$10K L5030 Plus Restoration, or $25K Newer Tractor With Perilous Electronics?

[jmc]

From memory after a decade or two, that L5030 was the most powerful of a series of 3 or 4 very similar tractors. I ordered the Grand L 4330- 43 HP vs 50 HP for the 5030. There was also a Grand L4630 and maybe one other model.

Since they're similar as far as frame size, overall dimensions, weight, and probably even the same loader size, (mine's an LA853) you might find a wider selection of tractors equipped as you want them by looking at the other siblings in that series.

My 4330 has been good. Pulls an 6' bush hog thru tall weeds at a reasonable speed.

Ultimate pulling force between two tractors of similar weight will be similar, regardless of HP. But higher HP will puller faster up to the point of breaking traction. Don't know if pulling faster is an issue for most, beyond just pulling to get something unstuck and be done with it.

I think that the 5030 had both Cat 1&2 3 point hitch options. Mine is just cat 1.

Hope you can find a side by side comparison of the models in that series, in case you don't necessarily need maximum HP. I think it was in a Kubota brochure at the time.

 

[jmc]

From memory after a decade or two, that L5030 was the most powerful of a series of 3 or 4 very similar tractors. I ordered the Grand L 4330- 43 HP vs 50 HP for the 5030. There was also a Grand L4630 and maybe one other model.

Since they're similar as far as frame size, overall dimensions, weight, and probably even the same loader size, (mine's an LA853) you might find a wider selection of tractors equipped as you want them by looking at the other siblings in that series.

My 4330 has been good. Pulls an 6' bush hog thru tall weeds at a reasonable speed.

Ultimate pulling force between two tractors of similar weight will be similar, regardless of HP. But higher HP will puller faster up to the point of breaking traction. Don't know if pulling faster is an issue for most, beyond just pulling to get something unstuck and be done with it.

I think that the 5030 had both Cat 1&2 3 point hitch options. Mine is just cat 1.

Hope you can find a side by side comparison of the models in that series, in case you don't necessarily need maximum HP. I think it was in a Kubota brochure at the time.

Update- turns out that series is just the 4330, 4630, and 5030. Attached is a comparison in my owner's manual which covers specs for all 3. Very similar.

 

[Redlined0002]

The more I learn about machinery, the more I realize I do not want emissions gadgets, a computer controller, or any similar electronic junk. People say these contraptions are reliable, but on the other hand, the web is jammed with other people complaining about how they have failed and ended up sidelining tractors for months. Those stories (and my own mower controller story) are true, so clearly, gadgetry does cause a lot of terrible problems. And my Kubota dealer has a turnaround time of over a month, so any failure is a major pain.

On top of that, I do not trust manufacturers to continue making electronic parts, and I know full well that even if they do, the cost will eventually go through the roof, because that's what always happens. Ask me about the $450 muffler on my 1991 lawn tractor and the $340 controller on my mower.

I would like to buy only one more tractor before I die. I don't want to buy a new tractor every 5 years, and I don't want to have to deal with sourcing discontinued emissions parts or computer controllers 20 years from now. I want something reliable that will not need electronic parts or weird emissions parts. It's bad enough to be concerned about mechanical parts.

I have been thinking I might buy a used Kubota HST L5030. They don't have all that junk on them. But they're all pretty old, so expensive work might be needed.

It looks like most used tractors made more recently will run at least $25,000. For $10K, I can get an L5030 that could need a lot of restoration. I think I would rather spend $10K now and $15K later on restoration, and get a tractor I can keep until I die, than $25K now on a newer machine that may be a source of total misery in 10 years.

I have never bought an old tractor and paid to have it fixed up right. I have no idea what I might end up spending. Is my math reasonable?

I am handy, but I'm not the guy who splits tractors in his driveway. I would have to pay for major work like engine rebuilds. I can repack a cylinder and so on, but there is a limit.

I have a Kubota MX5100 HST 4x4 with a loader. Loader and bucket are the quick connect. Has 630 hrs. Great condition except the paint is faded. It is a 2012 model. No emissions No computer. Located in Waynesboro Tennessee. $26,000.
John 904-813-4740

 

[DieselBound]

2016 Kioti NX5510. Pushing 1,200 hrs.. ZERO engine or electronics issues (a semi-related issue with the travel pedal positioner but it was due to a broken return spring). Regens are rarely an inconvenience; it's nice to not be inhaling a bunch of diesel fumes (if I want to be sniffing them I'll jump on my B7800).

Folks were predicting pure doom when ECU's became the norm on automobiles. I've got cars over 20 years-old (lots of miles) and ZERO ECU issues: but none of these, all diesels, have DPFs, not because I'm necessarily worried about them but because the generation of engines that I prefer (less to do about emissions and more to do with actual design) don't come with them.

It's all about risk assessment. Entropy is going to eventually destroy everything. And besides, I do enough damage breaking things due to my own fault.

 

[2manyrocks]

I do not like the DPF on my mx5200 because it sometimes calls for regen cycle at a much higher RPM when I am mowing. Also think the fundamental idea of running at a higher RPM to generate heat to burn off particulates is nutty, IMO. If the DPF system were optional, I doubt many would request it.

 

[paulsharvey]

Oh, one thing I see nobody brought up "keep till you die", well, if you're 40, that's different than if you're 65.

Nothing wrong with going used, or new. If I was looking at spending $10k to purchase, and $15k to "restore", vs $25k to buy new; thats a pretty obvious choice, to me, I'd go new. Id much more inclined to buy $10k, budget $2500 in repairs/service; upto about $5,000; in "restoration", but spending double on repairs of the purchase price isn't smart money.

 

[5030]

I have both a big old non-emissions tractor and a newer emissions tractor. Starting the old one in the barn, I feel like I need to go have my lungs pressure washed after driving it out.

So, wear a mask when getting it out... simple answer.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

The majority of time our semi-trucks are in the shop for other than routine maintenance, is because of some kind of emissions problem, then A/C ... We are actually doubling up our order from 110 trucks a year to have as many of the tier 4 trucks, prior to tier 5 becoming into effect in 2028, we are trading in our older ones sooner than normal to keep our fleet the same size, we are hoping that the first year or 2 year of "teething" problems will get worked out before we need to buy more ... Usually it's a sensor, we scheduled the DPF to be cleaned at 300K miles.

We run Kenworth class 8 semi-trucks, up to 4 years old, no more than 600,000 miles, we have far fewer emissions problems then truckers that idle there truck all the time, we have Auxiliary Power Units (APU's) that are small diesel powered generators that run ourHVAC needs while parked, and keep the batteries charged ...

My terminals shop foreman bought a pre-emission tractor on purpose, the Kubota parts counter guy told me he only owns pre-emission tractor, and doesn't blame me at all for buying older one like I got.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

I do not like the DPF on my mx5200 because it sometimes calls for regen cycle at a much higher RPM when I am mowing. Also think the fundamental idea of running at a higher RPM to generate heat to burn off particulates is nutty, IMO. If the DPF system were optional, I doubt many would request it.

The idea of running a tractor at very high RPM's to help the environment IS nutty. And it comes from the same people who want us to conserve everything, bathe rarely, and basically live in huts.

My L3710 runs very happily at 1500 RPM. If I had to run it at mowing speeds in order to do the regen Heimlich, it would be very annoying, and it would use more diesel and put more wear on the powertrain.

My decision about avoiding the emissions junk is not open to debate, and the more I hear about this stuff from people who actually work on tractors and trucks, the worse it sounds. I think a lot of people defend it because they already have it.

 

[LouNY]

Here is a good looking pre-emmission tractor, it does have a cab and it's not hydrostatic. It sure is interesting to me even though I have more tractors now then I need (not want) but need.
The price is a bit high but she does look nice.
Log into Facebook