Another which to buy

[Fallon]

All the Grand Ls share a common Owners/Operator's manual. Aside from 6" difference in width and varying engine HP there is little difference between them.

The front axle on the L4760 & up is beefier. Coincidentally those machines can also be speced with the big loader instead of just the small or medium one that the 2 "small" ones can take. At some point they change to CAT 2 links on the 3pt.

The height/width/length of the various grands is a result of the different tire sizes, with the higher HP machines getting bigger tires.

Which adds up to a few differences, but nothing to significant.

 

[TheMadOne]

Found a L4060 on a lot not too far away and going to stop by and check it out while running errands. No one has a 3560 near me or remotely close, maybe they don't sell as many smaller grands?

Most people seem to bump up to the L4060, it's really not that high of a percentage of the purchase price, at least before the limited edition launched.

 

[Bayou1535]

Well, I stopped by a kubota dealer and checked out a cabbed 3560 just to get a size comparison. The cabbed version probably threw the size off a little bit but I think the minimal difference of the 4060 to the 3560 would be negligible. I called back the dealer that I'm working with and talked over many options and asked him to go ahead and sharpen his pencil to get the actual price of the 4060. It's going to be the basic tractor (open station) with the quick attach-square backed bucket and R4's. No need for the HD bucket that I can see and as of now, not getting the tires filled. I may get a ballast box instead or change my mind on the filling. I also did not get any rear remotes, I know alot of people say to get as many as you can and also get top and tilt but I can't see that I would need them. I don't think I will need them for the scarifiers on the box blade and not the bush hog. I also won't be doing any or enough ditches to make it worth while. Trying to keep everything low cost as possible so there won't be any financing. Basically it will be used to move round bales, driveway maintenance and a little bush hogging which would be considered light as most of it is being cut for hay now. And a post hole digger for the great fencing project to come. I can change my mind on most of these before delivery if I choose or am persuaded.

 

[jeff9366]

Based on my six years experience with air-inflated R4/industrial tires on my L3560, air inflated tires on a L4060 will be fine.

Don't waste money on a ballast box. Buy a 700 - 1,000 pound Three Point Hitch implement for counterbalance.

A Rotary Cutter will serve but protrudes quite a distance to the rear as counterbalance.

 

[Bayou1535]

Thanks Jeff, I edited the above post for clarification.

 

[jeff9366]

Trying to keep everything low cost as possible so there won't be any financing.

Interest on ten year Japanese government note is 0.090% today.
Interest on ten year U S A government note is 2.410% today.

Kubota can borrow money in Japan at darn near no cost and use that free money for "0%" financing to move tractor iron in the USA.

USA inflation is 1-1/2% to 2% per year. Using Kubota's "0%" financing you pay Kubota each year with cheaper dollars. This is offset somewhat by the requirement for tractor insurance if you finance.

 

[Bayou1535]

I just don't like to owe anyone anything. The low financing is tempting but since I can pay it off as it stands now, that's the direction I want to go.

 

[PaulL2]

I just don't like to owe anyone anything. The low financing is tempting but since I can pay it off as it stands now, that's the direction I want to go.

I understand - I also don't like debt. But if you took the money you have sitting there for the tractor, put it in a term deposit at 2%, and take the zero percent financing, you'll make $20K x 2% x 3 years on average. Maybe $1,200. But then you pay for KTAC, and no doubt some paperwork fees, so maybe only $600. And you have to make payments and mess around. How much is your time worth I guess.

 

[Fallon]

Based on my six years experience with air-inflated R4/industrial tires on my L3560, air inflated tires on a L4060 will be fine.

Don't waste money on a ballast box. Buy a 700 - 1,000 pound Three Point Hitch implement for counterbalance.

A Rotary Cutter will serve but protrudes quite a distance to the rear as counterbalance.

I'll 2nd that. A ballast box is good if you have extreme space constraints. Otherwise, just leave an impliment on. I punished an old 60 gallon air compressor tank for leaking on me by turning it into a ballast box. I've only used it 2-3 times in as many years.

I do tend towards loaded tires. They were pretty much a requirement on an economy L, less so on the Grands. They add stability & traction at the expense of fuel economy.

 

[TheMadOne]

I got loaded tires on the L3560. I haven't worked it near enough to tell if I regret it.

 

[Bayou1535]

Well, I just sent off the email to get the ball rolling on a 4060. figured for 2,200 difference I might as well go a little bigger. Now waiting to see when it will arrive and a couple final questions. Thanks for everyone's input and now the questions will begin on implements. Haven't been on a tractor in 24 years so there will be plenty of questions.

 

[nybirdman]

Well, I just sent off the email to get the ball rolling on a 4060. figured for 2,200 difference I might as well go a little bigger. Now waiting to see when it will arrive and a couple final questions. Thanks for everyone's input and now the questions will begin on implements. Haven't been on a tractor in 24 years so there will be plenty of questions.

Good choice;I think you will be happy with the move up in H.P.

 

[Bayou1535]

I spoke with the dealer and advised my concerns or should I say the inability to decide on which machine. Do those with 3560 think the 805 loader is too much for the machine? Would 300 or so pounds difference between the 4060 and 3560 make a difference on dry lawns. I'm not saying that I would be cutting grass next to the house with either but there would be spreading fertilizer and a weed sprayer.

 

[varmint]

I had a grand L3130 with loaded R-4 tires, and really liked the large loader bucket and almost everything about the tractor, but it was too heavy for where I used it. The present L3400 with turf tires is much better for driving over our "lawn" which I have to do when I move firewood or just take the tractor in or out of our little barn. The L3400 is tolerable because the previous owner installed extendable rear links and a SSQA loader along with rear hydraulics, but I do miss that big 72" bucket with its massive lifting capacity compared to the L3400. I'd love another Grand L, but can't justify buying one at this point in my life. Oh- the L3400 pretty much requires a weight box or implement unless the tires are loaded. I simply fabbed up a steel frame box filled with granite pavers I can take out if desired. I don't mow with the big tractor, and a front plow takes care of snow. Occasionally I need to use the post hole auger, and that's it. I do have a trailer hitch on the weight box.

 

[Fallon]

I spoke with the dealer and advised my concerns or should I say the inability to decide on which machine. Do those with 3560 think the 805 loader is too much for the machine? Would 300 or so pounds difference between the 4060 and 3560 make a difference on dry lawns. I'm not saying that I would be cutting grass next to the house with either but there would be spreading fertilizer and a weed sprayer.

I have a L4060, so hair bigger tires & another 300 odd lbs... I got the medium loader (cant put the big one on anything smaller than a L4760), although I forget the loader model numbers offhand.

The obvious weak spot is loader hydraulics. It runs out of oomph lifting over its rated capacity. It barely moved a 1,900lbs paller + 250lbs or so for the forks, given its rated to 1,600-1,700lbs or so that's fine. The machine is rock solid stable even with minimal ballast. My L3200 on the other hand was very unstable lifting heavy even with lots of ballast on back. It's obvious weak spot was stability. Both could have had less obvious weak spots with axles or what not.

There wont be any noticable difference between the 2 models running the medium loader. The medium loader will be a better match for the L3560 than the only loader option on my L3200 was. I've never wished for the smaller loader once. I have wished for the bigger one I can't have occasionally.

300lbs isnt going to make any noticable difference on your lawn. I generally leave mine in 2wd while mowing & make wide turns if I can. Tight turns or 4wd tear up grass even if its dry & hard. If its soft, you are leaving tracks.

The main difference is going to be power. You need it for mowing & roading. Thick grass is actually a lot harder (HP wise) to mow than most brush. Both machines will pull a 6' mower fine. You might have to slow down a bit on the smaller machine.

 

[Bayou1535]

One thing I was curious of was the grader/scraper for a 3560 vs 4060. The 3560 can only handle the lighter scraper and the 4060 van handle the heavier one in 72" per Kubota's site. When checking out the marched 72" Anyone having experience with a 72" on a 3560 or thoughts?

 

[Fallon]

One thing I was curious of was the grader/scraper for a 3560 vs 4060. The 3560 can only handle the lighter scraper and the 4060 van handle the heavier one in 72" per Kubota's site. When checking out the marched 72" Anyone having experience with a 72" on a 3560 or thoughts?

Marketing mostly. The L3560 has slightly smaller tires & as a result will have very slightly less traction.

I pulled a 72" box blade decently behind a L3200. A fair bit heavier blade behind a MUCH lighter machine. That machine had a 72" grader blade for a while too. 72" is way to small for a tractor with around a 72" track anyway. You need the blade to cover your tracks when angled. That ends up being s 7 or 8' blade.

I currently pull a 72" old Gannon very heavy box blade behind my L4060. If it gets a good bite on packed clay I will get stopped dead. But it works well & is so much nicer than a light box blade that can't get a bite on any ground remotely hard.

The other question, or probably the main one is what are you going to be using the grader blade for?

I'm actually looking for a cheap grader blade at the moment. My box blade digs & moves material well. But it cant roll material to the side to crown a road. The LPGS does a great job smoothing, but again, cant roll material laterally. I have an 8' SSQA snow plow that can roll material to the side, but it cant be twisted laterally for a crown (not to mention it's to light & bouncy out on the loader to grade). So I'm looking for a 7-8' grader blade as a bit of a 1 trick pony. I have other impliments that work better for everything a grader blade would do.

 

[Bayou1535]

I was going to use the LPGS for driveway maintenance, I used the wrong wording in my previous post. I also checked out the box blades and it appears that 72 is the largest to use on either machine and that wouldn't cover the tracks. This is all from the matched Land Pride attachments link.

 

[Fallon]

I was going to use the LPGS for driveway maintenance, I used the wrong wording in my previous post. I also checked out the box blades and it appears that 72 is the largest to use on either machine and that wouldn't cover the tracks. This is all from the matched Land Pride attachments link.

All the wheels on the Grands are adjustable width (R4s on economy Ls are fixed width). The R4s on my L4060 are set to 72" on the outsides. I think they can go a bit narrower or wider, but havent checked.

 

[foggy1111]

I've got a L3560 Cab unit with the bigger loader. I had the rear tires loaded with beet juice before taking delivery....and have a ballast box on the back if I don't have an implement on when doing loader work. I like the ballast box when working in the timber as it takes less room to maneuver. I think loading the tires greatly improved the jerkiness of the tractor operation as compared to air filled tires. <----not the reason I loaded the tires....but an added benefit.

The loader is a beast. I had my old Markham / Gator grapple converted to the SS mount (was on a Deere before) when I bought the tractor. This allows me to pick up any size / weight bale and the tractor hardly knows I lift anything. What I have to pay attention to is when I lift heavy LONG logs......the long lengths can magnify the torque on the loader and give me some stability concerns on occasion. But the overall heft of this little tractor is incredible.

I had also considered a JD similar sized tractor....but I am most happy with the increased width of my Kubota. It's much more stable than my old Deere and I would have had to put wheel spacers on the Deere product to gain needed stability in bumpy terrain. The combination of width, weight and size have impressed me with the Kubota product. Still....I can get my cabbed tractor under an 8 foot high door....with a few inches to spare. I would not change a thing.....other than buy the current offereing without all the mirrors and lights.....as they are not needed for my operation.

I really like the combination of weight and power. As been said some things have to be done at slightly less speed with less horsepower.....but I seldom want for more power with my tractor. I absolutely love a cabbed tractor for the cleanliness in my dusty conditions and around the ticks, hornets, and deer flies we have in the summer. A pleasure to operate in any weather situation.