Deere vs Kubota

[_RaT_]

I've been analyzing, researching, and trying various tractors. Rumour has it that John Deere is working feavorishly to come up with a better hydrostatic drive. If your going hydro, (HST) consider this in your decision. The John Deere HST is much noisier and far less smooth then the Kubota, in fact, there is no comparison. Hopefully they will come up with a great new HST. Unlike a few folks, most of us won't be going out to exchange our tractors when another manufactuer comes out with something better, for this reason, making the right decision is so important to us. My purchase will have to take me well past another manufactuers improvement on whatever model I decide on. Like most people with some common sense, I want to know what all the options are before I purchase, and for the most part, that means looking at most manufactuers products. When I look at tractors, I'm not color blind, but I am most certainly open to all makes. Rat...

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I almost bought the JD 4400. I had my checkbook with me. I drove the JD 4400 and the HST pedals were not only too far to the right on the floor deck, but when I let off either forward or reverse, the tractor would come to a stop, like NOW. The Kubota is a different story. Smooth stops with HST (foot off) pedal. Better position on floor/deck too. My concern is the difference in power between the JD 4400 and the Kubota 2910. The weight is also substantially different. I'm leaning heavily towards the B2910. I think the loader on a B2910 is more sound than what JD offers. The DI vs IDI on the engine is something I'm struggling with. DI is much preferred, which JD has. - JayD

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Mark, you and another fellow both said you wanted JD's because they were JD's. Isn't that like wanting a small car and going to look at Ford's because your Dad had a 57 Ford? The new small Fords at least a couple years ago were built by KIA in Korea. The JD may have <font color=green>green</font color=green> paint but you might as well just buy a Yanmar and get a couple of Green stickers to put on them. I think a lot of us old enough to have grandparents that had farms have that same feeling for the big <font color=green>Green</font color=green> from childhood memories, but these compact JD's aren't. Heck, the last couple of CAT excavators had Japanese writing all over everything. It really is true, we can't go home again.

<font color=blue>Brand </font color=blue><font color=orange>Blind</font color=orange> <font color=red>in</font color=red> <font color=green>Washington</font color=green>

Del

 

[Bird]

JayD, there has been a considerable amount of discussion on the merits (or lack thereof) of the DI vs IDI. You say DI is much preferred. Why? I'm afraid I still have no idea whether or why one is "better" than the other.

Bird

 

[Anonymous Poster]

DI is a cleaner more efficient burn. Metering can also be more exact with the associated fuel pump (high pressure). Look at all the latest Diesel engines, you'll see "DI" somewhere in the name (i.e., Ford's 7.3L DI Turbo Diesel, VW's DI Turbo Diesel, etc.). - JayD

 

[Anonymous Poster]

DI is a cleaner more efficient burn. Metering can also be more exact with the associated fuel pump (high pressure). Look at all the latest Diesel engines, you'll see "DI" somewhere in the name (i.e., Ford's 7.3L DI Turbo Diesel, VW's DI Turbo Diesel, etc.).

 

[David USMC]

Del
hit the nail on the head. I worked on an Uncles farm from the time I was twelve until I went to college. We had everything from JD model M's to Jd 4010's. I think we had eight of these tractors including a massive JD combine. I guess my memories influenced my early decisions. I have been communicating with Bird and others and they have really opened my eyes. On another website a fellow replied to my post and told me he had an early production model of the 4400 with hst. He,of course had to replace the front axle, his transmission failed...had to be replaced and his dash was fogging. Yes the dealer did correct the problems but, why would Deere but such a product on the market..QQQ. Ive come to the conclusion that the best thing about this series of tractors is the Yanmar engine. Of course, small things like the float seat, the mowing deck..really nice, quick attachment of the front end loader are very nice however, if the transmission is shot what good are they. In closing the fellow who had the 4400 had been a loyal Kubota owner for ten years..said he spent all of ten dollars on them. When asked if he would buy Deere again even with prompt warranty service he said no. I think Ill just buy the Deere model of the 4010. Hope this helps.

 

[Bird]

OK, JayD, I sure don't have enough knowledge to agree or disagree./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Bird

 

[Anonymous Poster]

In theory direct injection may offer a cleaner more efficient burn, in practice that may not always be true. Both methods for delivering fuel have been around for some time. For direct injection to be cleaner and more efficient it needs to be controled exactly and requires many high tech components. While cutting edge fuel controls may be available on cars, they are usually not available on compact tractors. The first small diesel engine to meet the CARB emission requirements was the indirect injected engine in the Kubota B2400. There is almost no visible smoke from this engine except for a small puff when starting cold. That's more than good enough for me.

Andy

 

[MChalkley]

Hear, hear! Or is it 'Here, here', or maybe even 'Hear, here', or I suppose even 'Here, hear'...

Anyway, I think that hits the nail on the head. Tractors don't have electronic injection and such, and I'm not too sure that's a bad thing, personally. It's nice to have something on the place that burns fuel and isn't adversely affected by cosmic ray events and sunspot cycles. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Besides, as you say, if it doesn't smoke, and has enough power to do the job, it's kind of hard to gripe about its efficiency.

Mark