Need L3901 alternatives

[JonathanP]

What would be a good alternative to a Kubota L3901, but from another company? Ty

 

[plastikosmd]

Deere 3039?
Not too familiar with newer Deere models but seems to compare in wt/hp/pto hp etc?

 

[IndyJay]

Kioti CK4010 or DK4510 are good choices.
From late spring, last year:

 

[jeff9366]

Kubota L3901 Dimensions
Kubota L3901 Weight
4WD Gear :	2767 lbs 1255 kg
4WD Hydro :	2778 lbs 1260 kg

Dimensions
Wheelbase:	63.3 inches 160 cm
Width:	55.1 inches 139 cm
Height (ROPS):	91.7 inches 232 cm
2WD Ground clearance:	13.6 inches 34 cm
4WD Ground clearance:	13.4 inches 34 cm
Front tread:	41.3 inches 104 cm (2WD)
Front tread:	43.1 inches 109 cm (4WD)
Rear tread:	43.8/47.1/50.8 inches 111/119/129 cm

Engine Detail
Kubota
diesel
3-cylinder
liquid-cooled
Displacement:	111.4 ci 1.8 L
Bore/Stroke:	3.43x4.03 inches 87 x 102 mm
Emissions:	Tier IV
Power (gross):	37.5 hp 28.0 kW
Fuel system:	common rail direct injection
Rated RPM:	2700
Starter:	electric
Starter volts:	12

The fundamental importance of TRACTOR WEIGHT eludes many tractor shoppers. Tractor capability is more closely correlated to tractor weight than any other single specification.

Bare tractor weight is a tractor specification easily found in sales brochures and web sites, readily comparable across tractor brands and tractor models, new and used.

Within subcompact and compact tractor categories, a significant tractor capability increase requires a bare tractor weight increase of 50%. It takes a 100% increase in bare tractor weight to elicit MY-OH-MY!


When considering a tractor purchase bare tractor weight first, tractor horsepower second, rear axle width third, rear wheel/tire ballast fourth.

 

[Milo]

Kioti CK4010 or DK4510 are good choices.
From late spring, last year:

View attachment 731315

The 6.3 gpm on the Kubota seemed awful low so I checked. That is just for the main pump, there's another 3.8 for PS, so 10.1.

A Deere 3039R would be fairly comparable to an L3901 but the Deere has a little stronger loader and is a couple hundred pounds heavier. Plus it's fitted out as a deluxe tractor with electronic hydro, etc.

 

[ericm979]

Branson, LS and Kioti all make at least one model that competes. I found the L01 series to be pretty bare bones in terms of features. For example one feature I wanted was independent PTO so I would not have to get on the tractor to turn the PTO on and off like I did on my previous tractor. That's a pain when operating a PTO chipper or forestry winch.

Adding the regular and steering GPMs together is pretty much meaningless as they are never used together. It makes a bigger number though, that's why manufacturers do it. Most CUTS don't have enough hydraulic flow to do work like running a hydraulic mower or brush cutter or snow blower. That's skid steer territory of 20gpm and up. All CUTS really need is enough to run a loader or backhoe.

 

[Reddogs]

Kubota L3901 Dimensions
Kubota L3901 Weight
4WD Gear :	2767 lbs 1255 kg
4WD Hydro :	2778 lbs 1260 kg

Dimensions
Wheelbase:	63.3 inches 160 cm
Width:	55.1 inches 139 cm
Height (ROPS):	91.7 inches 232 cm
2WD Ground clearance:	13.6 inches 34 cm
4WD Ground clearance:	13.4 inches 34 cm
Front tread:	41.3 inches 104 cm (2WD)
Front tread:	43.1 inches 109 cm (4WD)
Rear tread:	43.8/47.1/50.8 inches 111/119/129 cm

Engine Detail
Kubota
diesel
3-cylinder
liquid-cooled
Displacement:	111.4 ci 1.8 L
Bore/Stroke:	3.43x4.03 inches 87 x 102 mm
Emissions:	Tier IV
Power (gross):	37.5 hp 28.0 kW
Fuel system:	common rail direct injection
Rated RPM:	2700
Starter:	electric
Starter volts:	12

The fundamental importance of TRACTOR WEIGHT eludes many tractor shoppers. Tractor capability is more closely correlated to tractor weight than any other single specification.

Bare tractor weight is a tractor specification easily found in sales brochures and web sites, readily comparable across tractor brands and tractor models, new and used.

Within subcompact and compact tractor categories, a significant tractor capability increase requires a bare tractor weight increase of 50%. It takes a 100% increase in bare tractor weight to elicit MY-OH-MY!


When considering a tractor purchase bare tractor weight first, tractor horsepower second, rear axle width third, rear wheel/tire ballast fourth.

Have to agree, look at the weight first, then check for access to the dealerships as support is paramount especially with supply chain issues. They are not all the same and then I would dig into the quality and reliability as any tractor runs good the first 20 hrs, it's the next 2000 you need to worry about.

 

[JonathanP]

Branson, LS and Kioti all make at least one model that competes. I found the L01 series to be pretty bare bones in terms of features. For example one feature I wanted was independent PTO so I would not have to get on the tractor to turn the PTO on and off like I did on my previous tractor. That's a pain when operating a PTO chipper or forestry winch.

Adding the regular and steering GPMs together is pretty much meaningless as they are never used together. It makes a bigger number though, that's why manufacturers do it. Most CUTS don't have enough hydraulic flow to do work like running a hydraulic mower or brush cutter or snow blower. That's skid steer territory of 20gpm and up. All CUTS really need is enough to run a loader or backhoe.

I don’t understand what CUTS are. Are you saying this model Kubota couldn’t run a brush cutter well?

 

[IndyJay]

I don’t understand what CUTS are. Are you saying this model Kubota couldn’t run a brush cutter well?

Compact Utility Tractors don't have the hydraulics to drive hydraulic implements well.
PTO driven cutters and other implements are fine.

 

[JonathanP]

Compact Utility Tractors don't have the hydraulics to drive hydraulic implements well.
PTO driven cutters and other implements are fine.

Gotcha. Still learning

 

[metalbender]

30 series Deere looks narrow in the back end to me. Pretty happy with my Massey 1742. Probably superseded by something else.

 

[IndyJay]

Gotcha. Still learning

You came to the right place, TBN is a great place to learn.

 

[jeff9366]

Still learning

If you will be operating on hills, slopes or rough ground, particularly Loader work, you would be wise to consider (any brand) tractor platform an increment wider than the Kubota L3901 @ 55" for stability.

Tractors are inherently unstable operating on sloped ground. Tractor rear wheel/tire spread, sometimes adjustable, is a critical factor increasing compact tractor stability working sloped or uneven ground. Rear axle is the tractor component on which rear wheels/tires mount. A 4" to 8" wider rear axle substantially decreases tractor rollover potential. Tractor width is an approximation of rear axle width.

Larger wheels and tires permit heavier tractors to bridge holes, ruts, burrows and tree debris permitting higher ground speed with less implement and operator perturbation

L3901 is fine on reasonably level ground.

 

[hornett22]

JD 3038e, Mahindra 1640 , Kioti CK 4010

 

[Milo]

Adding the regular and steering GPMs together is pretty much meaningless as they are never used together. It makes a bigger number though, that's why manufacturers do it....

Of total flow, about 4 gpm is used for PS on tractors this size, the rest for everything else. The chart IndyJay posted shows Kioti's total gpm including PS, while only Kubota's w/o PS.

 

[IndyJay]

Of total flow, about 4 gpm is used for PS on tractors this size, the rest for everything else. The chart IndyJay posted shows Kioti's total gpm including PS, while only Kubota's w/o PS.

The spreadsheet evolved over a period of several weeks/months, before I even joined TBN. I started out comparing Kubota and JD. As I added more tractors to the list I started adding more details. I never really thought that I would be sharing the information so I didn't necessarily go back and fill in missing or incomplete data, especially as I narrowed down choices (like going to a larger frame and HP). Since I have shared this a few times and may again in the future I will make corrections to the Hydro capacities. There was no intent to deceive, just plugging in numbers as I found them on Tractor Data at the time.

I wish I had kept the green and blue tractors in the spreadsheets. I didn't think I would ever have use for the information again once I narrowed down my choices.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

OP,

It also depends on what you want to do with it. Some folks don't really care about max FEL lift, as they'll never really pick up anything heavy. Some folks don't care about rated pto horse power, because they'll never hook up a pto driven attachment. Some folks want light weight because all they're doing is mowing their lawn. Some folks want heavy weight because they're using the FEL to lift as much weight as possible per lift. Some folks care about high horse power because they need to run a wood chipper, or a big 3 pt brush hog over dense fields of brush and grass. Some folks are so worried about "Tier-IV" tractors that they'll only look at 25hp models, regardless of how much horse power they actually need.

Some "stats" are more important to the individual than others.

So what's important to You? (aka, what are you going to do with this thing?)

 

[tradosaurus]

What would be a good alternative to a Kubota L3901, but from another company? Ty

How about moving up to an MX series Kubota tractor?

Can you not find a L3901?

 

[JonathanP]

OP,

It also depends on what you want to do with it. Some folks don't really care about max FEL lift, as they'll never really pick up anything heavy. Some folks don't care about rated pto horse power, because they'll never hook up a pto driven attachment. Some folks want light weight because all they're doing is mowing their lawn. Some folks want heavy weight because they're using the FEL to lift as much weight as possible per lift. Some folks care about high horse power because they need to run a wood chipper, or a big 3 pt brush hog over dense fields of brush and grass. Some folks are so worried about "Tier-IV" tractors that they'll only look at 25hp models, regardless of how much horse power they actually need.

Some "stats" are more important to the individual than others.

So what's important to You? (aka, what are you going to do with this thing?)

How about moving up to an MX series Kubota tractor?

Can you not find a L3901?

I have considered it…

 

[JonathanP]

I have considered i