I've had an
L5740 for maybe 8 years now with uses pretty similar to yours. Here's what I would recommend based on use over 8 years.
- Quick attach loader. These are priceless.
- Front 3rd function hydraulics, but only if you will have a front attachment that will use it. I have one and used it when I had a grapple, but haven't used it since selling the grapple. You plan on a grapple, so definitely get the 3rd function. I think you might find yourself wanting a snow blade at some point too, and the 3rd function will give you blade angle control.
- Snow removal with a loader bucket isn't optimal, especially for a long drive. They are really only good for short pushed, otherwise the snow piles up, spills over, and becomes ineffective. The only way it would work on a long drive is if you have plenty of room to push snow diaganoally off the side of the road, back up, take another pass, etc. Very tedious. A front blade or a rear blade would be much better. I'd start with the rear blade that you have planned, and if its a problem then consider a front blade.
- Top and tilt are vital. Don't leave home without it. That takes up 2 of the possible 3 rear remotes.
- 3rd rear remote. Definitely get it, and get your rear blade with a hydraulic angle control. It will work really well for snow removal and other chores. I use mine on several implements.
- Defrosters are somewhat location specific due to weather, but in the cold, you will fog up the windows and the defrost will help a lot.
- Personally I wouldn't bother with the radio. I listen to music on my phone and headphones which double as ear plugs for a nice quite ride.
- And I would definitely get wipers. I use them in the wet and cold, but just as much in dry conditions to get dust off the windows.
- I've had industrial and ag tires, and greatly prefer ag tires. They are much less prone to getting stuck, especially in snow. The only reason I would consider industrial tires is if I needed to spend a lot of time running back and forth over a finished lawn since the ag tires do chew things up a bit more. But both can be significantly reduced by running across the lawn in 2wd rather than 4wd.
- Whatever tires you pick, have your dealer set them up as wide as possible. It's help a bunch with stability. I'm very comfortable on the 5740, where I was often scared on my 2910.
- Definitely fill the tires. It makes a huge difference in general stability, and is required for loader work. Mine are old-school with calcium chloride, filled just before the switch over to rimguard and other less caustic fluids.
- My dealer equipped by 5740 with one of the M-series buckets, so it's both big and strong. It has held up without issues. Do get a replaceable edge if you can. Also, I had 3 chain hooks welded on, tow are each end, and one in the center. They are super useful.
- I run through the woods a lot and have managed to smash up the top flasher lights. I also eventually cracked the plastic top, and that was an expensive replacement at nearly $1000. And the seam on the replacement separated in under a year while my tractor sat in my garage unused except for one snow blowing run. It was clearly not bonded properly. Kubota wouldn't replace it because it was outside the 90-day warranty. I was not happy about that, and just recently rebonded it. Hopefully it will hold up.
- Another thing to watch when operating in the woods are branches and such getting jammed up under the machine. I had one that managed to put a slight rupture in my main hydraulic feed hose to the pumps on the engine. It didn't leak, but when running would suck air. My steering was getting progressively stiff and lumpy over the months and I couldn't figure out why. Then I checked the hydraulic oil level with the tractor running and it was all foamy. That was the clue that I had a suction leak, and when I squeezed that feed hose, I got some fluid leaking out which revealed the rupture. It was an easy fix in the end, but difficult to diagnose.
I originally had a bradco backhoe on it, but eventually sold it and got a mini excavator. It was a very capable attachment, but once I was able to justify the mini-ex, I never looked back.
Bottom line is that it's an excellent machine, and gives me pleasure every time I use it. I'm working over 800 ac with it now, and don't feel any need for a larger machine.
