Kubota L3940 Reviews
Great Machine - Grand L 3940 HSTC Model
Model Year: 2010
I bought this with the reverse till tiller and loader. I can't get the brake indicator to work all the time. It has a bad connection in the front left flasher. The left front hub leaked at 300 hours and then the right one at 500 hours. I think that they now have an improved seal. The mid power take-off indicator doesn't come on unless the handle is held up. I added rear work lights and should have gotten the rear wiper. It has an awesome turning radius and can turn on a dime. A great upgrade from my old L245DT. I have a Woods T310, 10-foot 3-point backhoe that I run on it. The loader attaches and detaches easily which is nice. The tractor fits into small spots.
Pros: Awesome turning radius, just big enough for big jobs and small enough for yard work
Cons: Front axle leaks and problems with some indicators
Model Year: 2010
I bought this with the reverse till tiller and loader. I can't get the brake indicator to work all the time. It has a bad connection in the front left flasher. The left front hub leaked at 300 hours and then the right one at 500 hours. I think that they now have an improved seal. The mid power take-off indicator doesn't come on unless the handle is held up. I added rear work lights and should have gotten the rear wiper. It has an awesome turning radius and can turn on a dime. A great upgrade from my old L245DT. I have a Woods T310, 10-foot 3-point backhoe that I run on it. The loader attaches and detaches easily which is nice. The tractor fits into small spots.
Pros: Awesome turning radius, just big enough for big jobs and small enough for yard work
Cons: Front axle leaks and problems with some indicators
Workhorse
Model Year: 2008
This is an amazing tractor. It has never let me down. It has a brush hog, snow blower, box blade, and an auger that I have used for over 200 posts. I've pulled stumps and moved tons and tons of gravel. It handles everything flawlessly. I've recently added a Z724 zero turn and RTV900 to my orange collection. I love this tractor!
Pros: Very reliable
Cons: None that come to mind
Model Year: 2008
This is an amazing tractor. It has never let me down. It has a brush hog, snow blower, box blade, and an auger that I have used for over 200 posts. I've pulled stumps and moved tons and tons of gravel. It handles everything flawlessly. I've recently added a Z724 zero turn and RTV900 to my orange collection. I love this tractor!
Pros: Very reliable
Cons: None that come to mind
Too Big And Too Little
Model Year: 2007
For my uses the tractor is too big and too little. Mine has a cab and with that it's too big to get in the tight spots for my mowing and I can't get through all my trails in the woods. And I've already wished the tractor was a little bigger when using the loader/grapple to move downed trees etc. All in all, it's a really nice tractor. The roof to the cab seems like it's a cheap plastic that will crack or break easily. It's already faded to a different color than the body. The auto throttle and HST+ are really handy features.
Pros: Very comfortable cab
Cons: Could use more powe
Model Year: 2007
For my uses the tractor is too big and too little. Mine has a cab and with that it's too big to get in the tight spots for my mowing and I can't get through all my trails in the woods. And I've already wished the tractor was a little bigger when using the loader/grapple to move downed trees etc. All in all, it's a really nice tractor. The roof to the cab seems like it's a cheap plastic that will crack or break easily. It's already faded to a different color than the body. The auto throttle and HST+ are really handy features.
Pros: Very comfortable cab
Cons: Could use more powe
Kubota L3940 HST
Model Year: 2009
I was given this tractor in a will by a dear friend who passed away. He was a generous man and gave to others to his own hurt sometimes. I just have a small home with less than an acre, but the church I pastor has an eight acre tract of land of which I bush hog four. It has been a great tractor. It is very well built. I was helping one of the people in my church with some bush hogging when it just stopped and gave me a code N error 20. I am waiting from a dealer for parts. Other than this, it has been a great tractor.
Pros: Sturdy and well made
Cons: So far none
Model Year: 2009
I was given this tractor in a will by a dear friend who passed away. He was a generous man and gave to others to his own hurt sometimes. I just have a small home with less than an acre, but the church I pastor has an eight acre tract of land of which I bush hog four. It has been a great tractor. It is very well built. I was helping one of the people in my church with some bush hogging when it just stopped and gave me a code N error 20. I am waiting from a dealer for parts. Other than this, it has been a great tractor.
Pros: Sturdy and well made
Cons: So far none
Hard Worker
Model Year: 2007
This tractor is the best investment I've ever made. It is perfect for my property, as it is small enough to work in tight spots through and around all the trees, but the power it has is amazing. I skid very large trees to my process area, and it does this effortlessly as long as you use the proper gear range. It is very fuel efficient as an added bonus.
Pros: Reliable, powerful puller
Cons: None
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Model Year: 2007
This tractor is the best investment I've ever made. It is perfect for my property, as it is small enough to work in tight spots through and around all the trees, but the power it has is amazing. I skid very large trees to my process area, and it does this effortlessly as long as you use the proper gear range. It is very fuel efficient as an added bonus.
Pros: Reliable, powerful puller
Cons: None
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Kubota L3940 Is A Workhorse
Model Year: 2011
Tractor does everything asked of it and continues to amaze me. This is my first utility tractor. Before I bought it, I read a lot of forums about how many projects owners find for their tractors beyond the ones for which the tractor was originally purchased. That has been the case with me as well. Looking back to the time before I had the tractor, I sometimes wonder how we managed without. There are many things that we would never have been able to undertake by ourselves without the tractor. But there are just as many or more things that we got by without, but are able to complete much faster and with less effort and aches and pains now that the tractor performs the bull work. Even my wife, who was initially uncertain about the tractor ever being able to justify its expense has come up with a long list of projects that are now possibilities with the tractor's muscle. There are a lot of bells and whistles that I don't really need, but that do come in awfully handy with this tractor. One of the recurring recommendations from other owners that I took to heart when buying this tractor was to get the most tractor I could afford. I was originally looking at a Ford T2220, a John Deere 3520, and the Grand L3940. Going into the research, the Ford was the front runner, but I gravitated toward the John Deere, looking at the Kubota as the overkill Cadillac of the group. Ultimately, it was the hydraulic thumb that clinched the deal for me. The John Deere dealer was very accommodating and was ready to install a Woods after market hydraulic thumb on the backhoe for me. But the Kubota was the only one of the three tractors that offered a hydraulic thumb from the factory. So that's the way I went. And since then, I've been very pleased and am pretty sure I have the heaviest duty tractor of the group I had under consideration. In addition to the tractor, I have the LA724 loader, the BH92 backhoe w/ a hydraulic thumb, and the L2195 72 inch snowblower. The loader has worked beautifully to date and saved me a lot of time hauling anything from mulch to gravel to top soil. I've even used it to haul some tree stumps, some requiring log chains to hold the stumps in place for the ride. The backhoe is the most useful thing about the tractor, and the hydraulic thumb increases its usefulness 10 times over. If you can afford a hydraulic thumb, get one. You won't regret it. We use the backhoe to do some trenching work, but mostly to pick up trees, logs, rocks, and just about anything else that needs to be manipulated. It took a little practice, but after a while it becomes like an extension of your body. The snowblower was probably the toughest expense to justify. But I clear off a lot of driveway and we've put the snowblower to great use every winter since we've had it. It's probably faster to just plow the snow off with a quad when less than 4 inches fall. But over 4 inches, the snowblower is a sight to behold. And it proved to be about the only machine for miles around that was able to handle the heavy snowfall from two huge blizzards that we've seen, one of them dumping almost three feet of snow on us. I was asked for help from neighbors who's contractors could not make it through snow that accumulated as fast as it did in Winter Storm Nemo. With plows, there comes a limiting point where you can move the snow if there's no where to push it. The snowblower solves that problem by picking it up and tossing it - a long ways. Depending on the consistency of the snow, we've probably seen the snowblower throw the snow in excess of 50 feet, not counting what wind can do if you're lucky enough to get it working with you.
Pros: The Kubota is a solid, extremely useful tractor. I think any compact utility tractor will increase the list of potential projects that can be tackled. But the Kubota seems more rugged than some of the other tractors I've used and of the bunch I was considering at the time to buy. It's an amazingly easy tractor to use and its controls are all well laid out. It's got power to spare for all but the largest tree stumps I've tried to dig up and has been able to pick rocks out of the ground that I would never have believed a machine this size would be able to manage. What it can't pick up, it can usually lift enough to get out of a hole and push around.
Cons: I don't have many complaints about the tractor. I'll go into detail about them here, but in all reality, they were minor nuisances. I had to replace a fuel filter instead of cleaning it per the preventative maintenance instructions. But that might have a function of some bad fuel than a flaw with the tractor design. In any event, it was starving for power and the engine just about stalled when trying to drive over the road in high gear. It was totally lacking in power and was pretty clearly a fuel line issue. When repeated venting didn't solve the problem, I just replaced the filter elemet, which otherwise looked fine. Since then, we've had no problems. The glow plug relay quit working at about 250 hours. The tractor wouldn't start or would start very hard after a lot of cranking with lots of white smoke. The relay indicator light on the console timed out as expected, and I could hear the relay drop out. But I guess it wasn't actually powering the glow plugs. I was surprised that glow plugs are necessary in temperatures well above freezing. But it was an easy fix under warranty, and has since not given me any trouble. One of the hydraulic quick disconnects on the loader has some kind of problem that made it almost impossible to get off and re-connect without some gentle tapping with a hammer and screwdriver. A replacement connector solved that problem. The snow blower is not something that is just swapped in quickly. So that's a chore I put off until just before a major snow fall and then plan to leave on until winter is over. It requires dropping the loader, which takes me about 10 minutes. The brush guard comes off and an adaptor plate goes on in its place. I'll only make this mistake once, but if you put that adaptor plate on backwards, the subframe pins obviously don't align and are cause for some head scratching and profanity. I then have to install a subframe that can be used to operate front-mounted snowblowers, brooms, and bull dozer blades. Because I store the subframe on a dirt shed floor (for now) getting the alignment right for the pins can be a little tricky. Some pry bars help coax everything into place. A proficient operator on a concrete floor could probably install that in 20 minutes. It takes me closer to 45 minutes with some choice words to help get things lined up. The snowblower then mounts to the front of the subframe. That's pretty straight forward, but the front PTO connection is tough to get at and is probably the hardest part of that hook-up, which takes about 15 minutes. The hydraulic hoses to lift the snow blower up and down got pinched between the front axle and the tractor frame while rolling over some uneven terrain and resulted in a blown line. I was surprised that could happen since the hoses were all routed as they're supposed to be. Simple solution was to tie wrap the hose bundle to prevent that from happening again. The only other complaint I have is that the hydraulics drift badly when the tractor is off. Maybe that's normal for all compact tractors, but I've used larger machines and that's not something I was used to seeing on them.
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Model Year: 2011
Tractor does everything asked of it and continues to amaze me. This is my first utility tractor. Before I bought it, I read a lot of forums about how many projects owners find for their tractors beyond the ones for which the tractor was originally purchased. That has been the case with me as well. Looking back to the time before I had the tractor, I sometimes wonder how we managed without. There are many things that we would never have been able to undertake by ourselves without the tractor. But there are just as many or more things that we got by without, but are able to complete much faster and with less effort and aches and pains now that the tractor performs the bull work. Even my wife, who was initially uncertain about the tractor ever being able to justify its expense has come up with a long list of projects that are now possibilities with the tractor's muscle. There are a lot of bells and whistles that I don't really need, but that do come in awfully handy with this tractor. One of the recurring recommendations from other owners that I took to heart when buying this tractor was to get the most tractor I could afford. I was originally looking at a Ford T2220, a John Deere 3520, and the Grand L3940. Going into the research, the Ford was the front runner, but I gravitated toward the John Deere, looking at the Kubota as the overkill Cadillac of the group. Ultimately, it was the hydraulic thumb that clinched the deal for me. The John Deere dealer was very accommodating and was ready to install a Woods after market hydraulic thumb on the backhoe for me. But the Kubota was the only one of the three tractors that offered a hydraulic thumb from the factory. So that's the way I went. And since then, I've been very pleased and am pretty sure I have the heaviest duty tractor of the group I had under consideration. In addition to the tractor, I have the LA724 loader, the BH92 backhoe w/ a hydraulic thumb, and the L2195 72 inch snowblower. The loader has worked beautifully to date and saved me a lot of time hauling anything from mulch to gravel to top soil. I've even used it to haul some tree stumps, some requiring log chains to hold the stumps in place for the ride. The backhoe is the most useful thing about the tractor, and the hydraulic thumb increases its usefulness 10 times over. If you can afford a hydraulic thumb, get one. You won't regret it. We use the backhoe to do some trenching work, but mostly to pick up trees, logs, rocks, and just about anything else that needs to be manipulated. It took a little practice, but after a while it becomes like an extension of your body. The snowblower was probably the toughest expense to justify. But I clear off a lot of driveway and we've put the snowblower to great use every winter since we've had it. It's probably faster to just plow the snow off with a quad when less than 4 inches fall. But over 4 inches, the snowblower is a sight to behold. And it proved to be about the only machine for miles around that was able to handle the heavy snowfall from two huge blizzards that we've seen, one of them dumping almost three feet of snow on us. I was asked for help from neighbors who's contractors could not make it through snow that accumulated as fast as it did in Winter Storm Nemo. With plows, there comes a limiting point where you can move the snow if there's no where to push it. The snowblower solves that problem by picking it up and tossing it - a long ways. Depending on the consistency of the snow, we've probably seen the snowblower throw the snow in excess of 50 feet, not counting what wind can do if you're lucky enough to get it working with you.
Pros: The Kubota is a solid, extremely useful tractor. I think any compact utility tractor will increase the list of potential projects that can be tackled. But the Kubota seems more rugged than some of the other tractors I've used and of the bunch I was considering at the time to buy. It's an amazingly easy tractor to use and its controls are all well laid out. It's got power to spare for all but the largest tree stumps I've tried to dig up and has been able to pick rocks out of the ground that I would never have believed a machine this size would be able to manage. What it can't pick up, it can usually lift enough to get out of a hole and push around.
Cons: I don't have many complaints about the tractor. I'll go into detail about them here, but in all reality, they were minor nuisances. I had to replace a fuel filter instead of cleaning it per the preventative maintenance instructions. But that might have a function of some bad fuel than a flaw with the tractor design. In any event, it was starving for power and the engine just about stalled when trying to drive over the road in high gear. It was totally lacking in power and was pretty clearly a fuel line issue. When repeated venting didn't solve the problem, I just replaced the filter elemet, which otherwise looked fine. Since then, we've had no problems. The glow plug relay quit working at about 250 hours. The tractor wouldn't start or would start very hard after a lot of cranking with lots of white smoke. The relay indicator light on the console timed out as expected, and I could hear the relay drop out. But I guess it wasn't actually powering the glow plugs. I was surprised that glow plugs are necessary in temperatures well above freezing. But it was an easy fix under warranty, and has since not given me any trouble. One of the hydraulic quick disconnects on the loader has some kind of problem that made it almost impossible to get off and re-connect without some gentle tapping with a hammer and screwdriver. A replacement connector solved that problem. The snow blower is not something that is just swapped in quickly. So that's a chore I put off until just before a major snow fall and then plan to leave on until winter is over. It requires dropping the loader, which takes me about 10 minutes. The brush guard comes off and an adaptor plate goes on in its place. I'll only make this mistake once, but if you put that adaptor plate on backwards, the subframe pins obviously don't align and are cause for some head scratching and profanity. I then have to install a subframe that can be used to operate front-mounted snowblowers, brooms, and bull dozer blades. Because I store the subframe on a dirt shed floor (for now) getting the alignment right for the pins can be a little tricky. Some pry bars help coax everything into place. A proficient operator on a concrete floor could probably install that in 20 minutes. It takes me closer to 45 minutes with some choice words to help get things lined up. The snowblower then mounts to the front of the subframe. That's pretty straight forward, but the front PTO connection is tough to get at and is probably the hardest part of that hook-up, which takes about 15 minutes. The hydraulic hoses to lift the snow blower up and down got pinched between the front axle and the tractor frame while rolling over some uneven terrain and resulted in a blown line. I was surprised that could happen since the hoses were all routed as they're supposed to be. Simple solution was to tie wrap the hose bundle to prevent that from happening again. The only other complaint I have is that the hydraulics drift badly when the tractor is off. Maybe that's normal for all compact tractors, but I've used larger machines and that's not something I was used to seeing on them.
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No Regrets
Model Year: 2011
We studied and shopped different brands, different Kubota models, and finally different configurations of the L3940. No regrets on the choice, thanks in part to many posts on TractorsByNet. We considered a smaller model to conserve money, but trusted the admonition that when considering two tractors, one smaller and/or less powerful, go with the larger, more powerful model. After using the hydro-static, we can't imagine having bought anything else. I suspect that most who question whether it's worth the additional cost just haven't had it. We also upgraded to the 724 loader and bucket, then had heavy duty teeth added to the bucket. Ours is open, no cab or top, and so have had no desire to retrofit. We use the tractor on about 90 acres of primarily timberland with heavy-duty 60" rotary cutter, harrow, chisel plow, tiller, rake, sprayer, spreader, and finish mower. We use it to its capacity--not abusing, but pushing to its limits--including unearthing and moving very large rocks (boulders?). So far, it's been bullet proof. Our only complaint is that the alternate operator weighs only about a hundred pounds and even with the seat loosened to its extent, she usually doesn't hold it down securely enough to keep it from shutting off, especially if trying to use the PTO. I'll make a workaround, but for now she puts chain or some such weight in the seat with her.
Pros: Easy to operate, comfortable, tough, dependable.
Cons: None, other than pressure required to depress seat for small operator.
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Model Year: 2011
We studied and shopped different brands, different Kubota models, and finally different configurations of the L3940. No regrets on the choice, thanks in part to many posts on TractorsByNet. We considered a smaller model to conserve money, but trusted the admonition that when considering two tractors, one smaller and/or less powerful, go with the larger, more powerful model. After using the hydro-static, we can't imagine having bought anything else. I suspect that most who question whether it's worth the additional cost just haven't had it. We also upgraded to the 724 loader and bucket, then had heavy duty teeth added to the bucket. Ours is open, no cab or top, and so have had no desire to retrofit. We use the tractor on about 90 acres of primarily timberland with heavy-duty 60" rotary cutter, harrow, chisel plow, tiller, rake, sprayer, spreader, and finish mower. We use it to its capacity--not abusing, but pushing to its limits--including unearthing and moving very large rocks (boulders?). So far, it's been bullet proof. Our only complaint is that the alternate operator weighs only about a hundred pounds and even with the seat loosened to its extent, she usually doesn't hold it down securely enough to keep it from shutting off, especially if trying to use the PTO. I'll make a workaround, but for now she puts chain or some such weight in the seat with her.
Pros: Easy to operate, comfortable, tough, dependable.
Cons: None, other than pressure required to depress seat for small operator.
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Perfect Tractor for the Rowdy Farmette
Model Year: 2008
Great tractor and best in class among similar machines, IMO. Always reliable, easy to care for and service myself. Power is easy to harness and use effectively. Mine is HST, diesel and has AWD, rear PTO and front loader. Perfect for people like me who aren't working hundreds of acres, but who need a lot more than a lawn tractor on steroids and who need a machine capable of handling a variety of heavy-duty tasks. A few functional design issues that really bug me, however: access to oil and other key parts of the engine compartment requires dismantling side panels. It's not hard to remove them, but slipping the panel into the right slots in the small space between the front loader arms and body is a pain in the neck and usually takes me several times. Should be more accessible. The second issue is the gas pedal design. The pedal is a large rectangle with a wide, open angle or curve (think of an articulated rocker shape, with rounded ridges at the front and back to cradle the foot). It's designed this way, I presume, to account for the fact that the pedal controls both forward and reverse (press the front part with the front of your foot to go forward, back part with your heel to go backward). I can only assume that Kubota's designers found this to be ergonomically delightful for most of their users---big dudes with big clod-hopping feet. For a woman with very small feet, though, it sucks. When doing a lot of forward-back work (front-end loader stuff, occasional back blade work), I have to constantly lift and readjust my foot placement, which becomes quite fatiguing after a while. And even when simply going forward, I can't rest my foot on the whole pedal because my heel is too close to the center point, so I have to actively push down with my toes the whole time, which is also fatiguing. I wish tractor manufacturers, and tool and equipment manufacturers in general, would recognize that some of their customers are have smaller hands and feet but work themselves and their machines just as hard as men do---grr. Still an awesome tractor - wouldn't trade it for another one (except someday a bigger model, haha).
Pros: Reliable, powerful, and well-made.
Cons: Somewhat pricey, some issues with functional design.
Model Year: 2008
Great tractor and best in class among similar machines, IMO. Always reliable, easy to care for and service myself. Power is easy to harness and use effectively. Mine is HST, diesel and has AWD, rear PTO and front loader. Perfect for people like me who aren't working hundreds of acres, but who need a lot more than a lawn tractor on steroids and who need a machine capable of handling a variety of heavy-duty tasks. A few functional design issues that really bug me, however: access to oil and other key parts of the engine compartment requires dismantling side panels. It's not hard to remove them, but slipping the panel into the right slots in the small space between the front loader arms and body is a pain in the neck and usually takes me several times. Should be more accessible. The second issue is the gas pedal design. The pedal is a large rectangle with a wide, open angle or curve (think of an articulated rocker shape, with rounded ridges at the front and back to cradle the foot). It's designed this way, I presume, to account for the fact that the pedal controls both forward and reverse (press the front part with the front of your foot to go forward, back part with your heel to go backward). I can only assume that Kubota's designers found this to be ergonomically delightful for most of their users---big dudes with big clod-hopping feet. For a woman with very small feet, though, it sucks. When doing a lot of forward-back work (front-end loader stuff, occasional back blade work), I have to constantly lift and readjust my foot placement, which becomes quite fatiguing after a while. And even when simply going forward, I can't rest my foot on the whole pedal because my heel is too close to the center point, so I have to actively push down with my toes the whole time, which is also fatiguing. I wish tractor manufacturers, and tool and equipment manufacturers in general, would recognize that some of their customers are have smaller hands and feet but work themselves and their machines just as hard as men do---grr. Still an awesome tractor - wouldn't trade it for another one (except someday a bigger model, haha).
Pros: Reliable, powerful, and well-made.
Cons: Somewhat pricey, some issues with functional design.
Grand L3940 HST3
Model Year: 2012
Not happy at all with this tractor, it has little power and will stall with an 8 inch woodchipper if not careful.
Pros: Nice fit and finish, very reliable, nice heat and A/C.
Cons: Powerless, faded paint after 12 months, loader controls twitchy and POORLY engineered, powerless engine I mean REALLY gutless, overly expensive parts prices, filters and 5 gal. of trans fluid 300 bux, powerless. Did I say powerless?
Model Year: 2012
Not happy at all with this tractor, it has little power and will stall with an 8 inch woodchipper if not careful.
Pros: Nice fit and finish, very reliable, nice heat and A/C.
Cons: Powerless, faded paint after 12 months, loader controls twitchy and POORLY engineered, powerless engine I mean REALLY gutless, overly expensive parts prices, filters and 5 gal. of trans fluid 300 bux, powerless. Did I say powerless?
Kubota L3940
Model Year: 2008
The Kubota Grand L3940 has done everything I have asked of it. I've used it to brush hog 45 acres of hay fields with a 6' brush hog. Took some time but it got the job done. It has been used with a two bottom plow to plow 1 to 2 acres at a time. It also runs a 6 foot roto-tiller without a problem. The biggest issues I have are the radiator screen gets covered quickly causing it to run hot. Once I stop and clean it off all is well. I would also say that the L3940 is marginal with a 2 bottom plow. Some plowing is very slow going if the ground is not absolutely dry.
Pros: Great features and functionality.
Cons: Radiator screen clogs frequently and is marginal with a 2 bottom plow.
Model Year: 2008
The Kubota Grand L3940 has done everything I have asked of it. I've used it to brush hog 45 acres of hay fields with a 6' brush hog. Took some time but it got the job done. It has been used with a two bottom plow to plow 1 to 2 acres at a time. It also runs a 6 foot roto-tiller without a problem. The biggest issues I have are the radiator screen gets covered quickly causing it to run hot. Once I stop and clean it off all is well. I would also say that the L3940 is marginal with a 2 bottom plow. Some plowing is very slow going if the ground is not absolutely dry.
Pros: Great features and functionality.
Cons: Radiator screen clogs frequently and is marginal with a 2 bottom plow.
L3940
Model Year: 2008
I bought this cab tractor when winter on an open tractor became too cold. Could not be happier, maybe a few times a little more torque would be nice, but overall more than adequate power. Ease of operation and maintenance is great. Removal of loader and snowblower is very simple. Would strongly recommend to anyone.
Pros: Ease of operation.
Cons: None.
Model Year: 2008
I bought this cab tractor when winter on an open tractor became too cold. Could not be happier, maybe a few times a little more torque would be nice, but overall more than adequate power. Ease of operation and maintenance is great. Removal of loader and snowblower is very simple. Would strongly recommend to anyone.
Pros: Ease of operation.
Cons: None.
Good Value
Model Year: 2007
After 5 yrs and 430 hrs of use, I've had very few issues with this tractor. Other than the stock front tires provided on it kept rolling off the rims till I had a tire shop fill them with liquid. That caused me a lot of grief in the 1st month I owned it. Then when I would mow the pasture, it kept overheating with this hydro static transmission model. Turns out the hydraulic fluid overheating was caused by the engine fan sucking debris into the area in front of the radiator. The radiator itself didn't become plugged. It was the transmission cooler in front the radiator that lost cooling. Which caused the hydraulic fluid to overheat. And the fluid overheating eventually caused the hose on the inlet to the hydraulic pump to fail. Which caused it to suck air. So now what I do is use compressed air every half hour or so to blow the debris away from the transmission cooler when I'm mowing the pasture. The lead acid battery is placed too close to the tranny cooler -- which doesn't allow free flow of air around the cooler.
Pros: Good value and a real workhorse.
Cons: Transmission fluid overheats easily on the hydro static transmission model.
Model Year: 2007
After 5 yrs and 430 hrs of use, I've had very few issues with this tractor. Other than the stock front tires provided on it kept rolling off the rims till I had a tire shop fill them with liquid. That caused me a lot of grief in the 1st month I owned it. Then when I would mow the pasture, it kept overheating with this hydro static transmission model. Turns out the hydraulic fluid overheating was caused by the engine fan sucking debris into the area in front of the radiator. The radiator itself didn't become plugged. It was the transmission cooler in front the radiator that lost cooling. Which caused the hydraulic fluid to overheat. And the fluid overheating eventually caused the hose on the inlet to the hydraulic pump to fail. Which caused it to suck air. So now what I do is use compressed air every half hour or so to blow the debris away from the transmission cooler when I'm mowing the pasture. The lead acid battery is placed too close to the tranny cooler -- which doesn't allow free flow of air around the cooler.
Pros: Good value and a real workhorse.
Cons: Transmission fluid overheats easily on the hydro static transmission model.
L 3940 HST, ROPS, Front Loader, Box Blade, Auger, 6' Brush Hog, Tiller
Model Year: 2005
I'm using the tractor to do some light clearing, install a road, general home site prep and mowing. In general, I wish I had gotten something with more horsepower for the tasks I am performing, but that has nothing to do with the tractor itself. It will get the job done!
Pros: Effecient and high quality build.
Cons: Parts cost and dealer cost for service.
Model Year: 2005
I'm using the tractor to do some light clearing, install a road, general home site prep and mowing. In general, I wish I had gotten something with more horsepower for the tasks I am performing, but that has nothing to do with the tractor itself. It will get the job done!
Pros: Effecient and high quality build.
Cons: Parts cost and dealer cost for service.
550 Hour Update
Model Year: 2009
Finally got to the bottom of the backhoe o-ring failures. When delivered, dealer skipped 3rd function kit to save a few bucks. The way the grapple was connected, without the 3rd function kit was over pressurizing the backhoe and blowing o-rings. They installed 3rd function kit and problem solved, finally! Only recent trouble was blowing loader hydraulic line. Replaced that and re-arranged other lines to better work through full range of motion. Tractor is meeting all expectations. Plan to get snow blower soon.
Pros: Power.
Cons: 4wd on HST seems weak, but does help with steering.
Model Year: 2009
Finally got to the bottom of the backhoe o-ring failures. When delivered, dealer skipped 3rd function kit to save a few bucks. The way the grapple was connected, without the 3rd function kit was over pressurizing the backhoe and blowing o-rings. They installed 3rd function kit and problem solved, finally! Only recent trouble was blowing loader hydraulic line. Replaced that and re-arranged other lines to better work through full range of motion. Tractor is meeting all expectations. Plan to get snow blower soon.
Pros: Power.
Cons: 4wd on HST seems weak, but does help with steering.
Best Tractor
Model Year: 2011
I owned the JD2320 and 3320 before this Kubota and although they were both decent tractors, they don't come close to comparing with my Kubota L3940 I have the BH92 backhoe and 724 loader and I had no problems digging out stumps or the retention pond I got both John Deeres stuck numerous times in light mud but not the Kubota it keeps going and doesn't even hesitate.
Pros: Great 4 wheel drive, strong backhoe.
Cons: Loader could use a little more lifting power.
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Model Year: 2011
I owned the JD2320 and 3320 before this Kubota and although they were both decent tractors, they don't come close to comparing with my Kubota L3940 I have the BH92 backhoe and 724 loader and I had no problems digging out stumps or the retention pond I got both John Deeres stuck numerous times in light mud but not the Kubota it keeps going and doesn't even hesitate.
Pros: Great 4 wheel drive, strong backhoe.
Cons: Loader could use a little more lifting power.
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An Absolute Workhorse
Model Year: 2008
This is my second Kubota compact tractor. My first tractor was a 1998 Kubota 3010 HST. I had a 9' frame-mounted backhoe, auger, front loader, box blade and brush hog. I was a new home builder in Florida. I worked that tractor like a rented mule for 8 years. I stuck it, rolled it over, ran it into a lake up to the engine. It never slowed down with more than 5000 hours. We built hundreds of houses and it worked everyone of them without fail. In December of 2007 I bought the L3940. It is the bigger, stronger, smarter brother of the L3010. Unfortunately the housing industry died in 2008. I moved to SE Texas and got a job. I use it but not as much as it deserves. It is a wonderful tractor. The cruise function is great with the HST I can run circles around the other major brands.
Pros: A strong, fast, smart hardworking tractor.
Cons: The orange paint fades. They need a better grade of paint.
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Model Year: 2008
This is my second Kubota compact tractor. My first tractor was a 1998 Kubota 3010 HST. I had a 9' frame-mounted backhoe, auger, front loader, box blade and brush hog. I was a new home builder in Florida. I worked that tractor like a rented mule for 8 years. I stuck it, rolled it over, ran it into a lake up to the engine. It never slowed down with more than 5000 hours. We built hundreds of houses and it worked everyone of them without fail. In December of 2007 I bought the L3940. It is the bigger, stronger, smarter brother of the L3010. Unfortunately the housing industry died in 2008. I moved to SE Texas and got a job. I use it but not as much as it deserves. It is a wonderful tractor. The cruise function is great with the HST I can run circles around the other major brands.
Pros: A strong, fast, smart hardworking tractor.
Cons: The orange paint fades. They need a better grade of paint.
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L3940 HST with LA724 Loader, h/d Bucket, + SSQA Forks
Model Year: 2011
Used for grading driveways with LandPride 6' grading scraper - this works excellent. Also used for moving (190 tons to date) ground asphalt fill for pole barn pad. A little disappointed in the loader breakout force when digging into pile - didn't expect to have to feather it. Very stable on a full bucket with R4's loaded w/Rimguard. HST features: use Auto Throttle all the time - excellent feature for loader work. I have it set on Anti-Stall but I don't see where that does anything - never hear it kick in. I never seem to remember to use the Rabbit/Turtle lever. Use Medium range mostly for loader work. Seat switch was a PITA - would cut out when hit a bump or turn around in the seat. I jumped it. Excellent traction in mud w/4WD and R4's. Pulled an 8 foot no-till drill (very heavy) to seed 10 acres of pasture - pulled it in High range no problem. Forks from SkidSteerExpress are great for cleaning up storm damage, but the forks are wobbly and the frame comes out of the QA at the bottom - just need to weld on a tighter lock tab. Don't use the tilt wheel much - can't get off when tilted down, but tilted up it's fine. HST rocker pedal is well-placed. Seat swivels a little which is nice. Really like the loader control on the fender. I had 3 rear remotes installed and full TNT from Fit-Rite, expensive, but excellent. Used a rear blade tilted all the way to dig some shallow ditches. Sucks fuel compared to my B7510, but it's 2x the power. If I had to buy over again and money was no object, I would have gone up a size to 4240 to get the bigger loader, but overall I'm very happy.
Pros: Good power, starts and runs great, nothing has fell off.
Cons: Weak loader breakout force, some HST features oversold.
Model Year: 2011
Used for grading driveways with LandPride 6' grading scraper - this works excellent. Also used for moving (190 tons to date) ground asphalt fill for pole barn pad. A little disappointed in the loader breakout force when digging into pile - didn't expect to have to feather it. Very stable on a full bucket with R4's loaded w/Rimguard. HST features: use Auto Throttle all the time - excellent feature for loader work. I have it set on Anti-Stall but I don't see where that does anything - never hear it kick in. I never seem to remember to use the Rabbit/Turtle lever. Use Medium range mostly for loader work. Seat switch was a PITA - would cut out when hit a bump or turn around in the seat. I jumped it. Excellent traction in mud w/4WD and R4's. Pulled an 8 foot no-till drill (very heavy) to seed 10 acres of pasture - pulled it in High range no problem. Forks from SkidSteerExpress are great for cleaning up storm damage, but the forks are wobbly and the frame comes out of the QA at the bottom - just need to weld on a tighter lock tab. Don't use the tilt wheel much - can't get off when tilted down, but tilted up it's fine. HST rocker pedal is well-placed. Seat swivels a little which is nice. Really like the loader control on the fender. I had 3 rear remotes installed and full TNT from Fit-Rite, expensive, but excellent. Used a rear blade tilted all the way to dig some shallow ditches. Sucks fuel compared to my B7510, but it's 2x the power. If I had to buy over again and money was no object, I would have gone up a size to 4240 to get the bigger loader, but overall I'm very happy.
Pros: Good power, starts and runs great, nothing has fell off.
Cons: Weak loader breakout force, some HST features oversold.
Kubota L3940
Model Year: 2010
We spent nearly a year deciding, looking at tractors and reading forums. Eventually chose Kubota partly due to its specific reputation and partly for proximity to reputable dealer (as recommended my many in forums). Also, vacillated between various models, eventually deciding on the largest in our range of consideration at the time (again, as recommended by many). In retrospect, both were good decisions, we appreciate the advice, and extend the same recommendations. In fact, in every case where we considered more than one size/model of tractor or implement, we went with the larger or heavier duty. We are pleased with those decisions. We also debated a great deal over whether to buy HST transmission. Finally decided yes and are so glad we did. I think anyone never operating the HST can be entirely happy with another option, but having once had it, it would be difficult to go back. The L3940 is comfortable and easy to operate, has more than enough options for us, and, apparently, is quite tough judging by the way we have pushed it. We operate on 90 acres of mature forest land in the Piedmont of Georgia with some clay soils, somewhat rocky, and pretty good amount of relief. We use the LA724 loader bucket, heavy duty 5ft rotary cutter, chisel plow, disc harrow, spreader, and sprayer. Implements of interest are hole digger and rotary tiller.
Pros: Comfortable; easy to operate; dependable; tough construction; convenient optional modes of operation.
Cons: Most annoying is the seat. In bumpy terrain it tends to bounce and bottom out a lot. Worse, the female operator has difficulty holding the seat down sufficiently to keep from activating the safety kill with, so the tractor often will not work for her (even with the adjustment at its loosest setting).
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Model Year: 2010
We spent nearly a year deciding, looking at tractors and reading forums. Eventually chose Kubota partly due to its specific reputation and partly for proximity to reputable dealer (as recommended my many in forums). Also, vacillated between various models, eventually deciding on the largest in our range of consideration at the time (again, as recommended by many). In retrospect, both were good decisions, we appreciate the advice, and extend the same recommendations. In fact, in every case where we considered more than one size/model of tractor or implement, we went with the larger or heavier duty. We are pleased with those decisions. We also debated a great deal over whether to buy HST transmission. Finally decided yes and are so glad we did. I think anyone never operating the HST can be entirely happy with another option, but having once had it, it would be difficult to go back. The L3940 is comfortable and easy to operate, has more than enough options for us, and, apparently, is quite tough judging by the way we have pushed it. We operate on 90 acres of mature forest land in the Piedmont of Georgia with some clay soils, somewhat rocky, and pretty good amount of relief. We use the LA724 loader bucket, heavy duty 5ft rotary cutter, chisel plow, disc harrow, spreader, and sprayer. Implements of interest are hole digger and rotary tiller.
Pros: Comfortable; easy to operate; dependable; tough construction; convenient optional modes of operation.
Cons: Most annoying is the seat. In bumpy terrain it tends to bounce and bottom out a lot. Worse, the female operator has difficulty holding the seat down sufficiently to keep from activating the safety kill with, so the tractor often will not work for her (even with the adjustment at its loosest setting).
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