L3400 lift jerk ??? Overblown

[HRS]

So I had the opportunity to actually try out the L3400 today. Had the dealer hitch'er up to an implement. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. What a disappointment! I was expecting the tractor to hop all over the place. It didn't.

Picking up an implement, it did fine. Lowering the implement, it did fine. Lifting the implement just a little bit, it looked to lift the thing maybe a half-inch; maybe tad bit more, with each corresponding number labeled on the lift control. And that was if you slowly crept the lift up, which you don't in real life applications. Talk about control. Some have said that you couldn't finish grade with this lift. Actually, I don't see how you could get much more of a precise/incremental change in lift position with a lift that "feathers". Not to say that having a lift smoothly move up and down wouldn't be desirable, but I was under the impression that this thing was totally flawed.

Now I've spent a good many hours on tractors, mostly old with very worn out parts. I'd consider this thing a dream machine compared to any of the old traps I've run. Many times I've grabbed the lift lever to raise implement an inch or so when the darn thing started to dig to China, only to over pull because of delayed response and end up lifting my plow completely out of the ground. Talk about frustrating. I'd like to see how this machine performs in the field, as is.

I'd recommend that anyone considering it, try it out at home before having the dealer's mechanic tear into it to replace any valve. Especially when I think about 3-pt lift operation. Almost always, total up or total down.

 

[SWB]

Did the one you try have the hydrostatic transmission? I think the complaint was only with the hydro, not the gear version of the L3400.

 

[wvmapler]

I just bought the same tractor you were describing and got it delivered yesterday. I agree it was a dream machine for me and I am used to driving 50 to 60 HP newer JD's all the time. No /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif, it didn't say it was better than them, so you guys don't have to gig me. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif It is my first tractor and I am overly delighted. I only drove it around a little and put a lift on the back and played a touch, but I was very impressed about everything on the machine. I am not hard to please and the main reason I bought the tractor is the quality and price. If it is good quality, then it will service good and I can get around little things that I might like the best. Either way, I had not quirks with the tractor and it performed admirably. I was really happy with the opening of the L463 bucket as it was really large which is what I wanted. I had a lift on the back and it only weighed a couple hundred pounds, but I had no problem. My tractor is a 2006 model and according to my dealer, Kubota corrected this problem many months ago. I know some of you may have bought tractors even a month or two ago with this problem, but they were likely produced before the correction and hadn't been sold. Like I said, this is what my dealer told me. He knew about the problem as soon as I mentioned it to him. I will know for sure in a couple of months when I have 100 to 140 gallon of sap on the back of it. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[HRS]

SWB, will trya hydro soon, but was very pleased with gear drive I did try. I'd say it operates a little differently than others might, but that is all. Should suspect that anything slightly different takes a little getting use to in order to realize what it has to offer.

mapler, That sounds very interesting, making maple syrup that is. So how long does it take you to cook it down. Do you do it over wood fire or is it all handled in a more modern way now? I've read a little on the subject, would like to see it some day.

 

[wvmapler]

I have a 2x8 modern evaporator, but modern or not, it is still a ton of work. I boil down around 50 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup and that takes me about 1 hour. Doesn't sound like much time, but considering I probably have about 10 hours or more in every gallon by the time you count for splitting and hauling wood and all the other tons of work that goes into it and the gathering. No $$$ in it, but it is rewarding. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

Your exactly right. I have never heard one person complain about it.

 

[HRS]

Sounds like most other types of farming then. It's the soul that gets paid, not the pocket. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[L3400HST]

I bought a forum members L3400 HST that was seven months old and it has the 3pt lift jerkiness problem. One of the reasons I got the tractor was for site grading and I feather the 3pt nearly constantly, so the jumping is a HUGE problem. Fortunately my dealer is aware of the Kubota service bulletin concerning the valve replacement and he said he will replace the valve (no charge) right after the first of the year during my 50 hr service along with the PTO fluid level fix.

MessickFarmEqu: I know you've heard of people complaining about this because I read your posts in a thread about this exact same subject. It's good Kubota has stepped up to the plate to address owners concerns. It says alot about the company.

 

[HRS]

How does yours respond when you feather it? When you pull the lift handle up one notch because the blade is digging in, how much additional clearance does this provide. Is is too much? Do you have to pull up several inches? Is it bouncy? Do you have to stop and start over? Give some details please. I'd like to know how it responds under load.

 

[L3400HST]

When the blade digs in, I will pull up on the lever just enough to get the box to move. I move the lever usually less than an inch. When the box moves it jumps up about an inch and stops. It leaves steps in whatever I am leveling at the time and I have to go back over it trying to find that sweet spot where I don't have to move the blade. If I am at the end of a run and I pull the lever all the way up the box moves to the top of its travel without jerking. That part is OK. If I just a sit there and raise the lever very slowly the box jumps up in about one inch increments and shakes the tractor. I have used other box blades where you can make slight adjustments on the fly and not have to go over the material multiple times to get it nice and level. Like I said, the local Dealer is going to repair it at no charge under warranty.