Looking at L4200GST. GST opinions?

dieselcrawler · Oct 31, 2017

Looking at purchase of L4200GST. 4x, loader, impliments, about 1200 hours. Know nothing about GST, any input? What to look for, problems, what to stay away from, any comments welcome.

Fallon · Oct 31, 2017

GST is a geared machine that operates like an automatic. You manually shift the lever to change gear or move the shuttle lever forward or back to shift forward or back. But you never have to use a clutch for any of it.

Personally I prefer a HST, but the GST is a good tranny. I operated a friend's GST for a few hours moving brush. I used the clutch a lot as I couldn't quite get the shuttle timing down. I expect I'd have gotten it down in a few more hours of operation & stopped using the clutch at all.

Check the front axles. Kubotas tend to wear the seals & bearings up there a bit if the loader is ran hard & heavy. Nothing that can't be repaired economically though.

Always make sure the fluids were changed regularly & greased properly. Or you end up with worn engine, hydraulics & loose pins.

dieselcrawler · Oct 31, 2017

Still interested in hearing what anyone has to say, but just got a message that the machine we were looking at has been sold. Not surprised, it was priced very reasonably, and we had not taken the steps to put money down on it... it was 3 hour drive away, and it would be this weekend before we got a chance to even look at it. A little disappointed, but not surprised.

bspeedy · Nov 1, 2017

The xx00 series Grand L tractors were very good. They're getting a bit long in the tooth now - most are 20 years old or so. The previously mentioned front end seals are an issue. No big deal to fix for someone of the OP's capabilities. About 300 in parts for both sides. Glow plug controller malfunctions are also common. Cheap (ebay) fix and very simple. Otherwise good heavy machines. The xx10 series and even xx30 series Grand L tractor pricing is now starting to come down a bit. These are newer and even better than the originals and still don't have the electronic / emissions junk on them. The L4310 or L4330 would be equivalent to the L4200.

I have an L4330 and I think it's perfect for my uses.

dieselcrawler · Nov 2, 2017

Bspeedy, my friend has an L4310HST, and L2850DT, both have been used hard, and I've made several repairs as the result, including trans case replacement on the L2850. Axle seals are easy after that!

Alas, the deal slipped thru our fingers.

bspeedy · Nov 2, 2017

dieselcrawler said:
Bspeedy, my friend has an L4310HST, and L2850DT, both have been used hard, and I've made several repairs as the result, including trans case replacement on the L2850. Axle seals are easy after that!

Alas, the deal slipped thru our fingers.

I've followed your other threads and have no doubt mechanical repairs of any type are within your capabilities.

Missing this deal just means that it wasn't the one for you. Your machine is right around the corner. Keep the cash at home in the gun safe, have your truck full of fuel and your trailer ready to travel. Be prepared to go at 9 pm and return home at 3 am. That's the way to score the real deals. Good luck.

Fallon · Nov 2, 2017

bspeedy said:
I've followed your other threads and have no doubt mechanical repairs of any type are within your capabilities.

Missing this deal just means that it wasn't the one for you. Your machine is right around the corner. Keep the cash at home in the gun safe, have your truck full of fuel and your trailer ready to travel. Be prepared to go at 9 pm and return home at 3 am. That's the way to score the real deals. Good luck.

Yup. Have to be ready to pounce on a deal the moment it shows if you are bargain hunting. The good ones don't last long.

dieselcrawler · Nov 4, 2017

Fallon said:
Yup. Have to be ready to pounce on a deal the moment it shows if you are bargain hunting. The good ones don't last long.

Agree completely. This also wasn't a deal for me alone. My friend was the cash, and he never moves fast. My hopes were he would buy it, and let me use it and perhaps buy it from him in a few years.

When the time comes that I'm buying for myself with my own funds... cash stash and ready to pounce! I hope to be more in the M-series range, about 70-80 hp.