Kubota GL3x40 Series vs JD 3x20 Series??

[TMR]

Lots of good input.

I test drove a 3240 w/gear drive and a 3540 with the HST+.

I actually liked both...although the HST+ is very nice!

I am a manual x-mission guy in autos whenever possible and it was pretty easy to get the hang of the gear drive 3240...but the dealer said there was only about $1500 difference...I would have thought a bit more. Would probably spend the difference and get the HST+.

BTW...ag tires reduce the tread width significantly...6"-8"???

Seems like the 60" would track pretty close to tread width with ag tires.

I have no specific frequent, heavy loader work and will be working in quite dry gravel based dirt much of the time...ag tires might actually be "better" for my use? At least they should not be a big issue??

Lot's of orange and green today...both dealer lots quite full...TMR

ALso drove a 3320 JD...liked that a lot also.

 

[gavinfred1]

TMR,

I just purchased a GL3540 hydro. I looked at every kind under the sun and ended up with the Kubota almost by accident. The HST+ is even better than advertised or a 15 minute test run will show you. The hi-low funtion is awesome and unbelievable handy. I have started clearing trees in 50 acres for trails and used the LA724 loader lots and very impressed with the power and agility of this machine. I almost went with the GL4240 but got the 3540 for it's size. Wouldn't trade it for anything so far.

 

[TMR]

TMR,

I just purchased a GL3540 hydro. I looked at every kind under the sun and ended up with the Kubota almost by accident. The HST+ is even better than advertised or a 15 minute test run will show you. The hi-low funtion is awesome and unbelievable handy. I have started clearing trees in 50 acres for trails and used the LA724 loader lots and very impressed with the power and agility of this machine. I almost went with the GL4240 but got the 3540 for it's size. Wouldn't trade it for anything so far.

Sounds great...I wish I could take it out and use it a bit.

How are you clearing trees? I am curious what use you make of the FEL when clearing trees?

What are you doing with stumps?...what kind and size are your trees?

I have a a trail that I will need to remove 18" tall 15 year old jack pine stumps...maybe 6-8" diameter. Curious what others are doing with stumps?

The 3540 w/724 is awesome...I drove one today with HST+.

Dealer says I can keep tire tread width close to 60" if I go with the narrower ag tires...not sure I like the tradeoff...but I probably could use the extra traction of the ags and don't think many of the downsides would apply to my uses.

Thanks for your post...TMR

 

[crazyal]

I just spent the afternoon out in the woods removing several trees the hurricane knocked down. One is a 3' plus diameter Beech that I cut up into 20' lengths. The 4240 dragged them in M with only traction being a slight problem, I have Ag tires.

So to give it a test I pulled a 2' birch tree that uprooted that all I did was cut it at the base and topped it. It had fallen into a ravine and the roots were up on edge and I was still able to drag the whole tree (80' plus) back up out of the ravine with the butt of the tree pushing the stump back down into the hole it left. When the tree started rubbing on some rocks I simply used the H-DS to go into turtle speed and continued.

Nothing I did today came even close to using all the power of the 4240. The ground was a little soft but the Ags did just fine. I had the loader on, with it things got a little tight in the woods. Having HST just makes this kind of work so easy since I was on and off the tractor dealing with chains. Not having to mess with the clutch or even shifting out of gear makes life is so easy.

My advice would be to get the 3240 or 3540 in HST and leave the tires in the wide position. It's just more stable.

 

[Grandad4]

If your work is going to be like what CrazyAl describes - and I have my own tree clearing challenges also - you'll definitely like the GL size machine. Just a beast for that kind of work, and you'll appreciate it over a B sized tractor.

I have been using the FEL to load out logs, cut in 6-8 ft sections, from the woods for several years, using a set of heavy-duty clamp on forks. Recently added a logging winch to recover blow-downs from the hillside. Stay tuned, results to follow this fall. We use a backhoe attachment to remove any stumps that need to come out. Expensive attachment, but worth every penny.

Regarding the pine stumps, on my place I don't mess with stumps in the woods any more than necessary. If it's just a trail, maybe you can simply cut them flush to the ground so they don't impede driving over them... they'll rot away soon enough, or grade some fill over them with the box blade/FEL.

Keep your tire width as wide as you can for stability. Working on uneven ground, you want to have every advantage, whether your carrying something in the FEL or pulling it.

Tire choice is an individual decision... there are advantages to both R1 and R4 type tires. Ag tires definitely give better traction, but the tradeoff is the fronts don't have as heavy a tire carcass as the R4's, so the industrials have some advantage in carrying heavy loads with the FEL; also rear R4's are wider and maybe a bit more stable than R1's. If you have wet ground, go with R1's. I have R4's, which have been fine for my work, but I generally have the luxury of waiting until it's dry with my projects.

 

[gavinfred1]

Don't know if you made a decision or not but thought I would show you a couple of pics from today. I can push over smaller trees and clean up rootwads and get rid of plenty of fallen trees with my 3540. So far I have loved mine in tight quarters and it has worked flawless. I worked my tractor hard pushing/clearing/mowing for 6 hours today and used a little less than 3 gallons of fuel. I contribute this mostly to the HST+ tranny. It is absolutley awesome and see several maufacturers following suite.

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[TMR]

Don't know if you made a decision or not but thought I would show you a couple of pics from today. I can push over smaller trees and clean up rootwads and get rid of plenty of fallen trees with my 3540. So far I have loved mine in tight quarters and it has worked flawless. I worked my tractor hard pushing/clearing/mowing for 6 hours today and used a little less than 3 gallons of fuel. I contribute this mostly to the HST+ tranny. It is absolutley awesome and see several maufacturers following suite.

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No choice made yet. If I go GL3x40 it will be the 3540...price diff not that great. I struggle with tire choice...AGs would be quite a bit narrower in the woods...but R4s would be more stable and stronger for the loader...some mentioned considering R4s for the front (find similar diameter as front AGs) and Ags on the back...don't even know if that has been done by others? Might look a bit odd?

Thanks for the pictures...sure couldn't do that with a BX TMR

 

[PHILIP8N]

some mentioned considering R4s for the front (find similar diameter as front AGs) and Ags on the back...don't even know if that has been done by others? Might look a bit odd?

That would look pretty silly. I defiinetly would not do that. I run R3 turfs and have never had issues with front tire weight rating with FEL, so you would not with R1's. Philip.

 

[Grandad4]

Don't think you can mix R4's and R1's like that... messes up the drive ratio's between the front and rear axles when in 4WD because of the different tire diameters. There are some non-standard R4's with an R1-type tread (Michelin), but you're into major $$ dumping what comes with the tractor.

Even though we mostly try to stay out of the muck, I've never been immobilized with the R4's. Once had to move some large round bales in a very muddy, sloping feed lot. Good amount of slipping but the job got done.

If your trails are so close you figure the R1's would work but the R4's wouldn't, you're probably going to be banging into stuff with the tractor, regardless of which tire you choose.

 

[PHILIP8N]

I can push over smaller trees and clean up rootwads and get rid of plenty of fallen trees with my 3540

What is the biggest tree you have pushed down? I need to get down an 18" diameter silver maple. Thing I could push it over? Philip.