Compact Tractor-Loader Specs Comparison

[M59]

Hello, this spreadsheet compares the compact tractor published specs. Made this upon making up a purchase decision. Tell me what brands you think I should add, I know I'm missing JD, LS, & Mahindra. Bad Boy & Rural King should also be added.

Compact Tractor Specs

Orahov,
Impressive. So your either a financials guy or an engineer. Both love building spreadsheets to get the hard facts into one place.

However, I would provide the following cautions and comments as a owner of both several Kubotas and one Mahindra. Your spreadsheet does not capture manufacturer's attention to detail, ease of use, functionality, and quality control which are all very much part of the user selection criteria. Some machines have impressive specs but poor attention to detail. My Mahindra is clearly a price point machine with some real clear issues with quality and attention to detail with sticky hydraulic valves on both loader and bachoe. All the mahindra hydraulic lines are hose instead of metal lines and hose where flexed on the Kubotas. Hydraulic hose is easily damaged if not protected. The Mahindra excavator valving allows only one axis of control at a time whereas the Mahindra allows all axis of control simutaneously. I can leave the Kubota's FEL or backhoe or excavator's boom lifted, while machines are off and very little droop occurs after days but the Mahindra droops to ground after a few hours. Bottom line is I will not be buying another Mahindra and Kubota is clearly a contender for future purchases.

I suggest you add a model year to your spreadsheet in the event someone, in future, wants to review your info.

 

[dodge man]

My owners manual list the required balance for mine. It’s near the maximum of what my 3 point will lift. I’m probably a couple hundred pounds less than that.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

I can leave the Kubota's FEL or backhoe or excavator's boom lifted, while machines are off and very little droop occurs after days but the Mahindra droops to ground after a few hours. Bottom line is I will not be buying another Mahindra and Kubota is clearly a contender for future purchases.

Meanwhile, the outriggers especially and the bucket on our BX25D drop somewhat quickly, while the Kioti CX2610's bucket stays put for months. On the Kioti there are locks for the outriggers so I don't know if those would leak down, too.

Also, the loader on our L3800 starts lowering itself noticeably with maybe 100 lbs. in the bucket, while the M6040 seems to stay "forever" even with well over a 1,000 lb. load.

In my experience it's not a Kubota, but which Kubota.

 

[GMIslander]

All good information, I'd like to add this.
You have to consider the amount of use or abuse that the front end wheel bearings are able to stand.
That seems to be a weak point on some. I have a Kioti DK45se and don't baby it but that front end keeps me kind. I've seen a few fail.
As for the brand many are all the same castings

 

[newbury]

Perhaps add the recommended system pressure for the lift capacities.
Great work!

 

[Orahov]

True. But there are two possible work-arounds:

1. Just use whatever closest "shoulder height" number is provided, whether that be 1.5 meters or 60 inches.

2. Do a simple linear fit between whatever numbers are provided. I can help with this, if you have data.

The table you have is already very good, even without this. My thought was just that choosing a loader which is engineered to show the best max lift at max height, at the expense of the 60" number, is not always in ones best interest.

Very good idea, thanks for this. Would be interesting to compare the rankings at 60" vs at max height.

 

[WinterDeere]

Very good idea, thanks for this. Would be interesting to compare the rankings at 60" vs at max height.

I guess I'd take it a step farther, and say I don't really even care about max lift at max height. I'll never use it.

I use max height all the time, so I'm interested to know how high a loader can go, but never with the heaviest loads. When lifting maximum loads, I'm never going higher than 60".

 

[Orahov]

Orahov,
Impressive. So your either a financials guy or an engineer. Both love building spreadsheets to get the hard facts into one place.

However, I would provide the following cautions and comments as a owner of both several Kubotas and one Mahindra. Your spreadsheet does not capture manufacturer's attention to detail, ease of use, functionality, and quality control which are all very much part of the user selection criteria. Some machines have impressive specs but poor attention to detail. My Mahindra is clearly a price point machine with some real clear issues with quality and attention to detail with sticky hydraulic valves on both loader and bachoe. All the mahindra hydraulic lines are hose instead of metal lines and hose where flexed on the Kubotas. Hydraulic hose is easily damaged if not protected. The Mahindra excavator valving allows only one axis of control at a time whereas the Mahindra allows all axis of control simutaneously. I can leave the Kubota's FEL or backhoe or excavator's boom lifted, while machines are off and very little droop occurs after days but the Mahindra droops to ground after a few hours. Bottom line is I will not be buying another Mahindra and Kubota is clearly a contender for future purchases.

I suggest you add a model year to your spreadsheet in the event someone, in future, wants to review your info.

Thank you, I do have training in mechanical engineering but this spreadsheet was mainly formulated using data from specsheets I retrieved from various companies, and tractordata.com (i.e. using statistics). However accurate/innacurate those specs may be.

You provide many accurate points, maybe I should have renamed the title to "Compact TLB Companies Specsheet General Comparison" or the like, because I would of had to have personal experience with each tractor to compare those features. If someone were to have the time, they would visit each brand dealer personally, create/fill out a checklist of those features you mention, and finally compare. There are a few Youtube channels doing this exactly, comparing the features you mention.

I must admit however that I wasnt looking for a feature rich tractor, just a capable one for my applications. I do not do typical farm tractor work (mowing, tilling, brushing, etc) either. I was looking for a rugged workhorse logging-type tractor, not a spaceship. Each to their own, Kubotas/JD/any brand are all nice tractors too but when you actually compare published lifting specs, mainstream brands prefer having their customers own larger tractor for higher lift cap. to compensate for the added safety concerns of an inexperienced tractor operator that may rush their machine. More "civil" engineering is done with their factors of safety..

Metal hydraulic lines was one attention to detail I made when comparing though. TYM/Branson also had metal hydraulic lines. NH/Case had lots of rubber (from what I remember). Metal lines can be modified after the purchase if you have experience in "DIY/fabrication" and its a "DIY/fabrication" friendly tractor. Mainstream brands want you to have the dealer do all the work for your $. I live in remote forested area, dealers are far away.

Another thing I looked at was the front axle. I have no dimensions to compare but it seemed to me (and I also heard from lesser known Youtube channels) that Kubota has a smaller front axle; which is why their loader lift specs are comparitively low to, say NH, Case, and Massey Ferg, from what I remember to compare. Not easy to beef-up your axle.

Not easy to beef up your frame. Looking at hitch lift specs, puts alot of strain on a frame, Massey Ferg had higher specs than Kioti & Kubota. I would rather buy a tractor built on a heavy duty frame with low-quality comfortability features, than one of the vice-versa (but thats just my personal preference).

Thanks for the opportunity to see yours, and others perspective! Cheers.

 

[Orahov]

I guess I'd take it a step farther, and say I don't really even care about max lift at max height. I'll never use it.

I use max height all the time, so I'm interested to know how high a loader can go, but never with the heaviest loads. When lifting maximum loads, I'm never going higher than 60".

Max height lift specs are analogous to some "minimum" lift capacity based on the reasoning/assumption that more height = less lift variable relationship.

But its more realistically (but still unrealistic), how far your loader is away out front that undermines lift capacity. Farther away = less lift capacity. You have a great point, because the loader geometric configuration has a play, in that your loader is further away when at shoulder height. So the rankings might actually differ.

However, I would guess that when "engineers" do their testing; the loader already surpasses shoulder height so when you compare max height lift, the weight has already gone through this potential "local" maximum lift at the furthest point/shoulder height. And I say potential, because it all depends on loader geometry.

Even more realistic, is that you have to consider how your tractor is oriented with level ground when doing lift capacity comparison.

 

[Orahov]

All good information, I'd like to add this.
You have to consider the amount of use or abuse that the front end wheel bearings are able to stand.
That seems to be a weak point on some. I have a Kioti DK45se and don't baby it but that front end keeps me kind. I've seen a few fail.
As for the brand many are all the same castings

That is also a good point about wheel bearings. Thank you. Not all OEM parts (i.e. bearings) are made for use/abuse. Maybe consider looking for quality bearings? I buy bearings from a company who deals with only bearings.