Kubota M8540 5.00 star(s) (4)

Kubota M8540HD-1 and LA1353 Loader Review
Model Year: 0

I have put 200 hours on this tractor in the last year. Its primary function has been to gather wood for milling or firewood production. The loader on this tractor is down right amazing it will lift just about anything i have tried to move. On the off chance I can not lift something with it I am not disappointed. I lifted 3000 lb pallets of stone off of a semi for my neighbor as well as 2500 pallets of shingles for my barn roof. The Stone even with 2000 lbs of ballast in the tires and 1000lbs on the 3 pt was about all I could handle the rear tires bounced as I lowered the pallets to the ground. The loader detaches and re-attaches in under 5 minutes for brush hog work. I have also plowed with an old John Deere 3 bottom plow and the tractor worked great. I ordered the hydraulic shuttle thinking I would use it all the time. I do use it when brush hogging, loader work, and in the woods but I find my self still going for the clutch often. I guess old habits die hard. Big benefits over the smaller M series is the limited slip front axle, hydraulic brakes, mechanical trans park brake on the operator console is nice too.

Pros: Friendly operator platform. While it may not offer some of the premium options that NH or JD offer features/dollar can not be beat, limited slip front axle.
Cons: Stabilizer adjustment on 3 pt hitch is impossible with gloves on small clips; less weight than competitors; requires more ballast.

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Superb Tractor with Excellent Fuel Consumption
Model Year: 2008

I raise black angus cows and do custom hay processing throughout the hay season. I bought this tractor 4 years ago and have never regretted it. As a matter of fact, it has been one of my better decisions since I got into farming. My tractor is a cab version with 4X4, 2 remotes, cast iron rear wheels with fluid, upgraded stereo and front end loader. Implements I use with this tractor include: New Holland 1412 Discbine, Kuhn Speedrake, John Deere 568 hay roller, Woods BW180 batwing bushhog and many other numerous smaller items. The tractor handles these implements with no problem. Out of all of this though, the thing that stands out is the fact I can roll a 70 inch, 5'2" hay roll weighing around 1700 lbs on .08 of a gallon of diesel. This thing is amazing as it relates to fuel burn. I mean, .08 of a gallon is a sip. The John Deere 568 is their largest roller and they recommend nothing less than 75 HP and the dealer was certain the Kubota would not handle it. Were they ever wrong! I have had zero issues with a lack of horsepower or stability while rolling, even on very hilly terrain. I'm sure the weight of the 4x4 helps the Kubota; however, the JD dealer knew my tractor had the 4x4 when they were saying no way. I just could not be happier. When I bought my tractor, I looked at tractors from JD, New Holland and Massey. A used JD with 2 wheel drive and 1100 hours was $15K more than my new Kubota, approximately $10K cheaper than a comparable New Holland and about $8K cheaper than a Massey. For the life of me, I could not justify the difference in price. So here I sit, 4 years and 2000 hours later and continue to feel I made the right decision. Did I say .08 of a gallon of diesel per hay roll? Everything is not perfect. The AC has not been acceptably cold since day one. Their design is bad (per the dealers mx department).The compressor is in the front of the engine, the AC lines have to run from the front of the engine, up over the top of the engine, down behind the engine and between the firewall and finally under and to the rear of the seat before it gets to the condenser. By that time, a warming effect has occurred on the chilled refrigerant. This is not a terrible situation but one that you will notice on a 95 degree day. Also, the ride is a little rough due probably to the weight of the tractor. I just slow down a little and everything is fine. Other than those two items, I just can't say a bad word about the tractor. I carry two rolls at a time out of the field and even load an eight roll EZ hay trailer which is one of the trailers that are self unloading but require you to push 7 rolls (approximately 12K lbs of hay forward while loading that 8th roll) to completely load the trailer. Again, no problems. In summary, I love my Kubota. Before you buy another tractor, at least go check out orange.

Pros: Dependable, powerful, low fuel consumption, price.
Cons: Could use a better designed AC system, a little rough riding.

Durability Concerns
Model Year: 2007

The M8540 is a handy tractor for simple functions, but it's lightweight design create some real drawbacks operationally and place the driver in dangerous situations. When using the front end loader, the driver has to be very careful to center the tractor over the item that is being lifted. Slightly off center and the tractor is prone to tip over. Driving over rough pasture or farm ground with the loader attachment is extremely uncomfortable for the driver due to the lightweight design of the tractor. Lots of plastic and thin metal in the design. This tractor is well suited for the weekend place that needs a dependable tractor. I feel as though it will not hold up to everyday use.

Pros: Reliable, easy to operate.
Cons: Lightweight, unstable w/ front loader, beat you to death over rough ground.

Excellent Choice
Model Year: 2011

Purchased an 8540 4x4 ldr Cab to replace CaseIH.. Excellent purchase so far. Plenty of power thru hay and corn season and now comfortable feeding during winter. Paid extra to get the better rear wheel rims and tires which was a good move. Almost purchased a John Deere but in comparison, Kubota had all to offer that JD did but 20k boot was a lot to pay for the 6000 series and the 5000 series was a little cheaper than the Kubota, but I didn't want a Zetor painted green.

Pros: Price, features, and muscle.
Cons: Lighter like all newer tractors compared to older tractors.