Price Check L4400 experience, price

[mattman]

I am looking at a L4400 with standard trans. I am looking for a good simple tractor w/4wd and front end loader. The 4400 seems to have a bigger engine with more power than some of the Grand L tractors. Will the tractor hold up to the added horse power without tearing itself up? Can the guys with 4400 chime in with the good and the bad. How about price was quoted 23500? Is this about right? I found a used 4400 with 4wd and loader with 160 hrs for 16500. If the new price is around the 23500 quote I will lean towards the used unit.

Thanks for any info, Matt

 

[Bob_Young]

Hi Matt,
I have the L4300...the same size, same engine predecessor to the L4400. Biggest difference is 8x2 transmission as opposed to the L4400's 8x4.

Don't know what you're planning to do, so can't comment that way. I've found the L4300's light weight and compact size makes it quite nimble and agile for bush hogging around trees. I've run a tiller with it, pulled stumps, and moved snow and it hasn't torn itself up. It's light weight WILL be a detriment if you plan on using heavy implements on the 3 point hitch. I found that out with a Woods Brush Bull 720 bush hog. It's not that it won't lift it, it's that the tail seems to wag the dog on fast turns and sidehills. Some implements just require weight. The L4400 would perform the same.

I was a little worried about how tough it was at one point. Then I noticed that the larger heavier duty MX5000 utility tractor appears to be built with mostly the same parts from the transmission back. One confirmation of this is that 3PH lift capability of both is identical. For the MX, the biggest differences over an L4400 are a heavier front end (for a larger capacity loader) and a bigger engine.

So, no, I don't think any L4400 is in danger of destroying itself. Many here on TBN have them and I've not heard of any significant problems from anyone...and many use theirs much more severely than I do. Only negative I've heard, for the L4300 at least, is that habitual shifting of the range shift transmission on the fly will wreck the transmission. There's a placard warning on the tractor saying that the tractor should be stopped before changing ranges. It means what it says. I think the L4400's the same.

You won't go wrong with a Kubota basic utility tractor. They do their engineering and there's nothing chintzy about the basic models. Many of us do prefer using a simple, basic tractor for the simple basic tasks we have.

$23500 seems a little high for a new L4400; but prices have been on the rise. The $16500 for the used tractor sounds very good if the fluid's have been changed, the loader kept greased and there are no signs of abuse. Don't let that one slip away.
Bob

 

[mattman]

Found a new tractor price of 14990 without loader. For a 08 model. I will call another dealer tommorow to do a price comparison. Thanks Bob for the info. i am not rough on my stuff. I want it to last as long as possible.

 

[Gamer1524]

I am looking at a L4400 with standard trans. I am looking for a good simple tractor w/4wd and front end loader. The 4400 seems to have a bigger engine with more power than some of the Grand L tractors. Will the tractor hold up to the added horse power without tearing itself up? Can the guys with 4400 chime in with the good and the bad. How about price was quoted 23500? Is this about right? I found a used 4400 with 4wd and loader with 160 hrs for 16500. If the new price is around the 23500 quote I will lean towards the used unit.

Thanks for any info, Matt

I bought about 4 months ago....I have the 4400 with loader with tooth bar .....cutter....Rhino med duty cutter/w chains..and med duty box and got out the door for less than 25k...so I think they are a bit high...the tractor itself was 16.4k...and that was new....I love the tractor..but it is a bit light..but does everything I need it to do.

 

[mattman]

How much help would filling the rear tires help with the light weight feeling? How much weight would I expect to gain with filling the tires?

 

[Bob_Young]

Matt, filling the rear tires will help a lot with stability, pulling traction and as a FEL counter balance. I view it as a necessity. All my Kubotas have filled rears.

The table in my L4300 manual shows a liquid weight of 475 lbs. per tire when 14.9x24 rear tires are properly filled with a CaCl solution that's good to -11 deg. F. Different types of fluid will give a different weight. I think most fluids commonly used to fill tires weigh a little less than the equivalent CaCl solution; but they'll be in the same ball park.

The quoted price for a CaCl fill in this area is around $200 for both tires. For a RimGuard fill, it's around $300. Money well spent IMHO. You might save some by doing a windshield washer fluid fill on your own.
Bob

 

[L4400]

We paid 19.5K for ours with the 703FEL, folddown ROPS, filled R1's. We traded in our L2500 and were given 8.5K for it. This was in November 2007. Alot of folks on here comment about it being light. It may be, when comparing like tractors from other manufacturers, but it's quite a bit heavier than our old L2500. That tractor was equiped with R1's that were filled, actually all 4 were foam filled (the heavy solution), and it was much easier on our lawn. I've actually thought my differential lock was staying engaged on my new L4400 due to how it tears up the lawn, but that's not the case. It's just much heavier. We really like ours. We bought it, not really needing a larger frame tractor, just one with more PTO horsepower to run a large finish mower and big leaf blower. It handles those two impliments, along with the others I have with no problem. Hope this helps.

 

[mattman]

I am looking hard at the l4400 looks like a good bit of tractor for the money. I have to make a choice before the end of december to get the 0% intrest deal. So the clock is ticking.

 

[RollingsFarms]

I am looking hard at the l4400 looks like a good bit of tractor for the money. I have to make a choice before the end of december to get the 0% intrest deal. So the clock is ticking.

for what it's worth, i'm a John Deere man myself and i even gave a good look at an L4400. they're good simple, reliable tractors, and you're right, allota horsepower for your $$. the only reason i didn't get one was because i needed a bigger tractor and i ended up with a 56hp utility tractor with shuttle transmission. however, for anyone looking for a "first time tractor" or something to get you back into tractoring if you've been away for years, this is the ticket. i would ask your dealer though to give you a quote on an MX5100 MFWD just to see what he says. he might make you a good deal on one that would be impossible to say no too. heck, i looked at smaller and larger then what i ended up with and got quotes on all of them before i pulled the trigger. i just didn't want to go home asking myself "i wonder what if..."

 

[mattman]

Yeah I sure don't want to ask the question "what if". I want to come away feeling all warm and fussy inside. The L4400 is more than likely what I am getting. If I get a new tractor it should last me a very long time. I have been keeping an eye open for a good used unit, but they don't last long. If it is a deal it is gone. I am not the only one trying to save a dollar.

 

[N80]

I've had my L4400 (gear drive...which I love!) for over 3 years now and I can say that toughness will not be an issue. It is a light tractor for that much HP. But mine has had three years of heavy use. It only has about 150 hours on it but they have been hard hours.

It can handle a 6' box blade with no problems.

Pulls a 14" two bottom plow through virgin soil (clay) with no problems.

Pulls a 7' disk with 20" disks with ease, although it gets a little light in the rear when the disk is lifted.

Handles a 6' light/medium duty rotary cutter in deep, deep grass with no problems.

I've used a 7' heavy duty pull-type mower with no problems as well.

The LA703 loader is very capable and its load rating is good to fair, but not excellent, mostly due to the tractors light weight and light front end.

My porperty is rough and hilly. The gear model handles hills of all types perfectly in my opinion. I've never been out of control or upside down yet.

I've had no mechanical problems that were not a result of abuse (ran a stick through the radiator, $80 repair).

Starts and runs well when cold, although cold here is 30's. But more importantly to me, it runs nice and cool even in 100 degree heat under load.

The 3 pt lift capacity is not all that great. It lifts the implements just fine but with 1000 pound implement back there the tractor is light in the front even with the loader on. No big deal, you jsut have to pay attention.

Again, loader capacity is not great but has not limited me at all.

Definitely fill rears.

If I had it to do over again with the same budget, I'd get the L4400DT again in a heartbeat. The lower HP Grand L's are built a little stouter and have better hydraulics and some nice amenities as well. But the tradeoff in HP can be significant for the same amount of money. If I had it to do over again with a little more money, I'd go for the M (not the L) 5040 no doubt about it.

Truth is though, my L4400 is still all the tractor I need and more and is very likely to outlast me. And I still contend it is the best bang for the buck of any brand at any HP.