Comparison Kubota L3301 vs L3800

[Gerold]

You might also look at the L3200. Same size, frame and weight as the L3800, but also without the emissions complexity of the L3301. My L3200 was $1500 cheaper than the L3800. I got a straight blade, box blade and 5' brush hog for the price difference. The L3200 has more than enough power to spin the wheels if you are grading or doing ground work, plenty of power also for loader work. If you want to snow blow long driveways or brush hog large fields (I only mow a 4 acre hill side, which I have to take slowly) by all means go for more power.

 

[Fallon]

I have a L3200 with loaded R4s. Knowing about the jerky 3pt, I still bought it over a JD. Its annoying at times, but not a huge deal. The 1 L3301 I test drove had a smooth 3pt & I haven't heard any reports of any other 01s with a jerky 3pt. Some of the 00s had worse hitches than others. Really old models had some pretty violent hitches. To test put something heavy on the hitch & try to make very fine adjustments up.

Other than the hitch the only significant change between the 00 models & 01 models was the emissions stuff, which adds cost, but runs cleaner. Pretty sure the HP didn't change much between the corisponding models, maybe 1hp.

Before I got the tires loaded I was traction limited, now half the time when pushing it hard I'm HP limited. GET THE TIRES LOADED! For safety when using the loader as much if not more than traction. The loader will lift the rear if you have unloaded tires, even with a heavy box blade hanging on the 3pt.

I regret not getting a L3800 ocassionally, but not much more than $1000 of regret. It would occasionally be nice running the tiller or doing box blading. I'm usually limited by terrain when running my rotary cutter.

What a tractor will do is defined by weight. How fast it will do it is affected by HP. In that regard all the L3x0x tractors are the same weight. You won't loose any capability depending on your choice, just some speed, maybe, depending on what you are doing.

 

[k0ua]

I have a L3200 with loaded R4s. Knowing about the jerky 3pt, I still bought it over a JD. Its annoying at times, but not a huge deal. The 1 L3301 I test drove had a smooth 3pt & I haven't heard any reports of any other 01s with a jerky 3pt. Some of the 00s had worse hitches than others. Really old models had some pretty violent hitches. To test put something heavy on the hitch & try to make very fine adjustments up.

Other than the hitch the only significant change between the 00 models & 01 models was the emissions stuff, which adds cost, but runs cleaner. Pretty sure the HP didn't change much between the corisponding models, maybe 1hp.

Before I got the tires loaded I was traction limited, now half the time when pushing it hard I'm HP limited. GET THE TIRES LOADED! For safety when using the loader as much if not more than traction. The loader will lift the rear if you have unloaded tires, even with a heavy box blade hanging on the 3pt.

I regret not getting a L3800 ocassionally, but not much more than $1000 of regret. It would occasionally be nice running the tiller or doing box blading. I'm usually limited by terrain when running my rotary cutter.

What a tractor will do is defined by weight. How fast it will do it is affected by HP. In that regard all the L3x0x tractors are the same weight. You won't loose any capability depending on your choice, just some speed, maybe, depending on what you are doing.

Good descriptive post!:thumbsup:

 

[kubotacres]

I have a L3200 with loaded R4s. Knowing about the jerky 3pt, I still bought it over a JD. Its annoying at times, but not a huge deal. The 1 L3301 I test drove had a smooth 3pt & I haven't heard any reports of any other 01s with a jerky 3pt. Some of the 00s had worse hitches than others. Really old models had some pretty violent hitches. To test put something heavy on the hitch & try to make very fine adjustments up.

Other than the hitch the only significant change between the 00 models & 01 models was the emissions stuff, which adds cost, but runs cleaner. Pretty sure the HP didn't change much between the corisponding models, maybe 1hp.

Before I got the tires loaded I was traction limited, now half the time when pushing it hard I'm HP limited. GET THE TIRES LOADED! For safety when using the loader as much if not more than traction. The loader will lift the rear if you have unloaded tires, even with a heavy box blade hanging on the 3pt.

I regret not getting a L3800 ocassionally, but not much more than $1000 of regret. It would occasionally be nice running the tiller or doing box blading. I'm usually limited by terrain when running my rotary cutter.

What a tractor will do is defined by weight. How fast it will do it is affected by HP. In that regard all the L3x0x tractors are the same weight. You won't loose any capability depending on your choice, just some speed, maybe, depending on what you are doing.

I regret spending the extra $1000 on the l3800 but not because of the horses but for the live PTO. For the last three years of owning my l3200 that is my one thing I dislike ,but have dealt with it..Good thing I had plenty of time with the tranny pto on the old Jubilee.. But at the time the extra horses wasn't needed and still isn't at this point. Live and learn.

 

[Fallon]

I regret spending the extra $1000 on the l3800 but not because of the horses but for the live PTO. For the last three years of owning my l3200 that is my one thing I dislike ,but have dealt with it..Good thing I had plenty of time with the tranny pto on the old Jubilee.. But at the time the extra horses wasn't needed and still isn't at this point. Live and learn.

kubotacres, do you have a gear or HST transmission?

Never realized they had different trannys. I assumed the difference was between HST & gear not 3200 vs 3800. Looked up both on tractordata.com & sure enough...

TractorData.com Kubota L3200 tractor information
TractorData.com Kubota L3800 tractor information

The OP seemed to be only looking at HST transmissions, so I think the clutch type is rather moot as you hardly ever use a clutch for a HST (the Grand HST don't even have a clutch pedal on them).

On my L3200 HST, you use the clutch when starting & when engaging/disengaging the PTO, so not very often at all really. With a HST I'm not sure there would much if any practical usability differences between a transmission PTO & Live PTO. I've never had the PTO push my HST at least, so either it has an overunning clutch or the mechanics of the HST render that issue moot. In older tractors when you pushed in the clutch to stop the tractor, the stored momentum in a swinging rotary cutter or what not would feed back into the transmission down to the wheels & keep driving you forward.

TractorData.com - Power Take-Off

 

[Fallon]

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-buying-pricing/238624-l3800-vs-l3200.html

One thing to keep in mind, the L3200 gear model doesn't have a live PTO. Both HST models and the L3800 have live PTO. This is only important if you are going to be doing a lot of bush hogging or certain other types of PTO work.

 

[kubotacres]

I own a gear and will only own a gear.. I was just giving my .02 on the upgrade situation to a l3800. Only huge difference is the horses and the PTO. The PTO was the only thing I would've liked. I guess using my dads Grand L before buying my 3200 spoiled me.

 

[TheGoose]

IMO, I would not own a tractor that has a DPF and does not use DEF. I know too many people who own trucks and by far the ones that use DEF work much better. Without the DEF the engine has to use more fuel etc. to regenerate the DPF. ALL of the truck makers have finally figured this out and now ALL of them use a DPF in conjunction with a DEF system.

The DEF lowers the temp that it requires to burn out the carbon in the DPF.

 

[TheGoose]

Also, on the jerky hitch, the only time it's a problem for me is when using a boom-pole type attachment such as a post hole digger. When using a boom pole the movement at the end is amplified using the jerky lift. A box blade etc. is no problem to use with a jerky hitch.

 

[tractorshopper]

Was at the dealership on Saturday. Looked at the L3901. Can't really see much visual difference between my L3800 and the L3901 except the throttle has changed, but is in same spot as mine. The L3901 has stickers about how to operate indoors and troubleshooting/performing regen. Looks to be same size/design/and just about everything else as my L3800. I don't know if the new engine and regen situation will be more of a hassle or whether I'd like it better in the long run. All I can say is I like my L3800 just fine and would think doing regen would be a pain/time-waster, but not owning one, won't know for sure, and I don't use indoors, so that wouldn't benefit me. If I did use for extended periods in a barn or warehouse for some reason, I could see where the new engine could be a real plus.

Either way, I don't think you could go wrong with either one.