Kubota M8540 Narrow 50 hour review

[slowzuki]

I've had 2 types of Michellin radials and one type of Firestone radials.

Check the inflation against the tire manufacturers load table. The sidewall will look the almost the same for a wide range of pressure for under to over inflated. The owners manual doesn't have the radial pressures for any tractor we've owned. If you don't have to add and drop your front weights, run the lowest pressure.

Make sure the tires aren't loaded. Radials ride terrible when loaded. I had one tractor arrive from the dealer and they had loaded one side but not the other without asking.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I've had 2 types of Michellin radials and one type of Firestone radials.

Check the inflation against the tire manufacturers load table. The sidewall will look the almost the same for a wide range of pressure for under to over inflated. The owners manual doesn't have the radial pressures for any tractor we've owned. If you don't have to add and drop your front weights, run the lowest pressure.

Make sure the tires aren't loaded. Radials ride terrible when loaded. I had one tractor arrive from the dealer and they had loaded one side but not the other without asking.

The tires are not loaded, they are inflated to the recommended rates. I have 200 pounds on the rear and 400 on the front currently. I will check the load table though to see if I can reduce the pressure any.

I had the John Deere salesman come out and look it over. He gave me a great price on a new Deere narrow but the dealer would only allow me $27k for the Kubota (with 64 hours) towards a trade ($12k less then I still owe). So it looks like I am stuck with it unless I can sell it outright. The Deere would be just under $2k more then I paid for the Kubota. So for now I am going to have to keep going with it as I can't be stuck without a spray tractor. I am also going to see if the Deere guy can bring me a demo unit set up similar to what I want and if its as nice as the previous generations then once I put my last spray on I will list the Kubota and see if I can get someone to buy it.

 

[suzy]

That's great you can demo the Deere before buying. It will be interesting to see how it compares with the kubota, especially for comfort and noise. I wear hearing protection even in the cab...

 

[Robert_in_NY]

That's great you can demo the Deere before buying. It will be interesting to see how it compares with the kubota, especially for comfort and noise. I wear hearing protection even in the cab...

In a good cab you don't need hearing protection. The kubota cab isn't bad with outside noise, its mainly the toolbox mounted to the cab frame and the 3pt levers that account for the noise I don't care for. It can get very loud.

I would have demoed the kubota first except there wasn't one within 100 miles. I was on a deadline and in order to meet the deadline I bought on reputation and they transferred a machine from a dealer 3 hours away in order to complete the deal on time. I never expected to be this dissatisfied with a new tractor from a company with such a high reputation. It is what it is though and I have no one but myself to blame for getting into this mess.

 

[Grateful11]

The tires are not loaded, they are inflated to the recommended rates. I have 200 pounds on the rear and 400 on the front currently. I will check the load table though to see if I can reduce the pressure any.

As in PSI ?

 

[Robert_in_NY]

As in PSI ?

No, cast weights

 

[Grateful11]

No, cast weights

Man I wondering how on earth you got 400psi in the tires ;-)

 

[greatlakes]

I just bought the same Kubota 8540 narrow tractor as you did, changed the god awful stock seat as you did, and I let alot of air out of the tires and it really helped with the rough ride. I am running a 600 gallon turomist sprayer and it is awesome. I switched from a landini 85f (terrible dealer) to the kubota. A John Deere was going to cost $12000 more.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I just bought the same Kubota 8540 narrow tractor as you did, changed the god awful stock seat as you did, and I let alot of air out of the tires and it really helped with the rough ride. I am running a 600 gallon turomist sprayer and it is awesome. I switched from a landini 85f (terrible dealer) to the kubota. A John Deere was going to cost $12000 more.

Which tires did you get and how low did you drop the pressure? I'm at the lowest pressure kubota recommended and still can't get rid of the bucking and bouncing. I have the 380's and notice this issue the most with the Bush Hog 295 rotary cutter attached. It is a very heavy cutter and I had this problem with a full stack of weights on the front, no weight and then 4 weights. I haven't tried more then 4 weights since reducing tire pressure though. I thought of adding a couple more to see if it makes a difference but the guys just started trimming the vineyards so there isn't much to cut yet.

Is yours a cab model as well? If so do you have a lot of rattling inside as well? The 3pt levers are bad but I believe I'm also getting a lot of rattle from the tool box they have bolted to the cab frame. I thought about remounting the tool box with some isolators to help and also to coat the 3pt levers with a rubber coating to reduce metal to metal contact.

And thank you for posting, I'm really hoping to get this tractor adjusted to the way it should have came from the factory.

 

[kallnojoy]

What kind of row width are you working in and what would you consider the max tractor width for that spacing? Also, are you using it on any sort of slope (%?) and if so how is the stability?