[AT] Compact tractors

Mogrits mogrits at gmail.com
Tue Dec 15 16:47:39 PST 2015


Thanks Mike and Dennis. That is a lot of wood! I'll post a photo of what we
are dealing with here, as I hired a tree service to fell a bunch of trees
that were larger and more hazardous than I knew I could handle. I intend to
build another equipment shed as time and money allows so the trees had to
go. I have years worth of firewood if I can get it worked up. The shuttle
shift has proven to be very intuitive. It is my first piece of diesel
equipment though, so it is taking some time to figure out the engines
comfortable RPM range since it does not really give audible signals of
lugging.

My dealer is great- just too far away to harass on a weekly basis but so
far I am well pleased. It's two brothers and they obviously love their
jobs. The day I made the purchase one brother was out, so I dealt with the
other. That same brother delivered the tractor to my home and said when his
brother got back the day of my purchase he was mad because "he sold my
tractor!". It only had 1.2 hrs on it when delivered so it obviously hadn't
been his tractor for very long.

It's a lot of tractor for the money but I guess time will tell if it will
be good machine.

Warren

On Tue, Dec 15, 2015 at 12:40 PM, Mike M <meulenms at gmx.com> wrote:

> Warren, i think you'll learn to love the shuttle shift, it give's you
> almost the same control for loader work without the hydro whine. It also
> allows you to use it as a regular manual transmission, which was nice for
> me, since I was used to that. I have the Mahindra 4035 shuttle shift, and
> have been happy so far. I use it hard and the dealer actually encourages me
> to "run the snot" out of it.  Your dealer can make all the difference in
> the world, I have had one problem with mine the hydraulic pump started to
> leak, after I used the loader to move 60 tons of crushed asphalt. I called
> the dealer, and he told me the problem was rare, but he has seen it with
> some rough castings on the pump. Rather than waste my time with trying to
> find the leak, he ordered me a whole new pump. He picked my tractor up on a
> Thursday night and had it back to me the next afternoon, no problems since.
>
> The county recently took down a bunch of old growth Maple, Hickory, and
> Oak trees because they were starting to die, I used my tractor and bucket
> to haul a butt load of it home. I surprised myself with what it would haul.
> Hope you get your back hoe situation taken care of.  Here's a picture of
> the wood I've hauled home so far, the picture doesn't do it justice, I'm
> going to be very busy for the next few weeks.
>
> Mike M
>
>
>
>
> On 12/13/2015 8:11 PM, Mogrits wrote:
>
>> To add to this, I went up there and they did not have a 2538 HST on the
>> yard, but they did have a 2540 shuttle shift. It turns out the 2538 is
>> brand new and set to be a "price point" tractor. They don't think they can
>> actually get one until after the new year.
>>
>> My reasoning for the hydrostatic was for FEL work but after running the
>> 2540 I realized the shuttle shift would work just fine. So, I bought a
>> Mahindra 2540 Shuttle with a FEL and a backhoe as well as a set of forks
>> and a canopy. I have used it some but not as much as I'd like since we
>> took
>> a weeks vacation after Thanksgiving.
>>
>> In short I am very pleased but I do have a few complaints I intend to
>> share
>> with my Dealer. Mahindra installs a subframe to receive the backhoe
>> attachment and it was delivered installed. I wanted to drop the backhoe
>> and
>> use the three point and that's where the fun began. They have a hydraulic
>> fitting that badly interferes with withdrawing the retaining pin on the
>> upper right side of the hoe. I had to loosen the fitting and turn it to a
>> very unnatural angle to withdraw the pin enough to remove the backhoe.
>> This
>> is made unnecessarily messy because the hydraulics are needed to rock the
>> hoe off the tractor so the pressure could not be relieved first.
>>
>> Then, when I needed to install the three point arms which cannot be
>> mounted
>> along with the backhoe, there is interference with a 19mm bolt that mounts
>> the hoe subframe to the tractor. This bolt was obviously installed using
>> an
>> impact wrench and without mine I'd have never been able to get them out.
>> To
>> me, this is a serious drawback to a fellow who wanted to change
>> attachments
>> in the field, as I need an assortment of wrenches as well as the 19mm
>> impact socket to get the arms attached.
>>
>> I'm not sure if anyone else has ever had this issue with another brand
>> tractor and if it is normal or not.
>>
>> Other than that, the tractor is very powerful, starts easily, does not do
>> the new diesel "regen cycle" kubotas do to meet emissions and seems to be
>> very fuel efficient. It is also very comfortable and the controls are well
>> placed, if unfamiliar to me as an inexperienced operator. I do wish it had
>> an onboard toolbox considering it needs tools to change some implements.
>>
>> I have not figured out where to put my cupholders and stereo yet, but will
>> keep you informed.
>>
>> Warren
>>
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Nov 18, 2015 at 3:38 PM, Mogrits <mogrits at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Thanks to several of y'alls responses I checked out the Mahindras online
>>> and figured out the comparable model and called our Mahindra dealer about
>>> 40 minutes away.
>>>
>>> I called asking about a 1500 series tractor but after we talked a while
>>> he
>>> had me moved a class up to a 2500 series for the same price as the Kubota
>>> and only a little more than the New Holland. I'm going up there friday to
>>> see for myself but it is sounding like I may have a Mahindra 2538 HST in
>>> my
>>> future.
>>>
>>> What sold me mostly was the added weight and one particular video online
>>> of similar rated tractors lined up trying to lift a pallet of sakrete.
>>> The
>>> New Holland and Kubotas tires came off the ground while the Mahindra
>>> lifted
>>> it and drove away. That seems backed up by what a lot of y'all said about
>>> the Mahindras seemed to be a little more old styled and of heavier
>>> castings.
>>>
>>> Warren
>>>
>>> On Tue, Nov 17, 2015 at 11:51 PM, Scott Williams <
>>> swillia5 at rochester.rr.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> For that kind of usage, and with the employees using it as well, one of
>>>> the
>>>> advantages of the newer machines is the almost "automatic" shifting and
>>>> forward/reversing offered on a lot of machines.  I noticed as soon as I
>>>> got
>>>> my '72 Massey Ferguson 135 that if it had a loader, it would be a lot of
>>>> work to do the back and forth shifting to move things around (I don't
>>>> have a
>>>> loader.)  As it is, I am loving it for what I need clearing brush, but
>>>> if
>>>> it
>>>> was for professional work (where time is money) I could see the major
>>>> difference in time that a shuttle shift would for many operations.  Even
>>>> with the clearing brush, the shifting and changing hi/lo takes a lot
>>>> more
>>>> time.  For running a mower around a field, manual trans is great, but
>>>> for
>>>> a
>>>> lot of other site work, it is a lot slower.
>>>>
>>>> The clunky shifting and taking your time with the work is part of the
>>>> fun
>>>> of
>>>> old iron, but not the most efficient way to get certain jobs done.
>>>>
>>>> Scott
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
>>>> [mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of Mogrits
>>>> Sent: Monday, November 16, 2015 10:51 PM
>>>> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
>>>> Subject: Re: [AT] Compact tractors
>>>>
>>>> Hi Herb!
>>>>
>>>> I visited the Kubota dealer today and actually drove the L3901. I think
>>>> it
>>>> will do what I need. The salesman I talked to was an owner of the
>>>> dealership
>>>> so I did not get a lot of sales talk from him. He asked me all the right
>>>> questions and knew his stuff. He educated me a good bit. One of the
>>>> things
>>>> he asked me was why I walked in thinking I wanted that model tractor. I
>>>> told
>>>> him I'd looked at the specs on line and thought the horsepower rating
>>>> was
>>>> about right considering my Jubilee was slightly less hp and considered a
>>>> double bottom plow capable tractor. He was smart to tell me compacts
>>>> didn't
>>>> work that way because they don't weigh enough to get all their
>>>> horsepower
>>>> transferred to the ground. I'd never thought of that. Then again, I
>>>> never
>>>> planned to pull a double bottom plow with it anyways.
>>>>
>>>> I want a new compact for this tractor because #1, I want at least one
>>>> key
>>>> turner in my stable of tractors. If this makes sense- having an
>>>> operable,
>>>> reliable tractor will give me more time to work on my older tractors. As
>>>> it
>>>> is now, each tractor usage consists of 3 hours of expedient tractor
>>>> repair
>>>> to perform one hours work with it. If I can reliably do my chores
>>>> quickly
>>>> I
>>>> can then have time to lovingly work on my old iron.
>>>>
>>>> #2 reason is precisely because it is so light. Trailering it will not
>>>> be a
>>>> huge hassle and this tractor will be used on my construction jobs to do
>>>> light sitework with the bucket and to dig some footings and occasional
>>>> trenches for conduits, etc. Truth be told a skidsteer would do this
>>>> better
>>>> but they weigh so much I then get into a situation of buying a road
>>>> vehicle
>>>> to tow one legally with all the additional insurance and CDLs that
>>>> involves.
>>>>
>>>> #3 Reason is related to #2, and that is that I will have employees
>>>> operating
>>>> it sometimes. Now we all know employees are rougher on equipment than we
>>>> are
>>>> ourselves, but they are far, far rougher on equipment they perceive to
>>>> be
>>>> inferior or antiquated, and it is rare the employee that can diagnose an
>>>> ignition or fuel issue in the field and meanwhile, their timeclock is
>>>> ticking away.
>>>>
>>>> So for this tractor, it has to be new or damn near new.
>>>>
>>>> Warren
>>>>
>>>> On Mon, Nov 16, 2015 at 12:14 PM, Herb Metz <metz-h.b at comcast.net>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Warren,
>>>>> Don't get around much any more; so had to google Nortrac.
>>>>> There are some benefits to 'restored common tractors'; only problem
>>>>> being finding one, especially with front wheel assist.  Don't know
>>>>> what JD, IHC, and lessers offered;  AC only had a 6000 series where
>>>>> FWA was optional, so parts availability may become a concern there.
>>>>> After AC demise in 1985, AGCO became eventual owner and they are not
>>>>> very interested in AC parts manufacture.  Suggest monitoring various
>>>>> forums if you decide to consider a used tractor.  One of the problems
>>>>> 'used'  do not have is "too much blankety electronics"; that comes
>>>>> from a Kubota owner of several years who was not getting much sympathy
>>>>> or assistance from the local dealer when I was shopping for a gin
>>>>> pole. The guys tractor was out in the woods (where he could not get at
>>>>> it to retrieve it) and he was needing to know what all electronics he
>>>>> could check  to determine what was keeping it from even attempting to
>>>>> start. Unfortunately, this was not the first such occurrence.
>>>>> On a side note, the Cumming, GA tractor show (Nov 13 & 14) had a
>>>>> restored
>>>>> 1958 Ford with F.W. Assist ; a local guy found it in Minnesota.
>>>>> According to previous owner, Dodge Power Wagon had a contract with
>>>>> Ford; primary purpose was logging.  Today it has a soft future as a
>>>>> good looking trailer queen.
>>>>> Herb(GA)
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: Mogrits
>>>>> Sent: Monday, November 16, 2015 8:31 AM
>>>>> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
>>>>> Subject: [AT] Compact tractors
>>>>> I'm in the market for a compact tractor. I've narrowed it to a Kubota
>>>>> L3901 or a Nortrac 35XT.
>>>>> Both come with a font bucket and a rear backhoe. Does anyone know any
>>>>> firsthand information on the Nortrac or for that matter the Kubota?
>>>>> We have a local Kubota dealer but I've yet to learn who or where I'd
>>>>> get Nortrac service from.
>>>>> Thanks
>>>>> Warren
>>>>>
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