For those of you who think the L3400 has a weak loader!!
- Thread starter LD1
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k0ua
Epic Contributor
Here is Jims new real world testing thread.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/290328-ok-guys-today-weight-day.html
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/290328-ok-guys-today-weight-day.html
OP
LD1
Epic Contributor
Thanks. I would have missed it:laughing:
Bluegill2
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2012
- Messages
- 1,876
- Location
- Success Missouri
- Tractor
- Kubota L3800DT, L3750DT Shuttle
Me too...
k0ua
Epic Contributor
Just looking out for you guys!
his results were interesting. Nothing like some real measurements..:thumbsup:
James K0UA
Tx Jim
New Member
I should have done a better job giving the thread a title.
kiotiken
Veteran Member
Back to the original topic of the thread (I'm slow to the party), I'm not sure the question makes much sense. If you only ever need to lift a couple hundred pounds of topsoil in the bucket, sure, the L3400's loader is fine but for many other uses, it simply doesn't cut it. One thing I've discovered since I bought my first tractor about 4 years ago, to do a little landscaping around the house, is you never know what you'll want to do with your tractor. I'm one of those guys that can break anything and will push everything to it's max and the 3 tractors I've had are no exception. My CK30 with very similar specs to the L3400 simply wasn't strong enough to do what I wanted to do at the time. It moved dirt no problem, but then I started bagging firewood on pallets that then needed to be stacked. Full, each bag is just shy of a face cord and the CK30 couldn't lift it, let alone stack it. Because the bags weren't completely full, they didn't hold their shape and it just didn't work very well. Now, I fill them a full as possible and I can move and stack them two high, with or without ballast on my DK45. So, the OP asked what you could possibly do with 2.5 times the lift, well, I've found plenty of things where I've used it, maxed it out and even a few things I don't have enough lift for, none of which I would have imagined when I bought the tractor (other than firewood bags).
Here's another crazy use for a CUT that came out of the blue, you just never know what you may need big lift for. About 1000 lbs to full height (not in pic) with no ballast.
Here's another crazy use for a CUT that came out of the blue, you just never know what you may need big lift for. About 1000 lbs to full height (not in pic) with no ballast.
OP
LD1
Epic Contributor
My point wasnt to insult tractors with alot more lift. Your DK45 is also alot bigger and heavier and capable of supporting more ballast.
The point of the thread is that there seems to be quite a few threads lately complaining about lack of power out of the L3400 loader. No doubt it cant lift what a larger tractor will. But for its size, it is capable of lifting the back tires even with a super heavy 1100lb 6' cutter that hangs way back. So quite simply, even if it had the loader like your DK45 has, it still wouldnt be able to lift more than it already does. THATS my point. The loader is matched very well to the machine.
IndyIan
Veteran Member
Is your relief valve tuned up a bit? Or does the loader reach way out in front of the front axle? A 1100-1200lbs box blade is what I use for ballast and I have lifted a back tire, but mostly using the curl function.
Maybe the LA463 geometry is biased to breakout and falls way off as the loader rises? Which is fine for alot of jobs. Stacking big square bales probably isn't going to work really well though?
Kioti seemed to sacrifice some breakout force to keep a high lift capacity to full height, but I find the break out to be more than enough to worry about bending the bucket anyways.
Maybe the LA463 geometry is biased to breakout and falls way off as the loader rises? Which is fine for alot of jobs. Stacking big square bales probably isn't going to work really well though?
Kioti seemed to sacrifice some breakout force to keep a high lift capacity to full height, but I find the break out to be more than enough to worry about bending the bucket anyways.
Piston
Elite Member
I used to easily lift my rear tires off the ground, even with a heavy counterweight. Then I got my rears filled with 1100lbs of ballast, and with no counterweight I can still lift my rears off the ground, however, with a 1400lb implement on the back, in combination with 1100lbs of ballast, I can use the full capability of my loader now-all without worrying about the rears coming up. It's important that the needed lift capacity of the job at hand is properly matched to the ballast on the back, or rather, vice versa.
LD, I don't remember if you mentioned it or not, but are your rears filled with ballast? I would take a guess that they are not, but of course I could be wrong. It's not surprising that the rears can come off the ground with 1,100lbs of rear implement on the back, and no ballast in the tires. However if your rears are filled with close to 1k lbs of fluid AND you have the brush hog on the back, and your still lifting the rears off the ground, then I'm going to agree with you and say that your loader is very well matched (if not a little large) for your tractor.
LD, I don't remember if you mentioned it or not, but are your rears filled with ballast? I would take a guess that they are not, but of course I could be wrong. It's not surprising that the rears can come off the ground with 1,100lbs of rear implement on the back, and no ballast in the tires. However if your rears are filled with close to 1k lbs of fluid AND you have the brush hog on the back, and your still lifting the rears off the ground, then I'm going to agree with you and say that your loader is very well matched (if not a little large) for your tractor.
