Upgrading to B model.

[Shawn T. W]

I'm not sure there is gonna be a big upgrade from a BX to a B ... A L has quite a bit more weight, hence more lifting and carrying capacity ... Unless your needing PTO HP, I'd skip over the higher HP B's ... My brother has a cabbed B3030 for snowblowing ...

I think you can get more HP in the little tractors than your tractor tires can handle ... I have a SCUT and the 25 HP engine is more than capable even with filled tires and steel wheel weights, it can still spin the tires and get pushed around!

Here you can barely see the additional 275 Lbs of steel weight lifting plates I've added to the BH frame for additional weight, the rear blade still pushed me sideways!

 

[PoTreeBoy]

I'm not sure there is gonna be a big upgrade from a BX to a B ... A L has quite a bit more weight, hence more lifting and carrying capacity ... Unless your needing PTO HP, I'd skip over the higher HP B's ... My brother has a cabbed B3030 for snowblowing ...

I think you can get more HP in the little tractors than your tractor tires can handle ... I have a SCUT and the 25 HP engine is more than capable even with filled tires and steel wheel weights, it can still spin the tires and get pushed around!

Here you can barely see the additional 275 Lbs of steel weight lifting plates I've added to the BH frame for additional weight, the rear blade still pushed me sideways!

View attachment 180504

View attachment 180505

How about a B26 TLB? According to TractorData, it weighs almost twice what a B3030 does; that may include FEL and BH vs bare B3030.

 

[Shawn T. W]

Yeah, most tractor weights are bare tractor ... My little SCUT is roughly 1500 pounds if bought as a tractor ... The removable part of the loader with bucket is 453 Lbs, and the removable part of my BH is 651 Lbs ... But the TLB as I bought it is listed at 3000 Lbs ... Plus I have 300 Lbs of wheel/tire weight ...

 

[Bald1]

I move more boulders with my FEL and pallet forks than with the BH, because it can't lift them.

I would need the bh to dig them out and drag up onto logging road. Then I’d use the FEL.

I move more boulders with my FEL and pallet forks than with the BH, because it can't lift them.

 

[Bald1]

As @someguy9000 mentioned above, the backhoe is not good for lifting much above ground level and carrying things. To lift very high the boom and stick have to be out so far you lose lifting effort.

And if you use a thumb, you'll be kicking yourself before long for not getting a hydraulic one.

hoe would be to dig out and drag boulders up onto road where I would then use FEL

 

[someguy9000]

hoe would be to dig out and drag boulders up onto road where I would then use FEL

I would seriously suggest renting one/borrowing one and trying it out before you buy. I think you will be surprised at how underpowered it is.

I have a mechanical thumb (i bought the bxpanded mechanical thumb, quick coupler, trench bucket, ripper hook...all are good). I don't find the mechanical thumb as painful to deal with as just the backhoe moving the tractor (constantly pulls tractor towards the bucket) forcing me to reposition freqeuntly.

I use the BH77 as a poor man's grapple all the time. I am sure I lift ~500-800lb sections of trees at least 6ft high to clear my fence....but big rocks, and 2.5+ diameter tree stumps...it has a very hard time with. I still have to rent a 7 ton mini from time to time.

 

[Bald1]

How about a B26 TLB? According to TractorData, it weighs almost twice what a B3030 does; that may include FEL and BH vs bare B3030.

So if I may ask ,where are you build in WVa?

SE corner of state. Greenbrier County

 

[miker2702]

With 50ac, if you have alot of digging, id be looking at a mini excavator instead of the (back of the CUT) BH. I have an l3901 and a bh77. While I don't "regret" this decision fully, it has alot of frustrating moments and also isnt as strong as you hope its going to be.

I needed a robust mower, so I ended up with a bx2680 as well, and I constantly internally debate getting rid of my L series, for a mini ex. My BX is doing 75% of what the L does, just slower. Like the L bucket is 4x the size of the BX, so chopping firewood means more stopping with the BX when filling/unloading the bucket.

I started with a bx2200 i got a great deal on decided i need bigger jumped to a b7500 then after a few years decided i need a l2501. i have never missed the bx the b sometimes i miss the size and wear and tear on the yard after after using the l2501. key thing with a b is the 3 speed hydro the old two speed was either to slow or no power that would be a deal breaker. neighbor has b2901 it seems the right mix of power and weight to be honest...since i got the l all those i was doing side jobs for have aged out of needing anything done. sometimes i dont know what i want or need...i had a 3 point backhoe on the b7500 was afraid to ever do any serious digging, the l2501 has the bh77 but ive not had anything need for it yet, it will come soon enough...in my mind i need a 100+ horspower tractor for my 1 acre...

 

[miker2702]

I started with a bx2200 i got a great deal on decided i need bigger jumped to a b7500 then after a few years decided i need a l2501. i have never missed the bx the b sometimes i miss the size and wear and tear on the yard after after using the l2501. key thing with a b is the 3 speed hydro the old two speed was either to slow or no power that would be a deal breaker. neighbor has b2901 it seems the right mix of power and weight to be honest...since i got the l all those i was doing side jobs for have aged out of needing anything done. sometimes i dont know what i want or need...i had a 3 point backhoe on the b7500 was afraid to ever do any serious digging, the l2501 has the bh77 but ive not had anything need for it yet, it will come soon enough...in my mind i need a 100+ horspower tractor for my 1 acre...

b2920 to many numbers to remember

 

[GrumpyFarmer]

OP,

congrats on new path of land….sounds great.

before getting too happy with throttle I would recommend about potential uses over next 5 - 10 yrs and consider is the B really what needed.

I personally have gone from BX to B and I do not think it’s a significant upgrade in terms of of work…sure in thevnumbers and percent increase it’s more, but from what you can do it’s marginal.

if your future use is within scope of B, you will be happy. On a property that size you could easily wind up with multiple machines. I’d be thinking really hard about what will be needed so it’s not so easy to grow out of. (If you have exhausted capability of BX already consider the difference in capacities between BX and B, and convert that to 50lb bags or 20lb blocks and then consider did you get why you wanted…are those couple extra bags or blocs worth it?)

good luck.

 

[RCW]

@GrumpyFarmer brings up a good point. On a couple occasions I’ve shopped for a B series to replace my BX.

I chose not to because I really wasn’t gaining a LOT of capability for the dollars I needed to spend. Hindsight, I should have just bought the B to begin with.

 

[Bald1]

OP,

congrats on new path of land….sounds great.

before getting too happy with throttle I would recommend about potential uses over next 5 - 10 yrs and consider is the B really what needed.

I personally have gone from BX to B and I do not think it’s a significant upgrade in terms of of work…sure in thevnumbers and percent increase it’s more, but from what you can do it’s marginal.

if your future use is within scope of B, you will be happy. On a property that size you could easily wind up with multiple machines. I’d be thinking really hard about what will be needed so it’s not so easy to grow out of. (If you have exhausted capability of BX already consider the difference in capacities between BX and B, and convert that to 50lb bags or 20lb blocks and then consider did you get why you wanted…are those couple extra bags or blocs worth it?)

good luck.

thank you, my 1850 will probably do everything I’ll need. This 50 acres is not farm land. But it’s getting some wear on it and there’s no BH. Seems like good time to upgrade. The taller tires alone are big upgrade

OP,

congrats on new path of land….sounds great.

before getting too happy with throttle I would recommend about potential uses over next 5 - 10 yrs and consider is the B really what needed.

I personally have gone from BX to B and I do not think it’s a significant upgrade in terms of of work…sure in thevnumbers and percent increase it’s more, but from what you can do it’s marginal.

if your future use is within scope of B, you will be happy. On a property that size you could easily wind up with multiple machines. I’d be thinking really hard about what will be needed so it’s not so easy to grow out of. (If you have exhausted capability of BX already consider the difference in capacities between BX and B, and convert that to 50lb bags or 20lb blocks and then consider did you get why you wanted…are those couple extra bags or blocs worth it?)

good luck.
[/QUOTE

 

[Bald1]

I can’t imagine doing anything in the future that a B wouldn’t do.

 

[ItBmine]

Just a note, BEFORE you spend the money on a B2601 have your dealer bring one out for you play with. Some on said the B2601 is a BX with a lift kit,, and they are pretty much spot on. I thought the B was going to be the end to my worries,,, I was wrong, I went off all the printed material, bad move. Now dont get me wrong the B is a nice LITTLE tractor and it functions well, however if I may offer some observations of my own.
1 the rear end is about the same as the BX and you sit higher,, I put 2 inch spacers on mine should have gone with 4, and while it has never tipped over it has come pretty close. And if you are going to be in the hills, it is something to think about.

2 The kitchen is not made for a big man or if you are a big ,crippled up some ,it is not an easy beast to get on and off, the lay out if great for someone young and maybe 5'9" and 140 pounds, but a big old fat man,, not so much.

3 Yes it will drag a 48 inch mower snow blade , blower and a ton of things. But I don't think you will be happy with it, looking at the size one would expect more from it. I don't know where you are building in the Wild and Wonderful but I would stay away from the R4 tires, someone figured skid steer tires on a little tractor was a good idea should be horse whipped. just MHO you understand. And on 50 acers while it might do well on the flats , if you plan on hauling fire wood out,,,,,,,,,

It is your money spend it wisely, all I am saying it dont just jump on it because it looks like it might to the job. If all you want to do is mow the lower field or clean stalls it will do fine for light stuff.
All I am telling you is what I have found with my B2601, I bought a bill of goods before I really dug in to it, and I want to save you the pain I have for it. My old BX 2360 has been through the wringer and still comes back for more, but in your case I would go for the bigger tractor , all you can afford. If I had known then, what I know now I would not have bought the 2601.

Funny, I have a different experience. I found the B2620/2601 have a LOT more floor room than an L 2501for example. I don't find it cramped or hard to get one and off at all.
And I have posts on these forums with multiple pages of pictures of all the "big tractor" jobs my little B has done.
I use 5 foot implements. And I also use R4 tires. never had an issue with them. I live in the snow belt of northern Ontario and have never been stuck doing snow removal. it's all about throttle control.
Everyone had their own preferences, but I'm perfectly happy with the money I saved buying the lower end B and just taking maybe a bit more time to get projects done over a larger tractor. the cost savings paid for all my implements. Plus lower costs to service it.