Buying Advice advice on tractor purchase

[ted temple]

I have 100 acres of land in No. Cal and am considering a Kubota l3240 hst tractor with the 700 series loader. I will be doing forestry/firewood, road and trail maintenance, loader work, bush clearing and mowing. Much of the property is quite steep and I have a kubota rtv 900 which works very well in the hills with the hydrostatic drive. Is the 3240 a good choice? Should I get a grading box with the top and tilt, should I get the q/a bucket, should I get a 4 in 1 front bucket or a grapple? Should I get a bush hog or flail type mower if I plan to cut some pretty heavy brush? I'm a newbie but have been lurking and appreciate all the experience and knowledge that abounds on this forum.

 

[ejkessler]

With everything you are considering and the amount of land and work you are doing I would at the very least look at the L3540 which is the identical tractor to the L3240 but with more HP and torque. If you choose to run a chipper or any PTO run ground engaging equipment the added umpf on the PTO will definitely help. You most assuredly want to go with a QA system on the loader. Especially with the forestry work and potential of using forks or any hydraulic run equipment off the front. HST IMO is the way to go. I had a GL3540 HST-1 and just recently went to a GL3940 HSTC-3. They are great machines and the loader specs on all three of the models I mention here are identical as they all use the same one. The other equipment choices you are asking about would be better answered by someone else.

 

[nybirdman]

L3240 should do all your work,but the L3540 or L3940 might be better choices.Do it right the first time.I had a L3130(replaced by the L3240) ran a five ft.brush-hog no problem.Definitely want the Skid-Steer quick attach.
I added a Green's Machine thumb to my current tractor(L4240) and a tooth-bar,great additions.Woods work;go with the R1(Ag) tires,load the rears.New owners HST highly recommended.Brush hog over a flail for your heavy brush.

 

[ted temple]

nybirdman and ejkessler, thanks for your help. How much should I pay for the 3240 with the 700 loader and how much more for the 3940.

 

[TripleR]

I am pretty much in agreement with ejkesser and nybirdman. I started out to buy a L3240 and wound up with a 50 HP with which I am very happy.

The L3240/L3540 are nice little tractors and certainly have their place, I just found a little bigger tractor more useful for our needs. We don't have space considerations which very well could tip the scale to a smaller tractor.

 

[nybirdman]

When the site comes back up:www.kubotausa.com....you can "build your own" and compare list price.Just guessing right now but the difference should be about $5,000-$6,000.I purchased my L3130 in 2004 with FEL and brush-hog for about &18,000..don't know how that compares to today.

 

[ejkessler]

nybirdman and ejkessler, thanks for your help. How much should I pay for the 3240 with the 700 loader and how much more for the 3940.

You run an approximate 1500.00 to 2000.00 every time you step up to the next size. So approximately 3K to 4K more the 3940 vs 3240. Around 4K to 5K for the loader and a remote or two. With what you are describing and it were me I would seriously consider the GL3940 or GL4240. You are going to be around the low to mid 20K's for the base tractor from the 3240 to 3940. It is similar to buying a house in the respect that a lot of the initial costs are in the frame, chassis, engine and so forth similar to purchasing the land, foundation and roof and going up more from there is minimal. The reality is that loader work with a 3240 to 3940 will have same specs and capabilities. The bigger difference is the 3940 and 4240 are longer and wider therefor more stable. The 4240 though having the same size and weight specs as the 3940 uses the next size up in loader and is pretty impressive. Eventually you have to say okay this is what I need vs what I want. That amount of land you have is considerable and having the versatility of more PTO power can come into play when running generators, chippers, tillers, bush hogs, etc. The vast majority of people do not regret going bigger. Since this will not be used for lawn work the biggest you can go and comfortably afford would be my suggestion. Minimum 3540 but to me even though I went with a 3940 myself for what I am doing, my decision with what you are describing would probably be between the 3940 and 4240.

 

[JimP]

Everyones comments mirror my limited experience with a GL. Skid steer quick attach is a must. HST+ is the best! Loading the tires is also important as the rear end of the GL's is light without some type of ballast. If I had to pick again I would pick Ag tires over industrials if you can get enough load capacity in the fronts. Don't forget remotes. the more the better, I had two put in the back and 1 in the front. If you are considering the 3940 also look at the 4240 as you can move up to the larger 854 loader with a minimal increase in size (but a jump in cost over a 3240). Try and test drive the different models for size and feel. I started looking at a 3540 cab with the 724 loader and didn't think (IMHO) there was that much difference in size between the 3540 cab and the 5240 cab. I swear Kubota set up the GL line to tempt you to a bigger tractor.

 

[ejkessler]

I started looking at a 3540 cab with the 724 loader and didn't think (IMHO) there was that much difference in size between the 3540 cab and the 5240 cab. I swear Kubota set up the GL line to tempt you to a bigger tractor.

My understanding is that the GL series cabs are all the same so your observation from what I have been told is spot on.

 

[JimP]

Its more than the cab. If you put the 5240 next to the 3540 and start comparing just how much longer or wider the bigger machine is, its only inches. The turning radius of both machines is also close. My feeling was I could take the 5240 into any area I would be comfortable taking the 3540. I know the cab will be a hindrance in the woods, but it was great during the snowstorms we had this year! One advantage of the bigger machine is more ground clearance from the bigger tires.

 

[ted temple]

Thanks to all of you for the very useful information and for encouraging me to spend more money. So I guess the argument to she who must be obeyed is for $100 more a month ($6000 more at 0% for 5 yrs) we can get so much more tractor that will do so much more work so much faster. The only problem with this argument is that my wife sees me on a tractor as an ecological disaster waiting to happen. So I will test drive and see what I think. Are there any No Calif folks that have dealt with Lampson Tractor Co. What are the pros and cons concerning a 4 in 1 bucket vs a grapple (I know get both)? Is top and tilt really useful for road and trail maintenance? Again, thanks for your help

 

[TripleR]

Thanks to all of you for the very useful information and for encouraging me to spend more money. So I guess the argument to she who must be obeyed is for $100 more a month ($6000 more at 0% for 5 yrs) we can get so much more tractor that will do so much more work so much faster. The only problem with this argument is that my wife sees me on a tractor as an ecological disaster waiting to happen. So I will test drive and see what I think. Are there any No Calif folks that have dealt with Lampson Tractor Co. What are the pros and cons concerning a 4 in 1 bucket vs a grapple (I know get both)? Is top and tilt really useful for road and trail maintenance? Again, thanks for your help

I can't help you with anything else, but yes it is useful; necessary no. I bought my tractor used and only have the hydraulic top link, but have used TnT. If I had bought new I would have included it. At some point I may add it.

 

[boggen]

same basic boat you are in. 80 acres aprox 50% pasture / woods other half lakes and fields.

while a cab is nice to have on a tractor. it can be a pain in rear at times more so going through trees / woods. and the cab catching every single branch there is.

personally prefer a "bush hog" for cutting tall weeds. vs a fail type of mower. granted if i had the choice i would get both of them. due to i have a creek going through the property. and the fail would allow me to mower easily mow the edges. without having to constaly backup with a bush hog.

but going down through trees a bush hog is my preference. that and being able to back down hills into the shore line of the lakes. (can't ride the hill along most of the lakes. but back and foward down the hills, a pain, but it quicker than using a walk behind self propelled weed whacker)

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a front loader with a bucket. can help move stuff. though front buckets are really not digging machines. i need to move dirt from one corner of property clear to the other side of property. and found it easier. to use a plow to get a few inches deep and the width of the tractor broken up. then come back with the front bucket. and just scoop up the dirt. without any real need of changing of gears.

for grading a drive / lanes. box blade would by my choice.

for snow plowing, a 360 degree rear blade. or less you had the cash for a snow blower.

as far as 4in1 bucket, standard bucket with grappel. or other. *shrugs* depends. as long as the bucket has hooks that i can toss my log chains around. so i can drag trees up and out of areas. before being cut up into fire wood. i could care less. but if you are doing a lot of clean up of brush piles to be burned. then 4in1 or standard bucket with grappel would be something. for me i would prolly go with a grappel. those twig piles of cutting up them bigger trees can get rather large rather quick. and for me it is easier to move big piles to a designated burn spot. then double check for bigger limbs, then run bush hog over the area. to cut up the small twigs that the bucket / grappel didn't get.