First & Hopefully Last Tractor - Advice needed on tractor and implements.

[PortTackFarm]

We have a 44 acre recreational property in north central KY. It's mostly wooded with a few mast trees and it's very hilly with a valley and creek running down the center. We have an acre and a half cleared in the northwest corner of the property on which we are having a 36'x72' barndominium built. The bardo will be half storage barn and half condo. The barndo shell should be up, dried in and provide secure storage by the end of July. We plan to finish out the condo portion over the next year or two as time and funds permit. I should have about an acre to mow around the building plus a half mile of road frontage to keep up along with trails up and down the hills to and from the creek. The only piece of "farm equipment" we own now is our Polaris Ranger 1000 SXS, which has come in handy. Even once the barndo is completed, we'll probably only be at the property a couple weekends a month. I am looking for a tractor and implements to make land management easier. I also plan to clear additional land and would like to add 3 1/2 - 1 acre food plots in the valley near the creek.

At this point I am fairly certain I am looking for an L3901 HST with a FEL. As far as implements go, I plan to purchase a mower, leaning toward a flail mower over a rotary bush hog, a box blade and a 48" post hole digger. I could see the need for a grapple and forks in my future and also a tiller for food plots, a stump grinder and a chipper shredder, but these are all luxuries which will come much later. I have also considered the L3560 HST LE, but the 0% for 84 months seems to make the L3901 a "no brainer" since the 0% for 84 months seems to be only available on Standard L Series and not the L60 Series. I also plan to add cruise, telescoping stabilizing kit for the 3 point and wheel spacers.

Is my thinking making sense? What else should I add now.? I don't plan to have a trailer anytime soon so I'd like to get it outfitted the way I want it now, before I have it delivered. Am I missing anything? Is there room to deal on price or is the price the price? I know supply is low and demand high but would like to negotiate my best price if that's a thing. Finally, Jacobi Sales Inc. is my local dealer. Anyone have any experience / recommendations regarding Jacobi? I plan to go talk with them in a couple days. Thanks for any input or suggestions you might have.













s

 

[PaulL]

What sort of roadside are you mowing - do you need an offset or tilting flail to do that well? Flail is a good choice for mowing around the barn as well as mowing trails and roadside - otherwise you'll need two implements (a finish mower and a rotary cutter). I personally think it's safe to leave the 3rd function install until you need it, but it would mean doing it yourself and/or shipping the machine back. If you get the 3rd function now the grapple will just connect if/when you get it. Depends how likely you are to get one.

Lots of people recommend rear remotes, but I don't really see what you'd need them for, other than the perennial top and tilt. Which I think you can live without, and rear remotes aren't cheap.

Filled tires? Ballast box?

 

[TheOldHokie]

We have a 44 acre recreational property in north central KY. It's mostly wooded with a few mast trees and it's very hilly with a valley and creek running down the center. We have an acre and a half cleared in the northwest corner of the property on which we are having a 36'x72' barndominium built. The bardo will be half storage barn and half condo. The barndo shell should be up, dried in and provide secure storage by the end of July. We plan to finish out the condo portion over the next year or two as time and funds permit. I should have about an acre to mow around the building plus a half mile of road frontage to keep up along with trails up and down the hills to and from the creek. The only piece of "farm equipment" we own now is our Polaris Ranger 1000 SXS, which has come in handy. Even once the barndo is completed, we'll probably only be at the property a couple weekends a month. I am looking for a tractor and implements to make land management easier. I also plan to clear additional land and would like to add 3 1/2 - 1 acre food plots in the valley near the creek.

At this point I am fairly certain I am looking for an L3901 HST with a FEL. As far as implements go, I plan to purchase a mower, leaning toward a flail mower over a rotary bush hog, a box blade and a 48" post hole digger. I could see the need for a grapple and forks in my future and also a tiller for food plots, a stump grinder and a chipper shredder, but these are all luxuries which will come much later. I have also considered the L3560 HST LE, but the 0% for 84 months seems to make the L3901 a "no brainer" since the 0% for 84 months seems to be only available on Standard L Series and not the L60 Series. I also plan to add cruise, telescoping stabilizing kit for the 3 point and wheel spacers.

Is my thinking making sense? What else should I add now.? I don't plan to have a trailer anytime soon so I'd like to get it outfitted the way I want it now, before I have it delivered. Am I missing anything? Is there room to deal on price or is the price the price? I know supply is low and demand high but would like to negotiate my best price if that's a thing. Finally, Jacobi Sales Inc. is my local dealer. Anyone have any experience / recommendations regarding Jacobi? I plan to go talk with them in a couple days. Thanks for any input or suggestions you might have.

The financing on the 3901 is hard to beat but its a smaller tractor. I went with the 3901 but I don't have nearly as much acreage to manage. If i did I would be thinking bigger.

Whatever you get fill the tires and widen the rears. If you get R1s you won't need wheel spacers and you can add additional ballast with wheel weights. The other stuff can be added as you need it. Factory remotes are well integrated but very pricey. They are easy to add later and you can roll your own for a 1/3 the cost of factory.

Dealers are not inclined to negotiate right now even in my area where there are lots of competitors within 50 miles of each other.

Dan

 

[jimh406]

I have an L2501. It’s a good tractor, but you said “last” tractor. I think you should consider a cab tractor. Yes, it’s going to be more. In cabs, I think you should be looking at an MX5400 size if it is hilly. A cab will make it more tippy. I think a major benefit of a cab is dust/pollen when it is windy, insect protection while mowing, and of course, heat and cooling.

If you do go L3901, consider the Bora spacers instead of the barely 1 inch OEM spacers. Btw, I have 1 inch spacers and R4s.

I think you should consider a Grapple if it is woody. The MX5400 will be much better at almost everything.

 

[hedgerow]

I was wanting to replace a AGCO ST-25 tractor with one that had a FEL. Looked at the L-2501 to stay away from the DPF. The L-2501 got sold so I looked at a L-4701 thought I had bought it. Mix up with sales guys and the L-4701 got sold. Looked at a MX-5400 and MX-6000 that the same dealer had. He seemed a little high on the MX's. Got on Kubota's web site and found dealers in a couple states from me. Got on the phone and started calling. Heard a lot of tractors short supply selling fast. Found a dealer 150 miles from me that had a MX-6000 in a crate and for a whole lot less than the other dealer that had the MX-5400 and the MX-6000 on his lot. Guess what I made a 300 mile trip. I think I am glad I bought the MX instead of a L. I think with the amount of work your going to do you would like a MX a lot better. A cab would be nice but that runs the price up a bunch. I didn't need a cab as I have several larger tractors with cabs and a skid loader with a cab.

 

[PortTackFarm]

Thanks for the responses so far. As to tires, I am thinking R14 if I can get them, otherwise the R4 Industrials are probably best for my anticipated applications.

As to the ditch mowing, my neighbor across the street has been maintaining it for a while. I think he has a compact or sub compact JD tractor with mid mount mower which he uses for 5-10 acres of grassy area on his property and also the roadside on my property. The road is very curvy and narrow and I think he mows it to just to make keep things around his property looking nice. I'll need to take the task over once I am able. It's 4'-8' of grass abutting woods and a steep drop off in most places.

Thanks for the additional wheel spacer ideas. I'll need to look at aftermarket sources. From what I can tell the spacers will widen my base a bit and keep the tractor more stable while mowing the hills.

The MX5400 is a good suggestion, but outside my budget. I think I'll start with an L Series and hope it does the job. If I find I am using my tractor a lot and really need something bigger I could make the jump to an M Series and hopefully get good resale or trade on the L. I had originally been thinking L3301 but the L3901 is just $1k more, plus or minus, so I might as well get more power. I've thought about an L4701, but again the cost becomes an issue. As to the cab suggestion, while nice, I don't intend to spend lots of continuous hours working on the tractor in extreme heat or cold and again the cost is an issue. I'll need to keep things basic for now.

While I can see all the needs and potential uses of a tractor around the farm, my wife is a bit less enthusiastic. Actually buying a farm and building the barndominium weren't even on our radar 3 years ago. We have a few small sail boats on trailers which we have to store over the winter. The past few years we have stored them in the driveway and the backyard at home, but that's gotten old so we decided we could buy a small piece of land outside of town and build a storage building for them. Then our daughter fell in love with a deer hunter with no land to hunt, and my son and I decided hunting might be fun. So the small piece of land we originally talked about turned into 40+ acres for hunting and the storage building turned into a barndominium. Of course the land we found was more expensive than originally budgeted and the barndo also grew in size, amenities and cost. It will ultimately be a beautiful vacation home and not the rustic hunting cabin I originally envisioned. With everything else over budget, the tractor purchase has to stay within budget, and the budget is $30K, plus or minus

One last question, is a Quick Hitch something I should think about? From what I can tell it makes changing rear implements quicker and easier, but I'm not sure the convenience is really worth the cost.

Thanks again for the input. Sorry for the long posts.

 

[PaulL]

I'd suggest you just give up on the theory it's first and last tractor. Tractors hold their value amazingly well. Buy the tractor you need and/or can afford today. If in the future you need a different tractor, trade it in. You'll lose very little money if any. Particularly given tractors are expensive today, and likely to be cheaper in the past and the future - i.e. spend as little as you can to meet your needs today, and trade if/when you convince the budget controller that actually a tractor is a really useful thing.

 

[greg86z28]

I'd suggest you just give up on the theory it's first and last tractor. Tractors hold their value amazingly well. Buy the tractor you need and/or can afford today. If in the future you need a different tractor, trade it in. You'll lose very little money if any. Particularly given tractors are expensive today, and likely to be cheaper in the past and the future - i.e. spend as little as you can to meet your needs today, and trade if/when you convince the budget controller that actually a tractor is a really useful thing.

This is great advice.

 

[Rdrcr]

^^^^
Yep, I had my First/Last tractor for six months before buying a larger tractor, lol

Even now, if it would fit in my garage, I would have a Grand L or MX. It’s surprising how quickly a tractor shrinks when you get it home.
That said, I’m still extremely happy with my L2501. It has done everything I’ve asked of it and more. It’s a great value for the money and I enjoy its simplicity.

As mentioned above, I’d recommend R14 tires (if available) and Bora wheel spacers.

Mike

 

[Russell King]

It has been mentioned in passing about the agricultural tires (R1) being able to be widened. I want to point out that the wheels for the rear agricultural tires are often two pieces that are turned in different directions to widen the stance of the wheels. Sometimes there are cast centers or add on weights for the wheels. You will want as wide as possible. I think the R14 fit these same wheels but verify that and what options are available in the wheels.

You may want to have front weight bracket and weights added to the package if possible.

You may want to get an overhead track crane added to your storage area while building it.

 

[johnsayen]

are you sure about your statement regarding the lack of grand L financing?
Their website shows

• 0% A.P.R. fixed rate for up to 60 Months with 0% Down1 Models: L4760, L5060, L5460, L6060 OR
• 0% A.P.R. fixed rate for up to 84 Months with 0% Down1 Models: L3560, L4060, L3560LE, L4060LE

 

[Goz63]

Not a seasoned vet on tractors yet but my $.02 is to get the third function added at the time of sale. Any implements can be brought home easy. You have to bring the tractor in for that change. Everyone that has a grapple says it’s the best addition they have. The last thing to consider is when you finance the tractor and implements you have to buy the Kubota insurance, which is pretty good By The Way. If anything breaks, gets damaged, or stolen they fix or replace it for a $250 deductible. Even the implements. But only the ones you bought at the time of sale and financed. Being that you won’t live where the stuff is stored, if you show up and had stuff stolen, you get it replaced.

 

[nota4re]

Kubota is a great tractor - but there are also others that you can look at - and I honestly believe that the quality and reliability of some of these other brands are on par with Kubota. The L3901 that you are considering has a very low FEL lift capacity. You mentioned using a grapple in the future and I believe that you may be disappointed. The L3901, despite more HP than the L2501 I recently traded up from, has the same low FEL capacity. Also, I encourage you to physically try the pivoting fore/aft pedal on the Kubota. Some people like/prefer it - I was one of those that didn't. I'm tall and I found it difficult to heel the reverse control - particularly when also twisted around in the seat when attaching an implement. I guess I will quickly become known as the Kioti fan-boy, but I would encourage you to potentially explore some of the specs, features, pricing to compare with the Kubotas. In the best case, maybe you will find a tractor that better meets your needs, but in the worst case, maybe exploring these other models can help you some in the pricing negotiations on a Kubota.

Below was a spreadsheet I put together that you may use as a sample and add other models and/or specs that may be important for you. Seeing these models, prices, specs on a single page really helped me to make an informed decision.

 

[PortTackFarm]

are you sure about your statement regarding the lack of grand L financing?
Their website shows

• 0% A.P.R. fixed rate for up to 60 Months with 0% Down1 Models: L4760, L5060, L5460, L6060 OR
• 0% A.P.R. fixed rate for up to 84 Months with 0% Down1 Models: L3560, L4060, L3560LE, L4060LE

Thanks for that info. That must have just changed on the web site. That certainly changes my thinking a bit. L3560 LE is back in the mix.

 

[PortTackFarm]

This is great advice.

I know this is probably true. Time will tell.

 

[PortTackFarm]

Update: I think I have decided the best way to go is the L3560 HST-LE ROPS with fluid filled R4 tires, the LA805 FEL, a 72" rotary cutter and a 72" box blade. I am working with a dealership now and hopefully the numbers will all work themselves out in the next few days. It's a bit more money than I planned to spend but it seems to be a lot more tractor. I was originally thinking a flail mower would be a better choice due to a nicer cut and easier maneuverability around the barn and lawn, but for the cost savings between the rotary cutter and the flail mower, I can pick up a box store 48" ZT mower and get an even better cutting result. The only downside is another piece of equipment which I'll need to store and maintain. I'll update once I make a deal and take delivery. Then I'll need to follow other forums on the site.

 

[Rdrcr]

The L3560 is an amazing tractor. You won’t be disappointed.
And, nothing wrong with buying a small, inexpensive dedicated mower.

Mike

 

[PortTackFarm]

One other quick question regarding cutter and box blade. I have initially been quoted with Land Pride RCR1272 and BB1272 respectively. I have read they aren't the most durable implements and so I am getting an additional quote to include the next level up Land Pride RCR1872 for the cutter and BB1572 for the box blade. I don't know the price difference yet, but am I right in thinking the next step up might be the way to go?

 

[PaulL]

One other quick question regarding cutter and box blade. I have initially been quoted with Land Pride RCR1272 and BB1272 respectively. I have read they aren't the most durable implements and so I am getting an additional quote to include the next level up Land Pride RCR1872 for the cutter and BB1572 for the box blade. I don't know the price difference yet, but am I right in thinking the next step up might be the way to go?

Box blades reward weight - helps them to work, so yes on that one. On the cutter, the accepted wisdom around here is that the RCR1272 is a bit light weight. But I guess it depends a bit on how you're using it. If you're mostly mowing grass, it's probably fine. If you're working it with a bit of brush and saplings, clearing new land, hitting a few stumps, then the larger one is going to last longer. And to my mind, that's really the point of a rotary cutter.

 

[Goz63]

I would recommend the RCR1872. The 18 series is much more robust. I have the RCR1860. My buddy has the 1260 and we both like the 1860 much better. For the box blade I went with the BB2560. I would not do the 12 series and my dealer said the 15 series isn’t worth it as the 25 series isn’t that much more money. My BB2560 is a beast. Weighs over 480 lbs. Getting another 12 inches on it would give you an awesome dirt mover.