xxxsandman
Silver Member
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2005
- Messages
- 132
I figured I owe everyone a fair "consumer" review of my new LG Montana 4540, since I did get some useful information from you guys and this forum while making my purchase decsion.
I now have a ripe 10 hours on my Montana 4540 tractor, I bought a month ago. I bought the tractor unseen and picked it up directly from the factory in Springdale, AR. I saw them for the first time ever at the Tulsa Farm show and did more research on the Internet before deciding to purchase one. My previous tractor was a Rhino Internation 4134, 40HP 4x4 gear shift tractor.
It may be too soon for me to give a full review of this tractor, so I will touch on my 1st impressions and thoughts after 10 hours of light use.
My use so far consist mainly of front end loader, box blade, and hay spear useage. The tractor will spend over 50% of the time mowing with a 6' finishing mower, wrong time of year to try that out, but I think it will excel at that task.
Here's some things I LIKE about my new Montana Tractor:
1. MUCH better hydraulics then my previous tractor. Stronger, faster, and smooter flow from the 3 point hitch, with lots of adjustment options, like draft, speed, etc.
2. Quiter, smoother engine. The 4 cylinder engine delivers nice smooth power and has good low end idle torque, that allows taking off at idle in any gear except 4 hi. Quiter then any other tractor I've operated.
3. Starts easy with automatic glow plugs.
4. Very smooth, easy steering.
5. Very smooth clutch for smooth take offs.
6. I like having 2 sets of remote hydralics available.
7. The engine doesn't seem to smoke at all, even under load, unless you lug it.
8. Has folding ROPS, which I learned is a good think, since it won't fit through the door of my shed without it folded down.
9. Smooth transmission. No grinding gear shifts on the move. Seperior to any tractor I've drove.
Here's some things I DON'T LIKE:
1. It's small!!! I'm 6' 4" tall and it feels a little cramped in the operator station. My Rhino has more room! My knees hit the gear shifter, when in 1st, 3rd or reverse. It's hard to reach the 4x4 and remote hydraulic levers. My 5'4" wife loves it, fits her pefect, not me.
2. Front end loader isn't as strong as I had hoped. Within 10 hours I've already found something it won't lift at all. I was moving some large sand stone rocks that are heavy, it would not lift one of them even an inch. Maybe that rock weighed over 2,000 lbs, which I think is near it's capacity. Maybe I should have gotten a bigger tractor with a bigger loader? I normally apply the rule, if it fits in the bucket it should lift it.
3. The dumping action of the bucket on the front end loader seems slow. The up and down is really fast, but the dump is at least half the speed. Maybe this is normal for FEL, but I would rather them both be fast.
4. The fenders seem flemsy. They look good, but I can move them a lot by pushing and pulling. I worry I will put too much weight on one or bump it with something bending it someday. Luckly the R4 read tire stick out a good foot past the fenders, so I probably won't hit them.
5. Rear implement visiblity isn't as good as the Rhino. Due to the way the tractor is built, it's solid to the top of the fuel tank behind the seat, so you can't look down at the front of your implement quite as easily. Especially when the ROPS is folded down, it blocks your view even more.
6. It doesn't have a very fast highway gear. My 40hp Rhino will run off and leave it on the county road. It does have a nice selection of slow gears, but I think a taller "faster" 4th Hi would be better for moving down the road to the next job.
7. I think it's a little light. Maybe not any lighter then my Rhino, but with 45HP I don't think you will have the traction to realize the engines full potential. I already filled the rear tires with water and antifreeze to help in this department.
8. Sticky throttle! The foot controlled throttle is very stiff and not smooth at all. Applying throttle with it ends up with jerky engine burst instead of smooth acceleration. The hand throttle is stiff too, but you don't notice it as much, since you are usually setting a steady RPM and leaving it. Maybe mine should be lubed or adjusted? Or is this the norm for this tractor?
Things I HAVEN'T DECIDED if I like or not yet:
1. The exhaust shooting out the right side. I like not having a exhaust stack blocking any of my view or getting hit by low trees, but I don't care for the black it leaves on the right FEL hydraulic cylinder. It looks bad after only 10 hours of light use. Also I have to wonder if the fumes aren't worse being spit out the side, instead of put up in the air with a stack. I know several other brands do their exhaust out the side now, so this isn't a Montana exclusive.
2. Electronic PTO control. Haven't used it yet, but I have to wonder if it will be as realiable as a Gear shifted unit. I don't know if it has an electronic breaking system, as I've read some do. I worry that my brush hog will cause damage over time with a PTO system that applies a break after you shut it off. Also is it really abrupt and pull the engine hard when you turn it on with a load attached? I used my 2 stage clucth on my Rhino to gently start a heavy PTO load.
3. While the R4 tires look awesome and leave less of a track in damp soil then ag tires, they don't get very good traction in muddy conditions. I knew this already, but it's amazing how much better my Rhino gets around with 4 wheel drive ag tires in muddy conditions. It'd pull my new tractor backwards all day long on anything other then payment.
Conclusion: The jury is still out, but so far I like it. BUT! If I had it to do over, I would have spent the extra money and got the Montana utility size tractor. It would have fit my 6'4" height better, it weighs more, and has a bigger FEL. All grips I have with mine. Too late now, I'm stuck. Me buying the "wrong" tractor isn't anyones fault but my own. I never even set on one before buying and they sure looked bigger at the farm show. I think the 4540 will do good at mowing, which will consist of 50% or more of it's use. Being small, it will probably be handy when cleaning the barns out too.
So in closing, I like my new Montana 4540, I just wish I would have bought a Montana 4940 or 5740 open cab model.
James
I now have a ripe 10 hours on my Montana 4540 tractor, I bought a month ago. I bought the tractor unseen and picked it up directly from the factory in Springdale, AR. I saw them for the first time ever at the Tulsa Farm show and did more research on the Internet before deciding to purchase one. My previous tractor was a Rhino Internation 4134, 40HP 4x4 gear shift tractor.
It may be too soon for me to give a full review of this tractor, so I will touch on my 1st impressions and thoughts after 10 hours of light use.
My use so far consist mainly of front end loader, box blade, and hay spear useage. The tractor will spend over 50% of the time mowing with a 6' finishing mower, wrong time of year to try that out, but I think it will excel at that task.
Here's some things I LIKE about my new Montana Tractor:
1. MUCH better hydraulics then my previous tractor. Stronger, faster, and smooter flow from the 3 point hitch, with lots of adjustment options, like draft, speed, etc.
2. Quiter, smoother engine. The 4 cylinder engine delivers nice smooth power and has good low end idle torque, that allows taking off at idle in any gear except 4 hi. Quiter then any other tractor I've operated.
3. Starts easy with automatic glow plugs.
4. Very smooth, easy steering.
5. Very smooth clutch for smooth take offs.
6. I like having 2 sets of remote hydralics available.
7. The engine doesn't seem to smoke at all, even under load, unless you lug it.
8. Has folding ROPS, which I learned is a good think, since it won't fit through the door of my shed without it folded down.
9. Smooth transmission. No grinding gear shifts on the move. Seperior to any tractor I've drove.
Here's some things I DON'T LIKE:
1. It's small!!! I'm 6' 4" tall and it feels a little cramped in the operator station. My Rhino has more room! My knees hit the gear shifter, when in 1st, 3rd or reverse. It's hard to reach the 4x4 and remote hydraulic levers. My 5'4" wife loves it, fits her pefect, not me.
2. Front end loader isn't as strong as I had hoped. Within 10 hours I've already found something it won't lift at all. I was moving some large sand stone rocks that are heavy, it would not lift one of them even an inch. Maybe that rock weighed over 2,000 lbs, which I think is near it's capacity. Maybe I should have gotten a bigger tractor with a bigger loader? I normally apply the rule, if it fits in the bucket it should lift it.
3. The dumping action of the bucket on the front end loader seems slow. The up and down is really fast, but the dump is at least half the speed. Maybe this is normal for FEL, but I would rather them both be fast.
4. The fenders seem flemsy. They look good, but I can move them a lot by pushing and pulling. I worry I will put too much weight on one or bump it with something bending it someday. Luckly the R4 read tire stick out a good foot past the fenders, so I probably won't hit them.
5. Rear implement visiblity isn't as good as the Rhino. Due to the way the tractor is built, it's solid to the top of the fuel tank behind the seat, so you can't look down at the front of your implement quite as easily. Especially when the ROPS is folded down, it blocks your view even more.
6. It doesn't have a very fast highway gear. My 40hp Rhino will run off and leave it on the county road. It does have a nice selection of slow gears, but I think a taller "faster" 4th Hi would be better for moving down the road to the next job.
7. I think it's a little light. Maybe not any lighter then my Rhino, but with 45HP I don't think you will have the traction to realize the engines full potential. I already filled the rear tires with water and antifreeze to help in this department.
8. Sticky throttle! The foot controlled throttle is very stiff and not smooth at all. Applying throttle with it ends up with jerky engine burst instead of smooth acceleration. The hand throttle is stiff too, but you don't notice it as much, since you are usually setting a steady RPM and leaving it. Maybe mine should be lubed or adjusted? Or is this the norm for this tractor?
Things I HAVEN'T DECIDED if I like or not yet:
1. The exhaust shooting out the right side. I like not having a exhaust stack blocking any of my view or getting hit by low trees, but I don't care for the black it leaves on the right FEL hydraulic cylinder. It looks bad after only 10 hours of light use. Also I have to wonder if the fumes aren't worse being spit out the side, instead of put up in the air with a stack. I know several other brands do their exhaust out the side now, so this isn't a Montana exclusive.
2. Electronic PTO control. Haven't used it yet, but I have to wonder if it will be as realiable as a Gear shifted unit. I don't know if it has an electronic breaking system, as I've read some do. I worry that my brush hog will cause damage over time with a PTO system that applies a break after you shut it off. Also is it really abrupt and pull the engine hard when you turn it on with a load attached? I used my 2 stage clucth on my Rhino to gently start a heavy PTO load.
3. While the R4 tires look awesome and leave less of a track in damp soil then ag tires, they don't get very good traction in muddy conditions. I knew this already, but it's amazing how much better my Rhino gets around with 4 wheel drive ag tires in muddy conditions. It'd pull my new tractor backwards all day long on anything other then payment.
Conclusion: The jury is still out, but so far I like it. BUT! If I had it to do over, I would have spent the extra money and got the Montana utility size tractor. It would have fit my 6'4" height better, it weighs more, and has a bigger FEL. All grips I have with mine. Too late now, I'm stuck. Me buying the "wrong" tractor isn't anyones fault but my own. I never even set on one before buying and they sure looked bigger at the farm show. I think the 4540 will do good at mowing, which will consist of 50% or more of it's use. Being small, it will probably be handy when cleaning the barns out too.
So in closing, I like my new Montana 4540, I just wish I would have bought a Montana 4940 or 5740 open cab model.
James