[AT] Compact tractors

Tue Dec 15 19:05:09 PST 2015

Warren, you probably have a little smaller version of the 3 cylinder 
diesel that I have. It was a noticeable change from the 4 cylinder 
Perkins I was used to.  It doesn't like to lug like the Perkins did, the 
3 cylinders like their RPM's Once mine was broken in, it seemed happy 
running around 2500-2700 rpm.  The more I run it the smoother it gets.

Mike M

On 12/15/2015 7:47 PM, Mogrits wrote:
> 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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