Owner Dissatisfied With Deere Wants To Switch To Kubota

[dodge man]

Would have been a good 6 minute video. If I didn’t own a 2025r I would have quit after a minute.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I think Deere probably has about the same percentage of issues as about any other brand. Doesn't make them "good" or "bad". Just look on our own forums here at TBN under the "Deere" sub headings. Lots of folks have had issues. But, many, many more folks haven't had any. There are a lot of Deere's out there. Sooner or later, someone is going to have an issue with one.

 

[Hay Dude]

I think Deere probably has about the same percentage of issues as about any other brand. Doesn't make them "good" or "bad". Just look on our own forums here at TBN under the "Deere" sub headings. Lots of folks have had issues. But, many, many more folks haven't had any. There are a lot of Deere's out there. Sooner or later, someone is going to have an issue with one.

And usually internet articles are for the complainers, not the happy owners.

 

[DK35vince]

Meh, brand chest thumping or one “experience” doesn’t mean much to anyone else but the person experiencing it

I could point to 100 threads in every brand forum of something breaking

as noted above, I chose based on dealer experience and capabilities required

+1
My take from the video was he simply ran over something and bent a tie rod

 

[tractortroof]

Meh, brand chest thumping or one “experience” doesn’t mean much to anyone else but the person experiencing it

I could point to 100 threads in every brand forum of something breaking

as noted above, I chose based on dealer experience and capabilities required

So you would buy a rural king tractor if the dealer was nice and the specs were right? Knowing that brand is not important?

 

[metalbender]

It wouldn't take much to have a closer look at the tie rod to see if it's bent. Instead of bashing the tractor, maybe maybe owning up to an operator error. Title could well have been "I broke my new tractor" Maybe a follow up vid will show up.

 

[RalphVa]

After one troublefree JD except for a busted driveshaft Ujoint at 9 years and then 2 with lots of shop visits, I've gone with a Kubota B. JD has given up on its lower hp models: eliminating turning brakes and making engines that will no longer idle. Here're my impressions after only about a half hour on the B:

Well, slowly getting used to the dreaded treadle pedal. Moving seat back to get a direct down stab at the reverse end helps a lot. Some pluses and minuses:

o Seems to start cold better than the JDs, which shuddered and issued slightly blue smoke. All diesels I've ever owned start with about 1/2 turn of the crankshaft, dating back to an old 1973 220D Benz. Nice thing about diesels. JDs and the 220D and 240D started cold with a shudder though. VW TDI and Isuzu started/start like gasoline engines.
o FEL seems more jerky, but the H130 on the 2025R was sooo smoooth and absolutely bulletproof.
o Float on FEL is very easily engaged, almost too easy.
o 2wd/4wd is so easy. Almost all JDs make this tough.
o Hydraulics are MUCH stronger. Flow is near 3 times.
o Idles nicely at 1,000. The 1025R was abnoxious at 1,650.
o Not many spots to put my tension cords that were held so easily on the H130's FEL.
o Tool box is way too small. Have another on order from Harbor Freight that I think will work, only $7.
o Drink holder is bigger than the joke one on the 2025R. Not sure it'll hold my little thermos. Not sure where to put my old Frontier doc holder cap that was a great cup holder on the JD. Kinda out of the way, behind and to the left.
o Parking brake is easier to disengage but seems a tad harder to engage.

Haven't connected nor used the rear PTO yet. Nice that it's covered like the mid one was on the JD. I presume the mid one on the B is covered as well. Not likely I'll use it unless I splurge and get a snow blower. Think it'd be a pain to connect the mid PTO on one.

Haven't tried that 45 degree position yet on the ROPS to see if it'll clear the garage door. JDs don't have this position: either up, down or 90 degree head bumper.

The HF QH went on with hardly a whimper, and those sliding gizmos to keep each lift arm in place are so easy to use. If I didn't have the QH, I'd replace those pins with self latching ones. With QH, I'll never touch them again unless some brush knocks one of them loose.

Odd that Kubota doesn't recommend some slippy stuff applied to 3ph moving parts. I always just squired with silicone.

Kubota definitely needs a warning on the front part of the ROPS top to not leave it dropped completely down.

Nice to have a temperature gauge. Wish we still had oil pressure and amp meters.

 

[Cycledude]

Possibly that pretty good sized block of wood laying in the wood chips he just leveled bent something when he drove over it ?

He calls the dealer on Friday to pickup the tractor for repairs and is concerned that their not going to pick it up until Monday ?

Sorry the video was mostly just wasted time but it does a pretty good job showing the stuff dealers have to put up with.

 

[BCinVA]

After one troublefree JD except for a busted driveshaft Ujoint at 9 years and then 2 with lots of shop visits, I've gone with a Kubota B. JD has given up on its lower hp models: eliminating turning brakes and making engines that will no longer idle. Here're my impressions after only about a half hour on the B:

Well, slowly getting used to the dreaded treadle pedal. Moving seat back to get a direct down stab at the reverse end helps a lot. Some pluses and minuses:

o Seems to start cold better than the JDs, which shuddered and issued slightly blue smoke. All diesels I've ever owned start with about 1/2 turn of the crankshaft, dating back to an old 1973 220D Benz. Nice thing about diesels. JDs and the 220D and 240D started cold with a shudder though. VW TDI and Isuzu started/start like gasoline engines.
o FEL seems more jerky, but the H130 on the 2025R was sooo smoooth and absolutely bulletproof.
o Float on FEL is very easily engaged, almost too easy.
o 2wd/4wd is so easy. Almost all JDs make this tough.
o Hydraulics are MUCH stronger. Flow is near 3 times.
o Idles nicely at 1,000. The 1025R was abnoxious at 1,650.
o Not many spots to put my tension cords that were held so easily on the H130's FEL.
o Tool box is way too small. Have another on order from Harbor Freight that I think will work, only $7.
o Drink holder is bigger than the joke one on the 2025R. Not sure it'll hold my little thermos. Not sure where to put my old Frontier doc holder cap that was a great cup holder on the JD. Kinda out of the way, behind and to the left.
o Parking brake is easier to disengage but seems a tad harder to engage.

Haven't connected nor used the rear PTO yet. Nice that it's covered like the mid one was on the JD. I presume the mid one on the B is covered as well. Not likely I'll use it unless I splurge and get a snow blower. Think it'd be a pain to connect the mid PTO on one.

Haven't tried that 45 degree position yet on the ROPS to see if it'll clear the garage door. JDs don't have this position: either up, down or 90 degree head bumper.

The HF QH went on with hardly a whimper, and those sliding gizmos to keep each lift arm in place are so easy to use. If I didn't have the QH, I'd replace those pins with self latching ones. With QH, I'll never touch them again unless some brush knocks one of them loose.

Odd that Kubota doesn't recommend some slippy stuff applied to 3ph moving parts. I always just squired with silicone.

Kubota definitely needs a warning on the front part of the ROPS top to not leave it dropped completely down.

Nice to have a temperature gauge. Wish we still had oil pressure and amp meters.

I am transitioning to a Kubota from a Deere also. I am still trying to adjust to the treadle. I personally found that if I use my toe to pull up on the front of the pedal, instead of trying to push down on the back of it, it works better for me. I find most of your comments on the Kubota to agree with my experience. I have a MX 5400 and it is a little more basic tractor than the Deere I had before. That is OK, as I wanted basic and reliable vs. complex and more susceptible to problems. Some things I liked better on the Deere were, two pedal hydro control, joystick position and operation, hand brake control. Some things I prefer on the Kubota, are power, (Bigger engine and tractor overall, so not really comparable), metal components vs plastic. The HST on the Kubota seems more finicky on the Kubota. The Deere when in high range would go up any hill as long as I went slow enough. The kubota, even though substantially more HP will not. I sometimes have to change range as the Kubota will just stop and slip and kill the engine if you try to force it. I am guessing it has some sort of relief mechanism when pressures are too high. Overall though, with only about 15 hours on the Kubota, I have to say I am satisfied with it so far. No issues yet, the dealer prep seemed to be pretty good. Haven't found any loose bolts etc. Good luck with yours, I hope it gives you good service.

 

[ruffdog]

I am transitioning to a Kubota from a Deere also. I am still trying to adjust to the treadle. I personally found that if I use my toe to pull up on the front of the pedal, instead of trying to push down on the back of it, it works better for me. I find most of your comments on the Kubota to agree with my experience. I have a MX 5400 and it is a little more basic tractor than the Deere I had before. That is OK, as I wanted basic and reliable vs. complex and more susceptible to problems. Some things I liked better on the Deere were, two pedal hydro control, joystick position and operation, hand brake control. Some things I prefer on the Kubota, are power, (Bigger engine and tractor overall, so not really comparable), metal components vs plastic. The HST on the Kubota seems more finicky on the Kubota. The Deere when in high range would go up any hill as long as I went slow enough. The kubota, even though substantially more HP will not. I sometimes have to change range as the Kubota will just stop and slip and kill the engine if you try to force it. I am guessing it has some sort of relief mechanism when pressures are too high. Overall though, with only about 15 hours on the Kubota, I have to say I am satisfied with it so far. No issues yet, the dealer prep seemed to be pretty good. Haven't found any loose bolts etc. Good luck with yours, I hope it gives you good service.

That is why it is so important for a buyer to test drive before buying. What isn't important to one person is important to another.