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Smaller tractor brands

The John Deere 345 is the most suitable model for you according to the HP and dimensions you are looking for:

John-Deere-345.png
Where is the loader on that POS?

And that isn't a tractor, it's a lawn ornament.
 
On the farm we have JD tractors for the fields and JD for small stuff too like mowers etc. primarily because of service and parts in the area but JD sure pisses me off in some aspects. These are big articulates that pull 50' of implement but we do have smaller mowers etc. too and again it gets back to service and parts.
My neighbor has a Kubota that I use on occasion and we have a Kiote out at our range for mowing etc.
With my experience running both tractors that are about the same size, and same attachments, you couldn't run fast enough to sell me a Kiote. The Kubota will run circles around that lame ass Kiote.
Listen to Mr. Glasgow. He knows what he is talking about.
I also love Hydrostatic drive. IMHO that is the only way to go other than the big tractors.
We have 1 old IHC hydro row crop tractor from around 1966 with a bucket and hay forks and 8ft. box mower that I love to use. No ROPS, no cab, beat to shit, starts on the coldest days and other than oil changes and filters, fluid changes and more filters, it has no trips to the shop. It has never been split.
They don't build them that way anymore. Thanks .gov
Why is it beat to shit? because it works every time and is reliable and is easy to use. Probably older than most, but not all of you. That is a lot of years of hard use and it is still hanging in there.
 
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Lucky me, we sell and service mahindra. They are the worst pieces of shit ever. Parts are expensive, 1200 bucks for a starter. Parts shipping is 2 weeks from when the order is placed.
 
Pay close attention to the lug nuts holding the rear wheels on a Kubota........... Nuts are not tapered and wheel is not countersunk. Rear wheel loosens up and wallow's out holes. Dealer will remind buyer that he is supposed to tighten lug nuts every 20 hours of operation...... Never tightened a lug nut on any of my John Deere tractors. JMHO

Hobo
 
Pay close attention to the lug nuts holding the rear wheels on a Kubota........... Nuts are not tapered and wheel is not countersunk. Rear wheel loosens up and wallow's out holes. Dealer will remind buyer that he is supposed to tighten lug nuts every 20 hours of operation...... Never tightened a lug nut on any of my John Deere tractors. JMHO

Hobo
Torque the lugnuts to spec, check them every so often (not every 20hrs). The manual says every 50hrs, but customers never read their owners manual so I assume they aren't torquing their lugnuts either.

I can count on 1 hand how many wheels have been ruined from loose lugnuts and I've been a Kubota tech for almost 7 years.

It also depends on the model of tractor as to whether the nuts are tapered or not. If the wheel is hub centric it doesn't need tapered nuts, just lock washers and proper torque.

You buy a trailer (Load Trail, Big Tex, etc.) and they say to torque the lugnuts at 10, 25, 50, and 100 miles...wonder why...
 
On the farm we have JD tractors for the fields and JD for small stuff too like mowers etc. primarily because of service and parts in the area but JD sure pisses me off in some aspects. These are big articulates that pull 50' of implement but we do have smaller mowers etc. too and again it gets back to service and parts.
My neighbor has a Kubota that I use on occasion and we have a Kiote out at our range for mowing etc.
With my experience running both tractors that are about the same size, and same attachments, you couldn't run fast enough to sell me a Kiote. The Kubota will run circles around that lame ass Kiote.
Listen to Mr. Glasgow. He knows what he is talking about.
I also love Hydrostatic drive. IMHO that is the only way to go other than the big tractors.
We have 1 old IHC hydro row crop tractor from around 1966 with a bucket and hay forks and 8ft. box mower that I love to use. No ROPS, no cab, beat to shit, starts on the coldest days and other than oil changes and filters, fluid changes and more filters, it has no trips to the shop. It has never been split.
They don't build them that way anymore. Thanks .gov
Why is it beat to shit? because it works every time and is reliable and is easy to use. Probably older than most, but not all of you. That is a lot of years of hard use and it is still hanging in there.
All the large tractors on our farm are JD. Mowers are Hustler. All pre def by probably 15 years. With that being said......I HATE JD! I like the ones I have, but I hate JD and it's marketing plan. Their research dept is nothing more than a Xerox machine. Service is crap. Parts are always in a couple of days. EVERYTHING is proprietary. No going to tractor supply for spray fittings. JD is a corporate monster that suppresses new technologies.
 
I have a Kubota. The controls are much smoother and the overall operation is above and beyond the orange lookalike.
If you have a dealership nearby I'd recommend one. You get what you pay for.
 
Kinda chewing on getting a smaller sized tractor for the GF. Looking at brands like mahindra, LS, massey ferguson, etc. not a big fan of john deere-as the dealers here are fucking assholes and i think you pay a bunch just for the name.

Looking to see what the folks here have experienced. Looking to get one with a quick change bucket on the front, a three point hitch, and possibly a backhoe attachment.

What say you?
I have a Massey Ferguson compact tractor with bucket and back-hoe attachments. It's been awesome around my ranch for 7 years. Very well-made. Use it for everything from clearing snow, to leveling paddocks, to digging dog-graves.
 
There is not a guard of any kind under the hyd filter on that model.
This was a plate between the tractor and filter. The filter had fluid in it, so it wasn't preventing fluid from going in the filter. I was just changing filters, not fluid, so didn't have a lot of time to investigate. Left it in place.
 
Ohhhhh good lord , here we go .
John deere is just a overpriced paint job , blah,blah,blah,blah what a bunch of poors !
I guess some of you would buy a Olympic arms because Wilson combat is just a overpriced paint job.
I agree JD has some practices that are going in the wrong direction, but as far as the machine goes , if you think apples to apples they are on par with , Kubota, Mahindra, kioti , well I would suggest you take your medicine as prescribed and not whenever you feel like it.
 
Kioti=Chinese junk
Mahindra=India, China, or S. Korea. and is mostly junk.

JD only beats Kubota in the tractor lineup larger than 200hp because Kubota doesn't make a tractor larger than that. That isn't an opinion, that is a FACT.
 
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This was a plate between the tractor and filter. The filter had fluid in it, so it wasn't preventing fluid from going in the filter. I was just changing filters, not fluid, so didn't have a lot of time to investigate. Left it in place.
Was it a magnet? There is usually a magnet in there that is transferable. Hopefully you are replacing them with Kubota filters and topping off with Kubota hyd fluid.
 
Kioti=Chinese junk
Mahindra=India, China, or S. Korea. and is mostly junk.

JD only beats Kubota in the tractor lineup larger than 200hp because Kubota doesn't make a tractor larger than that. That isn't an opinion, that is a FACT.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Ya , ok ...... 👍
I guess thats why when you compare a Kubota to a John deere with the exact same hp , the Jd always has more lift capacity, higher gpm hyd flow rate , and so on .
The details are in the machines specs .
So I guess when the Kubota specs don't match the JD its a better machine .
you must be using common core math 👌

The mass majority of people who buy a compact tractor never even look at the specs of the machine. They always run around simply price shopping tractors . You get what you pay for ............specs , quality .
 
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Was it a magnet? There is usually a magnet in there that is transferable. Hopefully you are replacing them with Kubota filters and topping off with Kubota hyd fluid.
Wix filters and the same trans/hyd fluid I us in other tractors. Now I'm a little worried about the fluid. Only lost about 1.5 gal.
 
The Kubota fluid is a synthetic oil that isn't comparable to any other type. Pump life will suffer if you don't use it, and the filters have a better micron rating than Wix or any filter brand.
 
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🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Ya , ok ...... 👍
I guess thats why when you compare a Kubota to a John deere with the exact same hp , the Jd always has more lift capacity, higher gpm hyd flow rate , and so on .
The details are in the machines specs .
So I guess when the Kubota specs don't match the JD its a better machine .
you must be using common core math 👌

The mass majority of people who buy a compact tractor never even look at the specs of the machine. They always run around simply price shopping tractors . You get what you pay for ............specs , quality .
Depends on the tractor. Around here 5075E cab and M7060 cab are priced about the same. Compare those specs.
 
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Ya , ok ...... 👍
I guess thats why when you compare a Kubota to a John deere with the exact same hp , the Jd always has more lift capacity, higher gpm hyd flow rate , and so on .
The details are in the machines specs .
So I guess when the Kubota specs don't match the JD its a better machine .
you must be using common core math 👌

The mass majority of people who buy a compact tractor never even look at the specs of the machine. They always run around simply price shopping tractors . You get what you pay for ............specs , quality .
You want to talk quality and think JD is better?

Keep thinking that when Yanmar is who JD uses for engines, and how much plastic is on those tractors like the hood, fenders, etc.

Hydraulic capability is within +- a few gallons or so through the range of tractors compared to the JD so that's basically a wash. Loader capacities are similar as well, but 3-point weight capacities Kubota takes the win.

Don't even get me started on construction equipment comparisons. JD has nothing for Kubota in that arena.
 
Kubota for the win. We have had 2 of their small tractors that just run. Regular maintenance, and they just run. Couldn't possibly tell you about parts availability or price since 1996 or so, when we bought the first one. My nephew still has it, and it still has the original bearings and spindles in the mower deck, after mowing 2-6 acres in the south every year for 24 years.
 
For field tractors, say 90 hp to 175hp, I've always felt the JD's are tough to beat. I'm partial to the 4440's, 4450's, 55's and 7810's. The longer wheelbase, reliable, and have the nuts to pull whatever. But since JD started putting equipment in the big box stores quality has deteriorated. I bought a kubota skid steer & have been happy with it. Lots of room in the cab and easy to service. I know a lot of guys run the Case machines in the bigger hp. Been curious about the older mx or magnum machines with the Cummins 6bt. The electrical issues have kept me from pulling the trigger. As far as mowers go, Scag here. Can't really help with the smaller hp tractors however, never really had a need.
 
@forrestgump01 Check out this sexy asain chick! You know you like it! Better specs than the comparable Deere. If it was painted JD Green Deere would call it the RX model and want $100k for it! 😆


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iu



The next time Gump sees his Deere dealer:

iu
 
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I bought a Branson a couple of years ago(3520H), no complaints. Dealer was farther away than Kubota and Mahindra, but the
Kubota dealer wouldn't get out of his chair and talk to me after 2 attempts. I wanted as little emissions equipment as possible and
mechanical fuel injection so this was the choice.
 
KUBOTA IS HARD TO BEAT FOR FOR THE $. WE HAVE RAN OURS HARD
 
I had an "old" JD 850, one of the first "little" tractors out there. Basically a rebranded Yanmar, not unlike small JD tractors of today. And it was a very good machine, little Yanmar diesels are fantastic little engines, the issue was you could not find parts for it. Yanmar did not want to claim it, and JD said talk to Yanmar. Needed a bearing for the mule drive, I went round and round and finally sourced one myself, JD could not find it under the tractor, or the deck. Yanmar only supplied the tractor, said JD supplied the attachments. When it hit about 4k hours it started to need an overhaul and I just unloaded it.

After that experience and seeing just how well JD stands behind its products I was not going to buy a JD. Liked the little MF 1700 series but again put together from parts from all over the place, and I was worried about parts down the road. Mahindra just felt cheap....everything on it just felt a step below everything else. A little like sitting in a Ford then sitting in a Kia....there is just something that feels cheaper, the plastics, the seat, just did not give me a warm and fuzzy. Ended up with a Kubota BX25D, now this was SEVERAL years ago, around when that model first came out....but it was par for the course with all the others price wise, plus kubota made everything but the tires and lines. One stop shop. Being still very pissed over my JD experience I went with kubota.

So far my little machine has around 400 hours and is still running very well. It does have a quick attach bucket, and I also have a land pride grapple, that is a very handy little gizmo. Lifts more then it should, if you don't have weight on the back it will pull the back wheels off the ground with a heavy load in the bucket or grapple.

So far no issues and am very happy.

I really liked the MF, but that supply chain had me worried.
 
Had great service from 4 Kubotas 24-70hp from 20 years old to 4 years old. That said.....if I had big tractor crop needs then I'm going to buy a JD. In the medium to compact size I'll continue to buy Kubota. Biggest things I use regular are a 12' batwing and a 10' rolling basket tine cultivator, 8' no till drill and 48' boom sprayer. If I was dragging V rippers and big gang disks the iron horse JD's are damn near indestructible....and easy to work on when needed. I live in rural farm country. All the big field crop boys run green. Most of the chicken farmers run Kubota. Rarely see any other brand.
 
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Another reason I shy away from JD is their stance on right to repair. Just another thing to think about when spending real money on a new machine.
 
Another reason I shy away from JD is their stance on right to repair. Just another thing to think about when spending real money on a new machine.
Can you expand on that for those of us that don't know and also how it compares to others (Kubota)?
 

As far as I know, Kubota doesn't support it. GM and a few other companies do.

I'm not allowed to modify software without permission through Kubota either. All software updates are very controlled, we basically upload a software file to the machine.
 
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I have a 2000 4300 JD with Hydros and 4wd with around 1000hrs on it. My father has a Kubota of very similar size and options about 5 years old.
I have used both of them for many hours and I can tell you the only thing I like better on the JD are the ergo's. The Kubota has had zero mechanical issues with the Kubota while the JD has had lots of issues. Both rear seals gone out $1500 per side, broke off the three point hitch just using a box scrape $2500, transmission issues $3500, fuel pump went out at 500 hrs.
I am about to sell the JD and will have a Kubota next year.
 
bought a 1025r john deere and used it all around the house and deer plots just traded up to the 35 hp model. my choices would be either a deere or a kubota
 
For 20 acres and large animal work I would be looking to at least a mid to large compact utility tractor. I've had 4 Kubota tractors, currently have a large frame GL cab and a subcompact BX so Kubota is what I am familiar with. All bought used and very few problems that were not my fault (clearing land is hard on tractors). Some thoughts (sorry if you already know this):
-get the biggest loader offered with the tractor - this should be apparent but tractors do come without loaders. Make sure the loader will pick up what you need, small and mid size tractor loaders are not forklifts or skid steers.
-make sure the loader has a skid steer quick attach.
-consider front hydraulics on the loader (grapple actuation, plow angle) and how many rear hydraulic circuits you might need. They can be added later but it gets expensive.
-extendible rear links make hooking up 3 point attachments MUCH easier. So does a hydraulic top link (1 rear hydraulic circuit required)
-What tires are you considering? R4s will be more puncture resistant/wear longer but Ags will have much better traction in mud/manure.
-for Kubotas load the rear tires and get a rear counterweight. Put rear tires in the wide spaced position. Kubota loaders are powerful and the ass end is light. Moving a full bucket of stone or a large round bale without ballast is dangerous.
-My GL has the tier 4 emissions. It has 800 hours (400 are from me) and I have not had a problem. On the other hand, the underside of the GL is soft. We've damaged hydraulic lines, hydraulic filters and jammed sticks in the underside while clearing/brush hogging land. The front hydraulics are stupidly positioned and Kubota doesn't offer a skid plate.
-Tractorbynet has lots of info on all brands of tractors and attachments.