Kubota L3400 FEL lift capacity..

[Robert6401]

Hi All,

I am new to tractors and am looking for one for my 12 acres with pond and pasture. I think I am pretty sold on the L3400 with gear transmission and the quick attach/detach FEL. My biggest concern is the lift capacity of the FEL. Can anyone chime in on their experiences with one? THanks in advance.

Robert

 

[swampvol]

Kubota Tractor Corporation - L Series - L2800/L3400/L4400 Compact Tractors Attachments

It will lift the unloaded rear tires off the ground with my LD 5' bush hog attached.

 

[Robert6401]

Swampvol, thanks for the input. Let me guess, you arent originally from SC. I am in Gilbert..(if you know where that is).

Robert

 

[Robert6401]

So, I would only be limited by the weight of the tractor then?

 

[emmy71]

I know where Gilbert is (just outside Lexington). I had to do some work at the elementary school there a couple of years ago. If I remember correctly, lots of open land. Looked like a nice place to call home.

I really like my L3400. The loader is adequate for my needs. The heaviest things I have lifted have been sand and gravel. Tractor didn't even blink an eye at either. There is a picture on this site somewhere of one of the members lifting a round bale on each end of the tractor at the same time. I do not have the quick attach.

Terry

 

[swampvol]

So, I would only be limited by the weight of the tractor then?

Yep, but I'm sure if I had the rear tires filled it would be a different story. What are you planning to lift with the fel?
It's more than capable of lifting a full bucket of dirt, but if you're needing to lift full round bales or fresh 24" X 5' stumps/logs from a feld tree than you will need more. The l3400 is a great tractor and a true work horse, but like any other tractor it has it's limits.

Swampvol, thanks for the input. Let me guess, you arent originally from SC. I am in Gilbert..(if you know where that is).

Robert

Born and raised in SC by Tennesseans. Let me guess, you're a Gamecock?

 

[Chuck K.]

My L3400 w/LA463 never attempted to lift the rear tires. As a matter of fact after trying and failing to pull 4' chain link fence post out of the ground was a determining factor that I needed more FEL capacity. In defense of the FEL the soil was hard gumbo and each pole had ~1/2 bag of concrete non the less I needed more lifting power. Be sure and thourghly research the machines abillity before you buy.. I wished I had, not knocking the L3400 in any means, I should have not been in such a hurry to purchase..
Good luck in what ever decision you make..

Chuck.

 

[Robert6401]

Thanks for the advice guys. I dont plan to lift anything very heavy, but I dont want a tractor with a bucket that feels under-powered for its size. I understand that with a smaller tractor like this one, it is definitely going to have its limitations, but when researching the JD comparable tractors I continuously read about their underpowered loaders.

 

[canoetrpr]

This is really about intended uses. The loader is more than adequately matched to a tractor of its frame size. It will effortless lift a bucket full of almost anything you can get in there.

I've moved around dirt, manure and gravel - bucket full loads, no problem at all. I've done some digging - no problem at all.

Mahana has pictures of it lifting 5x4 round bales effortlessly. After handling 5x4's and 5x5's on my 3 pt this winter I am quite confident as well that it would handle the occasional 5x4 without a problem.

If you are OTHO lifting stone, a pallet of bricks etc. with a pallet fork as your primary use around a construction site rather than general farm use, I'd lean towards bigger.

 

[plastikosmd]

"but when researching the JD comparable tractors I continuously read about their underpowered loaders."

sounds like someone grinding an axe, I can only speak for the 2 machines I tried but that was not my experience. I bought a JD3320 with a 300cx loader as it was a more powerful package after getting to try both at the dealer (s), including the loader (we had to use pallet forks tho as not to scratch up the new buckets.) Maybe this is how they use cheap labor by using customers to move their stuff around (mostly bachoes on pallets)! I still wanted to buy a kubota, but felt I would have to move up to the Grand L to get the same specs, but that was a bigger machine, I was already pushin it on size, (and the K dealer told me there was no mid pto on the grands-learned later that there is.) I'm not knockin the 3400, it is a great machine and had I liked the dealer over the JD dealer in the end that is what I would own. The key is to try them like I did and judge for yourself.