Advice for 1980 Kubota L345

[Branson Bob]

Hello Kubotans.

I recently bought this tractor at auction and will receive delivery of it this weekend. I wanted to ask the community for any advice they have for me. I bought a brand new Branson 3520H in 2016 but this is my first used tractor. Also the Branson is a hydrostatic and this Kubota is geared.

Any advice you can lend me would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[ptsg]

Looks like a nice and clean machine.

I say check the basic stuff. Check all the fluids and filters, see how it looks and depending on that, do a full fluid and filter service. Or just do it right away and have the peace of mind. Definitely check the coolant. Depending on where it came from, it could be straight water which is no good. Looks the strainer for the hydraulic system is hanging below the pumps, so check that out as well and clean if needed.

Grease every grease nipple you can and can't find, because, you know, there always one or two that we will end up missing. Check the clutch free play, since it's usually overlooked till it's too late.

Out of top of my head, this is all I remember for now.

Oh make sure everything works, all gears, PTO speeds, 3 pt, etc.

 

[Branson Bob]

Looks like a nice and clean machine.

I say check the basic stuff. Check all the fluids and filters, see how it looks and depending on that, do a full fluid and filter service. Or just do it right away and have the peace of mind. Definitely check the coolant. Depending on where it came from, it could be straight water which is no good. Looks the strainer for the hydraulic system is hanging below the pumps, so check that out as well and clean if needed.

Grease every grease nipple you can and can't find, because, you know, there always one or two that we will end up missing. Check the clutch free play, since it's usually overlooked till it's too late.

Out of top of my head, this is all I remember for now.

Oh make sure everything works, all gears, PTO speeds, 3 pt, etc.

Thank you Pedro. Much appreciated.

 

[Thomas]

As ptsg wrote also make sure no water gets into steering box.

 

[rbargeron]

I bought my first L345 in 1982 - Kubota was still a "new" brand in the U.S. but at each price point their models had more hp, more weight, bigger rubber etc than green or blue at the time.

This will be an outstanding second tractor - its set up well for mowing - a loader is a lot of front weight bouncing around - its a smoother ride without one.

I ran a 6-foot rotary cutter, 7-ft cutter bar, 6-foot back blade, pulled an orchard sprayer, had a 6-foot inverted style snowblower (the L345's 2-speed pto was great for throw distance). All-around great tractor. For more grunt I traded up to a bigger L4150 - but eventually bought another L345 for its handiness.

This one looks like it lived inside most of its life when not working - definitely a good find !

 

[Branson Bob]

I bought my first L345 in 1982 - Kubota was still a "new" brand in the U.S. but at each price point their models had more hp, more weight, bigger rubber etc than green or blue at the time.

This will be an outstanding second tractor - its set up well for mowing - a loader is a lot of front weight bouncing around - its a smoother ride without one.

I ran a 6-foot rotary cutter, 7-ft cutter bar, 6-foot back blade, pulled an orchard sprayer, had a 6-foot inverted style snowblower (the L345's 2-speed pto was great for throw distance). All-around great tractor. For more grunt I traded up to a bigger L4150 - but eventually bought another L345 for its handiness.

This one looks like it lived inside most of its life when not working - definitely a good find !

Thanks for your reply. I'm super happy with the purchase!

I'll be using the Kubota to run the post hole auger, the brush chipper, the brush hog, and a box blade. I think there might be a flail mower in my future but I want to run the brush hog first to see if it'll do the trick.

It's everything the other tractor isn't... it's not laden with a loader or a backhoe, it's 2 wheel drive, it's geared, it has ag tires, draft control, and is so simple to work on.

I love that it's like tractors from earlier decades in that it's truly just an engine, transmission and driveline with everything bolted to it. The mechanical components are easy to identify and to reach... there are zero access panels and no skin for the sake of skin. I can clearly see all the casting numbers. The L345 also seems to have very good ground clearance which will come in handy around the property.

Besides a leaking water pump and a kinked shutoff cable, the tractor needs no additional work. This is definitely a tractor I could see restoring someday.

 

[rbargeron]

A worthwhile addition to rear mowing implements is a slip clutch on the pto shaft of some kind. The pto gears are not weak but smacking a rock can damage the checkbook (ask how I know). Another item to keep in mind that the high pto speed is ok for a sicklebar or snowblower, but pretty fast for rotary cutters. I had lent my L345 with 6' rotary to my neighbor and later heard this moaning sound - it was the tractor left running with mower going very fast and he'd gotten off to do something else ! Good gawd, as they say. Happy tractoring - Dick B

 

[Branson Bob]

A worthwhile addition to rear mowing implements is a slip clutch on the pto shaft of some kind. The pto gears are not weak but smacking a rock can damage the checkbook (ask how I know). Another item to keep in mind that the high pto speed is ok for a sicklebar or snowblower, but pretty fast for rotary cutters. I had lent my L345 with 6' rotary to my neighbor and later heard this moaning sound - it was the tractor left running with mower going very fast and he'd gotten off to do something else ! Good gawd, as they say. Happy tractoring - Dick B

Thanks for the great advice Dick.

I changed the water pump (which was seized and leaking) and I also changed the tach linkage (but it didn't solve the crazy needle behavior) and changed the shutoff linkage... I was not aware of decompression as a method of shutting off an engine. Pretty old school stuff. I love that with the exception/improvement of the wet disc brakes, this tractor is basically the same as a tractor from the 60s or 70s.

Next is an oil, filter, and coolant change and troubleshooting the tach.

I found that it's possible to jackknife these tractors so I have to be careful about how sharply I turn. Worst case seems like I could flip the tractor or minimally damage the steering.

All in all super happy so far and looking forward to many hours of tractoring on it.

 

[jeff9366]

SPECIFICATIONS:

TractorData.com Kubota L345 tractor information

www.tractordata.com

 

[Henro]

I found that it's possible to jackknife these tractors so I have to be careful about how sharply I turn. Worst case seems like I could flip the tractor or minimally damage the steering.

No...worst case is the damage the tractor might do to the operator during such an event!