JD 4310 vs Kubota 3130

   / JD 4310 vs Kubota 3130 #1  

chriss

Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2003
Messages
30
Location
Chesterfield, Va
Tractor
Kubota 3130DT
I was ready to buy the JD4310 and while waiting for the dealer to call to sign the papers I found the Kubota 3130 on the internet and at a dealer here. When I heard the price from a dealer in NC I started researching the tractor only to find out it's a nicer tractor than JD 4310. I'm now looking at the Kubota 3130DT for $15550 with loader which is several thousand less. That said, I would like to hear opinions.
 
   / JD 4310 vs Kubota 3130 #2  
Well, I guess you'd have to define "nicer tractor". Everyone has opinions, but I looked at both and thought the 4310 was nicer <font color="blue">FOR ME </font>. I really disliked the treadle hydro pedal and brake pedal layout on the Kubota. I really liked the JD eHydro transmission with the awesome LoadMatch feature, and the fact that you can brake steer without having an extra foot. They're both good reliable machines. I like the bark of the direct injection on the JD, but the indirect injection of the Kubota is probably a little quieter and slightly less fuel efficient. I thought the intellipanel was hard to read in bright sunlight. The JD dealer was also far more responsive and straightforward than my local Kubota dealer and dealer support is very important. And so it goes.
 
   / JD 4310 vs Kubota 3130 #3  
I forgot to mention that I think the Kubota 3430 is a closer match to the JD 4310 based on pto hp ratings.
 
   / JD 4310 vs Kubota 3130 #4  
Chriss,

I have been looking at both these machines and some others, except in hydro instead of gear. They are both fantastic machines. You may also want to take a look at the NH TC30 Gear (25.5 HP PTO), TC33D Gear (28.6 HP PTO) or TC35 (29.6 HP PTO). However, the TC30 and TC33D only come in 9/3 and not 8/8 and 12/12 shuttle shift like the L3130 and 4310, respectively.

Here are a few of my observations (for whatever they are worth) about the JD 4310 vs the Kubota L3130.

4310 ePowrReverser:
* 32 HP Gross
* 27 HP PTO
* 2900 lbs
* 2200 lb 3PH lift capacity
* Ground Clearance: 10.5"
* 430 FEL: 1260 lb lift capacity at pivot pin
* Standard JD-specific Quik-Change for FEL bucket

L3130 DT:
* 32.1 HP Gross
* 25.5 HP PTO
* 3200 lbs
* 2650 lb 3PH lift capacity
* Ground Clearance: 14.2"
* LA513 FEL: 1345 lb lift capacity at pivot pin
* LA723 FEL: 1870 lb lift capacity at pivot pin
* Optional skid steer type quick attach for FEL bucket
* You can only run a MMM with R3 turf tires

When I test drove these tractors, I found them both to be a pleasure to drive. I placed them side-by-side so I could compare them. The Kubota is a slightly larger and heavier machine, which can be good or bad depending upon your situation. For whatever reason, I fealt a little more stable and safer on the L3130.

It was hard to tell any difference but I would say the JD was a little louder at an idle due to the direct injection but the Kubota may have been slightly louder at the rated RPM speed. I noticed a few rattles on the Kubota that I didn't hear on the JD.

Both had an impressive turning radius, both with and without brake steering. By the way, you can brake steer fairly easily on the L3130 HST using the cruise control lever instead of the treadle pedal. I also really like the mechanical cruise control lever. It allowed you to easily adjust the speed on the fly and maintain creeper-like speeds. I would like to comment on the JD cruise control but it was not working and the diagnostics light was blinking (not sure if the two were related). With all that said, I realize that you will not have cruise control on a gear tractor for obvious reasons, which means it would be difficult to brake steer the L3130 DT. The big question is, how often do you plan to brake steer? For most of us, it's rare.

The JD had noticeably smaller R4 tires and I asked the salesman about this. Take the following information with a big ol' bag of salt. He said the 4310 should and could have larger R4 tires on it but JD is having issues with tire quality in that size from Titan. Supposedly some sort of pee contest going on between JD and Titan so they are settling for the smaller tires. Seems odd to me, so take it for what it's worth.

I liked the loader control placement on the JD better. I liked the tilt wheel design on the Kubota better. Both seats were comfortable, with the JD seat having a better suspension but the K seat having standard arm rests.

I'm not sure which loader you looked at since you did not mention it but I imagine it was the LA513. I'm not sure about this FEL but I know the LA723 seemed much beefier than the 430 FEL. The FEL mounting points and framework on the K seemed much beefier as well.

The 4310 seems to have more electronics for critical functions. Some people love this and some fear it. The L3130 has an electronic display but I would not consider this to be critical since you could probably operate the tractor without it.

The L3130 has a beefier 3PH with external cylinders for easier maintenance in the future. However, at 2200 lbs lift cap, the JD should lift everything you will ever need to lift. The L3130 comes standard with telescopic lower links, which is extremely handy in my opinion. It is an option on the JD and should seriously be considered. The L3130 also has a nice crank handle instead of a turn buckle like on the JD.

The JD has green plastic hood/fenders and the K has orange metal. There is something to said for both. The one thing I have noticed is that 3 year old K machines with metal look older than 3 year old JD machines with plastic.

Both of these machines have a mid-PTO option and both are dependent upon the rear-PTO being engaged.

This has been a subject of some debate but you should know about it and make your own judgements. The L3130 has a cast iron rear axle housing and the 4310 has a cast aluminum rear axle housing. The lower links attach to this area.

This is not a factor on the gear tractors but I will mention it anyway. The L3130 HST still has a clutch, which is a nice safety blanket for people who are in the habit of jamming on the clutch in an emergency.

I like the IntelliPanel on the L3130 for those bonehead moments when you forget about the safety features.

I wished the JD used a standard skid steer type quick attach instead of their JD-specific type. This makes finding FEL attachments a little more difficult and costly. It also means the JD FEL attachments will be more difficult to unload if you ever want to sell one.

The throttle seems backward on the L3130. Wouldn't it make sense to push forward/up for throttle up? On the JD and NH, you push up/forward to throttle up instead of back/down like on the K.

I hopes this helps or maybe it just confused you. Now go do the right thing ... whatever that is. When you do, let me know because I still can't figure it out. Just make sure you let us know what you choose and post many pics ... don't leave us hanging.
 
   / JD 4310 vs Kubota 3130
  • Thread Starter
#5  
You are correct I am looking at the 430/513 FELs. I didn't want Hydro but want shuttle shift and I don't believe the JD offers Shuttle Shift unless you buy the EPowerReverser for $1k. I don't need the R4 tires which will save more but the real deciding factor for me is the fact that the Kubota specs are better with the exception of the PTO HP which is only slightly lower and will not be a factor in the decision. I will mainly use the loader which the capacity is higher in the Kubota and I have the option for $600 more to buy the larger loader with 1800+lbs capacity. I like the seat in the JD but the driver’s area is roomier in the Kubota and I like the placement of controls. I do like the joystick for the loader in the JD but I know the Kubota will be fine. I will not be performing yard/grass maintenance with the Kubota so the R1 tires will be the best bet for traction. (I have a 79 Bolens Hydro/Shaft drive for this type of work). Thanks for the input and I’ve made my decision. Oh yeah after submitting the JD credit app on 8/16 the dealer just submitted it 8/20 and called 8/21 to ask about delivery. I had to tell him to hang on because I’m looking at the Kubota now so I’m glad he’s taken his time. The Kubota will either be on the trailer under cover or in the barn and not exposed to the sun/weather for long periods. I’ve seen the Kubota paint fading and I guess if I wax it occasionally I’ll be able to avoid that. I could also clear coat the paint when I buy it to slow fading.
 
   / JD 4310 vs Kubota 3130 #6  
Chris, I looked pretty hard at the JD 4310 and the 4410, both in HST. Then the L30's came out from Kubota. I had sold my Kubota L48 and was looking for a tractor to mow with that had a loader that could be easily removed. The L3130 really looked like it would fit the bill. While the L3130 was certainly was a big drop in size from my L48, it appeared to have what I needed. After test driving the JD's and finding them to be quite good, the L30's I tried really hit a chord with me. I found the engine and the HST to still be a notch ahead in terms of sound level and smoothness. The loader is without a doubt the most significant difference in the two brands. The JD 430 is fine, well made and adequate. The LA 723 is considerably heavier, thicker and with a rollback angle that is quite a bit higher then the JD 430. (40 vs 23 degrees)
Other then that, the differences are of less importance to me. Plastic vs steel, joystick, pedal types, tire size, etc., all features that are different but not necessarily better. Arguments could be made either way. I chose HST, but my experience with any brand of shuttle shift has been very good. I ended up with a L3830 HST, but in hindsight, the L3130 would have been just fine and had I purchased it instead, would probably have a nice 60" rototiller as an attachment for the price difference.

P.S. the speed of recyle on the LA 723 is great. It is the quickest loader I have used.
 
   / JD 4310 vs Kubota 3130 #7  
Chriss, Neophyte & RaT,

Thanks for taking the extra time to reply in a factual, objective manner. Good points and interesting reading!
 
   / JD 4310 vs Kubota 3130 #8  
go with the la723 loader.mine has lifted a ford ltd car [without motor trany] with brushog on.very strong loader.bws
 

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