Price Check Request for opinion on price - Kubota MX5000

jeffsmd · Dec 19, 2006

Hello from another Jeff

I purchased my MX5000 back in 2003. It has 4wd. I got the 852 loader and a Woods BrushBull 720. Since then I have added a 7ft rear blade a 6ft disc, a chain harrow, a 3pt seeder and an old PTO driven generator that I have tied into a transfer switch. My situation was very similar to yours. We have horses also but only 4-5 at one time. I don't have any experience with round bales, just smaller square bales. I use the tractor for lots of brush and pasture cutting, basic farm chores, skidding fallen trees out of the woods for firewood, maintaining a mile of gravel road. The only issue I have ever had was a leaking hose fitting on the loader, and I stripped the gearing on the manual crank that levels or changes the angle of the implement on the 3pt hitch. The tractor has been very easy to work on. I have to admit, when I first bought the tractor, I was worried that I had made a mistake. It seemed that every post talked about how people would never go back to a manual transmission after using a tractor with a hydrostatic transmission. I wanted to get the most HP for the money. The only tractors I had driven had manual transmissions anyway, so I figured I wouldn't know what I was missing. I don't mind shifting gears and I'm not trying to set any speed records when I'm moving material with the bucket. Like others who have this tractor, I lose traction before I lose power. I also think the Bb 720 is about as big a cutter I would go with this tractor. I usually leave the FEL on when I am cutting. Especially on any kind of an incline.
Once again, welcome, and feel confident that you will be purchasing a very capable tractor.

Jeffsmd

N80 · Dec 20, 2006

I've got a manual geared tractor as well. I'm sure I would love HST but when it came time for my money to buy either more hp+manual tranny vs less hp+HST, it was no contest. My left knee gets a little sore after a lot of back and forth work, but that's more a problem with the driver than the tractor. I love the precision that I get with a manual tranny and it suits me very well. I have no regrets. At this point, even if I had the extra money I'd still probably rather buy more hp than HST. But that's just me.

Glowplug · Dec 21, 2006

jeffsmd said:
I have to admit, when I first bought the tractor, I was worried that I had made a mistake. It seemed that every post talked about how people would never go back to a manual transmission after using a tractor with a hydrostatic transmission. I wanted to get the most HP for the money.

As far as I know all full-size utility and agricultural tractors are standard manual transmission. At least all the ones I know of are.
If it's good enough for the guys who rely on their tractors to put food on their table and make a living it's good enough for me!

CWP37 · Dec 21, 2006

FYI - This quote is from TX:

MX5000DT, 4WD, LA853 loader, SSQA coupler - $21,900

I also went and drove an L4330 and liked it much better:

L4330DT, 4WD, LA853, SSQA coupler - $20,800

They should both fit your needs. The 4330 is more "modern" and can get around in a few tighter spaces.

Raindance · Dec 30, 2006

Okay everyone that gave me advice, I'm back...I would have been back sooner but my Kubota MX5000 arrived a couple of weeks ago and I've been outside on it ever since. Oh man I love that tractor! So far I've used the tractor for knocking down small trees, hauling loads of firewood out of the woods, plowing (with the FEL) and moving round bales. I'll be using it to skidsteer some large trees I've cut down back in the woods next week and we'll see how it does at that.

So far my biggest regret is not going with the larger bucket, I think the small one is better for more the gardening and home type project, around a farm the larger bucket sure would be nice and I did call the dealership and he said to try it for a little longer, see if this will work and if not we'll trade but of course by then I'll have scraped this one up pretty good given my driveway is gravel, plus knocking trees down, etc. does wonders on that beautiful orange paint job - I found traces of orange on a bunch of trees in the woods and it was like a wounded animal had knocked the trees down! I will probably regret not having gotten 4x4 but I just couldn't push the budget more than I did, I already stretched given that I had been planning to just buy another used tractor for half this tractor's cost.

The only problem I've had with it is a leaking hydraulic coupling on the FEL, something I've been unable to tighten and correct and occasionally using the loader the tractor will 'burp' - it'll act like it's carrying a heavy load and suddenly cut out for a second and then keep going. It doesn't do it consistently and each time I keep thinking I must have gotten off the seat or something but I'm sure I haven't. Is that a normal part of operating or break-in?

Jeffsmd, where'd you order your implements from - I know I'll need a brush cutter -believe it or not I mowed my pastures the last two years with a riding tractor! Took many hours, lots of cigars and coffee but any day in the field is better than a day in the office! It sounds like your horse operation is very similar to ours so advice on implements is welcome, I've never run a 3pt PTO in my life except for this bale spear on this tractor. Any other suggestions on implements so that I never have to get off my tractor?

Oh one other thing for you experienced guys: I can get the bucket off easy enough, getting it back on is another thing entirely. It took a lot of moving the loader, angling, rocking, etc. - the right side pin just refuses to line up, the left goes in immediately. Almost like they didn't drill it right or something, I finally get it in but it's anything but quick. Have you experienced this?

Thanks folks!

Jeff

MX5000 · Dec 30, 2006

Jeff,
Glad your enjoying your new toy. My 2005 MX 5000 is a quite a machine. I replaced that little bucket for a woods bucket with cutting edge and installed a woods QA bracket. The bucket is 10X better than the one that comes with the 702 loader. It carries alot more, is much more heavy duty, digs much better with the weight and cutting edge, and does an awesome job when leveling and back dragging. The QA bracket is really cool. Dropping the bucket and putting it back on is fast and easy. One of my loader couplers leaks a little, but never really bothered to fix it. No idea about the cutting out, Maybe your seat switch? If you don't line up the hi / low / reverse shifter in nuetral position when getting off the tractor while ideling, the tractor will shut down. It has to seat firmly against the switch in nuetral so it won't cut out. You'll find you'll run out of traction long before you run out of hp. If the loader bucket hits an immovable object,all 4 Ag wheels will dig to China. Later.

Howard