Considering a L5030 HSTC

[Shawn T. W]

Of the $900 I "saved" off the "asking price" I spent $650 on "parts" ... Stocked up on filters, new belts, new hoses, plus the Owners Manual and WorkShop Manual ...

I asked the dealer I stopped at about Hydraulic fluid, I couldn't remember what "the good stuff" was called, I asked about something with a "2" and that it was "synthetic" hydraulic fluid ... They said they didn't have any synthetic, so I skipped it, but got the filters they had in stock ... I figured I pick up some while traveling around the country ...

It does have a "suspension seat" but twisting the knob doesn't seem to have any effect ... I'm not sure what the lower "open/closed knob is for ...

 

[PoTreeBoy]

Good thing you got the manual to read . . .
That lower knob adjusts the 3PH lowering speed; closed, it won't go down. It doesn't affect the raising speed.
Your manual calls for UDT or SUDT, but SUDT2, the newest synthetic, is compatible with either. You can use it in the front axle but I prefer ~80w gear oil.

 

[Shawn T. W]

Getting the manual ... Local dealer didn't stock it, ordered it from Coleman's 3-5 days, plus shipping, one of the coolant hoses wasn't in stock either ... I like to read, and also learn about my equipment. I could have ordered the hydraulic fluid from them, but the shipping is more, I travel all over the country, will pickup three 5 gal buckets, as I understand this takes 12 gallons ... And has 2 filters ...

I'm headed to Indiana in the morning, home at the latest the end of the month for the real crown, dentist set me up with a temporary yesterday ...

 

[Russell King]

Getting the manual ... Local dealer didn't stock it, ordered it from Coleman's 3-5 days, plus shipping, one of the coolant hoses wasn't in stock either ... I like to read, and also learn about my equipment. I could have ordered the hydraulic fluid from them, but the shipping is more, I travel all over the country, will pickup three 5 gal buckets, as I understand this takes 12 gallons ... And has 2 filters ...

I'm headed to Indiana in the morning, home at the latest the end of the month for the real crown, dentist set me up with a temporary yesterday ...

They sell it in two gallon bottles also.

You might want to pick up a pump that attaches to the five gallon pail since it is usually difficult to get the five gallon pail into the area of the fill port. Your tractor may be easy, mine is not.

 

[Shawn T. W]

Hadn't thought of a pump, just that a 5 gallon bucket is cheaper per gallon, according to what I've read online ... This larger version of the L series takes 12 gallons, whereas my neighbors smaller L4400 only takes 8 gallons ... Compared to my little SCUT takes just under 3 gallons!

Is the pump a Kubota item, or just a oil transfer pump? Manual crank or electric?

My concern is more of how fast can the fill port take the fluid, as my SCUT needs it kinda drizzled in, can't just tip the 2.5 gallons jug that I buy into it all at once ...

I sprayed the lower arms ends with PB Blaster last night, they are "stuck" or I don't know how to use them ...

 

[PaulL]

Great looking machine, and a lot of fun to be had. I'm not sure I'd have patience to buff my machine, but it sure looks a lot better on the bit you did. I limit myself to a quick spray with a rattle can I got when I bought it - covering the various scratches I put on it so it still looks mostly orange (or grey - the ROPS takes quite a few bangs).

On the UDT/SUDT2, most Kubotas (and particularly at that age) will list both as being acceptable. My view is SUDT2 is for cold climates. If you don't get all that cold, UDT is just fine, and quite a bit cheaper.

Remember that whatever you put in the hydraulics will get mixed in with whatever fluid is in any implements you hook up. So you're mixing your neighbour's fluid with yours. I'm really not convinced that SUDT2 is a great investment unless you're prepared to manage every implement you connect up as well.

Horses for courses, but that is not a brand new machine that's built to super fine tolerances. Kubota must know that you're going to connect your neighbour's log splitter to it, and mix in their fluid. It clearly won't explode if it accidentally gets some John Deere fluid in it.

 

[BAP]

Hadn't thought of a pump, just that a 5 gallon bucket is cheaper per gallon, according to what I've read online ... This larger version of the L series takes 12 gallons, whereas my neighbors smaller L4400 only takes 8 gallons ... Compared to my little SCUT takes just under 3 gallons!

View attachment 158263

Is the pump a Kubota item, or just a oil transfer pump? Manual crank or electric?

My concern is more of how fast can the fill port take the fluid, as my SCUT needs it kinda drizzled in, can't just tip the 2.5 gallons jug that I buy into it all at once ...

I sprayed the lower arms ends with PB Blaster last night, they are "stuck" or I don't know how to use them ...

Congratulations on your tractor purchase!! You will really enjoy it. As far as handling the oil, if you don’t get a pump, get a metal oil can with a flexible spout and pour the oil into it, then into the tractor. That’s what I use. Tires, we always ran 18-20 pounds on all the tires on our farm tractors. 35 pounds is way too much pressure to get good flexing of the tire for traction and ride.

 

[Shawn T. W]

Don't share!

I don't plan to run it cutting grass in the winter ... But read on here somewhere that the newer version that is synthetic makes even the old tractors happier ...

I have both JD and MF specific fluid for them, figure I'll get the Kubota brand for this one ... Gonna need to build my own parts room in the garage for the three different colors!

 

[chim]

So far I've been using one of those long plastic transmission funnels. It is a little unhandy and am going to try a little pump. Haven't tried the little pump I bought. It arrived after the most recent fluid change. It's supposed to be good for diesel and oils.

 

[D2Cat]

I bought a pump for 5 gal pails at Harbor Freight. Not expensive and works fine. I last used it for adding engine oil to the Deutz. Just left the bucket setting on the ground.

 

[Russell King]

Is the pump a Kubota item, or just a oil transfer pump? Manual crank or electric?

This is one version I was thinking about. It goes into the spout.

They come in lid replacement versions, crank versions, lever handle and electric versions.

Just depends on how much you want to spend and how often you need to use it.

Mine has evaporated wherever I stored it a few years ago, or I am just blind! Been looking for it a while now!

 

[Shawn T. W]

Well I must say I happy with my tractor, I know that it's not perfect, but it's hard to find the older pre-emission tractors in relative good running condition ...

So a hearty Thank You to all who came along, and helped me make the decision!

Now I gotta save some more pennies for a mower to follow it around!

 

[PaulL]

Awesome. Mowers are often available at farm auctions in reasonable condition.

 

[Shawn T. W]

My local Massey Ferguson dealer sells Bush Hog Brand ... Said new 8' 5 spindle rear discharge, with optional front center anti-scalp roller (13" wide) is just over $7200 ...

If I could find a local used in good shape mower, I'd consider it, but unfortunately most people just leave there attachments outside ... Which is hard on the longevity of them, especially a belt driven attachment ...

 

[chim]

When this deck gets to the point of being more work than it's worth it would be nice to get a new one. It is partway through its 6th season after the refurb. I don't remember what I paid for it - maybe $500 or $600. I enjoy tinkering. The baffles were easy. The most difficult part was bending the solid round stock "bumper edge" to fit the front of the deck that was originally a piece of pipe from the factory. Here's a brief writeup:

Rebuilt RFM

Got a "new" lawn mower. Last year there was a 91" Caroni we picked up as a fixer-upper. Finally got it completed. Replaced all the baffles on the underside, blades and a few bearings. Paint is XO-Rust with hardener. Orange is Allis Chalmers Orange. Gray is 50/50 Ford gray and black. Both...

www.orangetractortalks.com

 

[D2Cat]

You wanting a finish mower or a brush mower? What width?

 

[Shawn T. W]

Finish, about 8' ...

It may choke a bit in the spring while I'm still on the road for the next 31 months, and like this spring it was WET, and RAINY ... PLUS I was gone for 4 weeks ... Last year I had fertilized the hayfield after the first cutting with a good dose of P&K to get it ready for this spring, then when I did my taxes I saw I just kept loosing money on that , so I decided to just have a big lawn ... It grew like crazy this spring ... My commercial 31 HP Z-turn had trouble cutting it at about 2/3 of a deck width, and creeping along at 2-3 mph, usually buzz it at 10 MPH! I ended up brush hogging it, then came by about a week later and cleaned it up with the Z-turn ... I like how my Z-turn cuts it, but it has tiny tires, and it shakes me up!

This is 10 days of growth, I like how it looks, and don't want it much higher ... This was taken about a week ago, grass has slowed down ...

This was after just a week, but it was "soggy"!

I still have my SCUT and 5' brush hog, which I guess I could put behind this L if it gets away from me again, I have a new Quick Hitch set aside for me to pick up next time I'm home at my Massey Ferguson dealer ...

The biggest reason for getting this tractor was a better more comfortable ride with the bigger tires ... But it has a bigger engine too, and will handle a wider mower ...

 

[D2Cat]

Yep, you do have a big lawn!

 

[PaulL]

Someone had a good video online about running a bigger mower than is recommended. In short, if you can run an 8 foot mower at 10mph, you should be able to run a 10 foot mower at 8mph - you're cutting the same grass per hour with both, and that's what uses the HP. (Yes, a bigger mower may have more spindles, but that's kind of rounding error). A 10 foot mower at 8mph is quite a bit more comfortable.....

If you upsize the mower you need to think about lift capacity. A batwing has smaller spindles, so it sticks out less behind the tractor, and will lift easier.

Also, a flail is often lighter, will mow wider for the same HP, and has a nicer finish than a bush hog, not quite as good as a finish mower. There's always a few different options there.

 

[Shawn T. W]

Yeah, I've considered a hydraulic offset flail, but I'm not convinced they will cut all that good at my desired cut height of 5" ... ? The thing about an offset is there is a good chance once I widen my rear wheels, that only one side of the tractor's tires would be running over uncut grass ...

Any bat/flex wing type mower is going to cost more per cut foot than a fixed mower, AND be more maintenance, with more parts to wear out, the trade off is a better looking cut as the mower more closely follows the contour of the land ...

I'm thinking a 8' fixed 5 spindle/blade finish mower is kind of the happy medium, I currently am cutting the back more bump and rocky (rocks stick up 2"-4" in places) with my 5' brush hog that actually only cuts 56" at 5" high, and my front I do with my Z-turn that cuts 60" at 4" high ... The 8' Bush Hog HDTH8 actually has a 99" cut ... Cuts up to 6" height https://bushhog.com/mower/hdth-turf-hog-finishing-mowers/ once set, I'd just do everything at 5".

Here is a video of the roughest area, which I'm using my brush hog on ...
https://rumble.com/v6uue3p-barn-swallows-while-brush-hogging.html

I'm currently cutting the front 6 acres with my 60" Z-turn at 9-10 mph (except for turning around!) and probably won't gain much of a time advantage with the 8' behind the tractor at 7 mph ... But the side and back pasture I'm only mowing at 3.5 mph, and according to my little test drive around back there with this tractor, I should be in the 5.5 - 6.0 MPH range, and will gain a time advantage to not only higher ground speed of the bigger tires providing a more comfortable ride, but but almost double the cutting width, especially if you consider with a wider unit, I will make one pass, compared to two which I loose some width due to overlap ... I have a total of 14 acres of field/pasture to cut, plus my 1.5 acres of actual lawn around my house that I use the Z-turn on.

This is what I like to see when I come home ...