Whats wrong with the L4400?

[Highbeam]

I also noticed the very high 3pt lift capacity. QA for quick attach as is available on the 723 loader from the GL line allows the use of universal skidsteer implements. The salesman here in WA was trying to get me sold on the GL line over the L line and since I wanted gears he showed me how the GL gears were synchronized where the smaller Ls were only synced in one or two gears. I could only see this mattering if you wanted to take off with a lot of weight and eventually get up to a good speed.

I will have to go back and look for the larger L. The L4400 being 4 cylinders, more fuel, larger frame, may make it too heavy for towing with my pickup. The GL3130 was getting pretty heavy as it was.

It's too bad that a 44 HP tractor is equipped with a puny hydro pump so that it can't lift as much with the loader as a 31 HP tractor. Why don't they match the pump to the engine a little better? You can also pick up an optional draft control for the 3pt but no mid-pto which is fine by me.

 

[N80]

The L4400 weighs 3153 pounds without the loader. My '93 F150 is rated at 7000 pounds. I think most full size pickups could handle it. A compact or mid size pick-up may not.

 

[Highbeam]

You may have a 7000 lb tow rating but that is a bogus tow rating, I have found through my years in the RV world that the GVWR and GCWR will be exceeded before the bogus tow rating.

For grins let's take that 3200 lb tractor which is likely with ag tires, add the 1500+ lb loader, add a 1000 lb implement and we are up to 5700 for just the tractor. The trailer weighs at least 1000 lbs and if we use the standard 7000lb GVWR car trailer then there is 300 lbs left for chains and fuel and then if you want to load the tires, haul more than one implement, or add accessories then we are in trouble.

The tractor itself is not that heavy.

Cool, but now a 7000 lb trailer should have no less than

 

[N80]

Well, I'm not sure what your point is, and I'm no expert in towing, but, its a F150, crew cab, 4x4 with the Trident V8 and towing package, nothing special. But, I have towed a very large tandem trailer (made for small dozers, large tractors, etc with a huge load of lumber (couldn't get any more on the trailer). Conservative estimate of 2000-3000 pounds of wood so maybe 5000 pounds, total. Towed it about 75 miles on mixed interstate and highway driving. No problems with power, acceleration, speed or braking. I could obviously feel the load, had to break earlier, etc. But there were no problems. No brake fade. No constant shifting or overheating.

Friends with same truck pull two-horse trailers. Thats maybe 2500 pounds of horse and 1000 pound trailer maybe additonal 500 pounds of hay, gear etc. They say they can hardly tell anything is back there.

This is obviously off topic, but suffice it to say, I'm pretty certain my truck will handle the L4400. I hate big truck though and hope to get rid of it soon. The smaller truck I get probably won't handle the tractor, but I've got easy access to an F350 with a tandem-dually goose neck. (It can be better to have a friend with a big truck than having a big truck! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif )

 

[HomeBrew2]

Yep, sounds like with your rig you should be in good shape to trailer that tractor. I doubt you have any intention, as most folks don't, to climb Mt. Veil or drag it cross country. Most folks that tow do so safely whether under max or slightly over ... just depends on the conditions and what the whole rig feels like.
Cheers!

 

[FL4400]

Highbeam,
I have a 5' root rake that goes on my front end loader, just like the big land clearing rakes on front end loaders just alot smaller. The gear drive tranny is not synchronized, you have to stop to shift from forward to reverse, but shifting from 1st thru 4 th you can be moving. That really has not been an issue with me seeing I am used to it from larger tractors. IMO the L4400 is a great tractor for the money, plenty of power as I said in the other post I pull a heavy duty 8.5' disc with no problems. It will spin the tires down before the tractor will lose power. It is very capable of doing everything I need it to do. I have root raked about 3 acres so far and have not had any issues. I have moved some very large stumps that I thought it would never pick up but I did with out a problem. If you are looking for a great value in a hard working tractor then take a look at it. I got mine it is 4 wheel drive with AG tires, FEL, 6' Rhino rotary cutter, and the root rake for 22,500.

 

[N80]

Can you shift from high to low while moving?

Also, for removing stumps (small ones) do you drag them out with a chain or push them up with the FEL?

 

[TonyV]

The tranny on the L4400, like the gear driven L2800 and L3400 is whats called 'partially synchronized'. What this means is that these transmissions are synchronized for 1st through 4th gear in LO range only. They are not synchronized for HI range...and naturally, you have to be stopped, with clutch engaged to shift from forward to reverse and visa versa. I'm not sure about shifting from LO range to HI range though.....my gut feeling tells me that its probably not synchronized...I guess I just never tried it on my L3400.

...Tony

 

[N80]

Does that mean that in HI range you have to stop to shift gears or do you just have to be careful to shift at just the right rpm?

Well, I'll be finding out soon enough. I'm pretty sure I'm going to go buy it tomorrow. They have the FEL in stock and can get it ready in no time, but they don't have the rear remote in stock so even if I buy it tomorrow I won't be able to get it until later in the week......which is very frustrating. I'm finally getting that new toy 'vibe'. Up until now I haven't been very excited about this but now I'm kind of getting into it and also realizing all the great things I'll be able to do on my property. Which means that I want it now! The waiting is going to drive me crazy.

 

[40_acre_mule]

I tow my 4400 easily with my Dodge 1500 pickup. The tow rating is 7000 lbs. My trailer is no lightweight, as it can handle a much larger machine than the 4400.
If by brushguard, you mean the big metal rack in front of the radiator, mine came with that. The salesman and I didn't even discuss it. It sure looks sturdy, and I suppose you could hang some weights on it if needed.
I've got another 10 hours on it so far, (total 40), mostly pulling a Landpride medium-duty bushog (700 lbs). It handles it just fine, even in thick, overgrown grass.
The LA703 FEL can handle a full bucket of dirt easily. The FEL is also extremely handy when climbing out of soft mud. (I own swamp-land in south Mississippi).
I'm really pleased so far. I'd recommend this tractor to others.