Ordered....

[12Bravo]

So - after much waffling, I've settled on the L3301. It has been a process... I started at Home Depot. Settled on the B23S. Settled on the B2301. Then was pretty firm on the L2501. Took another look at the L3301\3901. Almost bit on the 3901, but figured it needed to stop somewhere...

I've made a deposit, so hopefully, I'm locked in. Though the MX line might serve me better........................

The driving factors were: 2-3 years dirt work (box blade \ backhoe), then pushing Colorado snows and mowing. I wanted the box blade to be effective for grading - not just gravel maintenance.

Kubota L3301HST 4WD tractor w/ R4 tires and fluid in the rear tires
Kubota LA525 loader w/ quick attach bucket
Pallet forks and rod indicator
Kubota BH77 Backhoe w/ 16" bucket and mechanical thumb
Four rear remote valves installed
Top n Tilt
Landpride FDR1660 mower
Landpride HD25 w/ QA bucket mount and 9” auger
Gatormade 7000GVW trailer
3rd function valve installed

It should be an adventure. Fire up the 26' Hertz moving truck from Augusta, GA drive to Newton, NC and pick up my EA box blade and rear blade, cruise down to Knoxville, grab a BXpanded Piranah blade and trench bucket, and then make it to Somerset, KY for the tractor. Then drag the whole mess West.....

A fool and his money.

 

[Sapper50]

Congrats !!!
SAPPERS FORWARD!
Photos and full AAR once settled per SOP

CONGRATS on the new rig (boy do I know about $$$ price and feature creep)

Scott


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[BAP]

Thanks for your service. Congratulations on your purchase and I hope your trip goes smoothly. Like Sapper50 said, post pictures when you get everything there and have a chance. We like Tractor Porn..

 

[Tunaslayer]

holy mackrel bat man! That is a sick set up. The top and tilt will be a huge advantage with the box blade. I love my 66" from EA. Congrats, and good luck. Make sure you give the tractor a good going through on delivery. I had issues with my BH77 levers not being able to reach full stroke due to the lever hitting the top plate of the podium. It was an easy fix, but the dealer was no help. Also, if the backhoe is installed on delivery, make sure they give you the correct 3 point irons and related equipment. Mine were wrong. One thing to note as well, make sure you make a habit of checking the E brakes before you take off. Low gear does not even feel like its straining with the brakes applied. I am considering rigging up a reed switch on the brake to the seat safety to shut it down if you try to run with the brake on.

 

[Stmar]

Sounds like an adventure and a really neat setup, good luck and stay safe. Hope the white stuff holds off while you are on your trip.

 

[BillK01]

A photo pictorial of this trip would be pretty cool to see. *hinthint*

 

[mdhughes]

12Bravo,
What type of rear remotes are they installing on the tractor? I know that the "factory" remotes you can only have three.

 

[12Bravo]

Thanks all.

I'd like to keep record of it and post as I travel. Might keep me awake as I'm careening solo west at a speed limited 55 mph.

mdhughes, that is a direct "cut-n-paste" of what Barlows sent me. And you pose a great question; I'll have to send them an email. I was thinking it was for the 3rd function valve?

hmmm

 

[12Bravo]

12Bravo,
What type of rear remotes are they installing on the tractor? I know that the "factory" remotes you can only have three.

Brady says:
"The four rear remotes = two valves. The L3301 will accept three valves or 6 remotes."

Quite honestly, makes even less sense to me now.

More importantly, I'm getting cold feet about the HST. I'm a standard shift guy - for all the reasons you might think. However, I'm finding that in watching videos, the HST whine is bugging me. I'm the kinda guy who zeros in and goes nuts on faucets dripping, dogs barking 2 miles away, and clocks ticking at night....

I'm going to head to the local dealer, and ask him to run a geared and HST machine for me. Should I have done that prior to committing $37k? Uh... probably?

I'm hoping in person, it won't be too irritating.

 

[mdhughes]

Brady says:
"The four rear remotes = two valves. The L3301 will accept three valves or 6 remotes."

Quite honestly, makes even less sense to me now.

More importantly, I'm getting cold feet about the HST. I'm a standard shift guy - for all the reasons you might think. However, I'm finding that in watching videos, the HST whine is bugging me. I'm the kinda guy who zeros in and goes nuts on faucets dripping, dogs barking 2 miles away, and clocks ticking at night....

I'm going to head to the local dealer, and ask him to run a geared and HST machine for me. Should I have done that prior to committing $37k? Uh... probably?

I'm hoping in person, it won't be too irritating.

There are two hoses for each valve, so you will have four hoses with connector on the rear. One for the top link and one for the tilt.

I went with the DT (don't like newfangled things), but I would think with ear plugs the HST whine wouldn't be that bad.

 

[12Bravo]

mdhughes (or whomever else wants to chime in...),

I don't know anything about geared tractors, but from what I understand, they aren't quite like standard shift in cars.

I don't fully understand the relationship between gear, throttle setting, and speed. My question is this, for "precision control" (for instance, using forks to unload a pallet from the back of a truck) - and creeping up to an exact position, does one put the tractor in L1, lower the throttle to 1/2 (1/4), and 'feather' (ride) the clutch to slowly, and gently put the forks under the pallet?

This is not something I would do frequently, but it helps me understand the fine control that I sometimes would need.

vs - jamming it in L2 and just driving straight for 8 hrs.

It's very hard to shake this lean towards gears, but I don't want to over-analyze.

 

[D2Cat]

After you run the tractor for an hour you'll see how the various gears affect the ground speed. Once you feel comfortable at a particular speed you quit thinking about it.

Your example of using your forks to unload a pallet is about the same process as backing up to a trailer to hook it up. You can start in any gear you choose, you just need to start slow and be safe. If you're in L/1 you can drink your coffee as you proceed. You'll switch up gears until it's a comfortable speed for your competence.

Don't over think it. Push in the clutch, change gears, and try that one!

 

[Sapper50]

D2Cat is spot on-just crawl walk run with the gears and speed. Key is let the motor to the work not you and that motor is VERY capable!!! HST whine, if you’re a 12B with that many years your hearing is shot anyhow [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23], you won’t notice even notice it (even if your ears were fine)

Scott


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[Stmar]

You will notice the whine but the control is worth it to me. One thing I noticed was that when you go downhill the whine almost disappears so if you can find land that is all downhill you won't notice it. My problem is my property seems to be mostly uphill, lol.

 

[12Bravo]

My hearing is pretty bad - constant ringing. It's not the strikes, or explosions, it's the fire fights (route clearance makes getting ambushed easy). The Army expects you to wear hearing protection - which doesn't really make sense with radio comms.

And truth be told, while I am prior service enlisted, I'm on the O side now. I'm on the right (LT version), guy on the left is a Polish Sapper. I've never met anybody better with a handheld mine detector.... Khogyani District.

Anyway - thanks for the push; still need to stop by the dealer and 'hear' them both.

 

[Sapper50]

My hearing is pretty bad - constant ringing. It's not the strikes, or explosions, it's the fire fights (route clearance makes getting ambushed easy). The Army expects you to wear hearing protection - which doesn't really make sense with radio comms.



And truth be told, while I am prior service enlisted, I'm on the O side now. I'm on the right (LT version), guy on the left is a Polish Sapper. I've never met anybody better with a handheld mine detector.... Khogyani District.



Anyway - thanks for the push; still need to stop by the dealer and 'hear' them both.

I hear ya (maybe not so well - ask Lipstick 6)
I’m jacked too, Iraq, demo, range work, Panama, jumpmaster and rappelmaster and NO you can’t wear EarPro all the time.
Aircraft I think did the most sustained damage (especially Chinooks)- other than 240B inside a house and your in the same room - thought I had blood coming out my nose and ears .... LOL. - damn those are loud in tight spaces....
oh well no draft right?
(I was prior enlisted as well- then skipped over to the O side)

Scott


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mdhughes]

mdhughes (or whomever else wants to chime in...),

I don't know anything about geared tractors, but from what I understand, they aren't quite like standard shift in cars.

I don't fully understand the relationship between gear, throttle setting, and speed. My question is this, for "precision control" (for instance, using forks to unload a pallet from the back of a truck) - and creeping up to an exact position, does one put the tractor in L1, lower the throttle to 1/2 (1/4), and 'feather' (ride) the clutch to slowly, and gently put the forks under the pallet?

This is not something I would do frequently, but it helps me understand the fine control that I sometimes would need.

vs - jamming it in L2 and just driving straight for 8 hrs.

It's very hard to shake this lean towards gears, but I don't want to over-analyze.

I put the tractor in first or second and use the foot throttle when using the pallet forks to load or unload something. I think it would be easier with the HST, but I like my gears. I have done a lot of bucket work with mine and haven't had any problems. Like D2Cat said, after a couple of hours on the tractor you will figure it out.

I know someone else said it, but I will say it again. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE and to anyone else that reads this that has served they country!