l4400 hst ......will it be reliable ??? How should i build my Kubota???

Bob_Young · Mar 30, 2008

Roger, the 134 c.i. 4 cylinder engine they use in the L4400 is quite common in the Kubota line and has been used in a number of tractors and at least one excavator. My L4300 has one and I like it a lot. Very easy starting, very smooth and doesn't use much fuel. I don't think you could make a better choice.

I have noticed that it does like to be worked hard, however. If I just putter around with it for a few weeks, especially in cold weather, it'll begin to use a little oil. If I then work it hard for an hour or so, it'll blow a little blue smoke at first, then settle down, and oil consumption will stop. I figure carbon builds up around the rings if it isn't being worked. It'll do plenty of useful work at idle speeds, but it isn't meant to be run that way

I'd go for the loaded rear tires for sure but, with Ag tires, it will definitely chew your lawn up.

Might be time to trade that 7000# trailer; I haul the L4300 on a 10,000# 20 footer. You'll need that if you take any implements with you. Whatever you use should have trailer brakes.

That price sounds quite high. I'd expect an L4400HST with FEL and your options to run $21K to $23K tops (U.S.D.) in this area.
FWIW
Bob

roger 4400 · Mar 30, 2008

Hi BJESS8, the winch is a FARMI model 351 p ( P is for the back plate that help anchoring the tractor when you pull or push the logs). Farmi are known for their clutch that is ALMOST time proof. You can buy those at most tractor dealers or maybe on their site you,ll find a dealer near you. You can also use a bigger winch but the 351 will pull 7,000 pounds. Have a nice day. Roger

N80 · Mar 30, 2008

Yes, I'd say the engine is among the best features of the L4400. It is very basic. No turbo. Mine starts easily, even when cold (run the glow plug for 10 seconds). Mine is nearly 3 years old, so it is still 'new' but I've not had a seconds trouble out of the engine. No problem with burning oil, yet. Loads of power for such a small tractor. Despite its light weight and small size, this tractor (4wd) pulls like a champ. Two bottom plow through unplowed clay, no problem whatsoever. Seven foot, 20" disk, disk harrow, with ease, even through deep, wet soil!

After these three years I still feel like the L4400 is a great tractor and among the best bang-for-the-buck machines of any make. There are a few minor areas where the L4400 has room for improvement.

1) The bucket. It has a basic two point attachment, which is fine, but when fully rolled back, it does not roll back very far. What this means is that when the loader arms are down low (the best position for traveling) the bucket is not level. It is slightly forward tilting which makes it so that it cannot be loaded as high because it spills.

2) Hydraulics. Nothing wrong with them. The loader specs are comparable or superior to similarly priced tractors of other brands. The 3pt hitch capacity, well, a comparable Grand L model (4250) has about 500 pounds more lift capacity 24" behind the lift point than the L4400. And you have to be careful about this spec. You have to look in the owners manual to translate what this figure means in terms of carrying an implement. For the L4400 the capacity at 24" behind the lift point is about 2300 pounds. However, the maximum weight for an implement that is carried by the 3pt hitch is 880 pounds. This seems a little low. At the same time, you have to examine what this means to you. For instance, a friend bought a heavy duty 6 foot disk (with 24" disks). I have no idea what this disk weighed but my tractor could barely lift it. It did lift it, but it was obviously straining. Or consider a John Deere medium duty 6' rotary cutter (MX-6) which weighs about 1000 pounds. Technically too large for the L4400 even though the L4400 easily has the HP to run it. A comparable Bush Hog is 940 pounds. For me, this has not been a limiting factor. My LX-6 cutter is light and easy to handle and all I need. The box blade (medium duty), no problem. New 7 foot disk harrow weighs about 800 pounds and is not problem even though it is pushing the limits in terms of weight. If you needed a heavy duty lift disk, you might be out of luck. If you needed a medium duty rotary cutter, you might have to resort to a pull type cutter (I have an old seven foot JD), it works fine but I never use it anymore.

That's about it. Otherwise, its all good. Lots of hp in a small, inexpensive package.

roger 4400 · Mar 30, 2008

Bob, $23k would be a real deal overhere. About tires refering to your experience, loaded industrial could be better ( more resistant in forest, less lawn damage......but less traction in snow.....nothing is perfect but with 4wd I guess I would have enough traction, I,m using an old 42hp, 2wd no chains loaded ag tires and a 800 pounds cement block on the 3 pt and can manage ( exept 2 weeks ago, there was 3 ft of snow at the garage door.....I went forward 8 feet and the tractor still in the garage I had a 5ft wave of snow in front of me....I was stuck IN THE GARAGE ....Hahaha , used my small blower and a shovel to make a way for the tractor. $$?$/?$? You,re right about upgrading the trailer (mine is 18 ft, 7000 tandem brakes to all wheels). Thanks for sharing your time and experience.

George, I,m not in agriculture as you seem to be. Where I live it,s almost all forest, 60 acres only 5 acres of lawn. The mower is a Kubota 6ft finishing mower (550 pounds). When you talk about 880 pds, maybe it is the limit weight to keep enough weight to the front axel for riding control ??? Or it is really the safety limit anyway I,ll be carefull and follow your advise.
On my other land 100 miles up north, 145 acres of wild forest. I,ll log some trees on a carry axel ( logs are mostly supported by the axel *depends of lengt you let behind the axel, * and the other end are on the 3 pt winch, if it fells to heavy, I could put the winch aside and take a simple drawbar with a hook so this way I,ll be able to use all the 880 pds on the 3pt. Thanks for your advise and concern.

Thanks to both of you giving me some valuable and reassuring infos about the engine. (my tractor is 49 years old all mechanic and very reliable....but like me, going old Hahaha) (by the way I.m french talking ...so there might be some english error,,,sorry)..... Thanks for taking time sharing your knowledge. Roger

N80 · Mar 30, 2008

roger 4400 said:
George, I,m not in agriculture as you seem to be. Where I live it,s almost all forest, 60 acres only 5 acres of lawn.

No, I'm not in agriculture. I just plant some wildlife food plots and have a fairly minimalist approach to that. In all honesty I couldn't be a farmer. Its like anything else one might do as a hobby. Fun as a hobby, no fun when you depend on it for a living.

The mower is a Kubota 6ft finishing mower (550 pounds). When you talk about 880 pds, maybe it is the limit weight to keep enough weight to the front axel for riding control ??? Or it is really the safety limit anyway I,ll be carefull and follow your advise.

No, I don't this is weight distribution issue. Its in the manual. Two whole pages showing the limits of the 3 pt hitch and what the tractor can pull, etc. And to be honest, the specs you see on the marketing spec sheets are misleading in my opinion. You see a figure like 2300 pounds 24" behind the lift point and intuitively you'd think you could handle a 1200 or 1500 pound implement when in fact its 880 pounds. It think it is a little deceitful since the only way you can know this is by looking in the manual (or having an engineering degree). The spec sheet shows no such limit. Anyway, its not really my advice, per se. The tractor may be able to handle more than 880 pounds on the 3pt hitch; I'm just citing the manual. It is easy enough to balance a tractor to handle more weight in the rear (loader does a great job) but breaking the internal components of the 3 pt hitch could get real expensive.