MX5100 Jerky 3pt hitch
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OP
3boys865
Silver Member
Do you use a box blade on the 3pt and if so, can you raise it very slowly without it jumping up several inches at a time? Mine is smooth when lowering and if I raise it quickly, but jerks like crazy if I try to feather it up slowly.
Peacock
Platinum Member
I can do just that without any issue. I've got just shy of 400hrs on the machine at this point.
pmhowe
Silver Member
Sorry to be so slow to respond. However, in answer to your questions, the three point hitch operation is very smooth - as smooth up as it is down, and as good as any tractor I have seen. This is the case for a light implement, such as a back blade (mine is a 6' Rhino, probably weighing ~ 500 lb) and for a heavy implement such as my ballast box, which weighs in at about 1200 lb. I cannot see much effect of the lower horsepower over the L4600.
I liked the L4600 very much, but like the L4620 better, and am very happy with it. They both had HST, but the L4240 has an automatic throttle control, which is a delight. The loader on my L4240 is the LA 854 which I think is the same as on the MX5100. The loader on the L4600 was a lighter model (LA764).
I Live in very hilly country, so have the rear R4 wheels set in their widest stance. I also have Rimguard in all four wheels. With the ballast box, the tractor weighs about 8100 lb. It gives me a very good feeling wrt. stability. It is still quite new to me, but I like it very much and recommend it highly.
Pharm
Silver Member
I only have about 16 hours on the tractor - but I have used it with a box blade and I don't recall it jerking.
OP
3boys865
Silver Member
Update from my dealer who has been working with Kubota techs on the jerky 3pt hitch. According to Kubota, the 3pt hitch on the MX and the Standard L is manufactured to have a fairly large tolerance range in "smoothness". The Grand L and the M series tractors have additional components included that are designed to regulate the hydraulic flow better and provide a smooth operating 3pt hitch.
My understanding based on the information from Kubota, is that the reason why some Standard L's and MX tractors do not seem to have the jerky hitch is due to the wide range of tolerance within the linkage and how it may have been manufactured and assembled. So as we have seen some are "born" with it and others are not, just a luck of the draw...
Dealer said they can open it up and try to adjust the linkage, but estimated a slim chance that it might make it some better. However, with the design of the 3pt on these "standard" models, it will never match the performance or smoothness of the Grand L or M series.
Of course, I would have never bought the MX5100 if I knew the 3pt was going to be jerky.
My dealer has been great to try to help me with this and has offered for me to return it and swap for a Grand L or M series.
My understanding based on the information from Kubota, is that the reason why some Standard L's and MX tractors do not seem to have the jerky hitch is due to the wide range of tolerance within the linkage and how it may have been manufactured and assembled. So as we have seen some are "born" with it and others are not, just a luck of the draw...
Dealer said they can open it up and try to adjust the linkage, but estimated a slim chance that it might make it some better. However, with the design of the 3pt on these "standard" models, it will never match the performance or smoothness of the Grand L or M series.
Of course, I would have never bought the MX5100 if I knew the 3pt was going to be jerky.
My dealer has been great to try to help me with this and has offered for me to return it and swap for a Grand L or M series.
k0ua
Epic Contributor
Well that is a bunch better explanation than I got from my selling dealer or the Kubota Regional rep.. My guess is if you want a smoother 3pt on a Kubota go swap it for a nice Grand L or go around to different dealers and have them put a box blade on some different MX5100's and try them out . But it if bothers you now for the type of work you do, it will just be a "wart" for the rest of your life and a source of irritation. I would suggest trading it off soon while the dealer is sympathetic.
James K0UA
OP
3boys865
Silver Member
I thought the explanation made sense, disappointing, but understandable... explains why some have it bad, some not so bad, and some not at all. Also explains why it can't be easily fixed.
I hesitate to admit it, but I do think that is the kind of thing that would bother me long-term. I would fully expect a $25K tractor to be able to raise a box blade slowly without bouncing the tractor. I could live with it, and "make it work" for me, but I think it would be an on-going source of frustration for me.
kiotiken
Veteran Member
Well, I don't know how much it would cost you to upgrade, but now's my chance to pay it forward to all the people who helped me spend my money when I was thinking of upgrading
Go for it, you wont regret it. The extra amount of money that you will spend now will be forgotten and insignificant over the many, many years that you'll own the tractor. Making your life easier, more productive and more enjoyable with the "Deluxe" features that you would get with the upgrade is priceless. The extra lifting power you'd get also won't go to waste with that nice grapple you have on the front either.GO for it, you know you wwwwwannnntttt to!!!
Chilly807
Elite Member
I agree with Ken on one point at least.. if you think it'll bother you, now IS the time to make the move. My L3400 is better than some, worse than others. I don't do a lot of precise grading with it, and I like the tractor otherwise. If I could fix it cheaply, up to about $500 out of pocket, I would. Any more than that and the improvement wouldn't be worth it to me.
I think my approach would be to get the best price you can out of the dealer for an "upgrade" to a model with a smooth hitch, then sit down and think for a couple days whether the improvement is going to be worth X dollars over the long run. Then make your decision. $5000 or more is a lot of scratch for a smooth hitch if the MX is a good fit other than the 3pt.
I think I'd be pissed if I wasn't offered my money back. After all, you committed to buy a Kubota costing $25K, not one for $30K+. If the $25K tractor isn't suitable and you weren't aware of the hitch issue when you bought it, then why should they be able to leverage you into either keeping it as is, or force you to spend more to upgrade? I know they've tried to make it work, but it just doesn't feel right to me as a way of doing business. If the dealer thought there was nothing wrong with it, they wouldn't have tried to "fix" it.
Put it this way, if you had $25K to spend and you knew Kubota didn't have a 51 HP tractor with the smooth hitch you needed for $25K, you would have had a Deere or New Holland in the barn, as an example.
I don't want to seem unreasonable, but I think it's a poor way for a company to do business.
Sean
I think my approach would be to get the best price you can out of the dealer for an "upgrade" to a model with a smooth hitch, then sit down and think for a couple days whether the improvement is going to be worth X dollars over the long run. Then make your decision. $5000 or more is a lot of scratch for a smooth hitch if the MX is a good fit other than the 3pt.
I think I'd be pissed if I wasn't offered my money back. After all, you committed to buy a Kubota costing $25K, not one for $30K+. If the $25K tractor isn't suitable and you weren't aware of the hitch issue when you bought it, then why should they be able to leverage you into either keeping it as is, or force you to spend more to upgrade? I know they've tried to make it work, but it just doesn't feel right to me as a way of doing business. If the dealer thought there was nothing wrong with it, they wouldn't have tried to "fix" it.
Put it this way, if you had $25K to spend and you knew Kubota didn't have a 51 HP tractor with the smooth hitch you needed for $25K, you would have had a Deere or New Holland in the barn, as an example.
I don't want to seem unreasonable, but I think it's a poor way for a company to do business.
Sean
Notforhire
Veteran Member
It's also a better explanation than; Only a few L3200s were jerky, and that was years ago. You are just imagining that it's jerky. Here drink this Kool-Aid and you will feel better.
I tend to agree with James and others, that now is the time to act while the dealer is sympathetic.
It would seem that getting a non jerkey standard Kubota is luck of the draw. If that's the case I'm disappointed in Kubota. I'm sure they could correct this problem if they wanted to, they just choose not to.
They can, and they do, produce some great tractors.
Bill
OP
3boys865
Silver Member
Basically, Kubota's position is that the 3pt hitch on standard L's and MX tractors are not manufactured to a tolerance level that would produce a consistent smooth operation on every tractor. They do not include the same components as the "premium" models like the Grand L and M series. They have additional regulators within the valve to monitor and maintain the proper hydraulic pressure to produce smooth operation. I was told that the amount of jerkiness on my hitch was within Kubota's tolerance level for the MX. If I want a guaranteed smooth 3pt hitch, I would need to buy one of the premium models. So I guess it is a "feature" that everyone needs to be aware of when discussing differences between Kubota's models.
Wonder what other "hidden" differences exist?
OP
3boys865
Silver Member
I agree with what your saying, but my dealer has been bending over backwards trying to help me. They are the best Kubota dealer in this area in my opinion. They probably would give me a refund if I asked for it. They have agreed to accept the return of the tractor. I almost bought a GL4240 instead of the MX so they are working to get one of them in for me. Unfortunately can't order any more of the 40 series, but they have found one from another dealer. I think I am going to go that route instead of trying to adjust or improve the MX.
I blame Kubota for thinking that a $25k tractor doesn't deserve to include a smooth operating 3 pt hitch. I think that is a reasonable expectation and should not require purchasing a "premium" level machine to get it.
KYDan
Platinum Member
I am really sorry to hear that this is the position Kubota takes with their tractors. Luckily, the MX5100 I purchased was one of the "good" ones. If Kubota intends to stay on the top of the heap this marketing strategy is seriously flawed. I feel somewhat betrayed by Kubota as I have heartily promoted the MX5100. In the future I will use the caveat that mine is a great tractor and other than the noise generated by the turbocharger and the HST whine, and no idiot light indicating the parking brake is engaged, it does have a smooth 3 point lift, not a jerky one! You might want to formally contact the next level in the Kubota food chain and explain how you feel about this and see what happens, it may help your case for a better deal.
Chilly807
Elite Member
It's unfortunate that the dealers are forced to deal with this issue. They are the only representatives of Kubota the customer has easy access to. My dealer did everything they could to help me, short of taking the tractor apart themselves at their expense.
I'm a decent mechanic and had some spare time, so I tackled it myself. Without changing parts, I don't think they would have had any better success than I did.
This is a problem that Kubota has wrestled with internally for years, but won't admit. There have been quite a few versions of the 3 point control valve fitted to the L series over the years, some better than others. Not much consistency with results, either. The only thing that will cure this completely is a redesign of the basic tractor itself, and since it's one of their best sellers that's not likely to happen anytime soon. Why fix something most buyers never complain about?
In the L series, the 2800, 3400, 3700SU, 3200 and 3800 seem to have this issue, and apparently the 4400 and 4600 have it to a lesser degree. I know of at least one M59, an MX4700, and now some of the MX5100's are cropping up.
Good luck with whichever path you choose to go down.
Sean
I'm a decent mechanic and had some spare time, so I tackled it myself. Without changing parts, I don't think they would have had any better success than I did.
This is a problem that Kubota has wrestled with internally for years, but won't admit. There have been quite a few versions of the 3 point control valve fitted to the L series over the years, some better than others. Not much consistency with results, either. The only thing that will cure this completely is a redesign of the basic tractor itself, and since it's one of their best sellers that's not likely to happen anytime soon. Why fix something most buyers never complain about?
In the L series, the 2800, 3400, 3700SU, 3200 and 3800 seem to have this issue, and apparently the 4400 and 4600 have it to a lesser degree. I know of at least one M59, an MX4700, and now some of the MX5100's are cropping up.
Good luck with whichever path you choose to go down.
Sean
Chilly807
Elite Member
Pharm
Silver Member
By far that has been my biggest gripe.
Notforhire
Veteran Member
I don't know if you have tried this yet, but when you decide to replace your HYD Trans. fluid, try synthetic. It made a big difference on a HST tractor I had. MUCH less whine.
Sorry I can't help on the other problems.
kiotiken
Veteran Member
:thumbsup:
In order to have a product that will compete against the Mahindras, Kiotis, LSs etc, they are forced to put out a less expensive product. To do that, they cut some corners. I'm not saying they aren't still great tractors, but people look at being able to get a 30+ hp, 40+ hp or 50+ hp KUBOTA at the same price, or near the same price as these other "off" brand tractors and can't imagine why anybody wouldn't go with the name with a reputation for quality.
I really liked the Grand L series but they were just more money than I was willing to spend at the time. Heck of a tractor though, I think you'll be happy if you go that way.
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