# Son's new Kubota is here



## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

It was decided that they really needed 2 loader tractors instead of trading in the L3940 for a larger tractor so I told them to try to get something without a DPF. So I spent 2-3 days on the phone and online trying to locate a Tier 3 or an interim Tier 4. Found five MX5100HST's in Ohio and in Missouri. Finally found one dealer in Goldsboro that had 2 that had been pulled from the dealer inventory so they didn't show up on dealer searches and he wasn't willing to let one go to another dealer so we drove down on a Monday and saw the tractor. It was still in the crate when I called but they went ahead and put a LA1065 loader on it before we got there. Made the deal and son signed the papers.

We looked at other brands, JD, CaseIH, Kioti, Massey and NH. The CaseIH and NH were LS tractors from Korea but priced like they were made here, if I wanted an LS I'd go to an LS dealer. Kioti was not enough of a money saver to consider and the JD 4044R and the 4066M we test drove were the loudest Compact tractors we've ever heard and full Tier 4 with a metal grill in the plastic hood to vent off heat from a Regen and the 4000M series has a non folding ROPS and supposedly a bolt on loader, real smart ideas. The MX series is a more basic tractor and the MX5100 has a PTO that can be eased on instead of an electric switch and a manual cruise control instead of electronic and etc. No electronic screens on the dash just idiot lights and gauges. It was also about $10K less than a Kubota Grand L60 series.

So a friend of ours and I drove about half way across the state to pick up the tractor. The dealer wanted $450 to deliver it, my wife talked him down to $350 but our friend said he'd haul it no problem. He spent about $80 on diesel and she gave him some extra for his time and wear and tear. I think he wanted to haul it anyway and we picked a day that was too cold to do much anyhow. He has a big gooseneck dump trailer with removable wooden sides and removable end gate. Dealer gave us a clevis for the drawbar for tying it down and bought us our lunch.

Wife wanted a grapple for it since my son had a W.R. Long 3rd function put on the loader, who would argue with that, what a woman ;-) . So we took a roadtrip down to Denton, NC where there's about 4 or 5 places that make skid steer attachments. We were driving along and there was a new Mahindra dealer with about 40 tractors on his lot. We stopped just to take a look, wife has a hard time driving by a farm equipment dealer without stopping ;-) We asked if they sold skidsteer attachments and he said yea I've got a few things in stock now. We went and took a look and he had a CID 60" bucket grapple but was out of hay spears. He said he'd take $995 for the bucket grapple which was a very good price. We told him we would think about it and get back with him. We went to a couple other places and man some of the stuff we saw was rough and I mean rough. CID won't sell direct anymore so you have to go through a dealer so we didn't stop there. Took numerous tries to get through to the guy that gave us a price on the grapple to give us a package deal on a CID hay spear and the grapple. Found out days later he had been on the road delivering and transferring tractors and they wouldn't give out his cell number. Finally one guy got ahold of him and he said $1250 for both and we said we'll be down the next day to pick them up. The dealership is new and I know they have things to work out but I told them they might want to think about getting business cellphones if they're going to stay in the tractor business. I have the cellphone number of almost every dealer around here but never bother them on their cell unless it's absolutely necessary.

Probably going to need some serious ballast on the rear besides just loaded tires to use that grapple on much stuff.


----------



## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

Congratulations. Your son did well (with a little help from you).

It looks like the shopping and comparisons worked out well for you. Nice looking tractor.


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Thats a pretty little tractor. Your wife IS a fine woman! 

Kubota is tough to beat in the 25-125HP range.

Only thing I'm curious about: R-4 tires? Why not R-1's?


----------



## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

JD3430 said:


> Only thing I'm curious about: R-4 tires? Why not R-1's?


Less aggressive, probably less compaction. If a tractor is not used for tilling or steep slopes then they will be fine, maybe better. I like the idea when you have other tractors to work muddy conditions.


----------



## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

On the R-1's. They first said that's what they wanted until I checked the load range on the front 9.5x16 R-1's and they only have about 1400 lbs. per tire but these are 12x16.5" Titan 6 ply R-4s with 4200 lbs rating per tire. It's going to be 95% loader work and if like the other Kubota it's going to spend a lot of time on concrete on the cow lot, the farm used to be a Dairy and there's a lot of concrete, around 2 sides of the barn, around the milkhouse, the outside feeder and the bigger inside feeder and their run in shed has a concrete floor. Everyone told us the R-1's would ride better in the field but most likely the only time it'll be in the field is loading round bales, it might do a little spraying. I doubt the loader ever comes off. The L3940 is almost 5 years old and has never had the loader removed.

They put a heavier front axle and a higher capacity loader on this series so I wish they would offer more tire choices. With the weight of the tractor and the loader, no bucket, I think it tipping the scales at about 5200 lbs. So with 2 R-1's on the front and you're almost at the capacity of the tires without a bucket or any load. I'm sure there's lots of people out there running R-1's on these but they just seem a little light duty to me for loader work.

Now anybody got the scoop on any place with wheel weights cheaper than a $1 per pound  Supposedly the weights for the rear wheels are fairly universal on their weight bolt pattern. It seems like their about $1 a lbs. no matter where you go, even the Kubota dealers. They're making good money on wheel weights because there's almost nothing like this casted here anymore. I'll bet every dollar I got that 95% of all new wheel weights are coming from India.

Wheel weights and other tractors they will fit:

http://www.everythingattachments.com/product-p/nssc-3157-1-ww.htm


----------



## azmike (Jan 4, 2015)

It looks like your trailer is a "glove fit" for that tractor!


----------



## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

I see you finally got the wife a new convertible!

Looks great.


----------



## DSLinc1017 (Sep 27, 2009)

You will be happy, I have the exact set up and its been a great work horse.

Congrats!


----------



## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Did he get a canopy?


----------



## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

No canopy. Can't get in some of the sheds or the barn even with it folded down with a canopy. I devised a sorta ******* umbrella mount a few years ago of a 2x4 about 4 foot long and short piece underneath and clamps onto the ROPS with wingnuts when the ROPS is up and took a huge golf umbrella and cut the shaft off, drilled a couple holes through the shaft and hold it in place with a couple of push pins. It's 5 minute or less install.


----------



## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Grateful11 said:


> No canopy. Can't get in some of the sheds or the barn even with it folded down with a canopy. I devised a sorta ******* umbrella mount a few years ago of a 2x4 about 4 foot long and short piece underneath and clamps onto the ROPS with wingnuts when the ROPS is up and took a huge golf umbrella and cut the shaft off, drilled a couple holes through the shaft and hold it in place with a couple of push pins. It's 5 minute or less install.


I had something similar rigged up on my trencher and my RTV 'cept it was a 9' market unmbrella.  .....got a lot of strange looks from passerby's.....


----------

