Newbie Trying To Decide - Detailed Profile Included For Best Advice - Thank You!!

[jeff9366]

Jeff - I read your updated post regarding the Cat I and II 3pt. After your original post, I was also questioning how the combination I and II actually worked. I really appreciate you taking time to visit a dealership to investigate further. :thumbsup:

I knew the MX's had the Cat II on them but didn't know how they were converted, now I do. This is a relief because I didn't want to buy attachments now and not be able to use them in the future if I decide to trade for a different size tractor.

I want to be accurate in my posts and Suwannee River Kubota is just six miles from my property. Kubota makes regular, if infrequent, detail changes to their tractors. Sometimes Kubota brochures, most printed in Japan, lag the tractors at Kubota dealers. My Kubota knowledge base occasionally requires refreshment.

Some tractors have rotating "Bull's Eyes" in the Lower Link arms and an additional rotating fixture at the end of the Top Link, which alters the HITCH for a change from Category II implements to Category 1 implements or vice versa. I am dedicated to the KISS Principle for tractors. (Keep It Simple, Stupid) Kubota provided pin-bushings are simpler than rotating fixtures.

Tractor Supply Company, Rural King, Ace Hardware, etc. stock generic pin-conversion bushings for less than $1 each.

 

[shooterdon]

UpNorth9,

I like the way you are approaching this. Asking the right questions and keeping an open mind. I am in the same place as you are and going through the same process, and narrowed my options to three machines.

If I had the money, was younger, and expected to put 300+ hours a year on a tractor I might be able to rationalize the Grand L Kubota. It is a very good (maybe the best?) machine with assured dealer/manufacturer support. You will not regret getting a Kubota. But in my case, it is overpriced. I only suggested looking at the NH or LS as a more affordable option....they offer nothing over the Kubota lineup. My local NH and LS dealers are better, and that drives the finial nail into the Kubota option for me. The NH dealer delivered a demo yesterday for us to try this weekend...that is amazing. Testing driving on your own property doing real work for a few hours a day is a much better than 15 minutes on a dealers lot. Like your helmet analogy, I have already discovered some quirks that would not have been apparent with a short test drive.

Good luck!!!!

 

[NewmanDon]

UpNorth9, I have a Kubota L35 powering a WM8H chipper. The tractor powers the chipper just fine, although I do slow the feed rate or pulse very large wood through the chipper by starting/stopping the feed rollers. Anything under 5 inch seems to go through the chipper without any help from me. The chipper knives need to be sharp for the chipper to feed properly. I was having some feed problems but they all went away when I installed newly sharpened knives. My hydraulic feed wouldn't slow down where I wanted it to but tightening the hydraulic pump belt seemed to fix that.

For moving logs, I use bucket-mounted pallet forks with chain supports. I can move some very large logs that way, although I need a large clear space because I'm moving logs that are 20' - 30' wide.