Grand L6060 vs. MX 6000 vs M4D-071

[SpoonDawg]

As I am now down between Green and Orange, I want to get your thoughts here on the above 3 units. I have done the basic research and understand the spec differences between the 3 units above. Probably about a $5K difference betwenn L6060 & MX vs. the M4D, all comparably equipped (Cab, 4wd, FEL, box blade, tire ballast, radio). New to the tractor world, but a quick learner. Want to buy right the first time and minimize buyers remorse:laughing:


I will repeat it here, but uses of the tractor will be for a 34 acres property of which about 20 will be pasture. The remaining acreage is mostly trees on a slope, which will be used for trail rides and ATV trails. Business is equestrian boarding and lessons. 2 barns will be constructed, one for the horses, another smaller one for storage of hay (square bales) and implements/vehicles. Gravel drive maintenance, some light brush hogging, and FEL and equestrian farm routine work will be the majority of the tasks. I definitely do not want to buy too little, but is it worth the extra $$ to go all the way to the M4D? I want stability for the slopes (widen the stance is a must), but also be nimble enought to go through the barns easily. I will eventually want the 3rd function to get a grapple to help remove the dead trees in the wooded sections. I have read the couple of threads related to this one that have recently been posted and they have been very helpful. My gut is telling me L6060 or M4D, but need a little more from those of you who have experience with these models. Thanks so much for your help in advance.

 

[jeff9366]

As I am now between Green and Orange.

All three tractors in your title are Kubota models.

L6060 has ample, AMPLE power for all your tasks. Being narrowest of three Kubota's under consideration will be easier to maneuver through 14 acres of sloped forest. L6060 has HST+ transmission. No intimidating clutch pedal.

Two features which are part of HST+ will be especially valuable to neophyte operators: 1) STALL GUARD prevents stalls, especially during forward/back Loader work. I used to stall my earlier standard L/HST a dozen times per day, doing Loader work. With STALL GUARD is stall perhaps once every 45 days. 2) You can set the control speed sensitivity as part of HST+. Even after seven years with my L3560, at age 72 years I keep control speed set at 75%. For you, this may be just a learning phase.

The M4D is 6,000 pounds bare weight, without a 900 pound cab installed. Too, too much for 34 acres.

In an earlier post you aspire for your daughter to operate the tractor. I consider it highly unlikely she will be willing to operate an M4D.

The L6060/cab will be intimidating enough.

Tractor cost does not seem to be a consideration. The wider wheel/tires on an MX6000 will do nothing for you. Forget the MX. Go with the Grand L6060.

A quality dealer, reasonably close, available for coaching, is important for tractor neophytes. Most new tractors are delivered with a glitch or two requiring correction. My kubota dealer is six miles away. I feel my local dealer continues to add value to my equipment after seven years. Dealer proximity is less important for those experienced with tractors and qualified to perform their own maintenance.

 

[SpoonDawg]

Thanks Jeff. Yes I am aware all three are Kubota. I have another posts in the Deere section about my choices there. It will be my daughter that will also operate it. I appreciate your response. Good info.

 

[SDT]

As I am now down between Green and Orange, I want to get your thoughts here on the above 3 units. I have done the basic research and understand the spec differences between the 3 units above. Probably about a $5K difference betwenn L6060 & MX vs. the M4D, all comparably equipped (Cab, 4wd, FEL, box blade, tire ballast, radio). New to the tractor world, but a quick learner. Want to buy right the first time and minimize buyers remorse:laughing:


I will repeat it here, but uses of the tractor will be for a 34 acres property of which about 20 will be pasture. The remaining acreage is mostly trees on a slope, which will be used for trail rides and ATV trails. Business is equestrian boarding and lessons. 2 barns will be constructed, one for the horses, another smaller one for storage of hay (square bales) and implements/vehicles. Gravel drive maintenance, some light brush hogging, and FEL and equestrian farm routine work will be the majority of the tasks. I definitely do not want to buy too little, but is it worth the extra $$ to go all the way to the M4D? I want stability for the slopes (widen the stance is a must), but also be nimble enought to go through the barns easily. I will eventually want the 3rd function to get a grapple to help remove the dead trees in the wooded sections. I have read the couple of threads related to this one that have recently been posted and they have been very helpful. My gut is telling me L6060 or M4D, but need a little more from those of you who have experience with these models. Thanks so much for your help in advance.

The L6060 and MX6000 are similar in size, weight and ability. They also share the same engine.

The M4 is a considerably larger, heavier and more powerful tractor. Certainly the right choice if you plan to do your own hay in the future.

Many folks buy too little tractor and eventually buy a larger and more powerful one. Few people seem to buy too much tractor before buying a smaller one to replace it.

FWIW: I have an L6060, which I love. I also have an M9960, the next size larger than the M4, as well as others. If I were to replace both with a single tractor, it would be an M4.

SDT

 

[Fallon]

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=422085

MX5400 cab compared to L5460 cab

Will cover most of the differences, at least with the L vs MX. Difference between enging output is is pretty straight forward between sub-models.

The Grands are fancier than the MX. The most important part being the 2 speed shift on the fly HST+. I think HST+ is worth it. The M is just a bigger machine with all the pros & cons that brings (and no HST options from Kubota or anybody else on that size or bigger tractor).

 

[RickB]

The L6060 would be my choice to fill your needs, just get it equipped with the 3rd function before it is delivered.

 

[eagle107]

Just figure out what you are going to do with the tractor. 34 acres is not too much for an M4 tractor depending on what you are using it for. I went from a JD 4520 compact utility to a M4D-71 and it is great tractor for what I am using it for on my 26 acres of land. However, I have turf tires on it, but they are 10 ply, and I cut 12 acres of grass with a 15 foot mower (the weight is not as bad as I thought on the property with the Turf tires). Then the rest of the tasks are to brush hog a large meadow and using a the grapple on the loader to pick up boulders and dead trees in the woods. The M4 is bigger, but can handle my tasks better than the JD 4520 did; especially when cutting the meadow. Again, it just depends on what you are doing with your tractor.

 

[Fallon]

Just figure out what you are going to do with the tractor. 34 acres is not too much for an M4 tractor depending on what you are using it for. I went from a JD 4520 compact utility to a M4D-71 and it is great tractor for what I am using it for on my 26 acres of land. However, I have turf tires on it, but they are 10 ply, and I cut 12 acres of grass with a 15 foot mower (the weight is not as bad as I thought on the property with the Turf tires). Then the rest of the tasks are to brush hog a large meadow and using a the grapple on the loader to pick up boulders and dead trees in the woods. The M4 is bigger, but can handle my tasks better than the JD 4520 did; especially when cutting the meadow. Again, it just depends on what you are doing with your tractor.

Weight, not HP means lifting & pulling power as has been noted. Except for PTO work gravity, ballast & traction account for more than power.

A 40hp M would outperform a 80hp L in most tasks except spinning a mower & manuverability.

 

[kthompson]

I very recently went though the L6060 compared to the MX and also JD 4066R. All with cab and four wheel drive. My tractor experience is relative flat land with slope concerns being mostly ditches and pond which can be serious. I have currently three tractors from a simple Kubota B2710 and M6800 both open station tractors and a JD 5525 with cab and fel. Engine HP is 27, 68 and 91 in same order as the tractor. Was farming about 25 acres or row crop and four years ago began conversion to hay (small square bales for horses). Due to my age and needed barn and some other hay equipment decide time to step out or farming was here. So selling my farming tractors and implements and needed a tractor that suited my new needs and reason the JD does not work is it's weight. Way too heavy to run in wet yard. Thus the looking at the some of the ones you are. Here is what my thoughts were:

I don't want a cab with no side window that will not open. You do not want to use your tractor with the doors open and no way can you get the ventilation I want in mild weather from a back window only. That by itself eliminated the JD 4000 series and also the Kubota MX. My wife by far liked the JD the best but was pleased with the Kubota L cab. The JD was think about $4,000 more than the Kubota L was but does have slightly more hp. There was two things I liked better on the MX compared to the L. The bigger front wheels and the about $5,000 lower price. So I dove as deep into the difference in those two. Things did not like on the MX compared to the L: Exhaust pipe is not near as well shielded, it is not the same front axle as the L's, the side windows are fixed and can not be open, like the external lift cyl better on the L, not able to open right door from outside the cab that along with the side window will not open hooking up to an implement means you must open the right door before you leave the cab if you will need to operate the lift or switch it off to hook a pto or to break pressure on remote hyds, did not like the fel lower control location or movement as well as the L, did not like the design of the levers near as well (sit in the seat of each and reach for the levers). Seems there was something else but not remember it right now. I did my best to figure the price difference these differences would cost Kubota and could such as no latch to open right door (OH, no level indicator on bucket) and level indicator and side windows not opening were maybe worth a $1,000 at the most. So what is the other $4,000 coming from? The hydro transmission and maybe the different front axle???
Now what each or any of those items means to you may be totally different than to me. Hope spell it correctly but view Messick's youtube comparison on these two tractors, he does a decent job.

Had the JD cab had opening side windows most likely would have been our new tractor. the B 2710 has been issue free, the M6800 has required a gear and bearing replacement in the transmission. Bearing was at least partly my fault as had leak on a remote hyd cyl not aware of and oil dropped low while disking. By far I like the JD the most as my nephew says it is just great tractor to operate. It is layout and operation has greatly pleased and impressed me. Being use to it's cab was the standard I used for what I wanted in the new cab tractor. Unless you will really be raising a

Comment on the other Kubota, do not know it but IF you may get into hay you will have options to equipment. There is also an option many miss and that is the compact hay equipment which any of these tractors can handle. I was raising small square hay for horses. The L6060 is capable of using a 10 baler accumulator/grapple to load and stack the hay. It is also enough to run some mowers, rakes and tedder. Doubt it would please you with a full size baler. But if you are baling much square balers you will need at least one more tractor in the field, one baling, one loading and depending maybe one raking. Of course the raking and loading tractor can be same tractor. Would depend on how much hay you baling and loading out in a day.

 

[SDT]

I very recently went though the L6060 compared to the MX and also JD 4066R. All with cab and four wheel drive. My tractor experience is relative flat land with slope concerns being mostly ditches and pond which can be serious. I have currently three tractors from a simple Kubota B2710 and M6800 both open station tractors and a JD 5525 with cab and fel. Engine HP is 27, 68 and 91 in same order as the tractor. Was farming about 25 acres or row crop and four years ago began conversion to hay (small square bales for horses). Due to my age and needed barn and some other hay equipment decide time to step out or farming was here. So selling my farming tractors and implements and needed a tractor that suited my new needs and reason the JD does not work is it's weight. Way too heavy to run in wet yard. Thus the looking at the some of the ones you are. Here is what my thoughts were:

I don't want a cab with no side window that will not open. You do not want to use your tractor with the doors open and no way can you get the ventilation I want in mild weather from a back window only. That by itself eliminated the JD 4000 series and also the Kubota MX. My wife by far liked the JD the best but was pleased with the Kubota L cab. The JD was think about $4,000 more than the Kubota L was but does have slightly more hp. There was two things I liked better on the MX compared to the L. The bigger front wheels and the about $5,000 lower price. So I dove as deep into the difference in those two. Things did not like on the MX compared to the L: Exhaust pipe is not near as well shielded, it is not the same front axle as the L's, the side windows are fixed and can not be open, like the external lift cyl better on the L, not able to open right door from outside the cab that along with the side window will not open hooking up to an implement means you must open the right door before you leave the cab if you will need to operate the lift or switch it off to hook a pto or to break pressure on remote hyds, did not like the fel lower control location or movement as well as the L, did not like the design of the levers near as well (sit in the seat of each and reach for the levers). Seems there was something else but not remember it right now. I did my best to figure the price difference these differences would cost Kubota and could such as no latch to open right door (OH, no level indicator on bucket) and level indicator and side windows not opening were maybe worth a $1,000 at the most. So what is the other $4,000 coming from? The hydro transmission and maybe the different front axle???
Now what each or any of those items means to you may be totally different than to me. Hope spell it correctly but view Messick's youtube comparison on these two tractors, he does a decent job.

Had the JD cab had opening side windows most likely would have been our new tractor. the B 2710 has been issue free, the M6800 has required a gear and bearing replacement in the transmission. Bearing was at least partly my fault as had leak on a remote hyd cyl not aware of and oil dropped low while disking. By far I like the JD the most as my nephew says it is just great tractor to operate. It is layout and operation has greatly pleased and impressed me. Being use to it's cab was the standard I used for what I wanted in the new cab tractor. Unless you will really be raising a

Comment on the other Kubota, do not know it but IF you may get into hay you will have options to equipment. There is also an option many miss and that is the compact hay equipment which any of these tractors can handle. I was raising small square hay for horses. The L6060 is capable of using a 10 baler accumulator/grapple to load and stack the hay. It is also enough to run some mowers, rakes and tedder. Doubt it would please you with a full size baler. But if you are baling much square balers you will need at least one more tractor in the field, one baling, one loading and depending maybe one raking. Of course the raking and loading tractor can be same tractor. Would depend on how much hay you baling and loading out in a day.

Before buying my L6060 ROPS (all of my tractors are ROPS as I routinely drive near and beneath trees) I also looked closely at the JD 4066R.

I preferred the JD due to the EPTO (not available on the L6060) but wanted R-4 tires, and the JD was offered only with one piece, non adjustable wheels when equipped with R-4s.

I might still have bought the JD with R-1 tires but the JD dealer was both arrogant and unhelpful (not to mention 30 miles further from my location).

SDT