Pros and Cons to owning a Heavier Tractor??

[gladehound]

Don't have any qualms about moving up in size - just make sure the JD is as functional as the Kubota you have. Did some work for a farmer that has large tractors. He was amazed at the power of the Kubota for it's size.

I'm sure that farmer would have been amazed at the power of any brand same size CUT.

 

[wcampbell47]

I'm sure that farmer would have been amazed at the power of any brand same size CUT.

Don't be so sure. I was on a JD with a little more hp than my K and it would not push what the K would. My local dealer (Kubota and Case/IH) said he was asked by Case/IH rep to try out a new Case/IH CUT and compare to K. Dealers comment was hands down no comparison to the K. This was a long time farmer who owned multiple 60 to 100 hp tractors and was neighbors with other farmers with multiple tractors. Actually I have multiple clients who own farms couple hundred miles North of the coast. Have had more than one comment regarding the power of the K.

 

[Spindifferent]

Should also ask if the JD 3520 is a good model to consider. Have not owned
a JD utility tractor.

Very happy with my 3520 with R4 tires. 2005 model year with 700 hours on it. Very reliable, no issues.

Weight is your friend in tractors in most cases, depending on how you use the tractor. You may even need to add weights to the front for ballasting rear implements.

Enjoy!

 

[davesl708]

I currently own a Kubota B7800 and now looking at buying a
John Deere 3520. The JD is a about 1000 lbs heavier and also
has R4 tires. My Kubota has turf tires.

I am fairly new to tractors and would like to know the pros and
cons to a heavier tractor.

Also, if someone could comment on the difference in tires.
Most of my work is hauling material, and firewood and general use around
the yard.

Should also ask if the JD 3520 is a good model to consider. Have not owned
a JD utility tractor.

The JD also has rear wheel weights installed. Good idea to keep these on?

Thanks.

One thing I have not seen mentioned in this thread. Are you pulling loads up grades or hills? This will have an impact on which tires to have. On flat terrain turf tires will be fine and protect the lawn better. If pulling hills turf will be fine in ideal conditions but leaves or wet ground you would spin out.
I use turf for clearing brush, FEL work, snow, and mowing. They work ok in all but not when the grass is wet or in mud.

Weight is traction and you can push/pull more with more weight. With the larger tractor load capacities will go up and save time moving materials from A to B due to fewer trips.

Also, what are the future needs for a tractor?

 

[Gary Fowler]

Turf tires are useless if you have any mud, wet grass or a cow paddy to pull a load across. On dry hard ground they work better than most R4 because of the wider tire (most turf are much wider than any other tires on a tractor). I can't say that they would work better than an R1 or R2 though since I haven't tried them on a side by side comparison. All of my experience running larger tractors with ground engaging tasks have been using either R1 or R2 tires.

I have R1 tires on my LS (that was the only option when I bought it, no R4's available) and for traction, they cant be beat. R4's on my little B26 TLB work ok, but in mud they are really not much better than a turf tire because they slick over and just spin.
As for yards, if you stay off when wet, R4 tires wont do any more damage than turfs and since we shouldn't be on the lawn when it is wet even with a lawnmower, then R4 tires would be my choice for a CUT. In a big Utility tractor I wouldn't have anything but R1 tires and then stay off the lawn period, wet or dry they are going to leave a mark with a 10,000# tractor.
I can say that I have had to pull my brother in law's Newholland 2310 out many times from muddy spots using my LS and R1 tires it goes right on thru any spot that stalls the R4 tires. I would sure hate to get the LS stuck though because we may not have enough tractors to get it out.

 

[4570Man]

I never bury myself up to the axles. If I am "stuck" I grab another tractor and pull that one out well before going up the "axles". No sense getting in deeper.

That is a good plan. Too bad it usually doesn't work. The only time I have gotten a R4 tractor stuck I was going across a soft spot with a heavy load on the FEL. As soon as I hit it the front axel instantly sunk up to about the second bar on the brush guard. I had just driven across the area without the load and it hardly left a rut. Now that I think about it I have actually had 3 r4 tractors stuck under pretty much the same conditions. If using the backhoe to drag yourself out doesn't count as stuck I have only had one r4 tractor stuck.

 

[gladehound]

Don't be so sure. I was on a JD with a little more hp than my K and it would not push what the K would. My local dealer (Kubota and Case/IH) said he was asked by Case/IH rep to try out a new Case/IH CUT and compare to K. Dealers comment was hands down no comparison to the K. This was a long time farmer who owned multiple 60 to 100 hp tractors and was neighbors with other farmers with multiple tractors. Actually I have multiple clients who own farms couple hundred miles North of the coast. Have had more than one comment regarding the power of the K.

That's funny. All the Kubota's I've had experience with were lighter than comparable same hp tractors and because of the lighter weight would not push or pull as much. What specific models were being compared? Were they ballasted the same?

 

[4570Man]

That's funny. All the Kubota's I've had experience with were lighter than comparable same hp tractors and because of the lighter weight would not push or pull as much. What specific models were being compared? Were they ballasted the same?

The JDs have an aluminum axel housing. I think they are usually lighter than the Kubota.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Oh no! Not down this wormhole again. Resist!

 

[gladehound]

Oh no! Not down this wormhole again. Resist!

I'm trying but the force is too strong!!!