66 vs 60 loader bucket?

[Atlanta Panther]

Plan to buy an L3200 before the end of the month. I can get the 66" bucket with the qc for an additional $666. However, I don't see the need and wanted some thoughts. I live in Ga so I don't have to move snow so don't need a snowblower. Also, if I get a 60" bushhog it seems as though a 60" loader would "match", especially as I mow the fencelines. Finally since the loader can only lift 1131 pounds regardless of whether or not it is a 60" or 66" bucket it doesn't seem like spending the extra $666 is worth it.

Am I missing something? Is there some "must have" implement I'd want to put on the front that I would use a lot that I would want the qc for?

Thanks

 

[k0ua]

Plan to buy an L3200 before the end of the month. I can get the 66" bucket with the qc for an additional $666. However, I don't see the need and wanted some thoughts. I live in Ga so I don't have to move snow so don't need a snowblower. Also, if I get a 60" bushhog it seems as though a 60" loader would "match", especially as I mow the fencelines. Finally since the loader can only lift 1131 pounds regardless of whether or not it is a 60" or 66" bucket it doesn't seem like spending the extra $666 is worth it.

Am I missing something? Is there some "must have" implement I'd want to put on the front that I would use a lot that I would want the qc for?

Thanks

Yes, one for sure and maybe two.... Forks for sure. and maybe a grapple.. (I don't have one yet, but it is not for wanting)
The SSQA leaves your options open.. I gave $1000 to get where you are headed click here for my conversion story if you have time. Trust me on this one...OK.?

James K0UA

 

[stuckmotor]

Skid steer quick attach equipment seems to be much more plentiful and less expensive. I'm about to convert from pin on to quick attach. My 60" forks, with bale spear attachment, cost a little over $800.00 delivered. The price I was quoted for a pin on forks was around $1300.00, without bale spear. I really think you're going to want some forks.

 

[big bubba]

Plan to buy an L3200 before the end of the month. I can get the 66" bucket with the qc for an additional $666. However, I don't see the need and wanted some thoughts. I live in Ga so I don't have to move snow so don't need a snowblower. Also, if I get a 60" bushhog it seems as though a 60" loader would "match", especially as I mow the fencelines. Finally since the loader can only lift 1131 pounds regardless of whether or not it is a 60" or 66" bucket it doesn't seem like spending the extra $666 is worth it.

Am I missing something? Is there some "must have" implement I'd want to put on the front that I would use a lot that I would want the qc for?

Thanks

sounds like a great set up. i could have gone w/a 7' bucket myself, but opted for a 6'. i did not like the idea of additional bucket extending out beyond the front wheels that could snag a fencepost or worse yet, trees, etc. safety issue, etc. if you were using the fel exclusively, bigger might be better. anyway, a thought. with a tractor that size, my decision would be based on the front wheel width. $600 additional could be applied to implements etc. good luck

 

[creekshorefarms]

Go for the quick attach, you will not regret it. I bought the L3200 with the SSQA 66" bucket in the spring and am very very happy with the results. Bigger bucket can be handy in some situations like moving woodchips or mulch where even the 66" can seem too small, just be careful not to overload it if lifting heavy things like stone.

Plus, since it is a quick attach, you can remove it for mowing fence lines. It will actually be easier to mow with the 66" bucket off then the matching 60" because steering correction might turn even a 60" bucket into the fenceline.

And like James mentioned...pallet forks are your friend. They are the #1 thing that keeps my property tidy and any time I need to load or unload something from the pickup they are right there.

In general if you are mowing or doing other non-loader work you should try to keep the entire loader off the tractor as it reduces front end wear, but just taking the bucket off for those chores is a big improvement.

 

[Bluegill2]

I have the 60" fixed bucket on my L3800 and see no need to remove it. I don't need the quick attach, different strokes for different folks...

 

[ovrszd]

I'm just the opposite of Don and others. I see no use for a loader I can't remove the bucket. My Brother bought a new Kubota L3240 without QA, "no need for a QA bucket"...... He had his tractor one month when he hauled it to my shop and I converted it to QA. Now he uses all my FEL attachments.

As for brush cutting. I always remove the entire loader. Makes the tractor much more nimble and you're not worrying about hitting the bucket or loader frame on an obstacle. If that's more work than you want to attempt,,,, with a QA bucket you can at least drop the bucket and reduce overall length and gain maneuverability. After you've done it a couple times, it takes 2 minutes to remove the entire loader, 30 seconds to drop the bucket if QA. You can drop the loader WAYYYY faster than you can hook up to the Brush Cutter.

Lastly, what percent of the total cost of the outfit is $666 anyway???

 

[ovrszd]

Oh, I forgot to mention. Yesterday morning I dropped my Grapple bucket and put on the toothed bucket and cleaned out a road ditch that was silted full. Then dropped the toothed bucket and put on forks and moved two 1000 gallon plastic water tanks. Then dropped the forks and put the Grapple bucket back on and tore down the remains of an old building and hauled off the debris. All before noon.

 

[k0ua]

By the way, I have the 66 inch Kioti bucket, and I still have my 60 inch Kubota bucket, and I use them both!..that's right I have the best of both worlds, a narrower bucket or digging and a wider bucket for hauling. And a set of forks, for a number of uses. Trust me forks are really worth the money. And I am saving up for a Grapple.. Tractors are just so much more useful when you have options.. Why limit your options? It literally only takes a few seconds to drop and change front implements with a SSQA. When I got my L3400, without SSQA.. it was not long before I realized I had made a big mistake, and it cost me in money and time to reverse that mistake. But hey, each to his own.

James K0UA

 

[jim_wilson]

Yes, one for sure and maybe two.... Forks for sure. and maybe a grapple.. (I don't have one yet, but it is not for wanting)
The SSQA leaves your options open.. I gave $1000 to get where you are headed click here for my conversion story if you have time. Trust me on this one...OK.?

James K0UA

Exactly.

When I had my BX I sorely missed having the ability to put a set of forks on the tractor. When I bought my B3200 I got it with the pin-on style QA at first. One of the things I did shortly after buying the tractor was to go out and get a fork frame. The forks are extremely useful.

I later updated the QA to a skid-steer style - and right now I'm really missing the ability to use forks. I have a local vendor that is working on developing a fork frame for that setup and he's just backlogged like crazy and meanwhile the summer or rolling on and I've got projects that are in progress that I could really use the forks for.

My take on it is this: Get the Skid steer style QA for sure. At the very least you might want to add forks to the tractor. Trust me - pounding out pins to swap attachments is a royal pain in the you know where. With an L-series tractor you're getting up into the realm where a tractor can take advantage of full size skid steer attachments. Sooner or later you're probably going to want to use forks, or a plow, or a bale spear, or a different bucket , or a grapple, or pull a rake with the FEL - etc.

Having the SS QA on the FEL will make a huge difference in the convenience of swapping attachments and subsequent usabiity of the tractor.