Tractor Sizing Massey 1532 vs. Jd 3038 vs kubota L3800

[venom9]

What about ballast boxes for the 3 pt. hitch? I was thinking of keeping the tractor lighter and then adding the ballast when using the loader for heavy lifting. I know using a mower or blade will get in the way but will the ballast box add enough weight? Can the ballast box be in place and still hook up to the draw bar with tow behind implements? I would like to be able to pull a small disc or cultivator.

[PhilY]

What about ballast boxes for the 3 pt. hitch? I was thinking of keeping the tractor lighter and then adding the ballast when using the loader for heavy lifting. I know using a mower or blade will get in the way but will the ballast box add enough weight? Can the ballast box be in place and still hook up to the draw bar with tow behind implements? I would like to be able to pull a small disc or cultivator.

With my L3540, if I were to be doing a lot of loader work, I'd be looking at a 1200lb ballast on the back in addition to the 1200lbs I have in the rear tires. Right now I don't have any ballast back there. I can tell when I have a full bucket, it's the front tires that are carrying the weight. I say this because in 2WD the rears don't have enough traction and spin if not on really flat ground. So, have to put it in 4WD. But this has only been a few minutes worth of work at a time...didn't think spending the time to hook up a ballast necessary. Without the loaded rear tires when the tractor first arrived, I was spinning the rears in forward on flat ground in 2WD just trying to smooth out a bit of the yard. The L3800 looks to have the same engine as my L3540 at 111 cu. in., but the tractor is ~800lbs lighter than mine. With having the same power but less mass, I would say you would definitely want both loaded tires and 3ph ballast; I'd go for ~2000lbs between them. The tractor won't notice the extra weight. Actually it will be quite the opposite, you should feel like it has extra power because without the extra weight with mine, even though I had the power, the tractor was spinning without straining.

PS. Wanted to also add that I tried grading a little bit of our private road with the 7' RB and had to have it in 4WD because of not having any ballast. With loaded rears, I can do it in 2WD.

[the6shooter]

thoughs massey weights are without the loader, and is dry. my M-F weighs in at 5070lbs. just tractor and loader. no filled tires, just full of fuel. certified scale weight.
david

[Bluegill2]

What about ballast boxes for the 3 pt. hitch? I was thinking of keeping the tractor lighter and then adding the ballast when using the loader for heavy lifting. I know using a mower or blade will get in the way but will the ballast box add enough weight? Can the ballast box be in place and still hook up to the draw bar with tow behind implements? I would like to be able to pull a small disc or cultivator.

Ballast on the 3 pt hitch is important while the FEL is on the tractor and even more important when using the FEL. I have a heavy box blade with weight added on the 3 pt when using the FEL. And the FEL comes off the tractor when I'm not using it. Works for me...

[Vector330ix]

Its arguable. The more power less weight means there is more power to do things... but there is less weight so i'd figure a lighter machine would not move as much product. (objects in motions stay in motion) i alway tend to be on the other side of things.. more weight being better. but thats just me. like i said my use is diffrent then yours. mainly i move snow with it so i have to offset that weight of snow with the weight of the machine.

[Martian]

Its arguable. The more power less weight means there is more power to do things... but there is less weight so i'd figure a lighter machine would not move as much product. (objects in motions stay in motion) i alway tend to be on the other side of things.. more weight being better. but thats just me. like i said my use is diffrent then yours. mainly i move snow with it so i have to offset that weight of snow with the weight of the machine.

More weight is always a good thing! Unless you want a very large, extremely expensive lawn mower, get a heavier tractor. Built in weight is always better than added on weight as well, where would a manufacturer be skimping on the lighter machine? The purpose of a true tractor is to build a lawn, not manicure it.

[pfr82]

To get back to the original question for just a second.

I was in the same situation as you looking at the 3038e vs L3800. After quite a bit of research and reading on this website (which is super helpful) I bought the L3800. There are pros and cons to both, but the main reasons I bought the L3800 were:

1) I liked the Kubota dealership better
2) 3 range transmission in L3800 vs the 2 range in the 3038e (if you are going to do a lot of shredder work, the low in the 2 range is too slow and the high is too fast)
3) the 3038e gets its last 6 hp by turbo-charging the engine (it seemed like one more thing to break)
4) I drove both and liked the one pedal HST control of the L3800 beter than the two pedal 3038e set-up.

I actually think that the JD 3520 is a more apples to apples comp to the L3800 than the 3038e.

My recommend would be to go the the dealership make sure you like them, drive both, and then buy the one you like the best.

[Martian]

To get back to the original question for just a second.

I was in the same situation as you looking at the 3038e vs L3800. After quite a bit of research and reading on this website (which is super helpful) I bought the L3800. There are pros and cons to both, but the main reasons I bought the L3800 were:

1) I liked the Kubota dealership better
2) 3 range transmission in L3800 vs the 2 range in the 3038e (if you are going to do a lot of shredder work, the low in the 2 range is too slow and the high is too fast)
3) the 3038e gets its last 6 hp by turbo-charging the engine (it seemed like one more thing to break)
4) I drove both and liked the one pedal HST control of the L3800 beter than the two pedal 3038e set-up.

I actually think that the JD 3520 is a more apples to apples comp to the L3800 than the 3038e.

My recommend would be to go the the dealership make sure you like them, drive both, and then buy the one you like the best.

Not to mention the foldable ROPS, removable loader . . . But definitely more apples to apples with the 3038e, the 3520 is a whole other machine class than the 3800 hands down.

[art]

Any tractor with a MMM is just a lawn tractor, Try Kioti you won't be sorry.

Your favorite line?

[art]

Interesting reading on using a four wheel drive tractor with a loader in two wheel drive and not being able to do much with it. There are other notes on ballasting that are a bit on the tainted side as well.

To run the tractors light would give the longest life as it creates less stress, tires are supposed to have some slippage in some jobs. Weight in the right place is the most important part of bllasting any tractor not only for how the tractor acts but it's life as well as operating costs.
There are many ways to get a job done but before you go looking for weight, look at what you are going to be doing with it and the amount of time that you might need the weight. I've seen lighter units out perform heavier units not only with lift but speed. Weight might helpful until an operator learns how to properly operate the tractor and loader. Most today can respect that to move weight it takes energy and if you don't have to move the weight it costs less.