Same old title, Looking at a new tractor Help!

[mowpower]

The more I research the more I get confused. I'm open to any of the brands JD, NH, MF but leaning towards the Kubota.
I have about 5acres that needs maintained, brush mowed, some pasture plowing, moving dirt and landscaping ( part of this area has a good slope to it, about a 10-12% grade).
Stopped at my local dealer asked about the L3130HST w/FEL LA723 ballpark was about $20-21K. He pushed me towards the L3400, he has a very limited stock only two 3400's. Said he doesn't stock any of the Grand series because the 3400's sell better and the Grands have lot's of "bells and whistles" that most people don't use. Didn't get into particulars on the 3400 but with HST and FEL he said it was about $16,000. So his view was you are paying about $4000 more for less horsepower and more refinement in the Grand series for stuff you may never use.
One thing I noticed is the L3130 has a lift capacity of about 650lbs more than the 3400, and also weighs about 1000lbs more. Which might be handy on slopes.
I have about 50 hours on a NH 1920 gear tranny so I think the Kubota with HST would be like a caddy. I admit though I'm a newbie in the tractor arena. So in terms of horsepower is it a major difference to go from say 31hp to 35hp? Will it be like wow this thing has monster power now?

Ok seems hard to find the fit for the work needed and the money you want to spend and what you may need in the future.
Thanks for any help.
Jeff

 

[Whitey]

The research part is the best...once you pull the trigger the work begins. If you decide what you want the CUT to do and what attachments you are going to buy it will be eaiser. I have green in a gear drive. I bought it used because it was my first CUT. Loader and backhoe and I would not buy another without either one. With that said I was looking real hard (and wiping my chin) over the new black & gold (Steeler colors) machines buy Cub-Yanmar. They were so impressive that I got a date to see one. HST / thirty horse power with loader and backhoe for around twenty-two. Wow where is green to combat this. One more thing to consider...HST loose HP out the PTO alot more than gear drive tractors.

JD 770 / 70 FEL / 7 BH - 425 AWS / 54" MMM / 54" FMP

 

[Surewhynot]

Mowpower,
Here is my two cents worth, take it as a personal opinion and nothing more. I purchased the Grand L3240 with a FEL. The bells and whistles your dealer says nobody uses I find very helpful. The HST Plus is very smooth and makes FEL work a breeze. There are several things about this tractor that I have really come to appreciate, i.e. the quick attach bucket, the adjustable 3pt and the anti-stall feature. Now if you don't want the added features perhaps a basic model would work fine. My only suggestion is get the bigger bucket and if you get a basic model you might have more money to allocate toward attachments, like something to counterbalance the FEL. I enjoy my L3240 more than I should I am sure you will be happy with any model JD, NH, or whatever, but like you I leaned toward the Kubota and am very happy with it. I have moved dirt, leveled a driveway, taken down several trees and hauled the cut up wood, and will be planting and maintaining a small orchard starting this Spring. Good luck in your search and purchase.

 

[Soundguy]

If you are already driving a NH 1920.. no.. you probably won't notice ANY more useable power from a 31hp gear tractor to a 35hp HST tractor.

soundguy

The more I research the more I get confused. I'm open to any of the brands JD, NH, MF but leaning towards the Kubota.
I have about 5acres that needs maintained, brush mowed, some pasture plowing, moving dirt and landscaping ( part of this area has a good slope to it, about a 10-12% grade).
Stopped at my local dealer asked about the L3130HST w/FEL LA723 ballpark was about $20-21K. He pushed me towards the L3400, he has a very limited stock only two 3400's. Said he doesn't stock any of the Grand series because the 3400's sell better and the Grands have lot's of "bells and whistles" that most people don't use. Didn't get into particulars on the 3400 but with HST and FEL he said it was about $16,000. So his view was you are paying about $4000 more for less horsepower and more refinement in the Grand series for stuff you may never use.
One thing I noticed is the L3130 has a lift capacity of about 650lbs more than the 3400, and also weighs about 1000lbs more. Which might be handy on slopes.
I have about 50 hours on a NH 1920 gear tranny so I think the Kubota with HST would be like a caddy. I admit though I'm a newbie in the tractor arena. So in terms of horsepower is it a major difference to go from say 31hp to 35hp? Will it be like wow this thing has monster power now?

Ok seems hard to find the fit for the work needed and the money you want to spend and what you may need in the future.
Thanks for any help.
Jeff

 

[Crash101]

Mowpower
One advantage to saving the $4000 dollars on the 3400 is the additional savings you will enjoy with 5 foot implements, ie. rotary cutter and boxblade, none of which are too heavy for it's more limited 3 point lift capacity. The Grand series are much wider and may require $$$ larger implements. Bigger is not always better when buying, hauling, storing and moving about in a tight area. you've mentioned the age old problem of needing a large tractor to move some dirt, but when the dirt is moved, you need a smaller one to maintain it. I'm only one buyer, of one opinion, who considered the same things as you and concluded that the standard L series 2800/3400 was the ideal combination of price, size, weight and capability from the dealerships in my local area. I looked at all the offerings in various size, color and price ranges and still do. Just can't imagine anything being more ideal than my L series for my own needs. Moving some dirt and maintaining my 6 acres, about half with woods and slopes, all without spending too much money.
All the best to you in your decisions, and keep us posted with what you end up with.

 

[toddler]

Hi Mowpower,

Just because I'm easy to confuse, do you have 5 acres total, or 5 to brush hog and also some pasture to plow . . . Seemed like you meant 5 total.

If you have 5 acres total, I'd tend to agree with your dealer. You're going to be looking at a lot of small jobs, not a couple of large ones. For comparison, before I moved to NC I lived in Vermont where my wife and I had 10 acres with a small pond and stream running through it. We cut 2-3 acres with a MMM, rotary cut 5acres a couple of times a year, tilled a 1/2 acre garden twice a year, cleared snow off the driveway with a rear snow thrower, moved dirt, snow, and mulch with the FEL . . . basically, lots of small jobs.

I used a B2710, and it was really a great size. Did everything I wanted well. The L3400 would have been an even better size if it had a Mid PTO and MMM to cut the finished lawn.

Now I'm moving to 11 acres and I'm going to be rough cutting 7+ acres of it fairly often. At first I figured that 10acres is pretty much the same as 11 acres, so maybe I'd get a B3030. But after looking at the B7800 next to the L's and Grand L's, it struck me that on our new property I'd like a larger tractor so I could do the bigger jobs faster and more comfortably. So I'm actually looking at the L3240/3540's. Serious overkill, but hey, it's also a toy for me.

If you're looking at a variety of small jobs like I had in Vermont, I'd get the L3400 and spend some of the savings on attachments.

The only caveat, is that you mentioned "plowing"some of the land. If you actually plan to pull a plow, and not a tiller, then bigger is probably better. If, however, this is going to be a garden, my advice regarding plowing is:

Hire someone with a really big tractor to plow then disc that area once. That'll help get all the big rocks out. Then get a tiller and go to town on it at the beginning and end of each season. The L3400 will have plenty of power to do that! And with the 4k savings, you can get a Caroni Flail mower and a nice rotory tiller to balance the FEL!

I think it's probably worth looking at the Kioti tractors too if you have a dealer nearby. They seem to offer a lot of bang for your buck in this size/hp range, but I don't know if they have a good dealer near you, and the key word here is "good". Dealers matter.

Best regards,
Todd

 

[mowpower]

Hi Mowpower,

Just because I'm easy to confuse, do you have 5 acres total, or 5 to brush hog and also some pasture to plow . . . Seemed like you meant 5 total.


Todd

Todd:
I have two lots one is about 2 acres all flat that at present needs only mowed twice/year. It may need some dirt moved around and other maintenance if we put any animals on it (cows or horses). Our house sits on about 3 acres about 1.5 of that in pasture for horses that would need some tilling ( I'm no country boy) so till, plow whatever it takes to smooth out the lumps and get some pasture seed planted. I am looking for someone with a big field tractor to come and do that then I can just maintain it. Then we have several projects down the line, a shop to be built so the site needs to be leveled, a pond to put in, 100 feet of driveway that could be plowed of snow. Plus I am a contractor that may have a need for it in the future, it's a big "maybe" because I mostly do interior trim and cabinet work. Do I just want a toy? Yes but I will use it for some serious work and we plan to purchase other property that will need some tractor use. Do I need the L3240? Probably not but I almost started to drool when I looked at it, then my wife bless her said "I think you should get that one (L3240) what's $4000 more"? Well I almost fainted and told the dealer let's do it, but the analytical and thirfty side of me said to wait and give it some more thought. I think the L3400 would do all I need to, but the Grand 3240 sure looks fun too, to make things worse I'm now looking at the L30 series I'm not sure what the difference is in the 40's and 30's more research I guess.
Also for mowing I have a nice zero turn that mows my acre in about 45minutes with about 20 trees to go around, so a MMM isn't needed.
Thanks for the input.

 

[toddler]

I already know I'm going to be buying far more tractor than I'll "need", be it an L3400, L3240/3540, or a CK/DK. Sounds like you will too. My wife is the same as yours, "This is your tractor, Todd, get what you want."

Either the L3400 or the L3240 will do 99% of what you or I are going to be asking of them. So for me it'll come down to fancier and slightly bigger tractor with possibly feel a little guilt about buying extra impliments, or the more modest but still really cool tractor and feeling justified in buying a few cool attachments like a tiller, flail, back or front blade, snow thrower (ok, no snow thrower for NC). . . or maybe a trailer . . .

and then there's Kioti . . . Stopped to talk to some landscapers who were working outside when I got my lunch today. They had a DK45SE and a DK55 a little ways off. They used to use Kubotas but when they replaced them got the Kiotis because it saved them several thousand dollars.

I'd farm out you pond and the site leveling at the same time. Bull dozer and an excavator . . . both jobs under one contract, and then you can clean it up with your tractor if needed. And don't forget to figure out if the 3240 will fit in the barn and then also if the bucket will get into the barn stalls due to it's width. . . And maybe consider that if you're going to use it as a contractor, the 3400 will weigh less, so it will be easier to trailer, and might fit in more places on your clients lots.

Lots to think about besides the price, but I figure that's half the fun. If I make a decision based on all the right questions, I'm less likely to wind up regretting it.

Long winded, sorry, just thinking aloud, but let us know how the search goes.

Todd

 

[BizDoc]

I have to agree with Toddler. If you're maintaining 5 acres I'd be looking at the B3030. Plenty of power for any job on 5 acres, and those bells and whistles the dealer said people dont want or use. Let me tell you I love the bells and whistles. I originally had a tractor without all the nicities and after three years upgraded to the B3030. I maintain 10 acres and there isn't a job it has hesitated at, and I wouldn't give up the bells and whistles, and there are plenty of people on here dealing with much more than 10 acres using the B3030. IMHO the Grand L series is overboard for 5 acres. I actually think it's overkill for my 10 acres, The Grand L series is very nice, but no way could I justify that kind of money for 10 acres, when the B3030 is such a great unit.

 

[mojoinco]

I used an L3130 hst this summer for a few hours. Nice unit. Especially compared to my ol' Case. When it came available I even thought about buying it. I decided I wanted a shuttle trans (powered version) to preserve HP for work, as my wife will rarely use whatever I buy (in terms of operator intimidation; and she bought herself the 'minsteer'). I also wanted the heavier duty loader you can get for this unit (I don't remember the model) than what was on it.

Like trucks, you need to decide the work (and tools used to do the work). Existing gate widths, trailer needs (for travel), truck to pull it. Trans choice consideration might be amount of small space loader work (hst) or steady speed field work (spreading/spraying/seeding) might lead to a manual trans or maybe curise control. I found I can rent a no-till seeder from my local soil conservation district, so it is helping steer my decision making to include a minimum HP rating (engine, not drawbar or PTO).

Also, 3 point lifting weight (enjoy comparing where the specs are taken). Then there are the hyraulic questions: remotes (mid, front, rear), flow, top and tilt, loader joystick on tractor when loader is removed (ergo's, and reuse for other options). The trans can be also be an issue if it will not go slow enough for the activities you want to do.

One other consideration is if you have skid steer implements available for rent. A significant item to me is the ability to rent a hydraulic post hole digger. A large dealer near me rents skid steers and the attachments. The post hole diggers are available in two sizes: mini-skidsteer (low flow like most conventional tractors) and high flow (skid steers are just large hydraulic systems). If in yard, they can swap the two over to standard skd steer sized plates and I am off. Using conventional three point post hole diggers have mixed results in this area, while down pressure types have much better results. Forks can also be a real boon as you pruchase sacks of concrete or banded lumber, water heaters, etc.

It sounds like you have a pretty good focus on what you want and can use. You might want to follow up on how heavy the tractor is, as this seems to be a fair predictor of traction and control. Also, how much weight you can get in the tire style (R1/R4) versus the bolt on kind. And the fluid type you want to put in the tires.

Everything is a trade off -- then you throw the dice!
Have fun!