Mx5100 let me down!

CJBOTA · Mar 2, 2012

My buddy at work lives down the road called and ask if I could bring my tractor down and offload a woodstove from a trailer. I said no problem, I'll be right down. Even though it was raining a little I headed out to help him. I pulled in his drive and holy cow, there was one of the biggest outdoor furnaces I ever saw sitting up on a trailer. Although it had a lifting hook on top, I immediately thought there is no way will I pick this thing up. He said he thought it weighed about 1000 lbs. I had my tiller on the back with about 300 lbs of steel plate on top. I figured about 1000 lbs. I had to raise the bucket as high as it would go. I just had a nice hook welded to the center of the bucket. I did not feel very good about this lift. Sure enough just as I got it off the floor of the trailer, the rear end came up on one side and I came as close to rolling her over as you can go without it actually happening.
I only have 30 hours on my MX5100 and I must say it is a totally different machine with the loader off. It doesn't feel right even when the loader is empty. ( bounces like crazy) I guess I am going to have to get the tires loaded, but I am not confident that will be enough. Now that my needs have changed I am not sure if Kubota builds heavy enough tractors for my needs. I used to think this light in the rear end thing was an overstated problem. I don't think that after tonight. Using the loader on the MX5100 is a dangerous proposition. The only thing that saved my butt tonight was my operator skills.
I have heard many brag about these MX5100's on this forum, but please be careful with these loaders. I am not sure what you can safely lift but it is only a fraction of what the hydraulics are capable of. The MX5100 is way to light in the back
CJ

Johndeere3720 · Mar 2, 2012

CJBOTA said:
My buddy at work lives down the road called and ask if I could bring my tractor down and offload a woodstove from a trailer. I said no problem, I'll be right down. Even though it was raining a little I headed out to help him. I pulled in his drive and holy cow, there was one of the biggest outdoor furnaces I ever saw sitting up on a trailer. Although it had a lifting hook on top, I immediately thought there is no way will I pick this thing up. He said he thought it weighed about 1000 lbs. I had my tiller on the back with about 300 lbs of steel plate on top. I figured about 1000 lbs. I had to raise the bucket as high as it would go. I just had a nice hook welded to the center of the bucket. I did not feel very good about this lift. Sure enough just as I got it off the floor of the trailer, the rear end came up on one side and I came as close to rolling her over as you can go without it actually happening.
I only have 30 hours on my MX5100 and I must say it is a totally different machine with the loader off. It doesn't feel right even when the loader is empty. ( bounces like crazy) I guess I am going to have to get the tires loaded, but I am not confident that will be enough. Now that my needs have changed I am not sure if Kubota builds heavy enough tractors for my needs. I used to think this light in the rear end thing was an overstated problem. I don't think that after tonight. Using the loader on the MX5100 is a dangerous proposition. The only thing that saved my butt tonight was my operator skills.
I have heard many brag about these MX5100's on this forum, but please be careful with these loaders. I am not sure what you can safely lift but it is only a fraction of what the hydraulics are capable of. The MX5100 is way to light in the back
CJ

I have had many similar experiences on several tractors. Always light in the rear end. No matter how much weight you have, it is never enough. :confused2: Sorry to hear that your Kubota didnt have the ballast to lift that stove off the truck. I wouldn't get rid of it though just because it wouldnt lift your neighbor's stove, I would only trade it in if you plan to lift large loads like that all the time.

greenrider1 · Mar 2, 2012

I think you'll find with the loaded tires, it's a completely different machine. I don't have much time yet on my new L5740, but my old L3710 would lift a 1000 lb propane tank at max loader height with loaded tires and 6 ' finish mower on back with no problems. I had to stack them in my barn for hot water storage. My wood boiler weigh about 1600 lbs, and I also moved this around with my L3710 with no issues, and that's a much lighter tractor than your MX. A lot of dealers require either loaded tires or ballast box when selling tractors with FEL. Loaded tires should add around 1000lbs on the rear if you use Rim guard.

scesnick · Mar 2, 2012

I have a 5100 and i know exactly what you mean. i bought mine and the tires we not loaded. I couldn't lift a full bucket of gravel and feel comfortable moving around with a bucketfull. I then loaded the tires and it does make a lot of difference.

However, all tractors have their limits.

k0ua · Mar 2, 2012

Just for fun, the minute my L3400 came off the truck I ran over to the gravel pile and picked up a bucket of 0-3/4 and the results were scary. I quickly built a 750 lb ballast for the rear and that was not enough either. I picked up a big rock, and the wife said the rears were off the ground 2 foot

I loaded the tires. So much better.. I can tell you your 1000 lbs in the rear and unloaded tires are not near enough for picking up heavy objects. My tractor is much smaller and I have almost 400 in the tires and 750 on the 3pt. and it is just about right for it.

James K0UA

Grandad4 · Mar 2, 2012

Sorry to hear of your pucker-inducing experience, CJ. Take heart; you're not alone, and the solutions are pretty straightforward. The old 2wd farm tractors used to have 60-70% of their weight in back, but these modern 4x4 setups - doesn't matter what brand - are, if anything, front heavy and really need some serious weight in the back. However your 400 lb bucket + that 1000 lb stove hanging 3 ft out beyond the front axle out weighed the 600 lb tiller (just my guess) + 300 lb weights that were probably about the same distance off the back axle.

In addition to tire ballast and more weight in back, here's a couple of other things - maybe they are obvious, but probably worth mentioning anyhow. First, try to do any heavy, high lifts on a dead-level surface with no pot holes or soft spots. Next, be sure your load is secured so it's evenly balanced and won't swing laterally. When you have a heavy load up high, any one of those things can get a tip-over started because you are balancing that heavy load on the pivoting front axle.

Glad you and tractor are safe and it didn't end badly for you.

flyingcow · Mar 2, 2012

Keep in mind some of these furnaces are more than 1000lbs. Plus you were at the top of your reach?

I have an indoor boiler and dry it weighs 1200lbs. And physical dimensions it's 3 times smaller than an OWB.

Martian · Mar 2, 2012

The light has it's pluses and minuses, I don't tend to use my machines on manicured lawns, so the light factor is if anything a negative for me. I do have all of my machines with loaded tires though, really helps with stability, but even with the most weight you can't always predict what's going to happen. Neighbor was looking to buy a tractor, test drove my 3120, moving a big rock on a 10 degree slope with the loader 2' above the ground, and it was just high enough that the back tire was about 2' off the ground. Once he got where he was going he turned it off and told me I had to take it back:laughing:. A lot of it simply can't be controlled. One time I was on a 3 degree slope and decided I wanted to know how high my 5410's bucket could go, before I got to the top I felt it starting to come sideways, my heart hit the floor and I dropped the loader. Lesson learned is not to do anything stupid and don't rush because **** happens and you can't take it back.

I would definitely add rim guard possibly some cast iron wheel weights and a large ballast box filled with cement, or a heavy box blade. You'll put an easy 2k pounds on with those and maybe closer to 2.5k pounds.

5030 · Mar 2, 2012

Interesting. Both my M9 and my 105 have cast iron centers on the rears and while I can get the backend light (on both), I'm hard pressed to get either side off the ground.

I'm against tire loading because of the aggrivation involved in changing a tire plus CaCl destroys rims.

kuboman · Mar 3, 2012

Yep they are light. I am assuming that your hook on the bucket is welded on the top? That being the case means the chain goes over the front of the bucket which means you are lifting at the front of the bucket. A long ways ahead. Lift as close to the pins as possible and you will have a lot better luck.:thumbsup:

arrow · Mar 3, 2012

5030 said:
Interesting. plus CaCl destroys rims.

Calcium CL is very caustic but I have had it in my tires for 25 years with no ill effects.

StanR · Mar 3, 2012

I have a 5100.... dealer said all of the 5100's they sold got the tires filled.

I have moved heavy round bales with nothing on the back... with no issues. But I did not raise my bucket to the top.

David_Kb7uns · Mar 3, 2012

Have L3130 with LA723 loader and with backhoe mounted and Rimguard in the R1 tires. I can still get at least one of the rear wheels off the ground when lifting logs and rocks with the grapples. The more counterweight the better.

David Kb7uns

ENG18LT · Mar 3, 2012

Glad you didn't get hurt. When I was shopping for a machine a year ago I was really wanting a Mx5100 because of the Kubota reputation, but couldn't get past the lack of weight and extra$$$$$ . As others have mentioned, spend the money and get the rears loaded, it really does make a difference.

LD1 · Mar 3, 2012

ALL tractors are light in the rear without sufficient ballast and lifting a large load at max height:confused2: NOT just kubota.

A tiller isnt really good ballast for a tractor that size. Guessing ~600lbs or so....plus the steel you added, and not very far back to bood. A good heavy 7' bushhog would have made quite a difference as well as loaded tires.

And not sure what your terrain was like, but if you could have positioned the load up-hill of the tractor, and come in from a downhill side (slight slope), that helps a lot. Lift and have trailer drive away:thumbsup:

1000lbs should have been nothing. Maybe it was under-estimated....maybe not. But my MUCH smaller tractor has lifted and moved my ~1400-1500lbs...500 gallon propane tank, unloaded a 1100lb bushhog 306 off the trailer, and ocassionally lift my 700lb rear blade and set it over the side and into the bed of a truck.

I am sure with proper ballast, you will be very happy with the kubota:thumbsup:

TripleR · Mar 3, 2012

The 5100 didn't let you down, it simply wasn't set up right for the job at hand. There is an old saying about blaming your tools and most of us have probably done this.

We have owned/own different makes and find they all benefit from wheel weights or fluid and heavy ballast on the 3PH, I think the manual on my 5030 recommends 1000 pounds which is about what my cutter weighs.

We have used them with just the filled tires, but I don't recommend it as performance and safety suffers at least that's been my experience.

CJBOTA · Mar 3, 2012

Thanks everyone for your understanding and help. I am now thinking that the stove was probably more then 1000 lbs. Maybe closer to 1500 lbs. And the weight wasn't evenly distribted. I wasn't on pavement and the ground was even but a little soft. I will definately get the tires filled. And maybe even a serious ballast box.
Another thing I didn't mention but kind of surprised me. As I was travelling up the road I came to a small incline that got a little steeper at the last 300 feet. I was in medium range and the tractor almost stalled out. I had to stop and put it in low range to get up this hill. First I thought I left the brake on but it wasn't on. I was only carrying a empty bucket and a tiller. My L3700 would have gone up that hill in medium range and maybe even in high range. I am starting to wonder if I got a Turbo or a turdo. Actually this disappoints me more then the failed lift. I am adding a hoe in two weeks. With that hoe on the back this thing will barely pull it's own weight in medium range. High range on the MX5100 is almost useless. Between the bouncing and the high pitch whining. I have only use high range going down hill with the loader off.
Maybe I'm asking to much, but I was expecting this thing to do a little more in mid range.
CJ

TripleR · Mar 3, 2012

CJBOTA said:
Thanks everyone for your understanding and help. I am now thinking that the stove was probably more then 1000 lbs. Maybe closer to 1500 lbs. And the weight wasn't evenly distributed. I wasn't on pavement and the ground was even but a little soft. I will definately get the tires filled. And maybe even a serious ballast box.
Another thing I didn't mention but kind of surprised me. As I was traveling up the road I came to a small incline that got a little steeper at the last 300 feet. I was in medium range and the tractor almost stalled out. I had to stop and put it in low range to get up this hill. First I thought I left the brake on but it wasn't on. I was only carrying a empty bucket and a tiller. My L3700 would have gone up that hill in medium range and maybe even in high range. I am starting to wonder if I got a Turbo or a turdo. Actually this disappoints me more then the failed lift. I am adding a hoe in two weeks. With that hoe on the back this thing will barely pull it's own weight in medium range. High range on the MX5100 is almost useless. Between the bouncing and the high pitch whining. I have only use high range going down hill with the loader off.
Maybe I'm asking to much, but I was expecting this thing to do a little more in mid range.
CJ

You may need to have it checked out as I have a 5030, pretty close in power, even a little less and run mine in high range regularly with loaded tires, 1000+ cutter and full bucket. I can go up a fairly good incline in medium.

bigbull338 and others have the 5100 and can speak specifically, but that sounds like pretty weak performance.

Kyle241 · Mar 3, 2012

I agree with TripleR. Your experience going up the hill sounds like there may be something going on there. I have the MX5100 with the BH92 and it has zero troubles going uphill in medium.

As for your lift, others have chimed in and getting added weight on the back will help a lot. A 300lb tiller is not enough by itself. My tires are not filled by the BH stays on all the time and I find the tractor behaves a lot better.

RoyJackson · Mar 3, 2012

Two mistakes, I think:
1) not near enough ballast on the 3PH for the weight on the loader.
2) lifting from one hook welded in the middle of the bucket (good way to bend the upper flange of the bucket).

You may not have had enough air pressure in the front tires either...you'll want to up the pressure to the maximum for a heavy load like the furnace. From personnel experience, I can write that inadequate pressure in the fronts (but not necessarily too low for other work) can make the tractor feel ready unstable.
As the other folks wrote...fill those rear tires too.

BTW, as far as nearing stalling the tractor going up that mild slope...I'm assuming you have HST and you probably had the forward pedal mashed flat...not what you want to do with HST.