Buying Advice Can L4600/LA764 handle round bales?

[dwelshans]

This new thread is a bit of a continuation of a discussion started on LD1's "New L4600...anyone look at one yet????" http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-buying-pricing/232819-new-l4600-anyone-look-one.html. LD1 had some interesting information regarding the FEL capability on the L4600 .vs. the L4400 FEL.

My situation: I have basically handled my pasture maintenance needs with my 27 year old Hinomoto E280. Since the E280 can not "effectively" handle an FEL, I bought (3rd or 4th hand) a dedicated loader (Ditch Witch 400LD) to handle the normal FEL stuff as well as deal with our fairly recent conversion from square bales to round bales (just can't afford squares anymore in my area). We purchase about 30 round bales (typically 5' wide x 5.5 tall...run about 1200 lbs.) a year ...loaded by supplier on my trailer in field on day of cutting...offloaded by me at our place and placed under cover, then pull out 1 to 4 every so often and rebale into squares for daily usage. The off-loading, storage and rebaling take place on a level concrete pad. Bales stacked 2 rows high max. on trailer...height from ground to center of top row is guesstimated at 115". My shed cover height is 13', so I only stack bottom and 2nd row (about 84" from slab to center of top row). I am not, and do not plan, to be running across pastures of varying slope/softness with the tractor/loader/round bales.

Problem is my E280 has suffered a potentially $$$ problem and I am looking to consolidating into one piece of equipment, part out the Hinomoto and sell the 400LD.

Based on the specifications of the 400LD (Lift Capacity, fully Raised 1450 lbs.) I thought an L4400/L4600 with appropriate loader would work. Before I get flamed, I fully realize machine weight, stability, ballast, etc. all are very important considerations. My current loader is only 50" wide, although it weights 5075 lbs. plus I carry a 400 lbs. ballast on rear when handling round bales. It would be suicide to run that loader out into a field with a round bale in the air...I get it. Again, all my offloading/storage/rebaling is done on a solid level pad.

Regardless, Kubota dealer #1 and #2 just laughed and said a MX5100 was where you start...dealer #3 said a M5640SUD was a minimum. I am not trying to figure that out at this time...they all make good arguments about having increased wheelbase, machine weight, loader capacity...all backed by the apparent marginal cost difference (I was looking at 4WD, HST plus some options...so these other recommendations were only $3 to $5K higher).

However, I have an investment in 5' equipment (shredder, box blade, aerator, etc., space in my garage for a smaller tractor (any new one is going to be stored inside), some pasture fencing limitations where a 6'+ width will not fit, etc. Just looking at these other machines they seem overkill for what I do on a regular basis (again, I have been using a sub-compact for decades).

Therefore looking for opinions on whether the L4400/L4600 can handle the round bale portion of my needs. I planned on removing bucket and using skid type bale spear. I know either model would easily handle everything else I do.

Sorry for the diatribe. Any advise appreciated.

 

[kuboman]

Will it handle the round bales, yes. It is at the top end of it's range but I don't see a problem I had a l3130 with the same loader and it handled them fine. Of course bigger is always better.:laughing:

 

[LD1]

AHH...your needs now become clear:thumbsup:

As kubotaman said, the L4400/4600 would be at the upper-end of its range of ability.

I would look seriously at the MX4700/5100. I have never shopped either of these two machines, but other on here indicate that the MX isnt much more $$ than the L4400/4600. And I dont think it is "physically" much bigger either.

So if it will fit where you need it too, and is only a few $$ more, why not?

The hold up may be the second bale on the trailer @ 115" high. The L4600 loader will only go 105".

THe MX is only about 5" longer and 6" wider. If that will fit where you need, you get a loader that will lift ~500lbs more and 5" higher. That may be all the difference right there.

You need to pay the dealer a visit. You pretty much know what you need to do, and have gotten good advise on here, it is just a matter of deciding. Perhaps if the dealer isnt too far away, see if they will bring a 4600 and a 5100 out to your place and you can try them out there first hand with the actual bales, and to see if they will fit trough the gates and stuff.

But you need to be ready and serious to buy from THAT dealer. It is a big expense for them to let you do that. And if you sound like you are still just window shopping, they probabally wont do that for you. But if you let them know up front that one of those tractors will be staying with you, its just a matter of which one, a good dealer should have no problems letting you test them out.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

A gear drive MX and an HST L4600 will be about the same price, I'd gladly take gear to have a tractor that feels safer doing the jobs I need it to do.

 

[KYDan]

I have the MX5100 HST 4WD and move a lot of heavy loads with the bucket and I have no doubt that it will handle round bales. If you are moving hay you can always put a 3 pt. hitch bale spear and a bale on the back if necessary or some other sort of rear ballast. Fluid in the rears is a must for loader work. The HST is far superior for loader applications. There is not much of a price difference between the L4400 and the MX 5100 (It has the same engine as the 4700 only turbocharged, but also has a cat I/II 3pt hitch with extendable arms which is incredibly useful.) The MX's do not have some of the amenities of the L series, but I have not really missed them. They are a lot of machine for the money. I now have about 70 hours on mine and it is still my favorite of all the small tractors that I have ever owned. The only negative that I can identify is that it is very noisy, earplugs are a must. Good luck with your search. BTW, the L4600 looks a lot like the MX series.

 

[bigbull338]

just take a deep breath an step up to the MX5100 HST 4x4 with LA844 loader.the loader will lift 5 by 6 bales with ease as long as you have weight on the rear.an itll sure lift the other bale sizes with ease with a bale on the rear.my tractor handles the 5 by 6 bales with ease.

 

[Code54]

Another one for the MX5100 camp - Put the wheels to the widest position and it will be stable and you WILL have the lift capacity you need.

 

[gerard]

I handle 700 lb square bales and 5 ft round bales with an L2500. You should have no problem moving a little bigger round bale with a 46hp tractor. Frankly, if i couldnt move a big round bale with that size tractor, id be looking at ther brands. also, not doubting the bale weight, but most round bales ive seen, arent as compact as big square bales and 1200 lbs seems a bit on the heavy side.

 

[bigbull338]

I handle 700 lb square bales and 5 ft round bales with an L2500. You should have no problem moving a little bigger round bale with a 46hp tractor. Frankly, if i couldnt move a big round bale with that size tractor, id be looking at ther brands. also, not doubting the bale weight, but most round bales ive seen, arent as compact as big square bales and 1200 lbs seems a bit on the heavy side.

i picked up a 5 by 6 bale with the loader an a 3pt renovator on the rear.an the bales weight was picking up the rear tires on the tractor.an the 5 by 6 bales was not baled tight.id hate to see what a tight 5 by 6 bale wouldve done.

 

[Martian]

Add me in for the MX5100. Although the 4600 would lift them, the pure size of the bales limiting your view and also adding to more instability vs a bucket full of dirt the same weight you can keep close to the ground. When I first got my 5410, and I handle large square bales close to 1500 a piece, I would only do one at a time, and that is a 85HP utility tractor. Now I've got to where I can handle 3 at a time, could probably go for 4 but wouldn't fit through my door. It's a really trick getting them to stabilize. Of course using round bales you wouldn't even be worrying about that. I wouldn't want a compact handling any types of bales besides small square, though, although it may say it can lift it.