Kubota's new L3800, 4WD HST, R4 industrial tires, LA524 loader and foldable ROPS.

The new L3800, which was officially announced December of 2010 along side its brother model the L3200, is Kubota’s attempt at introducing some premium features to the standard L-Series lineup. Features like an upgraded electronic dash panel, cruise control, power steering, suspension seat, a refresh of operator controls, larger fuel tank as well as body and hood panel styling more consistent with the Grand L40 Series.

Deen Implement a Kubota dealer based in Forney Texas has posted a very comprehensive video highlighting some of the L3800s newest features.

OrangeTractorTalks recently had a chance to interview the owner of a new L3800. Skip to the interview or continue reading for an overview of the L3200 and L3800.

Model Lineup
Up until now, the standard L Series models consisted of the L2800, L3400 and L4400, all of which represent very good value for the money in a fairly simple and straightforward package – ie. no air conditioning, radios or massaging seats. Owners of these “standard” L Series models, that are comfortable with the horsepower requirements offered in the range, are getting all of what they want and not paying for luxuries that Kubota does make available in its Grand L40 offerings.

Horsepower Comparison
Horsepower for the lineup ranges from 30 hp for the L2800 through 45 hp for the L4400. The L3200 and L3800 are rated at 32 hp and 37 hp respectively so these models occupy the middle of the horsepower range offered by the lineup. Power for the L3800 is supplied by a 1.8L, high efficiently, low emission 3 cylinder water cooled diesel engine.

Stepping up in power from the L3800 means considering the larger L4400 or the L3940 Grand L40. TractorByNet has an interesting discussion concerning L3800 vs. L3940 that is worth reading for anyone considering adding an L3800 to their garage.

Transmissions
As with the other standard L Series models, the L3800 is available in 2WD and 4WD configurations with an 8 forward, 4 reverse gear transmission standard and 3 range HST optional. HST models are available in 4WD only.

A quick word about the HST – if you have never driven an HST Kubota before, be sure to try on the lot it before ruling it out. Kubota’s HSTs are best of their kind and really help to reduce operator fatigue. Yes there is additional cost (in terms of both money and horsepower rating) but we feel this option is worth taking. A HST equipped 4WD Kubota with a set of R4 industrial tires is our favorite combination.

Implements and Attachments
Kubota introduces a new 60″ LA524 loader specifically for the L3200 and L3800 which comes with a front grille guard standard – handy for when you would rather not have that boulder in the loader roll back and smash your radiator and headlights out. If you find yourself changing the bucket to a set of forks, or vice-versa, toolless quick detach buckets are an available option.

Loader lift capacity is rated at 855lbs at a maximum height of 94″ – plenty for most landscaping or small farming jobs. Refer to the complete L3200/L3800 spec sheet for fine details.

Kubota LA524 loader.

Other available attachments include:

• the BH77 quick attach/detach backhoe with optional 6 position mechanical thumb
• 40″, 50″ or 60″ rotary tillers with integral slip clutch so if the tiller hits something solid your equipment does not suffer damage
• rear 3-point, 2 stage, snowblower with 64″ or 72″ widths

Interviewing a New L3800 Owner
Service Department Vic recently had the opportunity to interview Ed who recently purchased a new L3800 for use on his land just outside of Calgary Alberta, Canada.

Vic: Tell us a little about yourself, about your acreage property, its size and terrain.

Ed: We have 15 acres of rolling pasture with several tree groves close to Spruce Meadows, just south of Calgary Alberta. The acreage is set up to support our private use of horses, has one dwelling and several small outbuildings. We have horses, so most of the tractor duties support them, such as raking the field, moving manure around and chores like that. The acreage also supports a private 18 hole “disc golf” course which requires a fair amount of tractor related grooming and grounds maintenance.

Ed, our interviewee.

Vic: Is this Kubota L3800 your first acreage tractor? If no, tell us a little about the tractor this new one replaces?

Ed: No, this is my third tractor. The first one was a 20 hp gas John Deere 400 – basically a large garden tractor with hydraulic blade and a 3 point hitch. We found that unit hard to get traction and very hard on gas. When we really needed a tractor with a front loader, I expanded the search to include other brands such as Kubota.

I found a good condition L1802DT at Acreage Outfitters and had Vic install a new Allied #95 front end loader on it for me. This was a huge upgrade over the JD and serviced us well for the last six years. I found, however that the hydraulic support on the L1802 to be too limiting for our needs.

Vic: How is this tractor different from your previous model?

Ed: This tractor is significantly different. The most notable difference is the amount of available horsepower – quite a upgrade over the older L Series. Hydraulic lift capacity and a significantly beefier loader support system are also vastly superior on my new L3800. The HST transmission is a welcome upgrade over the traditional gear drive system on the L1802 and I’ve found it extremely easy to use.

The L3800 body is about 10 inches longer than my old Kubota which I found to be a little narrow and a bit “tippy” on some of the steep hills we have. The R4 industrial tires should be a little easier on my lawn. The 23 degree AG grips on my older Kubota had great traction but ripped up the ground pretty good.

Found out the same day after taking delivery that the new L3800 will not fit into my existing tractor shed – just a wee bit too tall, but this gives me an excuse to build a new one! Basically, my new L3800 is bigger, stronger, and easier to use – those are the main differences.

Ed's older L1802 sitting next to the new L3800.

Vic: How much comparison shopping did you do before settling on the L3800?

Ed: I did not consider buying any other brand. If I was going to get a new tractor, it was going to be a Kubota!

My main comparison took place within the Kubota line-up itself – comparing the different B and L Series models. When it came down to it the few reasons I was upgrading in the first place really pointed me to the L Series – better loader support, more mass and stability.

I started out looking for an L2800 but discovered it was no longer available so I started pricing out an L3200. I contacted Vic at Acreage Outfitters to undertake the resale of my old Kubota and once he found out I was buying a new Kubota made a couple of calls and quarter backed a deal on a brand new L3800 at a price comparable to what I had been given on an L3200. Making the decision to go for the model with more ponies and less money was a no brainer.

In reality, I did not do a lot of product shopping, I kind of knew what I wanted and went out to find it. In the end, price and availability won me over.

Vic: What implements do you own now that will be used on this tractor and what if any do you plan on acquiring?

Ed: This new L3800 is fitted with the LA524 loader (which is great). I purchased a new 7′ rear blade from Acreage Outfitters for snow removal, manure cleanup, and general scraping. I also have a 60″ Buhler Farm King box scraper for landscaping work and a 72″ rear finish mower. We have a heavy chain rake for scraping the field and I’m considering purchasing a rototiller and possibly a post auger in the next little while.

Vic: What type of work or projects on your property will this new Kubota typically be used for?

Ed: Scraping the field, moving dirt, piling material dealing with manure. Landscaping chores using the box scraper and bucket – typical work anyone would do when contouring terrain. This will also be used to pull a utility trailer that I’ll load with firewood, dirt, hay bales, or deadfall from around the property.

The finishing mower will look after the grass by the house and maintain the disc golf course fairways. Snow removal duties include looking after my 200m long driveway, plus post pounding, auguring post holes, maybe pulling out a few stumps.

We do use our tractor heavily for about three weeks non-stop during spring clean-up, so reliability and availability during this time is very important.

Where (some) of the magic happens.

Vic: Where did you purchase your new L3800 and overall how would you rate the purchasing experience, the dealerships, your salesman and the degree to which you were familiarized with the controls and operational aspects of your new Kubota?

Ed: Bought it at Farmway Machinery in High River Alberta and neither the dealership or my salesman had much work to do selling me this Kubota, as I already knew what I wanted.

They gave me a good price with a few unexpected freebies thrown in like a grille guard, the quick release bucket option, and a block heater. I think I got great value for the money through this transaction.

My salesman, Buster, was easy to work with and was very prompt at closing the deal and getting my unit delivered. He went over all the features with me, but as an experienced Kubota user I didn’t need very much instruction. No complaints.

Vic: You could have purchased a new Korean or Chinese tractor of similar horsepower and saved several thousand dollars over the price of the L3800. If the lowest price was not the primary reason for going with the Kubota, what would you say influenced your decision the most? What it the known quality, brand reputation, re-sale value, ability to service yourself?

Ed: Sure, Kubota is not the cheapest tractor buy out there, but initial purchase price is only part of the overall costs. This is certainly going to be the last tractor I’ll ever buy, something I wouldn’t have confidence saying with another vendor. You get what you pay for, enough said.

Vic: Besides being brand new, what are a couple of upgrades or mechanical improvement your L3800 has that your old Kubota did not have? Were these upgrades considered beforehand as “must haves” or “deal breakers” or were they just nice features you discovered after taking delivery?

Ed: The HST transmission is a nice feature over the gear drive stick shift transmission on the L1802. Gear drive does have its benefits from a power and gear range perspective but the HST transmission is far more convenient and easier to use. One of the operators in our family has bad knees, so the HST was pretty much a requirement. I had never operated an HST tractor before and found it surprisingly easy.

I like the foldable ROPS on this L3800, the tractor’s wider foot print and the lower profile R4 industrial tires. The L3800 tips the scales at 600 lbs heftier than the old Kubota so the increase in weight will provide me with increased stability on some of our hilly terrain.

I did spend a fair bit of time ensuring that my new Kubota had a much more substantial lift capacity on the loader and I feel that was met by the L3800. The ability to run post pounder or auger was also something I considered. Oh ya, and a cup holder – the new tractor just had to have one!

Vic: What advice can you offer a new acreage owner who may be considering the purchase of a compact diesel tractor? Any pitfalls or things to be aware of?

Ed: Well for one, I would certainly recommend a new acreage/property owner to include Kubota in your search!

When I bought the L1802 and had the new loader installed on it, that was pretty much the only thing within my price range that I could find that would do the job. If you are going to buy a second hand or even a grey market tractor, make sure you can handle some basic maintenance yourself (changing oil, filters and fluids) or buy from someone that can offer you after sale service, parts and tech help – it’s priceless. Knowing a good diesel tech and performing regular maintenance on your tractor, regardless of it’s make, will reduce the chances of problems a new tractor owner may encounter.

Mr. K

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An Overview of Kubota’s Grand L40 Series

Ever wonder what Kubota recommends for properly maintaining the diesel engine in your Kubota?

Doc Kubota
Purchasers of new Kubota equipment were at one point provided a special DVD that contained an engine maintenance overview hosted by Robert DeNiro Doc Kubota which is Kubota’s official version of our own Service Department Vic. Credit goes to Deen Implement, a Kubota dealer in Texas, for posting the 4 part series that covers lubrication, air intake, cooling and fuel systems.

It is hard to recall the last time we saw a diesel mechanic in a nicely pressed button up shirt and tie under his overalls, but try to look past that as you watch the videos.

Food for Thought
The engine in your Kubota is designed to operate under load, shock cycle, temperature, dust, debris and climate extremes. Think about the engine having to power the tractor and loader as you dig into a pile or summer mowing all the way through to winter snow blowing.

Despite these challenges many of Kubota’s engines operate for thousands and thousands of hours (30+ years). Their engines are some of the most compact, powerful for their size and fuel efficient diesels made. Their engine division is something they are most proud of. We have an entire article that details their engine factory in Japan which is also worth a look.

Introduction
Meet Doc Kubota and also see a very rare shot of an L200 around the 1 minute mark. The L200 was Kubota’s first state-side compact tractor which appeared on the scene in 1972 and really was the genesis for the compact tractor market – something that Kubota continues to dominate today.

Part 1: Lubrication System
How to select the right oil, oil as a heat sink and when to change the oil and filter after purchasing new equipment (50 hours). We also get a good shot of what oil looks like after 1000 hours and it is not pretty.

Part 2: Air Intake System
Air filter overview, safety filters and expected service intervals. Something else interesting here is that Kubota recommends not replacing the filter too often (ie. before the service interval). They claim that the filter performs its best when it is no longer “fresh”. If air filters are replaced at 1/4 of the service interval the risk of engine damage is 300% higher! Follow the guidelines in your operator’s manual carefully.

Part 3: Cooling System
Antifreeze selection, mixing and radiator maintenance. Lots of good tips here: 1) a 50/50 mix of water and antifreeze is better at heat transfer than antifreeze alone, 2) distilled water prevents scale buildup that hurts cooling performance and 3) summertime operation does not require flushing the mix and replacing with water – you get better warm weather cooling performance by sticking with the 50/50 antifreeze-water mix.

Part 4: Fuel System
Fuel types for various climates, including cold weather, fuel line bleeding, filter maintenance and how to prevent water from getting into the fuel. Right around the 3m11s mark we get a nice shot of filters which have been written on as to when they were replaced last. This is something we do in the shop too and recommend this as a best practice.

The later half of the video covers some engine diagnostics based on the color and type of the exhaust smoke.

Conclusion
We will admit – Doc’s growing on us a bit and even though some parts of the videos sound like common sense there are some good tips buried in there.

The bottom line is that you have to take the effort and (small) expense to understand your equipment, its engine and maintain it. Part of that effort is arming yourself with all knowledge available – articles, forums, videos, service manuals, etc. Luckily, if you are reading this on OrangeTractorTalks you are already at one of the best places to start doing exactly that!

Mr. K

Related Articles
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Kubota Servicing 101: Part 1 – Air Filter
Kubota Servicing 101: Part 2 – Fuel Filter
Kubota Servicing 101: Part 3 – Cooling System
Kubota Servicing 101: Part 4 – Oil Change

What do the letters DT mean after the L1501? Well in this case it is written right alongside - Double Traction - which is Kubota's way of saying this is a 4WD tractor.

Ever wonder what those letters mean at the end of most Kubota model designations? For example, what is the difference between a L175F and a L175DT? What type of agricultural setting might you find a M8540DTNHC in use?

Lettering to identify variants within each line is littered everywhere – Kubota’s brochures, service, parts and operators manuals, online discussions, reviews, auctions, advertisements and so on. Knowing how Kubota identifies variants within a model range is very helpful when it comes time to make buying decisions or afterward, when performing regular service and maintenance.

It is very common to find the variant lettering appended to the main model number right on the hood for older Kubota equipment (1970s-1990s). In recent years Kubota has really toned down how many letters they physically apply to the hood although reference literature and brochures still make use of lettering.

Some Tips
Some general guidelines that hold in most cases:

• C refers to cab model
• CS refers to creep speed
• D or DT refer to four wheel drive
• E or F refer to two wheel drive
• HST refers to hydrostatic transmission
• GST refers to glide shift transmission
• N refers to narrow tread model (think orchards or vineyards)

So our M8540DTNHC from above would be a M Series 8540 four wheel drive, narrow and high clearance tractor. We would likely find this in use on a vineyard (a very big one for that kind of horsepower).

Detailed Lists
What follows are more detailed lists for various model designations that Kubota has usedin the past and currently offers on their new models. This is not a complete list but is a very good start. Jump to a section or scroll down.
B Series
BX Series
L Series
M Series

B Series Model Variants

BX Series Model Variants

L Series Model Variants

M Series Model Variants

Anyone installing a front end loader or log splitter will need to tap into the hydraulic system to power those hydraulic cylinders that do the work. Some newer Kubota models come factory equipped with a hydraulic junction block which means interrupting the hydraulic circuit to draw power is fast and straightforward – simply connect your hoses. In this article we describe how to get started tapping the hydraulic circuit if you have an older Kubota or one not equipped with a junction block.

High and Low Pressure Lines
The first step is to locate the high and low pressure lines that run along the side of the transmission housing. The steel lines are two thicknesses – thin and thick. The thin line is the high pressure line which comes directly from the hydraulic pump. The pressure this line carries is significant!

High pressure hydraulic line found on the right side (when seated) of this B6200's transmission housing.

The thicker, fatter line, is the hydraulic suction line which draws hydraulic oil from the reservoir in the transmission and directs it to the hydraulic pump to be pressurized again on the high pressure line.

Steel suction line that returns oil from the reservoir back into the hydraulic pump to be repressurized.

Where to Tap In
The high pressure line is the line we interrupt to direct power to the control valve which sits in front of a loader or log splitter. The amount of line to remove is actually very small – perhaps only 2-3″. We are simply creating a bypass in the line that runs up to the control valve, through and out the control and then back down again to the other side of the high pressure line.

When the joystick valve is its neutral or normally open position, the hydraulic circuit acts as it did before – it just happens to be running up, through and back down again from the joystick control.

Tapped high pressure line shown in blue, the nipple fittings shown in red and flow of high pressure oil shown in green.

When cutting the steel line, be sure that no metal filings are left behind. Kubota models in and around the vintage of the B6200 shown in the video have a hydraulic suction filter which will catch most debris. If that filter gets plugged or goes many years without servicing, an operator will absolutely notice decreased performance, jittering and slow raising/lowering out of their loader. The rule of thumb in a hydraulic system is that cleaner is always better!

Nipple Fittings
You will need two nipple fittings (also known as hydraulic JIC fittings) for the tap – one for for each side of the high pressure line openings that we create when we remove the 2-3″ of line. The fittings are brazed onto the steel line which gives you an attachment point for your hydraulic hoses that run up/down from the control valve. The fittings we use are available from any hydraulic supply shop and cost about $5 each.

A nipple fitting brazed on the steel line which is then connected to by the hydraulic hose running up to the control valve.

The hydraulic pressure generated by a typical B Series ranges from 1450-1950 psi. L Series models have upwards of 2500-2600 psi of pressure running through that high pressure line so be sure those fittings are secure and inspect your hydraulic hoses for wear and tear.

Service Department Vic

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We are picking up and continuing our Kubota Service 101 series with a quick article on something every owner of a tractor should be familiar with – an oil change.

Depending on the model, Kubota recommends regular oil changes every 75-150 hours (less for construction or heavy use). Check your operator’s manual for the exact service interval. Something else you will find in your reference manuals are 1) the part number for a replacement oil filter and 2) the oil capacity of the engine. If you do not have that reference manual handy, head over to Kubota’s quick parts look up and make a note to yourself to buy a manual in the future.

An oil change takes 5-10 minutes and costs about $20 including the filter. Not changing the oil costs a lot more when something goes wrong or wears prematurely.

What You Will Need
Before we get started, gather these tools and supplies:

• a 19mm wrench or socket
• a oil filter wrench
• a replacement oil filter
• replacement oil – we use 15W-40
• a funnel
• a large measuring cup
• a catch basin for the old oil
• felt tip marker

Oil filter wrench, 19mm wrench and a funnel. Not shown is a catch basin already in place under the tractor.

Quick Word About Oil Filters
Oil filters are not very high-tech and we feel that they are all pretty much created equal. We do not go out of our way to purchase Kubota filters unless we happen to be at or near a dealership when we need one. Comparable and very well performing filters are offered by Baldwin, Fram or even the Wal-Mart house brand. Expect to pay $5-10.

Any one of these filters, including an original Kubota filter, is adequate for an oil change.

Drop the Old Oil
With your catch basin under the tractor, loosen the drain plug with your 19mm wrench. Note that some Kubota L Series Kubota have two drain plugs that must be removed. The reason for the dual plugs is that the drive shaft runs down the middle of the oil pan, splitting it in two.

Do not be alarmed if the oil is especially black. Diesels tend to blacken the oil pretty quickly. Do be alarmed if you see anything else in the oil like metal shavings, rust, coolant or water. With the oil draining we can move onto the rest of the oil change.

Letting the oil drain out into the catch basin is known as 'dropping the oil'.

Remove the Old Filter
Depending on your model you may have to remove one of the engine side covers to get access to the oil filter. If you have a front end loader installed on your tractor it is also a good idea to remove the loader too.

Take your oil filter wrench and work the old filter off the engine block. A filter wrench is really handy here because of the tight tolerances often mean you cannot get a proper grip otherwise.

Using the filter wrench to remove the oil filter.

Be sure to dump the 1/2 cup of oil still in the filter down into the catch basis along with the rest of the old oil.

Install the New Filter
Take a new filter out of the box and lubricate the seal at the top by running some old oil around it. This helps to prevent the new filter from burning itself onto the side of the engine block due to the heat.

Lubricate the oil filter seal to prevent it from burning itself to the engine block.

Before twisting the new filter on, give the surface where the filter mates a bit of a clean. Spin on the filter hand tight and then just a little bit extra. Remember that you will eventually be taking this filter off…

Giving the mating surface a bit of a clean.

Spinning on a new oil filter.

Replace Oil Drain Plug
By now the old oil is likely finished dripping out of the pan. Take the drain plug, clean it up a bit and inspect it for cracks and wear. You really do not want this one plug failing when you are in the middle of stressing your equipment. Thread the plug back in and then give it only a 1/4 turn with your 19mm wrench. Again, you will be undoing this plug in the future.

New Oil
Grab your measuring cup and the amount of oil you need. We use 15W-40 because it gives us the right combination for the weather and work load that we use our equipment at. If you are in a cooler climate, operating your tractor in the winter or operating your equipment as part of regular construction your oil specification needs will differ.

We use SuperTECH's 15W-40 which is available from your local Wal-Mart.

Find the oil cap on the top of the engine and drop your funnel in.

Easy does it.

After you have the new oil in, replace the oil cap and check the dip stick to see that you are at the correct level. You will likely find that the dip stick still has old oil on it – that is ok.

Dipstick looks good!

Quick Tip: Marking the Oil Filter
If you have trouble remembering exactly when you performed the last oil change, or when you need to do the next, here is a quick tip. With a felt pen, write the date and number of hours on your tractor on the side of the oil filter. That way with a quick glance you will know if you are coming up on another oil change.

Dating the oil filter so we can easily see if another change is due.

Mr. K

Related Articles
Kubota Servicing 101: Part 1 – Air Filter
Kubota Servicing 101: Part 2 – Fuel Filter
Kubota Servicing 101: Part 3 – Cooling System

Marshall Klinefelter's L5740.

Today we take a look at Kubota’s popular Grand L40 Series lineup and also share with you some snapshots sent in from OrangeTractorTalks readers. We want folks to know that we appreciate not just Kubota’s smaller compact tractors but also their larger offerings as well. In recent years Kubota has put serious effort into expanding their larger horsepower lineup by introducing models such as the MX100 or MX135. The Grand L40s contain no 100+ horsepower monsters but they certainly hold their own.

Series Overview
Introduced in early 2007, the Grand L40 Series is crowned by the L5740. Others in the family include the L3240, L3540, L3940, L4240, L4740, L5040 and L5240 ranging from 32 to 57 horsepower for the L5740.

The next size down from the Grand L40s are the standard L Series models such as the L2800, L3400, L3700 or L4400. These models tend to be simpler to operate, have no cab option, and have fewer fancy features when compared to a Grand L40 – and their pricing reflects that. They are still very capable Kubotas and represent very good tractor value.

If 57 horsepower is not enough for you the next stop is an M Series, most likely an M40 Series where power starts at 52 horsepower and stops just shy of the magic 100 at 95 horsepower for the M9540.

Two “brother” tractors to the Grand L40s are the specialty TLB models, the L39 and the larger L45 which come equipped with a loader and backhoe as standard equipment. These two TLBs share a lot of the features and technology from the Grand L40s that we will get to in a moment.

Engine
All Grand L40s use Kubota’s latest interim Tier IV compliant 4 cylinder diesel engines manufactured in their Tsukuba, Japan engine plant. The Grand L40s powerplants belong to the 03 Engine Series which uses Kubota’s own TVCS (Three Vortex Combustion System) combustion chamber design. TVCS which means lower operating noise, shorter plug preheat times and most importantly, compliance with the United State’s EPA diesel engine emission requirements.

Five engine models cover the eight model lineup with natural aspiration giving way to turbochargers for the L50/52/5740s which share the V2403. Maximum operating spec varies between 2700 and 2800RPM.

Mechanical and PTO
4WD, hydrostatic power steering, halogen lights, rear differential lock, wet disc brakes and parking brake are standard across the line except for the entry level L3240 which comes with 2WD. Mid PTOs are optional if you are interested in running a snow blower or perhaps the 72″ RC72-38 mid-mount mower. A live independent PTO clutch permits individual control over engaging the mid and rear PTOs.

The business end of a L5740.

PTO output ranges from 25 to 50 horsepower – plenty enough to drive most implements around the acreage or tree farm. Telescoping lower link arms are standard equipment and 3-point lift cylinders significantly boost lift capacity of the hitch.

Transmissions
Three transmission choices are available. The standard 8 Forward/8 Reverse FST (fully synchronized transmission), with GST or 3-speed HST transmissions optional on entry/mid level models and standard equipment on the L50/52/5740s. The entire Grand 40 lineup has access to a HST transmission if you so desire.

HST Plus
New for the Grand L40s is what Kubota calls HST Plus. The usual HST pump supplies oil to a new 2-stage (high/low) drive motor which is electronically controlled depending on the operator’s settings, the engine RPM, the HST pedal position and the load sensors. All of these features make using the HST a bit more user friendly in addition to helping overcome some of the most common problems of stalling, jerking or bogging down when an implement “digs in”.

Messick’s has an excellent overview of HST Plus along with videos which is required reading if you are considering adding a Grand L40 to your collection.

The basics features of HST Plus are summarized as:

• HST Response Control – the HST pump is modulated according to 1 of 13 fast/slow settings. The result is smoothing out starts and stops when set to slow or increased responsiveness on HST pedal directional changes when set to fast. Inexperienced or new operators have a tendency to be quick on the HST pedal so a slower setting here helps build confidence.


HST Response Control provides 13 settings of HST pedal response. Slow dampens starts/stops whereas fast increases responsiveness of pedal directional changes.



• Stall Guard – a marketing name for load sensing. Power to the wheels is constantly monitored to prevent or reduce the likelihood of engine stalling or HST bypass when moving over terrain with heavy loads or digging into a pile. These two videos below demonstrate what it looks like to dig into a pile with Stall Guard disabled versus enabled.



• Hydro Dual Speed (H-DS) – the 2 stage drive motor is switched between high/low settings either manually by the operator or automatically by the computer. In manual mode, if the operator knows the engine will become bogged down, they can use a lever on the steering column to switch the drive motor from high to low settings – effectively trading off 40% travel speed for a 60% increase in torque. Automatic mode leaves the switching between high/low (speed vs. torque) up to the electronics – automatic up/down shifts will occur depending on the situation.
• Auto Throttle Advance – links engine and travel speeds, similar to the experience of driving a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission. It does this by letting the HST pedal dictate engine speed and the electronics match up the HST pump and 2 stage drive motor.

HST Plus can also be found on Kubota’s L45 and M59 TLBs.

Grand Cab
Grand Cab is Kubota’s trademark for their very well appointed cabs that sit atop all of this heavy machinery. Some of Kubota’s literature describes these glass bubbles as “luxury” enclosures which is hard to disagree with when you hear what they can pack into it:

• wide cloth reclining seat with arm-rests, springs and seat belt
• wide rubber-cushion foot platform
• air conditioning and heater with 7 adjustable vents and 2 zone heating – one zone for the operator’s body and another for his/her feet
• front and rear work lights
• CD/cassette/radio
• cup holder
• 12V power
• various storage pouches
• interior dome light
• front wiper
• front, corner and rear window defoggers
• rear corner windows and rear window that open to allow air to circulate
• tinted glass
• side mirrors
• tilt steering wheel
• computerized information panel (IntelliPanel)

Cab shot from the left-side door.

Sitting in the cab of the L5740 you cannot help but want to touch all of the controls, knobs and begin making various adjustments and tweaks. Unless you go cab-less, the head room is unmatched, and despite the goodies crammed into the cab you never feel crowded. A person could get real comfortable in this cab whilst blading a few feet of snow out of the driveway.

IntelliPanel dashboard with HST Response controls on left.

Pricing
As of September 2010, prices range from $21,000CAD for the entry 2WD L3240 to $43,000+ for the L5740 with the Grand Cab. The cab option itself is a $10,000 touch and once you add on helpful extras like the LA854 front end loader or BH92 backhoe, a fully appointed L5740 would cost well into the $50-55,000+ mark.

One Reader’s Buying Decision
Now that we know approximately what a Grand L40 is and what you get for your money, why not find out more as to what goes into a buying decision for such a model.
OrangeTractorTalks reader Marshall Klinefelter sent us a few night shots of his L5740 at our request and also gave us some insight into his purchasing decision.

The heavy bucket with reinforced corners means Marshall can pop stumps and with a box blade on the back, he can regrade the farm lane with ease.

Marshall uses his equipment to service his 26 acre tree farm and also to clear the lane way for himself and his neighbors during the winter. In addition to the L5740 he also had his eye on the John Deere 4720, a 66 horsepower, 4 cylinder turbocharged diesel with similar hydrostatic transmission features as the Kubota (HST Plus vs. John Deere’s eThrottle and MotionMatch). Understandably he was torn and his friends were all either entirely from the orange or green camps.

Marshall upgraded his L5740 with rear wheel weights, rear lights and quick disconnect front bucket.

From my discussion with Marshall there were three things that clinched the Kubota for him:

1. A recommendation from a fellow respected contractor (who bleeds JD green) that John Deere is king of large equipment but the compact tractor experts are more of the orange variety.
2. Feeling at home with the online information, schematics, and easy parts ordering offered by the biggest Kubota dealership in the United States – Messick’s.
3. HST Plus with stall protection.

Marshall got back to me a few weeks later and added that part of his homework on the JD 4720 was running the tractor and engine serial numbers. The Deere had undergone a complete disassembly and reassembly along with a new hydro unit in only 500 hours of operation. Good call on the Kubota I would say!

Conclusion
The Grand L40 Series are Kubota’s premium L Series offering. Even entry or mid level models like the L3540 or L3940 are well appointed with standard features such as 4WD, differential lock, power steering and a wide seat and operator deck. If you want, the L5740 lets you pop stumps from the comfort of your air conditioned cab. Owners that opt for the HST transmission are receiving one of the most advanced HST solutions offered on the market today for a tractor of that size.

The entire Series is about customization. There are 5 engine choices, 3 transmission choices, 3 loader choices, 2 backhoe choices, multitudes of tire options and then after all of that you can ad a cab on top.

Kubota’s tag line for this Series? Life is Grand. What else is there to say?

Mr. K

A rebuilt steering box with new gaskets, seals, bearings, fresh oil and new paint ready to install.

Steering box failure is a common service complaint. Increased effort to turn the wheel, crunching or clicking noises, steering wheel jerking or binding or a rusty, watery steering box are all symptoms that a steering box rebuild is necessary.

We last left you with a torn down steering box, in pieces, ready for cleaning, repair and reassembly. If you have not done so already, please go back and read both diagnosing and preventing steering box failure, and part 1 of steering box repair.

Cleaning
Give the empty and now bare steering box a good wash out in the parts washer. In the absence of a proper parts washer, filling a coffee can with Varsol and dunking and scrubbing works well too to get the inside of the box.

Be sure to dry out the inside of the box and keep an eye out for stray pieces of ground up metal, chunks of metal debris or other junk that could come back to haunt you later. Now is also the time to clean up the exterior of the case and sector cover. Remove any old gasket residue and grease before getting on with the re-assembly.

A utility knife or gasket scraper work well to get the metal surface prepped for a new gasket.

Finish up by using a little piece of emery cloth to clean up the sector shaft, case cover and steering tube-mounting flanges. If you desire, apply a little RTV silicone gasket maker in conjunction with a new Kubota gasket, or in the absence of a new gasket, the silicone will work just fine.

Installation of a new steering box gasket, Kubota part #34150-16420 for this particular steering box.

Separating the Mounting Flange
The steering column tube is mated to a small cast mounting flange that is easily separated with a little gentle tapping from a brass drift hammer.

Cast mounting flange partially separated atop the steering column that you will want to fully separate - gently.

One the steering column and flange are apart, you will see the upper steering shaft support bearing race and behind it will be the lower steering column water/oil shaft seal.

Upper steering shaft support bearing race.

Lower steering column water and oil seal on the end of our screwdriver.

Tapping the Bearing Race
Now is the time to push or tap the upper bearing race out of the flange by using your bench vice and a cold chisel and brass drift. A few taps made around the race and it will drop out the bottom of the flange through the opening in your vice jaws.

Tapping the upper bearing race out of the flange.

Once the old bearing race and seal are out it is an easy job to pick or pry the old seal before returning to the parts washer and give the inside of the flange a good cleaning.

New Seal
Now we prepare for a new flange seal.

A new Kubota seal, part #09500-19328.

Lube up the seal seat, or stop, with a little white lithium grease. It will make pressing the new seal in a snap and will prevent the chance that it will go in crooked.

Apply white lithium grease into the seal seat.

Once you have wiped a little grease in and around the seal destination area, place the new seal on the flange supported over your open vice jaws. Note the orientation of the seal as shown below.

Position the flange in your vice and set the new seal on top as shown.

If you do not have a seal and a bearing race setting tool, you can still get the job done by using a socket or other similarly sized round object. With your drift gently tap the seal into place making sure to tap it down into the flange until it rests against its stop.

We are using a socket and a brass drift to seat the seal into place.

The seal will be seated to the correct depth when the top edge of it appears flush with the bearing race “stop”.

A correctly seated seal.

New Bearing Race
With the seal in place we move onto installing a new bearing race – which is very similar in procedure to seating the new seal. As before, place the new bearing race on the flange and using a slightly larger socket, tap the bearing race into place until it bottoms against the “stop”.

Tapping the bearing race using a large socket.

After installation you should have something that looks like this:

A correctly installed seal and bearing race.

Clear Weep Hole
While the flange is off and before it is pressed back onto the steering column tube you separated earlier, use a drill bit in a twisting motion to clean out the “weep hole” in the flange.

Use a small drill bit to clear out a blocked weep hole - the likely reason you are rebuilding your steering box.

This hole must be clear and open to allow moisture and condensate to escape the column tube area and not infiltrate the steering box. There is a good chance that if you are rebuilding your steering box right now you are going to find this weep hole completely plugged!

Reinstall Flange
With the weep hole cleaned out, re-install the flange onto the steering column tube in preparation for the complete assembly of the steering box. A block of wood and some tapping with a hammer will allow you to drive the tube back on flange, making them one again.

Set the steering column and reattached flange aside and turn your attention toward the steering box.

Lower Bearing Race
Looking into the steering box you should be able to see the lower steering shaft bearing race.

A view of the lower bearing race in the steering box.

Kubota has a service tool specially designed to remove this bearing race. Without a specialized tool you can get the job done by using the head of a small construction nail as a pry tool. You should have just enough clearance under the bearing race to pry it up in an action similar to removing the lid off paint can. Once out, install a new bearing race by tapping it into place with a long socket and your brass drift.

Pitman Arm Shaft Seal
Next, remove the old pitman arm shaft seal with a screwdriver or similar pry tool.

Removing the pitman arm shaft seal.

Lube up the opening in the box where the new pitman arm seal will install and tap the seal into place with your drift and seal setter (or socket if necessary). The seal will sit flush with the edge of the housing when it is properly seated.

Lube and tap the seal in until flush.

Sector Shaft
Use of a little piece of emery cloth to clean up the area on the sector shaft where it will contact the new seal. Chances are the old seal wore a small groove in the sector shaft that will be visible but should clean up with the emery.

Small groove visible from the old seal wearing on the sector shaft.

Using a new gasket, slide the sector shaft back onto the box leaving the four bolts loose for right now.

A new sector shaft gasket, part #34150-16420.

The sector shaft installed back into the steering box with 4 mounting bolts loose.

Steering Shaft into Steering Box
You are now at the point where you can install the new steering shaft into the steering box. Slide a new bearing down the shaft and let it rest just above the ball nut.

Sliding the bearing down the shaft.

In the next image note that the pitman arm has been temporarily installed, making for a convenient “handle”. This allows you to slowly rotate the sector shaft as you mate the worm drive on the ballnut with the sector shaft gearing.

Temporarily installing the pitman arm lets us use it as a handle to rotate the sector shaft when mating the steering box gearing.

It may take you a few attempts to mesh the ballnut exactly with the sector shaft gearing. You want to make sure that the ballnut and sector gearing are exactly timed. When you rotate the steering shaft, as if you were steering the tractor, it will rotate an equal amount either left or right. Write down some handy reference marks that let you know when you have the proper reference timing.

The R and L reference marks here assist when getting the steering box timing setup.

If you are satisfied that the sector shaft is correctly placed, reinstall the column tube but make sure to reinstall the same quantity of shims that may have been removed during dis-assembly and cleaning of the box.

Steering Column onto Steering Shaft
Carefully hold the steering shaft upright in an effort to maintain a positive engagement of the gearing on the sector shaft and the ballnut. Slide the column tube over the steering shaft making sure to orient the weep hole as shown in the next image. Install the four mounting flange bolts and locks finger tight for now.

Column tube mounted over the steering shaft with weep hole as shown.

Upper Column Shaft Bushing
With the column attached to the box casting it is time to install a new upper column steering shaft bushing. It is this bushing and a plugged weep hole that are responsible for a good many steering box failures and rebuilds!

The old bushing removed and the new one ready to go.

Lube up the bushing itself and slide it onto the shaft making sure it sits flush with the top of the column tube. Expect this bushing to fit snug as it is the primary water seal for the steering box.

The column bushing flush installed at the top of the steering column.

Center the Sector Shaft
Before tightening up the flange mounting bolts or the sector shaft case bolts, remove the sector shaft “free play” cover nut and loosen off the adjuster with a flat blade screwdriver. This adjuster controls the end play of the sector shaft. Loosening it off ensures the sector shaft will be freely centered in the box.

Sector Shaft Bolts
Tighten the sector shaft case bolts left loose earlier and then tighten down the flange bolts using a cross tightening pattern. When tightening the flange bolts rotate the steering shaft a little each time to make sure nothing is binding internally on the shaft, bearings or ballnut.

If you have secured the flange bolts and find the steering shaft is now impossible to turn:

1. you have either forgotten to reinstall the shims
2. the lower bearing that supports the shaft that sits in the bottom of the box case has become dislodged during assembly and is crushed, jamming up the box

Back Off Free Play
Once you are satisfied that everything is tightened up and the steering shaft rotates freely, adjust out the sector shaft free play by turning the adjuster with a slotted screwdriver just to the point that it removes any lateral movement of the sector shaft without making the box difficult to operate. Next, replace the sector shaft cover nut.

Install Pitman Arm
When installing the pitman arm look for a reference mark scored across the end of the threaded part of the sector shaft that will form a straight line when lined up with the stamped markings on the pitman arm.

Fluids and Paint
The box is now fully assembled. Fill it with new 80W/90 gear oil through the filler located on the box casting. The holding reservoir does not hold much oil – only about 1-1/2 cups.

Assembled steering box and common capacities listed.

If you are so inclined it does not hurt to go over your rebuilt assembly with a little Kubota blue #70000-00197 to freshen up the parts.

Wipe down the assembly to remove grease, debris and dirt and then dust a new coat of Kubota blue.

Installation Back into Tractor
The steering box may need a little coaxing to get it settled onto the metal doweling that help hold the box in place.

Metal dowels that help hold the steering box assembly onto the top of the transmission housing.

The dowels fit quite tight but a 2’ length of 2×4 wood and a dead blow hammer will help get the box settled in place on top of the transmission housing.

Using a length of wood to tap the base of the steering box onto the dowels.

Once seated, install the four bolts that secure the box assembly to the tractor, reattach the drag link to the pitman arm, add a dab of red paint to the filler, and your steering box overhaul is complete!

The finished product!

Service Department Vic

Related Articles
Diagnosing and Preventing Steering Box Failure
How to Repair a Steering Box – Part 1

A set of three blades taken off a 60 inch mower deck. The top two have yet to be sharpened on the bench grinder.

Summer is nearing an end. Depending on where you live, another month or two will mean you have swapped out the mower deck for a snow blade. If you are a fan of preventative maintenance like we are at OrangeTractorTalks you will check over and service anything your mower deck might need. Part of mower maintenance is either obtaining new blades or sharpening your existing ones – this article will show you how.

New Blades vs. Sharpening
Sharpening your own deck blades is easy and cost effective. A 3-pack of new blades are priced anywhere from $40-70 USD depending on the mower deck. If you have a couple of minutes per blade and a bench grinder you are all set to not only save some money, but also learn a bit more about your mower attachment.

High Lift Blades
Your mower deck may be equipped with high lift baldes. These blades are found on mower decks with mulchers or bag catchers. They have about a 1″ bend in them that causes a vacuum action under the deck. That suction pulls the cut grass into the bag and clears it out of the path of the blade creating a cleaner, finer cut.

A standards vs. a high lift mower blade. Both in need of sharpening.

Inspecting Existing Blades
We will assume that you have taken your mower blades off the underside of the deck and have them in-hand. Blades that have been in use for a season or two will have visible gouges from stone impacts, jagged edges, deformities and possibly rust if you let your mower sit outside during winter or over top of wet or mulched grass.

Focus your attention on the mounting area of the blade. Look for hairline cracks or other signs of blade instability. If you see cracks you run the risk of that blade coming apart when in use – very dangerous and likely to damage your equipment! Skip the sharpening and buy new blades.

Blade Part Numbers
New blades are sold in sets of either 2 or 3. Whenever purchasing new blades, replace them in sets. This is safer bet and makes it easier to track the age and service history of the blades later. Look at mounting area of an existing blade for the part number. Kubota part numbers are 10 digits long.

Part number location for Kubota mower blades (70722-34330 in this case).

How much to Sharpen
You will need to take the blade material down past the deepest gouge in the blade. In addition, you need to makes sure that both ends of the blade are sharpened to the same depth – that is, the blade is balanced. During sharpening, rest the blade’s midpoint on your finger to test for balance.

A stone impact! We need to sharpen this blade to the depth of this gouge.

How to Sharpen
We use a 6″ bench grinder but a hand file will also work if you have the time and patience. Hold the blade at an upward angle and work the blade from side to side. Check the depth and the balance as you go. You do not need to get the edge the blade razor-thin – in fact, it is better if you do not. A very thin cutting surface is more prone to cracking and gouging on small stones.

Long sleeves protect against debris and hot sparks but be careful around the spinning grinder!

Service Department Vic

Related Models
Kubota is correct in stating that the B7100 lineup was a popular model. Kubota manufactured several variants of the B7100, like the B7100D (4WD) but also a B7100E (2WD) and B7100HST-D and B7100HST-E (hydrostatic 4WD and 2WD models). It is commonly owned and replacement parts, Kubota or aftermarket, are easy to find.

Related Kubota models are the smallest B5100 and mid-sized B6100 which share many of the same components, general appearance and some attachments like mowers and backhoes. Horsepower ratings range from 12, 14 or 16 horsepower (13 at the PTO) for the B7100 shown.

Click for larger image.

Optional Equipment
The business-end of this B7100 is the optional B670 backhoe – a pretty rare find but they do exist. We also get a peek at the tractor equipped with the optional turf tires and finish mower. In Japan, the B7100 would more likely be found in a rice paddy than a farm, acreage or golf course. Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) B7100s instead came equipped with a rototiller and 32 ’tiller tines.

Click for larger image.

Front PTO Shaft
Notable here is the presence of both a front and rear PTO which means the B7100 can be used to power a snowblower or front-mount mower. We dug up a forum posting on TractorByNet entitled Front PTO Shaft Impossible to Find that details one owner’s trials with the 22-spline front PTO shaft stripping out. The front shaft is apparently highly susceptible to failure on the B51/61/7100 models.

Click for larger image.

Specifications and Pricing
On the specifications page we see what looks to be the original dealer quote for a B7100D: “$21,000 + tax”. At $21,000 1984 dollars, or almost $10,000 for a 3-year old B6100 with 2500 hours, Kubota was not exactly giving these away in Australia.

Click for larger image.

Where to Find Out More
We have our very own B7100 specifications page which includes detailed specifications, photos uploaded by other owners as well as related videos. Check it out!

Special thanks to gazza for posting a great vintage Kubota brochure for the rest of us to look at! If you have a brochure or vintage Kubota literature you would like to share, please email Mr. K at mrk@orangetractortalks.com. We would be most pleased to see what you have.

Mr. K

Here at OrangeTactorTalks we like to take time to raise awareness when we come across a vendor offering quality built aftermarket attachments and equipment for your Kubota.

Own a Kubota BX Series?
Our vendor in the spotlight today is Ai2 Products, a Minnesota-based fabricator of Kubota BX Series attachments. Ai2 Products offers quick-detach buckets, tie lugs, hitches, pallet forks, mount plates, receiver hitches and rock buckets for your BX, greatly expanding the capabilities of a comparatively smaller Kubota offering.

Fabricated attachments like this rock bucket, look Kubota OEM, complete with that shade of orange paint we know and love.

Trailering your Kubota BX? Consider picking up a handy set of Ai2 Products tie down lugs.

Tony Ashwill, owner and operator since 2005, comes from a family of fabricators and CAD designers. These are handy guys to know when you need something cut, bent, machined or plain old “invented”. Tony runs an existing waterjet cutting business and a created Ai2 Products when he recognized a need and demand for quality BX attachments (he also fabricates equipment for “that green tractor”).

The Design Process
Speaking with Tony on the phone and asking him to write a quick bio – a lot of the design process involves continuous feedback and input from clients who are using their equipment either casually or everyday for business. Some of Ai2 Product’s attachments are already on their 12th version so you can be assured that a lot of the finicky details are ironed out and the design and process matured.

Obligatory shop shot.

Versa-Daptor
Ai2 Product’s latest offering for the BX is their Versa-Daptor, a quick-detach hitch system that lets owners swap between the conventional bucket and pallet forks without having to play around with the usual mounting pins.

Ai2 Products' Versa-Daptor system.

The attachment works with your existing LA240 or LA243 front end loader and requires no welding or cutting to install – unlike other vendors. Swapping between a bucket and forks requires simple hand tools that you should already have in your tool box.

Pallet forks never looked so good.

Want to Know More?
If you own a Kubota BX series and are curious as to what quality built attachments will make your life easier, check out Ai2 Products. Bookmark their site and check back before winter as Tony hinted that Ai2’s next product is a loader mounted snow blade. Handy!

Mr. K