M7040 Options? Needs verses Wants...

SDT · Jan 13, 2013

SanDucerro said:
What kept the 2WD from pulling the plow? Was it just not powerful enough, heavy enough, or did the lack of MFWD cause the issue? This is what concerns me the most. It appears to me that the M7040 has more than enough HP to pull the plow, but is it going to require/need the MFWD?

I'm pulling the single bottom with the L3130 (which is VERY slow going), and it does OK - not perfect, not quick, just OK. I do have areas where the plow "surfaces" and won't stay in ground, but for the most part it's doing what I expected - and this is in 2WD with a whopping 31HP. The ground is sandy loam for the most part and pretty easy to flip with the plow (except for the afore mentioned area). I'm thinking the M7040 - with it's superior HP and added weight - would make this all seem like childs play - even if I went with 2WD only. Am I missing something?

Thanks!

MFWD is of VERY little use when plowing.

Proper set up, ballast and working draft control are entirely different matters.

SDT

SDT · Jan 13, 2013

Do not even consider 2WD if you plan to install a FEL, now or in the future.

Save the FEL cost if you are planning to keep the 3130/FEL.

Though most folks do not need MFWD (non loader use), few, aside from those with real ag experience, realize it and late model 2WD tractors do not sell well.

If you do not know what rear hydraulic remotes are needed for, you do not need them. If circumstances change in the future, you can add them later, albeit at increased expense.

Even a FWA 7040 is not adequate for a fully mounted HD 10 1/2' rotary cutter without 800 lbs or so of front weight and marginal on power unless you plan to avoid heavy cover and/or do not plan to travel as fast as the mower will cut properly. Do not even consider a 15' cutter unless you are mowing IDEAL conditions and have lots of time to mow.

SDT

SanDucerro · Jan 13, 2013

xring100 said:
What kind of soil do you have if your a sandy loam you might be okay but I'm severely traction limited in 2wd to pull a 2 bottom plow in soil that has'nt been turned in a long time. I would like to get a 3 bottom plow next

It's sandy loam - just hasn't been turned in forever. We've had the property for over ten years and it was cow pasture for many, many years before we bought it. My best guess is that it's been 20 years since it was last turned. Having said that - I'm not having an issue with flipping it using the single bottom plow on the L3130 - it just takes forever. However, I want to disc it next and I have a feeling a disc with sufficent width to cover the tracks of the L3130 (70" - it's got R4 tires) is gonna kill the tractor.

In reading a lot of the replies, it seems future considerations are what most are concerned with (me too). Frankly, except for the disc harrow - I think the current tractor could finish what I need done this year. As for rotary width - well, a 15' rotary cutter is what I dream about when I'm shreding with the 5' Bush Hog I have now. The total acreage isn't all that large, so a 10' cutter behind the M7040 would easily surfice and still get the job done in half the time. There are areas in my pasture where the 5' Bush Hog on the L3130 will come to a complete hault due to the thickness of the grass - requiring me to lift the deck and lower back down again REAL slow. I have hopes the M7040 will not have this issue, but I can see where I might have issues if I go too large on a new shredder.

foreman Etexas · Jan 13, 2013

SanDucerro said:
It's sandy loam - just hasn't been turned in forever. We've had the property for over ten years and it was cow pasture for many, many years before we bought it. My best guess is that it's been 20 years since it was last turned. Having said that - I'm not having an issue with flipping it using the single bottom plow on the L3130 - it just takes forever. However, I want to disc it next and I have a feeling a disc with sufficent width to cover the tracks of the L3130 (70" - it's got R4 tires) is gonna kill the tractor.

In reading a lot of the replies, it seems future considerations are what most are concerned with (me too). Frankly, except for the disc harrow - I think the current tractor could finish what I need done this year. As for rotary width - well, a 15' rotary cutter is what I dream about when I'm shreding with the 5' Bush Hog I have now. The total acreage isn't all that large, so a 10' cutter behind the M7040 would easily surfice and still get the job done in half the time. There are areas in my pasture where the 5' Bush Hog on the L3130 will come to a complete hault due to the thickness of the grass - requiring me to lift the deck and lower back down again REAL slow. I have hopes the M7040 will not have this issue, but I can see where I might have issues if I go too large on a new shredder.

I can only suggest to you to spend the extra on the 4x4,from my experience owning two,it makes these tractor alot more capiable to get stuff done. If its price step down to the 6040 with 4x4,it would be fine with a 10ft mower.How much land are we talking about mowing? If the grass is that thick, maybe think about baling it,running livestock on it, or other options. I had a 5040(4x4)before I bought my last 7040,it was also capiable of doing alot like pull a 15ft batwing...
Im am currently selling the 8ft shredder(purchased with the 5040)i have to buy new 15ft batwing to use behind the 7040,(the other batwing was my father-in-laws).

SanDucerro · Jan 13, 2013

foreman Etexas said:
If its price step down to the 6040 with 4x4,it would be fine with a 10ft mower.How much land are we talking about mowing? If the grass is that thick, maybe think about baling it,running livestock on it, or other options. I had a 5040(4x4)before I bought my last 7040,it was also capiable of doing alot like pull a 15ft batwing...

Price isn't the issue. The M7040 fully loaded is only $1906 more than the M6040. I figure the M7040 is worth the extra. Total acreage is 18+, of that we'll have 5 in vines this year and another 5 planned for the future. We'll also have several acres in food plots in 2014. The rest will remain pasture or be manicured for visitor access.

case245 · Jan 13, 2013

i would step up to the 8540 if i were you its 2k more then the 7040 its a larger frame tractor it has a 1353 fel compared to the 1153 of the 7040 the 7040 would not lift a pallet of road salt to load in my truck i had to put it on the ground roll the bucket back they still struggled to lift it the 3pt on the 7040 lift 3300ibs the 8540 with the ex cylinders will lift 7200 ibs

SanDucerro · Jan 13, 2013

The more I toss this around the more I realize the "wants" out weigh the "needs". But a CAB is most definately a need - it's not a "want" as I originally mentioned. The dust and dirt is literally killing me when I'm out on the tractor (and the heat in the summer ain't fun either), so we're going to a CAB.

With that in mind I ran through the Kubota build site last night and priced out everything with a CAB that would work. Leaving a FEL off I come up with the following MSRP numbers:

M7040 $41,866 - 71HP / 64 PTO
M6040 $39,960 - 63HP / 56 PTO
M5140 $37,500 - 52HP / 46 PTO
L5240 $38,639 - 54HP / 45 PTO
L4740 $36,554 - 49HP / 41.5 PTO
L3240 $28,951 - 34 HP / 26.5 PTO

These are all priced in 4WD but without a front end loader.

In reviewing these numbers I would not consider the L3240 as it only gets me a CAB - no real power increase from my L3130. That takes me up to the L4740 as the next option, but it's a HUGE jump in price and I'm really wanting a minimum of 50 PTO HP. I can get close to 50 PTO with the M5140, and that might be the "right" tractor for my current needs. The problem is, it's only $4366 less than the M7040 and it doesn't address future needs. I made the mistake of buying the "right" tractor the first time when I bought the L3130. This time I want room to grow. The extra $4366 isn't any where near the cost of making a second mistake and having to buy a third tractor. But, having said that - I can find no known justifcation for going beyond the M7040. So, my thought is the M7040 is quite a bit more than I need today - but I'll grow into it over time. I just need to finalize "want" verses "need" within the M7040 itself...

SanDucerro · Jan 13, 2013

case245 said:
i would step up to the 8540 if i were you its 2k more then the 7040 its a larger frame tractor it has a 1353 fel compared to the 1153 of the 7040 the 7040 would not lift a pallet of road salt to load in my truck i had to put it on the ground roll the bucket back they still struggled to lift it the 3pt on the 7040 lift 3300ibs the 8540 with the ex cylinders will lift 7200 ibs

Interesting... This is why I started this thread to begin with. I looked up the weight of a pallet of rock salt and found they generally come loaded as 100 bags of 25 lbs or 49 bags of 50 lbs. Using the heavier of the two, we get 2500 pounds to a pallet of rock salt. The LA1153 FEL for the M7040 is rated at 2326 lbs, so it stands to reason you were over the limit. Not by much, but over none the less. The LA1353 for the M8540 is rated at 2866 lbs - so a pallet of rock salt should be within it's limits. I have no idea what the "real world" implications are of these figures - I'm just quoting web sites.

Now - this got me to thinking about the weight of the heaviest item I might lift - and that's a pallet of grapes - which just so happens to be sold by the TON. So, there is a possibility I would need to lift 2000 lbs plus the container they ship in - which is plastic so add another 50 lbs. That brings me to 2050 lbs on a loader rated at 2326. That's pretty tight... I had originally intended to purchase a fork lift for this work, but perhaps the FEL could same me that expense. Having said that - a used fork lift is likely to be less than or no more than the cost of a FEL...

case245 · Jan 13, 2013

some of the bags were frozen so i figured 2500ibs the skid weighted and i think the 8540 is 500 ibs heavier then the 7040 i would recommed the power shuddle the mech shuddle gets tire some real fast

foreman Etexas · Jan 13, 2013

SanDucerro said:
The more I toss this around the more I realize the "wants" out weigh the "needs". But a CAB is most definately a need - it's not a "want" as I originally mentioned. The dust and dirt is literally killing me when I'm out on the tractor (and the heat in the summer ain't fun either), so we're going to a CAB.

With that in mind I ran through the Kubota build site last night and priced out everything with a CAB that would work. Leaving a FEL off I come up with the following MSRP numbers:

M7040 $41,866 - 71HP / 64 PTO
M6040 $39,960 - 63HP / 56 PTO
M5140 $37,500 - 52HP / 46 PTO
L5240 $38,639 - 54HP / 45 PTO
L4740 $36,554 - 49HP / 41.5 PTO
L3240 $28,951 - 34 HP / 26.5 PTO

These are all priced in 4WD but without a front end loader.

In reviewing these numbers I would not consider the L3240 as it only gets me a CAB - no real power increase from my L3130. That takes me up to the L4740 as the next option, but it's a HUGE jump in price and I'm really wanting a minimum of 50 PTO HP. I can get close to 50 PTO with the M5140, and that might be the "right" tractor for my current needs. The problem is, it's only $4366 less than the M7040 and it doesn't address future needs. I made the mistake of buying the "right" tractor the first time when I bought the L3130. This time I want room to grow. The extra $4366 isn't any where near the cost of making a second mistake and having to buy a third tractor. But, having said that - I can find no known justifcation for going beyond the M7040. So, my thought is the M7040 is quite a bit more than I need today - but I'll grow into it over time. I just need to finalize "want" verses "need" within the M7040 itself...

I paid 40,000 7040cab/4x4/snyc.shuttle/ldr/2remotes/bigger front tires and believe the hyd.shuttle was 42,800. The 8560 was 46,750 hyd.shuttle/4x4/ldr,these prices 5mnths old...
I will add that I unload several tons of feed a year on pallets,thats why I added the bigger front tires cause I dont like the ones that they come with.