Smaller John Deere out pulls bigger Kubota

[RadarTech]

All I gotta say is y'all should see how we'll my clark gocart my dad bought in 1988 when they went out of business pulls !!
I used it the other week to pull an 18 wheeler up mont eagle in Tennessee !!!!

 

[Karl2]

Oh, wait .... isn't this the semantics forum????

My neighbor wanted to move his derelict school bus. A 4.3 Jimmy in lo-loc wouldn't budge it. My <30hp NH 1520 HST with turfs got it going and 150 ft down the driveway at 1400 RPM before I realized I was in med-range and had left the brake locked on. I've been a Chevy guy for 40 yrs+, but can I now conclude that the 'Ford' is more er' efficient? (there's 4 letters vs 5 in the name, too) IMO brand loyalty is like hair color preference, and others might miss a point to be made somewhere. (anywhere?) Ford/Chevy=JD/Kubota? C'mon, guys. My point would be 'different streaks for different freaks', ie: apples ain't oranges.

At the simplest level weight, hp, & traction aren't proportional. The OP's Kubo also had to pull itself, & it looks a tad bigger than his JD .... Couldn't hp or tires be the emphasis, and tractor brand not relevant?

Indeed preference for a brand is often a completely subjective matter. Reasons for a preference can range from being partial to a color to having a relative own a dealership. But sometimes certain models have a spec that will tip the balance in their favor. Personally I had no particular preference or dislike for JD but my winter business is commercial snow removal so power is fundamental. Full-size tractors are too bulky to access certain areas so snow had to be removed with a walk-behind snowblower (tracked Hondas are great for this) which took a lot of time. One day with a fellow contractor we observed a Kubota CUT pushing heavy snow in a small parking lot, it was struggling a bit and I remarked how great it would be if 60-hp CUT's existed. My buddy replied "there is one" and that's how I got a 4720.

 

[TripleR]

Indeed preference for a brand is often a completely subjective matter. Reasons for a preference can range from being partial to a color to having a relative own a dealership. But sometimes certain models have a spec that will tip the balance in their favor. Personally I had no particular preference or dislike for JD but my winter business is commercial snow removal so power is fundamental. Full-size tractors are too bulky to access certain areas so snow had to be removed with a walk-behind snowblower (tracked Hondas are great for this) which took a lot of time. One day with a fellow contractor we observed a Kubota CUT pushing heavy snow in a small parking lot, it was struggling a bit and I remarked how great it would be if 60-hp CUT's existed. My buddy replied "there is one" and that's how I got a 4720.

That is a nice tractor, my wife and I looked at one before we bought our L5740; sure liked it a lot. I can't use left foot brakes, so it was pretty much a no go, still a really nice tractor. I like all the 4000 Series John Deeres and the...

 

[Carl Bert]

Your JD, from the pictures, clearly has a more aggressive tread pattern then turf tires, or R-4's. Not even close to being a fair comparison for traction.

Second, how were you towing with the Kubota? Was the backhoe on the B26 or did you have the 3pt arms with some kind of a rear hitch? It makes a HUGE difference on my L35, whether or not the hoe is on. Wet grass can cause my wheels to spin if I am trying to pull something with the rear receiver. Having only the FEL on causes a huge weight bias to the front axle and tires. No 18' trailer is going to make up for almost the 1K pounds of "tongue" weight, I am giving up with the hoe off.

If you had one of the bucket receivers that many people have modded their tractors with and "pulled" the trailer while backing up in 4wheel drive, you could drag your trailer anywhere you'd want to.

I realize that you were just stating a fact, but you did yourself no favors with the wording. Glad you love your JD, but it's brand and color had nothing to do with your miraculous feat.

Stay safe.

First, who said anything about a fair comparison? I just stated that one pulled much better than the other. I figured you guys would have fun figuring out why, my mistake. As far as the Kubota, the backhoe was off, not sure how you would tow with it on, the rears were recently loaded even though my dealer was against it, and the trailer had a 250 to 300 lb piece of furniture loaded on the very front of the trailer. I don't think it was too light in the rear. I would say the trailer tongue weight plus the 250# hutch would be pretty close in weight to the backhoe, not to mention the loaded tires.

 

[joshuabardwell]

I figured you guys would have fun figuring out why, my mistake.

For me, it was the "this is why Deere is worth the extra money" comment that made it seem like trolling.

I don't think it was too light in the rear. I would say the trailer tongue weight plus the 250# hutch would be pretty close in weight to the backhoe, not to mention the loaded tires.

Only way to know for sure is to try it again with the loader off. SCIENCE!

 

[Carl Bert]

For me, it was the "this is why Deere is worth the extra money" comment that made it seem like trolling.

[qutoe]I don't think it was too light in the rear. I would say the trailer tongue weight plus the 250# hutch would be pretty close in weight to the backhoe, not to mention the loaded tires.

Only way to know for sure is to try it again with the loader off. SCIENCE![/QUOTE]

Well since the loader is not removable, I guess SCIENCE will have to be put on hold. If you mean the loader bucket, I thought about that, but I figured since I was climbing a hill with a good amount of weight on the back, it was necessary to keep the front wheels on the ground.

 

[buickanddeere]

I couldn't believe it. I have an 18' 2500 lb trailer, which I used to pick up a piece of furniture. When I got it home, I decided if I pulled the trailer up on my lawn to my front door it would make getting it inside much easier. We had just had about 6" of snow fall, there is maybe 3" left.

When I got home with the new hutch, I got out my X595, hooked it up to the trailer, and attempted to pull it up the approx. 30 degree, snow covered incline to my front door. The little John Deere pulled that 2500 lb trailer 3/4 of the way up the 75' long incline, and the wheels started to spin, so I stopped and backed down the hill. If I wasn't worried about damaging the lawn, it would have made it to the top.

I got out the Kubota B26, which I had no doubt would do it with no problem. I hooked it up and proceeded up the hill. Once the 4 wheels of the Kubota were off the driveway and on the snow it started to spin. There was no moving it, not even a foot. To say the least, I was shocked. I like digging with my Kubota, but nothing beats a John Deere for all around performance. Things like this, is what makes Deere worth the extra bucks. I just love my Deere

While I'm a Deere fan through and through. You may have done an apples and oranges comparison. It's all about the setup . Ever go to a tractor pull and see a bunch of tractors in the same class and the same weight. And even comparing identical makes and models. Some get stopped at mid track, the rest of the class spin out approx 3/4 track. Then somebody's tractor walks the sled off the end of the track with traction to spare.
Max drawbar lb's pull is an art and a science.

 

[Carl Bert]

While I'm a Deere fan through and through. You may have done an apples and oranges comparison. It's all about the setup . Ever go to a tractor pull and see a bunch of tractors in the same class and the same weight. And even comparing identical makes and models. Some get stopped at mid track, the rest of the class spin out approx 3/4 track. Then somebody's tractor walks the sled off the end of the track with traction to spare.
Max drawbar lb's pull is an art and a science.

You guys keep saying that I'm comparing apples to oranges. This was not a competition where 2 tractors of the same size, weight and HP compete against each other. It was just a story of how my little tractor pulled better in the snow than my bigger tractor, thats all, very simple. I realize I could have left out the part about "nothing beats a Deere and thats what makes Deere worth the extra bucks". But honestly thats how I feel, for many reasons, not just this one. Keep in mind I own both machines.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Since I own a B26 I have to say that something was surely wrong with the set up if a 1500 pound tractor can outpull a 4000# (minus the backhoe weight) tractor. Traction should have been better regardless of tires due to the more than 1000 # more weight. Maybe the B26 was in 2 wd and the JD was in 4 wd.
If you wanted the trailer up the hill why didnt you just put the wife on the JD pulling and use the FEL with the B26 to push the trailer and get it all the way.

 

[Carl Bert]

Since I own a B26 I have to say that something was surely wrong with the set up if a 1500 pound tractor can outpull a 4000# (minus the backhoe weight) tractor. Traction should have been better regardless of tires due to the more than 1000 # more weight. Maybe the B26 was in 2 wd and the JD was in 4 wd.
If you wanted the trailer up the hill why didnt you just put the wife on the JD pulling and use the FEL with the B26 to push the trailer and get it all the way.

I was waiting for you to chime in Gary. I feel the same way, that it was odd and thats why I started the thread. The Kubota was definitely in 4WD. I don't know why I didn't think of using both tractors, it sure would have saved me a lot of aches and pains today