Why are Kubota FEL's so weak?

[SloppyJoe]

Its all options to us as buyers and thats a great thing.

None of the tractors are identical. Size, weight, specs, heights, etc.

Take a tractor and compare it to its competitors that are "slightly" smaller, but close because they dont have an exact comparison.....sure its gonna win. Its what MFG's do. They would never compare it to the "slightly" larger.

Case in point.......illustrated above.

The branson 3015 is 400 pounds HEAVIER than the 2501 and 5 HP more.....but thats a fair comparison?
But the L3560 is 400 pounds HEAVIER than the 3015 and 5hp more and now its no longer a fair comparison and we should compare it to the 3520 branson? That is 650 pounds HEAVIER?

simple fact.....branson and kubota dont really have any good direct comparisons in the 25-40 HP range.

And within manufactures there is so much overlap of frame sizes and HP. Kubota 3901 vs kubota 4060. Both ~40hp class tractors......but not even i the same league.

Branson 3520 vs 3515 is another example.

couple that with different loader options, and the sky is the limit

We shouldnt be arguing about what tractor is better and comparing paper stats. We should be focusing on all the different options and getting a tractor that best suits ones needs. Because the options are nearly endless. If you need to lift a ton....branson makes a tractor that does that. But guess what, so does kubota, deere, kioti, NH, mahindra, etc. One may be a bit wider, or longer, or smaller or larger tires, or lift highter or lower, or weigh more or less. But it doesnt matter.

But dont harp on the fact that the 3015 is a stronger machine than a L2501. It is. It was built to be. Its physically bigger, heavier, etc. And if you insist on harping on that comparison with a clearly SMALLER machine, dont take offense when someone whats to compare a clearly larger machine to the branson that makes the branson look inferior.

Maybe its worth noting again, the 3015 and 3515 are 3000# tractors. Kubota DOES NOT MAKE a 3000# 30-35hp machine. They make a 2600# machine and a 3400# machine

NOT TRUE: No two machines are ever the exact specs, I agree with that. However, Kubota is constantly comparing the L3901 to the JD 3038e which weighs around 2200 lbs vs the Kubota L3901 HST around 2800 lbs. (550 lb. difference) and sells against the features that the Kubota has against the JD. Why is that? Because both tractors are SIMILAR in weight AND price point but not exact. I dont hear people say "no fair the 3901 weighs more than the JD 3038E) Kioti CK 3510/4010HST and LS MT2HST weigh around 2700-2900#s and their price point is about the same as the Kubota L3901 (actually a little lower). TYM and Branson tend to have a slightly larger tractor but they are not that much of a difference to say that they are in a different category. All of those brands are competing against the same customer in the same market. (The economy compact utility tractor market in that category). My Ram 1500 truck has a bed that is 6'4" and weighs about 500 pound more than a Ford 150 than has a bed 6'6". Those two trucks are competing for the same 1/2 truck customer but they aren't exactly alike. Put it to you this way. There is no more than a 3% difference in weight within the Kioti, Kubota and LS in the L3901 market and 10% difference in the TYM and Branson and yet there is a greater than 50% to 70% increase in FEL capacity over the Kubota L series. As far as price goes, the Kioti, LS, NH, TYM, Branson all cost about the same. (actually a few thousand dollars less than the L3901)

 

[ptsg]

Well, going by LD1's logic, we could only compare two tractors with the same exact specs, size, weight and so on. Which would make it pretty much the same tractor.

Of course Branson is heavier, they build a heavier tractor. Those 400 lbs heavier than Kubota just makes it an advantage point right? That's why we compare things and see the advantages and disadvantages of a tractor versus another.

Branson 15 series can be directly compared to the Kubota L01 series. Simple as that. If one is heavier or turns sharper than the other, that's just an advantage point IMO.

NO ONE here is saying that one is better than the other. Just the Kubota owners keep bringing that up to have something to defend themselves, I guess...

All the brands have pros and cons versus other brands.

 

[/pine]

The point is comparing third rate brands with major manufacturers is ludicrous to begin with...

Sort of like comparing Matco and Snap-on (Deere, K_ubota etc.) to Harbor freight stuff (most of the lessor brands)...:laughing:

 

[BRMyers]

I didn't know that tractor brand could be such a hotly debated item. I only thought that happen with types of firearms on which one is the best.

Now I'm kind of sorry that I jumped into this topic, I didn't realize the debate was so great.

 

[atsah]

I didn't realize the debate was so great.

Oh it sure is.. Fun to read though..

 

[Threepoint]

The point is comparing third rate brands with major manufacturers is ludicrous to begin with...

Sort of like comparing Matco and Snap-on (Deere, K_ubota etc.) to Harbor freight stuff (most of the lessor brands)...:laughing:

/pine, thank goodness someone has finally jumped in with a comment to calm the roiled waters! :laughing:

 

[JWR]

Oh it sure is.. Fun to read though..

At some points it has been fun, but it seems to have degenerated to things almost as silly as the title of the thread. That was a wife-beating title, as someone else pointed out, and essentially certain to raise hackles even if there was nothing to fuss about.

I have never used the thread tool to "unsubscribe" to any thread but I feel it coming ...

 

[SloppyJoe]

There has not been one time where I or pstg has mentioned that brand x was better than Kubota. As a matter of fact we both give great praise to the Kubota brand. The OP has a great question and the answers back until we nailed it down were, "their not equal", "get a bigger tractor then if you need to lift more" and so forth. I truly believe the reason (just my opinion) why Kubota didn't have their tractor or loader rated or able to carry more on the L series is because it is a hold over from when bucket usually came permanently attached and SSQA were not used as an industry standard. The rated load they had on a standard bucket was more than adequate to fill the bucket up and the wieght was measured appx in the center of the bucket. (500mm from pivot point) Just about everything most folk used the bucket for was going to fill up before the weight capacity was exceeded. The other manufactures (with the exception of JD) engineered their loaders or tractors to handle a greater weight for attachments to the SSQA such as a grapple, pallet forks, etc. If I had an L3901 I would probably enjoy it quite a bit but be disappointed that Kubota made a decision not to keep up with the competition in the loader area. There are a lot of things Kubota beats their competition with. They makea very good product and my hat is off to the company. If I were to go a size up, I would consider the MX but still look. I think they pretty much rule roost in the SCUTs and I don't find to many folks that are unhappy with their Kubota. I have heard several say they wished the loaders were stronger.

 

[LD1]

Well, going by LD1's logic, we could only compare two tractors with the same exact specs, size, weight and so on. Which would make it pretty much the same tractor.

Of course Branson is heavier, they build a heavier tractor. Those 400 lbs heavier than Kubota just makes it an advantage point right? That's why we compare things and see the advantages and disadvantages of a tractor versus another.

Branson 15 series can be directly compared to the Kubota L01 series. Simple as that. If one is heavier or turns sharper than the other, that's just an advantage point IMO.

NO ONE here is saying that one is better than the other. Just the Kubota owners keep bringing that up to have something to defend themselves, I guess...

All the brands have pros and cons versus other brands.

You missed the point entirely. But that's not surprising.

Weight isn't always an advantage. So to automatically assume the heavier Branson is a benefit is a fools errand from someone who doesn't seem to understand tractors.

Kubota is no saint. Every mfg is gonna pick competition to compare to that makes them look better.

You can buy a 2000# 35 hp machine, or a 4000# one. The heavier one isn't always the right one. But having the options to have whatever size you need is only a benefit to consumers. But everyone wants to have a d*ck swinging contest about who's tractor is "better". It's stupid and unproductive and can't believe I am even a part of this nonsense anymore

 

[ptsg]

You missed the point entirely. But that's not surprising.

Weight isn't always an advantage. So to automatically assume the heavier Branson is a benefit is a fools errand from someone who doesn't seem to understand tractors.

Kubota is no saint. Every mfg is gonna pick competition to compare to that makes them look better.

You can buy a 2000# 35 hp machine, or a 4000# one. The heavier one isn't always the right one. But having the options to have whatever size you need is only a benefit to consumers. But everyone wants to have a d*ck swinging contest about who's tractor is "better". It's stupid and unproductive and can't believe I am even a part of this nonsense anymore

Yet again, no one here mentioned that one is better than the other. Only the Kubota owners insist on that for some reason.

Did you see me saying anything about either machine being the right one? No... Did you see me saying that one brand is better than the other? NO! The only thing I said, is that one has a heavier duty construction, therefore it's heavier and consequently allow to have higher lifting capacities. If it's better or the right one? Just depend on the owner and whatever are his needs.

It's hard for some people to read this straight apparently. But I get it, I'm the foreigner here, what do I know, right? Apparently I just own a third rate brand that can't be compared to the two "big" ones. LOL.

Let's just bash the foreign guy, it's easier than admitting that the top brands, aren't actually that special anymore. Only the special prices.

Others just keep their streak on worthless comments with the pure intention of flaming/disturbing/derailing threads while somehow they are also manage to insult other members without any type of consequences whatsoever. Which amazes me how can they do that, since this is actually a pretty good and helpful forum. (Someone did delete the insulting posts of this "person")