Two questions here....

[Pirwin21]

This should probably be put in two separate threads, but oh well. First, after months of perusing this site and learning much from everyone's collective posts, I have bit the bullet in getting a tractor. I ended up with a 2007 L3400 HST (68 hrs) with FEL, 5' Rhino Brush Hog, canopy, and seeder for 15900. I ended up getting it from Barlow's and can chime in that the whole experience (up to this point, as I haven't received delivery yet) has been very positive. Is this approximately what I should have expected to pay for a package like this?

The other question concerns itself with the QA bucket. The only bad thing about the tractor I got was that it did not have the QA system. Is there a way to upgrade a FEL to a QA system? And if there is, where abouts would one suggest looking and how much should I expect to pay for something like this. Any help, as always, is greatly appreciated.

 

[daBear]

Q1 - Darned good deal for all that as far as I am concerned. Fine tractor.

 

[CHDinCT]

Pirwin 21,

Why don't you ask Barlow's about upgrading the FEL to QA? I don't know if it can or can't be done, but I'm sure they'd know and could give you a price if it can be converted.

 

[teg]

That sounds like a very good price... do you *need* the QA bucket? I don't have one and don't feel I'm missing anything... What do you need the QA for?


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[Pirwin21]

The QA is more of a want than a need. I plan on doing a decent amount of mowing with the tractor and the ability to take the bucket off to see a little better and reduce the weight a little was appealing. The only other attachment that I could really forsee myself using are forks...

 

[teg]

If you have many trees to avoid, I can see losing the bucket. I use the bucket (low, a few inches above the ground) to knock over smaller brush and let me know if I forgot about a rock in the field. The extra weight up front helps with a heavy brush hog.

Redbud posted this photo in 2007 that shows what I'm talking about... the FEL doesn't "block" much of a view.


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[Harvest Moon]

There are several threads on here about the QA options and conversion for the LA463. I believe the bracket you'll be looking for is the L2230A, if you want to go with Kubota. There are others but they all seem to cost a lot more. Here's one of the more recent threads: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-buying-pricing/139411-kubota-qa.html

I spent over a thousand $$ to up grade mine including a pricy B26 bucket. And I haven't regretted it for a second, it's been worth it for me.

But, if it's about mowing and visibility, it's really quick and easy to remove the whole FEL. I've only done it 3 times and I doubt it took more than 6 minutes.

Although, depending on the weight of your mower you may need some suitcase weights if you ditch the loader.

 

[powerstroke444e]

The loader is so easy to remove if you don't need the bucket take the whole thing off. Then go for the thumb on the loader bucket. If you need forks grapple and 4n1 the QA is priceless but I would still remove the loader if I was mowing. We remove the one on a M5400 and it only takes a few minutes and makes the tractor much easier to handle.

 

[EMS503]

If your not going to be switching attachments the QA is not really needed.
I take my loader off when mowing as the arms still get in my way ( I have trees and sheds ) when mowing. The entire loader comes off quickly.

 

[Pirwin21]

Thanks for all the input... Never really thought about using the loader as a rock/ant hill finder... lol but will definitely try that. Also I didn't realize the entire loader comes off easily, but my question with that is, does it go back on just as easy? I've found in life that it's often easy to tear things apart, but not quite as easy to put them back together.