Need Advice: Kubota M9000 or JD 5525

[slowzuki]

I think they mean the open station models, the shifter is between the legs.

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At some point I would like to hear more about the inferior ergonomics of the Kubota. I think they are very good.
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[Smitty8466]

Hi Everyone!

Thanks for the flurry of responses! Some of you have asked for more info so I'll try to answer your questions.

Tractor Specs:

Deere - 5525 (75 PTO HP), ROPS, MFWD, 12x12 e-PowerReverser, Straddle mount, tilt-wheel, 2 rear SCVs, telescoping link ends, 480/30 R1W tires, ~3300lb 3pt lift capacity (24in from ends)
Price: $40-$41K with Quicke Q940 loader (should have a firm number later today)

Kubota - M9000 (80 PTO HP), ROPS, MFWD 8x8 hydraulic shuttle transmission, 2 rear SCVs, telescoping link ends, 480/30 R1W tires, ~4600lb 3pt lift capacity (24in from ends)
Prices: $36,800

Quicke FEL:
I selected this one because Kubota does not offer self leveling as an option on the M9000, thus I never looked at the Kubota loader specs. I need self leveling for use with pallet forks so I can move stacks of lumber around without dumping it on myself! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I did look at the Deere 542 loader. The Quicke can hoist 3800lbs while the Deere is limited to 2800lbs. Plus the Quicke mounts it's valve on the loader frame (stays with tractor) thus keeping the hydrualic lines from running underneath the tractor which is important when you are running in the woods. In addition, Quicke offers a "quick disconnect" option that allows you to disconnect all four hydraulic lines from the FEL at one time, under pressure! Thus I'll be getting the Quicke loader on what ever tractor I buy.

Dealers:
In this comparison, the Deere dealer is much better than the Kubota dealer - I've been working with them for 5+ years.

Cabs:
Since I do a little logging to feed our sawmill, I'll be going with the ROPS version.

Ergonomics:
The major difference between the two (the Deere straddle mount vs the Kubota) is the placement of the shift levers, foot throttle, and steering wheel.

The Deere has a tilt wheel, the foot throttle is pleasently under my right foot and the shift levers are one the dash (Reverser) and on the right (Range+speeds).

The Kubota has one shift lever (Range) on the left, the reverser on the dash, 4 speed lever in the middle where you have to straddle it, and the foot throttle stuck way out to the right side of the brake pedals. I find that I have to cock my foot out at an angle to the right to reach it. On the ROPS model, Kubota does not offer a tilt wheel. This causes me to have to pull the seat up fairly close the dash to comforably reach the top of the steering wheel.

Electronics:
My major concern about electronics is long term failure - and the cost to repair. I'd hate to have to split the tractor to replace a failed solenoid. But, as some have pointed out, there's lots of cars on the roads with lots of old electronics in them.

Thanks again for all of the input! I have to make up my mind this week - it's driving me crazy!

 

[stevenf]

Smitty, My take on the electronics is keep it simple. Tractors have been around a very long time, many of the tractors built 50+ years ago are still running and working, with very little done to them over the years. The cars with electronics that you refer to are what maybe 30 or so and most have significant problems way before that. The higher tech electronics of the modern day car although stable when new is better suited in many cases on a desk and not in a car or tractor its just inevitable that electronics is finding its way into tractors as higher efficiencies are demanded in both performance and emmisions. Maybe since most of our kids are being taught computers in elementary school trouble shooting won't be such a big issue by the time you start having trouble but I'd like to pass this tractor to my kids and all the bells and whistles associated with electronics will be long dead and hopefully replacement parts will still be available. When you talk about electronics think about your first car, the power windows wouldn't work, the wipers wouldn't work, lights pulsated when you turned on the turn signal and if its anything like my first truck a 1979 Ford F250 when it got hot (really hot) you had to stop at the ice house and buy a bag of ice and tape it to the module to keep the engine firing correctly.
Give be a basic tractor with as little electronics as I can get by with, the mechanical I'm pretty good fixing myself, high tech electronics takes a trained technician with the right equipment and the charges associated with having it done rather than doing it yourself.
Steve

 

[slowzuki]

My take on the electronics is similar. If working a tractor hard everyday and it is paying for itself, it will be replaced every 5-10 years so electronics shouldn't be breaking down. The electronics make the machine more useful sometimes and user friendly.

If you plan on keeping it 30 year plan ahead to what trying to repair wiring will be like. I know I don't like repairing harness on our 25 year old machine. It gets caked in dust and grime and the insulation is brittle.

I find the machines around here with a lot of electronics (the new hollands) have problems right out of the gate. Dead computers and senors and wiring faults. Very frustrating.

 

[cowboydoc]

<font color="red">My major concern about electronics is long term failure - and the cost to repair. I'd hate to have to split the tractor to replace a failed solenoid. But, as some have pointed out, there's lots of cars on the roads with lots of old electronics in them.
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The solenoids are all placed within easy access. The code reader will even tell you exactly which solenoid or wire is bad. On the balers, combines, etc. there is a computer code reader that tells you specifically where the problem is. It has saved us alot of hours chasing problems down.

 

[Dmax]

"Kubota does not offer a tilt wheel"


Are you sure? I just bought an M6800 cab and it has a tilt steering wheel and would have thought the m9000 would have also. I agree that the Deere do have more bell and whistles but if I was planning on keep the tractor for along time I would also worry about all the electronics. I work on Crown electric fork lifts at my real job and most will give you a code when it has a problem but that sometimes it just a place to start and some times it will lead you the wrong way. The more electronics the more to go wrong IMO.

 

[Smitty8466]

Hi Dmax,

"Kubota does not offer a tilt wheel"

Supposedly the tilt wheel is only available on the cab version. It seems like Kubota redesigned the cab not so long ago but left the ROPS version alone. It sure would be nice to have some of the features from the cab on the ROPS!

 

[CMunger]

In orchard tractors, in California anyway, work in dust, spraying corrosive material, then overnite moisture sets in, anyway electronics have been a big problem, and some manufacures have back off using them as much and have given more thought of, like where do we really need this stuff, and where are we over engineering. I am sure these are things that would not concern a compact tractor user, but it does give you an accelerated look into the future of what may happen.
Chuck M.

 

[EastTexFrank]

Let us know what you finally decide and pictures, pictures, pictures.

I can only say that I wish I was having to make this decision. I'd take either one in a heartbeat .... but with a cab. I'm jealous.

 

[CMunger]

Cowboydeere- Let me be a little more accurate here. A company by the name of Kansaki (Yanmar Owned) made the transmission for the 5000 series coming to the US. Carrarro made the transmissions for the 5000 series in Europe. The design was probably approved by Deere, and possibly modified by Deere. I am not saying this to put the tractor down, outsourcing is a very common practice that is going on in all industries, not just ag tractors, and Deere is no exception, and I think it has work well for them. I cannot say for sure if the 20 series still is coming from the same company, but it looks like it.
Chuck M.