L2800/3400 and TC30 FEL Capabilities

tracseeker · Feb 25, 2006

I am planning to buy a new tractor to handle land maintenance and chores related to our horses; cutting, clearing, moving round hay bales and some digging.

Since we have some low areas I am opting for 4WD. That pushes my price point and my major concern is satisfying my wife's only requirement for the tractor; to move her 4 foot round bales to the horses and be able to stack them (after we build a shelter) two high with a hay spear on the FEL.

After much internet review and trips to the local AL dealers, I have narrowed my choices to a Kubota L2800/3400 and NH TC30.

Anyone have experience/opinion regarding the capabilities of the tractors I have listed for the hay detail? If I spend this kind of money and cannot fulfill my hay requirement, I will not hear the end of it.

wushaw · Feb 25, 2006

I have a L2800 and I do not think it will handle stacking round bales. You need to go to a Grand L series to get the lift capacity for round bales and probably start with a L4330 with the LA853 loader.

tracseeker · Feb 25, 2006

Thanks for the reply.

Would the L2800 FEL not handle the lift or is the weight of the tractor the issue?

These bales are 4 foot; estimate around 800-1000#.

Av8r3400 · Feb 25, 2006

The FEL on the L2800/L3400 is the LA463, which means Kubota rates the loader to be able to lift 460 kilograms or 1015 pounds. That may be on the ragged edge of capability for you. The L4400 which uses the LA703 (700kg or 1550 lbs. rating) might be a better minimum choice for this task.

tracseeker · Feb 26, 2006

That brings me back to the TC30. The dealer here installs a BushHog brand loader which lifts 1195 vs the 1014 of the Kubota L28000/3400. The Kubota looks like a better tractor to me but performance is the bottom line.

canoetrpr · Feb 26, 2006

I've decided to go with the L3400 myself. In my case I plan on puttering around with square bales for the convenience, despite the higher cost and so this was not a concern to me.

In my honest opinion I think that I would not be comfortable lifting round bales with any of the tractors in this class. Loader lift capacity is one issue - I doubt you want to be operating on the verge of running out of juice. The other issue is weight of the tractor. These tractors do not seem heavy enough in my opinion but I am a newbie at this too.

I would definately look at the grand L series as others suggested. A used grand L perhaps might fit the bill for a similar price to a new L3400.

If I had needed more lift capacity I would have sacraficed the extra 3 horses on the L3400 and paid the two or three K my dealer wanted extra for a L3130 with the 723 loader. More weight on that tractor and better lift capacity on the loader.

tracseeker · Feb 26, 2006

Used tractors in this area are not plentiful. I was not planning to spend anything close to the cost of a new L3400 until I found nothing in the used market. One of the dealers in the area said you have to check the obits here to see if the person operated a farm. I do not want to go that route /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

If I can use the 3PT to spear the rolls and pass on the double stack then we will be okay.

I need 4WD and the ability to dig/move dirt. My wife wants me to move (opt stack) bales.

Still in a quandary over the performance vs price of the L3400 vs TC30.

ccsial · Feb 26, 2006

I'd ask the Dealer to bring one out to try doing your chores. Tell him if it handles it he can consider it delivered.

In my way of thinking if the difference between those two is important then they are both too small.

Kubota has some pretty good finance deals from time to time. NH probably does too. If you end up with a marginal tractor you won't be real happy in the long run.

Bob_Skurka · Feb 26, 2006

( That brings me back to the TC30. The dealer here installs a BushHog brand loader which lifts 1195 vs the 1014 of the Kubota L28000/3400. The Kubota looks like a better tractor to me but performance is the bottom line. )
The problem you have is you are not considering the fact that the farther in front of the pivot points or bucket center point (2 different points, 2 different capacities) the LOWER your lift capacity. Assuming you remove the bucket and put a bale spear on the front end using a QA system, you will have the bale held with the weight are roughly the bucket center and you will barely have enough capacity to lift the load. If the bale is wet, you'd probably fail to lift it to full height. No matter what, you better load your rear tires and you better carry a weight box on the 3pt hitch.

I would suggest you carefully consider your loader specs. Many are rated at pivot point. That is a very misleading spec. If you are lifting 1000# loads, you better make VERY SURE that you are using bucket center capacities, not pivot point capacities!

If it were me, I would be looking for a tractor that had 1200# capacity on the FEL if a major task was to lift roughly 1000# loads to a double stack height. JMO but I think you are going to be disappointed because you will be running your tractor's loader at MAXIMUM capacity all the time. That is not a good situation to be in, it will likely lead to premature problems, wear, and shorter life of the tractor and loader. Saving a little $$$ now may cost you a lot in the long term.

Av8r3400 · Feb 26, 2006

( If it were me, I would be looking for a tractor that had 1200# capacity on the FEL if a major task was to lift roughly 1000# loads to a double stack height. )

I'd go even further and say that a 1700 - 2000# minimum capacity to work 1000# would be better. What happens if you 1000# bale is wet or frozen or whatever? You will need more. The L4400 loader spec I gave before (in my opinion) would probably still be too light for your needs.

LeadPoison · Feb 26, 2006

Take a look at the Kubota M series. The base M models are ideally suited to your needs.

canoetrpr · Feb 26, 2006

( Used tractors in this area are not plentiful. I was not planning to spend anything close to the cost of a new L3400 until I found nothing in the used market. )

I started off in the same boat and came to the same conclusion - to buy new. Of course since I signed on the dotted line I've seen some really nice deals come and go on larger L series tractors used for about the same money as I am paying for my L3400 but without the tax - private sale. The L3400 is going to be plenty tractor for what I'm going to do with it and so I don't regret it.

You might also want to look a bit further away - within 300 to 500 miles. Good deals do often come up from time to time.

If 4WD wasn't a necessity for you then I would, in your boat, be looking at an older - like late 60's, 70's JD machine of a larger size - in the 50 to 60 HP range. They don't have any gizmos but they seem to be nice reliable machines.

( Still in a quandary over the performance vs price of the L3400 vs TC30. )

Definately consider which dealer is better also. I honestly don't think that the little extra lift will make the TC30 that much better but my experience is limited. All I know is that if I was regularly using a tractor to lift 1000 lb of weight or more, I'd want one that was a heck of a lot heavier than either of these and with a loader capacity that was a lot more than the max load I planned on lifting.

I don't know about the opinion more experienced folks might have on this but I feel better about a factory loader than an aftermarket one. Perhaps just my perception being a newbie - this is probably what Kubota wants me to think!

Good luck with your decision.

wushaw · Feb 26, 2006

( Would the L2800 FEL not handle the lift or is the weight of the tractor the issue? ) FEL capabilities 

If I can use the 3PT to spear the rolls and pass on the double stack then we will be okay. This would work... My Box Blade is 830# and my L2800 has no problems handleing it even with the FEL bucket off, I haven't tried it with the whole FEL off the tractor..yet

tracseeker · Feb 26, 2006

Thanks to all for the replies. I have scrapped the double stacking of hay bales as an objective and think the L3400 is the right one for me. If the 3PT can move the bales then we are good.

The extra HP in the PTO on the L3400 should let me run a 60HP gear box - 5 foot bush hog; that will handle anything I have for clearing.

Anyone buy the teeth option for the bucket on the FEL? My Dad said he added a welded support to the leading edge of his JD 755 loader for extra strength and said the $400 option for the teeth sounded like a good idea.

One more question... I have some low areas that hold water this time of year. The dealer stated AG tires are 4ply and the R4s are 6ply. The R4s are much wider and would be less likely to dig I would think. But the other folks on this site say the Ags will self clean better. Thoughts?

LAWALLSTRACTOR · Feb 27, 2006

trackseeker,

If you can try to find a Mahindra tractor dealer and price a Mahindra 3510 tractor with a ML112 Loader. :::You may find the tractor in your price range. Weighing in at 3860 lbs, and a loader lift capacity of 1972 lbs it will handle all of your needs. You can check it out at mahindrausa.com. Good Luck tractor shopping.

Galen LaWall
Your Mahindra Tractor Dealer
Batavia, NY
585-343-0770

N80 · Feb 27, 2006

I have an L4400 and suggest that you give it a good look before going for the 3400. I'm just awed by what this little tractor can do.

As for the tires, the Ags cut the ground up pretty bad, but they pull really, really well in the mud. I've been clearing a long, wet hill side of 15-20' pines and the Ags really pull well and I've had all four tires nearly to the axles and it pulls out with the rear diff locked.

canoetrpr · Feb 27, 2006

You know, I REALLY wish Kubota offerred the L4400 with an HST.

I'm sure they would capture some sales that go elsewhere because they don't.

HammerFour · Feb 28, 2006

I recently got a 3ph bale spear, I have been moving what look to be 5x5 or 6x5 round bales with our L2350, a couple times it struggled to get the bales off the ground but once they are up it does fine.

I would guess the bales are 1500 pounds or a bit more, the L2350 has a 1650 pound 3ph lift capacity so I would say I am using all of it. The SMC loader on the front has a 1000 pound capacity( at full height ) , but has 2000 pounds of breakout force which seems to me to be the number that would apply to lifting a round bale and carrying it low to the ground.

I haven't gotten crazy and gotten a bale spear for the bucket yet ( and I doubt if I will, the 3ph method is doing what I need for now ) but I am sure the loader would pickup and move the same bales I am moving with the 3ph now.

I drive about a mile down the road to buy and get these bales and bring them home, no problems at all. I am sometimes amazed how well this little L series does things for me. I guess I should get a picture next time...haha.