New Owner

[Jibber]

After years of window shopping I'm finally buying a Kubota L3130 with a loader. Wondering what I'm forgetting. My question for you formerly "first time" tractor buyers is.. What item or items did you later determine you should have purchased with the tractor?

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Hi,

Congrats on the new tractor decision.

I forgot to get the block heater...so it was an add on later. Feels good everytime I need to use the tractor when it is cold out...knowing the engine is partly warmed up before I turn the key.

 

[Bird]

Jibber, you didn't fill out enough of your profile, or tell us enough in your message, about how much and what kind of property you have, what jobs or projects you intend to do with that tractor (and you'll find others to do after you get it). Block heater sounds like a very good idea for your part of country; not needed in mine. If you're not getting a cab model (for heat maybe in your area and cooling in mine), I'd sure want a canopy (makes shade at least, keeps things like small limbs and leaves from falling on your head and makes a good place to mount extra work lights - if you're going to work when it's dark - and makes a good place to mount a rear view mirror and tiltmeter). How about a SMV (slow moving vehicle) placard (if you ever intend to get it on a public road). And a couple of remote hydraulic outlets on the rear (if you intend to use a rear blade or box blade, they sure are handy to add hydraulic top 'n tilt). Are you gonna get some chain hooks mounted on the FEL bucket? Seems that everyone finds those are needed. And then what implements do you intend to buy/use? Finish mower, rotary cutter, tiller, plows, blades, snow blower, etc.?

Give us a little information and I'll guarantee we can help you spend your money. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[thcri]

Jibber,

Congrat's on your new rig. It's not blue but your gonna love it. Just joking on the blue. I actually looked a Kubota first, but the only dealer was 60 miles away and I just didn't like the salesman.

The option that I wished I had was lights on the ROPS for when you are using that bucket at night. That is an home made project that I just have to work on sometime.

Anyway have fun with it and if your married, make sure you spend some time with her too, they can get pretty jealous when you spend more time on that seat.

murph

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

I didn't miss anything with mine that I couldn't add later. I think if you get the HP, transmission and tires you want up front most anything else can be added later. I'm sure you'll be happy you got a FEL now. A couple things I added to mine you might want to have the dealer add if you don't want to or can't do yourself. One thing I added to mine is a toothbar and it's turned the loader into something I can actually use to dig. All you need for that is a drill and a good bit.

Something else you'll want to do is add a couple of hooks to the top of your loader bucket. If you weld, that's something you can do yourself, too. If you don't weld, have the dealer do it.

Personally, I kind of like adding things and making some changes now as opposed to having everything perfectly suited to my needs day one. I even reconfigured my SCV lever which controls my FEL (I'm a little taller than most and I kept dumping my bucket with my leg /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif ).

Part of doing things like that now is the learning process of finding out what I really do need and another part is the enjoyment of tinkering and doing it myself. I know I enjoy my toothbar a bit more because I bought it and put it on myself rather than it having been there when I bought my tractor. I think it's the same with adding bucket hooks. I'm even adding a couple hooks to my backhoe so I can more readily use it as a tool to lift and load and carry things.

Good luck with your new tractor. Enjoy tinkering with it. I think that's half the fun. I hope this helps. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[MossRoad]

Congratulations on your new tractor and welcome to TBN!

I agree with Bird about a cab or canopy. My first tractor had a cab. Great in winter, but too hot in summer(could have installed AC). My current tractor has a canopy. Just right in summer and keeps snow and rain off my head and shoulders all year.

The FEL is THE most useful implement I own. After that, bucket size and type; maybe a 4 in 1 bucket. Pallet forks are very handy, but adjustable width forks would be much nicer. A nice finish mower and a brush hog are right up there as well.

And tops on the list of most useful enhancements is......drum roll please.......

The Chalkley Cup /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[cnoel]

If you aren't going to have a rear implement, you will want to get the tires loaded(fluid filled) before you put much in the bucket. A box scraper is a nice, usefull, and fairly heavy tool that you might want to look into. The new 30's are awesome, you'll love it /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[CTyler]

Congrats, I recently bought the same tractor. I've added hooks to the bucket and front of the frame. A rear quick connect would be nice if you don't have one. There was one on already for the backhoe but another would be nice to add tilt or rotate a blade etc.. I would get the 4n1 bucket if I could do it over but its not a big deal. I'll be adding a canopy to it as well.

 

[frank_f15]

congrats on the new purchase! u already have the 2 most impotant things , 1) tractor 2) loader' a s bird mentioned if u fill out your profile a bit, it would help to give u some ideas. where exactly is KENT HILLS NY? JUST WONDERING AS I LIVE IN NY MYSELF. welcome to the forum and let us know how u like , dislike your tractor

 

[mikim]

generally speaking I'd concentrate on getting the big ticket items that you want at the same time as the tractor - might get a bigger discount on 'em that way - the smaller items can always come later and are easier to justify to the cfo /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Jibber]

Wow, Lots of great ideas already.

First off, uses. I'll probably move a little snow in the winter with the loader, but primarily this will be a machine used in the warmer months. I also plan to garage it, so I'm not sure I'll need a block heater. I have about an acre of lawn.. surrounded by woods. My wife wants to clear more land on the perimeter for everything from lawn to garden. This is very rocky land so moving earth isn't easy, even with a loader. I also have a shallow back yard because cutting across is a rock wall. I'd like to move part of that wall back to increase the back yard. I have a gravel drive so I'll use the loader for spreading new gravel every couple of years and the box blade for levelling it off

Right now, the only things I've added to the Kubota are the loader, a 6 foot box blade, calcium in the Rears, and the mid-PTO (option on the new Grand L 30 series). I may add a belly mower later. I'd also love to add a backhoe, but can't afford that big of a bite with this package.

Lights on the ROPS sounds like a great idea, and one that I can handle myself. Hooks on the bucket is also something I had thought about, sure would help wrassling rocks out of holes.. and I didn't know you could add a toothbar to the bucket. I figured you had to buy the bucket that way!

 

[Jibber]

Kent Cliffs is about 60 miles north of NYC, Putnam County. I'm about 10 miles east of the Hudson River.

 

[Casimir]

Jibber:

I have had two tractors, one with a standard loader bucket and one with a 4n1 bucket. If I were buying a new tractor, I would definitely get the 4n1 bucket. The FEL is the most useful implement you will have, and the 4n1 bucket just increases the flexibility. It allows you to use just the back of the bucket as a dozer, srape with the front, and grip things with the clamshell effect. I have used mine to move railroad ties, logs, lift stumps, grip rocks that wouldn't scoop easily, and I am still finding new uses for it. The only thing it doesn't do well is haul liquids (like watering flower beds), 'cause it leaks out of the bottom. You could add a removable tooth bar for better digging capability (haven't done that yet). You also could get a quick attach, similar to the skid steer quick attach system that would allow you to switch buckets quickly or switch to pallet forks or a grapple if you are moving a lot of brush.

Once again, if I were buying new, I would get the 4n1 bucket with a skid steer type quick attach system, as part of the initial purchase, rather than adding them on later.

Good luck with your choice(s). Welcome to TBN and keep us informed (with pictures, if possible). /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Mosey]

I have added Top and Tilt (a hydraulic top link and a hydraulic side link). Before I could do that, I had to add the rear remote hydraulics for it. I also didn't get a FEL when I bought the tractor and plan to add that soon. I did get a block heater with the tractor and use it a lot (including this morning). It's pretty easy to add stuff later though, and except for the FEL, the extra cost of adding it later as opposed to getting it with the tractor is not that much.