New to tractors and heard a rumor about Kubota

[rbargeron]

Few food crops are in the process of changing as completely as apples. Spend some time with R&D orchards at Agricultural colleges near you. You'll see what the new trellis planting methods are and the machinery and methods required to support them. The tractors needed are somewhat down the list of capital investment decisions.

 

[Wagtail]

Deere is unique in demonstrating the level of arrogance necessary to cling to proprietary coupler systems. They aren't even compatible with different series of their own loaders. I was involved with a farm that had 540 and 741 loaders. Not compatible. When we bought a 3720 the sales guy insisted we could not get SSQA on that loader until I gave him the bundle number for the ecoupler. Then I had to buy a bucket elsewhere as nothing suitable was offered by Deere.

I would say that "arrogance" is a fairly strong word when the addition of a SSQA to my 300CX FEL would be an additional 132 pounds of weight. Which is 132 lbs less maximum lifting capacity. I've only got two implements for my own FEL, a combination bale-spike/forklift and a 4in1 bucket... both are non-JD manufacture and fit perfectly.

I can't really comment on the twit of a salesman you dealt with except to say/repeat that he was a twit. I will say that it's almost a mantra, here on TBN, that the reputation/support of the individual dealership (the first impression being their salesman) is paramount. With your described experience, I would've walked out the door too. Where I live, my dealership knows me by name & backs me up, even though I've got a small tractor. I'm fortunate in that regard.

 

[Rustyiron]

Deere is unique in demonstrating the level of arrogance necessary to cling to proprietary coupler systems. They aren't even compatible with different series of their own loaders.

:thumbsup::laughing:
You got that right! what is funny is that JD does build skid steers/ctl's, and has a full line of ssqa attachments on their yellow equip. (construction) side.

 

[aczlan]

I would say that "arrogance" is a fairly strong word when the addition of a SSQA to my 300CX FEL would be an additional 132 pounds of weight. Which is 132 lbs less maximum lifting capacity. I've only got two implements for my own FEL, a combination bale-spike/forklift and a 4in1 bucket... both are non-JD manufacture and fit perfectly.

Is that weight additional over no QA, or additional over a Deere proprietary QA?

Aaron Z

 

[WoodChuckDad]

Few food crops are in the process of changing as completely as apples. Spend some time with R&D orchards at Agricultural colleges near you. You'll see what the new trellis planting methods are and the machinery and methods required to support them. The tractors needed are somewhat down the list of capital investment decisions.

I spent the day at my states ag center this week. They are pushing new planting techniques as mentioned above. They are really big on tall spindle on trellises. They are planted very close together. They are also pushing different root stocks. Geneva series dwarf. I just put in 385 M111. My biggest reason was drought tolerance. When I asked about water consumption at the test farm I was shocked. They water these 2 year old trees twice a week for a 2 acre plot. Using 10,000 gallons each time. That is 10,000 gallons per acre per week.

 

[JWR]

I am looking into tractors for a farm/apple orchard I want to start (80 acres or so). I liked how the Kubota seemed to have more features/implements for different operations than advertised with other brands. The rumor I heard is that Kubota equipment is not usable on other tractors due to a different connection system. So if I were to get a second tractor of a different brand, I wouldn't be able to use any of the implements from the Kubota. Is this fact or complete fiction?

As for implements, I will be getting a loader, disk, planter, and hay equipment. All on the smaller side so that I can run them between the rows of apple trees. Is this feasible or should I just resign to the fact that I may be buying multiple units or a completely different tractor? I was asking about the Kubota because of their work with veterans to farmers program. I have a father and brother-in-law who claim Kubota are hard to kill so it made me curious as well.

Thanks

That rumor is pure bunk. No validity whatsoever. I have had Deere dealers quietly tell me off to the side that some Kubotas turn the PTO the opposite direction (which was irrelevant bull from 40 years ago and not an honest current problem.) Which ever responder said that equipment incompatibility accusations are largely dishonest marketing is exactly correct. The 3pt lift, PTO, etc. are ALL standardized. Kubota was several years ahead of the rest in supplying skid-steer compatible loader quick attach paddles for buckets etc. as their most common configuration. That opens up 10 to 20 times the number of things you can put up front (including an endless variety of buckets.) I don't have the experience to tell whether you can justify a "narrow" or specialty model of tractor for vineyards or not. Suggest you talk to other vineyard people. You may have justification for a narrow model besides your "normal" utility tractor& if so do not worry. The implements are all compatible UNLESS an implement was made for a specific tractor.

 

[DK35vince]

Kubota was several years ahead of the rest in supplying skid-steer compatible loader quick attach paddles for buckets etc. as their most common configuration.

I ordered a skid steer QA and bucket on my 2001 Kioti DK.

 

[Wagtail]

Is that weight additional over no QA, or additional over a Deere proprietary QA?

Aaron Z

A JD compatable SSQA weighs 132 lbs. The JD attachment configuration is a, sorta, scoop it up at the top then lift so the pins engage, then drop locking pins in. It's not automatic, just like a SSQA you're going to have to get off your backside and secure/lock-in the implement.

 

[DT86]

So, does the ssqa actually weigh 132# or what?

 

[TomSeller]

I spent the day at my states ag center this week. They are pushing new planting techniques as mentioned above. They are really big on tall spindle on trellises. They are planted very close together. They are also pushing different root stocks. Geneva series dwarf. I just put in 385 M111. My biggest reason was drought tolerance. When I asked about water consumption at the test farm I was shocked. They water these 2 year old trees twice a week for a 2 acre plot. Using 10,000 gallons each time. That is 10,000 gallons per acre per week.

I have a few dozen apple trees on M111, I like that rootstock. Nowhere near the 385 as you have. They can grow to near seedling size as I am sure you know. Very hardy.