Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Compact tractors

My brother-n-law has a mahindra and I thought it was a Kubota for the longest time.

My decision would be based on whether I was a wrencher or not.

You can find alot of parts for Kubota, both new and used pretty easily.

not sure about Mahindra.

I just bought a Kubota L3800 (38HP) last year (the new model would be a L3901). The basic L series is their economy model and works fine for my needs on 7 acres. The loader will lift about 1000lbs, the 3-point around 1700lbs and I also have a 7.5 backhoe and a 5' medium duty rotary cutter.

If you can swing it, bump up to a Kubota L60 (pick your horsepower). It's a heavier machine with higher spec's and will have greater weight and versatility. In the tractor world, weight is needed for ground engaging equipment (plows, cultivators, harrows). In my case, I use mine doing yard chores too, so the lighter weight L actually was desirable.

I can't get past all the plastic on the JD's. The Mahindra's seem nice, but they're a little rough (crappy paint, rougher castings).

As some others have said, see if you have a LS dealer near you. They make a decent tractor with a reasonable price. You'd be able to get the features and spec's of a Kubota L60 at the price of a basic Kubota L.

Truth be told, virtually all compact and subcompact tractors are made in asia, typically Japan or Korea. Daedong, Shibaru, Mitsubishi, TYM make all the tractors for all the big names.

++1 on the Kioti.I own a 2012 Kioti DK40 cab HST model.It has been flawless.

I have a 45 hp kubota and a 33 hp NH for cutting grass. The NH doesn't have enough power and the kubota is 14-15 years old with less than 200 hrs.

I will look at the Massey Ferguson or Mahindra next time. I will never buy JD....if they weren't green sales would be cut in half. Too many problems with JD.

The last time I looked at Mahindra's...I think the final drive was a bull gear....good system.

take a look at Kioti....made in South Korea..

this pic was mine new 6 yrs ago...now has only 260 hrs..

3 cyl diesel...35 HP...4x4..5 speed manual tranny

with Hi/Low range.....paid $17K new w/loader & 2 inpliments

great machine...easy to maintain...CK35 is model...

This^^^

My best advice about buying a compact tractor would be not to buy a compact tractor. Buy something bigger than you think you'll need and eventually you'll be glad you did. The reason there are so many compact tractors for sale is people buy what they think they can get away with and realize they should have bought bigger.

I picked up a Deere 3038e 4 years ago. I narrowed my choices down to it and Kubota's L3800 mainly because they were the 2 closest dealers. I think the Kubota was probably a better machine, but it was also a couple of thousand more than the Deere which came with a trailer and bushhog and 0%.

After several years of use I've no complaints about the Deere. My main uses are bushhogging, blading my driveway, and using the front end loader for pulling posts/moving dirt/etc. I love the hydrostat drive, especially since my pastures have lot of corners/crooks. If you're working in open areas, especially if doing a lot of ground engagement, then a geared drive would be better.

Weight, especially in regards to how light weight tractors are now, can have pro's and con's. If you're doing lots of ground engagement you want the weight for traction. I really like how light the Deere is. It allows me to bushhog right up to the edge of my pond without sinking...the wider industrial tire helps here compared to an ag tire which is a little thinner but bites more.

When you're making your choices on what you'll get think about how you'll use it. If you're going to disk/plow/ground engage in open areas think heavy with a geared transmission. If you're working in a lot of tight spots, turning/backing then a hydrostat transmission is really nice.

If you own a JD…..you gotta be close to a dealer………..

lol.... Guess I've been lucky so far. Only problem I've had is I lost the coolant/overflow cap and noticed it when bushhogging, not sure when it happened. There was trash from bushhogging in it so I had to flush everything but I can't fault JD for that.

Used it this morning to pull up old creosote corner posts that had been in the ground for a LONG time. Took a while to loosen them then lift them out with the loader and a chain. Drug a few saplings out of the ground attaching a chain to the draw bar...which suprised me as dry as the ground is here I didn't think I'd get them out.

I'm no expert on all the different tractors out there. I can say this one's been a good one for me but everyone's use isn't the same.

Everybody gets a lemon once in a while - it appears you had been chosen for one..

All I've had wrong with the two I've had since '03 was a crap battery and one switch that's failed... Big whoop..

Picked up a JD 3032e and haven't had an issue, great machine.

I have had more than my share of JD iron. Mostly heavy iron. i can't fault that machinery too much….of course, I compare every thing to Cat.
I pushed jobs for 30+ years everything from slip form paving to mass dirt.

Been outta that since '91…..but I can remember going thru 2500-2800 Gals. diesel a day on 1 job.

But my JD criticism. is the farm machinery. Mostly from friends and relatives…not too pleased,….. big factor is fuel usuage.

The last piece I had was a JD diesel "garden tractor" the biggest made by them. Yanmar engine, electric clutch. take radiator out, take engine out to change electric clutch.
Goofy endless belt system, I am sure engineered, by some one that hated all mankind.
I replaced cheesy belt tensioning pulleys , re-bushed every thing, on a regular basis..
Front axle forging broke, electric fuel pump crapped out. Took everything apart put pump in, put 'er back together. Frizzin' pump no good start all over.

When we finally sold it to a blind sided JD GREEN lover, we drank for 2 days.
No I will not even allow any family or friend s own JD.

On another note:
The very best piece of machinery ….JD ever made was the 350 'Dozer.
I wore out couple of them.

I say Kubota, solid tractor.

What size/hp is that tractor?

Here ya go.

http://www.tractordata.com/farm-tractors/001/8/3/1834-kubota-l4240.html

Nice.

I like the cab.

It pretty much mirrors my Mahindra 4510 w/cab. 45hp and very useful.

Wish were closer. We could swap out implements.

Have a 72" rotary tiller, 72" shredder, and the PHD.

Yep, I enjoy the grapple most, very useful implement.

I need one, being in the brush control business.