Buying a tractor ain't easy...

[gregfender]

So I had a chat with Brady at Barlowe's...awesome folks there. He was telling me all about the good with the L3400. Any other 3400 owners out there that can tell me how bullet-proof it is? I'm not gonna kill it, just clear some scrub pine, do a bit of trail clearing, box blading, maybe plow a couple acres with a single bottom plow. What can you tell me?

 

[jdjdjd]

I had a L3600 for 10 years. Four wheel drive, FEL, 6' shredder.
Very tough, well-built, hard working.
They are almost bullet-proof. With much effort on my part, I was able to snag a hydraulic line at the lower part of the tractor while pushing limbs.

The experience with the L3600 was a major influence on the decision to purchase my M9540 Grand Cab.

 

[bp fick]

The L series comes in a few flavors. The Grand L has features that many here appreciate. Some folks consider the L to be a more budget conscience tractor, which shouldn't be taken as a negative, but simply for what it is.

There have been some issues reported with the 3 pt hitch on the L series that you should know about and ask Brady about as well. Be an informed shopper and make an informed decision. Best wishes in your shopping.

 

[TripleR]

My only suggestion is to drive one before you buy. We looked at one and quickly decided we preferred to Grand L Series. As mentioned, the 3-point hitch on these can be jerky. YouTube - Kubota L3400 lifting with the 3 point hitch (3PH)

 

[JDGreenGrass]

My only suggestion is to drive one before you buy. We looked at one and quickly decided we preferred to Grand L Series. As mentioned, the 3-point hitch on these can be jerky. YouTube - Kubota L3400 lifting with the 3 point hitch (3PH)

TripleR.....That is a great video for anyone who has heard all the talk about this being a negative in the L series. It shows the effect on the tractor and all. Great post.

Is that what they call a Quarter Inching Valve.??

Thanks for posting.

 

[Samandothers]

Do a search for info on the L3400. You will get a bunch of hits. I have heard good things about it being a good tractor and people love it. I have also heard people not being happy with the 3pt hydraulic valve. Drive some and put some implement on the back.
I went to a dealer initially looking for for a 30 something horsepower. Came away ulitmately with a L4240 and have not regrets at all. I think I was looking initially for too small of a unit. So some of what you select can depend not only on what you plan to do with it but also how much of what you plan to do do you plan to do. The L3400 may be great to plow with a one bottom plow a small garden. If you plan a large tilled area you may need two bottom plan an maybe a larger unit. If you plan to bush hog a small area the 3400 and a small rotary cutter may be great. If you have a larger area to cut you may need a larger tractor that can power a larger rotary cutter faster.
Look around and sit on a bunch and enjoy the hunt.

 

[LD1]

The L3400 is a great all around tractor. I love mine. But there are a few things to consider.

1st is the jerky 3PH. It is NOT the same as the quarter inching valve. I actually believe it is called an inching valve. And it is indeed jerky. But the L3400 is a budget minded workhorse.

Second thing to consider is that the L3400 is a high HP to weight ratio tractor. That means for a mid 30HP tractor, it is light. It is great for bushhogging and other PTO driven implements and doesnt tear up the yard as bad as others. But weight = traction. So for ground engaging activities like you mention, their ARE heavier tractors in this HP and price range. But you can always add weight, either in the tires or a 3PH ballast. And light may be a good thing to if you consider trailering the tractor at all. The FEL is also not the stongest in the class either. But it is pleanty strong for what I need. I can lift the rears into the air with a 5' bushhog on the back and loaded tires. So I honestly dont see what a larger # on paper is going to gain me. So take the loader specs with a grain of salt. Same for the 3PH. It can lift 1500lbs @ 24" back. Who Honestly needs more than that???

But as others have mentioned, test one out. Get some seat time. Only you can decide if issues like the jerky 3PH are acceptable to you. For some though, it is a deal-breaker. For me, it was worth the sacrifice to get the most machine for my money.

 

[whistlepig]

I think all Kubota's, regardless of size, are going to be lighter than any other tractor in the same HP range. From what I have read this is part of Kubota's design. My B7800 weighs 1700# soaking wet. By the time it is rigged up for winter it has an additional 1800# of weight added to it. My B7800 can handle this additional weight easily. I want it to be heavy to move dirt and move snow. I don't want it to be heavy when I mow my yard. I prefer this type of set up in a tractor. Some don't.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Buying a tractor ain't easy...
When I saw the topic of this thread I thought I've got to read this.
One of us is confused. It is really, really, really easy. Maybe to easy and Barlows don't make it any harder. Call, email or go in, sign some papers and the next day or in a couple/few days one of them arrives at you home or where ever you choose and they unload a Fully loaded or base Kubota. They've done that twelve times for me and two others I picked up myself (model BX22's in a box, still have one I found recently hiding in my closet) so I don't want to be disagreeable but no, it's pretty easy.
Good luck on your persuit. Your going to get alot of advise from a BX1860 to a M999999 if Kubota makes one.
I guess you and Brady came up with the L3400 after some conversation of your needs and finances. Don't get side tracked by what other people need or how they use their tractors. Stay on point of your needs and finances.:thumbsup:
I've had a L3240HST but not a L3400. From my reading here the L3400 seems to be a great less expensive L sized tractor with a 3ph that doesn't seem to be an industry leader. Look at videos, try one to see if it's to jerky for how your going to use it.
I've had position control (yes, it's the best) and two different 1/4 inching 3ph's and others of undescribed types. They have all worked OK for my uses and I wouldn't pay much difference for one over the other. I've done some tilling, boxblading (drop and go not precision boxblading), landscape raking, Ferguson (roller type) overseeder, Funnel type fertilizer broadcaster and post hole digger.

 

[whistlepig]

When I buy parts for my B7800 I always go out to the lot and check out the L3400's. Every time I go. This is the tractor that always catches my eye. I think the L3400 is just the neatest package made in Kubota compact tractors. I don't really need something as big as a L3400 but I sure would like to have one.

 

[k0ua]

Second thing to consider is that the L3400 is a high HP to weight ratio tractor. That means for a mid 30HP tractor, it is light. It is great for bushhogging and other PTO driven implements and doesnt tear up the yard as bad as others. But weight = traction. So for ground engaging activities like you mention, their ARE heavier tractors in this HP and price range. But you can always add weight, either in the tires or a 3PH ballast. And light may be a good thing to if you consider trailering the tractor at all. The FEL is also not the stongest in the class either. But it is pleanty strong for what I need. I can lift the rears into the air with a 5' bushhog on the back and loaded tires. So I honestly dont see what a larger # on paper is going to gain me. So take the loader specs with a grain of salt. Same for the 3PH. It can lift 1500lbs @ 24" back. Who Honestly needs more than that???

I cannot add a whole lot to this, other than to agree, I love my L3400, it is a real workhorse, and so far I have had 0 trouble with it. I now have 57 hours on it, and it has performed superbly. The 3pt is not a problem with me, just pull up on the position control lever, and it will jerk one time, when the implement stops. then feather the implement down to where you want it. There it stays, it is position control. If you go from the ground and try to move the position control up slowly, you will be in for a rapid series of jerks (like the you-tube video) to get to where you want to go. Almost all of them seem to do it, and my 2010 does it. But it is no big deal to me to just raise the hitch and then ease it down, smooth as silk. As others have said there are more powerful loaders in this size class, but mine would raise the rears with a 750 lb ballast box on the back, and before I loaded the tires. Has not done it since the tire loading, but I think the loader is pretty well matched to the size of the tractor. The tractor fits me very well, and seems ergonomic, I can do loader work all day with it, and still feel pretty good, the operator station is not cramped, and pretty well laid out I think. Now for some things I did not like. It does not have extendable links on the 3pt, and the sway chains/bars are turnbuckles. A grand L would have extendable links and a sliding bar with holes in if for fast changes on the 3pt. The floorboards are just painted, no nice rubber Mat like the grand L or B series has, and the paint will wear quick. I fixed that to my great satisfaction by using truck bed coating to coat the floorboards and step and center section giving them a nice appearance and better traction when mounting and dismounting the tractor. It has held up well, and would be easy to repair in a couple of minutes to touch it up. The 2WD/4WD control is a pull type T handle and it is not as handy as some, But it is not a big deal. The hydro operation is smooth and ergonomic to my way of thinking, but others have complained about the treadle pedal, and wish for the 2 pedal system. Not me. Also most have complained that the brakes are on the right side and should be on the left, but that apparently is a Kubota thing, and we cannot change that. All in all, I say lots of power, tough, reliable, ergonomic and a good value. If the money were of no concern, I would buy a Grand L, if the money was (and is for me) I would look hard at a L3400, or the L3700 or L3800 packages as a good value, likely to retain a good percentage of that value for years to come.. there my 3 cents.
James K0UA

 

[gregfender]

Thanks for all the help guys. One of the things I worry about (a little) is the weight issue. Will the 3400 be heavy enough when i get into heavy brush and scrub pines? I plan on filling the tires and using the FEL to knock down the smaller trees, but how is it for skidding some of the larger trees i cut? Naturally, I don't plan on pulling a 12 row plow (not yet at least :laughing but I do have a single row for breaking the sod and I will be using a box blade to set up my site for my pole barn. I suppose I need to bend a few more ears at barlowes, but I appreciate any and all input I get from this collection of Kubota experts!

 

[LD1]

Thanks for all the help guys. One of the things I worry about (a little) is the weight issue. Will the 3400 be heavy enough when i get into heavy brush and scrub pines? I plan on filling the tires and using the FEL to knock down the smaller trees, but how is it for skidding some of the larger trees i cut? Naturally, I don't plan on pulling a 12 row plow (not yet at least :laughing but I do have a single row for breaking the sod and I will be using a box blade to set up my site for my pole barn. I suppose I need to bend a few more ears at barlowes, but I appreciate any and all input I get from this collection of Kubota experts!

Weight = traction.

That said, I really dont have much to compare it to. I also use mine skidding logs and pushing over some trees. I can tell you that it will out-pull a 8n ford with new 12.4-28 rear tires.

The base L3400 is 2600lbs. Add ~900 for the FEL and about 250 for the bucket. Then fill the tires with ~ 250lbs each. Now we are up to about 4250lbs. Add a bushhog or other 600-700lb implement on the back and you are pushing 5000lbs. Pleanty for pulling and pushing. Even the heavier tractors in the mid 30HP range are only 600-700lbs heavier. So when you are talking a difference of 5000lbs vs 5600lbs, that doesnt equate to a whole lot of difference in pulling power IMO. Hitching, technique, terrain, and tires have a whole lot more to do with it at that point.

But if you are talking a bare tractor with no FEL or ballast attached, 2600lbs vs 3200lbs is a much larger percentage of difference and will be more noticabe IMO.

 

[TripleR]

TripleR.....That is a great video for anyone who has heard all the talk about this being a negative in the L series. It shows the effect on the tractor and all. Great post.

Is that what they call a Quarter Inching Valve.??

Thanks for posting.

As mentioned by others, it is not a quarter inching lift, those are on the BX and some B Series tractors. They will raise or lower in quarter inch increments by bumping the lift lever against a stop. There is no way to set a lift point on these.

I have a couple of older tractors with jerky 3-point hitches and have learned to live with them, so it can be done, I just prefer not to in a new tractor.

 

[TripleR]

Thanks for all the help guys. One of the things I worry about (a little) is the weight issue. Will the 3400 be heavy enough when i get into heavy brush and scrub pines? I plan on filling the tires and using the FEL to knock down the smaller trees, but how is it for skidding some of the larger trees i cut? Naturally, I don't plan on pulling a 12 row plow (not yet at least :laughing but I do have a single row for breaking the sod and I will be using a box blade to set up my site for my pole barn. I suppose I need to bend a few more ears at barlowes, but I appreciate any and all input I get from this collection of Kubota experts!

As to the light weight, weight can be added and I believe these tractors have proven themselves to be strong utility tractors. I often work our L and M side by side and have been very happy with what can be done with these little tractors.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

When I buy parts for my B7800 I always go out to the lot and check out the L3400's. Every time I go. This is the tractor that always catches my eye. I think the L3400 is just the neatest package made in Kubota compact tractors. I don't really need something as big as a L3400 but I sure would like to have one.

I started with a BX2200 FEL MMM. Not enough ground clearance for my gullied, treed, rocky hillside property so after a year I traded it to a new B7800 FEL RFM and BX1500 MMM. After 3 years and paying off those two I traded for a BX2350 MMM and L3240HST. Both were a mistake. The L3240 was to big and to me felt scary on my hillside (notice hillside and not flatland) so traded it in less than a year and 35 hours to a B3200 FEL. The BX2350 had the abrupt stop in reverse so traded it to a BX2660 FEL MMM.
Point is one can go to big depending on their needs and terrain.