JD 3038

[sgwheeler]

Anybody have any thoughts on this tractor? I'm thinking of this one or the Kubota L3800.

 

[ppdiaper]

What didja wind up deciding? I don't know anything about the L3800, but I do have a 3038E and I like it for my uses. 20acres, 4 acres wooded. No remote hydraulic, no mid PTO, just a basic tractor. It pulls a heavy 6' box blade well, and it's got a lot of power with a 6' King Kutter finish mower. 60 hrs so far and no complaints.

 

[msmud]

ppdiaper,
What kind of tires are you running on your 3038? Do you have much wheelslip with the 6' boxblade? I agree with your post; I can't think of another tractor that packs 37 engine hp/30 pto in as small and maneuverable a package. A heck of a tractor.

 

[dustinfox]

I was looking at this tractor but I'm a bit sceptical about the weight... Only 2,000 lbs? Seems kinda light doesn't it?

 

[nikdfish]

I was looking at this tractor but I'm a bit sceptical about the weight... Only 2,000 lbs? Seems kinda light doesn't it?

I believe that if you have the 305 loader & fluid in the rear tires, the weight (w/out operator) is between 3100 and 3200 lb.

Nick

 

[dustinfox]

I believe that if you have the 305 loader & fluid in the rear tires, the weight (w/out operator) is between 3100 and 3200 lb.

Nick

Yes but most of the tractors I've looked at this size are close to 3,000 lbs without the loader. The Kioti is over 3,100.

 

[RoyJackson]

Yes but most of the tractors I've looked at this size are close to 3,000 lbs without the loader. The Kioti is over 3,100.

That weight surprised me to, so I confirmed it on the Deere website (ship weight: 2087 lbs). Ship weight might well be without tires and wheels though (guess on my part) since this is a pretty good sized CUT.
Or, might be an error on the Deere spec sheet.

 

[nikdfish]

I believe the rear axle/tranny housing is aluminum. That may help account for the less than expected weight ...

Nick

 

[RoyJackson]

I believe the rear axle/tranny housing is aluminum. That may help account for the less than expected weight ...

Nick

Deere has been using aluminum castings (aluminum castings are very strong, BTW) since the older 4x00/4x10 series machines introduced in 1998 or 1999. Those mid sized CUTs came in at 2900 lbs for the bare tractor.
I'm still curious about what Deere considers a "Ship Weight" nowadays. I'm still guessing it's everything less the wheels and tires. Kubota ship weights were also low...and they weren't shipped with wheels/tires.
Assuming that's a correct assumption, 2087 lbs isn't bad at all. Figure 500 lbs for the engine, about the same for the transmission and a few hundred pounds for the drive line...hood and fenders are a stout plastic.

 

[nikdfish]

According to a ballast calculator I ran across, a 3E machine with R4 tires & nothing else (i.e. no loader, no attachments, etc) weighs 2364 lb. (2316 with R1 tires).


Nick

 

[Verticaltrx]

Deere has been using aluminum castings (aluminum castings are very strong, BTW) since the older 4x00/4x10 series machines introduced in 1998 or 1999. Those mid sized CUTs came in at 2900 lbs for the bare tractor.
I'm still curious about what Deere considers a "Ship Weight" nowadays. I'm still guessing it's everything less the wheels and tires. Kubota ship weights were also low...and they weren't shipped with wheels/tires.
Assuming that's a correct assumption, 2087 lbs isn't bad at all. Figure 500 lbs for the engine, about the same for the transmission and a few hundred pounds for the drive line...hood and fenders are a stout plastic.

Shipping weight means the complete tractor, with tires (usually R1), no accessories and no fluids. It doesn't have anything to do with how the tractor is actually 'shipped'. Having looked at the 3038e closely I can say that 2000lbs sounds very reasonable.

The 3038e is much less tractor than the 4200-4400 which is why it weighs a good bit less. They put decent sized tires on them which makes them look bigger, but the tractor itself is pretty small. In most regards they are closer to the large B-series Kubota than an L-series.

 

[RoyJackson]

Shipping weight means the complete tractor, with tires (usually R1)

Do you know that as a fact? Or, just an opinion? If a fact, please substantiate. If opinion or a guess, that's fine too...
I don't know for sure...and wrote what I thought could be a possible answer to the comparatively light weight callout in the specs.

I've been next to 3038's (looked at one at my dealer and one plowing my local pizza shop parking lot)...they are pretty close in size to my 4400...maybe between a 790 and 4400 in cowl height.
Looks like more then just over a ton of tractor to me.

 

[mattridessleds]

I noticed the original post was from july. I've been looking at the same 2 tractors and also a left over L2800. I was not too impressed with the 3038 the Kubota seemed to be better built imo. The loader on the kubota lifted close to a foot higher than the JD and I believe the breakout force was much higher than the JD. The lift capacities were pretty close though. The 3pt on the kubota had more lift capacity and also had the option of a kubota backhoe. The 3800 was heavier too i think by around 500 or 600 lbs. Kubota had a way bigger fuel tank by like 3.5 gallons and a gas gauge plus a overall better gauge package. Quick attach loader on the kubota vs permanent on the JD (I think JD sells a kit to make it detach). JD didn't have a separate diff lock it was tied into the brake pedal which I didn't like and didn't have individual brakes. The kubota had individual brakes but they are on the same side as the hst pedal so not quite sure how good that will work out either. Anyways i'll probably be going with the L2800 because of the price otherwise I would probably go for the 3800.

 

[Verticaltrx]

Do you know that as a fact? Or, just an opinion? If a fact, please substantiate. If opinion or a guess, that's fine too...
I don't know for sure...and wrote what I thought could be a possible answer to the comparatively light weight callout in the specs.

I've been next to 3038's (looked at one at my dealer and one plowing my local pizza shop parking lot)...they are pretty close in size to my 4400...maybe between a 790 and 4400 in cowl height.
Looks like more then just over a ton of tractor to me.

From the 3038e owners manual:

Weight
With ROPS, 3-Point Hitch and all fluids 987 kg (2175 lb)


From the spec sheet:

Approx. Ship Wgt, lb. (kg) Open; Cab 2087 (947)


That tells me that the weight listed on the spec sheet is the weight of the entire tractor minus fluids. Weight in the manual is field ready.

 

[RoyJackson]

From the 3038e owners manual:

Weight
With ROPS, 3-Point Hitch and all fluids 987 kg (2175 lb)


From the spec sheet:

Approx. Ship Wgt, lb. (kg) Open; Cab 2087 (947)


That tells me that the weight listed on the spec sheet is the weight of the entire tractor minus fluids. Weight in the manual is field ready.

Still seems light, considering the size of the tractor...but I can't disagree.

Since you have a Kubota...I remember reading the specs on them a while back and wondered why their ship weights were so low. In Kubota's case, it was due to the machines being shipped sans wheels (makes sense, since their coming in fromJapan). Figured the 3038 was the same...

 

[Verticaltrx]

Still seems light, considering the size of the tractor...but I can't disagree.

Since you have a Kubota...I remember reading the specs on them a while back and wondered why their ship weights were so low. In Kubota's case, it was due to the machines being shipped sans wheels (makes sense, since their coming in fromJapan). Figured the 3038 was the same...

As for the Kubota's the published weights on the spec sheets and online are the actual weights, with tires. They are just light weight tractors compared to Deere's.

The only place that actual 'shipping weight' is published is on the whole goods price lists and other dealer only material. I have a B-series whole goods list in front of me and my tractor is listed at 1403lbs shipping weight whereas on the spec sheet it is 1787lbs. I think the weight of 1403lbs excludes the tires/wheels but also include the weight of the crate.