Looking at 2 new models of Kubota

[rkh]

I'm new to the forum. 2023 L2501DT and 2024 L3302DT are the 2 models. I use the tractor only for a 800' driveway that's not covered by township for snow plowing & road maintenance. Also my private blacktop driveway. My previous tractor was a 1959 mf65 gas. I had chains on rear tires so it marks up the blacktop. I have no tractor mechanic anymore so I decided to sell it and go new. There's only a $5000 price difference, so with zero financing, I'm thinking going with the L3302DT . Thanks for any recommendations.

 

[RCW]

Welcome to OTT!

I see you're in Tioga, PA. Not too far south from my 'hood.

How much snow can you get? Lot of change between your place and mine.

You're plowing/pushing, not blowing?

You will find your MF 65 is likely a lot heavier than either of the Kubota models, but 4WD helps a lot.

Do you use front or back blade now? What do you plan with the K?

Plowing/pushing needs weight and traction. I'd go with the L2501. Is that geared or HST? Important option, and folks looks at either being a benefit depending on use. Gets you away from emissions systems. Pretty simple engine. Would require quite a bit of weight added to it, and would likely still need chains, depending on how much snow you get. An L3302 would likely need the same weight, maybe chains, etc.

Snowblowers take a lot of PTO HP. For blower I'd go L3302. More PTO HP but does have emissions. More complicated engine.

 

[rkh]

Welcome to OTT!

I see you're in Tioga, PA. Not too far south from my 'hood.

How much snow can you get? Lot of change between your place and mine.

You're plowing/pushing, not blowing?

You will find your MF 65 is likely a lot heavier than either of the Kubota models, but 4WD helps a lot.

Do you use front or back blade now? What do you plan with the K?

Plowing/pushing needs weight and traction. I'd go with the L2501. Is that geared or HST? Important option, and folks looks at either being a benefit depending on use. Gets you away from emissions systems. Pretty simple engine. Would require quite a bit of weight added to it, and would likely still need chains, depending on how much snow you get. An L3302 would likely need the same weight, maybe chains, etc.

Snowblowers take a lot of PTO HP. For blower I'd go L3302. More PTO HP but does have emissions. More complicated engine.

Not much snow lately, in the last few years. I use a back blade with a round stock for the limestone driveway. Both Kubota are gear driven. No snowblower.

 

[jyoutz]

Not much snow lately, in the last few years. I use a back blade with a round stock for the limestone driveway. Both Kubota are gear driven. No snowblower.

You will be much happier if you go with HST, no matter which model you choose. If cost is a factor, get the 2501/02 HST over the 3302 DT.

 

[jimh406]

I can't think of any significant advantage for the L3302DT. Fwiw, I have a L2501HST and use it for snow when we have it.

It's a DPF tractor and colder temperatures and idling aren't great for those. It would kind of a bummer to have to let it run for a while just to finish the regeneration.

Some other things to think about. Consider the LX2620. You can buy it with a mid-pto which could give you the option of a snowblower or mower in the future. Also, consider the tires. Many people say that turf tires are quite a bit better on snow. I use chains, but my drive is gravel for the most part.

Finally, HST would give you more ease to backup and go forward and would be an advantage if you ever did loader work.

Have fun.

 

[rkh]

I have been told to go with gear drive cause of the mechanical problems with HST

 

[rkh]

I have been told to go with gear drive cause of the mechanical problems with HST

Also, does the replies have to go to your emails-i get enough emails as it is.

 

[jimh406]

I have been told to go with gear drive cause of the mechanical problems with HST

That's interesting. Who told you the HST has mechanical problems? Did you do a search here to find out about them?

Also, does the replies have to go to your emails-i get enough emails as it is.

You can change that under your account preferences ... I think.

 

[old and tired]

I have been told to go with gear drive cause of the mechanical problems with HST

email replies is a setting (one I don't use!!)

Who ever said to go with gear because of "mechanical problems with HST" must not know much or is your mechanic that likes to change clutches, $$$$ Bottom line, there is NO problems with HST and they are self protected (they pop the by-pass before any trouble happens).

I loved gear tractors before I bought my HST... there isn't anyway I would ever go back to shifting gears.

 

[old and tired]

More thoughts... only reason to go to L330x vs. L2501/2 is for more PTO needs (mower, blower, etc)

 

[NCL4701]

The L3302 and L2501 are the same frame size with same loader. Pushing, pulling, lifting; not likely to be a big difference. The advantage (to some) for the 2501 is no exhaust treatment so not as much expensive stuff to potentially break down. The advantage to the L3302 is more HP which can be important with PTO implements depending on what you plan to do with it. Personally, I’d take the 2501 unless I had a need for more HP to run a snow blower, chipper, etc.

For the past 5 years/500 hours, I’ve been running a HST machine. For the previous 44 years/no telling how many thousand hours I ran various gear drive. For loader and blade work, I wouldn’t seriously consider gear drive. If you plan to spend a good percentage of the use pulling a disc harrow or rotary cutter around a good sized field without obstacles to work around, gear drive could be a good option. However, you can pull a moldboard plow with a HST or run a loader with a gear drive; just a matter of which is better suited to the majority of your tasks so there’s not a “wrong” decision on transmission.

So far as going with gear to avoid “mechanical problems”, for back/forth loader/blade work done by skid steers, CTL’s, wheel loaders, track loaders, graders, off road haul trucks; when’s the last time you saw any of that stuff with a gear transmission? Just something to consider.

 

[SDT]

I'm new to the forum. 2023 L2501DT and 2024 L3302DT are the 2 models. I use the tractor only for a 800' driveway that's not covered by township for snow plowing & road maintenance. Also my private blacktop driveway. My previous tractor was a 1959 mf65 gas. I had chains on rear tires so it marks up the blacktop. I have no tractor mechanic anymore so I decided to sell it and go new. There's only a $5000 price difference, so with zero financing, I'm thinking going with the L3302DT . Thanks for any recommendations.

You will need chains to plow significant snow regardless of which model you choose.

Might get by without chains if you blow rather than plow the snow and you have R14T tires and significant added weight.

 

[jyoutz]

I can't think of any significant advantage for the L3302DT. Fwiw, I have a L2501HST and use it for snow when we have it.

It's a DPF tractor and colder temperatures and idling aren't great for those. It would kind of a bummer to have to let it run for a while just to finish the regeneration.

Some other things to think about. Consider the LX2620. You can buy it with a mid-pto which could give you the option of a snowblower or mower in the future. Also, consider the tires. Many people say that turf tires are quite a bit better on snow. I use chains, but my drive is gravel for the most part.

Finally, HST would give you more ease to backup and go forward and would be an advantage if you ever did loader work.

Have fun.

The DPF inconvenience is overblown. I’ve had 2 regeneration events in the last 100 hours of use. Both events lasted 10 minutes and I kept working during those times.

 

[jyoutz]

You will need chains to plow significant snow regardless of which model you choose.

Might get by without chains if you blow rather than plow the snow and you have R14T tires and significant added weight.

Last year I plowed 18” of snow on my road with R4 tires and no chains. The tires are filled.

 

[SDT]

Last year I plowed 18” of snow on my road with R4 tires and no chains. The tires are filled.

Interesting.

I've been plowing snow for decades with multiple tractors, plows, etc.

Never had much luck plowing significant snow without chains regardless of added weight, FWA, etc., unless snow was light and dry.

Yes, turf tires (or Z bars) help but experience proves that AG tires least effective, followed by R4s. Never had R14Ts but expect such to be better than AGs or R4s but not as good as turfs or Z bars.

Added ballast helps a bit but only a bit and not at all on ice.

 

[jyoutz]

Interesting.

I've been plowing snow for decades with multiple tractors, plows, etc.

Never had much luck plowing significant snow without chains regardless of added weight, FWA, etc., unless snow was light and dry.

Yes, turf tires (or Z bars) help but experience proves that AG tires least effective, followed by R4s. Never had R14Ts but expect such to be better than AGs or R4s but not as good as turfs or Z bars.

Added ballast helps a bit but only a bit and not at all on ice.

Well my MX weighs 6000 pounds as set up, and it was on new snow, not ice.

 

[TheOldHokie]

The DT models have a transmission PTO.

The HST models have a live PTO

Dan

 

[PaulL]

1. Get an HST
2. You don't need the L3302 unless you have something that requires HP. The tasks you describe are limited by traction, not by HP, the two machines have identical traction
3. More HP is always nice though. So whilst you don't NEED an L3302, it'll go faster and can do more in future
4. The Lxx02 models have some new features compared to the Lxx01. And I think the L3302 has more features than the L2502. Big one is the brakes moving to the left (so you can use split brakes on an HST), and that might be material doing snow work

Bottom line, if the $5K isn't that much to you, an L3302 is a nice machine. But the L2501 is inexpensive and does mostly the same job.