Hi AC
Here a couple of photos of the Kubota 3rd function for the loader. As you can see you get a new loader handle with two buttons underneath - you press one button to open and the other to close. These buttons operate electric solenoids I believe so at the base of the lever on the right you will see a round yellow light in the photo. The light indicates that the 3rd function is on - push the light/switch and it will turn off and the lever buttons will no longer function. The second photo shows where the quick connects get mounted on the loader. I have been working in a very muddy area for the last couple of weekends so the
L45 really needs a bath.
I know the Kubota 3rd function solution is not cheap but I think it is far better than having another valve to deal with. The buttons are very handy and allow you to open and close the attachment as you are raising and lowering it if need be. I would not want to have to deal with a separate valve and lever.
The actual title of the thread that has a lot of photos of things I have done to my
L45 is actually titled "New Kubota
L45 has arrived". Even if you just search for "
L45" it comes up on the first page. I have made some additional changes since my last post and will be adding a post or two to the thread soon as it is my repsitory of all things
L45.
I really like the
L45. It seemed a lot bigger than my
B21 and
B26 when I first got on it but I have put almost 260 hours on it this year and have enjoyed everyone of them and grown accustomed to its larger size - and power. I would prefer a
B26 sized tractor with the
L45 hoe and a 2,000 pound lifting capacity on the loader but I have been able to get the
L45 into all the places I needed to this year.
I live an hour north of Toronto in Ontario and I just can't take the cold like I used to be able to so I bought the
L45 with the Laurin cab. The
B26 had all the options I have on the
L45 except the rear remotes but the Laurin cab is almost the same price for either machine and I decided that this was going to be my last tractor purchase and I would rather have the space of an
L45 then be confined in a smaller cab on the
B26. I have had the cab on for a couple of months now and it sure is nice to have heat and be out of the wind.
The only down side to the
L45 is that it definitely burns more fuel in a day than the
B21 or
B26 but you can also get substantially more work done so I think it balances out. Me neighbours have also commented on how much quiter the
L45 is than the
B21 or
B26 and I think a big part of that is the Auto throttle as the machine is not running flat out when you are just using the loader.
I think you and your wife will be very pleased with the
L45. I do a lot of digging with the hoe and a lot of loader work and my property has some very steep grades and I love the HST+.
Enjoy your
L45.
Regards,
Lauren
