L3940 loaders?

[FakeFarmer]

Just looking for some suggestions on aftermarket loaders. I swiped a L3940 in good shape for a song and am going to slap a loader on it. My local Kubota dealer quoted my $7k for a LA724 w/o bucket. There's Westendorf, Bush Hog, and Koyker, but I haven't found many others. Woods used to make loaders but no longer does, it seems. I've got local dealers for Westendorf and Bush Hog. Any comments on those manufacturers?

 

[ptsg]

If you can get one of those Quicke loaders that Bush Hog lists on their site, you'll be in great shape as it's about the best loaders out there.

 

[jeff9366]

Front-End Loader - Compact Tractor Aftermarket Loader Suppliers

Often we see threads like this: Considering Kubota M4800 - where to get a loader? I'm considering an in-family purchase of a 2005 Kubota M4800 but I'm completely new to tractors. Any ideas on where I could get a loader for it? Thanks. Let us compile a comprehensive list of aftermarket...

www.tractorbynet.com

 

[rScotty]

Just looking for some suggestions on aftermarket loaders. I swiped a L3940 in good shape for a song and am going to slap a loader on it. My local Kubota dealer quoted my $7k for a LA724 w/o bucket. There's Westendorf, Bush Hog, and Koyker, but I haven't found many others. Woods used to make loaders but no longer does, it seems. I've got local dealers for Westendorf and Bush Hog. Any comments on those manufacturers?

It's been years since I looked at loaders. But some things don't change...or shouldn't.
BTW, if that Quicke loader is the same one that Yanmar used to spec. then it is - or was - one of the best.

Things I look for:
1. Loader arms made of 2 pieces of engineered shapes formed and welded (top and bottom). Costs more, but shows they put some thought and money into making an arm for the job instead of just using soft iron structural shapes.
2. Bucket cylinders work into some form of parallel bars instead of terminating directly from arm to bucket.
3. All cylinders built to be rebuilt. The best cylinders have threaded gland nuts on the ends. The VERY best cylinders used to have a double gland nut with a dir t & crud seal external to the inner hydraulic oil seal.
4. I like short hydraulic hoses coupled into steel hydraulic pipe for much of the loader plumbing. Inexpensive loaders have more hydraulic hose than piping.
5. Zerks that are screwed in instead of pressed in. Which means tapped threads rather than pushed in and pressure fitted zerks.

6. Bucket with a heavy rounded back - not an abrupt edge, replaceable front cutting edge, and rolled reinforced top edge where you will be mounting chain hooks.

7. Loader directional control valve. I like a name brand valve and two finger levers instead of the single stick control. That's partly just personal preference - but also has the following reason:
I want the supplier to be putting his control valve dollars into a better quality control valve machining and porting instead of the fairly high cost of the parts to make it single lever control.

8. I want manual 2 lever SSQA to the bucket, and QA to the tractor. The QA to the tractor has to be very rigid, and I don't mind if that loader/tractor QA involves some wrenching & secure fasteners.... I won't be doing that QA much if ever as long as the SSQA works good.

Big Bonus: Loader control valve with 3rd function control and outlet for using SSQA attachments that need hydraulic power. This is usually extra dollars - but worth it.

Luck,
rScotty

 

[LD1]

I'd look at flipping the 3940 and buying a tractor with a loader IMO

Aftermarket loaders kill resale. May not be an issue cause you make never plan on selling. But a tractor that size with an aftermarket loader is worth no more money IMO than a bare machine. Whereas a oem loader will bring $5k+ more money

 

[FakeFarmer]

I'd look at flipping the 3940 and buying a tractor with a loader IMO

Aftermarket loaders kill resale. May not be an issue cause you make never plan on selling. But a tractor that size with an aftermarket loader is worth no more money IMO than a bare machine. Whereas a oem loader will bring $5k+ more money

Interesting. I'm only $5k into the tractor myself.

Might poke around and see if I can source a 724.

 

[rScotty]

I'd look at flipping the 3940 and buying a tractor with a loader IMO

Aftermarket loaders kill resale. May not be an issue cause you make never plan on selling. But a tractor that size with an aftermarket loader is worth no more money IMO than a bare machine. Whereas a oem loader will bring $5k+ more money

I disagree. A GOOD aftermarket loader is easily worth what it costs, and it adds that much more value to the tractor.
Now I'll admit that there are a couple of cheap aftermarket loaders that may not be true for, but they are easy to spot if you just look at their construction and price.

Most of the aftermarket loaders seem to me to be as good as OEM. Offhand I can't think of any that are better than the OEMs on the top brands, but there are a number of good aftermarket loaders.

rScotty

 

[LD1]

I disagree. A GOOD aftermarket loader is easily worth what it costs, and it adds that much more value to the tractor.
Now I'll admit that there are a couple of cheap aftermarket loaders that may not be true for, but they are easy to spot if you just look at their construction and price.

Most of the aftermarket loaders seem to me to be as good as OEM. Offhand I can't think of any that are better than the OEMs on the top brands, but there are a number of good aftermarket loaders.

rScotty

I'm not saying they aren't as valuable to the user, and worth what it costs (to the user)...


But it kills resale. Maybe not on 40 year old tractors.....but late model stuff.....I know most people I ever talk to that are tractor shopping won't even give one with an non-Oem loader a second look ...me included.

 

[rScotty]

I'm not saying they aren't as valuable to the user, and worth what it costs (to the user)...


But it kills resale. Maybe not on 40 year old tractors.....but late model stuff.....I know most people I ever talk to that are tractor shopping won't even give one with an non-Oem loader a second look ...me included.

Ok. That's fair. You know your area and I don't. It's not that way here.

But that's not completely fair either... a better way to say it is that around here the good used tractors don't have much trouble finding a buyer. They usually go to a neighbor or someone who knows somebody new to the area who needs a tractor. Word gets around. There aren't going to be many good used ones that need to be advertised.

Plus I don't think I actually know anyone who has owned a tractor for over a year who even cares about what it cost or what it might resell for. At least I've never heard them mention it. We do talk about our tractors a lot, but not about what they are worth moneywise.

 

[LD1]

Ok. That's fair. You know your area and I don't. It's not that way here.

But that's not completely fair either... a better way to say it is that around here the good used tractors don't have much trouble finding a buyer. They usually go to a neighbor or someone who knows somebody new to the area who needs a tractor. Word gets around. There aren't going to be many good used ones that need to be advertised.

Plus I don't think I actually know anyone who has owned a tractor for over a year who even cares about what it cost or what it might resell for. At least I've never heard them mention it. We do talk about our tractors a lot, but not about what they are worth moneywise.

In fairness....I haven't really looked at the used tractor market recently.

Obviously everything has been selling (and overpriced IMO) for the last 2-3 years.

So my opinion represents what I saw as pretty common from 15 years ago up til 4-5 years ago.

Like 2010-2015....if you had a bushhog, koyker, quickie, woods, etc loader on a 'bota......it would be worth quite a bit less than a oem loader. And I used to frequent tractor house quite a bit to stay in tune with prices of used stuff since I knew I was upgrading in the near future.

After I bought the MX in 2016 I think....the keeping up with prices faded. And by 2019-2020....all bets are off on stupid high prices