Weight of Kubota L3800 HST

[BotaDriver]

If you have to modify a brand new truck with air bags to tow better then there is something wrong right straight out the shoot. Yeah a 15k 5th wheel trailer behind a Tundra in the flat lands of Texas may be ok, but after looking at Google maps it appears as Tsafa lives in the hilly part of Pa and I don't forsee a Toyota working out well in a mountain region.

You can put 4.30 gears and a power house 372hp motor into a VW Bettel it sure as hell doesnt mean it'll pull a grade or be able to stop the load. I've been driving trucks and trailers way to long to know that I want the longest heaviest truck I can possibly have out infront under the load for better controll.

Airbags are for load leveling in ANY vehicle. They're not required, but I'd have them on ANY vehicle that does a lot of towing. There is also a difference between something that could be done in theory; though it's a completely different ball game when everyone that bought it to tow better than the larger trucks is doing exactly that. If you feel safer towing the load with a semi, that's your choice. Don't knock it just to do it, especially if you have no experience with it. Certainly don't compare it to other trucks that you feel are in the same category, yet have known short-comings.

It's neither a F150 nor Silverado, but it has replaced many owners F250 and 2500. Their words, not mine.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

My reservations on a full size Tundra is that Toyota is farily new in the full size truck market game. Ford Dodge and Chevy having been making heavy duty pickup trucks for years and know the market and know how to build a heavy duty truck.

Yeah sure a new Tundra can pull a space shuttle and 10k pounds but what is the life expectancy of a Tundra doing that. Ford Dodge and Chevy have proven their worth over the long haul/life expectancy of their trucks.

 

[Hammer Head]

I don't know the exact length but with loader and backhoe you will take up almost the entire floor of a 16' trailer to get the propper tongue weight.

This is my opinion but I'll not feel right if I didn't throw it out there. I think you will regret getting a aluminum trailer. If you were running up and down the hyw with a hotrod car that would be great. If you stick that tractor on the back and start going off road it will break the trailer apart.

With only standard ramps when you go to load up it will mash the rear of the trailer flat down to the ground and pick the back of your truck up in the air, I have seen it happen. With the backhoe on it will weigh over 5K and around 4000lbs are on the rear tires. When they hit the ramps if you don't have kicker legs it's going to the ground.

Again, this is just my opinion but I strongly suggest getting a equipment trailer not a car hauler. For that size tractor I think minimum size to be 16' and no lighter than 5K axles. I have hauled my L3000 all over the place and started out with a 16' with 3500K axles. It did okay with everything but when I had the backhoe mounted. It wasn't safe and it showed every time I hit a bump in the road. My current trailer has a 20' deck with 2' dove tail and is rated to haul 11,500 lbs. Night and day difference, it was money well spent.

If you are willing to upgrade your tow vehicle then do the same for your trailer. Make it easy on yourself and get what you need the first time.

FYI 18' Beaver tail #9990 GVW pulls like a dream, just the right tongue weight! I am pulling it with a "13" Chevy 2500.

 

[BAP]

One thing that people seem to be missing on their truck argument is the carrying capability of their truck. Sure the Tundra can pull 10,000#, but what can it carry. You hook your trailer up to it and the front of the trailer is loaded heavy, there is now way in H--- a half ton pickup is going to handle the weight as good as a3/4 or 1 ton pickup regardless of the brand. Also, a 1/2 ton pickup does not have the brakes a 3/4 or 1 ton has. They have bigger brakes, hence more stopping power, particularly important in hilly areas. Other things like suspension and steering a beefed up which helps tremendously with tail wagging. Having to go to 4.3 ratio rear end says a lot. That is a pretty slow rear end nowadays. They are using it to get the towing rating higher for sales. The tundra may be a good truck, but too many people out there, take too many chances by using an undersized truck for their towing needs. That leads to accidents some wheres down the road. Why would you by a larger tractor than you need to make sure you have enough for those few jobs that need it, then turn around and undersize your towing vehicle. Safety is more important than bragging rights. It doesn't make any difference what brand truck and trailer you use, they need to be properly rated for the load.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

One thing that people seem to be missing on their truck argument is the carrying capability of their truck.
Safety is more important than bragging rights.
It doesn't make any difference what brand truck and trailer you use, they need to be properly rated for the load.

I agree 100%!

 

[BotaDriver]

One thing that people seem to be missing on their truck argument is the carrying capability of their truck. Sure the Tundra can pull 10,000#, but what can it carry. You hook your trailer up to it and the front of the trailer is loaded heavy, there is now way in H--- a half ton pickup is going to handle the weight as good as a3/4 or 1 ton pickup regardless of the brand. Also, a 1/2 ton pickup does not have the brakes a 3/4 or 1 ton has. They have bigger brakes, hence more stopping power, particularly important in hilly areas. Other things like suspension and steering a beefed up which helps tremendously with tail wagging. Having to go to 4.3 ratio rear end says a lot. That is a pretty slow rear end nowadays. They are using it to get the towing rating higher for sales. The tundra may be a good truck, but too many people out there, take too many chances by using an undersized truck for their towing needs. That leads to accidents some wheres down the road. Why would you by a larger tractor than you need to make sure you have enough for those few jobs that need it, then turn around and undersize your towing vehicle. Safety is more important than bragging rights. It doesn't make any difference what brand truck and trailer you use, they need to be properly rated for the load.

Therein lies the problem. I touched on this issue in a previous post. Ford and others want to sell their 250/350 trucks, and as such limit what their 150 trucks can do. Toyota wants to sell you their truck, which specs and performs to other's 250/0 line trucks. The Tundras brakes best even the 250. As per the 4.30 rear end, it's an excellent towing vehicle. Perhaps you're not familiar with the rear ends offered on the the 250/2500 trucks? Had you actually compared the trucks on paper and based on what owners are doing with them, you would not have made this post. Clearly you have assumed quite a bit when making the post. This is the internet, it's full of both opinions and facts; google will help you differentiate the two.

 

[BAP]

I guess you didn't use the internet yourself or you would have looked up the specs for various truck brands and models. If you had, you would see that there is a serious difference between the payload capacities of 1/2, 3/4 and 1 ton trucks. The Toyota Tundra has a 1500# payload which is about the same as any 1/2 ton pickup out there. The point still being, if your truck is not rated for the load you are carrying, you shouldn't be on the road with it. If you are put across the scales by DOT which you can be, they will fine you if you are over weight for you truck and trailers GVW.

 

[buckaroo52]

I have a new L3800 dt with loaded rears (r 4's) and a 524 loader, also a landpride 60" grader that is on most of the time. I work at a rock quarry 200 yds. from my gate and have rolled on the scales at 5, 050 lbs. total weight, including my 200 lbs. My trailer is a Morgan 18' with 10,000 lb. capacity axles and brakes on both. Trailer has e z lift set up, and is heavy built. Now take the trailer weight (3400 lbs) from overall capacity and I can safely tow 6,600 lbs. I tow with my generation 1, 1992 Dodge cummins one ton truck, had the old girl since new, and no, it's not for sale. Can't say enough about e z lift hitch set up...get it and use it ! Bottom line, when it comes to towing your equipment you love dearly and paid lots of $ $ for , don't go cheap, eventually you will definitely be very sorry you did.

 

[tsafa]

Thanks for that feedback Buckaroo.

 

[Burt]

I watched on T/V a toyota truck pulled the space shuttle.

Even after that when I think of pulling a load I still think of Ford or Dodge first.

Just an aside here....pulling a space shuttle on flat ground is something a lawnmower could do. Real pulling is going up hill and starting with a real payload. It looks good in an ad but don't think the whole story is being unfolded here.

That's just not real world towing but it's a good ad.

Burt

 

[Paulwestski]

My L3800 with loader, backhoe and loaded tires weighs in at 6130 lbs
And requires a minimum 18' trailer to get the tongue weight right.
Depending on how often you need to tow the tractor you may consider renting a trailer.
I move mine from one property to another twice a year.
I can rent a 10k rated 18' tilt trailer from Sunbelt rentals for $70.00 for a weekend. That trailer towed the L3800 perfectly.
To me renting saves me a considerable amount of money in tags, taxes, inspections and maintenance.

I just towed my L4240 with backhoe an the 18' trailer was not long enough to get the tongue weight right. I could not get the tractor far enough forward for 10-15% tongue weight.

I tow with a one ton SUV, 2005 Ford Excursion diesel with 4:56 gears for the large tires.
That truck will pull very well even through the mountains.

 

[tsafa]

Thanks for your feedback Paul.