I have never driven anything larger than a lawnmower. Now I have a Kubota L3301 with Gear-Drive Transmission. I have a front loader with quick detach bucket. And I have a rotary cutter on the back. I have NO IDEA what I can do with this tractor and what I can not. I bought the 33hp because my friends and neighbors all said 25hp would not be enough for my property. We have 6 acres that has been cleared and brush-hogged by the previous owner. So I have plenty of acres to mow. And I've got a good bit of dirt to move around. This is just me saying hello! And let me know what resources are available online to help me learn the basics and the limitations of my tractor. What can I do with that front loader? And what common mistakes should I avoid?? Thanks!
Brand New to Tractors!!
- Thread starter malenurse13
- Start date
Welcome to the FmyMoney Support Group. It's pretty great. Go ahead and have utilities come out and mark the No-Play-Zones. And THIS will be one of your best resources. I'd recommend finding your own limitations. It's the funnest way to find out. That's a pretty solid machine, I doubt you'll be disappointed.
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With any tractor with a loader always be aware when the loader up up in the air the center of gravity goes up with it. Getting into any situation where one front wheel drops down suddenly can cause problems quickly. The PTO shaft on the mower is also a thing to be cautious about.
You can find all kinds of Youtube videos to give you ideas. Go slow, be safe, and welcome to the forum! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX5J5suE-Gs
You can find all kinds of Youtube videos to give you ideas. Go slow, be safe, and welcome to the forum! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX5J5suE-Gs
Our property had nothing before we moved out there. So I'm well aware of where all power, water, and septic lines are. In fact, we still have trenches where all the power and water lines are. Waiting for it to dry up a bit so we can get the final grade done. But I've got plenty of mowing to do for now.
Well, in that case, I offer you this (unrelated) suggestion: Check Google Earth, Maps, County Satellite Imagery resources, etc and see if you can catch a flyover pic of your property with those trenches visible in them. They may come in REALLY handy years or decades down the road. If i knew when those things would be snapping pictures, I'd have utilities come out a day or two in advance and mark everything so I could get a bird's eye view of everything. Apparently, unfortunately, that's basically an impossibility, as I understand it...
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North Idaho Wolfman
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Staff member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
Just about anything with the right attachments.
Keep the loader low to the ground when loaded.
If you didn't get a ballast box for the rear get one!
Welcome to the Orange,
You have a nice rig there so you should be good to go for most anything you have planed. Remember, your little beasty is not a 988 so you will have some limitations. Slow and easy is the ticket, think each move through. Think on what you want to do, what tools you are going to need, think it all through and then think OK HOW CAN I SCREW THIS UP. And pretty soon things will start to become second nature to you.
Keep things as low as you can FEL low dont run with it way high up, that changes your center of gravity, you want to keep that low.
Just go slow until you understand what is going on, it is a learning curve everyone in here had to go through too. You will do well
Ask anything you want, and someone will come up with an answer, this place is like one big dysfunctional family
You have a nice rig there so you should be good to go for most anything you have planed. Remember, your little beasty is not a 988 so you will have some limitations. Slow and easy is the ticket, think each move through. Think on what you want to do, what tools you are going to need, think it all through and then think OK HOW CAN I SCREW THIS UP. And pretty soon things will start to become second nature to you.Keep things as low as you can FEL low dont run with it way high up, that changes your center of gravity, you want to keep that low.
Just go slow until you understand what is going on, it is a learning curve everyone in here had to go through too. You will do well
Ask anything you want, and someone will come up with an answer, this place is like one big dysfunctional family
Bmyers
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
Grand L3560 with LA805 loader, EA 55" Wicked Grapple, SBX72 BB, LP 1272 mower
Welcome. I too have recently become a tractor owner. My suggestion from reading lots of threads and watching YouTube videos, make sure your ROPS is up and have your seatbelt on.
After that, the tractor can handle a lot, it just takes time to figure out how to make it do it.
After that, the tractor can handle a lot, it just takes time to figure out how to make it do it.
Welcome to OTT and tractor ownership. You should be very happy with your choice.
As some have said, you will find new things to do with the tractor and will need new attachments to do them. One of the most used is a set of pallet forks, next to the bucket on the FEL they are the most useful.
Like someone else said, get yourself some kind of 3PT ballast to use when you are doing FEL work. This will do two things, make the tractor more stable and take some weight off the front axle. Having the back tires loaded helps with stability, but doesn't do anything for the front axle.
As some have said, you will find new things to do with the tractor and will need new attachments to do them. One of the most used is a set of pallet forks, next to the bucket on the FEL they are the most useful.
Like someone else said, get yourself some kind of 3PT ballast to use when you are doing FEL work. This will do two things, make the tractor more stable and take some weight off the front axle. Having the back tires loaded helps with stability, but doesn't do anything for the front axle.
First day on my kubota
Ok, after my first day of brush hogging in the back yard I have a couple questions...
I've got so many controls, I'm not sure what order to set everything before engaging the PTO. I guess I have a normal PTO and the clutch keeps it from engaging. So what order do y'all set the following??
- Hi/Lo setting
- Forward/Reverse
- Gear selector
- Throttle (RPM)
- Clutch
- PTO engage
Also, I have 3 acres of terrain with a lot of ups and downs and little rolling hills. I hit a lot of spots where the brush hog bottomed out in the dirt, and the PTO came to a halt fast. Now I have a slipper clutch that is supposed to protect the gears and stuff. I have a stump jumper... but the blades seem to hit and bottom out before the stump jumper has a chance to help. I have the front of brush hog set a few inches lower than the back. Can I adjust/set my brush hog to keep the blades from bottoming out like this? Or do I just need to raise it up until I find all these high spots?
Ok, after my first day of brush hogging in the back yard I have a couple questions...
I've got so many controls, I'm not sure what order to set everything before engaging the PTO. I guess I have a normal PTO and the clutch keeps it from engaging. So what order do y'all set the following??
- Hi/Lo setting
- Forward/Reverse
- Gear selector
- Throttle (RPM)
- Clutch
- PTO engage
Also, I have 3 acres of terrain with a lot of ups and downs and little rolling hills. I hit a lot of spots where the brush hog bottomed out in the dirt, and the PTO came to a halt fast. Now I have a slipper clutch that is supposed to protect the gears and stuff. I have a stump jumper... but the blades seem to hit and bottom out before the stump jumper has a chance to help. I have the front of brush hog set a few inches lower than the back. Can I adjust/set my brush hog to keep the blades from bottoming out like this? Or do I just need to raise it up until I find all these high spots?
Neighbor
My neighbor brought over his 35hp LS tractor to show me all the grease points and just have some good ol' tractor talk. When should I do my first grease job?? The dealer said they lubed it up prior to delivering it yesterday.
My neighbor brought over his 35hp LS tractor to show me all the grease points and just have some good ol' tractor talk. When should I do my first grease job?? The dealer said they lubed it up prior to delivering it yesterday.
Attachments
Re: Neighbor
Loaders are every 10 hours and I'd grease the tractor at the same time. Don't forget the front axle pivot underneath. 2 fittings one on each side.
You need to raise your chopper a bit. t's not a lawnmower and never will be, it's a chopper. I run mine level not nose down.
Loaders are every 10 hours and I'd grease the tractor at the same time. Don't forget the front axle pivot underneath. 2 fittings one on each side.
You need to raise your chopper a bit. t's not a lawnmower and never will be, it's a chopper. I run mine level not nose down.
Russell King
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L185F, Modern Ag Competitor 4’ shredder, Rhino tiller, rear dirt scoop
Have you read the manual for the mower? It will give you some good information about how to set it up so you don’t bottom it out so easily. You may also need to approach the hills at an angle instead of straight over.
I have a fairly flat property so don’t have to deal with hills at all
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I have a fairly flat property so don’t have to deal with hills at all
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Bmyers
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
Grand L3560 with LA805 loader, EA 55" Wicked Grapple, SBX72 BB, LP 1272 mower
LP rotary mowers is lube every 8 hours of use. The manual shows you all the lube locations and where to check your gear box oil.
Whether a ditch or a Hill never drive up or down on the diagonal if possible. Always try to drive straight up or straight down.
Bmyers
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
Grand L3560 with LA805 loader, EA 55" Wicked Grapple, SBX72 BB, LP 1272 mower
Re: First day on my kubota
I have a Kubota Grand L3560HST. If I'm mowing in area I haven't mowed before the first thing I do is walk the area and look for hidden dangers. I setup the tractor in L (low) gear and low speed (HD-S Lever). I low my rotary mower and set the RPM to 1000-1200 and then engage the PTO. I bring the PTO up to speed (I have digital display and it tells me when I'm at 540). Since I have HST, I don't have to deal with a clutch. I then start mowing.
In areas that I have mowed, I take a quick spin through the area looking for any new hazards, then place it in M (medium) and low speed (HD-S lever) and follow the same process as above, just mow faster since it has been mowed and is lower cut.
I'm not sure if that is what you are asking?
First off, I'm new to this also, so the following is based on my limited experience. Thankfully, my dad is around to help guide me through the process although he lets me make mistakes to because learning from experience is sometimes the best learning you can get.
I have a Kubota Grand L3560HST. If I'm mowing in area I haven't mowed before the first thing I do is walk the area and look for hidden dangers. I setup the tractor in L (low) gear and low speed (HD-S Lever). I low my rotary mower and set the RPM to 1000-1200 and then engage the PTO. I bring the PTO up to speed (I have digital display and it tells me when I'm at 540). Since I have HST, I don't have to deal with a clutch. I then start mowing.
In areas that I have mowed, I take a quick spin through the area looking for any new hazards, then place it in M (medium) and low speed (HD-S lever) and follow the same process as above, just mow faster since it has been mowed and is lower cut.
I'm not sure if that is what you are asking?
Malenurse13, here's a video link that might help you with set of a mower. Someone mentioned having the mower deck level. I never have had a mower deck level, so some folks do things differently. I'd suggest doing as the equipment owner's manual suggest.
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=setting+up+a+brush+mower#kpvalbx=1
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=setting+up+a+brush+mower#kpvalbx=1
Only have 70 hours of experience on my tractor so I'm not a seasoned veteran like a lot of guys on here. The most important thing I've learned safety wise is when using the front end loader never use it without ballast of some kind on the rear of the tractor. MOST IMPORTANT. I have a home made box scraper thats really heavy , made out of 3/4" thick steel. Its the heaviest implement i have so i hook that up to the 3 point hitch. Also I got my rear tires loaded, added approx 900 pounds to the rear of the tractor. The first time i used my loader I had right rear tire 15" off the ground and panicked. lowered bucket and got it back down on the ground eventually. I didn't know what i was doing, could have killed myself or someone else. No BALAST on the back. GO SLOW when using the loader as far as raising and lowering with a load until you get more use to the controls. KEEP the LOAD LOW whenever possible. Move Slowly , Speed will come with experience and learning your controls. I always pay attention and respect the equipment. These are great machines and can do a lot of work but never get lackadaisical when operating.
Trust me , shit can happen fast if you're not paying attention.
Also don't run on road/pavement in 4 wheel drive if you have it, switch out to 2 wheel. I mounted hooks on my bucket, comes in handy when using chains to pick something up.
A set of forks are also very handy , I have the quick change connection and can pop the bucket off and put the forks on in 5 minutes or so. Like having a fork lift.
Pick up pallets or put stuff on 4x4's to store /pickup.
Like you did, if you don't know ask , these guys on here are a wealth of knowledge on here. You can learn a lot.
Good luck, be safe.
Trust me , shit can happen fast if you're not paying attention.
Also don't run on road/pavement in 4 wheel drive if you have it, switch out to 2 wheel. I mounted hooks on my bucket, comes in handy when using chains to pick something up.
A set of forks are also very handy , I have the quick change connection and can pop the bucket off and put the forks on in 5 minutes or so. Like having a fork lift.
Pick up pallets or put stuff on 4x4's to store /pickup.
Like you did, if you don't know ask , these guys on here are a wealth of knowledge on here. You can learn a lot.
Good luck, be safe.
Re: First day on my kubota
Yours is a gear-drive tractor and the biggest limitation is the fact that the PTO is not live...kind of like an old Ford 8N tractor. I don't think order is really important, short of using the clutch, but I'd do it like this: 1.) push the clutch down to start and hold it down. 2.) Select forward/reverse depending on what you want to do. 3.) Pick your gear and engage it. 4.) Select high or low range. 5.) Set the throttle to maybe 50%. 6.) Engage PTO lever. 7.) Ease clutch out slowly, raise RPM to PTO speed, and begin working.