Kubota M8540 Narrow 50 hour review

[sixdogs]

Below is the reply I gave a few posts earlier. I believe you could improve your ride with the addition of weights on the rear wheels. Adding a rear implement as a test won't work because it simply adds to the "rocking" problem I mentioned in my post. Again, I don't know about the narrow models but this did noticeably improve the ride on the larger M7040 and 6040 models. Maybe there is some way you could test out some rear weights on the back of yours? Just a thought.

I have ridden in some regular width Kubotas and I have come to believe it's the misbalance of weight coupled with the short wheelbase. In one case of an M7040 the addition of 4 rear weights total in addition to the cast wheel centers made a dramatic improvement. Prior to that the dipping and rising as the tractor "rocked" front to back was pronounced. Afterwards it was pretty much eliminated and the ride was much better. I believe their tractors--the utility ones--are too light in the rear. The bigger ag versions rode smooth.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

These are a few simple modifications I've made. The mirror I use a lot as I'm on the road often. The bottle holder is nice as this tractor had no other place for drinks. The phone mount is placed so I can plug into the radio and it still is attached to the 12v plug so my phone is always charged and is hands free. The glove is my temporary fix for that lever constantly rattling. I need to remount the tool box still to fix that rattle.

 

[TripleR]

Where did you get the mirror and how does it mount. I have exterior mirrors on our tractors, but it seems they get knocked out of adjustment at the worst times.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Where did you get the mirror and how does it mount. I have exterior mirrors on our tractors, but it seems they get knocked out of adjustment at the worst times.

I found it on Amazon.com looking at utv mirrors. I bought longer bolts that hold the liner to the frame and mounted a piece of 1/4" aluminum plate with spacers to the frame and the mirror mounts to that.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Well I wired up my monitor and controller for my New Holland 575 baler and am going to try it tomorrow. I bale slow so hopefully the Kubota will be up to the task. The flies are biting and I'd rather be in the cab then fighting those stupid pests :-(

 

[TripleR]

I found it on Amazon.com looking at utv mirrors. I bought longer bolts that hold the liner to the frame and mounted a piece of 1/4" aluminum plate with spacers to the frame and the mirror mounts to that.



View attachment 325613

Thanks, I will look into it, I may get one for my L5740 too. I am waiting on an install on a Grammar Air Ride seat for the L which has a cb similar to your 8540 Narrow I think.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

 

[aczlan]

How much did you get in? We got ~80 bales baled, 2-400 more are in windrows, but were at 20-30% moisture when we baled, so we didn't bale them. Hope to get them in on Monday. Cut the last field tonight (should be another 4-500 bales) and hope to bale it on Tuesday.

Aaron Z

 

[Robert_in_NY]

How much did you get in? We got ~80 bales baled, 2-400 more are in windrows, but were at 20-30% moisture when we baled, so we didn't bale them. Hope to get them in on Monday. Cut the last field tonight (should be another 4-500 bales) and hope to bale it on Tuesday.

Aaron Z

700 today, have around 1200 to do tomorrow.

 

[aczlan]

700 today, have around 1200 to do tomorrow.

Thats a bunch...
I'm curious how you check the moisture content in your bales when doing that many. Our method of using a hand held probe probbaly wouldn't work very efficiently with that many bales.

Aaron Z

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Thats a bunch...
I'm curious how you check the moisture content in your bales when doing that many. Our method of using a hand held probe probbaly wouldn't work very efficiently with that many bales.

Aaron Z

I have a baler mounted moisture meter with display monitor mounted on the operators station so I am constantly checking moisture levels (every 2 seconds). It is easy to see when the dew starts to set as the moisture slowly starts climbing. Today was fun as there was heavy cloud cover this afternoon and the moisture started to climb. Then the sun came out and it dropped again. Usually though if I notice the tires starting to pick up moisture then it is time to shut down and the monitor verifies that.

I have the hand held probe I use to check the hay loft and I also check some of my customers barns with it a week or two after putting hay in just to make sure there are no hot spots forming.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Thanks, I will look into it, I may get one for my L5740 too. I am waiting on an install on a Grammar Air Ride seat for the L which has a cb similar to your 8540 Narrow I think.

I think the cab frames are the same but the interiors are completely different (well maybe not the ceiling but the inner fenders are). The air seat suspension in mine sits too low for me to be comfortable so I am running it at a higher pressure just so I sit at a comfortable height. I need to take the time to pull the seat out of it again and make a 1" thick spacer for it so that I can run a proper pressure and still sit at a comfortable height.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Well the little tractor handled the baler decently. It is lighter then the TN65 I normally run the baler on and as such there is a more noticeable rocking but I did get use to it. It was nice being in the air conditioning today as it was a warm one. It is only temporary though as we are planning to add a 100+ hp MFWD Cab tractor to the farm. That tractor will be better for baling but then again it will also be nice to run the disbine from a cab as well... might use the Kubota on the baler again till I can add a second big cab tractor to the farm.

 

[TripleR]

I think the cab frames are the same but the interiors are completely different (well maybe not the ceiling but the inner fenders are). The air seat suspension in mine sits too low for me to be comfortable so I am running it at a higher pressure just so I sit at a comfortable height. I need to take the time to pull the seat out of it again and make a 1" thick spacer for it so that I can run a proper pressure and still sit at a comfortable height.

I go the right seat because of the research and work done by 4shorts, he had to modify the seat base to get it to work and I "think" someone else used a spacer from another tractor. mrmetalweld is going to help me with the modification as he has done it. My brother could probably figure it out given time, but it would be a trial and error thing. I sure couldn't have figured this all out on my own. Good luck with your modifications.

Grammer seats - MSG93

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/192419-my-new-kubota-air-ride.html

 

[wmonroe]

The 8540 looks good hooked up to the baler. Your field looks pretty flat from that picture, do you have any hills to deal with?

 

[Robert_in_NY]

The 8540 looks good hooked up to the baler. Your field looks pretty flat from that picture, do you have any hills to deal with?

Only if I drive into a ditch.

 

[wmonroe]

Without any hills the 8540 probably pulled the loaded wagons without any problem.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

OK, I have a question and I'm not sure if it is the tractors fault or the baler. When hooked to the Kubota the bale thrower is hooked into the hydraulics to control left to right for placing the bales where you need them. It worked fine hooked to the old Ford 7710-II and the TN65. But ever since it's been hooked to the Kubota the thrower drifts to the plunger side and has even locked up maxed out to that direction. I've hooked up to the second set of remotes and it does the same thing. So does it dislike the bota or is it possibly a issue with the hydraulic cylinder that just happened to manifest itself to make me go crazy?

I've posted this question in the hydraulic forum as well.

 

[aczlan]

Sounds like a bad seal on the rod... I would try hooking the tractor up to something else that has a cylinder to lift it and see if it drifts down...

Aaron Z

 

[vector16]

I have a Grammer Air seat and am not that happy with it, very little padding. I was at another apple growers today and he had a different aftermarket seat that was really nice to sit on. Going to look into it. Anyone want to buy a Grammar air seat, 500 hours on it, really good deal!