# Anybody else disappointed with Kubota?



## Hogfarmer10 (Aug 23, 2020)

Just wondering if anyone else has had as much trouble with their Kubota as I have? I’ve got a 2005 m6800. 4wd, cab, loader. Mechanical shuttle. I’m the second owner. It was traded in at 803 hrs. I knew the original owner. He used it more as a bulldozer than a tractor, but was meticulous about care and maintenance. He traded it because the dealer had already installed 2 clutches and the third one was out. Kubota dealer put in another clutch. I bought it. The absolute only thing this tractor does is carry hay out of the fields in the summer and carry hay to the cows in the winter. It now has 1940 hours on it, is on its 7th clutch, both installed by me as well as another tractor shop. A/c hasn’t worked in 10 years. And finally, as I was stacking hay in the barn last week, the motor blew up. Puttering around at 12-1400 rpms. I know a loader tractor is hard on clutches, but I can still usually manage to get 2500-3000 hrs out of my other loader tractor clutch (Ford 4600). All services are usually done before the recommended intervals. Maybe I just got a lemon. But the sad thing is, I traded off a lemon New Holland for this tractor. Ok. Vent over. Sorry for the long rant.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Something not right, lots of M6800's and M9000's with a lot of hours on them. The dry clutch models are very rare up here though, dealers almost wouldn't sell a loader on a dry clutch model. I'm assuming you're resurfacing the flywheel and pressure plate on at least some of those?


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## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

I think an 800 hr tractor on its third clutch would have been my first warning sign and I would have passed.

But I just square baled 500 bales the other day, pulling a wagon with 120 bales on it, with a borrowed 25 hp hydrostatic Kubota because my tractor got a fuel issue. And it did the job.


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## Hogfarmer10 (Aug 23, 2020)

Slow, yes. Every clutch put in by dealer had new clutch plate, new pressure plate, and flywheel resurfaced. All others at least had everything resurfaced The 5th clutch installed was switched to a button clutch. The most recent clutch, I was told my flywheel was getting too thin and had to replace the flywheel as well.
Josh, normally I would agree. However, the original owner used the tractor with a grapple and did a lot of land clearing with it. And most of the time, it was employees using it. I attributed that as the main reason why so many clutches.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Reading a bit it looks like the m6800 is not supposed to have the flywheel resurfaced as it messes with dimensions/clutch engagement. I’ll see if I have the WSM for that model saved somewhere.


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## AndyH359 (Jan 3, 2012)

Hayjosh said:


> But I just square baled 500 bales the other day, pulling a wagon with 120 bales on it, with a borrowed 25 hp hydrostatic Kubota because my tractor got a fuel issue. And it did the job.


I assume you must have been in a table top flat field to pull that off.


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## Hogfarmer10 (Aug 23, 2020)

Slowzuki, I’d be interested to know if that is what some of the problem. But I’d also be curious why there was no significant change when I replaced flywheel. Also, any suggestions about sourcing a rebuild kit for the engine would be appreciated. My dealer claims they are unable to get a rebuild kit.


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## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

AndyH359 said:


> I assume you must have been in a table top flat field to pull that off.


It is mostly flat with a few small rolling areas. It really had no issues. I was shocked.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

I owned a M4900 little brother to M6800 that had sync-shuttle that I purchased used from my neighbor. I think it had 2000 hrs on it when I traded it for a M7040 hyd shuttle. M4900 had handled several 1000 rd bales with original clutch but the synchronizers failed in reverser & it stuck in reverse. I had to install new reverser assembly.


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## ACDII (Oct 1, 2021)

20 years on my B2410, and only had to replace the front axle seals, which is common for that tractor and similar 4WD. I wish my cars and trucks were as reliable.


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## Bonfire (Oct 21, 2012)

I have the exact same tractor. Bought it used privately. I know it’s had the clutch replaced at least once. AC works but doesn’t do well when it’s in the 90’s. Motor uses quite a bit of water. When I’m moving hay and shuttling back and forth I let the clutch out only at an idle in 1H. I don want to be spinning it any more than needed when engaging. It’s got about 3K hours now.

the latest was the 3 point linkage on the left side that has the 2 arms with a turnbuckle between and goes back into the transmission. Can’t remember what they called it. It seized up and broke. May want to take yours apart and see if that rod going into the trans moves freely. I oiled it and got it freed up and welded the broken link back together.


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## Hogfarmer10 (Aug 23, 2020)

I will definitely keep an eye on that- if I can get the engine repaired. My engine never used any water or oil. I would have thought it was the best engine I had. I will ask you, is yours hard on fuel? Mine absolutely drinks it! Always has. Especially for a tractor that isn’t used for “hard labor “.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

I found overhaul kits on Ebay and Amazon, surely an engine rebuilder would have even more sources. The 4 cylinder version of that engine is used all over the place.









New Kubota F2803 Cylinder Liner Kit With Bearing Set | eBay


Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for New Kubota F2803 Cylinder Liner Kit With Bearing Set at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



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For Kubota F2803 Engine 5 Cylinder Overhaul Rebuild Kit, Engine Kits - Amazon Canada


For Kubota F2803 Engine 5 Cylinder Overhaul Rebuild Kit in Engine Kits.



www.amazon.ca


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

Hogfarmer10 said:


> I will ask you, is yours hard on fuel? Mine absolutely drinks it! Always has. Especially for a tractor that isn’t used for “hard labor “.


My Kubota M7040 uses 2.5 GPH of fuel pulling my JD 467 rd baler making 4X5.5 bales


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## Hogfarmer10 (Aug 23, 2020)

Mine is the 4 cylinder engine. I hadn’t even thought of Amazon/eBay. The absolute best engine shop near me requires you to supply the parts. I guess that’s so they can’t get blamed if something fails. But they truly are the best shop.

Jim, mine will run 11 tractor hours just carrying hay on a full tank of fuel. I want to think that it has a 25 or 29 gallon tank. That just seems excessive. Also, I really appreciate your knowledge of John Deere balers.
I really appreciate everyone


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

You're welcome I'm glad I can be of some assistance. 
I think your M6800 has a naturally aspirated engine while my M7040 is turbo-charged


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Yes just search V3300 instead. Engine used in skid steers and excavators as well.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

One reference I have says 17.2 gallon tank on M6800. My L5030 is listed as 11.4 gallons. I can get about 8 hours of carting bales/shuttling wagons with it. It will do less than 4 hours running a snowblower hard.



Hogfarmer10 said:


> Mine is the 4 cylinder engine. I hadn’t even thought of Amazon/eBay. The absolute best engine shop near me requires you to supply the parts. I guess that’s so they can’t get blamed if something fails. But they truly are the best shop.
> 
> Jim, mine will run 11 tractor hours just carrying hay on a full tank of fuel. I want to think that it has a 25 or 29 gallon tank. That just seems excessive. Also, I really appreciate your knowledge of John Deere balers.
> I really appreciate everyone


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## farmergann (Oct 21, 2021)

AndyH359 said:


> I assume you must have been in a table top flat field to pull that off.


Lot's of experience with low hp HST tractors?!?


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## Bonfire (Oct 21, 2012)

I’d say mine is very good on fuel. The plan is to widen the stance to make it more stable. There’s not much level here and I don’t let anyone use to front load hay out the field. I can count on one hand the number of times I've had a back tire come off the ground and had to drop the bale.


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## dieselmike (Feb 24, 2018)

Most Kubotas seem to be best suited for hobby farmers. The one we have has to be run in the upper rpm levels to make power. Not impressed.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

I think my M7040 pulls my JD 467 rd baler just fine making 4X5.5 rd bales. The 64 pto HP tractor with a 203 cid(3.3L) 4 cyl engine won't pull my rd baler as easily as my regular baling tractor which is a JD 4255 with a 466 cid(7.6L) 6 cylinder engine that puts out 120 + HP. My Kubota M7040 uses .7 less GPH of fuel operating my rd baler than my JD tractor. My rd baler I purchased in '07 has over 29,000 bales on monitor so ""I think I don't qualify as a hobby farmer""


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## Ranger518 (Aug 6, 2016)

i have been very happy with my cab Kubota m7060 has plenty of power and burns very little fuel for its size especially in 540E which is where I run it for pretty much everything even when bailing and running 10’ rotary cutter. I’m my opinion they make the absolute best loader tractors / chore tractors do to the ability to see and the cycle times are super fast compared to most other bands can also lift and cural or dump at idle with full load which is nice with a square bale grapple in and out of barn or loading trailers.


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