4wd L or 2wd M?

[DONOTDELETE]

Looking for opinions: If price is close, would you rather have a 2wd M (4900) or a 4wd Grand L (4310 or 4610)? Thanks

[Bird]

Brent, I guess it depends to some extent on what you intend to do with the tractor, but given the choice between those two, I'd definitely go with the Grand L for the 4WD and hydrostatic transmission.

Bird

[Thomas]

Brent,
My very first tractor I was looking at 2wd only,but the dealer convince me that a 4wd tractor much better and the price differents is low.

After getting in to tight spots also traveling thru muddy ground plus snow plowing and not getting stuck,the 4wd drive has pay for its self and than some.

Kinda of think of the 4wd as an insurance policy...glad you got it when it comes time to need it. [img]/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Thomas..NH [img]/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[Billc]

Brent,

I have a 4x4 5400. It is about the same as the 4900 you are looking at.

I would not get a tractor unless it was 4wd. I have had both. 4wd makes a huge difference.

Often is the time I'll be doing a task, let's say boxing my drive, and I'll notice I'm slipping a bit. I engage the 4wd and the difference is night and day.

The reason I'm such a big believer in 4wd is because about 3 years ago I got a 2wd Massey 135 stuck in some mud. I had been working about 20 minutes to get it unstuck. Not fun work. A neighbor came over and asked if I minded if he brought his tractor over and pulled me out. Mind? I was ready to get this man into the Sainthood. Anyway he come across the pasture a few minutes later on a little Kubota tractor. Not to put anyone down, but I thought it was a lawn mower. I laughed and told him I didn't think he could help me. He insisted. Guess what, that little thing was 4wd. It pulled me out without too much of a problem. Now my Massey wasn't a big tractor, but it was a tractor and his little Kubota humbled mine. I swore then and there that my next tractor would be a 4wd Kubota.

My Brother bought a 3710 HST 4wd. Same thing. He'll be doing a task, slip, go to 4wd and no more slipping.

As to what's better, the L series or the M series, depends on what you are using your tractor for. Let us know.

Bill Cook

[MChalkley]

I'll second BillC's comments. Five or six years ago, I had a 45 hp MF 2wd tractor and a 27 hp L-series 4wd tractor. The MF was much bigger and heavier, but that Kubota would work it into the ground because of the 4wd.

As for M-series vs. L-series, I'd love to have an M-series tractor myself, but I wouldn't give up the hydrostatic on my L4310 for 5 of them. So, for my needs, until the M-series tractors are available in an HST model, they can keep 'em.

MarkC

[wen]

Guess we all went through the exact same line of logic in buying a tractor. Wound up with the 4WD M6800 which comes with a fully sync 8 speed fwd/rev transmission and sync fwd/rev shuttle lever that is dash mounted. I wouldn't trade it for a hydrostatic, but that depends on the work that you do with your tractor.

The M Series cost less than the L and gives a lot of value for agricultural use, but I, like Mark C. had a 2WD Massey 245 and it was like a third world tractor compared with the M Series Kubota. The problem with all ground engaging implements is that traction is the name of the game, and the large front tires and 4WD provide a lot of traction. The large rear tires do the same and ag tires have considerably more traction than other types in normal soil conditions.

[wen]

Hi Mark

I want one of those tractor signatures, but I want the tractor to be just a tad larger than the 4310 or is is a 4610 now?

[MChalkley]

Sorry Wen, but you can't have a bigger tractor than mine. [img]/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif[/img] (And, no, it's still an L4310.) BTW, the next time you're in eastern VA with your tractor, look me up - we'll have a tractor pull. [img]/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif[/img]

Seriously, the size of the icon allowed for the picture is limited to the height of the ones you see already.

MarkC

[Billc]

Hey, Mark, a question along the same line. Can I get a tractor like yours pulling a red head?

Bill Cook

[MChalkley]

BillC - Pulling a what???!!!

MarkC