Buying Advice John Deere compared to Kubota

[wagne223]

Yes, sitting sidesaddle on an L3901 does feel funny, but how else to work both brake and HST since they are both on the right side?

For what does the L3901 with an HST need a clutch pedal on the left?

I'm sure I'm missing something.

Live PTO

 

[sdquick]

When I was looking to buy it seemed to me that both were good products. However it seemed that Kubota focused on (engineered, built and sold) compact and sub-compact tractors as a primary product. It seemed that Deere engineered, built and sold very big farm equipment and recognized that there was money to made made in the compact and sub compact market. Deere assembles a product from various other manufactures and some dealers seem to not want to bother with you if you are spending less than $50K.

 

[Musdalen]

Live PTO

My JD doesn't have a clutch so it must have a dead PTO

 

[ovrszd]

My JD doesn't have a clutch so it must have a dead PTO

Independent.

 

[Fade2blk]

Since I own a green tractor the correct answer has to be John Deere.:2cents:

 

[rScotty]

Independent.

I think an independent PTO still has a clutch. It would have a clutch for the PTO by itself - that's what makes it independent of the transmission.
Sounds like if Musdalen's JD doesn't have a clutch. If so, it is the basic transmission-driven type PTO.
rScotty

 

[sailingsolo]

ref my 4/23/18 post. had the tractor at the dealers to get a cab put on and while the tractor was there had them look at the problem with the stabilizing arm and they did find a problem. seems there was something wrong with a valve internal to the piston and my having to eat wheaties to pull the lever was the correct procedure. now i can have tea and use my little finger to lower the arm. five stars to the dealer, union farm equipment. great job installing the cab and for fixing the stabilizing arm.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

I have a 4610 and love it so far. I'll never have a tractor without hst after using one. I really wish it had the jd brake setup on the left side, I miss this from the other tractors I have used.

I was dead set on buying a jd 4520 or 4720 (used) which my neighbor has and i was able to test out a bit, i really liked it. when i asked his opinion he said that and he has bought nothing but brand new deeres his whole life, and that each one he bought he has had more problems with he was saying that he has about 2000 hours on it at the time. His opinion was that he wouldn't buy another one but most likely this will be his last tractor anyways. This was just my neighbors opinion on his experience and keep in mind he has never owned anything but Deere.
I really think a lot of what makes one tractor good or bad is how you run the equipment. I'm not brand loyal and, in fact, just bought a John Deere backhoe. However that isn't anything like the smaller tractors anyhow. I will still consider Deere or other tractor when I upgrade though even though I really do respect my neighbors opinion, however, I'm sure there are just as many kubota owners that say the same thing.
They are both great manufacturers and kubota isn't better than Deere or Deere isn't better than kubota, it's all personal preference, just like the ford vs chevy debate.

Hey Piston, what kind of problems did your neighbor have with his 4520?

 

[RalphVa]

Interesting for this to pop up when I'm thinking whether I should stick with JD or switch to Kubota. The JD dealer is still the closest one, and a good one for smaller tractors. My neighbor deals with a JD dealer that's about the same distance now as a good Kubota dealership because the local dealership here didn't have any of the big tractors like he uses (35 to 40 something hp; currently has a JD 4052).

I'm still seething over JD's ignorance or stubbornness (or something) that makes them buy worthless driveshaft Ujoints and requires them to be greased but puts them in location where they cannot be by the owner. Then Kubota has leaky hydraulic connections and faulty safety switches. JD (on 2 series) has some ridiculous 10 hour grease intervals on a couple zerks vs. majority at 50 hours. Both have ridiculous 2 year cycles on coolant (vs. cars and trucks going 10 years for at least 20 years now).

Now, the controls are the same on the B/BX vs. JD's 1 and 2 series. The main differences are the treedle pedal on the Kubotas vs. 2 pedal HST on JDs and solenoic engagement of the PTO on JD vs. clutch on the JD.

A lot of the choice boils down to what dealers are near you and how good they are. Some of you are lucky in having about 4 different tractor choices. Around here, we've only 2. The big Kubota dealership near here was once a Yanmar dealer. Think he still deals with them, but they apparently aren't as big a seller as Kubota is. Most every garage out here in the Va countryside will have either a Kubota or JD tractor in it. Hardly ever see anything else.

I'd about decided to stay with my 2025R and may, but doing 200 hours on those silly Ujoints (letting the dealer do it; he completely removes them to get at the zerks). However, unless or until JD brings back the dual brakes on the 2 series (they stopped on gen. 2; mine is gen. 1), my next tractor (if I'm still alive then) may be a Kubota because that Kubota dealer over the mountain is reportedly a good one. The other Kubota dealership tried a location in Charlottesville. They appear to be gone. The base dealership out of Orange was not a particularly good one.

Ralph

 

[troverman]

...Most every garage out here in the Va countryside will have either a Kubota or JD tractor in it. Hardly ever see anything else.

There's a reason for that, and it's because these are the best two tractor brands on the market.

 

[fried1765]

There's a reason for that, and it's because these are the best two tractor brands on the market.

I have a wonderful Kubota L48 TLB, but I do also love my little 1989 Ford 1920 FEL

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

Have you ever listened to some country songs?
John Doe and a John Deere.
John Deere Green.
Like a John Deere.

Or Kabota;
~恋の雨~ (松尾潔リミックス)
朝陽の中で微笑んで

I made my decision :laughing::laughing:

Now that is just funny right there! :laughing: But it's true Lol....

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

Pretty sure if the Kubota starts that song, the Yanmar Deere you got will know the lyrics and join right in on the chorus in flawless Japanese. :laughing::laughing:

OMG :laughing::laughing:

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

This old thread was recently revived, and I can't help but wonder how the tractors from 6 years ago compare to what's being made now.

I also didn't see any mention of how the tractors are made. On my L3240 Kubota, the LA724 FEL pivots were worn when I bought it used, and no bushings were in any of the pivots. I ended up cutting the loader arms apart so I could get them into a mill to bore out the oval holes. Then I turned bushings and installed new pins, and welded everything back together. Major PITA caused by Kubota cutting corners to save a few bux.

The mounts for that same FEL were broken when I got the tractor, and my two attempts to repair them weren't successful. I found other threads on TBN from people with the same issue, so I had a talk with my dealer. He was reluctant to do anything seeing as how the tractor was out of warranty. I showed him the other threads where Kubota admitted there was a design issue, and he was able to get new parts for me but I had to pay something like seven hundred dollars for shipping. The regional service manager he was working with swore up and down there was no design issue, but when the new parts arrived they had been redesigned and the changes were obvious. I was pretty put off by the whole experience, by the lack of help from the local and regional Kubota people, by their implications that I'd somehow mistreated the tractor, and the outright lies they told to cover their butts.

This is exactly why I don't like Kubota and will never have one! They simply don't stand behind their products when there is a problem. They instead lie and blame the customer instead of taking ownership and responsibility for their mistakes and poor designs. There is a reason why Deere's have better resale value and are the gold standard in CUTS.

On the other hand, the people in the dealer's shop have been very helpful, showing me exploded parts diagrams and talking me through repairs. I had to split the thing during my first year of ownership to replace a propeller shaft seal (another seemingly common problem with the Ls), and the shop's help was invaluable. That said, the new seal had also been redesigned, an indication, at least to me, that there was another design issue that Kubota wasn't owning up to.

As others have mentioned, the three point on the Kubota is very jerky, and the little set screw thing in the lever slot doesn't do a very good job of bringing the arms to the same position every time. The bracing used to keep the arms from swaying also isn't very strong and it bends easily when pushing dirt backwards with a box blade.

I've also had problems with castings breaking in the front hubs on the Kubota. They just can't seem to take much side hilling. My property is pretty steep, and it's easy to find 20 degree (thats degree, not percent) slopes. The little 32 HP engine has to work pretty hard to keep a 60" rotary or flail mower going up those slopes, and I often have to ease off on the go pedal to maintain engine RPMs. The L3240 is also pretty tippy, even with the tires loaded and the rears set to the widest stance. And the tractor doesn't even have a cab.

I'm not saying these things just to run down Kubota, as they're just my experiences with one tractor at one dealership. I do feel I know a bit more about what to look for in a tractor now, and if I ever feel a need to replace the one I've got, I'll be looking at other colors before coming to a decision on what to buy. And things like bushings and heavy sections for mounts and three points are going to have a big bearing on what I end up with. I think my neighbor, who has a comparably sized John Deer, put it best: These little tractors are good at maintaining stuff, but if you want to build stuff, you need a real backhoe.

 

[Industrial Toys]

If someone breaks their loader, I'd want to know if they used it beyond loading manure into a spreader or loading hay bales, like maybe "EARTH MOVING". Make it stronger and the next guy will just abuse it, even more.

 

[DK35vince]

There's a reason for that, and it's because these are the best two tractor brands on the market.

If you say so.
For years I owned a John Deere 850. My dad owns 2 Kubota's (L3000 and an L 4600)
All have been good machines, but my Kioti DK 35 has been every bit as well built/solid and reliable. (owned my DK 35 now for 19 years, 2242 hours)

 

[DK35vince]

If someone breaks their loader, I'd want to know if they used it beyond loading manure into a spreader or loading hay bales, like maybe "EARTH MOVING". Make it stronger and the next guy will just abuse it, even more.

If a loader can't handle some earth moving mine should have broken years ago.
I spent 7 hours just last weekend ripping out dozens of 8' to 15' tall pine trees with my loader. Handled them with no problem.

 

[troverman]

Lots of people post one personal experience and generalize that to the entire brand. Not the case.

Deere makes excellent large tractors. Once you get down into the compact and sub compact machines, you pay more and get less. I find Kubota to be more refined and better quality, but of course, that痴 only my personal experience

 

[rScotty]

Lots of people post one personal experience and generalize that to the entire brand. Not the case.

Deere makes excellent large tractors. Once you get down into the compact and sub compact machines, you pay more and get less. I find Kubota to be more refined and better quality, but of course, thatç—´ only my personal experience

That's well said. It's the same thing I've noticed, but you said it better.
rScotty

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

Lots of people post one personal experience and generalize that to the entire brand. Not the case.

Dismissing and ignoring peoples personal experiences doesn't change the facts about Kubota's shady track record either.