daTeacha
Veteran Member
Well, it wasn't in the single digits today, but I did have the day off work. I had to go into town for errands and decided to make the run up to the Deere store.
I looked closely at a 2305. I have to rule it out because there is very little ground clearance for running around in the woods and also because the hydraulic connectors and flex lines are hanging very low on the right side of the tractor. In my use, I think those lines and connectors would last about an hour. Just today, I got a good size stick caught up between the loader bucket and the front axle of the 'bota.
I drove a 3120 with the E-hydro transmission. Aside from the fact that the tractor is considerably taller than my strict 84" ROPS up height limit, it too had soft hydraulic lines on the underside. These were just behind the front axle and more or less waiting to get snagged and torn. I really don't want a line under pressure being torn open.
I drove a 4110. This model is on the way out, but it might work. It was pretty easy to drive around, turned pretty tightly, a bit more so when I used the turning brake. Turning sharply in 4wd required a noticeable increase in pressure on the hydro pedal. The brake made it worse, necessitating that I push harder on the go pedal than on the brake.
On both tractors, I was impressed with the speed of the loader operation. It was a little disconcerting to hear the bucket banging around on the quick hitch when I "dumped" the bucket, but I guess it isn't going to fall off there. The 4110 is close to my height maximum. I need to check the catalog to be sure. It was kind of odd to have the top half of the ROPS leaning forward when it was locked in place. I thought they were all straight. Taking the loader off the machine was very neat to watch. It took about a minute for a guy who knew what he was doing to set the loader on the ground, leaving only the lines to disconnect. Putting it back on was equally quick. I don't know how often I might need to drop the loader, but it sure is slick. There is also a float position on the loader, which isn't mentioned in the brochure but would be very handy when smoothing a driveway or some similar job. For the uninitiated, this means the bucket is just hanging off the tractor with no pressure in the arms that lift or lower it. You can set an angle which it will hold, then it just works by gravity, which can give nicer results than down pressure, especially when backing and using the loader to smooth over rough spots.
After spending the early afternoon working around the barn/shop, I was on the Kubota moving some dirt to a new winter door for the sheep and donkey. I was particularly aware of the shifting needed to load the bucket, move the load, climb the hill, and dump the bucket. I was also acutely aware of the sidehill coated with slimy manure that tended to make the 'bota crabwalk toward its destination.
I called the Agco store after I got inside, asking about the ST34a, which the catalog shows has a height of just 81" with the ROPS up. Problem is the same chart shows a turning radius of 98 feet which I suspect may be a typo. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif The guy I talked with said they don't sell a lot of hydros in that size, with most buyers going with one of the two available synchro manual boxes, both with 4 speeds and a shuttle shift feature. The 8 + 8 requires clutching then shifting the direction lever. You go backwards in the same gear you were going forwards in. The 12 + 12 has a power shuttle, meaning no clutching is required to change directions, just move the lever. The 8 speed has two ranges on a 4 speed box, while the 12 speed has 3. You need to stop to change ranges, but within a range, you can shift from 1 to 2 to 3 to 4, just like a car. They have an 8 + 8 sitting on the lot and he invited me to come over and run around on it a while, so I may have to drive over there to check it out if I get time.
I looked closely at a 2305. I have to rule it out because there is very little ground clearance for running around in the woods and also because the hydraulic connectors and flex lines are hanging very low on the right side of the tractor. In my use, I think those lines and connectors would last about an hour. Just today, I got a good size stick caught up between the loader bucket and the front axle of the 'bota.
I drove a 3120 with the E-hydro transmission. Aside from the fact that the tractor is considerably taller than my strict 84" ROPS up height limit, it too had soft hydraulic lines on the underside. These were just behind the front axle and more or less waiting to get snagged and torn. I really don't want a line under pressure being torn open.
I drove a 4110. This model is on the way out, but it might work. It was pretty easy to drive around, turned pretty tightly, a bit more so when I used the turning brake. Turning sharply in 4wd required a noticeable increase in pressure on the hydro pedal. The brake made it worse, necessitating that I push harder on the go pedal than on the brake.
On both tractors, I was impressed with the speed of the loader operation. It was a little disconcerting to hear the bucket banging around on the quick hitch when I "dumped" the bucket, but I guess it isn't going to fall off there. The 4110 is close to my height maximum. I need to check the catalog to be sure. It was kind of odd to have the top half of the ROPS leaning forward when it was locked in place. I thought they were all straight. Taking the loader off the machine was very neat to watch. It took about a minute for a guy who knew what he was doing to set the loader on the ground, leaving only the lines to disconnect. Putting it back on was equally quick. I don't know how often I might need to drop the loader, but it sure is slick. There is also a float position on the loader, which isn't mentioned in the brochure but would be very handy when smoothing a driveway or some similar job. For the uninitiated, this means the bucket is just hanging off the tractor with no pressure in the arms that lift or lower it. You can set an angle which it will hold, then it just works by gravity, which can give nicer results than down pressure, especially when backing and using the loader to smooth over rough spots.
After spending the early afternoon working around the barn/shop, I was on the Kubota moving some dirt to a new winter door for the sheep and donkey. I was particularly aware of the shifting needed to load the bucket, move the load, climb the hill, and dump the bucket. I was also acutely aware of the sidehill coated with slimy manure that tended to make the 'bota crabwalk toward its destination.
I called the Agco store after I got inside, asking about the ST34a, which the catalog shows has a height of just 81" with the ROPS up. Problem is the same chart shows a turning radius of 98 feet which I suspect may be a typo. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif The guy I talked with said they don't sell a lot of hydros in that size, with most buyers going with one of the two available synchro manual boxes, both with 4 speeds and a shuttle shift feature. The 8 + 8 requires clutching then shifting the direction lever. You go backwards in the same gear you were going forwards in. The 12 + 12 has a power shuttle, meaning no clutching is required to change directions, just move the lever. The 8 speed has two ranges on a 4 speed box, while the 12 speed has 3. You need to stop to change ranges, but within a range, you can shift from 1 to 2 to 3 to 4, just like a car. They have an 8 + 8 sitting on the lot and he invited me to come over and run around on it a while, so I may have to drive over there to check it out if I get time.
