JD4310 VS NH TC35

[JATO_RaT]

John, I belive the hydraulic implement pump on the Kubotas 30 series is on the outside just as it is with all the other series Kubotas I am familiar with. The brochure I have indicates this indirectly. The hydrostatic pump is most definitely on the inside, where it belongs to reduce noise, increase reliability from continuous oil cooling and improve connectivity for fluid flow to operational changes. If this is the pump your reffering too, then Gellison has nothing to worry about as 1., he's looking at FST, one of 3 great transmissions from Kubota, 2., if he was interested in HST, Kubota builds arguably the best, most reliable, dependable HST made. (my 2 local JD/Kubota and NH/Kubotas dealers opinions as well as mine).
While simplicity is inherently less problematic, the electronics on the Kubota, other then the very nice dash display which I don't believe plays video games, gives ground speed, something new for most tractors and is in my opinion, a big plus. The tachometer is still mechanical. Overall, the electronics are still far simplier then what JD is putting on their new series tractor. The 3 cylinder is not necessarily less smooth then a four. While the displacement on the 3830 has dropped slightly both bore and stroke are greater, and horsepower has increased slightly. None of this has decreased the smoothness of the 3 over the 4 from my ability to detect. My old International 454D with a 179 cu inch, 3 cylinder diesel is exceptionally smooth, perhaps more so then many 4's and even some 5's. I believe diesel design be it indirect/direct, counter balancing, etc has more to do with it then the number of cylinders, at least up to a point. Anyway, I wanted the original poster to be as informed as possible. The Kubota L3710 is a very nice tractor, the L3830 I think is even nicer. Get the brochure, check it out at your dealer, check the new loader out, check the external 3 pt lift cylinders out, heck, try the GST and especially the HST, I'm going to very soon as they become more available which admittedly has been slow. Rat...

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Thanks alot guys, I did get a price on the L3830 today, it was 19,600 and some change. I can't justify the difference between the two jus tyet, so I am really leaningtoward the L3710. I'll keep you guys posted, I also may spend the extra and add a 4n1 bucket, I heard from a freind that it is the best money I could spend.

Thanks
gellison

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Rat: I'm sorry if I gave Gellison wrong info on the location of the hydraulic pump-if I did. I was told by the dealer that's where it was and from the literature and looking at the thing it would appear to be internal. But I havn't tracked it down and eye-balled it personally, so, I may be wrong about that. I do know that some tractors have had the hydraulic pump internal (the NH 2120s did I know for certain) which is why I didn't question what the dealer told me. I was simply being nasty about the "video game" dash-come on, I gotta have a little fun. You are correct though, that the electronics are far less on the Kub than the JDs. Again, though, unless the dealer gave me wrong info, the thing can't be fixed and is simply replaced if it goes out-and I was told it cost $200-$250 to do that. But, beyond the money, if he is going to keep the thing for years, how easy will it be? My god, try buying parts for a 20 year old computer with a Z-80. You have an older IH-You can get almost any part replaced at a machine shop if you have too. If a guage goes out, you can buy replacements. You can keep it running forever. But, you can't get "home made" computer chips. If he's going to trade it in a few years all of this doesn't make any difference, of course. And, I'll agree with you the new Kubotas are a refined design. You can get almost any option including mid PTO, creeper gears for the FST, etc. The reclining seat is very comfortable, etc. You have to go to the 4330 to get a loader heavier duty than the NH though. The 3830 uses one rated less-at least the literature says that (I havn't personally tested lift capacity on any of them-how accurate do you think the specs are from the various manufacturers??? Do you think they "puff" up the numbers???? I have wondered about that). That aside, I really do believe that the NH geared is more apt to be running 50 years from now than ones with computer control of everything (as you said, like the JDs). Of course, I'll be dead 50 years from now, so why worry?! I guess, having started with an old Farmall as my first tractor, solid, simple design has greater value to me than it might for others. JEH P.S. I'm hoping to pick up my new TC40 soon-they're waiting on the BH to arrive, everything else is there. When I do (assuming I can contain myself!) I will give a look-see at the location of the hydraulic pump on the new Kubotas. Like I said, you may be right.

 

[JATO_RaT]

John, you know I have not looked at the specs to much for the L3130 to L3830 loader, thge new model uses a considerably higher rated loader the the previous models. The new ones (LA3130, L3430 and L3830) use the LA 723 vs LA 682 on the L3710 and 4310 and LA482 on the 3010 and 3410. The specs are quite good. I thought they were considerably higher from memory then JD's comparable size tractors and I know they are much beefier. I know little about the NH line other then we have the NH 2120 with I believe it to be the 7904. The engine/transmission bolts have loosened so many times that it now needs to be split apart and have a seal or gasket or something repaired as it has severely diminshed the hydraulic ability of the loader. I eventually got the bolts locked with locktight primer, and super ultimate locktight, others have mentioned this same problem with the bolts loosening. The other issue with the NH 2120 we have had are the lower draft bars on the 3pt hitch bending while using the boxsraper, They are quite small/long for the size of the tractor.

My International is a beast, it still has all parts available for the most part. I need to put in a new pressure plate so a new disc and throwout will go in as well. The engine on this beast is very strong and actually quite large for a 3 cylinder. It sounds like it has some muscle, not loud, just deep. I run it at 1200 RPM to cut the grass using the high speed PTO (1000 RPM) at that RPM it just purrs along and is so quiet folks probably wonder if I've converted to electric especially with the wind noise my finish mower makes. Rat...

 

[AndyMA]

I'm addressing this comment specificially to the previous post. I have always prefered new Holland (Ford) to JD in the smaller tractor sizes as I feel that the NH's are stronger machines. The comments I wanted to make regard the NH 2120. I have been running a 2120 since 1987 and have not had any of the "loose bolt" problems that a couple of users bring up. Mine has been used hard including used with a heavy 8' box scraper and I have seen no signs of any bending of any of the 3pt hitch linkage. I have snagged the box scraper many times and it has significient bends to show for it, but the tractor and 3 point hitch showed no ill effects. It also spent considerable time with a 758 backhoe, again with no problems. The 2120 is widely regarded as a very strong machine and was kept in production long after the Boomer line came into existance as it is a larger and more rugged tractor that the TC45.Just my thoughtsAndy

 

[JATO_RaT]

Andy, first let me say that the NH/Ford 2120 is a fine tractor, I can understand your attachment to it. Its got the classical lines of the old style tractors with very little plastic, easy operator station to work around, and just plain simple to work on. Perhaps your 87 used different draftbars. Those on our 96 model are without a doubt, quite weak. They bend right at the point the anti-sway bolt is attached, about midway. My International is not much bigger HP wise if at all, but the lower drafts on it dwarf the 2120's. I mentioned the bolt loosening problem several years ago and was surprised at the number of personal emails from other NH 2120 owners indicating the same thing happened to them and that retightening the bolts was only a partial fix. The concensous was that the tractor would need to be split and a new seal put in somewhere. Someday we will once we confirm this. An 8' box blade is quite an excessive size box to use on this relatively light tractor, even my own personal and considerably heavier L48 has only a 72" 1200lb box blade and when its filled (about 22 cu ft of material), I know I've got a load. I use the 2120 at a orchard with a much lighter 72" boxblade made by Ford. But hey if your making it work, why not. The 2120 is a fine tractor, it's not my first choice, I much prefer a little larger Kubota L4850 over it which seems much more refined even though its 4 years older. I will attempt to get over to the orchard and take a picture of the still used and restraightened draftbars so you can look and see if they are the ones you have. The NH 2120 we have is still in great shape as it really gets very few hours. A few dents at the front end where the lack of a grille guard has allowed on 2 occasions a branch of about 4 inchs to pop up catch it as we were moving piles of brush. The front tires are just about shot now, they wore quickly but a small price to pay for the amount we use 4WD which is all the time. I believe we have around 400 or 500 hours on it now. The major use is with the loader. The loader is very decent on the 2120 and perfectly capable of doing the work this size tractor was designed for. I believe I posted the wrong loader model previously and seem to think it is the 7309 on the 2120. Rat...

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Rat: Seem to recall your (or some others?) mentioning probs w-the 2120 lower case bolts. Most of them were made in Japan-don't know about yours-maybe . . . they forgot to do their calesthentics that morning (just kidding). Why don't you simply replace the lower link arms? Should be simple and relatively cheap. Most of the stuff I have seen/heard about the 2120 (see Andy's comment) are they are, on the whole very solid tractors. I expect to have some problems with my new TC40 (when I get it) and it's certainly not as heavy duty as the 2120 (or, actually, 1920 for which it is the direct replacement). Still havn't had a chance to eyeball the 30 series Kubs to see where the hydraulic pump actually is-as I mentioned above, don't like to give out incorrect info. Anyway, they shipped the BH Friday, so should get here next week sometime. JEH

 

[JATO_RaT]

The lower bars will have to be replaced at some point, its just getting around to doing it. I know this tractor gets only a few hours on it a year, seems there are lots of folks here that would consider buying such a tractor so that could even be in the cards for the owner, (my brother-in-law). He had a taste of my L48 with HST and thats what he feels would suit his needs better (HST) He mows around a lake at his place that just would be much simplier with HST.
The engine to transmission bolts loosen regardless of the torque you put on them. They definitely require locktite to eliminate the problem. I received 3 emails from guys having the same problem, thats quite a few considering there are so few owners of the 2120 here, I think it was Rowski that I first met and knew of as having a 2120. To my knowledge, they are all produced and have partial assembly in Japan. Rat....