Need Advice on tractor

[rfroese]

New here! I have grown up around Deere tractors all of my life. My dad was a farmer and never ran another tractor other than a deere. I am now 32 years old and have a small 10.28 acre piece of land and am looking to buy a small tractor. I had pretty much settled on a 2038R or a 3039R with a cab. I live in the south plains area of Texas and running an open station tractor is not great in the summers so for me a cab is almost a must. I really want a 2038R but I do not believe that JD makes one with a cab that has A/C. I have heard that Kubota makes a tractor with a cab that is the same size as the JD 2 series tractors.

I know nothing about Kubota other than an uncle on my wife's side of the family has one and he loves it. Could someone help me to understand the model numbers and the sizes of the tractors vs what JD sells?

Why should did you choose Kubota and how do they actually compare with JD?

 

[Roadworthy]

The two JD models you quoted are probably most similar to the Kubota LX series which is probably the way your should go if you want a belly mower as that's the largest thing Kubota sells with a mid PTO. If you don't need the belly mower you could consider the L series. The first two digits of the current Kubota model numbers are the approximate horsepower. I went with my L2501 because above 25 horsepower they add a computer and a diesel particulate filter. I prefer simple and get by fine on my ten acres wit 25 HP. John Deere uses a lot of Yanmar stuff which is Japanese. Kubota is also Japanese. You expect high quality and you get it. I love mine.

 

[JimmyJazz]

Go to the Kubota website. There you will find all you are looking for and then some. Good luck.

 

[rc51stierhoff]

New here! I have grown up around Deere tractors all of my life. My dad was a farmer and never ran another tractor other than a deere. I am now 32 years old and have a small 10.28 acre piece of land and am looking to buy a small tractor. I had pretty much settled on a 2038R or a 3039R with a cab. I live in the south plains area of Texas and running an open station tractor is not great in the summers so for me a cab is almost a must. I really want a 2038R but I do not believe that JD makes one with a cab that has A/C. I have heard that Kubota makes a tractor with a cab that is the same size as the JD 2 series tractors.

I know nothing about Kubota other than an uncle on my wife's side of the family has one and he loves it. Could someone help me to understand the model numbers and the sizes of the tractors vs what JD sells?

Why should did you choose Kubota and how do they actually compare with JD?

Good day. Regarding tractor size, honestly I did not understand how you plan / implements to use it…with out that hard to guess size. So I don’t have much of an opinion there. I think Determine intention of a Mid PTO may decide one way or other. If no need mid PTO, get the biggest you can afford or that space constraints limit you use.

Regarding Kubota, it’s a reliable tractor with good service after sale and parts availability. If you have to order something you may not get the part next day. On parts distribution green is the champ…period. Green generally philosophy used to be make it so easy to fix stuff breaks before something expensive breaks, and generally they have had parts distribution to keep stuff working. iMO I think orange is more reliable but maybe the parts available not as good, maybe don’t need as much though. In general when it comes to compacts, it’s pretty hard to argue that orange doesn’t have an impressive presence. For smaller stuff unless you value a plastic hood, I am not sure what the buy decision is to go green….either you like the paint or the plastic hood. Beyond that maybe better local dealer or presence on pets avaiability. Both are solid machines. IMO on the orange, the frame is more robust and the axle housing/hubs (look how they are used overseas - I don’t think green competes with that in small machines). is most certainly better. Orange makes their own engines if that matter to you not. I don’t believe in the small stuff green has their own engines. I have not seen a video where green brags about the engines they don’t build when they showcase a plastic hood. . Generally both are nice machines and I don’t think you go wrong either way. I think there is a better chance you regret the size or implements you choose than orange or green.

I think foot pedals and controls are individual preference but with a little seat time I think they become natural. But it’s a consideration maybe. Regarding the implements I thought JD used to have a proprietary quick attach…that sort of forces you into their implements….I am not sure that is standard…I thought a lot of the nicesties were generally up charges.

In my opinion a lot of videos are not a real fair comparison. I’d offer not to get hung up on a couple horsepower either way, but worry more about the stance weight and determining your uses.

On a 10 acre property IMO you could very easily grow out of a B or LX very quickly depending on you likely uses. Before the world went crazy I think the L was the best value (but no mid PTO).

If you won’t do the service yourself, I’d be thinking about who you want to do your service and after the sale support. If you do yourself maybe not so big issue. The couple times I visited a green dealer (my dad only had JD as well), I was left with the impression I was not a valued customer and that the machines I was looking at is what they through in when they want to close a sale on a big Combine. I most likely will not be in a JD anytime soon unless they sell stihl products. Those are my thoughts.

 

[PaulL]

Tractor sizes you can find in this thread in a table: https://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/threads/bx-vs-b01-vs-b50.36719/
(I made that a few years back. The B50 series is now known as the LX).

Basically the sizes are:

• the BX, which is a bit smaller than a 1 series. It's sized so that your wife doesn't notice you bought a tractor instead of a ride on lawnmower. No factory cab is offered.
• The B01 series (B2301 at 23hp, B2601 at 26hp). Not much bigger on the ground than a BX, but larger wheels, more clearance etc. It's between a 1 series and a 2 series, closer to the 2 series. I believe no factory cab is offered.
• The LX series. LX2610 (26hp) or LX3310 (33hp). A little larger than the 2 series I think. You can get a factory cab.
• The L series. This is an economy tractor, it's much more bare bones than the B or LX in terms of features, but it's a lot more metal for your money. No mid PTO, no factory cab. A new version just came out, so you have L3302 and L3902. There's also still the L2501 (no DPF, but old version) and L4701 (more HP than you really need in that size tractor, and also still the old 01 version). There's a few comfort features in the 02 model, but the big change is moving the split brakes to the left hand side so you can use them for steering on an HST
• The grand L series. This is a really nice machine - Lxx60. L3560 (35hp), L4060 (40hp), L4760 (47hp). These have a really nice transmission in them, a factory cab is available and is well regarded. This model is a bit long in the tooth (due for replacement) but is still very feature rich. Somewhere in that range there's a larger capacity FEL, I can't recall if it's the 40 or the 47 that gets it
• The MX series. Getting into big tractors at this point. There is a cab available, but it's a lot larger than you're looking I think

There's a couple of special utility (SU) models in there too that are stripped down one way or another.

In general terms, Kubota v's JD, there's pros and cons.

JD don't actually make all the parts on their smaller tractors, I think the 2 series might be an Iseki, or at least used to be? Kubota make all the main assemblies on their machines, and you can still get parts for Kubotas going back decades. If (when?) JD move from Iseki to someone else, I wonder about parts availability.

There's the HST pedal, some people feel very strongly about it. I don't mind, but on my B01 I do find the treadle a bit stiff, it can give my knee a hard time. I don't think that's treadle v's two pedal, it's the spring in that particular model.

On the 1 series JD have a really nice drive over autoattach for the mower deck. I'm not a massive fan of that though, and my B01 has a drive over deck, it's just not auto attach. I think the single lever manifold on the loader makes it easier to remove on the Kubota. In the US people really like the SSQA, where JD tends to sell proprietary attaches. Not sure it matters that much though, and I actually ended up with a Kubota pin-on quick attach, because in my country SSQA attachments for small tractors are basically non-existent anyway.

Kubota loaders have a good reputation for finesse, perhaps better than John Deere.

Some John Deere models have plastic panels. All Kubota are metal. The John Deere plastic actually seems pretty good. The one Kubota model that was plastic (BX2350) I had the misfortune to own, and the plastic was not good - they went back to metal quickly.

Ultimately, they're similar. Usually you'd pick one over the other based on colour/gut feel, or because there's a specific feature you want that isn't in the other colour (like a 3 speed gearbox, or a position control 3ph, or a factory cab). Sounds like that's where you are.

Kubota I think are the largest manufacturer of small Diesel engines in the world. The engines are very very good. And they're Japanese (although the small tractors are made in USA), the engineering is very tidy. In the smaller tractors Kubota has been making the same machines for nearly 30 years, gradually refining them all that time. They are nicely made and well thought through.

EDIT: The LX model has a digital dash. Not a fan of that. The B01 is analogue, but no factory cab, so....

 

[Kurtee]

I guess I would compare Kubota to the 3 series Deere like the 3039R. As an owner of Orange and Green with 2 good dealers close I would make comparisons and decide. Both have pros and cons. Deere is using Yanmar engines which are hard to beat. It would come down to options and pricing with availability a major factor. I have 2 Orange ones and had 2 different salesmen. I have 5 Green machines and had the same salesman for all. Relationships are important. Sometimes the sales relationship determines the color.

 

[Shekkie]

What do you need this tractor to do? Needs on 10 acres can vary from an LX (since a cab was specified) on up?

Most say “get the biggest you can afford” but I prefer “get the smallest that will reasonably do the job”.

 

[woodman55]

You can get a mid pto on the L and grand L, for front mounted equipment, but no MMM. You can get 60 and 72 inch MMM's, with the mid pto on the LX series. Browsing the web site is a good bet. For 10 acres I would think a LX3310 with R14 tires would be awesome. Personally I would take a rear discharge rear mower over a MMM, but that is just my personal choice.

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

There's so many good comments on this post, I only have a little too add. On the K website do the Build It feature. You'll see what you can and can't get with a cab.
With my latest Kubota tractor purchase, it was defined by Need / Want / Price / Wife's Acceptance.
Some are not confined by financial situations and just buy what they Need / Want. Wife usually doesn't care in that situation because she can still go shopping if you spend $25,000, or $100,000 on a tractor.

Having 40 acres of mostly forest I wanted an MX5400 or MX6000. Open station was fine for me.

Enter the wife into the picture, gotta have a cab.

Enter the financial situation that the bank, nor wife would go for a $70,000 tractor purchase without having to make some sacrifices.

I ended up with an LX2610 Cab w/ implements, air conditioner, heater and some luxury.... for about the same price as an open station MX with implements.

 

[RalphVa]

PaulL did a good summary but left out the fact that the L2501 has the steering brakes on the wrong side, e.g. right in front of the HST treadle.

Some things I've observed since buying my B2601 in January for B2601 vs. 2 series (and one 1 series JD):

o Starts cold a lot better: no shudder/shake nor smoke..
o Float on FEL is very easily engaged, almost too easy.
o 2wd/4wd is so easy.
o Hydraulics are MUCH stronger. Flow is near 3 times but makes for a more jerky FEL use.
o Idles nicely at 1,100. The 1025R was abnoxious at 1,650; 2025R was 1,300.
o Drink holder is bigger than the joke one on the 2025R. Not sure it'll hold my little thermos. Put the Frontier doc holder top on the left side of the FEL tower as my drink holder.
o Parking brake is easier to disengage but seems a tad harder to engage.

o Guards to the valve stems.
o Metal covering over the driveshaft (JDs only have plastic)
o 3ph raises a tad higher
o The fuel cap actually screws on and off easier.

o The radiator overflow container is right in front and easy to get to. Needed a screwdriver to take the top off the one on the 2025R and a funnel with long snout to refill it. Then top was hard to put back on. Actually, the B’s is not much easier to get off, and a long snout funnel is needed on it.
o More room to get the end snorkel off the air cleaner.
o The brake pedal lock snaps off by tapping the pedals. Hard to get off at times on the JDs.
o Top link is really easy to turn, e.g. that grease point maybe. Actually smaller, too. The tilt one is also smaller and easy to turn if load is taken off it..
o Three position steering wheel.
o Of course, 3 range HST control. Only 2 on the JDs.

o Fuel use is 0.014 gph/engine hp vs. 0.025 gph/engine hp on 3 Yanmar JDs. Exhaust is not blackening the back side of the FEL.

o Slightly lower hood for easier refill. Have a battery pump that makes this easy by sitting container on foot area of the tractor.

o The stuff under the seat is easier to clean out. There’s a clear path to put silicone spray on all moving parts. All the JDs seemed to have a pan/sheet metal there that made cleanout almost impossible.

o Quiet HST vs. 3 JDs that whined like mad.

o No stinking driveshaft Ujoints to grease.

o STILL has steering brakes.

 

[TheOldHokie]

New here! I have grown up around Deere tractors all of my life. My dad was a farmer and never ran another tractor other than a deere. I am now 32 years old and have a small 10.28 acre piece of land and am looking to buy a small tractor. I had pretty much settled on a 2038R or a 3039R with a cab. I live in the south plains area of Texas and running an open station tractor is not great in the summers so for me a cab is almost a must. I really want a 2038R but I do not believe that JD makes one with a cab that has A/C. I have heard that Kubota makes a tractor with a cab that is the same size as the JD 2 series tractors.

I know nothing about Kubota other than an uncle on my wife's side of the family has one and he loves it. Could someone help me to understand the model numbers and the sizes of the tractors vs what JD sells?

Why should did you choose Kubota and how do they actually compare with JD?

Kubota's competive comparison matches the Grand L4060 against the 3039R. You cant get a cab on a standard L.

Dan

 

[jimh406]

I prefer Orange over Green. It's too easy to lose green tractors in fields although the yellow wheels help if the grass isn't too high.

Both brands are pretty solid with good resale values. One of the main differences is front attachments can be had with standard quick attach for the Kubota and JD quick attach on the JD. In my case, JD had bigger and smaller tractors, but nothing quite the same as the L2501HST. You can't directly compare models of JD and Kubota. Their models interleave. So, JD compares to the smaller model Kubota and Kubota compares to the smaller model JD. Both win their comparisons. Go figure.

Since you are wanting a cab with AC, Kubota offers a few choices. Kubota offers LX, Grand L, MX, and M with cabs. Overall height and width is quite different, so consider where you will store the tractor.

Cabs do change the center of gravity. That will be a bigger percentage of weight up high for a smaller tractor. For me, that rules out the LX on my hilly ground. If you plan to do any large bales, I suggest going at least with a Grand L with the upgraded loader. Basically the loader model compact at full height is 2 x loader_number. However, the lift height is different for each loader. In person, I really liked the MX5400 with Cab. However, I could justify double the price for my uses. Sure, there have been times I wish I had an AC, but I don't have to use my tractor everyday or all day, so I can choose the temperature/day I want.

I suggest going to see the tractors in person. You can internet research all you want, but you won't get the feel that you will with even a very short in time test drive.