Kubota L2501 - initial review

troverman

Well-known member

Equipment
MX6000 HSTC; 2020 Kubota Z421KW-54 zero turn mower
Jun 9, 2015
1,184
263
83
NH
So I picked up my new L2501 HST with LA525 loader and R4 tires. Had the opportunity to use it a bit this afternoon. I traded my 2013 B2920 plus some cash for it, so that will be the direct comparison...although I also own a 2018 MX4800. Hopefully my observations will be useful to potential buyers down the road.

For starters, I'm 6'5" tall. Without a doubt, there is less leg room on the L2501 than the B2920...however, I can live with it. I would suggest it might be difficult to live with if you are my height and bought the gear drive version where using the clutch is necessary. The steering wheel does not tilt. I knew these things going in.

The transmission hump is very pronounced on this model; if you have big feet you will be kicking it probably quite a bit.

One gripe is the instrument cluster. It *appears* to be the same one as on my MX4800, although the hour meter is analog instead of digital. It has a modern and fresh look to it. However, the backlighting is terrible. Plain yellow-ish white backlighting, and the needle pointers are not illuminating, making the backlighting basically useless. The MX panel is backlit with sharp white and blue LEDs and the orange needles are backlit. Since I operate at night quite a bit, this is a disappointment.

A big time annoyance is the need to push the clutch pedal to start the engine. Why? It is an HST machine.

There are definitely pros, however. Even though the engine is all mechanical, it is direct-injected and starts extremely well. The seat, though basic, is comfortable. The loader works smoothly. It isn't super fast but seems to lift a pretty substantial amount. The lift height is pretty good. The tractor has low and high beam headlights, which is nice. They aren't great, but are vastly better than the B-series. The transmission range change is extremely smooth. I like the T-handle 4x4 engage / disengage control.

The hood is very nice, all metal, and lifts on a gas strut just like the bigger Kubotas. The radiator screen is easy to remove and clean.

The 2501 is definitely the *most* economy of the economy series Kubotas. Whereas the L3301, 3901, and 4701 (and other Kubotas) use "raised" silver painted letters on the hood sides for the model number, the L2501 badge is simply a sticker. I'm pretty certain the L3301 and 3901 use the nicer MX cluster, in part because the digital hour meter can also display error message codes about the regeneration process, and in part because the cluster needs to have more warning lights. The 2501 only has a glow plug indicator, low oil pressure warning, and battery not charging warning. That said, it still works hard and gets the job done just as well.

All in all, I'm pretty pleased with this machine, but there are a few caveats. For light loader / rake work it's fine. We'll see how it does on hilly terrain with a small flail mower behind it. I'll report back then, but it will be a month or so.
 

Oliver

Active member

Equipment
L2501, JD 3520
Feb 2, 2011
526
120
43
Preston County, WV
Thanks for posting your initial impression because I'm considering this model. Do you need to push the clutch to change gear ranges as well as starting the tractor? If so does that disengage power to the pto?
 

troverman

Well-known member

Equipment
MX6000 HSTC; 2020 Kubota Z421KW-54 zero turn mower
Jun 9, 2015
1,184
263
83
NH
Thanks for posting your initial impression because I'm considering this model. Do you need to push the clutch to change gear ranges as well as starting the tractor? If so does that disengage power to the pto?
You do not need to use the clutch to change which range you are in, although you need to be stopped or just barely moving...no different than any other HST tractor.

You do need to push the clutch to start the tractor, much like you would need to in a car with a manual transmission. You could probably defeat this "safety" feature if desired; my 2013 B-series did not require clutching to start.

You also use the clutch to engage and disengage the PTO. Whenever the clutch is engaged, the PTO stops. However, since you don't need the clutch to range-change, the PTO will stay running.
 

troverman

Well-known member

Equipment
MX6000 HSTC; 2020 Kubota Z421KW-54 zero turn mower
Jun 9, 2015
1,184
263
83
NH
Here's another update - I commented on the instrument cluster back-lighting. Once it was fully dark out, I tested it again and took photos. It is not as bad as I originally reported. Here is an image of my MX4800 dash on top with the L2501 dash on the bottom. They are very similar, but the L2501 is backlit with incandescent lights while the MX4800 seems to be a sharper LED lighting. The needles are NOT lit on the L2501, although they are more or less visible due to reflective light coming through. On the MX, the needles are fully lit. I think I can live with this arrangement.
 

Pote

New member
Apr 3, 2019
23
0
0
'Murica
I'm 6' and I find the seating position tight. When I turn around to back up, mow in reverse, blade, etc., my left knee often times hits the light switch and I've had 3 occasions where I have brushed the ignition key and cut the engine. I look like I should have fitovers on mowing with the blinker on like a Florida driver - no offense to present company! I need to come up with a guard for the ignition. Having the engine cut off unexpectedly is not cool at all.
 

troverman

Well-known member

Equipment
MX6000 HSTC; 2020 Kubota Z421KW-54 zero turn mower
Jun 9, 2015
1,184
263
83
NH
^^It would be nice to find a way to make the seat go back another couple of inches.

When the engine cuts off, are you sure you are hitting the key and turning the engine off, or is it the operator presence cutoff switch under the seat? On my MX, if I lean forward or backward, it can be enough to trip the engine to shut off.
 

Pote

New member
Apr 3, 2019
23
0
0
'Murica
Naw, I was hitting the key with my knee. I was turned looking over my left shoulder, holding the rops with my left hand. I had to keep my right foot in place for reverse and just swung my knee into it. First time I didnt know what the hell happened :confused: but it started right up. Second time I was like 'doh'. Third time I found a way to adjust my foot position and hoped no one saw/heard me. Cutter wasnt happy with me
 

Fido Farms

Member

Equipment
L3901, 35 Massey, Summit X 146, Polaris 700 RMK, Yamaha Viking
May 27, 2018
111
5
18
Canada
Just for reference my l3901 does not need the clutch pushed in to start the tractor. ...
 

Fordtech86

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L3200
Aug 7, 2018
4,708
5,478
113
Pineville,LA
Naw, I was hitting the key with my knee. I was turned looking over my left shoulder, holding the rops with my left hand. I had to keep my right foot in place for reverse and just swung my knee into it. First time I didnt know what the hell happened :confused: but it started right up. Second time I was like 'doh'. Third time I found a way to adjust my foot position and hoped no one saw/heard me. Cutter wasnt happy with me
Do you have the seat adjusted back enough?(assuming the 01 series is like mine) I’m 6’ and have no issues at all being that close to the dash to hit the key or light switch.
 

mdhughes

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L3901DT
Dec 10, 2014
1,207
622
113
Ste Geneveive county, MO
I have a L3901DT and am a little over 6' tall. I have also turned the tractor off with my right knee. I have done this twice that I can remember in the four years I have had it. Would be nice if the seat went back just a little bit more, but I don't find it to be cramped.
 

troverman

Well-known member

Equipment
MX6000 HSTC; 2020 Kubota Z421KW-54 zero turn mower
Jun 9, 2015
1,184
263
83
NH
So I used it a few more hours this past weekend. I'm very impressed with how easily this thing starts up. It seems to idle kind of high, and won't rev above 2500RPM, which is fine. I have not had a PTO implement on the back yet, so I don't really know how that will be.

The loader seems to be pretty smooth despite a fairly low pump output. Steering is quite heavy. HST speeds are maybe a tad lower than the B-series range for range?

I like it.
 

ItBmine

Well-known member

Equipment
B2620, RTV-X1100C
Jan 21, 2014
1,328
335
83
Canada
Looking forward to a report with your flail mower hooked up troverman.
 

nuctrooper

New member
Jan 29, 2019
7
1
3
Greater Seattle Area
As another data point, my 3301 also does not require the clutch to be in the start UNLESS the PTO is engaged. You might double check the PTO switch all the way to the rear (off). Could be a limit switch misaligned too. I’d dig into that, as it sure sounds like a safety interlock is accidentally causing this.
 

troverman

Well-known member

Equipment
MX6000 HSTC; 2020 Kubota Z421KW-54 zero turn mower
Jun 9, 2015
1,184
263
83
NH
As another data point, my 3301 also does not require the clutch to be in the start UNLESS the PTO is engaged. You might double check the PTO switch all the way to the rear (off). Could be a limit switch misaligned too. I’d dig into that, as it sure sounds like a safety interlock is accidentally causing this.
No, it's just the way it is supposed to be. When I "test drove" the L2501 HST at the dealer, with the sales rep standing right next to me, I attempted to start it without the clutch and nothing happened. He advised me these all have to be started with the clutch down. You can see the safety switch underneath and it is actually a very high quality switch, but would be easy to bypass. I'm just getting used to it.

Yesterday I swapped bucket and forks; the quick attach system works great and has a very good feel to it. Some are sloppy and some feel kind of flimsy.

Lighting is inadequate as I think I mentioned before. Better than the B series, but not remotely enough to operate at night. I know these are 'economy' tractors but work lights and better headlights should be *standard* by now. Oh well, I'll add a set of Rigid Industries pod lights.

I will report on the flail mower in the next few weeks. The tractor seems to be very fuel efficient.
 

ItBmine

Well-known member

Equipment
B2620, RTV-X1100C
Jan 21, 2014
1,328
335
83
Canada
Troverman, you have seen my pics and know what I do with my B. But now I can't help thinking about the L2501. Do you think it would be any advantage over my B for all the box blading and loader work?

And would it still be light enough with a flail for the 2 acres of finish mowing I do. Or is getting on the heavy side for lawns?

Other thought that keeps crossing my mind is putting the 3 point conversion on my Allis Chalmers to do my box blading with. I don't have any AC snap coupler implements. I just bought it for a play/show toy.
 

troverman

Well-known member

Equipment
MX6000 HSTC; 2020 Kubota Z421KW-54 zero turn mower
Jun 9, 2015
1,184
263
83
NH
Troverman, you have seen my pics and know what I do with my B. But now I can't help thinking about the L2501. Do you think it would be any advantage over my B for all the box blading and loader work?

And would it still be light enough with a flail for the 2 acres of finish mowing I do. Or is getting on the heavy side for lawns?

Other thought that keeps crossing my mind is putting the 3 point conversion on my Allis Chalmers to do my box blading with. I don't have any AC snap coupler implements. I just bought it for a play/show toy.
I have seen your work and am impressed. It also helps that I had a B2920 and can compare directly.

Regarding loader work - the L2501 doesn't have vastly more lift capacity than the B-series...maybe 100lbs. But that is the rating at the pins. The "at the midpoint of the bucket" rating is oddly several hundred pounds more on the L2501. Two major advantages of the L2501 are the larger bucket (my B2920 was a 50" bucket, pin-on only) while the L2501 has a 66" bucket and mine does have the optional quick attach feature which you may or may not use. The other big advantage, in my opinion, is lift height. The 2501 can raise it's bucket significantly higher (15 inches higher). The loader is very responsive.

Regarding box blading - I think the L2501 has an advantage here as well - it weighs more. The base machine weighs about 1100lbs more than the B-series, and when you add the loader and loaded tires, even compared to the B2920 with a loader and loaded tires, the difference becomes a total of 1829lbs, bringing the total weight of the L2501 with loaded R4 tires and the loader with QA to 4313lbs.

Regarding lawns - well, 4k lbs is a lot of weight. You can easily remove the loaded though and lose 1000lbs. If your lawns are on the wetter or softer side, you will leave tracks. If they are dry and firm, you won't leave a mark so long as you get the R4 tires.

I won't say the B-series doesn't have advantages, because it does. It has a roomier, nicer platform. It is a little smaller and therefore more nimble. The lighter weight makes it easier to move on a smaller trailer. It offers the mid-PTO, which is not offered on any L series. I will miss my 60" finish belly mower on my B series for sure. The B2920 did have a significant power advantage, at least in HP and rated PTO horsepower, over the L2501. It is very close with your B2620. And the B-series has less weight to move with it's horsepower. But the L2501 has considerably more torque, so I'm hoping that makes the difference. Hydraulic flow is very, very similar.

Otherwise, the L2501 seems to be a more substantial machine with a beefier loader and larger tires. It has more ground clearance and more weight. It has the larger fuel tank.

Perhaps I'll install my flail mower early and make a few passes in the next week or two and report back sooner. Seems like all it does around here is rain, though.

I have made a comprehensive spreadsheet comparing all specs of the L2501 against my B2920. If you want, send me a PM with your email and I'd be happy to forward that sheet to you. I love looking at specs.
 

ItBmine

Well-known member

Equipment
B2620, RTV-X1100C
Jan 21, 2014
1,328
335
83
Canada
Thanks for the info. The weight you listed is pretty close to the level on my Allis Chalmers CA.

I'd have to try one. I still like all the features of the B. The L2501 might make a good "third tractor though." LOL.
 

troverman

Well-known member

Equipment
MX6000 HSTC; 2020 Kubota Z421KW-54 zero turn mower
Jun 9, 2015
1,184
263
83
NH
Just did a few hours of flail mowing with a 4 foot mower. The tractor did better than I expected. I would say about the same performance as my B2920. I was running at wide open throttle. As a side note, even with no wheel spacers installed, the machine seemed a lot more stable on side hills than I expected.