spring is just around the corner but I think we missed the corner so far. Frank. ....


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backwoodsal
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 15 Cambridge VT
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2007-03-02          140142


I agree the dealer makes all the difference. There's at least 3 Kubota dealers close to me, at least two Deere, and as of recent two NH and one Case. Because I'm thinking of used (although good used machines sell for close to new price) a dealer and the size of his parts department does make a difference. Unfortunately I've found that the green parts (at least for construction equipment) tend to be priced high.

There's one Kubota dealer close by who sold a BX to a friend who has lost any chances of me doing business with him. He bought a 3pt blower for it (not at the same time) from the same dealer. After a few hours of use he noticed oil leaking out of the back. Turns out that the drive shaft for the blower was putting pressure on the PTO shaft and had cracked the housing. After going back to the dealer he was told his PTO shaft was too long and should have been cut.

Since I haven't seen it I can't say if that's the case or it my buddy didn't install it correctly. To me for a $2000 attachment from a loyal customer you ask if he can bring in the machine to make sure it's set up correctly. I'm willing to spend extra money to support a local guy but for that extra money I expect give me more. Even if it's a little advise or to keep a record as to what I own so when i show up needing a part they know all the information I need. ....


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Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2007-03-02          140144


I'd love to say I hadn't seen that before! It happens with bush hogs, snowblowers and just about every three point hitch attachment. It is a shame that they didn't help him or even instruct him although it is in all the assembly manuals about the shafts and needing to be cut to match the tractors. ....


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Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2007-03-02          140145


Frank, we made out pretty good for the most part as there are areas here that are out it is not like 93 when we lost the north country as well as this area do to an ice storm. That's the plus of living by a town as there are more squeaky wheels that need to be greased. One of my Kubota customers has a built in unit that starts automatically that he is thinking of updating just do to the use that it gets. It is not unusual for him to be out three or four days at a wack during the winter. ....


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