Buying Advice '02 Kubota L4310 vs '12 JD 3038e vs '02 JD 4410

JakeBlues · Feb 28, 2015

Looking for some insight on 2002 Kubota L4310 versus 2012 John Deere 3038e versus JD 4410. All have loaders with 4x4 and HST. All are from private sellers. All say they've been serviced and not been worked too hard. All seem in similarly good shape with about 75% of tire wear remaining

2002 Kubota L4310: 44hp HST, bucket, 4x4, less than 700 hours, ag tires at 75% on rear 50%+ on front. Good shape, tear in seat, garage kept

2012 John Deere 3038e: 38 hp, HST, bucket, 4x4, less than 500 hours,

Made '02-'04 John Deere 4410: 1300 hours

My situation: My Mahindra 4110 just threw a rod and appears not worth fixing based on engine short block cost is $5000+. I live in a very hilly. Many steep hills. 66 acres with about 25 acres open. I have a Woods MD72 bushhog, which may need to be downsized. It tested my Mahindra, esp on hills. I need a tractor to handle these hills, with strong hydraulics.

What do you all think?? Recommendations?? Warnings?? Thanks in advance!!

nybirdman · Feb 28, 2015

The Kubota L 4310 is the heaviest and most powerful and low hours for the year.I run a six ft.BH with the same HP on my 44HP Kubota with no problem.

GManBart · Feb 28, 2015

From a capability standpoint, the Kubota pretty much has more of everything. The 3038E has one major drawback (in my opinion) in that it has an HST with only 2 ranges which isn't as flexible as the more common 3 ranges. It is however ten years newer than the other two, which is nice.

I don't know exactly what you're going to use it for, but with that much property I think I'd be looking hard at the Kubota. At 10+ years machines start to have little things going wrong...a hose or fitting here and there, seals on cylinders etc. If it was used like a typical weekend warrior does (yes, that's me) I wouldn't worry about the big stuff having problems. You may have to take care of some of the smaller things, and likely some of the bigger service items that come up in the 5-600hr range on many machines....draining and refilling the differentials, transmission/hydraulic fluid, etc. Most folks are pretty good about oil and filter changes, but some folks don't even think about the other service items...and they can cost several hundred dollars after expensive filters, and large quantities of fluids.

JakeBlues · Feb 28, 2015

I'm leaning towards the Kubota for sure. I know I need as much HP as I can get. I drag and push lots of logs up and down hills, clear brush, which is the worst thing for a tractor IMHO, big bushhog, plow a mile of drive with a rear blade, move round bales, pull a baler, etc. My hills are steep and I don't want any adventures while going down them. I'm basically a one-man show who is doing the work of 2-3 men with my tractor as my sidekick. So it's got to be reliable and sure footed. I feel the Kubota is the way to go, but a JD that's 10 years younger is enticing. I really need to hear from people with the 3038e who have put it through its paces.

KC135plt · Feb 28, 2015

Jake, I will through in my 2 cents worth. I have the L3710HST, so about 6hp less than the 4310. Mine is a 2001 model and I am very pleased with it. My property is in the hills of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia and I also do a lot of bush hogging and towing and pushing of logs and brush and I have no regrets with my 3710, except that maybe I should have gotten the 4310. I do all the required maintenance on mine per the book and as I have said it has served me extremely well. I do have on suggestion for you after reading about your situation. About 12 years ago, Steve Carver at Carver Equipment in NC had a used grapple bucket for sale that fit my L3710. I hauled my tractor down there and he installed it and what a difference it made! I too work my property by myself and without a doubt the grapple bucket made moving logs, brush, just about anything I needed to pick up and move so much easier and quicker. It is without a doubt the best attachment I have on my tractor. Mine is a W.R. Long bucket and I would purchase another without hesitation. Good luck!

Grandad4 · Feb 28, 2015

I can't say anything about the specific tractors you're looking at. With any used equipment, you really need to check them out thoroughly. The Kubota looks to be the best fit for the kind of work you've described. While the JD units you've looked at may be good tractors, they are smaller in size, power and weight vs. the Kubota. If they were put to work side by side at your place, you'd see a big difference in the productivity of the larger machine.

I have had very good experience with an L4610, which is mostly the same tractor as the L4310. It has been trouble-free and hard-working for the last 13 years and has never been in for any repairs. Best I can tell, it runs and works exactly the same as when new.

If you go with the L4310, I'd definitely try the Woods cutter with it. Your Mahindra had similar power to the L4310 but was dragging an extra 8-900 lbs. of tractor weight around, which helps pulling on level ground but works against you operating pto driven implements on hills.

Good luck with your shopping, and sorry about the engine failure.

varmint · Mar 1, 2015

My only comment to add to the good ones so far is to be sure the rears are set at their widest- what a difference it makes in how the tractor handles slopes! Should be still less width than the bucket. I added 1.75" spacers to my otherwise fixed rears (no two piece rims like the bigger L's) and am glad I did.

GManBart · Mar 1, 2015

varmint said:
My only comment to add to the good ones so far is to be sure the rears are set at their widest- what a difference it makes in how the tractor handles slopes! Should be still less width than the bucket. I added 1.75" spacers to my otherwise fixed rears (no two piece rims like the bigger L's) and am glad I did.

That must have required extended lugs, right?

varmint · Mar 1, 2015

Yep- they were a Kubota product, and came with the needed studs, which screwed into the hub (I had to come up with nuts- M16 x 1.5). The original mounting was two shorter studs, with nuts, and with 4 bolts. The studs came out with jam nuts and a little heat.
I wanted good clearance for rear chains, but the extra feeling of stability, maybe just "sensed" because I wanted it, is a bonus. If there's a downside, I haven't experienced it yet.