A Kubota L3540HST for Christmas

[Kubota Tee]

I just learned that my new tractor will arrive next week - probably on the 6th of January. This will give me another week to get the shop cleaned up and ready to park the Kubota inside. I am a bit nervous of the ROPS height with my garage door, but if my measurements are correct, I will have about 1" clearance based on the revised height since the -2 series came out this past summer. If all else fails, I can fold it down.

Stopped by a friend of mine's welding shop today and gave him some plans for a Tree Scoop - got the ideas off TBN. I have about 90+ trees to move this coming spring. Then I will start on the lawn and other landscaping tasks - looking forward to learning the finer art of using the new 6' box scraper I ordered with the tractor. Our soil here is fairly loamy, so I don't think I will need any type of pulverizing attachments.

Once again, the camera is fully charged and ready to go - should be posting the pictures next week.

Until then . . . .

 

[dex3361]

This will be the longest week like the kind you had when you were a kid waiting for CHRISTmas. I had the same good experience dealing with Barlow Tractor and they are the same after the sale.

 

[dex3361]

This will be the longest week like the kind you had when you were a kid waiting for CHRISTmas. I had the same good experience dealing with Barlow Tractor and they are the same after the sale.

 

[Kubota Tee]

Randall,

Good to hear of your positive response regarding Barlow Equipment. My interaction with them so far has been very good. I have made several changes / requests during the process and they have responded very quickly and professionally.

You are right about the waiting though, trying to keep my mind off of the tractor by focusing on the snowmobiles. I had several "issues" over the past few days with my kids riding the snowmobiles and not paying attention to details such as fuel levels or pull ropes fraying. Needless to say, that my attention was diverted several times.

Pictures will be on their way shortly.

Thomas

 

[Kubota Tee]

I was hoping to be posting pictures here today of my new tractor, however due to several issues, the delivery is going to be a few days late. One of the issues is the weather. There has been a lot of freezing rain and snow between KY and MI and I have told the good folks at Barlow Equipment that I would prefer to keep their team safe versus getting my tractor on time. So we are waiting on a weather window.

The other issue is more along the line of being "self imposed"! During my waiting time, I have been spending a lot of time on TBN and kept reading about all the neat ideas that everyone has come up with for their tractor which has encouraged me to add a few more items on the "options" list. So now instead of having extra hydraulics in just the front, I will also have them in the rear as well. I also am having a rear work light installed and I changed the size of the box blade from 6' to 7'.

Again, the good folks at Barlow Equipment have been very accommodating with all these last minute changes! But that has also contributed to the delay.

So . . . another few days and hopefully I will be able to get those pictures posted!

Stay tuned.

 

[Kubota Tee]

Well, the long awaited delivery finally happened this past Wednesday. Marvin from Barlow Equipment made his way to our house just as planned to deliver the L3540HST-3. The only sad part is that I have been completely swamped the past 3 evenings and haven't really gotten any seat time - but . . . Saturday is coming and I have some big plans

It is supposed to be a nice day tomorrow, so I will get some good outdoor pictures of the new unit, but until then I thought it would be helpful to show some pictures of the new features on these -3 models from Kubota.

First off, the major change with the -2 models was a lower ROPS height so that people like me could fit the unit into a standard 8' high garage opening without lowering the ROPS. I have about 1/2" clearance coming through the opening, so I just take it nice and slow and no issues. At least for me, there is a noticeable difference when you look at the tractor in regards to the ROPS height.

 

[Kubota Tee]

Moving on to the specifics of the -3 models. For using rear implements, Kubota has figured out that we need to look back once in a while so they made the seat swivel. It isn't that drastic and I haven't really used it yet, but here are some pictures of how far it swivels.

 

[Kubota Tee]

Next is the Electric Over Hydraulic PTO Switch. Here is what the Kubota bulletin says about this thew feature:

"Electric over hydraulic PTO switch will improve the appearance of the GL40-3 side console and be a real convenience to tractor PTO operations. Just turn the PTO switch to start the PTO and push the knob to stop PTO operation. PTO engagement and disengagement on -3 tractors has the same modulation as current GL40 models, assuming the PTO lever as equipped on current models is engaged in a normal manner. This feature gives our customers smooth and easy PTO operating characteristics."

The yellow knob in the picture is the PTO switch.

 

[Kubota Tee]

The feature that Kubota seems to be the most excited about is the new Stall Guard PLUS system. Here is what their announcement says:

"Staff Guard Plus functions just as it has in prior models of GL40 tractors in non PTO applications. However, with the PTO engaged, Stall Guard Plus will react more quickly to the loads on the engine and subsequent drops in engine RPM's. Consequently, in PTO applications the speed at which the PTO driven implement is being operated will remain at a much higher RPM that the current Kubota Grand L models with Stall Guard or competitive brands. The result is increased productivity"

I don't have any PTO operated implements yet, so I'll have to let you know about this feature in a later post.

The final -3 improvement is for CAB models where they have changed the headliner material from vinyl to cloth to give it a more "luxurious look and feel".

I don't have a CAB (wouldn't fit through my 8' garage opening) so I won't be able to show you this feature.

 

[lawn_king]

Nice! Time to take her out & scratch the paint!