L4400 vs MX5100 for landscaping... 2 questions

[Dirtslinger2]

As mentioned in my other thread regarding round bales- I am 2 days away from putting money down on a new tractor. I'll be getting a gear, 4WD with ag tires. The main job for this tractor is farm usage, but will have 'some' landscaping work and that is truly what will be paying for it so it needs to be taken into consideration. I gather HST is best for landscaping, but I figure I can make do as I will also be doing a lot of plowing/tilling/subsoiling which is supposed to be best in gear.

By the way I spent quite a bit of time trying out the L3400 and it just couldn't do 100% of what I required. Nice tractor but just a bit tiny for my needs.

(1)For landscaping I will be driving across plenty of turf areas (turf tires will be bought) and loading mulch into garden beds, probably 1-2 weeks of use on this project each year. I do worry about the extra weight of the 5100, but it really isn't more than a few hundred pounds, not a significant issue...right?

(2)The L3400 couldn't pick up my boulders. I think it was the bucket size that was the problem, power wasn't the issue. Would the 4400/5100 have significantly different capabilities when it comes to boulder placement? One better over the other?

Thanks again!!

 

[have_blue]

I'll be getting a gear, 4WD with ag tires.

I hope you don't mind if I lobby for R4 tires.

In my experience, ag tires don't mix well with a loader. They compress and squirm a lot under load, and really tear the ground up. That can't be good for the entire front end. And of course ag tires will cut up turf real bad, especially the front tires when turning while in 4WD.

I've found that R4's on a 4WD tractor are fine for most chores if you wait a day or 2 for the ground to firm up. With R4's and 4WD, you may be able to avoid buying turf tires and the hassle of changing them out.

If you are getting a 2WD tractor, by all means get ag tires. If you don't have the luxury of waiting for the ground to dry, by all means get the ag tires.

 

[N80]

If he is going to be doing plowing, tilling and subsoiling he is going to need R1's. If he is going to be on lawns he needs turfs.

The weight difference between the two is not huge.

The loader capacity is better on the 5100, but not by a great deal.

An M5040 would be heavier but with substantially more lifting capabiity and the ability to use larger class 2 implements. It would be better than the 5100 and 4400 for round bales but it is probably just too big to put on someone's lawn.

Between the 5100 and the 4400 the only real issue is money. Get the most tractor you can with the money you have. HST is going to cost you money you probably don't need to spend.

 

[N80]

In my experience, ag tires don't mix well with a loader. They compress and squirm a lot under load, and really tear the ground up.

You are right about that. The camber (not adjustable) on my L4400 also makes a very narrow wheel width up front and when turning, the outside tire tends to flex a lot. I have found that I need to keep more air pressure in the fronts than the manual recommends, but still within the specs for the tire. But, having said that, I have had no problems with them while using the loader and when working on slick hills with weight in the bucket, etc, the extra traction has been of great benefit.

You can also buy ag tires with ply comparable to R4's. I'm sure their expensive but they're there if you need them.

And yes, the cut the soil up. That's what they are designed to do.

That can't be good for the entire front end.

I doubt this is a significant issue.

 

[Bob_Young]

Look carefully at the bucket curl linkage on the L4400 and the MX. The MX linkage is much more complex and it permits you to roll the bucket back much further in curl. This lets the loader get under the load rather than relying on balancing the load on the bucket's lip or getting the load inside the bucket. This MX loader feature would let you handle boulders much more easily and safely, not to mention that the bucket is larger and the loader stronger overall.

OTOH, an MX with R1s on turf is going to make a mess.
Bob

 

[N80]

That's correct and is one of the weak points on the LA703 loader. The LA703A has the QA gear but not sure if that changes things.

Having said that, I've been building a stone wall next to my cabin and have been moving some big rocks. I wouldn't call them boulders but they are too big for me to pick up by hand and some are too big to pick up with two people. And I have not had any trouble moving them around with the LA703.

The relatively limited curl on the LA703 is more of a problem for me when moving loose material like gravel or sand, since if you keep the bucket low it is still tilted a tad forward and material tends to spill out.

 

[Dirtslinger2]

Thanks for everything you have all added here!
The difference between the L4400 and MX5100 bucket maneuverability may be the cherry on the top for the 5100- I hadn't read/heard that anywhere else, much appreciated!

Yes- for general farm work such as tilling/plowing and subsoiling- I am on a wet/low property with high water table, that puddles for several days after a rainfall. Not that you should ever drive across a wet field- in reality if I stuck with that rule I'd never be able to get around here- 4wd is mandatory here.

Are R1's the Ags and R4's Industrial? I haven't seen anything explaining the R#'s.

 

[Dirtslinger2]

Look carefully at the bucket curl linkage on the L4400 and the MX. The MX linkage is much more complex and it permits you to roll the bucket back much further in curl. This lets the loader get under the load rather than relying on balancing the load on the bucket's lip or getting the load inside the bucket. This MX loader feature would let you handle boulders much more easily and safely, not to mention that the bucket is larger and the loader stronger overall.

Bob- I tried playing with the buckets of both the L4400 and MX5100 and couldn't figure out exactly what you were getting at.
I ended up getting the 5100- but am REALLY CURIOUS what you meant. Could you clarify that? Thanks!

 

[teg]

"...Are R1's the Ags and R4's Industrial?" YES...

http://asae.frymulti.com/data/pdf/6/crt2004/Lecture28.pdf

For photos... look at bottom of page 9.

 

[N80]

Bob- I tried playing with the buckets of both the L4400 and MX5100 and couldn't figure out exactly what you were getting at.
I ended up getting the 5100- but am REALLY CURIOUS what you meant. Could you clarify that? Thanks!

On the L4400 the bucket is hooked directly to the loader arms. This means that the bucket does not roll back or curl far enough (in my opinion). The M5100 has what Kubota calls a 4 bar linkage. A little more complex, but the bucket will, or should, curl back towards the tractor farther.