Hello all! I am new to tractor ownership (at least bigger than an 18hp lawn tractor) and this forum. I just put a down payment at a local dealership on a 2004 4x4 L3830DT with a Kubota backhoe and 1770 hours. They had sold this machine new to a private gentleman who traded it in. My questions are twofold. First, after returning home and looking at the info on Tractordata.com there is no backhoe listed as an attachment. Neither have I seen any for sale with a backhoe in a quick look online. The backhoe is frame-mounted and has no numbers or letters, it just says "Kubota". And why isn't a backhoe listed as an attachment? Also how much does this machine weigh with the loader and backhoe? Secondly, what are the preferences among you experienced folks regarding the Hydrostatic transmission, which this does not have. It looks like it may depend on the tractor's use? I will be using this tractor to dig water drainage ditches, remove snow, repair/maintain my 150 yard long dirt lane, pulling out saplings, assisting in turning all of my dead or dying Ash trees into firewood and moving some earth around my 21 acre wooded property. I am located in north central PA, by the way. Thank you in advance for any information
