I'm one of the lucky ones - no problem with mine. Love my tractor so far with no problems that I know of.
Do you use a box blade on the 3pt and if so, can you raise it very slowly without it jumping up several inches at a time? Mine is smooth when lowering and if I raise it quickly, but jerks like crazy if I try to feather it up slowly.
I was also considering returning it for a L4240. How does the 3pt hitch operation compare? Is it smooth and can you easily feather up on it with a box blade? I test drove one before I bought the MX and really liked it. Only reservation I have about trading the MX for it is dropping the 8 hp. I think the loader is comparable and the 3pt capacity is actually higher though.
Overall are you happy with the move you made?
Do you use a box blade on the 3pt and if so, can you raise it very slowly without it jumping up several inches at a time? Mine is smooth when lowering and if I raise it quickly, but jerks like crazy if I try to feather it up slowly.
Update from my dealer who has been working with Kubota techs on the jerky 3pt hitch. According to Kubota, the 3pt hitch on the MX and the Standard L is manufactured to have a fairly large tolerance range in "smoothness". The Grand L and the M series tractors have additional components included that are designed to regulate the hydraulic flow better and provide a smooth operating 3pt hitch.
My understanding based on the information from Kubota, is that the reason why some Standard L's and MX tractors do not seem to have the jerky hitch is due to the wide range of tolerance within the linkage and how it may have been manufactured and assembled. So as we have seen some are "born" with it and others are not, just a luck of the draw...
Dealer said they can open it up and try to adjust the linkage, but estimated a slim chance that it might make it some better. However, with the design of the 3pt on these "standard" models, it will never match the performance or smoothness of the Grand L or M series.
Of course, I would have never bought the MX5100 if I knew the 3pt was going to be jerky.
My dealer has been great to try to help me with this and has offered for me to return it and swap for a Grand L or M series.
Well that is a bunch better explanation than I got from my selling dealer or the Kubota Regional rep.. My guess is if you want a smoother 3pt on a Kubota go swap it for a nice Grand L or go around to different dealers and have them put a box blade on some different MX5100's and try them out . But it if bothers you now for the type of work you do, it will just be a "wart" for the rest of your life and a source of irritation. I would suggest trading it off soon while the dealer is sympathetic.
James K0UA
I thought the explanation made sense, disappointing, but understandable... explains why some have it bad, some not so bad, and some not at all. Also explains why it can't be easily fixed.
I hesitate to admit it, but I do think that is the kind of thing that would bother me long-term. I would fully expect a $25K tractor to be able to raise a box blade slowly without bouncing the tractor. I could live with it, and "make it work" for me, but I think it would be an on-going source of frustration for me.