Buying Advice Selling Jinma, Buying Kubota

[pelicanme]

I have a Jinma 354LE and am ready to upgrade. It's a strong, heavy 50's technology tractor, but it's been plagued with issues of poor assembly and QC. I hope to find a used Kubota 4wd w/FEL and need advice.

I live in the NC mountains, and use the tractor for roadwork (about a mile of gravel and dirt, plus numerous trails), ditch cleaning, bushhogging, and dirt moving. The terrain is either hilly or steep. My main concern is transmission type. A small east TN dealer told me he hardly sells any HST models, and doesn't recommend them. I see many postings here that disagree. I think I'd really enjoy the HST, as I do a lot of loader work, but wonder if the shuttle-shift would be a sturdier option.

I've read a lot of the model comparisons (25 to 50hp), so I have some idea of the variations. I spend a lot of time on steep grades, and wonder if there are stability differences. Does one model have a lower center of gravity, combined with a wider stance that may be a benefit for me?

I'd appreciate any input.

Thanks, Mike
pelicanme

 

[sixdogs]

You will get lots of opinions here so I'll just add that I love draft control and an 8 ft landscape rake on my L4300. It can grade smaller sized gravel or dirt very smooth but not so much with bigger rock. I thnk you need to get to about 40 HP to get draft control.
Tires are an important stability issue sice they set the tractor higher or lower. I don't like loaded tires but it also really helps keep a tractor down. Industrial tires sit lower than ag tires and each has advantages and disadvantages. Good luck--Kubota is a great tractor.

 

[TripleR]

I use HST as well as Hydraulic Shuttle Shift and both are easy to use though the HST is easier for FEL work and is very reliable. There are a lot of tractors that will work well in the L and Grand L configuration in addition to the MX4700/5100 depending on how you want them equipped as well as your budget.

I really like the Grand L line, but others prefer the Lxx00 or MX.

All of the tractors we use in the hills have loaded tires, but those on the flat land are a mix.

 

[teg]

...A small east TN dealer told me he hardly sells any HST models, and doesn't recommend them...

Wow, that's not a good dealer, IMO. Tons of reading you can do about both types... Loader and dirt work, HST is the only way to go...

 

[red4now]

I use HST as well as Hydraulic Shuttle Shift and both are easy to use though the HST is easier for FEL work and is very reliable. There are a lot of tractors that will work well in the L and Grand L configuration in addition to the MX4700/5100 depending on how you want them equipped as well as your budget.

I really like the Grand L line, but others prefer the Lxx00 or MX.

All of the tractors we use in the hills have loaded tires, but those on the flat land are a mix.

Ditto on TripleR's comments - I use both here as well and both would do trick for you - with HST probably more in line with that horsepower range for the most part.

 

[dfkrug]

A small east TN dealer told me he hardly sells any HST models, and doesn't recommend them. I see many postings here that disagree. I think I'd really enjoy the HST, as I do a lot of loader work, but wonder if the shuttle-shift would be a sturdier option.

I agree with the others regarding this dealer. I stop at a lot of dealers
to look at rolling stock when I am on driving trips, and I remember one
in particular (in Iowa, I think). I did not ask for his opinion on tranny
types, but the dealer launched into a rant about how HSTs were no
good.

Sadly, getting good info from dealers is a hit-and-miss affair. To suggest
the best tranny option for a particular user requires a lot of Q&A on
the tasks involved. There are times when some type of gear tranny
makes the most sense, and sometimes an HST is the way to go.

I love HSTs for use on my mountainous property, and I have had other
tranny types, too. HSTs are very reliable, and don't have a foot clutch
that will eventually wear out, tho modern wet foot clutches can last a
long time, properly used.

 

[Monster5601]

Wow, that's not a good dealer, IMO. Tons of reading you can do about both types... Loader and dirt work, HST is the only way to go...

May be the dealer is speaking from the context of field tractors and not utility tractors.

 

[crazyal]

I wonder if he doesn't sell many HST model tractors now because he is small and he has talked so many people out of them (or tried to) that they went elsewhere. All three types, gear, shuttle, and HST have their pluses and minuses.

I have HST and wouldn't go with a gear tractor. Maybe if all I did was field work I would but for what I do, maintaining a gravel road HST is the only way to go. Stopping to toss a rock into the woods just means letting off the HST pedal, no clutch, no shifting. If on a hill I may set the parking brake but that's it. If I need to slow down on the steep parts of the hill I let off the HST pedal, no worries about shifting because the engine rpm is too low.

 

[magicheater]

I wonder if he doesn't sell many HST model tractors now because he is small and he has talked so many people out of them (or tried to) that they went elsewhere. All three types, gear, shuttle, and HST have their pluses and minuses.

I have HST and wouldn't go with a gear tractor. Maybe if all I did was field work I would but for what I do, maintaining a gravel road HST is the only way to go. Stopping to toss a rock into the woods just means letting off the HST pedal, no clutch, no shifting. If on a hill I may set the parking brake but that's it. If I need to slow down on the steep parts of the hill I let off the HST pedal, no worries about shifting because the engine rpm is too low.

I have had all three, Gear, hyd. shuttle and now HST. After getting the smaller HST I use it more but when I need the weight and capacities of the bigger one I use it. HST is much more instantaneous while the Hyd. shuttle has a lag. After using all three extensively over a collective 15+ year window my vote is for HST.

I use HST as well as Hydraulic Shuttle Shift and both are easy to use though the HST is easier for FEL work and is very reliable. There are a lot of tractors that will work well in the L and Grand L configuration in addition to the MX4700/5100 depending on how you want them equipped as well as your budget.

I really like the Grand L line, but others prefer the Lxx00 or MX.

All of the tractors we use in the hills have loaded tires, but those on the flat land are a mix.

I agree.

 

[pelicanme]

Thanks to all of you for your inputs. I'm sold on the HST.

Thanks again,

Mike