New 3902 or used 4060

[Smeltzer53]

I currently have an old skid steer and it has served me well but it's time for a tractor. A lot of the work I am doing is cleaning up my woods, a ton of down logs and brush. Lifting capacity is a concern, my skid will pick up 1,000 pounds and I don't want to lose any capacity there but I am a little nervous the 4060 may be to large in my woods. Main use will be grapple and general homestead work. Likely a grapple or forks on the FEL most of the time.
I can get an L3902 new for around $32k, or I found a 2017 L4060 with 1200 hours for $28k. Both are a long drive. My local dealer was about $4k more

Realistically what weight will the 3902 pick up, and how tall is the 4060 with the ROPS up? I have found a couple different measurements.

 

[jimh406]

According to the Kubota site, they are the same height without cab, 91.7. The L4060 will lift more with the lightest loader and a lot more with the upgraded loader. I'd go with the L4060 assuming it is in good shape. It has a few features that that the L doesn't with a different HST system and deluxe features that the regular L doesn't have.

Kubota rates the LA525 at 1,082 at full height. Of course, that will depend on what you are lifting and how close it is to the pins.

This is a pretty comprehensive newer document that seems to list the entire line and loaders from 2021. The capacity of the LA526 is only one 1 kilogram more than the LA525.

https://www.kubotausa.com/docs/default-source/brochure-sheets/2021-full-line-brochure.pdf

 

[Smeltzer53]

According to the Kubota site, they are the same height without cab, 91.7. The L4060 will lift more with the lightest loader and a lot more with the upgraded loader. I'd go with the L4060 assuming it is in good shape. It has a few features that that the L doesn't with a different HST system and deluxe features that the regular L doesn't have.

Kubota rates the LA525 at 1,082 at full height. Of course, that will depend on what you are lifting and how close it is to the pins.

This is a pretty comprehensive newer document that seems to list the entire line and loaders from 2021. The capacity of the LA526 is only one 1 kilogram more than the LA525.

https://www.kubotausa.com/docs/default-source/brochure-sheets/2021-full-line-brochure.pdf

I found a site saying the 4060 is 97" with the Rops and 91" with the cab, and another site saying both are 91. I'm hoping for a real world measurement as 97 won't fit in my barn door and I don't want to fold the rops down all the time.

 

[fried1765]

I currently have an old skid steer and it has served me well but it's time for a tractor. A lot of the work I am doing is cleaning up my woods, a ton of down logs and brush. Lifting capacity is a concern, my skid will pick up 1,000 pounds and I don't want to lose any capacity there but I am a little nervous the 4060 may be to large in my woods. Main use will be grapple and general homestead work. Likely a grapple or forks on the FEL most of the time.
I can get an L3902 new for around $32k, or I found a 2017 L4060 with 1200 hours for $28k. Both are a long drive. My local dealer was about $4k more

Realistically what weight will the 3902 pick up, and how tall is the 4060 with the ROPS up? I have found a couple different measurements.

Kubota L3902 will ...."lift 1,144. lbs at the pin".
That means you would probably loose nearly 300 lbs. of useful load 1/2 way back on forks, and certainly more at the tips.
IMHO, you really do need the 4060.

Note: Substituting the OEM bucket for an Everything Attachments "Wicked Grapple", the loader weight lifting capacity, for the L3902 might not change much from the OEM with bucket numbers, but still.....
that is lifting capacity "at the pin", and would not meet your stated requriments.

 

[fried1765]

I found a site saying the 4060 is 97" with the Rops and 91" with the cab, and another site saying both are 91. I'm hoping for a real world measurement as 97 won't fit in my barn door and I don't want to fold the rops down all the time.

Call several dealers, and pretend like you are going to buy a new 4060.
See if you consistently get the same answer.

 

[TheOldHokie]

I currently have an old skid steer and it has served me well but it's time for a tractor. A lot of the work I am doing is cleaning up my woods, a ton of down logs and brush. Lifting capacity is a concern, my skid will pick up 1,000 pounds and I don't want to lose any capacity there but I am a little nervous the 4060 may be to large in my woods. Main use will be grapple and general homestead work. Likely a grapple or forks on the FEL most of the time.
I can get an L3902 new for around $32k, or I found a 2017 L4060 with 1200 hours for $28k. Both are a long drive. My local dealer was about $4k more

Realistically what weight will the 3902 pick up, and how tall is the 4060 with the ROPS up? I have found a couple different measurements.

Actual testing with a scale says my L3901/LA525 with grapple will lift a 800 lb log. Transporting that is an adventure.

Dan

 

[PoTreeBoy]

Actual height may depend on the tires. I think Ag tires will be taller than industrial or turf. The seller should be willing to measure it for you and give you the loader model.

 

[pokey1416]

I found a site saying the 4060 is 97" with the Rops and 91" with the cab, and another site saying both are 91. I'm hoping for a real world measurement as 97 won't fit in my barn door and I don't want to fold the rops down all the time.

Heres my cabbed 4060 with flasher that sticks slightly above cab. R-4 tires.

 

[drumminj]

Just to throw it out there, the L3560LE should have the same loader options as the 4060 (LA805 by default I believe) with a bit smaller frame, if you don't need the HP of the 4060.

The L4701 could also be an option (used) -- it is a bit smaller framed than the 4060 and a more basic tractor, but lifts almost 50% more than the 3901 if you want another option in the size/weight/capability class.

I'm sure you've looked at a bunch of options already and are open to used....thought I'd throw these out there as this was the machine size I was looking at when I was purchasing two years go.

 

[jimh406]

Just to throw it out there, the L3560LE should have the same loader options as the 4060 (LA805 by default I believe) with a bit smaller frame, if you don't need the HP of the 4060.

I didn't realize the L3560 and L4060 are different frames. That's interesting. Not that I'm shopping, but I had assumed they were the same.

 

[drumminj]

I didn't realize the L3560 and L4060 are different frames. That's interesting. Not that I'm shopping, but I had assumed they were the same.

Given the tractor length, width, and height specs are different I belive they are different frames. Details here: https://www.kubotausa.com/docs/default-source/brochure-sheets/l60le-brochure-(1).pdf

 

[Smeltzer53]

I ended up buying the 4060, very happy with it. However it does NOT fit fit in my 8 foot barn door, pretty disappointed there. I asked the seller to measure it and he said it would fit. R4 tires with ROPS.

 

[PaulL]

No way I'd be disappointed. Do you want me to take it off your hands?

That ROPS looks like it folds. Annoying to do, and annoying when you forget to do it. But that'll work.

 

[drumminj]

Congrats on the tractor!

Is it a height or width issue you have?

 

[Smeltzer53]

No way I'd be disappointed. Do you want me to take it off your hands?

That ROPS looks like it folds. Annoying to do, and annoying when you forget to do it. But that'll work.

It folds, but on our property I'll want the ROPS up pretty much any time I use it. We have some hills. Checked tire pressure, it's plenty low. I ordered a ballast box, maybe it'll get me to just squeeze in.

 

[Smeltzer53]

Congrats on the tractor!

Is it a height or width issue you have?

Height, the door is 8x16. I didn't get a measurement on the tractor yet but I drove up to the door and it is a solid 2" too tall.

 

[GrizBota]

The 4060 is way more tractor. Good call. The width and length will be within a couple inches of the 3901. Apparently the ROPS isn’t as it was thought? Normally an 8’ tall garage door won’t have an 96 inch opening height that it covers. The door overlaps the opening on the top. Maybe you can remove the center of the 2x on the top of the opening, if there is one.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

ROPS 'options'....

1) build a tractor shed attached to your existing barn.....

2) make/install a shorter version of the ROPS upper section...

#1 is easy...just costs a few bux...
#2 you lose the official OEM ROPS safety but, if made from similar steel and construction , you should be fine. I did that to get my BX23S into my garage, clears by 3/4"...more than enough. I view the unit as a 'sunshade'. Can't stand the sun since heatstroke of 2014. Never had a ROPS in 5 decades of tractoring and yeesh, if ATVs don't need them, my tractors don't !!!

but in the end..it's your tractor, your decision.

 

[PaulL]

I assume you have a concrete floor (i.e. can't just dig down?). Can you modify the door - change from a roller to a tilt or something? Even with a concrete floor, you can sometimes chisel out a ramp. If the concrete is 6 inches thick, trimming 2 inches off the front edge won't be the end of the world, particularly if you put a metal plate across it to stop the edge crumbling after.

You'd still want to go in pretty slowly, something that fits going slow might not if you go faster and get a bit of bounce.

My tractor shed my B2601 only goes in with the ROPS folded. I mostly drive it with the ROPS folded, unless I'm doing something more complex than mowing the lawns. When I put the ROPS up I often forget to put it down again. When I drive into the shed the whole front lifts, so then I get quite a bit of remedial work on the shed. Of course, I also once drove out without latching one of the doors properly, and it blew against the loader just as I was coming out. Loader hooked it, and pulled the whole front out of the shed. Tractors always wreck things.

If you do end up folding to go in, you develop tricks to avoid forgetting. For example, whenever I put the ROPS up, I shut the shed door. So when I come home I can't drive straight in, I have to go "what idiot shut that door", then go "oh, that's right, that's to remind me to fold the ROPS and not wreck my shed".

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I had to adjust the "stop height" that the garage door opener raises the door to in order to get mine in the little garage. It now it raises the door so that I can utilize the max opening and my tractor has about 1/2" of clearance.

Sweet tractor BTW! Congrats!!!!

Paul