FEL - Kubota (oem) versus Woods

tnmx · Feb 24, 2005

for a kubota B7800 - RE: front end loaders, i am comparing the kubota LA402 versus the Woods 1008. pricing for the kubota is +200 over the Woods.

which numbers are more important?

suggestions on what i should do?

Kubota LA402 lift capacity at pivot pins 1060 break out force 1618
Woods 1008 lift capacity at pivot pins 950 break out force 1900

[just for comparison purposes...]
Woods 1009 lift capacity at pivot pins 1360 break out force 2875 <-- perhaps i should just upgrade - do not have a price right now, but will tomorrow.

Henro · Feb 24, 2005

Tnmx,

The first question is do the specs of the loaders reflect their real capability? I know my LA402 can lift more than the specs say it should be able to. That makes comparisons difficult.

But say the Woods actually is stronger. That means it can and you will lift more than the Kubota designed loader would if you had that one. But perhaps Kubota matched lift capability with tractor weight/size. So a loader than can lift more can also put you in greater danger of a tip over if you make a mistake. All things being equal otherwise.

If you go to sell your tractor later, it possibly, might, maybe, attract less interest than a factory tractor/loader combo might. It should not as Woods makes a great product, but it might.

You want to get the most for your dollar. Like all of us. I can't help with specifics because I don't know. All I do know is that my LA402 is pretty strong. The only actuall measurement I have made, which was no measurement at all really, was lifting six wet, ,pressure treated 6x6s, that were on the pallet forks clamped to my loader bucket. I estimate they weighed about 200 lbs each. If you know the weight of a wet, dense, PT 6x6, you can calibrate my estimate.

I had no trouble lifting them, but my rear did lift off the ground when I got off the tractor. That was because My loaded tires were not enough ballast, and the box blade I normally would have had on the back was not there for some reason.

Specs are one thing, performance is another. Without having those loaders side by side, and workng them to their limits, I am not sure how you can really be sure which is going to be stronger.

Guess I sound like a skeptic... Probalby comes from being around the block more than once... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Scrounger · Feb 25, 2005

Herno has a good point about the mixing of brands but that is exactly why I went for the Woods FEL and BH on a BX2230 over the BX23. I looked at both designs and capabilities and felt the Woods just had the upper leg to the Kubota FEL and BH.

Woods is extremely high quality product and I doubt that it would be a negative should you sell with the Woods verus the Kubota product. IMHO YMMV and etc.

ronjhall · Feb 25, 2005

Whenever I see a question like this. I post a link to this Thread. Ask your dealer to put all promises in writing when he is selling a loader other than OEM.

GeneD14 · Feb 25, 2005

On my last tractor (AGCO ST35) I had a brand new Woods 1012 loader. I wasn't very happy with it. I always stored it inside and within 8 or 9 months large flakes of paint started coming off. Also their linkage from the joystick to the valves was made of "pot metal" and broke twice within the first year leaving me in the middle of a project with an in operable loader. I have always been a big Woods fan. I have had Woods rear blades, finish mowers, belly mowers, and box scrapers. But It will be a long time before I ever consider another Woods loader.

curt1 · Feb 25, 2005

I had to make the same decision when buying my loader. I was comparing the Woods 1016 and the Kubota LA723. The Woods was about $400 to $500 less at the time. Lift capacities were very close...too close to make any difference.
I finally went with the Kubota because I was thinking about resale in the future. Wanted OEM. I thought it might resale a little easier.
As far as quality and function, they both appear to be well made. A friend has a Woods 1027 loader on his Kubota M5400. I have used it some, and it is a very strong, well made loader. It will easily lift the rear of his tractor off the ground with loaded tires and a Land Pride tiller. He is a landscaper that lifts and carries some huge rocks with it. His loader is about 5 years old and never a problem with it.
I guess it is a matter of preference and $$$. You will probably be happy with either loader. If I had it to do over, I would still choose OEM because of resale. And OEM may be better matched to your specific tractor. Just my opinion.

Curt

cj7 · Feb 25, 2005

I hav e a Woods loader in my L2500. I am happy with it. However I may be a bit biased since I did get a great deal on it and I do not really have a comparison.

But again it has been a very good piece of equipment for me and I would not hesitate to buy one again in the future. It has done everything I have asked it to. There are a couple of times it would not but I was taking a big 'bite' anyway.. prolly would have been to much for the tractor.

Is is painted to match too! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

BrettW · Feb 25, 2005

I've got the Woods loader on a B7800. Works well, take the Woods, save the money. thats my opinion, bw

thcri · Feb 25, 2005

I think both loaders will lift more than what your ever going to put in the bucket anyway or should be putting in the bucket. My personal preference is to stay with OEM equipment. This way if anything goes wrong you don't get any finger pointing. The Woods is not certified/approved for the Kubota by Kubota. So in other words Kubota can just say "Well you put an unapproved product on our tractor and therefore your warranty is void". Now if you have a good dealer it may not get that far. But if something serious happens you never know what direction it will go.

I guess I would look at the controls of each one and think about which one you like the best. I know my New Holland has the joystick on the fender which makes it nice for using. While the Woods may have it up on the frame of the loader meaning you have to reach for it. Again some may like that. I like it on the fender. I don't think $200.00 is worth having one you don't like over the years you will have the tractor.

murph

John_Mc · Feb 26, 2005

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ... I had a brand new Woods 1012 loader. I wasn't very happy with it. I always stored it inside and within 8 or 9 months large flakes of paint started coming off. Also their linkage from the joystick to the valves was made of "pot metal" and broke twice within the first year leaving me in the middle of a project with an in operable loader... )</font>

My experience has been quite different than yours. I bought a new TC33D in 2001 and had a Woods loader put on it (the deciding factor was performance, not price). It was stored outside for the first year, and inside since then. No problems with the paint (I've scraped it up a bit, but that's not the paint's fault). The joystick is working just fine. It does lift a bit more than the NH 7308 loader, which was stock at the time, but I tend not to use that extra capacity. One of the big selling points for me was the larger dump angle than the 7308 loader... it's made it a whole lot easier to get some of the heavy clay soil to drop out of the bucket.

John Mc