My first Kubota

Jim1764 · Dec 3, 2001

Well I finally got my 1999 L3710 Kubota tractor this past weekend /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif I was in that tractor seat 8 hours Saturday and about 6 hours Sunday. Great tractor!! The FEL is a great tool to have. I have been moving rocks, repairing some of the roads we have out in the woods, and we even brought out a few logs for our small sawmill.
Only problem I'm having is with a good load in the bucket, either dirt, stones or logs, the back end gets pretty light. I'm looking at maybe making a cement block for the 3PH and maybe filling the tires. I hope to get a Bradco 509 backhoe for the tractor in the spring that should keep the backend on the ground!!
This is my first tractor so I'm sure I'll be asking plenty of questions of all the veteran tractor owners on this great list.

Jim

Bird · Dec 3, 2001

Nice looking rig. And, yes, we nearly all need some kind of ballast when using the FEL. You can buy a ballast box (which I'd never do), build your own, or use a box blade (as I do) or other implement on the 3-point and/or fill your rear tires (I've got water and antifreeze in mine).

Anonymous Poster · Dec 3, 2001

<font color=blue>...I hope to get a Bradco 509 backhoe for the tractor in the spring that should keep the backend on the ground!! ...</font color=blue>

{how will the backhoe mount with your cab attached?}

Then what are you going to use to keep the front end down... /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

I would definitely get the rears loaded... both for the loader aspect now, and for the backhoe in the future and general all around tractor stability they provide...

{remember your Concrete ballast will be worthless(sitting in a corner) with the backhoe mounted...}

Thomas · Dec 3, 2001

Congratulations on your new Kubota. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif/w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif
Looks like Bird and John hit on the key factor,but are you also considering tire chains for the winter use...I heard you folks down there get more than a couple of inches before. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

Have fun and tractor safe.

Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Jim1764 · Dec 3, 2001

Thanks for the tips on weight on the back of the tactor.
Thomas, yes I do have rear tire chains. The guy I bought it from had bought them but never used them.
John, I had the same thoughts on the cab and the Bradco hoe. The cab is a Curtis with a sliding rear window. The way it is put together the whole back panel with the rear window can be removed thus opening up the space between the ROP from top to bottom. I was at my local Kubota dealer today and looked at the Bradco frames and hoes on a L3010 and a L4310 and it looks like it won't be a problem with that rear panel removed, I hope!!
As for filling the rear tires, I'm really starting to think that this is the way to go. I'm not sure I like filling them with Calcium Choride, or a water based liquid for fear of corrosion of the rims. I have a freind that works at a John Deere construction equipment dealership and he told me they fill the tires of the full size backhoes with a Latex rubber liquid that dries to a "soft rubber" solid. He said that the tires then become flat resistent. Have any of you heard of such a thing being done on the smaller tractors? I'm going to have him get me some prices on doing the rear tires on my tractor.

Thanks again for all the comments and suggestions,
and I'll try and get some more pictures up of the tractor in action soon.

Jim