grand L 4240

[bigbull338]

went to a big equipment auction in okla yesterday.they had a like new grand l 4240 4x4 w/fel with less than 300hrs on it,w/ROPS an sun shade.an it ended up selling for $16,600.was a nice looking lil tractor,but man the way it was designed would run me bonkers.most everything was in a akward pos for me.it had a push button on the floor insted of the rocker pedal.the loader didnt have the joystick on it.

 

[nybirdman]

Boy don't know about that one;my L4240 has a rocker for the HST,how do you run a loader with-out a joy stick?May-be had been set up for handicapped operator?

 

[TripleR]

That is why it is so important for people to try tractors out before buying them and spend as much time on them as possible to acclimate. I really liked the controls on the L4240 especially the HST pedal. We didn't buy one because an excellent deal came up on a lightly used L5030, but we were going to order one after crawling on and off different tractors for quite some time.

 

[bigbull338]

Boy don't know about that one;my L4240 has a rocker for the HST,how do you run a loader with-out a joy stick?May-be had been set up for handicapped operator?

i asked my buddy about the loader controls an he said that on that tractor they was on the right side with the 3pt lift controls.i was pretty shocked when i seen it didnt fitt me at all,even though i was not intrested in buying it.

 

[TripleR]

I checked the Kubota website and pulled up a picture and it is not to dissimilar to my L5030, but looks even easier to use. I like the joystick close to me and prefer the joystick on the GL to the one on the M8540.

Since the L4240 is offered in a cab unlike the MX5100, the joystick cannot be loader mounted.

One good reason to try them all out.

 

[bigbull338]

i guess im strange i like the joystick mounted to the loader thus making it easy to use for me.i would get messed up if it was on the right side by the seat.

 

[PHILIP8N]

i guess im strange i like the joystick mounted to the loader thus making it easy to use for me.i would get messed up if it was on the right side by the seat.

The GrandL has the loader stick mounted on the tractor. That way you can remove loader, add sub-frame, and operate front blade, rotary broom, or snow blower with FEL control lever. This is becoming more popular on this size of tractor due to their ability to multi-task. Philip.

 

[crazyal]

My case (even though it is a cabbed tractor) has the loader control mounted on the dash while my 4240 is next to the seat. I find I can use the 4240 easier at night because it's 'right there' while the Case I have to reach for. Also there's just enough room to exit the tractor on the right side if required. Any further forward and I think it would make it impossible. But everyone is different.

 

[TripleR]

i guess im strange i like the joystick mounted to the loader thus making it easy to use for me.i would get messed up if it was on the right side by the seat.

Our first two FEL equipped tractors had the loader controls on the loader and I didn't have any real complaints, but now that I have gotten use to fender and side console mounts, I find the loader mounts annoying; just what you get use to I guess.

 

[My Hoe]

Our first two FEL equipped tractors had the loader controls on the loader and I didn't have any real complaints, but now that I have gotten use to fender and side console mounts, I find the loader mounts annoying; just what you get use to I guess.

A question on this issue, but first, a caveat:

I'm assuming the fender-mounted and loader-mounted sticks on the Grand L's and the B2630's are physically the same units, dimension-wise, etc.... If anyone knows otherwise, please comment, so I'm not trying to compare apples to oranges here. Thanks.

I tried a BX25 and a B2630, both with Loader-mounted FEL sticks. My father is 86 years old, and owned and operated dirt equipment (977's, D-5's? etc...) for many years before going to all hydraulic cranes, for 20 years. His largest crane was a 55 tonner.

He said his friend's Grand L (5740? 4750? Neither of us can remember--he said it had the cab and the whole shebang, costing in excess of $50K) has the fender-mounted joystick.

My Dad said that he found that WITH IT'S SHORTER LENGTH, the Grand L's fender-mounted stick is actually HARDER TO DUMP AND CURL ACCURATELY, when doing fine work (I'm imagining loading equipment, etc...--not simply moving dirt).

He explained that the longer stick on the loader-mounted models actually gives you MORE CONTROL, due to the larger movements required. (I think his comment only applies to longer, loader-mounted sticks on FEL's generally--I don't think he's operated a loader-mounted stick on a Kubota--just the fender-mounted one, on the Grand L, above),

Anyway, again, he found the dump circuit on the fender-mounted control would "dump awful quick, if you're not careful, as it's a little harder to control, with it's shorter stroke."

He STILL works, sometimes, as it suits him, in the crane business, as he likes it, but he has used this Grand L a lot, recently. He spoke very highly of it, otherwise, and said the owner overworks it mercilessly, and yet "nothin' broke." :thumbsup:

I just wondered if anyone else could comment on this issue, as I want to possibly order a B2630 with the fender-mounted (short stick).

My concern is, much of my work will be more "precision work" (loading/unloading with SSQA forks) and I am concerned about the dump circuit being too hard to exert consistent fine-motor-control over, if my father's experience is generally true of the Kubota fender-mounted joysticks.

Btw, my Dad is a WWII combat veteran (motor pool sergeant who was running dozers, cranes, etc...in the Philippines, when he wasn't being shot at or bombed--they lost almost half their unit when the ammo dump was blown up--may they R.I.P.), so he's been in construction for 67+ YEARS, still runs cranes, and takes a motor home KISS would tour in, across the country, to truck shows, so he's still an expert operator, bless his soul, not to mention the gentlest "gentleman" I've ever known, despite a lifetime in the construction business. (Please knock on REAL wood for him, three times--I'm superstitious--thanks!).

So I was going to take his advice, and get the B2630's standard, LOADER-mounted FEL lever, but a recent back injury (and surgery) has me wondering if I really want to LEAN FORWARD to operate the FEL.

Does the LOADER-MOUNTED "LONG-stick" REQUIRE one to lean forward, on the B2630? I can't remember if I actually HAD to lean forward to use the loader-mounted FEL lever I tested out last year, before I was injured, as I was not conscious of this potential issue back then. I'm hoping it won't be an issue now, but I'm thinking I should play it safe and get the fender-mounted stick, just in case. But if it IS too sensitive to control accurately, for fork-work (loading my truck, installing/removing my 300+lb. pick up cap, etc...) then the fender-mounted stick could cause more problems than it's worth, potentially.

And the only fender-mounted sticks I've used were 20+ years ago, on his 480 and 580K Case backhoes.

I'm assuming physical size has something to do with it, so I'll tell you that I'm 5'10-ish and height/wt. proportionate--other than the Heineken baby I'm carrying. :laughing:

Thanks,

My Hoe

 

[beppington]

... I just wondered if anyone else could comment on this issue, as I want to possibly order a B2630 with the fender-mounted (short stick). ...

Raise, lower, dump & curl are all very easy to control on my Grand L.

Actually, the loader's control stick on my dad's loader-mounted control valve on his Mahindra 4110 is much shorter than my fender-mounted one. However, I will say both are very easy to control accurately.

This pic shows the length of the Grand L's fender-mounted stick:

And this one shows my dad's loader-mounted stick:

So I was going to take his advice, and get the B2630's standard, LOADER-mounted FEL lever, but a recent back injury (and surgery) has me wondering if I really want to LEAN FORWARD to operate the FEL.

I will also say, I much prefer mine, i.e. not having to reach out to operate the loader-mounted control. I can operate mine with my elbow resting comfortably on the arm rest :thumbsup: ... & I have no such back issues (for now. knock on wood).

 

[TripleR]

Pretty much what beppington said as it is going to vary from tractor to tractor. The loader mount FEL controls on the tractors I used were shorter than the fender or side console models.

I really don't like a long loader control lever and on our M8540 operate it not with the knob, but about halfway up at the crook. The fender mount on my 5030 is only about a foot long if that much and a bit different than the one on the L40 Series.

I am a little long in the tooth and have bad shoulders, so reaching forward for extended periods is something I try to avoid.

Look at the controls in some of the skid steers, very short, but they seem to work well.

Your dad's "feel" for a machine is naturally going to be different as a professional vs hobbyist. He will probably notice or catch things that go over our heads and his definition of "precise" surely will differ from mine.

Hats off to your dad, he truly is a member of "The Greatest Generation".:thumbsup:

 

[crazyal]

And the only fender-mounted sticks I've used were 20+ years ago, on his 480 and 580K Case backhoes.

The 580k is dash mounted. The case 480 dozer is on the side of the seat. That could be why I like the fender control on the GL. While using the dozer I'm always adjusting the blade where as on the BH I only use the loader controls for a short time then drive.

I don't know about others but I find the curl function too slow (mainly when dumping) on the GLs. I would like it to be faster. But I think that has to do more with the way the hydraulic cylinders are set up. The 580K is designed where the cylinders retract to dump so it needs less fluid, is faster.