L3130 vs. L3430?

[rk246]

If I am correct this is the same size tractor just a little more hp from the 3430? For those that have run both is there a noticeable difference? If you drove/ran them back to back would you be able to tell? Or is the hp only noticeable at the PTO? Does the added hp of the 3430 justify the extra cost? And how much extra cost are we usually looking at with the 3430?

Thanks,

Ryan

 

[AB4D]

Ryan,

You are correct, the L3130 and L3430 are the same tractors except the Engine Gross power is 32.1 vs 35.1 (HST PTO 24.0 vs 27.0). I have a L3430 on order, but I test drove the L3130. I don't think I will be able to detect any difference between the L3130 and the L3430 from the drivers seat. However, I purchased the L3430 over the L3130 because I wanted a few extra horses at the PTO for running a rear rotary cutter. If I was only going to run something like a small finish mower, I probably would have purchased the L3130. The price difference between the two tractors from my dealer was about $930. Good luck with your decision.

Jim

 

[CT_Tree_Guy]

Ryan:

I am so glad you asked that question. This might ruffle some feathers, but it is not intended to.

I want to preface my remarks by saying that the following comments have nothing whatsoever to do with any comments made by a notorious poster from the past called (dare I speak his name?) Ramon49 who went on at GREAT length about how underpowered his L3130 was. I chalk that case up to a variety of things, none having anything to do with the performance of a Kubota L3130.

That said: I have heard from several credible-sounding posters that when they really load up their 3130's, especially the tires, but also with backhoes and other heavy attachments, that they start wishing for a little extra power. I did a power-to-weight ratio analysis on the Grand L's before I bought one, and it obviously gets better and better the higher up you go. The frames are all roughly the same class, with the 4330 on up being a little beefier to accomodate the 853 loader, and the 5030 maybe a little beefier still; the front axle might be a little bigger, and I would think that something is beefed up in the rear to boost the 3ph lift a little. Here are the figures: (HST, no cab, net engine HP, tractor only, barometer 29.78" and rising, wind out of the SSW)

<ul type="square"> L3130: 105 lbs/hp
L3430: 98
L3830: 87
L4330: 85
L4630: 78
L5030: 75 [/list]

You can kind of see how the ratios change based not just on HP, but on the frame differences. Not so dramatic a drop going from the 3830 to the 4330 for example.

But a bigger (percentage-wise) drop going from the 3130 to the 3830, and a more modest drop when comparing the 3130 and 3430.

The 5030 obviously is a beast. I'm not saying that because I have one; as always, it's the other way around. The 4630 is right in there power-to-weight-wise, but I don't like that they just tweaked the 134.1 CI 4330 engine to get 3 extra horses, instead of boring or stroking it. To me, the most desirable LXX30's would be the 3830 (but that's just short of being able to get the 853 loader), the 4330 (more modest increase in power-to-weight, but you get the 853 loader), and the 5030 (not necessarily in that order), /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif leaving the 3430 merely a superb choice. 3130? Great tractor, probably PERFECTLY suited for a wide variety of tasks like ALL the XX30's, but see above.

These are just my opinions - it is never my intent to put down any particular tractor. Just talkin' here. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[rk246]

Thank you for all of your thoughts, I am in a predicament though, The dealer brought out the L3130 with 723 loader, quick detach bucket, tires moved out, filled with ballast, and the brush hog all for 20,000.00, which I beleive is a good price, he is also throwing in the first service, So I don't know how much more the 3430 would be? But I am sure it would be more, I will be running the 60" brush hog on about 4 acres, clearing a lot of brush, mainaining a lot of gravel driveway and moving stuff around with the bucket, tilling a garden, disking the pasture ect. So now I am in a quandry, don't know what to do.? Thanks again for the help.

 

[CT_Tree_Guy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( 60" brush hog on about 4 acres, clearing a lot of brush, maintaining a lot of gravel driveway and moving stuff around with the bucket, tilling a garden, disking the pasture
)</font>

Ryan:

It sounds to me as if you might want a little more power, especially with those filled tires. Plus, I'm wondering what your dealer is doing with a tractor on his hands set up like that. Sounds as if someone might have tried it and didn't like it. How many hours on it? Ask your dealer the story if you haven't already. If applicable, talk to whoever might have returned it.

I see this as an excellent opportunity for you to test-drive the exact tractor you're thinking about, set up the way you think you want it. I am NOT a big fan of filling tires, especially if you have something heavy to hang off the back. Without something on the back, it will get a little light in the rear with that loader.

I got a 5030HST w/853 loader, hd bucket w/cutting edge and block heater for $24,950. Not worlds away from what you're looking at, and oh what a machine. Frankly, I could see you in one. Some people might say "For 4 acres? Are you kidding me?". Nope, I'm dead serious. I think any tractor will last longer (less overall cost per year) if it's cruising through tough chores (like bush-hogging) rather than being pushed a bit. Plus, you'll be able, for the maybe the next 15 years or more, to put 50 diesel horses to the ground with the push of a pedal. Put a price tag on that. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

And maybe within that time frame, you'll have more than 4 acres, who knows. Again, just my opinions.

Good luck, John

 

[rk246]

John,

This tractor had 26 hours on it, he tells me it and decided to buy a bigger tractor, they did not have the tires filled or moved out until they brought it out for me to try out, I have a pretty severe ravine in the middle of my property so I wanted the stability. Can you expand on why filling the tires is not a good thing? I thought it would add balast for stability and for the loader? It seemed to work real well on my property, It climbed up the toughest hill through the brush, I have always operated a tractor on mostly flat ground though so I didn't know how far I could push this tractor? I didn't want to end up on my side. I was a little leary of turning around on the hill and took that real slow and easy? maybe not the best plan. My neighbor has a 26 or so hp cub cadet and he keeps telling me I am buying too much tractor, that a smaller tractor would be better, but I was worried about being able to climb the hill and brush hog, I also want to be able to pull it easily in my 14' dump trailer, So I didn't want to get to big.

 

[CT_Tree_Guy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I am NOT a big fan of filling tires )</font>

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Can you expand on why filling the tires is not a good thing? I thought it would add balast for stability and for the loader? It )</font>

Ryan:

As Ricky Ricardo would say, I've got a lot of "'splainin'" to do. When I say I'm not a big fan of filling tires, that's like saying I'm not a big fan of going to the dentist. There's a time when it's the only sensible thing to do, regardless of the downsides. I'm not flatly saying that it's "not a good thing".

Some of the downsides: Reduced flexibility in adjusting the weight and balance of your tractor. Once they're filled, they're filled. Power loss via friction from all that sloshing liquid, and the weight itself. Makes tire repairs more troublesome and expensive.

That said, tire filling is a time-honored way of adding stability and traction, and counterbalance for loader work. It's up to you to weigh all of the factors involved ... the surfaces you'll be operating on (lawns, fields, pavement, pasture?), what implements will usually be on your tractor (backhoe, other heavy stuff on back?), how much loader work you'll be doing, on and on.

On the size of your tractor: I don't want anyone to think that I'm saying you need a 5030 to do what you have to do, you could probably get them done with a BX. The Grand L's just represent a big uphill "slippery slope", and for me, the 5030 practically "ordered itself", like the IBM router in that commercial. Do you need one? I highly doubt it. Would it be a waste of money? I doubt that too. It's not like you're flushing your money down the toilet by getting a bigger tractor. The money's still there, it's just in a tractor. You get the work done faster and easier (for maybe 15 years), and if you sell the tractor, you get most of that money back. Not a bad deal. Plus, bigger tractor = bigger fun /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

As usual, just me talkin'. You'll probably know the right size for you when you're sitting on it. That's what happened with me. I drove a few of the Grand L's until I said "yep, this is the one". Gotta run, but I'll try to give some more thoughts if I can.

Take care, John

 

[OrangeGuy]

I own a Kubota L3430, but tried out the 3130 before purchasing. The 3130 did everything I wanted a tractor to do. I had to purchase the 3430 to get the factory cab on the small frame. I think you should be fine with the 3130.

OrangeGuy

 

[SWB]

Always get the extra horsepower in the same size tractor if you can afford it. There will come a time that you wish you had it and regret you didn't get it.

 

[JLoaf]

I've never heard anyone complain about too much HP.
For me, the additional hp would be desirable for running pto equipment. With the additional hp you will be able to turn your cutter with less rpm's compared to a tractor with less hp. I have an L3830 and at times I wish I had gone with the L4330.
I also have a B2710 which is great for smaller stuff like finish mowing or running a small tiller. The B2710 is fun and very maneuverable, but it will not do the work of the 3830.
I do not have my tires filled on my 3830 but I hope to have that done soon. I have added 220# of suitcase weights to my box blade and I can tell a difference - the tractor doesn't feel as "bouncy" and I have better stability when lifting with FEL.
Having owned my 3830 for 2 years, I would get all the weight and hp I could.

 

[Bob_Young]

It's not just the HP. The 3430 has a larger displacement engine; about 9 cubic inches (10%) larger than the 3130. Besides greater HP at the top end, it'll deliver more torque at the low end. This translates into doing the same work easier at low RPM and may make it unnecessary to power-up (increase RPM) and gear-down on work that would challenge the smaller engine. At least it works that way with gears. For HST, I'd automatically go with the 3430 just to make up for power lost in the HST.

These days you see 50HP diesel engines in displacements all the way from about 145 cubic inches to 200 cubic inches. It's no coincidence that the big engines deliver their 50HP at a much lower RPM...and can work quite comfortably only a few hundred RPM above low idle.

I'm not sure lbs./HP is meaningful in comparing tractor performance; certainly not as meaningful as when comparing dragster, aircraft or speedboat performance. Weight has its place in enabling the tractor to get the power to the ground. My L4300, without the loader or the tire fluid, carries around 68 lbs/HP. But, as a practical matter, the weight of the loader and fluid is needed for traction.

However, weight beyond a certain point can turn a tractor into a dog. I believe that was Ramon's problem. He had everything but the kitchen sink on his tractor, including an HST that was compounding the problem.
Bob

 

[CT_Tree_Guy]

Bob: Thank you very much for pointing out that GLARING problem with my analysis. I should know better. Good grief, what was I thinking, after all the HP vs. torque threads that I've read. I shall submit myself to 50 lashes with a hydraulic hose, then re-do the power-to-weight analysis using net torque instead of net HP.

Excellent point about the weight of the tractor vis a vis how much power you can get to the ground, and how well that power will move that weight around. My thinking touched on that as I was calculating the ratios based on bare tractors, but at least it's a starting point and can perhaps give one a rough idea of what to expect. And I might offer the observation that if you have plenty of power to begin with, you have more options concerning adding more weight - hard to add more HP/torque after the fact.

Again, nice job, thanks!

John D.

 

[bugstruck]

Bob,

Your observations are correct IMO. I've got the 3130 loaded to the gills with weight. I could use a little more juice at times. I don't need it so much as I'd like to have it. Now if mine was a real daily working machine, I'd have to have at least 40HP. So, if you generally run under say 5,500 to 6,000 lbs. fully outfitted and don't need the extra PTO HP/ or torque, the 3130 is more that adequate. If your over 6,000 I'd go the 3430 and really there is a good reason to go the 3830 or bigger at those weights IMO.

As for John, I'm glad you got him straightened out. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Hope he's not too hard on himself with that hose though. Course he has the monster L /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif, so don't let him fool us with all that self inflicted punishment. He's known to be pretty resourceful with words /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I have L3130 and L5030.
I do think the L3130 is a little short on power for the physical size of the tractor, but, it's still a great tractor, and has enough HP for the 5 acres I use it on, mostly for finish mowing, some bushhogging. If I had it to do over again, might go with the L3430 instead for that little extra HP.

 

[rk246]

Okay, so now I am really questioning my decision, I stopped by the dealer today to talk to him about the 3430, the salesman that has been helping me is on vacation until WED, So another salesman helped me, His point was that the 3430 is only 3 more hp than the 3130 and is about 1000.00 more, He was talking me into the 3830 for the extra hp, He felt it would be much more effective than the 3430, and still is basically the same size as the other 2, really it seems it is only a few inches difference in length and height, with a little bigger size tire. So now for the price difference he is offering me the 3830 with the 723 and quick detach bucket, fluid in the tires, tires moved out and brush hog for 1900.00 more than the 3130, BUT it is the GST instead of the HST, They do not have an HST in stock right now, This particular salesman seems to like the GST better, He is telling me that it is better for discing, mowing, plowing ect. Whereas if I was doing more loader work he felt the HST is better.

Now I am really confused, I don't mind spending the extra money for the HP, as a matter of fact I am really considering it, I am just not positive about the GST, I will be doing more plowing, discing, mowing, than loader work, and blading the driveway ect. So I really don't know what to do? By the way total price of the 3830, with 723 quick detach bucket, GST, Brush hog, fluid in the tires, first service and delivery all for 21,950.00? Good price?

Thanks again for all the help...

 

[ksmmoto]

I was looking at a L3130 originally, but decided to get the L3430 since the tractor was the same size physically. I have never ran a L3130. The local rental store has one, maybe you could find a rental to try.

ksmmoto

 

[Jarrett]

When I bought my L3130DT I too had considered the 3430. I don't remember the price difference, but my dealer talked me out of it. His reasoning was that because of the PTO HP of the 3130, you're limited to 5' equipment (such as bush hog, although I know alot of people here use 6') and the additional 3 HP of the 3430 wouldn't be enough to allow 6'. I still came close to getting the 3430 anyway, but my budget ended up being my deciding factor. If I had it to do over again, I think I'd ignore the budget and go with the L3830 HST. Not that there's anything wrong with what I have, I love it. It's done everything I've needed it to do. Hopefully it'll do everything I need it to do in the future also. I just wish I had the HST instead of the gear tranny, and having that extra HP would help cover the extra HP loss from the HST. As for the GST...I drove one and just did not like it. Maybe I was doing it wrong and after some time with it I'd get used to it, but it just seemed like I had to use my hands to much for changing speeds etc.

 

[Mike_Kanzer]

I originally was looking at an L3130 HST but ended up going with a L3830 HST with the 723 loader, filled tires, 5' Woods brush hog and an 8ft rear blade. I really like the HST for loader work, it makes shuttling back anf forth between forward and reverse very easy. I use the tractor for loader work and bush hogging trails and about 8 acres of pasture. I think if you can afford it you can't go wrong with the increased HP particulary at the PTO. The HST drops the HP at the PTO a little bit - about 30HP on the L3830HST. I think your price is good - I paid 24,900 for my set up.

 

[rk246]

The dealer is telling me he does not have a 3830 in a Hydro, only in the GST, he says he could find me a Hydro, but it would take longer and be more expensive, etc. If he had an HST in this 3830 it would be a done deal, so now I go with the 3130 HST that is sitting at my place right now, go up to the 3430 with the HST or the 3830 with the GST ? I haven't driven the GST so I am not sure on running it, I had never driven the HST before either, My property is very hilly so I don't know which does better on that, I was thinking of how much more horsepower I would have with the 3830 with the GST, I thought I had it all figured out and now I am not sure....Thanks again for all the input

 

[Sully2]

Here is the way it was all laid out for me . Info from people who have used AG tractors for MANY years..me being green as apples until this september.

IF you are talking the same physical size tractors..go for as much HP as your billfold can stand.

For trannys..."shuttle shift" was first in line because of its advantages. HST was next in line ( all that was offered in my tractor)...and manual shift was a FAR BACK dead last.

4WD is an absolute.

My choices for my own work was a B2630 or a B3030 and I went with the 3030 model.