Buying Advice First tractor - Kubtoa vs John Deere

[Tractorable]

Check out the new Yanmar YT235 while you're shopping around. Yanmar has built a lot of the smaller John Deere's and provides most of their Diesel engines. The new YT's are nice machines.

 

[rScotty]

I'll second that on the Yanmar. Their quality is too often overlooked, but there's a reason why JD chose them to manufacture (and design??) most if not all of the JD compact tractor line.

Some general observations. ...Right now we are in the golden age of compact tractors. There are half a dozen excellent brands on the market and all competitive prices and performance. Not a dog in the bunch.

Transmissions.....the more gears the better. A diesel doesn't have the wide RPM range of a gasoline engine, and you will enjoy using the extra gears. IMHO, 2 speeds in HST is simply not enough.

In operating tractors it is common that you won't be shifting very often, but instead you will pick a gear and stay in it as long as the torque is suitable. My particular favorite is a 3 speed Hydrostat with 2 ranges. This gives you a selection of six speeds forward. 5 of those gears are suitable for doing loader work at slow speed. The 6th gear is a "road gear".
Although I like Hydrostat transmissions (HST), there are those who prefer the automatic power shift. Try both. The old fashioned fully manual transmissions are not so popular anymore. Nothing wrong with them, the the consensus is that the newer transmissions are preferable.

Get the third option for the front end loader. Always a good idea. But hold off on 4n1 vs grapple until you use the standard bucket for a year. You'll learn more, a simple bucket will be perfectly adequate - and at the end of that time you will know which other type bucket will suit your land the best.

Do get the quick attach bucket for the loader (often an option)...manual lever type is OK. And make sure that it is the "skid-steer" compatible quick attach mechanism. That will open up a world of optional loader attachments.

Old style diesels versus the new particulate-reducing schemes?? Your choice. The new technology adds complexity to manufacturing but seems to be working out surprisingly well.
best of luck,
rScotty

 

[dalola]

Agree with the suggestion to test drive....you don't need to be a tractor pro to understand what feels right to you. This step should produce a winner for you. The good news, there are no bad choices, just better ones! But only you can really determine that. Either rig should perform well for your needs. Good luck!

 

[derekn]

Get the third option for the front end loader. Always a good idea. But hold off on 4n1 vs grapple until you use the standard bucket for a year. You'll learn more, a simple bucket will be perfectly adequate - and at the end of that time you will know which other type bucket will suit your land the best.

Do get the quick attach bucket for the loader (often an option)...manual lever type is OK. And make sure that it is the "skid-steer" compatible quick attach mechanism. That will open up a world of optional loader attachments.

Yup, that's my plan. I'm going to wait until I have a better idea of what I'm doing before I buy a grapple or 4-in-1, or maybe just pallet forks.

The quote I got for the Kubota includes the quick attach bucket. I'll need to check and see if it's skid-steer compatible.

 

[ultrarunner]

We use the L3800 for a 65 acre tree farm... bought it from Green Valley Tractor not all that far from you as a harvest return... no regrets and not a single issue in 3 years... had 105 hours on it with full warranty. We jumped on it because it was the last without all the emission equipment.

The quick attach is nice and we go between the bucket and forks often...

I also have a Deere 110... love the backhoe and there is no comparison to the L3800 hoe... except they are hoes.

L3800 handles the Woods Mower just fine

 

[Wagtail]

Well, I can certainly vouch for the JD 4105 as I've had mine (new) since Jan of 2013. They don't make that model anymore, probably due to the Tier 4 filtration add-ons. There are people who would love to get their hands on a Tier 3 tractor!!!

Heaps of room and independent FWD/REV pedals. Having just High/Low has never been a problem and I have never found it 'tedious' to drive it distances (15km one-way) on public roads... just put into 2WD, select High, Revs to 2400 & foot down on the FWD pedal = too easy. Honestly, I wouldn't know what to do with a Medium selection.

I operate a JD 655 tiller or a 6' slasher off of the PTO. They have never bogged down. The 41hp YANMAR donk has plenty of power for what I need in a tractor. I've done all of my own maintenance & fluid/filter changes by myself (it's all in the Owners Manual)... and I was a newbie like yourself. That includes the hydraulic fluid/filter change.

Yep, the 4105 is a 'bare bones' rig. That just means that it's open-station, no cruise control, side-view mirror or rubber mat on the station deck. Big whoop.

Strange that the ROPS doesn't fold down. :confused3: Mine does.

I have a 4in1 bucket. It's come in handy for me every now and then so I'm glad that I have that option. Where I live, a grapple isn't a 'needful thing' but, were I to get one, the 3rd function hydraulics are already there. In fact, the rare time that I've needed a remote at the back of the 4105, I've simply unhooked the 3rd function from the FEL and snaked back to the rear = worked perfectly fine!

My dealership has backed me 100%, but as TheMan419 says, not all dealerships are the same.

 

[Wagtail]

Oh, and why do you need a SSQA for the FEL? There are other less 'weighty' QAs available... including the JDQA that my 300CX FEL has.

My 4in1 bucket and fork/bale-spike combination fits great and, if I were to get anything else for the FEL, can get it in that configuration... and I live in Tasmania. :laughing:

 

[Spanner]

Foldable ROPS was an Australia-only option with a split at S/n 410000 where the later production had the anti-rattle screws on the hinges.

We get them also as our supply is via Aussie.

I would second the lack of need of a 3-stage transmission. High/Low is perfectly fine for most work. The Hydrostatic transmission covers the revs/load equation.

To have a simple engine configuration is a plus-point in todays' computerised world.

Hi/Lo is fine for the average small-block owner. The extra 'Low' range is effectively your 'Creeper' gear range for Sports Turf-specific applications. eg. Coring golf greens.

Keep it simple and since you spelled "Kubota" incorrectly I feel you are a born JD owner!

 

[chim]

The Kubota has about 8 more HP than you listed.

 

[KennyG]

I also have never understood the 2 speed/3 speed HST controversy. On my JD, the ranges have an overlap and I don't think the minimum and maximum tractor speeds are different from other tractors. We've had these discussions before and it seems most people with 3 range tractors think 3 ranges are better but no one with a 2 range tractor sees a problem. I guess it's all good because everyone is happy. :thumbsup: