First Tractor Recommendation

[MotorCityBear]

New guy here.

Just retired and bought a house (North GA) on 11 acres and I have 10 more acres down the road. I am looking for my first tractor and am close to buying a new L3901 HST with a FEL, rotary cutter and a box blade for now.

I will be using it for some land clearing, bush hogging, gravel driveway maintanence and landscape projects....for now.

Curious what you guys think about the L3901.

Best,
Rob
Blairsville, GA

 

[Bmyers]

It is a nice tractor, but I prefer my tractors with a cab.

 

[Missouribound]

It sounds like you have done your research.
If you want to add forks or a front blade at any point you may want to have a quick attach. It will make those transitions easier.
If you expect to be doing a a lot of box blade work consider rear hydraulics so you can add a hydraulic top link. It will allow you to make box blade tilt on the fly which helps when fine tuning a driveway or road.
Other than that, best of luck. You will like the size and the power of that tractor.
As for the cab idea...I doubt you will be needing it in the climate there.
But a canopy may be a nice touch to keep you out of the sun...and rain.

 

[Oliver]

Excellent choice IMO, similar to my L2501 only with more HP and I love mine. Definitely go for the SSQA bucked (it’s not that much more $) and also have them install a Land Pride 3rd function in the front that way your tractor can operate such attachments as a grapple.

 

[MotorCityBear]

Gentlemen, thanks for the feedback. I hope to have a final decision and a purchase this week.

Rob

 

[Cathy Liebchen]

Ah, Union County! You are in the heart of Kubota country (North American HQ in Hall County), so that is a good choice. Any parts are delivered almost overnight to the dealers if you need anything.

2 great Kubota dealers near you, Mason (about 20 miles from you) and Nelson (right there). Mason usually a better deal on any new unit but Nelson closer to you. Mason focuses on the Kubota and Nelson will push the JD first. Georgia GATE card will exempt you from sales tax

L3901 is an excellent choice- great size and lots of PTO power. Lots of L series in the area and they are "made" in Georgia. Get the R4 tires with the rear ones filled.

We have an L3901 for our farms in Mineral Bluff. Get the LP 1860 cutter, it is more durable that the lighter one.

You might consider a Land Plane (Dirt Dog) instead of a box blade for driveway work. Probably don't need to spend the extra $1,000 for TNT on the rear unless you have a rear grader blade, and an L is too light to use one effectively.

Don't need a cab here- rarely see them except on the big AG tractors. Do get a canopy- the factory one is only $100 more than the after market ones

SSQA and Front pallet forks are a must have.

You can always add the front third function when you get a grapple because its going to be another $800 plus. Dealers here don't "throw in for free" things like third function and rear hydraulics, particularly on some hot seller like an L.

 

[MotorCityBear]

Cathy, thanks for the great info.

I just left the Atlanta area and love it up here.

Those are the 2 dealers I visited and you are right, Mason has the better deal.

Sadly, I do not qualify for the GATE card, so I will be paying the sales tax.

I will check out the land plane instead of the box blade.

I wasn’t sure which tires to get so thanks for the advice on them.

Best,
Rob

 

[MotorCityBear]

One other question.

The dealer asked me if I wanted agricultural tires or industrial tires.

For property maintenance, (brush hogging, moving dirt/gravel etc.) on mostly level ground, which tire type makes the most sense?

 

[KennysNewFarm]

One other question.

The dealer asked me if I wanted agricultural tires or industrial tires.

For property maintenance, (brush hogging, moving dirt/gravel etc.) on mostly level ground, which tire type makes the most sense?

R4 Tires are wider and seem more stable. Won***8217;t rut the yard up. I drive mine all over the grass. Not good for mud. Will get stuck. Ag Tires are lugs, they will be more efficient in mud or swampy areas. They will rut if turning to sharp. Just depends on your area and ground on which you should purchase. Think of it like this. Ag is a mud terrain and R4 is a all terrain tire.

 

[MotorCityBear]

I am guessing the R4 will work best for me. Not much mud on my property. Thanks for the help.

 

[Bmyers]

I know I opted for the R4 tires to prevent tearing up the yard and areas as much as the AG tires do.

 

[Jchonline]

Congrats on the soon to be purchase! R4s are also much thicker in general (6 ply vs 2 ply etc). They will resist punctures especially in the sidewall. Unless you tractor is in the field all day or you really need the added traction I would stick with R4.

 

[MotorCityBear]

Sounds like I should get the R4’s. Thanks again for the information.

 

[Dchemphill1]

You will love the tractor....get whatever tire you decide on filled...It will make the tractor more stable especially if you have any slope at all on your properties...It will also give better traction when pushing or pulling something. I could not believe the difference with "beet juice" added to my tractor tires..something like an extra 550lbs.

 

[FarmFreshKS]

Well, did you pull the trigger and get something bought?

I just went from a L355ss with ag tires to an MX5800 with industrial tires, and I kinda miss my ag tires. I'm not that worried about compaction and tearing up the yard (I'm not on some fancy estate) and the R4s definitely slip a lot more.

Kubota puts in so many breakpoints on HP for just a few $$ more, it is hard to find where to land. You can go up a few HP and a few $$ at a time until you're in an M Series! I think I started looking at like a B series, and somehow ended up with an MX (this was all before I owned the L355ss that I was doing that looking)...

FarmFreshKS

 

[D2Cat]

The use of R1 or R4 tires depends on the weather conditions, thus the soil dampness, and ones need to use the machine in those conditions. Each one has to evaluate that for themselves.

Our yard is pretty well kept, but yesterday I needed to get a couple 18.4 x 38 tractor tires mounded on extended wheels off my trailer. I used my L4240 to pull the trailer through two terraces in the back 3 acres and across the yard yesterday, because I had a guy coming to pick them up. It was raining that morning and we've had 5" of rain in the last 10 days, and I have R4 on that tractor. Everything went fine, so damage to the grass, and I'm not in the dog house!

I clean snow for most of the neighbors with the same tractor. R4's work fine for me. The operator has to use judgement on where, when and how much...no matter what tread they have!

 

[Dunbar]

I disagree with Cathy on the rear hydraulics. For a rotary cutter or a finish mower the float function of one of the rear hydraulic valves allows the cutter to follow the contours parallel to the direction of travel. This keeps the cutter from digging into the dirt if the ground tilts left or right, say along a slight ditch or swell. I can not imagine not having Top and Tilt on my tractor, an L2501. I have the QH15 quick hitch since all of my attachments are new and QH compatible. Even with the quick hitch there is a lot of manual manipulation to switch from a box blade to a rotary cutter. With the TnT kit it is much easier to hook up. The float valve hydraulic line can be switched from the Top cylinder to the Tilt cylinder. I use it on tilt for cutters and generally the Top for the box blade. It is useful to float the Tilt on the box blade for following a ditch.



The rear hydraulics are not near as easy to add later. Video of installation. The 3rd function up front is not bad though but I got that installed by the dealer too. It cost me about $3k for the 2 rear remotes and the W.R. Long 3rd function kits installed but but with the 0% financing over 84 months it only raised my payment by a meager amount. I did have to purchase the TnT kit, in my case from Brian (Mountainview Ranch on OTT) at FitRite hydraulics. Look at some of his posts here on OTT and you will see how helpful his products, and he, are.



I second the QA quick attach bucket. My grapple (EA Wicked Root Rake 55") is on my tractor more than my bucket or forks.


Here is the optional floating top link for the QH15. It, along with the floating Tilt cylinder keep me from scalping the pasture or even killing the engine by the blade digging into the dirt. I can go through dips both directions and the cutter floats right along.

 

[Cathy Liebchen]

the Land Pride cutters come with a floating top link already on the mower. We looked a long time at the adding hydraulics, and determined $3,000 was not worth it for our use to occasionally change an implement angle. I think they are great if you are using a grader blade

 

[MotorCityBear]

So a new L3901 is heading my way next week. Can’t wait!

 

[MotorCityBear]

Finally, after a few delays it was delivered today.

L3901HST, FEL, rotary cutter, canopy, front pallet forks, cruise control and the right side grab bar, (not sure why they don’t just install them on all L tractors).

Now the fun begins.....