Kubota M9540 front hub

SidecarFlip

Banned

Equipment
M9000HDCC3, M9000HD, Kubota GS850 Sidekick
Oct 28, 2018
7,197
546
83
USA
Not trying tp be insulting but I refer to your currency as 'funny money'. I used to go snowmachining in Northern Ontario ever winter for 3 weeks and always had to exchange USD for CDN and it took me about that long to get used to your money and then I came back and had to exchange what I had left. I actually have a large glass jar full of 'looney's and tooneys' and all that stuff because the banks here won't exchange anything but paper money.... I only live 60 miles from the Ontario border too.

The preferred shop rate at my local Kubota dealer is 80 bucks an hour but that is only for good, reliable customers and I'm one plus I know the owner and his lead technician personally. I shoot with them both at the local gun club.
Everyone else gets the 100 buck rate and there aren't any 'teenagers' working there. All middle age guys who know their beans.

I tend to do all my own stuff but adjusting the overhead on my M's is an involved job and I wanted it put on the dyno too. It's making 89 PTO horses. Not bad for a 2002 M9000 with 4000 hours on the meter. Factory rate is 82 pto. Figured while it was there I'd get everything done. New bushings and whatever else it needed in the left front planetary, new fan belt, replace the front timing case crank seal, new multifunction switch, mine was getting funky, bench test the injectors and repair the dent in the hood (previous owner rolled something out of the bucket, on the hood and dented it and broke the grill too so I had all of that addressed with new decals.

Parts total was $964.00 and labor was $1200.00 $2164.00 total. People would say why I would invest that in a 2004 tractor. Simple answer. One it's a large frame front wheel assist, two I only paid 18 for it and 3, it's a pre tier 4 100% mechanical engine and 5, I have another one just like it I bought new in 2004 with a cab, 12 x12 transmission and 2 speed PTO that has been stone reliable since I bought it, It has 2500 hours on it and other than routine care, nothing has failed.

Besides, I really like my dealer. Brought the tractor back to the farm (never charge me transportation), never even called, just dropped it off and I caught Bob as he was leaving and asked for the bill. he told me that had not done one yet, don't worry about it. How I like doing business. Do everything on a handshake. Wife bought a new Kubota side by side this summer. Bought it on a handshake. I know this is a little long but I'd never deal with anyone else on tractors. Now hay tools, not so much. I run NH hay tools so that is another dealer and they aren't anywhere as accomodating as my Kubota dealers is.

Problem with Kubota hay tools is, they don't make them and I've always run NH so I stick with what works.

Believe me, my Kubota dealer would like nothing better than to have me run Kubota hay tools, Not gonna happen with me.

Cab tractor needs to go in this upcoming fall for a tune up too. Always something when you farm
 

lugbolt

Well-known member

Equipment
ZG127S-54
Oct 15, 2015
4,807
1,575
113
Mid, South, USA
yeah they're gonna have to step up their game on their hay tools (kubota). They're mostly made by Kverneland out of I think Denmark. Kubota bought them out, and cheaply. Biggest problem I see is literature; specifically manuals. Ain't none. At least nothing service manual related that I have seen. I asked about one for a DM2032 and got a setup book which was a joke (being nice about it).


I came from Deere; quit deere in 2003/4 winter. Deere's program is all together. You need a book for a disc mower, you ask for it and you get the right book. Got a tech question? DTAC, answer quickly. Kubota's tech support has changed recently too; which means consumers could stand to see more downtime if Kubota's tech support doesn't fix their issues. I don't like it. I'm about done with Kubota; to be honest I've applied at the Deere dealer (who was bought out recently by a chain of dealers). As I'm typing this, I've got to go talk to some folks in the kubota "higher up" center--and mark my word, there will be some talking done in the morning.
 

SidecarFlip

Banned

Equipment
M9000HDCC3, M9000HD, Kubota GS850 Sidekick
Oct 28, 2018
7,197
546
83
USA
My dealer wanted me to demo one of the round balers. I took one look at the control unit and said no. The 'neverland' control unit is very crude. My NH control unit (remember it's all computer driven) makes the 'neverland' unit look like a rock. Running my roll belt 450 utility round baler is like playing a video game, not that I'm into video games at my age...lol

CNH, like JD has their ducks in a row. CNH has had decades to perfect their supply lines and products. I don't care much for CNH motive power however, only the hay tools.

Kubota has a long way to go with hay tools in my view. I have to buy a new rotary rake this year at some point before I run first cut as I sold my old one last fall, was getting to the point where it was about wore out.

Again, my dealer has a Kubota single rotor trailer on the lot (neverland again). He's asking Kuhn price and it's not a Kuhn nor a Krone so that's kind of out the window too.

If I'm going to spend 14+ for a rake, it will be a Kuhn or a Krone Swadro, not a 'neverland' with no track record.

I like my Kubota tractors and I have an excellent dealer but far as hay tool pricing, they aren't competitive.

I own a JD haybine (use it for a backup unit) and parts are never an issue as well as documentation. Go to the dealer (which is a multi store dealer, Baders, Inc.,) and 9 times out of 10 the part is on the shelf. My issue with JD is their prices so if I can (and applies to NH as well), I get my parts from Shoup.

Double edged sword. I 'm very happy with my Kubota dealer he treats me right but his hay tools, I won't touch. My CNH dealer is ok as well but I won't touch a CNH tractor or a JD for that matter. I find JD to be high priced and I've had excellent service from my M9's. As an aside, when I bought my first M9 in 2004, I did a ton of research on them and their track record was excellent and I wanted a trouble free unit and it has been and why I grabbed the OS M9 last year as well besides the fact that it was a pre 4 tractor. Interestingly, I bought it from the JD dealer I deal with on my JD haybine. He took it in on a trade and gave me an excellent price on it. I had no issue with 18 in as much as the pre 4 M9's are selling for substantially more than 18.

Kind of Kubota tractor prejudiced anyway in as much as I've owned at least 10 of them over the years. First one was a B7100 HST. Way back when.....lol

I understand your frustration however. Kubota needs to concentrate on what they know best and not diversify into equipment they have little experience with.

I go by the old adage, make hay while the sun shines. having said that, I cannot afford down time as my hay windows are narrow so I have to run equipment that I don't have to worry about failing. A rained on hayfield is about as worthless as nothing. I sure don't like raking off wet forage into the ditch so it don't kill the underlying plants.

Sorry about the long post. Just wanted to share my views.
 
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Bulldog

Well-known member

Equipment
M 9000 DTC, L 3000 DT
Mar 30, 2010
5,440
73
48
Rocky Face, Georgia
I'm kind of up in the air about Kubota hay tools myself. The balers have some interesting features but being the new kids on the block it's hard to trust them. It's difficult to break into a established market when the other guys are and have been doing it right for years. My closest dealer is not interested in the hay market anyway. Spent 5 million on a new facility and their grand opening only had 1 small disc mower an 1 baler on the lot. Next closest dealer with a good reputation is almost 100 miles from me so I'll stick with what I have. Surprised me but prices on balers was right in line with CNH and Vermeer.
 

D2Cat

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L305DT, B7100HST, TG1860, TG1860D, L4240
Mar 27, 2014
12,895
4,263
113
40 miles south of Kansas City
If the Kubota disc mower is a Vicon I can't see any problems with that. Vicon is an excellent disc mower, and in my opinion cuts better and the blades last longer between sharpening. Probably because there are 3 blades on each hub, instead of two.
 

Ancientiron

New member
Dec 21, 2019
16
0
1
Saskatchewan, canada
Our money, much like the elected leader of Canada is a joke.

The closest dealer here doesn't have very knowledgeable staff in the back. Overpriced on most parts and could really learn a lesson in customer relations.
I'm getting whatever I need for parts wise from Napa then doing the work myself. Quicker, cheaper and easier.
 
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SidecarFlip

Banned

Equipment
M9000HDCC3, M9000HD, Kubota GS850 Sidekick
Oct 28, 2018
7,197
546
83
USA
If the Kubota disc mower is a Vicon I can't see any problems with that. Vicon is an excellent disc mower, and in my opinion cuts better and the blades last longer between sharpening. Probably because there are 3 blades on each hub, instead of two.
You 'sharpen' blades on a disc mower? I never sharpen them, I toss them. At less than 3 bucks a blade (From Shoup), sharpening is false economy. Every 3 sets, I change out the pivot bolts, inserts and lock nuts too (Shoup again). I usually keep at least 3 complete sets in the shop.

I looked at a Kubota discbine with chevron crimp rolls. The machine is much more complex than my New Holland is. Complexity and downtime from component failure go hand in hand. Additionally, Vicon implements are very rare in these parts whereas NH and JD are much more common.
 

SidecarFlip

Banned

Equipment
M9000HDCC3, M9000HD, Kubota GS850 Sidekick
Oct 28, 2018
7,197
546
83
USA
I'm kind of up in the air about Kubota hay tools myself. The balers have some interesting features but being the new kids on the block it's hard to trust them. It's difficult to break into a established market when the other guys are and have been doing it right for years. My closest dealer is not interested in the hay market anyway. Spent 5 million on a new facility and their grand opening only had 1 small disc mower an 1 baler on the lot. Next closest dealer with a good reputation is almost 100 miles from me so I'll stick with what I have. Surprised me but prices on balers was right in line with CNH and Vermeer.
My dealer has 2 and has had 2 since last spring. He wanted me to 'demo' one but when I looked at the (what I consider) crude electronics and display, I passed. My NH is 100% plug and play and very user friendly plus the in cab touch screen controls are light years better than the Kubota edition.

I'll stick with what works for me.