Time For a bigger Tractor (Kubota)
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jeff9366
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2011
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- 12,777
- Tractor
- Kubota Tractor Loader L3560 HST+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3,700 pounds bare tractor, 5,400 pounds operating weight, 37 horsepower
I do not know your age nor financial condition, but at age 68 I can tell you that you will appreciate the bells on whistles on a 'Grand L' more with each additional year.
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varmint
Elite Member
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2003
- Messages
- 2,572
- Location
- Northern Maryland
- Tractor
- Kubota B8200, then a Kubota L3130 HST, now a Kubota L3400 HST
In reading this thread again, my advice would be to look for something a bit heavier than a L3200. I have an L3400, which is similar, I think, and for your situation, more tractor makes sense. The L4*** series might be good. And a "Grand" L would be appreciated as you get used to its features! I had looked at a L4330, if memory serves, and it was sweet, but just too heavy for where I would be using it.
KevT
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2015
- Messages
- 972
- Tractor
- Kubota L3901 HST w/ FEL, ST2046
All I can say is I love my L3901 and everything it can do/ does for me. The tier 4 system is no big deal in the 4 months / 120 hours I have owned it. About every 20 hours you have to cycle it at an RPM that I am using anyway, so it never slows me down. As far as the cost of replacement parts sound high, parts for older tractors are going up too as they are less available. In my old crotchety opinion it is a pay me now, pay me later.
jeff9366
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2011
- Messages
- 12,777
- Tractor
- Kubota Tractor Loader L3560 HST+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3,700 pounds bare tractor, 5,400 pounds operating weight, 37 horsepower
Nor have I had issues with Tier IV on my L3560, with 485 hours. The L3560 is a major design upgrade from the predecessor L3540. Probably no more effective at work but many areas are more accessible, especially the fuel filler.
The price for the L3560 was $4,000 more than L3540. Two additional horsepower with the L3560.
I do regeneration at home. It is a hot process which I am afraid to do in the woods, where I work with my tractor most of the time. Every 60 hours (+/-) it takes 16 minutes to perform regeneration @ 2,200 RPM.
Fallon
Super Member
I have a L3200 HST. The L3200, L3800, L3301, L3901 & L2501 all have more or less the same frame & are the same tractor. The only difference is the engine & wether or not it has the tier 4 junk. The 01's probably have a slightly smoother 3pt.
I mow my 5 acres of pasture with my L3200 in about half a day with either my LandPride 5' rotary cutter or a very old 7' For 917 flail. A few extra HP over my 32hp would be nice on occasion, but not to often. I'd be disappointed with less HP though. In retrospect I'd have paid an extra $1k for the extra 5 odd HP, but not the $2-3k they were asking for my L3200 vs a L3800. My rotary cutter will occasionally bog when cutting hood high grass, but not to often. It was slow going running a tiller across 2.5 acres when reclaiming the pasture (previous owners massively overgrazed it, nothing but packed dirt & weeds left), but it went pretty good with the HST.
You'd be a moron to get a 2wd or not load the tires unless you were just cutting golf course greens. You need the weight for the traction & being a small light tractor it really needs 4wd to put all the power down. Even with loaded tires, you need proper ballast on the back to lift stuff with the loader safely. I'd highly recommend you get a loader with a SSQA interface, makes swapping implements so much easier & implements are MUCH more common with SSQA.
As others have noted, with 10 acres, you might want to jump up to a 4 series tractor with a bit more weight, HP & able to pull a 72" or larger cutter. It depends on how long you are willing to take to mow the 10 acres. A Grand is a nicer fancier & heavier tractor, but generally doesn't have more power than the base 00 or 01 series. More bells & whistles & options for a cab. Down the road I might be upgrading to one for the cab & some of the other cool toys. The base models are very capable tractors though & a lot more bang for your buck. When properly ballasted a base model will do 95% of what a Grand will do other than lift capacity on the loader or 3pt.
Unless you are mostly going to be doing PTO related stuff, weight is the primary limiting factor, not HP. That doesn't help with your mowing & rototiller scenario, but it very relevant for dirt work. A L2501 will outwork any B or BX all day long because of the extra weigh (and associated traction & lift capacity), not that I'd advocate for an under powered L2501. All the L3x0x tractors clock in at about 3,500 lbs with a loader & loaded rear tires if memory serves.
I mow my 5 acres of pasture with my L3200 in about half a day with either my LandPride 5' rotary cutter or a very old 7' For 917 flail. A few extra HP over my 32hp would be nice on occasion, but not to often. I'd be disappointed with less HP though. In retrospect I'd have paid an extra $1k for the extra 5 odd HP, but not the $2-3k they were asking for my L3200 vs a L3800. My rotary cutter will occasionally bog when cutting hood high grass, but not to often. It was slow going running a tiller across 2.5 acres when reclaiming the pasture (previous owners massively overgrazed it, nothing but packed dirt & weeds left), but it went pretty good with the HST.
You'd be a moron to get a 2wd or not load the tires unless you were just cutting golf course greens. You need the weight for the traction & being a small light tractor it really needs 4wd to put all the power down. Even with loaded tires, you need proper ballast on the back to lift stuff with the loader safely. I'd highly recommend you get a loader with a SSQA interface, makes swapping implements so much easier & implements are MUCH more common with SSQA.
As others have noted, with 10 acres, you might want to jump up to a 4 series tractor with a bit more weight, HP & able to pull a 72" or larger cutter. It depends on how long you are willing to take to mow the 10 acres. A Grand is a nicer fancier & heavier tractor, but generally doesn't have more power than the base 00 or 01 series. More bells & whistles & options for a cab. Down the road I might be upgrading to one for the cab & some of the other cool toys. The base models are very capable tractors though & a lot more bang for your buck. When properly ballasted a base model will do 95% of what a Grand will do other than lift capacity on the loader or 3pt.
Unless you are mostly going to be doing PTO related stuff, weight is the primary limiting factor, not HP. That doesn't help with your mowing & rototiller scenario, but it very relevant for dirt work. A L2501 will outwork any B or BX all day long because of the extra weigh (and associated traction & lift capacity), not that I'd advocate for an under powered L2501. All the L3x0x tractors clock in at about 3,500 lbs with a loader & loaded rear tires if memory serves.
Poopdeck Pappy
Elite Member
- Joined
- May 13, 2013
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- 2,627
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- Dallas, Texas
- Tractor
- Kioti DK50SE Cab, Kubota BX23, Kubota BX2660, Grasshopper 729BT
Truer words have never been spoken.
When I bought my Kioti DK50SE, I debated on whether to spend the extra $5,000 - $6,000 on a cab. I finally decided that I've been standing in line a long time (I was 60 at the time) and I've worked my tail end off my entire life, and I can afford it. My other option was to save the money so my kids could inherit it and p!ss it away when I'm gone.
So I bought the cabbed model and never had a moment's regret.
