Hello to all!
I've owned a Kubota L2800DT (29hp, gear, 4wd) since 2005. It has the 463 front end loader and a sub-frame mounted BH80-X backhoe. I also have several 3-pt. implements for mowing, grading, raking, etc. All of this equipment represents a fairly substantial investment.
I bought this machine for 2 purposes:
1) to rehab a 2 acre piece of property (for water table issues requiring re-grading, trenching, as well as 1/2 acre of woods to clear), as well as mow the lawn.
2) to start a business where I could provide similar services to homeowners and businesses
I had gotten a pretty good start on both aspects of the above. All in all, I put nearly 300 hours on the machine, working part-time, between 2005 and 2007.
In 2007 I lost my teenage son to a driver who was texting. She ran him down on his bicycle right in front of my home.
In the ensuing 5 years I have been able to do almost nothing in the way of work. I also lost much of my mind; long and short term memory all but disappeared, as did my motivation to do anything. I lost my job as a commercial construction superintendent and have been getting by by doing small carpentry jobs. Our money has dwindled down to almost nothing.
Long story short, I'm finally feeling a little motivated to do something and have rediscovered the L2800. I've picked up where I left off, with the grading and the trenching for water flow, but have noticed now that I'm no longer terribly fond of a couple of the machine's features.
First, the tranny driven PTO and single-stage clutch is inconvenient for start and stop mowing. Having to reduce rpm's and reengage the PTO whenever I do a k-turn is a PIA . It's also not conducive to having my wife operate the machine to mow the grass (she's more than capable; just put off by that feature). Second, the non-synchronized tranny is slow to operate when doing loader work. The shuttle works fine, but sometimes you have to be patient and nurse the clutch to get it into gear. A nuisance at best.
I would like to trade up to a machine that eliminates these issues. I'm thinking that the best way to do this, from a $ standpoint, is to take advantage of Kubota's 0%/60 financing to trade for a tractor that will take my my loader and backhoe. I know an L3400 hst would do the trick, but I wonder if the new L3200 would take my loader and hoe subframe?
I welcome all advice and suggestions.
I've owned a Kubota L2800DT (29hp, gear, 4wd) since 2005. It has the 463 front end loader and a sub-frame mounted BH80-X backhoe. I also have several 3-pt. implements for mowing, grading, raking, etc. All of this equipment represents a fairly substantial investment.
I bought this machine for 2 purposes:
1) to rehab a 2 acre piece of property (for water table issues requiring re-grading, trenching, as well as 1/2 acre of woods to clear), as well as mow the lawn.
2) to start a business where I could provide similar services to homeowners and businesses
I had gotten a pretty good start on both aspects of the above. All in all, I put nearly 300 hours on the machine, working part-time, between 2005 and 2007.
In 2007 I lost my teenage son to a driver who was texting. She ran him down on his bicycle right in front of my home.
In the ensuing 5 years I have been able to do almost nothing in the way of work. I also lost much of my mind; long and short term memory all but disappeared, as did my motivation to do anything. I lost my job as a commercial construction superintendent and have been getting by by doing small carpentry jobs. Our money has dwindled down to almost nothing.
Long story short, I'm finally feeling a little motivated to do something and have rediscovered the L2800. I've picked up where I left off, with the grading and the trenching for water flow, but have noticed now that I'm no longer terribly fond of a couple of the machine's features.
First, the tranny driven PTO and single-stage clutch is inconvenient for start and stop mowing. Having to reduce rpm's and reengage the PTO whenever I do a k-turn is a PIA . It's also not conducive to having my wife operate the machine to mow the grass (she's more than capable; just put off by that feature). Second, the non-synchronized tranny is slow to operate when doing loader work. The shuttle works fine, but sometimes you have to be patient and nurse the clutch to get it into gear. A nuisance at best.
I would like to trade up to a machine that eliminates these issues. I'm thinking that the best way to do this, from a $ standpoint, is to take advantage of Kubota's 0%/60 financing to trade for a tractor that will take my my loader and backhoe. I know an L3400 hst would do the trick, but I wonder if the new L3200 would take my loader and hoe subframe?
I welcome all advice and suggestions.
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