L3130HST Light front end

[hillslider]

I have a L3130Hst and I use the tractor on some pretty hilly ground. I have the max weight on the front and the tractor still seams light to me. With nothing on the back I find the old sphinxter just a puckering going up hills. I find myself backing up the hills to avoid the pucker problem. I can not tell you the exact degree of the hill but I know my neighbor with his MF 135 can go up the hills that just scare the .......out of me. I am either to chicken /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif or the bota just feels funny do to the short wheelbase. Any thoughts? Do any of you have the front tires loaded on a L3130 as well as wights?

 

[grandad]

Kubota does not recommend ballast in the front tires, but you may hear a range of opinions here about doing it. I know from personal experience that hanging a 1,000-1,500 lb loader on the front does wonders for keeping the front end on the ground.

These short wheelbase compacts have their advantages for maneuvering, storage, etc., but climbing hills is not one of them. They were never intended to be mountain goats.

Even with the loader, ballasted rears and an implement - more than 7,000 lbs of tractor, I don't like to go much more than maybe 25% slope. Maybe that's bush league for you guys up in those hills (Always got a chuckle from the old saying that if the Lord ever flattened out all the hills in West Virginia, it'd be the size of Montana!).

But please be safe with that nice new tractor.

 

[SageBrush]

Are the front wheels coming off the ground? The Kubota CUT tractors seem very stable too me and I have deep creek and river banks to climb. I have gotten my L4330 on two wheels a few times when climbing up 30% grades with the heavy 286 bush hog /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Coming home on the interstate I saw a L5030 nose down on a 35% + slope with a wide "bat wing" mower on. It was listing to one side too..... one of those state mowing tractors. It was stuck in a tight place near a bridge. looks like it slid down into the steep area. Those guys amaze me, the side hill ability is impressive for a L5030 Cab unit. I wonder how much weight they put on the wheel. Do those guys load their tires?

 

[frank_f15]

i watch some of the state tractors around here, i don't know if they load the tires but i do know that after seeing some of the slopes they mow on the one thing i would need loaded to do that IS ME. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[hillslider]

I have had the front tires off the ground...but that has been on steep little mounds. But as I go up a longer hill the mind says to itself that if this baby goes over it is a long way to the bottom to be flipping a-- over tea kettle. I just watch the front tires and they just bounce around to much. I want them babies stuck to the ground. A FEL is in my future.

 

[CTyler]

Mine has a loader on it #850 and the BB out back wieghs about #575. I've driven it up and down my terrace with out any problems. Not sure of the angle but there is no way you could drive sideways across it or even on to it.