Sold my L-39 yesterday

[_RaT_]

RaT:

My BX2200 HST is only in neutral range when I am starting it.

When I switch from the L-39 to the BX2200, I find myself looking for the shuttle lever with my left hand to reverse motion, instead of pressing down with my heel on the HST pedal.

WALT

On the L30's, you simply depress the clutch. In fact, you must depress the clutch in order for the starter to work.

 

[witel]

Witel:

I'll echo the other posts regarding using the GST on hills. Using the shuttle lever to forward or reverse "clutchless", it is easy to forget that when my 7000 lb L-39 is in neutral, even for a few seconds, gravity quickly takes over, and you start rolling down hill. There is also a 1-2 second delay when shifting between gears, most noticeable when going uphill. This is not the case using the HST, as it provides driveline braking with the HST pedal in the neutral position. But leave the HST in neutral position on the range selector, and it will roll away with the best of them.

It my experience on the farm many years ago, using a manual tractor w/clutch, you always covered the brakes as your left foot pressed down on the clutch pedal.With the GST, the clutch is not used, except for creeping/feathering into a tight spot. The disconnect in my brain seems to be if I don't use my left foot for the clutch, I'm not using my right foot for the brakes to hold the tractor in neutral. My initial hours using the loader uphill resulted in several stalls and reverse freewheels of 1'-10', fortunately without damage to anybody or anything.

My first 10 hours with the L-39 GST had me wondering if I made the right choice. I now have 250+ hours on it, and prefer it over HST, except for loader work on an incline.

WALT

WALT:

You directly address my question/concern.

My issue is that I think the L48(HST) is too large for what I want my tractor to do overall, and the L39(GST) is right-sized. With the potential for carving switchbacks in my hill, the thought of going a step down to the new B26(HST) crossed my mind for HST safety reasons. However, I don't think I am willing to sacrifice the power of the L39. I've been driving standard vehicles all my life on hills and many other sticky situations ... clutching when necessary, covering the brake, dealing with stalls, push-starting, changing clutch-disks, et. al.. Since I'll be starting the switchbacks at the bottom of the hill where there are gradual slopes and working my way up, I may develop plenty of experience getting the "feel" of the tractor before some of the steeper slopes hit. What I can see myself doing here is trying to justify the L39 to myself given my new future hill-project.

Sorry, L39Builder, for changing the subject of the thread. I don't trust just anyone with stock-tips.

 

[WALT]

Witel:

While reviewing your post, it appears that you wish to do some road building along with the other tasks listed.
I can speak only from my personal experience, but as I was clearing approx. 3/4 acre of forest for my front lawn, I finally hired a local contractor with a large excavator (40,000 lb+) to do some grading, leveling and boulder burial and removal.
While the L-39 will do most if not all of the tasks described, you need to work within the practical limitations of the machine you are using. The excavator did in 8 hours what would take me weeks, and from a safer, more stable platform.

It seems to me that tracks beat rubber tires hands down, when working on slopes. I don't want to discourage you, but sometimes the initial site work is best left to the larger capacity equipment, operated by a skilled operator who does that work daily. The L-39 will have no issues performing the loader work and finish grading afterwards. This worked for me, in my specific circumstances. I debated spending the $1100.00 that the work cost me, but the result was worth the money spent.

I hope you find this helpful.

WALT

 

[mike69440]

Witel:

While reviewing your post, it appears that you wish to do some road building along with the other tasks listed.
I can speak only from my personal experience, but as I was clearing approx. 3/4 acre of forest for my front lawn, I finally hired a local contractor with a large excavator (40,000 lb+) to do some grading, leveling and boulder burial and removal.
While the L-39 will do most if not all of the tasks described, you need to work within the practical limitations of the machine you are using. The excavator did in 8 hours what would take me weeks, and from a safer, more stable platform.

It seems to me that tracks beat rubber tires hands down, when working on slopes. I don't want to discourage you, but sometimes the initial site work is best left to the larger capacity equipment, operated by a skilled operator who does that work daily. The L-39 will have no issues performing the loader work and finish grading afterwards. This worked for me, in my specific circumstances. I debated spending the $1100.00 that the work cost me, but the result was worth the money spent.

I hope you find this helpful.

WALT

I have spent to date an estimated $8,000 on earth work working about 7 of my 17 Acres, not counting the Blasting. I could not imagine what the bill would be without the L-39. I have the guys tear up my place for a day or two, then pick at the wreckage with the L-39 for a bunch of weekends. I like the L-39 too much to destroy it doing such heavy work, so I have just high bid on an excavator on E-Bay. I did this carefully, as I did not meet the reserve. know what the seller will actually sell the machine for, and have spoken to the seller regarding the machine. I will bring my excavator guy down to check out the machine and possibly haggle a deal, then haul it back if fate deems it to be so. Even with an 8 ton excavator, I will need to hire out things like a 6 wheel drive rock truck and a CAT 330. I would think less a few days of hiring the really heavy stuff, and I will be all set finishing the property with the equipment I have and occasional dozer & Dump truck, Skidder work. Those jobs ought to run a weeks pay now and then, which I would hope to be a position to handle, especially once the L-39 is paid for.

I may or not keep an excavator if I get one. If I keep it I would add a hydraulic thumb.

Really, for what I do will do with the machine, the L-39 is close to the right size, but a little light on operating weight.

I know I contributed to hyjacking this thread, can't say I'm sorry.

 

[rbargeron]

Uh, is this the thread about Biodiesel?

 

[Builder]

Uh, is this the thread about Biodiesel?

It went from selling my L-39, to insulting me, my tractor & knowledge of being a builder, to another guy's L-48 superiority complex, to a wrecked L-48 in snow, to stock tips, back to the L-39 where it's finally resting with possible purchase of an excavator.

Been a wild ride!

 

[_RaT_]

It went from selling my L-39, to insulting me, my tractor & knowledge of being a builder, to another guy's L-48 superiority complex, to a wrecked L-48 in snow, to stock tips, back to the L-39 where it's finally resting with possible purchase of an excavator.

Been a wild ride!

So actually everything at TBN is normal.

 

[curtisfarmer]

If you look at the official Kubota cataloge, the L39 is reffered to as the "Progressive" model, and the L48 as the "Superior" model. At least you got that right. It is what it is. We should have a tractor pull or something....., I have been envisioning a Mad Max type ambiance, with the finally being a fatal engagement between the L39 and the L48. 2 tractors enter the Thunderdome, 1 tractor leaves. Maybe excavator vs. tree shear?