Kubota L3800 Reviews
L3800 Excellent Tractor
Model Year: 2011
Tractor does the jobs very well for what I bought it for. It's small enough that I can mow the grass or go through the woods on our ATV trails. I have the FEL and never take it off the tractor. The FEL is the most used attachment I have. This is a very good basic tractor that will go just about anywhere in mud and slop. I added a horn. I found this to be an essential item and more useful than a backup alarm, especially when you need to get someone's attention. Equipped with: 3 cylinder 37 HP diesel, 4 wheel drive, locking rear differential, R4 tires, hydrostatic transmission with clutch, power steering, front end loader with quick detach 66" bucket, 3 point hitch, foldable ROPS
Pros: Tough reliable tractor.
Cons: None.
Model Year: 2011
Tractor does the jobs very well for what I bought it for. It's small enough that I can mow the grass or go through the woods on our ATV trails. I have the FEL and never take it off the tractor. The FEL is the most used attachment I have. This is a very good basic tractor that will go just about anywhere in mud and slop. I added a horn. I found this to be an essential item and more useful than a backup alarm, especially when you need to get someone's attention. Equipped with: 3 cylinder 37 HP diesel, 4 wheel drive, locking rear differential, R4 tires, hydrostatic transmission with clutch, power steering, front end loader with quick detach 66" bucket, 3 point hitch, foldable ROPS
Pros: Tough reliable tractor.
Cons: None.
Kubota L3800
Model Year: 2011
Only 16 hours but am very happy with the tractor. I went with the 3800 because of it's simplicity and ease of operation. I have about 7 hours bush hogging steep slopes, used the loader for 5-6 tons of driveway stone and the balance discing, pulling a Gill Pulverizer and broadcast spreading grass seed and fertilizer. I did get a set of forks for it and glad I did, very useful. Next spring I'll get to try it out with a 5 foot rototiller and am expecting no disappointment there after what I've experienced so far.
Pros: Simple, reliable.
Cons: None.
Model Year: 2011
Only 16 hours but am very happy with the tractor. I went with the 3800 because of it's simplicity and ease of operation. I have about 7 hours bush hogging steep slopes, used the loader for 5-6 tons of driveway stone and the balance discing, pulling a Gill Pulverizer and broadcast spreading grass seed and fertilizer. I did get a set of forks for it and glad I did, very useful. Next spring I'll get to try it out with a 5 foot rototiller and am expecting no disappointment there after what I've experienced so far.
Pros: Simple, reliable.
Cons: None.
L3800HST - Very Pleased!
Model Year: 2011
What a great tractor! What can it not do? I compared it to the smaller Kubota models like the B2630, B2920, B3300, and others, but the L3800HST is a 1000 pounds heavier, and larger, and more ground clearance, but in the same price range. For my application, that was a good thing. I think it's an excellent value tractor! It was considerably less expensive than what the local Deere dealership could offer. I didn't look at other brands. The Kubota dealer is a 1 minute drive away from my office, which helped. It looked crazy-big in the dealership (it was parked beside the tiny-looking BX25 and the B3300SU), and I was a bit worried, but in the field it has turned out to be "just right". Any smaller would have been too small for rough terrain (rock, bush, etc), and any bigger would have been a problem too, because of barn clearances. The folding ROPS is useful for height clearance issues (and mowing). And bigger would have made it "silly" for mowing, too. There is no mid-PTO or cruise control, neither of which I needed. I figure the reduced complexity is actually a good thing, maintenance-wise. The 66" FEL is very nice. The quick-attach feature (optional) is a godsend. Get it! It makes life much easier, and is very simple to use. The BH77 backhoe has pulled some impressive rocks out of my dirt roads. The optional mechanical thumb is extremely helpful for this. If you get a backhoe, get the thumb. It's inexpensive, and really boosts productivity. The dealer contacted me a month or two after delivery to replace a pin in the backhoe, on a mandatory recall, which is good - design errors happen, but it's good to see that Kubota actively fixes them. The backhoe has a separate seat. It works well for me, with my classically proportioned body
It might be a bit small for someone with an ample gut, though. It's amazing how the backhoe stabilizers can lift the entire tractor off the ground. Wow. That's useful for installing chains on the tires. It's easy to remove the backhoe. It's a bit harder to re-install it, but practice will help a lot. You just need to align it carefully, and be careful not to pinch any hoses. I've used the 3PH/PTO with a 72" Landpride rear finish mower. The hitch is indeed very jerky, when raising it small amounts. It is smooth if you raise it in a large step. The jerkiness is mildly annoying, but ultimately doesn't really affect anything. The 3PH does have position control, which I haven't used yet (the mower uses the "float" setting). The plastic toolbox is laughable. The lid has already been torn off by a branch. Minor issue. The 4WD is very impressive when trying to escape a mud patch or ice patch. Lots of power for my needs. In the high gear, travel speed is about as fast as I would want it to be. The dash is simple and clean. No frills, just the basic info. I do wish it had an alarm to remind you to disengage the parking brake before driving. Duh - I'll learn. Otherwise, it has lots of interlocks to protect you - it turns off if you have the PTO engaged and you get out of your seat, for example. Which is good, when using a mower. (I believe flipping the seat will defeat this protection, but it's best not too.) I had the rear tires filled with Rimguard for stability, and the wheels positioned at their maximum possible width, since I have lots of sloped terrain. I ordered R4 industrial tires. They seem to work well on the lawn areas - no tearing. Some grooves on too-wet ground in the early spring, but that's to be expected. I bought a tilt meter from the store on this site, and confirmed that a 15 degree tilt really does start to get scary. 5 degrees is nothing, 10 degrees is about the maximum comfortable tilt, 15 is starting to raise your hair. I wish I had ordered additional rear remotes, to power a hydraulic log splitter. Live and learn, but not a big deal. The oil flow (gpm) could be higher, though. It's a little low to really drive a log splitter at ideal speeds. I asked for the "workshop manual" when ordering, and the dealer supplied this detailed 400 page repair manual in PDF format. Great resource! The dealer has been very helpful, and provided a lot of quotes and a lot of good advice (like the quick-attach on the FEL, and a slip-clutch on the bush-hog, etc.) Overall, I'm delighted with it. I'm glad I didn't go smaller. I don't miss any of the frills on pricier tractors. It's a great workhorse!
Pros: Good price, great value, heavier and wider than similar models, nice FEL and BH.
Cons: Flimsy toolbox, jerky 3PH, but nothing major.
Model Year: 2011
What a great tractor! What can it not do? I compared it to the smaller Kubota models like the B2630, B2920, B3300, and others, but the L3800HST is a 1000 pounds heavier, and larger, and more ground clearance, but in the same price range. For my application, that was a good thing. I think it's an excellent value tractor! It was considerably less expensive than what the local Deere dealership could offer. I didn't look at other brands. The Kubota dealer is a 1 minute drive away from my office, which helped. It looked crazy-big in the dealership (it was parked beside the tiny-looking BX25 and the B3300SU), and I was a bit worried, but in the field it has turned out to be "just right". Any smaller would have been too small for rough terrain (rock, bush, etc), and any bigger would have been a problem too, because of barn clearances. The folding ROPS is useful for height clearance issues (and mowing). And bigger would have made it "silly" for mowing, too. There is no mid-PTO or cruise control, neither of which I needed. I figure the reduced complexity is actually a good thing, maintenance-wise. The 66" FEL is very nice. The quick-attach feature (optional) is a godsend. Get it! It makes life much easier, and is very simple to use. The BH77 backhoe has pulled some impressive rocks out of my dirt roads. The optional mechanical thumb is extremely helpful for this. If you get a backhoe, get the thumb. It's inexpensive, and really boosts productivity. The dealer contacted me a month or two after delivery to replace a pin in the backhoe, on a mandatory recall, which is good - design errors happen, but it's good to see that Kubota actively fixes them. The backhoe has a separate seat. It works well for me, with my classically proportioned body
It might be a bit small for someone with an ample gut, though. It's amazing how the backhoe stabilizers can lift the entire tractor off the ground. Wow. That's useful for installing chains on the tires. It's easy to remove the backhoe. It's a bit harder to re-install it, but practice will help a lot. You just need to align it carefully, and be careful not to pinch any hoses. I've used the 3PH/PTO with a 72" Landpride rear finish mower. The hitch is indeed very jerky, when raising it small amounts. It is smooth if you raise it in a large step. The jerkiness is mildly annoying, but ultimately doesn't really affect anything. The 3PH does have position control, which I haven't used yet (the mower uses the "float" setting). The plastic toolbox is laughable. The lid has already been torn off by a branch. Minor issue. The 4WD is very impressive when trying to escape a mud patch or ice patch. Lots of power for my needs. In the high gear, travel speed is about as fast as I would want it to be. The dash is simple and clean. No frills, just the basic info. I do wish it had an alarm to remind you to disengage the parking brake before driving. Duh - I'll learn. Otherwise, it has lots of interlocks to protect you - it turns off if you have the PTO engaged and you get out of your seat, for example. Which is good, when using a mower. (I believe flipping the seat will defeat this protection, but it's best not too.) I had the rear tires filled with Rimguard for stability, and the wheels positioned at their maximum possible width, since I have lots of sloped terrain. I ordered R4 industrial tires. They seem to work well on the lawn areas - no tearing. Some grooves on too-wet ground in the early spring, but that's to be expected. I bought a tilt meter from the store on this site, and confirmed that a 15 degree tilt really does start to get scary. 5 degrees is nothing, 10 degrees is about the maximum comfortable tilt, 15 is starting to raise your hair. I wish I had ordered additional rear remotes, to power a hydraulic log splitter. Live and learn, but not a big deal. The oil flow (gpm) could be higher, though. It's a little low to really drive a log splitter at ideal speeds. I asked for the "workshop manual" when ordering, and the dealer supplied this detailed 400 page repair manual in PDF format. Great resource! The dealer has been very helpful, and provided a lot of quotes and a lot of good advice (like the quick-attach on the FEL, and a slip-clutch on the bush-hog, etc.) Overall, I'm delighted with it. I'm glad I didn't go smaller. I don't miss any of the frills on pricier tractors. It's a great workhorse!Pros: Good price, great value, heavier and wider than similar models, nice FEL and BH.
Cons: Flimsy toolbox, jerky 3PH, but nothing major.
New L3800!
Model Year: 2011
As of this writing we are building our new home on a 170 acre lot in New York. We have been using the 3800 to grade the work site and the gravel road leading up to it. The road is 1/4 mile long and with a fair grade. My builder, who grew up on a farm, raves about the quality of the tractor and its power and ease of operation. He was lobbying for me to buy a manual shift machine instead of the hydrostatic. Now that he has driven it he loves the hydro and I am starting to have second thoughts about giving him the key! Our site is unimproved and with the record rains this spring we have plenty of opportunities to use the box blade that we bought with the unit lots of work. Again, my builder never thought that he'd have use for a box blade and now that he's used it he sees its value. The tractor is so far a 5 star machine!
Pros: Service support, quality, power, size for the job.
Cons: None.
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Model Year: 2011
As of this writing we are building our new home on a 170 acre lot in New York. We have been using the 3800 to grade the work site and the gravel road leading up to it. The road is 1/4 mile long and with a fair grade. My builder, who grew up on a farm, raves about the quality of the tractor and its power and ease of operation. He was lobbying for me to buy a manual shift machine instead of the hydrostatic. Now that he has driven it he loves the hydro and I am starting to have second thoughts about giving him the key! Our site is unimproved and with the record rains this spring we have plenty of opportunities to use the box blade that we bought with the unit lots of work. Again, my builder never thought that he'd have use for a box blade and now that he's used it he sees its value. The tractor is so far a 5 star machine!
Pros: Service support, quality, power, size for the job.
Cons: None.
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So far, so good.
Model Year: 2011
The tractor is exceeding my expectations. I've owned Kubota for over 17 years, but this is my first new one. It has easily done everything I've asked so far. I was worried that it might be to heavy for lawn mowing but it has done fine even with all the rain we've had.
Pros: Excellent power, great power steering, comfortable to operate.
Cons: None yet.
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Model Year: 2011
The tractor is exceeding my expectations. I've owned Kubota for over 17 years, but this is my first new one. It has easily done everything I've asked so far. I was worried that it might be to heavy for lawn mowing but it has done fine even with all the rain we've had.
Pros: Excellent power, great power steering, comfortable to operate.
Cons: None yet.
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