L3130 Weight vs. Power

[DAP]

I just read another forum user complain about the L3130 being underpowered for it's weight (approx 3200 lbs depending on configuration with 32ghp on the engine).

I presume this user is actually talking about weight to power ratio, but I digress.

I've heard FEW complaints about the GL series tractor and found this complaint to be the 1st I've heard of.

Anyone else feel this way about the L3130? I' ve always favored Kubota for their weight to power ratios and know that most of their designs tend to be on the light side.

??????

/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[DmansPadge]

I've personally only ever seen a tractor limited because it didn't weigh enough. I know my little 16hp B series could have used another 1000 lbs! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[kossetx]

I've really only seen one person commenting about it being underpowered, and that's fine, we need to know if it is. For me, I think it is the best tractor I can get for the money reasonably close to my land. I'm amazed at how much more they want for the 3 additional HP of a 3430. I'm trying to decide between the 3130 or a 50-55 hp 2wd HD tractor.

 

[cheesehead]

Selecting a tractor depends on what you have to get done. In my case, horsepower is a secondary need as IMHO you'll need it most with PTO powered implements. The amount of grass cutting I do with the mower never taxes my L3130. I do most of my FEL work at 2000 RPM and mid range gearing on the HST without complaint. My 6' box blade is amply powered for the landscape work is has to perform, and is only limited by the tractor's traction. Selection of an L3130 over other models was mainly based on tractor weight, size and lift capability. An L3130 weighs over 75% more than a B3030 and has double the lift capacity (after subtracting bucket weight from both units). An L3430 would have cost $2000 more and I just couldn't justify it. At 2 months of use this machine has 61 hours and has consumed only 35 gallons of diesel. I'm very happy with this tractor.

 

[inveresk]

I got my L3130 with FEL and backhoe in July, my first tractor, and have worked it hard. It's been up to all the tasks asked of it so far - skidding logs, building roads, excavation, mowing, driving a chipper . The only task it struggles at is pulling stumps of trees 10" and above. I can get the job done but it's too slow to make it worthwhile so I've decided to pull in an excavator for a day to finish clearing my land.

 

[dfkrug]

A tractor is about pushing a pulling things, a function of
weight and tire traction. Power is for getting stuff done fast.

That said, I have run into power shortages only when I
drive my tractor over the road and up my neighbors driveway
in top gear. Can't quite do it with loader and backhoe. I am
not a farmer, yet I can see that if you wanted to till a field
fast, power (as well as weight and traction) is going to be
important.

I have a 33hp JD that weighs only 1970 lb naked, and it is
way more limited than my 30 hp 3055 (naked) Kioti.

The L3130 is a great machine. $2K more for 3hp? Virtually
no one would notice the difference.

 

[rk246]

I tried out a 3130 HST on my place and really liked it, it did everything I asked of it and probably would have been plenty of tractor for me, But I am a " horsepower junkie", I admit it, so I went with the 3830, I do notice a very large difference in pulling the hills on my place, especially with the brush hog on. My 3830 also does not seem to stall into big piles of dirt and sand like the 3130 did, but that could also be that my technique is getting better. I did end up getting the 3830 HST for only 2500.00 more than the 3130, so it made sense to me.

 

[SkyPup]

So far the only limiting factor with our L-3130GST with LA723FEL is ground traction, wish it had more weight and larger AG1 tires! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

It is also a super economical machine to operate, a real fuel miser.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

My L3130DT (FST) has done everything I have asked of it. I plow heavy red clay and it does great. I also pull a 6' disc in sandy river bottom soil, and have at times buried the disc in the sandy soil and the 3130 does just fine.
It loses traction before it loses power. If weight to power is an issue there would be no need to add weight in my opinion. But I have filled the Ag tires, have FEL, and BB attached and have all the power I need for the task that I use this tractor for.

I think the issue of weight and power is really an issue of matching the tractor to the task.

The 3130 was the right tractor for "my task". But that being said, my task have now changed so its time to look at 50-70 HP tractors.

 

[_RaT_]

Do a search for Ramon49. He was quite disgusted with his L3130 HST.

 

[AB4D]

[An L3430 would have cost $2000 more]

Just my 2 cents, when I was pricing between an L3130HST and a L3430HST, my dealer had a 1k price difference between the two. At the time, I was opting for a L3430 over the L3130, my main reason for purchasing the tractor was to run a brush hog, and I felt that the three extra horses couldn't hurt. Would I have noticed a difference? I'm not sure, but I would of hated to have purchase the L3130 and then ended up regreting that I didn't get the L3430. IMO I believe that the L3130 is a great tractor. I think one of the issues with individuals feeling that a tractor is underpowered may be related to operator technique. If you are constantly trying to force a tractor to work beyond it's capabilities, and to go faster than is appropriate for the tractor/task, you may feel that a tractor is underpowered because you are always pushing it to its limits and beyond. IMO tractors work better and safer at slower speeds and I believe they are designed to perform their best at a reasonable pace.

Jim

 

[KubotaSteve]

I actually wanted the L3130 when I bought my B7800 but 2 factors stopped me from getting one. First the price /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif and 2ndly the weight. One of my main uses was going to be to mow. I was afraid the L3130 would have been too much weight. With the way the 7800 breaks traction, I would think the L3130 would be the perfect combination of weight and power. I think some people buy a compact tractor and expect it to have the power of a D-9.
If anyone is unhappy with the performance of their L3130 I would be happy to come take it off your hands free of charge /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[CTyler]

When I was looking to buy a tractor the L3130 concerned me a little since it was so much heavier than other tractors with the same HP. Everyone commented that everyone adds wheel weights, fills the tires etc, etc to get more weight for better traction.

So here we are 800 hours later with the L3130HST. The tractor has done pretty much everything asked of it and its been a good tractor. However the tractor is not a powerhouse, a little finese goes a long way. Tasks that used to tax the tractor in low when learning are down in med range. High gear leaves a little to be desired but its still faster than med.

I'm not complianing about the L3130 but would welcome a few extra HP. I'm not sure why Kubota has the L3130 when they have the L3430. The weight of the L3130 has become a real concern now that I want a hard cab w/heat and A/C. Mowing the hills with A/C running will be abit much.

Kubota offers the L3430 with a cab and the extra few HP will offset the A/C requirements when compared to the L3130. Its really odd that they don't offer the cab in the L3830 which is what I'd like to have now to do things a little quicker.

There was a person talking about how under powered the L3130 was and how bad it was etc, etc... Well thats just non-sense and I'll leave it at that.

 

[smittyd3]

Hi,
The L3130 we have has the pulling power to do all we need. It has always turned a tire and not stalled. I would like a LA723 FEL instead of the LA513, but that's another story.

Smittyd
/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Jibber]

I have about as heavy an L3130 as you can get.. loaded tires.. 723 loader and BH.. I got the tires loaded because I didn't buy the Backhoe with the original package and needed more ballast than a box blade could provide.

anyway.. If I were back at the dealer starting over I'd probably get an L3830. That being said.. the only time I've really felt "underpowered" is on the road.. and going uphill.

Dropping the backhoe helps a lot on travel speed. But, I don't spend much time on the road. Most of the time I'm in low range on the HST and that's fine.

as for implement strength.. well, for me that's mostly a matter of hydraulics and I've never experienced any real problems. And, I'm moving lots of rocks around here.

 

[L3130]

Not disgusted with my L3130. I'm very happy with mine. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif. Does everything I need it to do.

 

[_RaT_]

As are almost all owners. I've heard guys complain about the power in a CAT D9.