Kubota M6060 vs. L6060 vs. NH T 4.75 vs. JD 5075E

[fleminj2pa]

I am considering replacing my 2012 JD 4720 Cab machine with a stronger, heftier tractor. I'm pulling my grain drill more and more and the JD is at the upper limit of it's capabilities with that equipment when on hilly terrain. I've had the opportunity to run a 2013 Kubota L5740 for almost two weeks now, as my tractor is in the shop with an A/C problem. I have to say that I have been very impressed with this tractor! Theoretically, the same class as the Deere 4720 but with so much more stability and power it's not even a close call as to which one is more comfortable in the field.

Consequently, I've been considering upgrading. I have been encouraged by a couple of dealers to consider the M Series along with the Grand L, so I have been looking at the M7040 and the M6060. My main concern with these two options is the 8X8 transmission. I do a wide variety of tasks with this tractor...mowing, spraying, spreading fertilizer, pulling a 7' disc and a 6' tiller, along with a 6' Land Pride All Purpose Seeder and of course, the 6' no-till drill. I'm questioning whether the 8X8 will give me enough different speed options for everything that I do, keeping in mind that I've become accustomed to the infinite speed choices of a hydrostatic drive system.

I suppose I'm entering a transition phase in my operations where I'm being asked to plant larger tracts of land and have also considered adding a Kuhn 98" tiller/cultipacker to my collection and I just don't think the CUT machines will be able to handle that attachment. My dilemma is the more clover I plant, the more clover I mow and spray next year. I'd like to hear opinions on how the 8X8 transmission will serve in regard to these functions since I'm pretty sure it will be fine with the heavy work.

I should also mention that I have looked at the New Holland T 4.75 and the John Deere 5075E. I love the NH Powerstar but the extra weight of that tractor is something of a concern because I do so much transporting to and from job sites that can be hundreds of miles apart. To be perfectly honest, I'm a little soured on Deere at the moment and not very confident in the their capabilities or quality in the CUT or Utility lines. Finding a balance of power, strength, mobility and versatility is a challenge. I could use some advice!

 

[MtnViewRanch]

M7060 with a 12x12 power shuttle transmission. You know that the M models are a step up in size from the Grand Ls.

Have you considered any other makes? There are other makes that have plenty of gears, finding the right gear would not be a problem.

Something to consider.

 

[fleminj2pa]

M7060 with a 12x12 power shuttle transmission. You know that the M models are a step up in size from the Grand Ls.

Have you considered any other makes? There are other makes that have plenty of gears, finding the right gear would not be a problem.

Something to consider.

I agree, the 12X12 would be my first choice and I did consider the M7060. However, it comes standard with 30" rears and they add 6" to the height of the tractor over the 28" tires...or so I've been told. Extra height is not my friend, given some of the places I need to get my tractor into.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I agree, the 12X12 would be my first choice and I did consider the M7060. However, it comes standard with 30" rears and they add 6" to the height of the tractor over the 28" tires...or so I've been told. Extra height is not my friend, given some of the places I need to get my tractor into.

You could always go with industrials. R4s, not as good of traction, but I would think for your application they would be fine?? :confused3:

 

[DT86]

Try the "Build my Kubota" on their web site, I think you can order a M7060 with 24" rear AG tires.

 

[fleminj2pa]

I was fortunate to find a very knowledgeable Kubota dealer out in the country...small store. I plan to call him tomorrow and see what solutions he may have to suggest. But, I do believe the 17.5X24 R4's would work and in fact, may even help avoid hitting a few tree limbs as I'm twisting my way back to quad trail to a remote food plot. My first choice though would be the 16.9X28 R1's. I am going to try that build you own feature on Kubota's site. Thanks, guys!

 

[boggen]

TractorData.com - information on all makes and models of tractors gives very general data, but might help ya get an idea of this or that in general specs.

www.tractorhouse.com for selling used/new tractors and implements. it may give you some idea of cost and what is out there.

most manuals for any given equipment, should denote min/max HP for tractor sizing. along with possibly min/max MPH

keep in mind, changing tire diameters, from larger to smaller will lower your top road gear MPH. due to most likely transmission ratios to final drive never will get changed to deal with tire diameters.

if issue with trees, then cut the limbs or cut the tree out.

 

[xring100]

I'd want the 12x12 from the owner of an 8x8 for your described task. I get by with the 8x8 but given the chance to do it over again it'd be a no brainer

 

[fleminj2pa]

TractorData.com - information on all makes and models of tractors gives very general data, but might help ya get an idea of this or that in general specs.

www.tractorhouse.com for selling used/new tractors and implements. it may give you some idea of cost and what is out there.

most manuals for any given equipment, should denote min/max HP for tractor sizing. along with possibly min/max MPH

keep in mind, changing tire diameters, from larger to smaller will lower your top road gear MPH. due to most likely transmission ratios to final drive never will get changed to deal with tire diameters.

if issue with trees, then cut the limbs or cut the tree out.

Boggen, you raise a good point regarding the reduction in speed and one that hadn't occurred to me. I did as DT86 suggested and went to the build my kubota tool and found that they offer a 16.9-24 industrial tire option in 14 ply, which appeals to me because of the hazards I typically encounter going into land that hasn't been farmed or tilled in years. I'm a little leery of the 6 ply R1's living very long in the environments that I usually encounter. However, that gearing issue is certainly something to consider. I'll need to look into that. Thanks!!

 

[fleminj2pa]

I'd want the 12x12 from the owner of an 8x8 for your described task. I get by with the 8x8 but given the chance to do it over again it'd be a no brainer

Thanks, xring100! Your input is exactly what I was looking for to confirm my concerns with the 8X8.

 

[boggen]

it might be worth doing a third party tires thing, or working with local dealer, to find the tire type and ply rating you want. it is most likely dealer that will be swapping tires off that come via factory vs tires you do want anyhow. the manufacture passes buck to dealer, and dealer most likely passes buck to local ag tire place that comes out and swaps thing. needless to say your point of contract is most likely through the local dealer, regardless of what brand of tractor you go with and tires you end up wanting / getting.

 

[MHarryE]

Another confirmation that the 8 x 8 just won't do it. My nephew got a used M105 for his Discbine and he said that is the one weak point - and he cuts 900 acres of hay, 3 crops yearly so it does add up to a significant extra time in the field. Same thing with a Ford we rarely use on our farm. My uncle bought it thinking it had a 16 but it was only 8 and it sucks. The tractors that get used have 16, 16, 20, 24 and a hydro. The 24 probably has 3 gears that are used 90% of the time so you'd think why does he need 24 but the spacing on those 3 is perfect. Same thing with the 20 - there are only 3 that get used but perfectly spaced.

 

[boggen]

Thanks, xring100! Your input is exactly what I was looking for to confirm my concerns with the 8X8.

is there an option for "creep gears" 12x12 and then possibly creep option.

 

[xring100]

is there an option for "creep gears" 12x12 and then possibly creep option.

Yes kubota offers adding a creeper range I believe it is a dealer install kit option like the 1000 rpm pto on the m8540/60 and up

 

[downslope]

I think for most of what you want to do the 8X8 could do the job. I've done all of those tasks except the tiller with 8 speeds or less and had no problems. The tiller I'm not so sure, you just have to be certain the tractor will run slow enough at the engine rpm required. I would not skimp and try to get by with the minimum PTO HP for the tiller/cultipacker you're looking at. I would definitely want a power shuttle reverser in whatever tractor you choose. With an 8X8 it all depends how the gears are spaced; if they're in the sweet spot you need then everything is good. Maybe you can arrange a demo of 8X8?

I have found that the JD M series seems to offer the greatest range of factory available tire/wheel choices and transmission combinations of any brand; take a look at their build-your-own. If you're planning on stepping up your business you might want to bite the bullet and go with one of those or an equivalent in another make if you can find it, like the NH you mentioned or an MF with Dyna-4. The Dyna-4 is a power shift, a very nice feature and the only one I know of in a mid-size tractor. If you have enough transmission gears you won't have to worry about effect of tire size on road and/or field speed. It seems hard to believe that going from a 28" tire to a 30" tire of the same width could raise the tractor 6 inches; think about it, the tire would have to stand 12" taller to raise the tractor 6". Maybe there is something else different between the 2 Kubota models, like are you comparing a 40-series to the newer 60-series?

As far as transport weight of larger tractors and implements, you may eventually have to think about upgrading your equipment for that also.

 

[fleminj2pa]

it might be worth doing a third party tires thing, or working with local dealer, to find the tire type and ply rating you want. it is most likely dealer that will be swapping tires off that come via factory vs tires you do want anyhow. the manufacture passes buck to dealer, and dealer most likely passes buck to local ag tire place that comes out and swaps thing. needless to say your point of contract is most likely through the local dealer, regardless of what brand of tractor you go with and tires you end up wanting / getting.

Actually boggen, I am a tire dealer. I did some research on available tires, tread patterns and ply ratings and have decided to go with either the Kubota M7060 or the John Deere 5075E. Both tractors offer 12X12 transmission options and can be ordered with R4 Industrial tires. I have found 10 ply fronts and 14 ply rears from Goodyear/Titan to switch out with the OE tires. Right now I'm in the pricing stage on both units. All things being equal, I think the Kubota would have a slight edge all around but it also carries a heftier list price. I think either tractor would get the job done for me so it will depend on which dealer is more aggressive in pricing. I believe I have my JD 4720 sold, so it may also come down to availability and who can get me a replacement tractor in the shortest time possible since I'm coming into one the my busiest times of the year...fall food plots. Last count I had right around 50 acres to get planted, so whatever I get will get a workout right out of the gate.

I appreciate all the input from everyone! I'll let you know what I end up with.

 

[fleminj2pa]

Wow! I have spent the past 2.5 hours reading about the JD5075E vs. the Kubota M7060 in various posts and threads in the forum...melted gas tanks, boots melting to the floor, 3rd function hydraulic discussions that require an engineering degree to understand...probably too much to take in at one time. I suppose the general impression I have is that Kubota is a bigger, more powerful tractor, more sophisticated, better engineered and overall a superior machine. It's hard to find any negative comments about the orange paint, the only knock I saw was one guy who complained about the thin, fragile nature of the cab roof...not so much with green, seems like there are a lot of JD haters out there. Most everyone contends that all the 5075E tractors are made in India, yet the salesman at my local JD dealer pointed out a plate on the tractor that declares it is assembled in Augusta, GA...he said all the cab tractors come from GA. The more I dig the more confused I get. I need to make a decision but I sure don't want to make a $50K mistake!

 

[94BULLITT]

Are you happy with your current size tractor? If you are the L6060 would be a good match. There is not another CUT that can match the productivity of a Grand L with its HST+. I am not sure if all of your current implements will work with a M series sized machine. I guess the reason you are considering a M6060 is because it cost about the same as a L6060?

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Are you happy with your current size tractor? If you are the L6060 would be a good match. There is not another CUT that can match the productivity of a Grand L with its HST+.

Except for the heavier Massey MF1758 and Kioti NX6010 or the more powerful Deere 4066R, that is.

Just saying'

 

[fleminj2pa]

Are you happy with your current size tractor? If you are the L6060 would be a good match. There is not another CUT that can match the productivity of a Grand L with its HST+. I am not sure if all of your current implements will work with a M series sized machine. I guess the reason you are considering a M6060 is because it cost about the same as a L6060?

I have had an A/C problem with my JD 4720 and my dealer provided a replacement tractor in the form of a used Grand L5740. I couldn't be more impressed with the Kubota! It is head and shoulders above my JD4720 in strength and power, although not nearly as comfortable. I have considered the new L6060 and while I haven't completely ruled it out, I'm concerned that I will outgrow the CUT tractors in the next year or two. I'm getting opportunities to bid on work that involves significant acreage...20, 30 acres or more, and I will need to get larger, heavier tillage and planting equipment, probably in excess of what a CUT machine 3 pt can handle. Of my current implements, most have 6'-7' working widths and the heaviest is a Kasco Eco Drill with three boxes that weighs in around 1800 lbs empty. On sidehills I have to be careful with the drill and also my Land Pride seeder. I think the bigger tractors will handle all of the equipment better in these circumstances. I was leaning toward the 5075E because it is just slightly smaller, lower profile than the M7060...and it's less expensive. Some of what I've read has me a little spooked about the John Deere 50xxE series.