Buying Advice B3200/b3030 or L3800?

[Rhino421]

Hello to all,

Hit the wrong button didn't get a chance to write anything:ashamed:...
Here is what I meant to write... I have 2 acres of wooded property which I have alot of landscaping to do and lots of time to do it. I will be adding 200 plus yards of fill, topsoil, seed, etc. I want to push my woodline back which means clearing aprox 1/2 acre of trees mainly 2-6" diameter, clearing site for 24x30 slab, maintaining 200' gravel drive, grading, snow removal (blade). and firewood hauling. I also maintain 60 acres of hunting land with friends in which we brushhog trails and hopefully create a few deer plots next year. We have been borrowing a friend's tractor 6000lbs but it is a chore to arrange this and the vehicle/ trailor to transport this much weight 200 miles one way. He does have every 3 pt implement I could ever need just laying around and even a backhoe for the really big jobs at my property. I was looking at the B series for the size around my house but feel they may be too small for the hunting property. I saw the L3800 and it is just a little bigger footprint but 800lbs heavier and may work better for land maintainace and still light enough to tow. Brush hog is 5 ft HD and currently on hunting property. I was wondering if any b3200/ b3030 owners have used them for deer plots, etc and found them too light or underpowered( pto wise). I believe the L3800 wound do the job but unsure if it would be a hair too big to be productive on my 2 acres. I don't plan to mow with them. The price of the B3030 and L3800 are fairly close to each other. Thanks for reading and any advise on these units. Pictures of my home lot are below

 

[LD1]

If the title to your thread here "b3200/b330 or l3800" is a serious question, then you need to give a LOT more info than just a "hello to all".

So until you give us some more info as to what you are wanting to do with a tractor, I will have to advise that you should just buy them both and be done:thumbsup:

 

[TroyR57]

Welcome to TBN Rhino, we should be able to help you spend your money here. I say go for the L3800 for now, and after you got all the heavy work done, you can trade down, of course spending someone else money is easy. I think, a new L3800 is not over kill even for the lesser chores of maintaining the property, after all the heavy stuff is done.

 

[bigbull338]

with what your saying you want todo an maintain id go with the kubota 3800.its the right size for the jobs you want todo.

 

[LD1]

That paints us a better picture:thumbsup:

Id go with the 3800 if you have no intentions of mowing with it. It is built a good bit beefier and has stronger lift capacities but isnt too much bigger than the B.

I would also advise to NOT use your friends 3PH BH on the L3800. Unless it is a VERY small one.

3PH Backhoes but ALOT of stress on the toplink. There have been people break the whole top of the rear end casting off using 3PH Backhoes on these smaller tractors.:confused2:

 

[zmjc]

I was facing a similar choice recently, and I opted for the L3800HST. It looked massive in the showroom next to the B models, but in the field it isn't. It's just right for me. And once you start moving dirt with the FEL, it seems pitifully small :laughing:

Go for the bigger model, you won't regret it.

 

[TripleR]

The B3200/3030/3000 are really nice little tractors indeed, but of those listed my choice would be the L3800 without a doubt. If you were just working on your two acres, my recommendation might be different, but you often times must buy for the tasks and not the acreage, so even on a small plot a bigger tractor might be indicated.

 

[Rhino421]

Thanks for the input thus far... Troy I am taking this slow so I hopefully get the right size so I don't have to downsize in the future or upsize later:thumbsup:.. I started looking last year and was about to pull the trigger on a BX25 and glad I didn't for I know that was too small. I have since gone through a list of tasks for now and later and thus looking larger. I also need to transport this tractor several times a year and too big could be a problem. This is why the b3200/3030 came into play. I just wasn't sure if these tractors would be too light for brushhogging and deer plots grant it this is only a few times a year. The l3800 seems to be a good compromise and I can get it cheaper than the b3030 with the current loader rebates. I just haven't been able to test one with the loader or implement on the back yet due to dealer still getting his inventory setup and all the cold and rain lately. ZMJC have you noticed any jerkyness of the 3pt that I heard was a problem with the L3400? I am heading to the hunting land this weekend so I won't be able to test drive these units til next week (took off to do some serious looking). LD1 my friend's hoe isn't a 3pt i would have to borrow the entire tractor which is always a production by itself. Thus the idea of a hoe of my own someday:laughing:...

 

[zmjc]

No, I haven't taken the backhoe off yet to test the oft-discussed "jerkiness" of the 3PH. Being a tractor newbie, I don't have much to compare it to anyway.

- Mike

 

[Jon Chanoski]

Thanks for the input thus far... Troy I am taking this slow so I hopefully get the right size so I don't have to downsize in the future or upsize later:thumbsup:.. I started looking last year and was about to pull the trigger on a BX25 and glad I didn't for I know that was too small. I have since gone through a list of tasks for now and later and thus looking larger. I also need to transport this tractor several times a year and too big could be a problem. This is why the b3200/3030 came into play. I just wasn't sure if these tractors would be too light for brushhogging and deer plots grant it this is only a few times a year. The l3800 seems to be a good compromise and I can get it cheaper than the b3030 with the current loader rebates. I just haven't been able to test one with the loader or implement on the back yet due to dealer still getting his inventory setup and all the cold and rain lately. ZMJC have you noticed any jerkyness of the 3pt that I heard was a problem with the L3400? I am heading to the hunting land this weekend so I won't be able to test drive these units til next week (took off to do some serious looking). LD1 my friend's hoe isn't a 3pt i would have to borrow the entire tractor which is always a production by itself. Thus the idea of a hoe of my own someday:laughing:...

I have a 2008 L3400 and the 3pt is good I see what they mean about being jerky but it is nothing that afects the operation of the tractor it does not bother me and I would buy the tractor again and feel good about recomending it to you. Not sure if the L3400 is still in production but it sounds like it would be a good match for the work you have lined up. I went with the gear drive and ag tires and think they would work well for you to.

 

[zmjc]

ZMJC have you noticed any jerkyness of the 3pt that I heard was a problem with the L3400?

OK, I have now tested the 3PH on the L3800HST.

Yes, it is incredibly JERKY. Astonishingly jerky! If they wanted to deliberately design a jerky 3PH, they probably couldn't make it any jerkier ("the Jerk-O-Matic feature shakes your mowers clean!").

However, I can't say that it really affects me in any serious way... it does have position control, so I shouldn't be fiddling with the 3PH raising that often. It's a minor annoyance. Overall, I'm very pleased with the L3800HST.

- Mike

 

[KabotaTim]

I have a L3700SU, which is similar in size and features to the L3400 and L3800, it also exhibits the same jerky 3 point issues. If when raising the rear mounted implement I just pull the lift level all the way back (up) in one motion then there is no problem and the lift is nice and smooth. The jerky/ bouncing action is only exhibited if I try to do small adjustments when lifting upward. Never any problems when lowering. For my purposes none of this presents any real problems.

Of the tractors you are looking at, I definitely recommend the larger L series for the jobs you have described. The frame is a little heavier and should handle the heavier work loads you are looking at with greater ease and minimize downtime from wear and breakage. Also, the L3800 provides a little extra HP and larger FEL to keep you moving and get your jobs done faster as the FEL on the L3800 will lift higher/handle more weight/dig deeper. The extra weight and cost of the L3800 is minimal for the extra benefits it would provide for your jobs. I think you would end up kicking yourself if you buy a B series. Just my opinion based upon previously owning a L3710 GST to maintain 47 acres in Northern Wisconsin for 5 years, and now owning a L3700SU HST to maintain 8 acres in North Carolina.

Best of luck with your decision!

 

[tetrakis]

I just got a B3200 for my 17 acres. Did a lot of brush hogging as job number 1, and there is not really an issue with the power - I was in grass/weeds up to the tops of the tires - no problem. The land pride 5 foot rotary cutter was great, but you do have to go a little slow (low gear - 3 mph) when the brush gets thick.

The loader is pretty big, but I haven't really gotten the hang of exactly what it can or can't do yet. I have moved some compost, some gravel and hauled some stone back to my house for a project and no problems to report.

I also got an auger, which is a life saver - highly recommend if you have any posts to sink - works like a charm!

I thought about an L series, but I think I made the right choice for size and power.

good luck!