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 | ex-IT-boy
Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 13 East Texas 
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2007-06-25 143215
I am new to tractors and to rural life in general, so dont be afraid to rip me a new one!
I have 7.5 acres in sandy, stumpy, hilly, parially wooded east Texas. After talking to several NH, JD and Kubota dealers, I am leaning towards a Kubota L3400 HST, Ansung FEL, 5ft Bush Hog cutter w/ slip clutch.
Is there anything you would do differently? Anything you thought, in retorspect, "I wish I had..." In particular, I am looking for a few things I might get the dealer to throw in for free as a buying incentive.
I am planning on doing a bit of FEL work... does that imply I need to get rear wheel weights? Or would I be better with some 3pt ballast system?
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| kleinchris
Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 269 Westminster, Texas
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2007-06-25 143218
I have a bunch different machines that I don't own, but I might as well. 2 JD tractors, 2 Gators, a Bobcat, and 2 Scag mowers. These machines were purchased for my employment before I was hired on, and then my employers said "Here you go..." Don't get me wrong, all are pretty good machines, however if I would have been around I would have purchased simalar machines from a dealership right up the road. The way I see it, I'm going to break stuff no matter who makes it. The quicker I can get parts and advice, the more useful of a machine I have. I might mention that my employer paid a little more for that equipment that comes with green paint, and that stuff breaks just as well as any other color tractor. ....
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 | bvance
Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 280 The Great Pacific NorthWet, Olympia, WA
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2007-06-26 143219
Exit,
If you do any FEL work, you will want some rear ballast.
Do you have any need for a box blade...one of the most useful pieces of equipment to have. You can move and level soil, rip soil that is hard and compacted etc. Just put the box blade on and leave it for ballast and you will be surprised how much you end up using.
Brian ....
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 | candoarms
Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 1932 North Dakota 
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2007-06-26 143221
ex-IT-Boy,
If you are new to tractors, I would suggest a quick course in tractor safety. Such courses are available in most rural areas, usually through the county agricultural department. I can't stress enough the importance of taking such a class.
If no such class is available to you, please search for "The Ten Commandments of Tractor Safety" on Google.
I took a tractor safety class while attending high school. It was one of the most useful classes I have ever attended. I can honestly say that the tractor safety class has saved my life on more than one occassion.
Having been raised on farm, and operating heavy farm equipment for most of my life, I've had far too many friends die, or become permanently injured, from making simple mistakes that never should have happened.
Please take the time to read the tractor safety class I have posted here.
....
Link:
Click Here
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| hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3583 iowa 
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2007-06-26 143222
What would I do differently? Soon as I figure out how to get pictures from the digital camera to my profile page I'll put them up. My reason for saying that is along with Joel's safety tips I have a sunshade, not an umbrella on the 4310 Deere. Skin Cancer is getting to be pretty common amoung farmers my age (65) who worked in the sun all their working lives, so I'd highly recommend one. Mine is a regular Deere option, I'm sure Kubota offers them too.
No.2, The FEl - Always buy the heavy duty bucket for the loader. If you want to further enhance the usefullness of the loader get a clam bucket it works great for grabbing up brush.(You will need the third hydrauliic valve on the tractor to use a clam bucket) Mine is a Deere. I also have the Deere fork attachment for the loader, Don't confuse it with being a "Real Forklft", it has it's limits and with a narrow tread tractor be extra carefull, I ues mine almost daily for moving something, it sure saves the old back. All these neat loader attachments aren't worth a hill of beans unless the loader has the "Quick Tach" feature for changing buckets, etc., it only takes seconds to remove the reattach the bucket or whatever you need for the next job at hand.
No. 3. Ballast for the FEL - As was said don't waste money on a ballast box, they have no other use. Get a box blade, I leave mine on anytime I'm not needing the regular tractor drawbar to pull a wagon or other pull type impliment, or the three point hitch for a mower, tiller, etc. A low dollar Fleet Store brand is fine, but I'm kind of a Land Pride brand freak when it comes to most any impliments. Their box blade will be built heavier than the Fleet Store brands, not only is it heavier for ballast reasons, but I haven't been able to put hardly a scratch in the paint of mine after several seasons of heavy use. Get one with the simple manual adjust scarifier teeth, they have hydraulic adjustable teeth as an option too, but you really don't need them.
No 4 - Quick coupler for the three point hitch.- Mine is a Land Pride I've had for years, but since I bought mine Deere has came along with their Imatch hitch system that now can be had with an automatic Power Take Off coupler for your tilers, rotary cutters, or most anything on the three point that is PTO powered. I've yet to see anything but pictures of them, but I'm told they are becoming available at dealers. If you have any handicap restrictions such as I do or just don't like getting greasy hands hooking up the PTO this may be a great feature, I'd sure check it out before I bought anything.
Lastly, My old sermon on choosing a dealership. Don't be tempted to drive to another state to save a few bucks on the purchase price. Regardless of brand, find a Local deaslership with a good reputation for their service department. Any brand you buy will sooner or later break down or need routine service. I'm told that any dealer has to do warranty work whether you bought it there or not, but I'm sure your out of state purchase will be fixed AFTER the needs of their customers are taken care of first. I know if I ran a dealership that is how it would be handled. Best of luck. Frank. ....
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 | kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2007-06-26 143223
Get to know your neighbors. They can be a big help or problem. Respect them and their property. At same time realize theft in the rural areas is a problem due to how open things normally are. Don't get greedy on the idea of "free things" with the purchase. Just what all has a car dealer given you? kt
Oh, try to know what your long term plans are. Buy equipment for that, not the short term, rent or hire that. Be sure you buy equipment that replacement parts are easy to get. Don't assume just because you know of the brand that parts are being made. ....
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| ex-IT-boy
Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 13 East Texas
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2007-06-26 143225
I had already forseen the need for a box blade, but was going to delay the purchase. I had no idea it had enough weight to really offset the FEL.
Does this imply you are strapping additional weight to it? Or is it really enough to hold down the rear with the bucket under load? ....
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| ex-IT-boy
Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 13 East Texas
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2007-06-26 143226
on choosing a dealer...
I am lucky in that there are 3 Kubota dealers within 45 minutes of me. And further lucky that the one I got the best "feel" for and that actually quoted the lowest price is only about 10 minutes away.
In fact, it was the dealer more than the price that scared me off of Deere. The local dealer seemed to see me as a nuisance and would rather sell one monster high dollar tractor than 10 compact tractors to the little guys. ....
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| hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3583 iowa
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2007-06-26 143229
The box blade alone is enough weight to counter ballance the loader. Check the weight differences between brands before you buy. If you need more weight than the box blade alone you are probably expecting your loader to do more than it ws designed to do. Another thing to consider is that by using a Quick coupler or the Deere Imatch hitch you ae setting the impliment about 3 inches further back from the tractor, all those things add up to create more effective ballast for the loader. Frank. ....
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| daveinnh
Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 30 central NH
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2007-06-27 143273
Since you asked... we have a Kubota L4310 hydrostatic w/ ag tires. It was bought used w/ 240 hrs. and we installed a Curtis cab w/ heat.
For the wish category:
1. factory cab (w/ heat and AC if you plan on working long hours; at least a canopy for sun otherwise).
2. 3 rear remotes - for future implements.
3. front loader plumbed for a grapple; I believe Kubota makes a special joystick that's offered for the larger M-series. review the grapple weight - some get heavvvy.
4. have the dealer fill rear tires w/ "Rim-guard". Even so, you might find a full bucket-load gets a little bouncy. I filled a 30 gal. plastic barrel with sand; mounted on a 3PTH stand that works great when loading.
5. I don't suppose you need to worry about snow, but if you get R-4 tires and need to use chains (in mud maybe?), have the tires set wide enuff to allow mounting.
6. Skid-steer style quick attach. Otherwise, you need 3 hands to switch between bucket, grapple, and forks on loader.
7. If buying new, have the dealer provide the 250 hr. service (the one where Kubota recommends changing the major fluids) at your location w/ purchase.
8. I use a 7' (generic) landscape rake quite a bit - very versatile. Look for sturdy build quality that won't crimp under load.
9. Ensure the dealer will stand behind all products he sells. Around here, some dealers put much capital into a slick showroom, whereas you really need a knowledgeable sales staff and good mechanics who don't need to learn everything.
....
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 | DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2007-06-27 143287
The final word on required ballast will be in your owners manual. Follow the directions there. Different brands and different models within the brand have differing requirements.
A box scraper is NOT enough ballast weight for my Deere 4115. My bare tractor weighs 1700+ pounds and the OM recommends about 1100 pounds of rear ballast.
I use 300 pounds of wheel weights, 400 pounds or a box scraper on the 3 point hitch and me in the seat for another 300 pounds (I wear very heavy shoes and carry a lot of change in my pockets....;-))
If I was operating on flat level ground I might could get away with a bit less, but not 300 pounds less. ....
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| hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3583 iowa
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2007-06-28 143290
DRankin; Yes you ae correct on using the counterballance recommendations in the owners manual for the FEL. I guess being an old timer makes me want to shoot from the hip too much of the time.
I kind of forgot about my personal contirbution of dead weight till you mentioned your 300lbs. of "Taters and Gravy", heavy shoes, hundred dollar bills, etc. I haven't calculated the percentages of my mere 280 lbs., but I think it is about 250 of "Me" and the rest is bib overalls full of enough wreches to overhaul a Buick and of course my wallet. Frank. ....
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 | Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2007-06-28 143291
For rear weight on that model tractor the bulk of the time to put three sets of rear wheel weights on and a tool on the back makes them aggressive enough on our hills. The loader is more then enough front ballast when needed. One or two rear remotes for most is more then enough for most work and would allow you to hook up a top n tilt if you needed it for grading. We use the ATI quick attach on the loader for the 463. ....
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