BX, B, or L? Help please!

JbirdNC · Sep 1, 2014

So I've decided I need/want/must have a tractor. With the 0% interest financing that Kubota is offering, it's almost or in some cases completely cheaper and easier to buy a new tractor than it is to finance a used one at 5+% interest. With that said, I can't choose between a BX, B, or L model tractor. I've noticed the difference in prices, that's for sure!

I guess I should start by saying that a MUST for me is a FEL and BH. I won't consider anything less than that. My goals with this tractor are hauling and spreading mulch, sand and gravel... leveling earth on my property, removing 20-30ft jack pines, and digging out stumps and rocks and relocating the rocks in various places around my property. I don't plan on any rocks bigger than 200-300 lbs, with most being 100 lbs or so. (guessing here... never weighed a rock before

)

So the BX25D-1 is an obvious choice based on bang for buck. I dont need or want the MMM, so my OTD price is around $19k. Having never owned a tractor, I am unsure whether a) the BX25 will do what I need it to do, or b) if I will wish I would have bought something "heftier" a year from now. I do like the fact that the B-line is a bit taller, bigger wheels/tires, and heavier. They look more like a tractor than a lawn-mower, something that has me worried about the BX. But man the price jumps big going from a BX25 to let's say a B3350. The L is probably out of my price range anyway, but they sure do look like the ideal size for a tractor. My dad has an old MF and its about the size of an L. Maybe that's why I like it so much. But I digress.

I think the real choices for me are between the BX25D and a B3350 and all options in between. My questions to you all out there, is 1) What is going to do what I mentioned above?, 2) What I am I going to be happy with a year from now?, and 3) If you were is my situation once, what would do if you could do it all over knowing what you know now? I realize there is alot of subjectivity here, but I'm just looking for advice. There seems to be more info out there on the differences between brands than the differences between models of same MFR. I've seen all the BX25D videos on Youtube and it seems pretty stout. But I'm in a "better not regret this" situation because I can't believe my wife is actually agreeing to buy a tractor in the 1st place, and if I bring something home that can't do the job, it will literally be the most frustrating thing I can imagine, especially considering the pricetag.

So, hello to everyone! New here (obviously). Look forward to any replies. Special shout out to Wildfire. I am a subscriber on YouTube!

skeets · Sep 1, 2014

WOW that's a bunch of stuff you want to do,,,, so lets start with #1 you can do everything you want with the BX 25, trust me it aint no lawn mower

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The thing you have to remember is this, the B and BX are small tractors and both work horses. The bucket on the BX is a tad smaller and the BH is a tad smaller, hat does not mean it wont do the work, it just takes a bit longer than a big tractor like a big arse Case BH.
I may be wrong but I think the B and BX share the same FEL and BH though the B has a little more brake over than the BX. The BX is a little more maneuverable than the B and surely more than the L. I have a BX and it has never failed to do what needed to be done, and is probably the best bang for the buck out there.
Now other guys will tell you go with as much tractor as you can afford and that's good advice, but remember everything you want to put on is more expensive as well. I know this didn't help you make up your mind but either one will work for you,, just MHO

Ezlife45 · Sep 1, 2014

Money is definitely a consideration in selecting a tractor, but there are some things that the larger tractors can do. I was in the same boat a few months back and I wound up with a B2650.
Here is something to consider, my local Home Depot actually rents out equipment and they had a BX25 that you could rent. As stated it is a little beast and can do plenty of work. My main concern was I've got a lot of dead trees and some holes where stumps rotted out quickly swallowed the tires of the BX25.
Another thing to consider when looking at new tractors is the engine size and emissions. My B2650 is 26 hp and does not have the diesel particulate filter that requires regenerating. The BX25 should be the same. A 30 hp or larger tractor will have DPF and require regenerating. It's a new technology and I'm not certain it's been accepted by the masses yet.

P.S. The 2650 has a LA534 loader that I'm fairly certain is a little bigger than the BX25, You can read specifics on Kubota's website.

djm1204 · Sep 1, 2014

Just to piggy back on his question - not hijack his thread - will the B tractors be able to push over - uproot a 30' jack pine ?

I am in the same position as the OP - it's so easy to just go bigger and bigger - but has to stop at some point. I was looking at an L series tractor 3301/3901 but not happy with the new emissions crapola. So I found a dealer with 10 "leftover" l4600 without the new emissions crap - but of course the price goes up about $2500 from the newer L3901.

I have about 40 acres of heavily wooded land that needs to be cleaned up, a lot of those 30 foot pine trees to be pushed over - cleared out.

North Idaho Wolfman · Sep 1, 2014

djm1204 said:
those 30 foot pine trees to be pushed over - cleared out.

We call those new growth.

I have both an B and an L, both can do some serious work, and both have advantages over the other for different tasks.

Wildfire · Sep 1, 2014

Hello Jbirdnc and welcome to the site. Thank you for the shoutout and thank you for your YouTube subscription. There's not a lot I can add to what the other guys have already mentioned but I will say this.

If you have plenty of room to manoeuvre the machine and considering the tasks you want to do I would advise on purchasing the largest machine you can afford. You'll never regret that decision. If you buy too small then you risk working the thing to death and you spend many long hours working with a smaller machine that the larger one will do in minutes.

As for the BX. We purchased the BX25D for one task and that was to help us gain access to the rear portion of our property. When we bought it we intended on getting that completed then reselling the machine. We accomplished that task using the BX last summer and the machine was only five months old and had 50 hours on it. We were so impressed with the BX25D we decided to keep it. I can assure you it's no toy and can do some real world work and you've seen that in our videos.

All that being said we have the Kubota Grand L 5740 and just love the power and comfort of the machine and it does the heavy lifting and moving material when needed plus it was really intended as our snow clearing unit and that was its main job and still is. It's used very little in the summer months although now that we have all the space opened up on our property we could easily put a back hoe on the 5740 and do without the BX but we do love the BX so that's why we kept it.

So we're back to the statement of buying what you can afford and within the space you have to work in. Good luck in your quest.
Cheers.
Paul

Eric McCarthy · Sep 1, 2014

I havent checked to see if they are still being made this week or not but the L3800 was a very popual tractor. Beefy and could move alot. I dare say you'll want something with some ass behind it like and L

gpreuss · Sep 2, 2014

If you are serious about loader work, get the L; a 3200 or 3800 if you can still find one. It is about 700 lbs more tractor than the B series, or a thousand lbs more than the BX. The new B's have the same loader capacity as the L3200/3800, but smaller tires and that 700+ lbs less weight, meaning less traction, and less load handling capability.
Most of us that do any loader work with the L's have filled tires, and still want about a thousand lbs on the 3-point to keep stable and be able to "push". I have 12.4x24 R1 rears, filled with 250 lbs/side beet juice, and 140 lbs/side wheel weights. For loader work I need my 600 lb concrete block, or 800 lb back hoe to keep the rear tires down and pushing.

koja · Sep 2, 2014

It all depends on what you plan on doing. I had the same choice to make this spring. What I needed is a machine with a front end loader , a back hoe , a mower , and a snow blower. Loader and back hoe for fire wood. The machine had to be small enough to maneuver through the woods. Two acres to now with a lot of obstacles. Three hundred yard long drive to snow blow . The BX25D was a perfect fit for me . Some times I could use a larger machine but just need to use common sense and the BX25D will almost always get it done . So , make a list of what you need and choose from that . Good luck and waiting to see pics of your new machine.

djm1204 · Sep 2, 2014

The do not manufacture the L 3200 L 3800 nor the L 4600 any more - they have been replaced with L3301 the L3901 and not sure what replaced the 4600.

The new tractors all have the new Tier 4 emissions which everyone says avoid if possible.

There are a few of the older but new tractors around if you look hard enough. I am winding down my decision now ....I want ot get a tractor before they disappear - don't really need it until early next year - but need to act while I have an opportunity.

ipz2222 · Sep 2, 2014

The biggest drawback to the bx series is ground clearance. It ain't much, about 7 inches.

JbirdNC · Sep 2, 2014

Ok gang, the plot thickens. On the phone with my local dealer today talking about the BX25D or the B2650TLB. The BX25D without mower (i don't care about the mower) is $18k. The B2650TLB is $25k.......

THEN he tells me that he has one leftover L3800TLB that he will sell me for $26k. Is that a game changer? Is it worth it to drive off in a L instead of a B and have the power to spare with room to grow?

If you are saying yes to this, then I have a follow up question or two. The L3800 has ag tires/wheels. Its another $650 to upgrade to R4s. I'm not using this thing in the mud or soft soil, so should I upgrade to R4 now since its cheaper to do so now rather than later? Or should I keep my money and the Ag tires? ALSO, while this L3800 is 4wd, it is NOT HST. Its gear. I am now trusting completely in you guys on this one, because I don't know the difference. OK, I know the TECHNICAL difference, but I don't know the difference in quality, user friendliness, repair outlook, headache etc.

Patiently waiting for more answers from you guys. I really appreciate the answers so far. So glad I reached out in the 1st place.

aeblank · Sep 2, 2014

Personally, HST is the ONLY way to go. But, for every one of me, there is a gear guy.

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TripleR · Sep 2, 2014

"I know the TECHNICAL difference, but I don't know the difference in quality, user friendliness, repair outlook, headache etc."

I routinely drive a gear and HST, while an experienced operator may prefer geared, I believe a new operator is better off with an HST.

Daren Todd · Sep 2, 2014

I've used both, have a gear driven but there are times i wished i had the hydrostatic. Gear driven is like driving a standard transmission in a car. Hydrostatic you just push a pedal for forward or reverse. The more pedal, the faster the speed. Let off the pedal it slows and stops. Hydrostatic is great for mowing or maneuvering in tight places. It gives you precise control over your speed. Gears you have to select the gear for your speed and it will keep going till the clutch is pressed and brakes applied. Theres a little more of a learning curve with the gears since theres more going on with the pedals

cerlawson · Sep 2, 2014

Ya can't go wrong getting as big or bigger than what you are sure you need. While I have a BX and two larger blue tractors, for what you need to do I'd go the largest size. The BX is not much good for serious land grading, due to its small size and the crummy control on the rear three point. Don't buy until you give it a real test.

The_Al · Sep 2, 2014

JbirdNC said:
Ok gang, the plot thickens. On the phone with my local dealer today talking about the BX25D or the B2650TLB. The BX25D without mower (i don't care about the mower) is $18k. The B2650TLB is $25k.......

THEN he tells me that he has one leftover L3800TLB that he will sell me for $26k. Is that a game changer? Is it worth it to drive off in a L instead of a B and have the power to spare with room to grow?

If you are saying yes to this, then I have a follow up question or two. The L3800 has ag tires/wheels. Its another $650 to upgrade to R4s. I'm not using this thing in the mud or soft soil, so should I upgrade to R4 now since its cheaper to do so now rather than later? Or should I keep my money and the Ag tires? ALSO, while this L3800 is 4wd, it is NOT HST. Its gear. I am now trusting completely in you guys on this one, because I don't know the difference. OK, I know the TECHNICAL difference, but I don't know the difference in quality, user friendliness, repair outlook, headache etc.

Patiently waiting for more answers from you guys. I really appreciate the answers so far. So glad I reached out in the 1st place.

Went through similar permutations last year when I bough my L3540. I am glad I went with the L series for the size, weight, and power. I am also glad I went with the HST, for me it made sense from being a

HTH

Ezlife45 · Sep 2, 2014

I was going to vote for the L3800 for the grand extra until you mentioned gear drive. If you plan to do much loader work and if you're new to a tractor, you would likely be better off with HST. If need to maneuver a lot the HST may be advantageous.
Of course if you're good and fine with a gear drive and clutch, there aren't too many instances where you have "too much tractor"

P.S. If you're ever considering a 3rd function valve and a grapple, my dealer is giving me fits to outfit a B2650.

On tires, between the two you are asking about there are differences. Agricultural tires are supposed to give you the best "bite" or traction, but they also will mar up a nice pretty lawn. R4 tires are also called the Industrial tires and don't quite have the same traction of the ag tires, but they also tend to be a little wider and therefore don't seem to mar up lawns nearly as much. Someone else may have to chime in to explain rims but I think the rims may also be different between the two tires. I wanted R4's on my tractor and like they way they perform. Again it depends what you want and need to do with the tractor.

85Hokie · Sep 2, 2014

JbirdNC said:
Ok gang, the plot thickens. On the phone with my local dealer today talking about the BX25D or the B2650TLB. The BX25D without mower (i don't care about the mower) is $18k. The B2650TLB is $25k.......

THEN he tells me that he has one leftover L3800TLB that he will sell me for $26k. Is that a game changer? Is it worth it to drive off in a L instead of a B and have the power to spare with room to grow?

If you are saying yes to this, then I have a follow up question or two. The L3800 has ag tires/wheels. Its another $650 to upgrade to R4s. I'm not using this thing in the mud or soft soil, so should I upgrade to R4 now since its cheaper to do so now rather than later? Or should I keep my money and the Ag tires? ALSO, while this L3800 is 4wd, it is NOT HST. Its gear. I am now trusting completely in you guys on this one, because I don't know the difference. OK, I know the TECHNICAL difference, but I don't know the difference in quality, user friendliness, repair outlook, headache etc.

Patiently waiting for more answers from you guys. I really appreciate the answers so far. So glad I reached out in the 1st place.

I shifted gears a long time, love it in some things.......on my bx - i LOVE the HST, would not want a stick................my yard would drive me crazy.........

HOWEVER - someone is gonna give me a bigger machine for the cost of the smaller and it is stick...............well hell, i would really have to look at the bigger boy - stick or no stick - HP is were the rubber meets the road. As for the tires, tell your dealer to put them on and then tell him 26 k out the door, see if he bites, make him give you something else other than a good price on the L .......my 2 cents.

Eric McCarthy · Sep 2, 2014

I'm an advocate for gear tranny. I've ran tractors with both gear and hydro and for me I can feel out a gear better then hydro. For example I can feel the tractor bogging down and loosing traction better on a gear then I can hydro.

A petpeeve for me is I can't stand the loud obnoxious whine from a hydro tranny.

I say get the L3800, the most bang for your buck. It's easier to deal with having too much of a tractor then not enough.

BX, B, or L? Help please!

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