Looking for L4150 info.

rbargeron · Jun 29, 2003

Hey Mark - thanks for posting about this - it was fun to watch - a real bidding contest - somebody got a basically brand new tractor with all the power and reach of a new M4900 for only $16,900. The 4150 is a first-class tractor - I still think that the L3 chassis was produced during Kubota's "finest hour".

Got in 6 or 7 hours of seat time today on my L5450 with woods RM990 finisher. The cut grass smell is coming in the windows on this beautiful summer night. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Dick Bargeron - die hard L3 and hydraulic shuttle fan

knucklehead · Jun 30, 2003

Hi, Dick

As you can see, I'm still in full drool over the L3's. This one has a particularly nice set of detailed photos. I think it's a good price, too.

My neighbor bought an L4330 this Spring with a Woods 600 series cutter and a serious hydraulic feed chipper (Valby CH-160). He's been using a little JD 650 for years and thought it might be time to upgrade since he now has over 200 acres. I think he accomplished his goal /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

It's got maybe 20 hours on it, and I had to put a new radiator in it yesterday - an errant 1" stick put a nice hole through the dust screen & core and cracked the shroud behind it - never touched any hoses, tin, plastic, or wiring - I can't even find a place where it looks like it rubbed on anything. It's so tight under there I can't see how it happened, but you sure can play peekaboo with the old rad now. He's going to keep it as a local repair shop said it would only be a few months before he could get recoring kits for it - he said the Chinese should be up to speed on the new parts soon. I thought that was an interesting comment.

Lessee, that's 6-7 hours with the RM990 at the advertised rate of "up to 4-1/2 acres per hour".........you musta done the neighbor's plot, too!!!

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

rbargeron · Jun 30, 2003

Did you borrow that brand-new little jewel and put a stick through the radiator? Or are you fixing it for someone who did? Oh well, it isn't a tractor if it doesn't have a few scatches and dings - that's what they're for. Glad it wasn't any worse and glad a replacement could be found for such a new unit.

I figured somebody might ask what I accomplished in all that seat time. If the grass is a foot tall or less, the going is smooth, and there are no obstacles to trim around, it is true you could theoretically push the 990 to do 4+ acres in an hour. But this spring has been unusual to say the least - and I must admit to jumping on the motorcycle instead on the few nice days - so my grass was well above hood height and dense. There are some apple trees to trim around and under, and about 1/4 mile of sloped-bank road frontage. So the average was more like 1 acre/hr. The 990 is a great mower but if the grass is longer than the deck, some of it gets bent down below the blade shrouds and doesn't get "full attention" as they say. So even after going slow the field doesn't look too good yet - I'll do a cleanup pass on it next week at the 4 acre/hr rate.

I sent a congratulatory email to the winning bidder on the 4150 - told him we were keeping an eye on it over here at TBN. What a great deal he got. Maybe he'll become a member (if he isn't already)

Take care,
Dick Bargeron

knucklehead · Jul 4, 2003

Dick - missed your post as I was off - I'm reluctant to get online in this beautiful weather and too pooped at night. Had to come back to work to rest!

My neighbor has a person come over a few hours per week and work, and he was on the tractor when the stick got put through. An experienced farm boy, he was pretty bummed about it. He had removed the radiator, then had an ongoing back problem flare up while hand clearing brush last week (pushing too hard in the heat?), so I got tapped to put in the new one. Funny thing is, Dick, I was actually thinking about your slick 2-speed PTO conversion while I was working - everything so clean, lovely new parts, well engineered product. The radiator is a Kubota replacement from the dealer.

I figured those published specs for the 990 were proabably "best case", i.e. whipping through 12" grass or something. I fired up the little 5' unit I got with the Blue Holland last week and mowed a 1/2 acre. Hopped up on a couple hidden stumps and was glad I had the seatbelt on even though it make sit harder to look behind.

I assume you mentioned "our" site to Mr. 4150...can't think of a better place for him!

rbargeron · Jul 6, 2003

I did indeed mention "our" site to him - he has visited TBN and he seems like one of us - drawn to this tractor like a moth to a flame. He was planning to take delivery this weekend, holiday or not, and get some seat time checking it out.

Actually I'm a little jealous - a brand new L3 is a thing to behold. I was out for a motorcycle cruise yesterday and stopped at a dealer who had most of the L and M product range lined up on the lawn. I walked along looking at the rear axle housings of the various models. When I finally got to one built as massively as the L3 I looked at the hood - it was an M8200 !!! Nuff said.

Dick Bargeron - power is good, weight is too. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

knucklehead · Jul 6, 2003

Alright - yer beamin' thoughts into my head, ain't you!

Just this morning at breakfast, I was looking at a brochure that had the M5700/6800/8200/9000 tractors grouped and wondering where the older L3's fit in - I was comparing loader and hoe specs with the L48, too, and wondering the same thing about the L5450. This is gonna be a long disease, minimum 3-5 years. I have a little guy on my shoulder whispering "5 cylinders! 13 gpm pump! 2 ton 3-pt capacity! Power! Strength!" and another little guy on the other shoulder whispering "you live on 4 acres!"

Next to 240 where I cut wood for 2 families, though. And a field my neighbor is having difficulty getting cut & baled on his schedule.

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

rbargeron · Jul 6, 2003

Wait a sec while I adjust the subliminal transponder here - there that should do it....

Compared to any of the present products, the L5450 is closest to the L48. The differences are: five cylinders vs four, hydraulic shuttle vs HST, removable 1150 loader instead of fixed 1150. wider front rubber (12x16.5), fully adjustable width of rear wheel placement, no fixed 4-post rops, slightly slower multiple motion of 11' hoe with 3" cylinders.

I think the L3 was over-built to compete with the massive Agricultural tractors by John Deere and others. Kubota's market researchers soon realized their target demographic was more toward the smaller-acreage customer so they stopped using so much iron and moved back to the lighter units that were common in their home market.

Some of us old farming types who have seen small tractors broken in half from jerking a big load around have a certain fondness for quiet mass and strength. Maybe we're just out of touch. But I've watched the discussions here for years and there is an unmistakable tendancy for people to move up in power and weight as they spend more years tractoring. Not everyone wants bigger - but many do.

Every time I think about moving to something lighter I run into some job that uses most of the L5450 and I snap out of it.

Take care, Dick B

knucklehead · Jul 6, 2003

Since this has kinda turned into a public email session between us - sometime could you scan in the specs for the L5450 for me? As I've mentioned a couple times, I really appreciate your sharing knowledge with us.

Lastly, could you tweak the transponder a little to the left - we've drifted over a few shades from orange to yellow, and I'm getting an odd desire to go home, study my specs for the JD110 TLB, and watch SpongeBob Squarepants.

rbargeron · Jul 6, 2003

So....would that be an interest in his yellow color or the low-maintenance underwater church? Readjusting the transponder, you could dig a wading pool with an ORANGE tractor. I'm too old to watch Nickelodeon - gives me a headache. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

I'll stick with something I know - I'll scan my 5450 brochure and send you a .pdf

knucklehead · Jul 7, 2003

Dick - Big thanks! I'm again in full spec-lust, as I encounter a few things here and there that old 1700 won't do - tried to move concrete front steps which we suspected/confirmed were poured in place - ended up jacking and levering them away from the house by hand, a la pyramid engineering.

I PM'd you regarding cartoon silliness - don't want to overload another hard drive /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

As always - I very much appreciate your technical contributions and especially your peacemaking, even tempered style here on TBN.

Thanks, Dick!