Kubota L3130 4.80 star(s) (52)

Some problems
Model Year: 2005

Not a tin toy, but has the potential to be a WWF cage wrestler champion. As we bought this slightly used, I think it would have been more prudent to buy from a business dealer. Some of the bolts are bending (!), sloppy oil leakage that could be considered normal, cracking seat =thin vinyl? Strange electrics hard to chase down. Slow speed when you really could use jet speed to do chores at light speed; cutting pastures. See John Deers mph vs this walking speed per hour lumberer. I guess slow and steady is safer but you could fall asleep going from one end of a field to the other end. Keep a music device or phone with you to multitask and be more productive. The beast stalls out if you push it into a load that is like a sleeping elephant. The bucket rides up, and you are quits. Start it again and back up to try again. and again. I would say it could use some weights in the back for balancing.

Pros: strong, awesome admiration getter, parts easy to get, woman friendly use
Cons: slowwwwww, needs a step up for short farmers, very hard to troubleshoot

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Rusting out
Model Year: 2008

Tractor had rust on fenders when picked up from dealer. Owner told me he would see that it would be fixed so I took delivery. My first mistake now I have a tractor that is rusting out from under the paint not a scratch on it and dealer will not up fix problem so after spending right at $ 20,000 I have a frame the fenders and seat area is rusted out this tractor has only been used for cutting grass dealer serviced and inspected and service times

Pros: runs and drives fine all hydraulics work fine
Cons: body and fenders rusting out from under the paint no scratches

The Kubota L3130 is a great all around tractor
Model Year: 2004

I have used several other pieces of equipment, and this has so far been the best for it's class. Although I haven't used any PTO attachments, I would feel that it would be under powered for the larger ones, which at 6 feet wide, you would want the larger ones, but in my case of mainly dirt work and cordwood, it's excellent. Sips fuel, hydraulics are very powerful, the LA 723 (?) loader is very stout and doesn't flex with very heavy boulders in it. Front axle seals are apparently very common, which I'm about to find out how hard they are (I hear they are pretty easy)

Pros: strong hydraulics, creature comforts, quick attach accessories, heavy
Cons: under powered for it's size, front axle seals are common problem

Great Tractor I call the "Orange Baron"
Model Year: 2003

Love this tractor with the front end loader with quick attachment option.

Pros: compact, easy handling, HST provides quick reverse direction change
Cons: really don't have any as this unit exceeds many of my expectations

My Kubota L3130
Model Year: 2006

Built my home on 46 ac. in Tennessee. Cleared 8 ac. with my Kubota. Performed nicely with no problems! Actually, I wanted a John Deer just like the locals so I would fit in. I could'nt afford the Deer with the same attachments. The plain jane Deer was more than my loaded Kubota. With 600 hrs. and regular maintenance, my Kubota will last me a life time!

Pros: Great tractor, fuel consumption fantastic, no oil usage and have the same battery!
Cons: Replaced the two front tires, darn it!

My "new" slightly used Kubota L3130DT
Model Year: 2004

10 years old w/only 184 hours - it's like brand new... very intuitive controls, easy access for servicing, and it's clear that somebody actually THOUGHT ABOUT who was going to use it, and how. I would have put the ignition switch in a better place (getting the key in is always an adventure), but it's a smooth-running machine with few faults, if any. I WILL mount a rear-view mirror on the bottom of the roll-bar to make monitoring of the attachments less of a head-swiveling operation.

Pros: just about everything
Cons: rear view of attachments

Kubota L3130
Model Year: 2007

Actually not sure on the year of purchase. But it was a new machine. The name Kubota cost a little extra money. Coming off a Ford 3000, the Kubota is a little light. Feature-wise you get what you pay for. I have a loader and backhoe attachment. It's nice to have both. I had the hydraulic pump go out on day 366 on a 1 year warranty. I still had to pay another $700 for the repair. The dealer picked up the other half.

Pros: Always runs. Still on the original battery, although winter starts are getting a little slow.
Cons: Poor headlight placement when you have a loader. Backhoe reach is short. 9' straight down.

Good Tractor For the Money
Model Year: 2006

Powerful, economical, well built, easy to use. Only negatives the transmission sensor connector and radiator not well shielded from stick/debris damage.

Pros: See above.
Cons: See above.

Love This Tractor
Model Year: 2001

This is the second Kubota I've owned. Upgraded to the L3103 from a B7200. This tractor is everything I hoped it would be and use it a lot more than I ever thought. Bought it equipped with a LA723 loader and a BH90 backhoe. Saves my back daily and constantly find uses for it.

Pros: Extremely well built of all steel.
Cons: Can't think of any.

Breakage Issues
Model Year: 0

Good tractor. Would buy again, but would modify a number of things as soon as I got it. The transmission shift sensor shield on the it side needs a shield bolted at both ends, not just one. The bolt hole is there, Kubota just chose to use an L-shaped shield bolted at only one end. A C shield bolted at both ends would be stronger. Radiator is not well protected from stick/root damage. Grill looks pretty but it and the "grill guard" do nothing to protect the radiator. Oil pressure sensor not shielded from stick/root damage either. When I did the 200 hr transmission/hydraulic filter/fluid change I noted a large number of metal turnings [not shaving, actual turnings] in the filter. These appear to be from the manufacturing process and should have been removed at the factory. This does not bode well for future longevity of the transmission. Factory tires and battery have held up well.

Pros: Pulls good, good fuel economy, like the GST transmission and power steering.
Cons: Prone to damage from sticks and roots due to poor shielding of parts.

A Great Machine But I Like a Little More Power for the Hills
Model Year: 2006

Bought the tractor then added the acreage and hills. It has done it all with HST, 5ft Hawline rototiller, quick release 6-ft. bucket, loaded R-4 tires, rebuilt a 1996 Befco green rite III over seeder from rust for planting food plots, wild flower meadows, brush bull 5 ft mower, clamp on palate forks, 5 ft. disk, Pat's quick hitch, mount trailer hitch, moves large rocks, cleared fields, trails in woods, built bridges, pushed over trees, fire wood hauler, moved game on executive deer hunts. Not sure why, but could. All the hard work is done. This next one will get ewer hours and will move me out of low range in mowing. Best inexpensive additions have been quality clamp on forks to move cuttings to brush pile, large rocks, railroad ties, and Pat's quich hitch. Beats my buddy's green 3400 series all to heck. Now I have the itch for more power and ordered a new L60 4060 and will trade up next month. Not sure why, but could. All of the hard work is done. This one will get even fewer hours. Hope it will be as dependable and as likable.

Pros: I loved the HST, wide stance on hills vs. a JD. I have nothing negative to say about this tractor or the Kubota design.
Cons: Need more power for the hills, more patience. It always got the job done.

Kubota 3130 DT
Model Year: 2001

I'm very satisfied with this tractor. Primary use is foot plots, gardening and snow removal. Tractor is under-powered for its size, hence my four star review of performance. My example would be bogging down of 6-foot PTO driven snowblower. Other implements I have are 5-foot rototiller, 5-foot rotary mower, front and rear forks, back blade and spring tooth drag. All of these perform well. One other favorable mention is that the owners manual reads like a service manual and routine maintenance is a breeze!

Pros: Ease of operation and ease of maintenance.
Cons: Under-powered for it's size.

Awesome Tractor
Model Year: 2006

I own this tractor and have used it for everything. It is a totally reliable and solid machine. I also have a Kubota RTV 900 purchased in 2005. I have a Kubota KX121-3 Compact Excavator. It also have 830 hours on it. I purchased it Jan 2008. I believe in Kubota. I have dug ponds with the tractor and backhoe. I have dug septic systems and filled ravines and shaped our 6.5 acres with the excavator in combination with the other machines.

Pros: The tractor is a backhoe loader and with the three point hitch accepts a multitude of implements.
Cons: None.

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This is 2nd Kubota
Model Year: 1996

First Kubota was an L245DT, purchased new in 1978 for $2,850. Used it to dig all the holes to fence and cross fence 6 acres. Ground was so hard that a second tractor with a bucket full of dirt had to be used to put enough weight on my auger to penetrate the ground. Otherwise the auger would just spin on top of the ground. Once the ground was penetrated 6+" the other tractor was not needed. This tractor was also used to bush hog a couple of acres of woods, as well as keeping 4+ acres of grass cut with a Woods 5' finishing mower. It was also used for towing and moving various implements around the property, working with taking down and dragging trees and their trunks. It never failed it's assigned task except in some rare cases of loosing traction, as it was a 2WD. Only problem in the 28 years was 1 water pump and 1 fan belt. My knees went bad and clutch work became painful, especially when a lot of clutching was needed, such as bush hogging in the woods. Traded it in 2006 for this L3130. With 4WD and HST. This tractor solved traction problems. The HST, power steering, tilt wheel, and Suspension seat have turned Chores into pleasure. Also the Industrial tires don't tear up the portions of yard that are groomed. Very pleased with this L3130 and hope it will be as reliable as the other one. I should have purchased a FEL with the tractor. Down side is the expense of changing the 11 gallons of hydraulic fluid and the 2 filters. Also having to drain the hydraulic fluid just to change the filters, then getting it back into the tractor, without contamination, seems like a lot of unnecessary work.

Pros: Everything works as I had hoped.
Cons: Hydraulic fluids and/or filter changes.

All I Need
Model Year: 2005

Awesome tractor.

Pros: Fuel consumption, power, size.
Cons: None.

Love My Kubota 31230 HST
Model Year: 2006

This tractor with the L735 6ft bucket loader and 5 ft. Woods brush hog, 5ft Hawkline rototiller, 5 ft King Cutter disk, potato digger with homemade straight ripper blade fashioned from an old Steiner mower blade, Pat's Quick Hitch, drawbar, 500 lb fertlizer tank spreader, refurbished Befco III 5 ft overseeder, clamp on pallet forks, added rear work light, deicer loaded rear tires is the most used item on my hilly 80 acres. The over seeder and rototiller does food plots, the bucket pushes more deed trees, removes multi-flora rose and invasive honeysuckle, the mower cuts trails, and crp land. It all does it well in 1st and 2nd gear. I always could use more power but I also grew up with my dad using a Farmall M and and F-12 on 200 acres. The L3031 HST is great!

Pros: Quality, dependable, smooth operator. wide stance vs. my friend's comparable 34 hp JD. I would never go Green now.
Cons: Probably would like the 40 hp.

Love it
Model Year: 2006

Love my tractor. Has not given me any trouble since the day I bought it. Climb on, turn the key and go. Everything you would expect your tractor to do.

Pros: Design, performance, quality.
Cons: Can't find any so far.

L3130GST
Model Year: 2004

Enjoy working this tractor very much.

Pros: Size, power.
Cons: None so far, would enjoy quick attach on the loader.

Green to Orange
Model Year: 2006

I have owned my Kubota for over three years now and I am still amazed at it's quality of design and ease of operation. I have noticed that " orange tractors" even with high hours have a strong trade value. There is a reason.

Pros: Well built, ease of operation, good fuel economy, reliable.
Cons: Still looking.

Kubota L3130 Loader; BH90 Backhoe
Model Year: 2004

I bought this with 90 hours on it. The BH90 backhoe had been stored outside for one year. All the pistons on the backhoe started losing the chrome plating shortly after I bought it. The dealer replaced all the pistons under warranty but they stated Kubota was reluctant to pay for the repair because of "improper storage conditions"---BS in my book. The BH90 curl piston broke after a couple of hundred hours of use and I had to buy a new cylinder assembly for $600 because I could not afford the down time. The new piston was a larger diameter than the old one. I wonder why? I have read about that problem on this forum. I have replaced both front axle seals at 800 and 900 hours respectively. I also replaced the packing on the BH90 turn rams, they just disintegrated. Other than the above problems it has been a reliable machine. I cleared the land for my house with it giving it a very good workout. There was no stump I was unable to pull as long as I allowed enough time to dig them completely out. It has 950 hard hours on it now and it does not give me any grief. It was the best $25,000 I ever spent considering what it has done for me. Maybe someday I will get another Kubota and if I do I will consider a slightly bigger one.

Pros: Tractor and loader reliable.
Cons: Kubota being sneaky about undersized curl piston.