I have a Conundrum.......Bigger or smaller, but with......

[Stanley Steamer]

a Backhoe on the small one...

I like the idea of having a backhoe, but to do so, I'd have to settle for a slightly smaller tractor in the BX25D......adding a new BH to a B2601 would take another ~$7K....yikes......here are the two quotes I have received for what I'm looking at......




"1. The Kubota BX25D with loader, backhoe, grapple, box blade, and 16' trailer is $22,950, less the $300 tractor rebate and $1,000 implement rebate, the total comes to $21,650.


 2. The Kubota B2601 with loader, grapple, box blade, and 16' trailer is $23,300. This tractor has a $400 rebate and the same $1,000 implement rebate which would bring the total to $21,900.




 Kubota is offering 0% financing on all tractors for 60 months. To apply for financing we would need to fill out a credit application to submit to Kubota Credit. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me."





 I am planning on using whatever tractor I buy to do some work on the side...things like small jobs involving hauling small loads of mulch, gravel, soil, etc, etc and spreading it around.....maybe some light grading of gravel driveways..I'm not depending on it for a fulltime living, but if things were to go well, it might convince me to jump in a little deeper.....just wonder if it's be worth going with a smaller tractor size wise to be able to have the BH...and the BX25 would fit through small gates....I've got to check the specs on the B2601......

[old2soon]

You don't get the B H you'll be kickin yer own ass for NOT getting it.  The bottom line is $650.00 apart! I'm thinkin 2 people ask of your newly formed outfit-do you do B H work and you answer in the affirmative you WILL be golden. Course having everything lettered on the side of the truck including B H work saves the customer from asking duz ya do that?  My 2 pennys worth and not worth that much!  RIDE SAFE.

[..]

Can these guys help?

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/grd/5252353276.html

[Patrick]

It seems to me that there is not much difference between them.
A few HP difference
About 4" width
About 5" wheelbase

$7K extra for the 2601 hoe is considerable, but, without looking I would think that hoe would do more than the other one.  But, is that necessary ?

These little Tractors are nice, but, they are small. That can be good,or, bad. They can fit into small spaces, but, they're working ability is limited. The limited ability is fine with me as I don't do that much or just take my time as to not hurt the machine.

[Gavin_Sons]

You definitely want a hoe. Take it from a guy that has been in and around the heavy equipment pretty much my whole adult life, ok 12 years is all, but you will get people that want hoe work done all the time. On the job site we had huge excavators. We did nothing without them. This was on a large scale where we would move several hundred thousand yards of dirt. The small time construction crews that do landscaping and such have minis. Like the bobcats on rubber tracks. A tractor with a hoe is a great first step and when the money starts flowing you can always graduate up to a skidsteer and mini hoe. There is money to be made in that field, go and dig it up man. Thecompany I worked with for 8 years started with a small dump truck, a 1947 d4 dozer and a backhoe doing dams and small ponds and graduated into a leading landfill, dam, and coal mime company worth millions today. Most of the big dams here in indiana were built by this company.

[CajunRider]

The only down side of the back-hoe is that it replaces the rear 3-point hitch which means you won't be able to do blade work,  bush-hog, plow, etc. etc. etc.

However, you can get the quick attach on the front end loader and put a whole host of attachments on the front end, so is the 3-point really needed???

Yes... you do have quite a conundrum. 

One thing I do know... you better have pictures up when you finally pull the trigger!!!    

[big d]

Stanley, ask yourself if you will have enough b h work in the very near future. If not get the bigger one and when you start getting work for it you can always buy it later.

[The emperor has no clothes]

And here just a week ago I thought a Bobcat was the only little machine. 

[Rams]

I don't know your prospective business potential well enough to comment but, my own opinion is this:  Go Big or Stay Home.   

The additional capability will work in your favor.   This I am very sure of.

[MP]

I suggest a bh. It is amazing what u can do, once u have one. Cant u get a removeable one that will still allow use of three point and pto?

[Alotaglock]

Weather is looking great! We should have 2 Valks heading up that Saturday morning.

[Stanley Steamer]

The only down side of the back-hoe is that it replaces the rear 3-point hitch which means you won't be able to do blade work,  bush-hog, plow, etc. etc. etc.

However, you can get the quick attach on the front end loader and put a whole host of attachments on the front end, so is the 3-point really needed???

Yes... you do have quite a conundrum. 

One thing I do know... you better have pictures up when you finally pull the trigger!!!    

No....the 3 point hitch is still there.....it's a pretty fast change out actually and I will have a 4' box blade for it in the package deal....


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-NkAcdgxnw

[Stanley Steamer]

I suggest a bh. It is amazing what u can do, once u have one. Cant u get a removeable one that will still allow use of three point and pto?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-NkAcdgxnw

[Stanley Steamer]

Stanley, ask yourself if you will have enough b h work in the very near future. If not get the bigger one and when you start getting work for it you can always buy it later.

I use one at my job all the time....and after thinking more about this, I'd like the ability to dig holes for trees.....or to dig for trenches, ditches, or to level off an area......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26Ml8_El5qc

[Stanley Steamer]

You definitely want a hoe. Take it from a guy that has been in and around the heavy equipment pretty much my whole adult life, ok 12 years is all, but you will get people that want hoe work done all the time. On the job site we had huge excavators. We did nothing without them. This was on a large scale where we would move several hundred thousand yards of dirt. The small time construction crews that do landscaping and such have minis. Like the bobcats on rubber tracks. A tractor with a hoe is a great first step and when the money starts flowing you can always graduate up to a skidsteer and mini hoe. There is money to be made in that field, go and dig it up man. Thecompany I worked with for 8 years started with a small dump truck, a 1947 d4 dozer and a backhoe doing dams and small ponds and graduated into a leading landfill, dam, and coal mime company worth millions today. Most of the big dams here in indiana were built by this company.

My Dad was a heavy equipment operator his whole life.......he use to let me sit between his legs and pull the steering levers of a Cat 955 loader when I was very young......they also had D6C's, a road grader, backhoes, low boys to pull all that stuff with usually with a Mack truck pulling the low boy and several Mack tandems and a couple of single axle dumps thrown in for smaller jobs...they usually worked on any broken equipment themselves.......Daddy told me NOT to go into that business full-time because the tracked equipment would shake your innards up.......

I've run everything from a stand on Dingo tracked loader to a full sized backhoe to a payloader.....that's one good thing about my landscaping job with the Govt....we've got plenty of machinery to operate......


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oiXqipOoAA


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXAUDCVFfAo

[Stanley Steamer]

Here's the type set-up I'm thinking of getting with the BX25D.....a QA bucket and grapple....

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/kubota-buying-pricing/379416d1402932762-finally-getting-bx25d-wp_20140616_001-jpg

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/kubota-buying-pricing/379418d1402932849-finally-getting-bx25d-wp_20140616_003-jpg