Buying Advice Mahindra 4035 HST vs. Kubota L4240 HST

[Sysop]

In theory if all other things are equal (which they never are), more cylinders to distribute the load across should last longer. In practice it depends solely on the design, the care, the use, and ultimately time.

Keep in mind if you plan a lot of FEL work, adding weight to the rear tires will prevent lifting the rears as easy, but it does nothing for taking the load of the FEL off of the front axle. To remove load of the FEL from the front axle you must use the rear axle as a pivot point, hanging weight from the rear end of the tractor behind the rear wheels.

 

[94BULLITT]

Sure appreciate all the thoughtful input from you guys. God willing, I will test drive both models again this coming Sat. (with a friend who has owned a tractor for several years). I'm definitely going with the AG tires. Leaning toward the Kubota at this moment; quality and better controls (HST+) carry a lot of weight in my mind. The dealer said it's quite easy to add weight to the rear wheels, if I find I need it.

Any thoughts on the Kubota's 4-cylinder vs. the Mahindra's 3-cylinder?

Good night gents.

Why are you going with AGs? Drive it around the black top parking lot and tell me what you think about ags.

The L4240 has a very slick running engine. It is very fuel efficient. I have never been around a Mahindra 4035 to compare.

 

[Sysop]

The L4240 has a very slick running engine. It is very fuel efficient. I have never been around a Mahindra 4035 to compare.

I've been impressed with my 4035HST fuel economy. I seem to be averaging at or slightly over an hour per gallon including all the factory recommended warm-up and cool-down procedures and general operations. I rarely have had an opportunity to have more than 4 hours runtime in a day, and I'm only up to about 35 hours total so it's not broke in yet... Generally such things improve during break-in. I've estimated with the improved cutting speed and improved economy of diesel versus gasoline, it's costing me about half as much in fuel to maintain more of my property.

 

[94BULLITT]

I don't do any PTO work. I average around .75 gal a hour doing loader or 3PH work.

Your right it is not all about gallons a hour acres a hour is important.

 

[TomSeller]

Our heavy tractors stay in the barn during fall and spring when the soils are wet. They dig into the turf too much. Heavier is not always better.

 

[Sysop]

I don't do any PTO work. I average around .75 gal a hour doing loader or 3PH work.

Your right it is not all about gallons a hour acres a hour is important.

Yea, cost per job is most important, which is why I bought the machine in the first place. LOTS of jobs I now don't need to beg borrow or pay to get done.

For me my most common tasks are up till now have been minimal light loader and backhoe work taking out old fences and stumps, finish mowing (often too, it's been a good year for grass), some rotary cutting cleaning up some old trails with 15ish years of growth, and recently got a box blade I've been putting to use ripping some roots out and leveling where I've pulled stumps.

I'm sure as I'm doing tasks that put more load on it, it will consume more. As of now, the "light duty" tasks I've needed it for haven't really loaded the machine much.

 

[TripleR]

Having never driven a Mahinda, I can't compare the two, all I can say is I have owned three 4 cylinder Kubotas, M8540, L5030 and L5740 and still own two and they are very smooth with plenty of power.

 

[TRocco]

94BULLIT: For the greatest traction on grass and dirt. I'll not be driving the tractor on blacktop.

 

[coobie]

94BULLIT: For the greatest traction on grass and dirt. I'll not be driving the tractor on blacktop.

I had R-4 Industrials tires on my last tractor and hated them.I now had Ags on my new tractor and could not be happier.The only down side I can see to ags if you are doing a lot of heavy front end loader work the sidewalls flex more with the ags verses the R-4,s

 

[Sysop]

I had R-4 Industrials tires on my last tractor and hated them.I now had Ags on my new tractor and could not be happier.The only down side I can see to ags if you are doing a lot of heavy front end loader work the sidewalls flex more with the ags verses the R-4,s

Better ballast hanging off the back of the tractor helps with that. Weighing down the rear tires only helps prevent picking them up, it does nothing to transfer weight off the front axle. Weight hanging on the 3 point will use the rear axle as a pivot point, transferring weight from the front axle to the rear. One of the most common failures of CUTs and SCUTs with loaders is overloading the front axle and breaking things or wearing them out prematurely. When doing heavy loader work, I'd prefer enough weight on the back that the front feels light with the loader empty. When it is loaded it should balance back out and drive more normally. Buckling the sidewalls on the tires is an indication steering and other components are under tremendous pressure, ballast on the 3 point is the best solution.