L4400 vs M4800

[N80]

yes you are correct 2wd would get me nowhere, fast. The M4800 is offered in 4wd, the kubota webpage makes it look like that at first glance in the photos. The 4wd M4800 is a beast compared to the L series. The 3pt is way heavier and rear axle assy. My concern if figuring out if I need that much more or if the L4400 would work just fine. What most are telling me is just get the larger unit and stop trying to figure it out.......??!!

The advice to always get a bigger tractor has no endpoint. If you can consider a 4800 then you can also consider a 6040 and if you can consider a 6040 then you can....... See what I mean? You don't really ever get to a point where you can't second guess your decision. Make a good, informed decision and don't second guess it.

I've got an L4400DT. Not in the mountains by any stretch, but still pretty hilly. I think it does very well. I also do not consider it being a geared tractor as a weakness on hills. Certainly if you try to change gears on clutch on a steep hill you run the chance of problems. But why would you need to change gears during a steep descent? Don't. Put it in the right gear and let the engine and breaks keep you in control. Heck, in 2/hi (6th gear) at idle, you will still barely crawl down as steep an incline as I'm willing to drive on. So don't worry about gear vs HST. Either one will be perfectly fine.

For me, the next step up from the L4400 would be an M5040.

 

[Knobby1]

Thanks this is good advice; I learnt many years back while racing enduros (bultacos), that shifting on a steep uphill at slow speeds isn't good, and its so hard to steer while going backwards 20 mph on a steep hill (if you miss that downshift). !!! You may have solved my delimma here. I guess what I am really trying to decide is if the L4400 will do all I want it to do, if so then I am happy camper. Natrually the larger tractor will do the job and more, thats of course what larger tractors do. I may revise my thinking and go with the original L4400 gear model I was thinking about. Thanks for the info......

 

[N80]

The one issue that you need to be aware of on the L4400 has already been mentioned and that is the three point hitch lift capacity. The specs on the hitch look fine, but in the manual there are capacity limits that depend on the type of implement. For instance, implements that stick off the back of the hitch a good way like rotary cutters and lift disks. If I recall correctly that limit is 900 pounds. This is less than most 6' medium duty rotary cutters and heavier 6-7' disks.

No one seems to know what these limits are based on. The hydraulics will lift a lot more than that. I've lifted a 1200 pound disk and I know quite a few people who are running 1000 pound medium duty rotary cutters with the L4400. The limits might be based on proper balance of the tractor as a whole. Even 800 pounds on the rear of the tractor makes it super light in the front without the loader or front weights. Or, it could be the limitations of the lift components. When a 1000 pound implement that sticks way off the back takes a bounce when you hit a bump, the shock loads on the hitch components is huge. A shorter implement, like a box blade, would stress the system less even if it weighed a lot more.

In any case, none of my implements exceed the hitch capacity as designated in the manual and so far I've had no need for anything heavier. So this has been meaningless to me. But if you needed a medium duty mower, you'd have to pay attention to its weight and how you used it. A heavy duty disk or mower might be out of the question.

To compare the L4400 lift ratings with other tractors you will need the manuals for both, since the raw specs are misleading.

 

[dex3361]

The advice to always get a bigger tractor has no endpoint. If you can consider a 4800 then you can also consider a 6040 and if you can consider a 6040 then you can....... See what I mean? You don't really ever get to a point where you can't second guess your decision. Make a good, informed decision and don't second guess it.

I've got an L4400DT. Not in the mountains by any stretch, but still pretty hilly. I think it does very well. I also do not consider it being a geared tractor as a weakness on hills. Certainly if you try to change gears on clutch on a steep hill you run the chance of problems. But why would you need to change gears during a steep descent? Don't. Put it in the right gear and let the engine and breaks keep you in control. Heck, in 2/hi (6th gear) at idle, you will still barely crawl down as steep an incline as I'm willing to drive on. So don't worry about gear vs HST. Either one will be perfectly fine.

For me, the next step up from the L4400 would be an M5040.

Where and how an individual operates the tractor differs greatly in the CUT group most CUTs are not plowing tractors but span a great number of tasks. George does not change directions often on the hills where I mow and do a lot of back and fouth while I mow push brush etc. If I did not work on the hills a lot and use the loader a lot or change directions frequently I would have gotten a FST/standard. But for what I do HST is the Transmission for me. Having used gear shift/ standard tractors most of my life and using a HST for me their is no comparison. It may not be for everybody. IF we all wanted the exact same thing it would be kinda boring.LOL

 

[Knobby1]

George; what you are describing here with regards to balance and handling implements on the 3pt is why I am initially leaning to the 4800. One look at the back of that and there is little doubt it is way stronger than the l4400. Most of what I have to mow or hog will be very bumpy/rocky and or hilly, mulitply that by a million jolts while pulling the 6' mower is what is bugging me about the l4400. Very little of the ground I will be on will be flat or smooth. A lot of jolting and rocking in various directions at once will be in play most of the time. I know the 4400 has the power to get this all done, but its the weight, width and 3 pt capacity that have me leaning towards the M4800.

 

[N80]

Having used gear shift/ standard tractors most of my life and using a HST for me their is no comparison. It may not be for everybody. IF we all wanted the exact same thing it would be kinda boring.LOL

I definitely think HST has advantages for frequent operating on hills. I was just pointing out that geared tractors will work just fine on hills too. It requires a little more work and a little more planning, but it can be done perfectly safely. I think that one thing people seem to forget is that withing any given gear you still have a range of speeds you can achieve with the gas pedal. In other words, I can start down a steep grade in 4th gear and take my foot off the gas and the engine will cause the tractor to barely creep down. Then, once it levels out a bit I can start giving it gas and increase speed considerable. No gear change is necessary to vary the speed. An L4400 HST would be a great choice for the OP but he seems to prefer geared.

 

[N80]

George; what you are describing here with regards to balance and handling implements on the 3pt is why I am initially leaning to the 4800. One look at the back of that and there is little doubt it is way stronger than the l4400. Most of what I have to mow or hog will be very bumpy/rocky and or hilly, mulitply that by a million jolts while pulling the 6' mower is what is bugging me about the l4400. Very little of the ground I will be on will be flat or smooth. A lot of jolting and rocking in various directions at once will be in play most of the time. I know the 4400 has the power to get this all done, but its the weight, width and 3 pt capacity that have me leaning towards the M4800.

Well, if the implement you are using is within spec, I don't think you would have any problem. Again, I'm not in the mountains but I don't think there is a smooth, flat area on my property. I've mowed a lot of rocks and done a good bit of earth moving with the front and sides of my rotary cutter
and have had no issues with the 3 pt hitch. That's in addition to a good bit of plowing with a 2-14 plow, regular disking with a 7' disk and endless 'landscaping' with a 6' box blade.

I'm not trying to talk you out of the 4800. If you have the budget to get a heavier, stronger tractor with more HP and not a much bigger footprint then there really isn't much of a downside to going with the 4800. I think the unique appeal of the L4400 is in its price and what you get for the money.

 

[slowzuki]

I have some hills and I got a L5030HSTC which I like very much however I will note a few things. After using an HST for a few years, you tend to loose the instinct to head for the brakes when you want to stop. This comes into play when you accidently knock the range lever into neutral while on a hill. (OH $@^#!)

A gear tractor is also not bad to use in the hills I find as long as it has a good parking brake and preferably a mechanical 4wd. Some of the electric ones go back to 2wd when you shut the key off so it doesn't run the battery down. In 4wd the brakes hold a lot better on the hills, especially when doing loader work.

 

[dex3361]

I looked at the 4800 and comparing it to the L4400 is like comparing apples to oranges. That machine is beast. Now if they made it in HST hmmmmmm.....

 

[Knobby1]

yeah I know dex, when you get to looking at the back end on the M4800, that thing is planted, big time. which is why I am favoring it at this point. if the L4400 was a bit heavier back there, it would be my hands down choice, its a great value and has good power. I am still concerned now that I would be operating (when using a heavy mower/brush hog) at the limit of the 3 pt on the 4400, and perhaps even exceeding it. Folks have said they are using the L4400 without having any problems however, I will need to resolve this for sure before deciding and buying. Don't want to go too light for the job, but also dont want to buy more than I need either. Must be something I'm overlooking between the two models that will decide me.........