2021 MX5400 DT Initial Impressions

[100AkerWood]

Here are my initial thoughts after two weeks of use on my new MX5400 after years of tractor therapy with a MF 245. I am primarily using the MX as a woods tractor and bush hogging clover food plots and between rows of planted longleaf pine and hardwoods on 115 acres in the Alabama blackbelt.

1) Tractor seat ride is pretty smooth once you find your sweet spot. It took me a few hours of operation - bush hogging clover plots with hidden feral hog pot holes -to get the suspension seat adjusted so I wasn't bouncing out of the tractor or too tight that I was sitting on a rock. Loosening the adjustment most the way seemed to work better for my as I am @ 260#s on a good day.

2) I had a week's wait time (down time) after using the tractor for about 2 initial hours. The third function valve hose leaked like a sieve. so I called the dealer and parked the tractor until they came out to fix the problem.

The dealer sent a service tech out (@ 25 miles away) about 4 days later. The service tech said it was loose hose and it was a common problem to new L1065 loaders. He said the problem doesn't appear until the loader has been used with a load. They don't put a load on the loader when assembling the tractors at the dealership. I think they would do so if it is a common service problem for them. I bought the tractor locally, so I was up front about wanting good service and establishing a relationship. So far, it has been good.

3) After lugging with a MF 245 at @ 1500 rpm (@ 540 at pto), running a tractor at @ 2600 rpms is a change. I was running it at lower rpms to break it in for the first 10 hrs.

I was using the grapple to level a bulldozed pile of trees and stumps that had been burned. Running it @ 1900-2000 prm in 2nd low 4WD I started to get a smell that I thought was the clutch. It bogged down once and stalled. I got the engine warning light. So I stopped for 20 minutes and headed to the barn. It popped up a PO336 code. I found out that the smell was new paint curing on a hot engine. It took about 15 hrs of operation before I didn't notice the smell.

Man I thought I was screwed. New tractor and I am throwing codes....Did some reading that night and found that the code will happen if the tractor stalls? I was running lower rpms and lifting a dirt-filled grapple full of stumps. There is a reset code sequence using the regen buttons....Tried it and it cleared the code on the dash. It will probably remain on the ECM.

After reading that the tractor needs to be run at higher rpms. I ran the tractor for 3 more hours grappling 1 low high speed and 4wd. I found the tractor performed better in the higher speed and rpms. I guess I was a little too aggressive. I did install SJs grille guard, but I took a branch thru the plastic side of the hood and am blind in one headlight. Murphy's Law prevails. I was able to tape the light housing together and also fix the one panel with Gorilla duct tape. Luckly it was Kubota gray in color

4) The tractor is a lot heavier with the filled tires than the MF, so I have learned to be careful in wet areas that the MF seemed to float over. The MX does create more tire ruts, so I now know to stay out of areas that hold moisture.

5). The MX is a strong machine. I am running it a higher rpms now and it is using about 1 gallon diesel/hr.

Initial Impressions:
The tractor is a lot more machine than I was used to. The cockpit is roomy. The ability to go from F to R is convenient as the shift gear lever is not between my legs.

I am really impressed with the maneuverability of the tractor especially with the FEL grapple and LP rotary cutter as a counter weight (for now).

I have had my FEL skid steer levers unlatch twice. I need to tighten something so the levers and not so easily knocked into the unlatch position.

Using the tractor for bush hogging, I found running the rpms at 2400-2600 made no difference in the cut. But I am cutting clover, not 3' saplings. So, I will probably be able to run the tractor at lower than the 540 rpms.

Putting the tractor in 4WD was hard initially, it has become easier to move the shift lever to 4WD.

I have yet to pull my disc harrow but have no doubt it will handle the harrow with no problem.

Now that I have time in the seat and know the tractor, I am over the new tractor jitters I am looking forward to tractor therapy at a slightly faster pace and higher rpms....

 

[NCL4701]

I was used to gas tractors from the 50’s so the higher RPM felt like some kind of abuse when I first got my L4701. Knew it liked the RPM more in the 1800 minimum to WOT range but just felt wrong.

4WD / 2WD shift is easier if you use the loader to jack the front wheels off the ground. If it still doesn’t want to shift, wiggle the steering wheel a bit.

The SSQA levers are spring tensioned. Tightening the springs a bit may help if you keep having problems with them.

Definitely a learning curve coming from an older machine but also definitely worth the effort to learn what makes it happy.

 

[mcmxi]

@100AkerWood, that's a good initial report. I bought an MX6000 a couple of months ago and have just about 30 hours on it. It had 1 hour on it when I bought it. Probably the only complaint I have is that it's very hard to depress the brake pedals enough to engage the parking brake. Other than that it's an awesome tractor that has surpassed my expectations.

I've been running an RCR1884 rotary cutter and in an effort to follow the user's manual I've been varying RPM from 2,000 to the 540 PTO indicator on the tachometer. We're supposed to vary RPM for the first 50 hours so I'm trying to do my best to remember to do that. The RC seems to run just fine at 2,000 RPM though. The MX has yet to go into a regen cycle so would be curious to know how many hours most are seeing between cycles .... assuming typical use.

I decided to keep my BX25DLB but it feels weird to run that little guy now. It feels considerably less stable than the MX and obviously has way less power. That said, it gets in spots where the MX would be way too awkward. It's great to have both!

 

[PaulL]

Diesel tractors are basically running on a governor (I guess a gasser does too). In a sense your throttle position is setting your target revs, not setting the throttle at all. "idling" at high revs isn't using much fuel nor putting much load on the machine, and in the scheme of motors 2,200-ish RPM is nothing (my boat is happy running all day 4,000-5,000 RPM). Tractors are made to run at constant load - it should run all day at full RPM and not even blink - in fact, it should be happier than it is at lower RPM.

On my machines, I try to fix whatever I break, specially when relatively new. Rather than having a broken headlight for the next 10 years, you can just get a new one, cry once over whatever that costs you, and not have to look at it every day. Over time you work out what to be careful of and stop breaking things, but you don't have a beaten up machine that way. I mowed with mine in the dark last week, and was very grateful that my new B has headlights, where my old BX had both of them broken (came that way).

 

[swpflipper]

I have gotten used to the sound of the higher RPM's. To the point that its just hop on and run them up. anything less now sounds wrong.
Low RPM will cause regen sooner. Getting use to the higher speed, when it goes in regen just keep working.
I constantly swap from loader bucket to fork lift.
I really like this machine.

 

[WIMuzz]

My first regen was at 26.3 hours. Followed left rear fender instructions per the lights. Lasted about 12 minutes. I was laying new gravel and leveling...so I kept working. Painless and fast. I like everything about my 2020 mx5400 so far. I lube every 10 hours and also use about 1gal per hour of fuel. I installed Dawson's grill guard right away...saved my grill a couple times during grapple work. Now I'm waiting for some custom aftermarket filter guards to be produced for the MX. So far, I can only find them for the L series.