Just ordered an L4330

[Anonymous Poster]

Wow! My friendly Kubota representative in Manassas VA came to the shop and opened up this afternoon for my wife and I to place our order for a new tractor. Our first new one. We have been operating a 2WD JD 950. It has served well, but no loader, no 4WD, etc. Here's what we ended up ordering:

L4330 HST
R4 Tires, rear tires loaded with alcohol and water
L2213 4 position loader control valve
LA853 Loader with quick release bucket
L2232 quick attach plate for loader
L2240 heavy duty round back quick attach bucket with hooks welded on.
3 work lights on the ROPS (2 forward facing, 1 back)
Loflin removable toothbar for loader bucket
BB72 Woods 6' mower with chain shields front and back
5 suitcase weights
Woods 72" GB72 Box Scraper

Thanks to the good folks on the TBN goup for your wise input and advice. It has made this process 10 times quicker, painless and more effective. I have learned a new vocabulary from this experience and made informed decisions. The choice of the HST transmission was one of ease of operation (both I and the wife want to operate it and she isn't a friend of the clutch pedal and I will enjoy the HST as well.) I wanted to move up to the 4330 to get the added torque and when you look at $ per foot pound of torque, the 4330 is a strong value on that basis. (If I had the budget, I would have skipped over the 4630 and gone for the 5030...) We had some debate over the size of the rotary cutter, but setteld on the 6' model based on the fact that mostly, I will be cutting pastures to trim off the weeds- so no heavy brush. Chain shields are an extra safeguard to help prevent accidents from rocks being thrown out from under the mower. We wanted the heavy duty quick release loader to provide durability and flexibility. We also liked the extra 'reach' that the LA853 provides versus the smaller one. We also got the 4 way valve, even though our salesman thinks that we will never use it (for a few extra dollars, I am not too concerned either way...) I had to sing and dance to get my wife enthusiastic about a box scraper. She just couldn't see the need for one since we already have a regular blade in the yard. Our salesman came to the rescue and helped her understand.

The tractor will be delivered in the next one to two weeks, depending on when he can get the components all rounded up. We are not in a huge hurry, but it will be very fun when it arrives. Thanks again to the members of TBN for your help.

Randall Smith

 

[frank_f15]

sounds like a really , really nice unit u got. bet u won't sleep much till u get it. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[5030]

I have a 5030 HSTC and I was wondering why you got the suitcase weights for the front. I run a 13 foot J.D. Mower/Conditioner behind the 5030 and the tongue weight is around 1200 pounds. The 5030 dosen't feel at all light in the front with that much weight on the drawbar.
I'm also curious as to why you loaded the tires. It does seem to be a popular thing for people to do with compact tractors these days, however. We quit loading tires on ag tractors some years ago. Ground compaction was a problem. With MFWD, loaded tires are unnecessary. In row crop tractors, if we need the traction, we go to duals or triples. Besides, to dismount a loaded tire and rim can be fatal, especially on your groin.
I like the 853 loader. The 4 way valve is standard on the 5030 cab model. I just use the 4th position for a quick dump. This is my 4th Kubota and they just keep on getting better. The 5030 is a crossover between the M series and the L series. Sort of like an M without the added height.
If you look closely, you'll see the remotes on the rear, right below the window. One remote is conventional, one remote has float. The bailer hookup and the power receptacle are there also, but not visible. The box you see in the side window is the bale wrap control for my New Holland BR round baler
I've enclosed a picture for your enjoyment. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Your 5030 cab tractor is a very nice unit. I tried really hard to stretch into the cab, but wanted more loader, bigger engine, etc. more than I wanted the cab. To respond to your questions:

Suitcase weights: Two thoughts: I was worried about counter balancing the rotary cutter in back when I am mowing up and down the hills and the JD950 has them, so I am used to the idea. Admittedly, I have no idea whether they are necessary on this model and the dealer seemed indifferent about the idea.

On loading the tires, it seems to be a 'standard practice' among dealers in my area (Northern Virginia). All of them insisted that this is the right and only thing to do. This is probably motivated by a desire to avoid legal trouble with people who have accidents because they have inadequately counter balanced the load in the bucket. I hope that we don't have ground compaction problems out on the pastures. They vary from being rock hard when it is dry in the summer to soft after a rain, to really mushy in the winter, so we will have a chance to learn by experience. I agree that the loaded tires are too heavy to safely handle. This will have to be a dealer job.

The dealer was funny about the 4 position valve in front. He acted like I had two heads when I asked for it, but he agreed to humor me...

One thing that I forgot to ask for that would have come in handy last winter is an engine block heater. We have lived in this area for three winters and the first two were fairly mild, but this last one was very cold (for the mid-Atlantic area) and the tractor had more trouble starting until someone told me about diesel fuel additive. That may not be needed with the Kubota, but I am thinking that with the block heater might reduce engine wear on cold starts. It's about a $50 add on expense, so no major cost.

Thanks again Daryl to you for your helpful posts in the past and to all of the TBN forum members. We'll try to find a way to keep from getting too antsy waiting for delivery day.

Randall Smith

 

[JohnMiller3]

<font color="blue">...LA853 Loader with... 5 suitcase weights... </font>

Congrats on the new unit enroute... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Confirm the suitcase weights mounted with the loader are compatible... most aren't...

Also curious what the actual price differential was between the 4330 & 4630?

Finally, I think loaded rear tires should be mandatory for anyone operating a FEL, especially on smaller/lighter compact tractors...

You'll love that extra stability! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[JATO_RaT]

The L4330 is a great setup and probably be the tractor I would have ended up buying had it not been that I was actually looking at the L3130 only trading to the L3830 after several dealers mentioned after having owned a L48 I might not be as satisifed with the power of the L3130. Having had the L3830 for 2 weeks now, I think the power of the L3130 would have been fine. For folks who need more loader and especially important, loader lift height, the L4330 and the LA 853 is ideal. It will load a dump truck where the LA 723 is a little short to load one efficiently. The L4330 would be my choice over the L4630 only because of the $1800 or so cost difference for what is essentially a injector and slight gearing difference. I think the suitcase weights are used without the loader only. I have not yet loaded my tires and would rather not if I don't need to. So far if works beautifully without the ballast, but I only have 20 hours on the tractor and will have to experiment more. Yesterday I did a teardown of a structure here at my place which involved a lot of toothbar/bucket work removing old post footings. Besides the 72" boxscraper (1000lbs), the rear never got light and airborne. My L48 was ballasted. I can easily ballast tires myself since no anti-freeze is needed. I'm still in the test phase of ballast vs no ballast. Rat...

 

[5030]

I copied the "easy weight" mounting system and added olympic weight plates on the rear wheels. Ive included a picture. If anyone is interested, I'll explain how it is done. It's really simple and not expensive at all. Besides, it looks good. My 5030 never got light in the rear, even when moving round bales on the spear. My previous 3710 did and I had to add rear ballast. I'm not saying that the 5030 can't lift the rear tires off the ground, it can. It's just that the 5030 and all the new L's are better balanced and use the new single point mount which distributes the weight on the loader much better than the old style.

 

[5030]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I copied the "easy weight" mounting system and added olympic weight plates on the rear wheels. Ive included a picture. If anyone is interested, I'll explain how it is done. It's really simple and not expensive at all. Besides, it looks good. My 5030 never got light in the rear, even when moving round bales on the spear. My previous 3710 did and I had to add rear ballast. I'm not saying that the 5030 can't lift the rear tires off the ground, it can. It's just that the 5030 and all the new L's are better balanced and use the new single point mount which distributes the weight on the loader much better than the old style.
)</font>

 

[JATO_RaT]

"I'm not saying that the 5030 can't lift the rear tires off the ground, it can. It's just that the 5030 and all the new L's are better balanced and use the new single point mount which distributes the weight on the loader much better than the old style."

Daryl, it sure seems that way. Thus my hesitation to add liquid ballast. Rat...

 

[BillyP]

I think once you get into the bigger/heavier tractors, loaded tires becomes more of a non issue.