Our new used L5030HSTC!!!!!

[james948]

Well after months of looking and thinking my future father-in-law finally decided on a tractor. We have been looking for something that is 45+hp with cab and loader. He is new to the tractor world but has a few hundred hours worth of dirt work at his home (10 acres) and he also owns 98 acres that is around twenty miles from his home, which is in central Oklahoma.
He has been needing a utility or compact utility tractor for a while but does not have any real experience in tractors or farm equipment so he has been very hesitant on buying one and was not sure what to look for. I have been dating his oldest daughter for close to 2yrs now, and grew up on a commercial wheat farm...so if it has wheels or tracks and is farm related I have many hours logged in it. So he asked for my help in finding a tractor that would suit for his needs. Which after some thought came to be:
1. reliable
2. safe
3. 45+hp
4. 4x4 and loader
5. CHA
6. 3x remotes (for 6way box blade)
7. and of course reasonably priced

So as you can guess looking took a while....as in two months......
But finally we found two tractors that met our needs that were at a huge tractor sales and auction house down south of Tyler TX an L5030HSTC and a Branson 6530C. After looking at both and driving both around the lot a bit the choice was made to get the Kubota. It had more hours and less horsepower, but was in better shape and much more user friendly for inexperienced users to run....ie my future father in law and his other daughters.

What should have been a simple haul home did not turn out that way unfortunately, I just got a new 14k bumper pull trailer and made a very large mistake, I forgot to check the DOT manufacture dates on the tires....turned out they were only 9 years old.......and had been siting a while apparently because the tread was still in great shape....but on the way home I had a blowout on the Indian Nation Turnpike and had to take the tractor off the trailer to jack up the trailer...my truck's jack wouldn't do it with the tractor still on it. Actually ended up just using the FEL to lift the back of the trailer up. But all in all it was a good trip and well worth the hassle. The tractor runs beautifully and the Gannon six way box blade makes grading so easy

We got this tractor to do A LOT of dirt work around his house which will be my summer/fall project.
I'll try and update on a regular basis...with pics

James

 

[rcrcomputing]

Sounds like a nice setup. Just a few things left to do.
Make a set of forks. I prefer a 2 second on, 2 second off, style.
A chain holder mounted to the tractor.
Some pvc pipes to carry your hammer and other tools..

The journey has just begun.. After a coupla of years of modifications, you'll be ready to work that thing.

 

[hilld]

Nice score and story, but it is not complete without pictures.

 

[james948]

Well the work has begun, I have put 12hours on it today starting to cut in a new driveway for the shop/barn. Works beautifully, the six-way box blade is wonderful.

-rcrcomputing- yes forks are in the future as is a quick attach bucket system to make them easier to use, though I do have some forks that attach to the bucket (clamp on style). and a chain holder is definitely in order, had not thought of it but now that you mention it, I feel that it is greatly needed.

-hilld- sorry for no pics, I had left my camera at girlfriend's house but here you go. 3 from transporting it home and two from today's work

 

[Johndeere3720]

Nice tractor. I remember last Summer my dad and i went to California to pick up the John Deere CT322 track skidsteer. On the way back one of our tires blew out. We waited an hour for the guy to come and fix the tire. Had to use a truck jack to lift the trailer and part of the skidsteer up. Silll, that was one great day. Once we got home at 10 that night, I made sure the skidsteer had company next to the John Deere 3720.

 

[smfcpacfp]

Nice looking rig! How many hours did it have on it when you bought it?

 

[texasjohn]

Congrats! IMHO you have exactly the IDEAL tractor for your needs Since it is the same as what I have. Send me a PM if you would like a list of all the attachments and adjustments I have made to mine... it's a word document about 8 pages long.

 

[james948]

Well another day finished and a whole lot more dirt moved, did not think to take pictures till after I finished for the day and by then I had been using the work floods for a few hours. So tomorrow I will take some more pics of the driveway progress for both the barn and for the circle drive for the house.

-smfcpacfp- it had 1012 hours on it when we got, but condition is absolutely great. Absolutely no regrets

James

 

[texasjohn]

PM on the way.

I bought mine with about 230 hrs on it... now has around 700... no problems except AC needed work...seems it is very sensitive to having debris up front ...can't easily see it in the radiators/fins, but it's there... be sure and clean out very well, both with air, then water.

 

[james948]

Well after a few days of work and four 28' semi loads of gravel (2 screenings and 2 1" crusher run) the circle drive is almost done and the apron in front of the shop/barn is started. We still need one more load of screenings to thicken the circle drive and widen part of it, and two more 1" for the apron and a connecting spur to the main driveway. Then three loads of 1 1/2" crusher run to go down the sides of the shop/barn and a parking area for some equipment trailers as well as the drive for the shop/barn.

The first two pics show the circle drive after one load of screenings has been spread and one in the background is waiting. And the second shows the circle drive mostly completed. the area where the gravel has been pulled off towards the camera to the left is where the spur will go to the apron in front of the barn.

The next pic is of a load of 1" crusher run that was split between the two ends of the circle drive to help stabilise it and keep the screenings from washing towards the road.

The fourth is of one load of 1" for the apron/pad in front of the barn/shop which you can see in the background. The fifth shows it after it has been spread, you can see where the new drive will be in the background.

The final pic shows one of the sides of the building where 1 1/2" crusher run will be placed, the grading is not complete in this picture, but the land falls almost two feet from the front of the building to the back, the ground has been shaped to slope away from the building and a gentle descent towards the back. The opening you see will also be lined with screenings.

-texasjohn- thank you very much for the information it will be a huge help and is greatly appreciated.


James