LeRoi
Silver Member
A few weeks ago I took delivery of my new Kubota L 4330 HST with R-4 tires, LA 853 with skid steer QA , WR Long UJ2-72 4n1 bucket with toothbar and electric solenoid valve to operate it, 3 remote hydraulic valves, (2 double acting and 1 detent), and BH90 backhoe. I also got a Woods BB72 rotary cutter, HB72 Box Blade, LR72 landscape rake, Monroe Tufline Land Plane (Same as duragrader, grademaster ect.) Last year I purchased off ebay a set of 48” pallet forks and a Pirannah 66” root rake grapple. The tractor actually arrived the Friday before Hurricane Katrina paid a visit to the Gulf Coast, but I have been so busy and my dealer was swamped with repairs to storm damaged equipment and post storm damaged cleanup equipment that I told them I was in no hurry because I didn’t have time to use it anyway.
This is my first tractor purchase, but not my first experience with tractors. Growing up in northeast Louisiana a spent a lot of time bush hogging and baling hay. We had over a period of years, an A model John Deere with a hand clutch, a 9n ford and a TO 30 Massey Ferguson at home and I operated a lot of others while working for others putting up hay in the summer months.
I have been looking at tractors and attachments for almost 2 years while waiting for the easement to 42 wooded acres. If you have the choice of dealing with the National Forest Service, do yourself a favor and DON’T.
During that time I sat on and operated every brand I could get close to in my area, John Deere, Kioti, Mahindra, Branson, Century, Case/New Holland, Montana, Massey Ferguson and Jinma
I originally started out looking at the lowest priced tractors and I talked to anyone and everyone that I met that owned a tractor. One gentleman who ran a tractor and equipment auction and sold new attachments had this to say. “I have seen lots of tractors come and go over the years, but, when I go to the field, I go green” The higher cost of John Deere will only be a little more per month over the length of the loan. I thought about that for a while and then went to see my John Deere, New Holland and Kubota dealers. I would recommend that anyone who is considering a tractor purchase do the same. I’m not against the less expensive route and it’s certainly regional, but it’s definitely something to think about.
I spent countless hours reading posts on TBN, laughing and learning along the way. I went into the buying process with the thought of only buying one tractor, my truck is only 16 years old and I still don’t plan to by another, so I wanted it to last for a long time.
I chose Kubota for a number of reasons but primarily the lack of electronics for the engine and transmission controls swayed my decision. I also am not a fan of “instant on” PTO’s and like the master clutch on the HST to spool up the rotary cutter slowly. My local Kubota dealer also gave me the best deal on what I wanted and became a WR Long dealer in the process.
My reading of TBN has caused me to spend more money than I thought I would (thanks guys) the rear remotes for TnT, 4n1 bucket, and toothbar were not originally considered, but were deemed necessary before the purchase, I also went up in size from the L3830 to the L4330 (mostly to get the LA 853 Loader) although more power can hardly be a bad thing. (insert “Tim the Toolman Taylor” grunt here)
I also found out when I picked up my tractor that an 18ft car hauler just wasn't big enough, I already made a deal with a buddy for another trailer with 5200lb axles, but still an 18ft deck. When I loaded the tractor the first time, I realized that the 18ft deck simply wasn’t long enough to carry the tractor with any peace of mind. I transport the tractor to my property every weekend when the weather allows so I would be loading and unloading a lot and it is about a 40 mile round trip from where my tractor is kept at a buddys house to my property.
I did some research (on TBN of course) and sent an email to Kaufman trailers and ended up buying a 24ft 14000lb gross equipment hauler with two braking axles and now my tractor is much more comfortable and so am I. Pictures to follow.
Many thanks to TBN
Leroy
This is my first tractor purchase, but not my first experience with tractors. Growing up in northeast Louisiana a spent a lot of time bush hogging and baling hay. We had over a period of years, an A model John Deere with a hand clutch, a 9n ford and a TO 30 Massey Ferguson at home and I operated a lot of others while working for others putting up hay in the summer months.
I have been looking at tractors and attachments for almost 2 years while waiting for the easement to 42 wooded acres. If you have the choice of dealing with the National Forest Service, do yourself a favor and DON’T.
During that time I sat on and operated every brand I could get close to in my area, John Deere, Kioti, Mahindra, Branson, Century, Case/New Holland, Montana, Massey Ferguson and Jinma
I originally started out looking at the lowest priced tractors and I talked to anyone and everyone that I met that owned a tractor. One gentleman who ran a tractor and equipment auction and sold new attachments had this to say. “I have seen lots of tractors come and go over the years, but, when I go to the field, I go green” The higher cost of John Deere will only be a little more per month over the length of the loan. I thought about that for a while and then went to see my John Deere, New Holland and Kubota dealers. I would recommend that anyone who is considering a tractor purchase do the same. I’m not against the less expensive route and it’s certainly regional, but it’s definitely something to think about.
I spent countless hours reading posts on TBN, laughing and learning along the way. I went into the buying process with the thought of only buying one tractor, my truck is only 16 years old and I still don’t plan to by another, so I wanted it to last for a long time.
I chose Kubota for a number of reasons but primarily the lack of electronics for the engine and transmission controls swayed my decision. I also am not a fan of “instant on” PTO’s and like the master clutch on the HST to spool up the rotary cutter slowly. My local Kubota dealer also gave me the best deal on what I wanted and became a WR Long dealer in the process.
My reading of TBN has caused me to spend more money than I thought I would (thanks guys) the rear remotes for TnT, 4n1 bucket, and toothbar were not originally considered, but were deemed necessary before the purchase, I also went up in size from the L3830 to the L4330 (mostly to get the LA 853 Loader) although more power can hardly be a bad thing. (insert “Tim the Toolman Taylor” grunt here)
I also found out when I picked up my tractor that an 18ft car hauler just wasn't big enough, I already made a deal with a buddy for another trailer with 5200lb axles, but still an 18ft deck. When I loaded the tractor the first time, I realized that the 18ft deck simply wasn’t long enough to carry the tractor with any peace of mind. I transport the tractor to my property every weekend when the weather allows so I would be loading and unloading a lot and it is about a 40 mile round trip from where my tractor is kept at a buddys house to my property.
I did some research (on TBN of course) and sent an email to Kaufman trailers and ended up buying a 24ft 14000lb gross equipment hauler with two braking axles and now my tractor is much more comfortable and so am I. Pictures to follow.
Many thanks to TBN
Leroy
