New Tractor Owner Kubota L3301

[BigBassBrent]

Hello everyone,

Been reading here for a couple of months and decided to sign up since I am now the owner of a shiny new 2015 Kubota L3301 HST with a LA525 loader. With that we also got a Mohawk Brave 5' rotary cutter and an Armstrong Ag 6' box blade. I am learning as much as I can at our current home before I move to the real work at our recently acquired 10 acre property where we plan to put a home. I've got 6.5 hours on the tractor (and experience) so far. :licking:

I spent a lot of time yesterday using the box blade on some gravel we have our back yard. I'm starting to get the feel for it. However, I am not getting the feel for the neck cramps and pains I have when trying to watch the scraper do its job. I could hardly move my neck after an hour or so of looking over my shoulder to control the 3 point. Is this a common thing? Am I doing something wrong? Is there such thing as a mirror you can mount that would allow you to see your implements without doing a 180 in your seat? Maybe it's the nature of the beast, I do not know.

I look forward to learning a lot here and helping out where I can.

-Brent

 

[Will_C]

You'll develop a technique of sitting on one of your "cheeks",at a 90 degree angle to your implement. That way you can keep an eye on where you going and on your implement.
Have fun.

Will

Sent from my iPhone using TractorByNet

 

[BigBassBrent]

You'll develop a technique of sitting on one of your "cheeks",at a 90 degree angle to your implement. That way you can keep an eye on where you going and on your implement.
Have fun.

Will

Sent from my iPhone using TractorByNet

Thanks Will. Sounds like I just need more seat time. I'm cool with that!

 

[s219]

There's a good thread here about a $50 rear view camera/screen setup from Amazon, which works well for keeping an eye on things.

You might be spending more time looking at the box blade than needed, but that should taper off as you get the hang of it. There shouldn't be a whole lot of 3-pt operation other than full-up and full-down, so don't overanalyze it. The real trick comes with the top link length, which sets the angle of attack of the box blade cutting edges. That needs to be set right depending on whether you want to dig and remove material, or simple smooth/spread. If you do a lot of box blade work, a hydraulic top link makes a huge difference.

 

[mddorange]

:welcome:
To the forum from Alabama.

 

[BigBassBrent]

There's a good thread here about a $50 rear view camera/screen setup from Amazon, which works well for keeping an eye on things.

You might be spending more time looking at the box blade than needed, but that should taper off as you get the hang of it. There shouldn't be a whole lot of 3-pt operation other than full-up and full-down, so don't overanalyze it. The real trick comes with the top link length, which sets the angle of attack of the box blade cutting edges. That needs to be set right depending on whether you want to dig and remove material, or simple smooth/spread. If you do a lot of box blade work, a hydraulic top link makes a huge difference.

Thanks s219. I appreciate the advice. I saw that camera thread. Thats pretty cool! I've already been looking at hydraulic top links but I'm not sure that I'm able to spend the money on it right now. The top link is inexpensive but the rear remotes will hit ya in the pocket book!

Thanks for the welcome mddorange!

 

[jel1988]

Welcome from coastal SC

 

[TripleR]

Congratulations on your new tractor.

There's an old joke, "How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice..." That pretty much sums up getting good with a box scraper and avoiding a sore neck. I grew up farming and had to acclimate my muscles to the constant swiveling every spring when we began the real tractor work.

I have mirrors on my tractors and they help some as would a camera, but you're still going to have to look back often enough to get sore until it become routine; at least that's been my experience, others may vary.

I have TnT similar to this and it's great, but the expense is a bear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3bOCFXeLec

 

[BigBassBrent]

Thanks jel1998. There is lot's to learn here!

TripleR, I think your joke was perfect! It totally fits. I hope when I get more hours in the seat I will do better! And I should not have watched that video. I want! Thanks for the help.

 

[s219]

The top link is inexpensive but the rear remotes will hit ya in the pocket book!

You said it man! That was a painful purchase to make, but I am glad I did it. The Kubota factory kit is nice, and well integrated, but pricey. For about 1/3 the cost you can do a generic setup that might look a little kludgey but work OK. I decided a clean integration was more important to me, and went with the factory kit.