L345DT w/ Loader and 5' brush hog

   / L345DT w/ Loader and 5' brush hog #1  

design

Silver Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2005
Messages
176
Location
Southern, NH
Tractor
M5400
L345DT w/ Loader and 5\' brush hog

I am looking for pricing info and prior owners thoughts on a used 345DT being sold in NH. The dealer selling the machine has a very good reputation; however the tractor looks in rough shape. Hood/Sheetmetal has been poorly repainted,
Loader bucket is on good shape, and the tires are in good shape. Too cold to start the tractor the day I visited the dealer.
Is there anything I should look for?
i would appreciate any input from rbargeron, as he is also an ME and lives in the "area"



Thank you
Design
 
   / L345DT w/ Loader and 5' brush hog #2  
Re: L345DT w/ Loader and 5\' brush hog

First I'd get it started. If the glow plugs are working it should have started on the day you saw it. In your area I would call that a must, in Texas I never use mine, well maybe for fun a couple times.

Only if you are ready for some fun would I buy a tractor (or anything) that would not run.
 
   / L345DT w/ Loader and 5' brush hog #3  
Re: L345DT w/ Loader and 5\' brush hog

Dick Bargeron also used to own a L345DT, and has lots of knowledge on this tractor. Mine is a 2WD without FEL, so a little different unit. I had to replace the water pump and have the starter rebuilt along with some electrical work. But even with 4000+ hours, it runs very smooth and strong. And it always starts on cold mornings with a little extra time on the glow plugs.

Good luck.
 
   / L345DT w/ Loader and 5' brush hog #4  
Re: L345DT w/ Loader and 5\' brush hog

Hi Design - Thanks to Bill G in TX here I am. Don't be too put off by a 345 that won't start on a very cold day. They need a strong battery in good state of charge - even when they were new. I found that giving mine a microscopic sniff of ether was the way to go in cold weather - it was easier on the battery, and I never used enough to hurt anything. Started it that way for years.

Some things to check - the hourmeter cable only lasts a few hundred hours before they break - so you can't tell much from the hourmeter - unless it reads high. The clutch is a dry 2-stage so check to be sure the pto will disengage with the pedal full down. If the pto will not disengage, the travel clutch disk is worn and needs replacement. I always suggest looking at the air filter element - the housing has a pressure sensor telltale for when the element needs cleaning - if any part of the air cleaner is broken or missing it's a sign of poor maintenance - usually a deal breaker. Sheetmetal and paint was lower quality than the mechanicals on these tractors - they can be ugly but still capable of a lot of work. How is this tractor for oil leaks? They have a spot at the top of the block in front that can leak and make a mess - fairly easy to fix - less easy to find. It should have no oil leaks at the axles. And of course the dipsticks should have just oil on them - no soap, no bubbles, no milky goo. Hope this helps.
 
   / L345DT w/ Loader and 5' brush hog #5  
Re: L345DT w/ Loader and 5\' brush hog

design,

Here's a link to a old thread from when I bought my L345. It has lots of useful information in it from Dick and other members.

I have added a ROPS to mine since then. If this one you're looking at doesn't have one, I strongly recommend it. Kubota practically gives them away - look in the Safety section of kubota.com, and you'll see the $148 deal. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

edit: One more link, to Dick's review of his L345DT.
 
   / L345DT w/ Loader and 5' brush hog #6  
Re: L345DT w/ Loader and 5\' brush hog

And there's a little more similar stuff here including more details on fixing the engine oil leak. I also have a .pdf of the original brochure - pm your email address if you'd like it. Take care, Dick B
 
   / L345DT w/ Loader and 5' brush hog
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Re: L345DT w/ Loader and 5\' brush hog

Thank you for all of the input. The L345DT is $8,900 w/ loader and brush hog, The other option is a '96 L2650 w/ Loader (550 hours) for 11,700. This tractor appears to have been well taken care of.

I am still deciding.
Any thoughts on the differences between the two machines?
Design.
 
   / L345DT w/ Loader and 5' brush hog
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Re: L345DT w/ Loader and 5\' brush hog

Here is the link to the dealer selling the tractors. I hope I am not stepping on any toes posting this link...
http://www.chappelltractor.com/used_equipment.asp
The L345 and the L2650 are near the bottom of the used equipment list.
As I stated in the last post, the 2650 is in good shape. The 345 appears to have the hoses in the front which may indicate a external pump. Is this true?
The bad side on the 345 is the overall condition is much poorer.
Design.
 
   / L345DT w/ Loader and 5' brush hog #9  
Re: L345DT w/ Loader and 5\' brush hog

If you could say a little about how you will use a tractor - how much land to mow, what other jobs you want it for, etc. it would be easier to say which tractor is better. Choosing between the two, I would say for general work around your place the L345 would be more versatile. The 1720 loader has good strength and reach. The external front pump is good - it has more flow so its faster than the internal hydraulics. The L2650 is prettier but I think the L345 is more tractor for less money.

Couple observations, the L2650 has Turf Tires? (am I looking at the right picture?) which aren't much good in the woods. But if most of your place is level lawn they are great.

The L345 is missing the loader frame's chin bar in front of grille. From he picture the sheet metal doesn't look too bad. These hoods are very easy to dent and ding - they get looking sad pretty early in the game if you use the tractor very much. This one's headlights and plastic grille are still intact ! The tires are certainly not the originals - but 892 hours isn't enough to wear out a set unless it was all on pavement. So that might question the actual hours? Did Chappell sell this tractor new? Maybe they'll let you talk to the prior owner.

I've bought two Kubotas from Chappell - in both cases it was because they happened to have the exact model I was looking for at the time. They are ok to deal with - but not outstanding. As I remember it their policy on used machines was strictly "as-is" - on that basis their prices seem high - maybe 15%?
 
   / L345DT w/ Loader and 5' brush hog #10  
Re: L345DT w/ Loader and 5\' brush hog

I'd vote for the L345DT unless you find something obvious with the engine. I've run my 1979 L295DT for over 10 years with only one minor problem - a failed casting plug in the side of the block that blew oil everywhere and scared me half to death. Simple fix, never happened again. At 2600 lb plus loaded tires (all four) and a full front weight set, my 295DT is heavy enough for what I do and runs great with no noise or smoke. It will run a 5' 600+ LB brush hog like it's not back there, and will pull a 5-1/2' box blade brim full of gravel or dirt without complaint. She starts easy when cold IF I use the glow plug drill correctly (place thumb over the telltale glow plug on the dash and trigger the preheat with the starter switch, then when it's too hot to keep your thumb over the telltale hole anymore, which takes maybe 8-10 seconds, count to 10 and light the fire. Works every time.) Of course it starts instantly after warmup. Has compression release that works fine, but I rarely bother to use it. I did install a 100 PSI oil pressure gauge because I hate idiot lights. My oil pressure is 90+ LB when cold, will ease down to 60-70 or so after warmup. I've never seen it below 50. I've never used ether, been told it's bad for the engine. 4WD works great, 30 hp is plenty for me, hydraulics work well but I've never bothered to figure out how to use the "draft" control on the 3-pt because I don't plow. The 8x2 stick shift works just fine, and the external drag link power steering setup is simple and very strong (and up out of the way of stumps and stuff!).

I've finally started looking for another tractor ONLY because I can't find a reasonably priced loader for this one, and I'm tired of living life without a loader. The L295DT (and I presume the L345DT also) requires a front-mounted hydraulic pump kit to run a loader, which mine does not have - another cost factor in adding a loader. Otherwise, I'd probably pass this little Kubota along to my kids someday. I suspect it will easily outlive me.
 
 
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