Pretty much decided on purchase of L3800 until I started seeing all the stories on jerky 3 pt. hitch (TPH). Has Kubota done anything to resolve this issue? From what I have read sounds like Kubota is trying to ignore the problem. This could be a deal breaker for me. Im of the opinion if you have a bad (jerky) TPH then you have a bad tractor. No excuse for a poorly designed, jerky system on a $15-20K tractor. No excuse for poor customer support.
L3800 still have jerky TPH?
- Thread starter llbaker
- Start date
I haven't heard anything from other members in a while about the jerky 3pth. Alot of guys are buying up the L3800 and seem to be very pleased with them and no more complaints of the 3pth. I reckon no news is good news.
My L3800 was manufactured in 2013, I've got 5 hrs on it. I did read in a forum elsewhere about the 'jerky' 3pt hitch. BUT I own a business myself. And as everyone knows, Some folks you can't please. (repeat) Some jerks you can't please. You could give five people the same machine, one of the five would have an issue with it. The seat is to hard, the steering is to slow, the bucket doesn't work right. ect ect ect. You get my point. I waited years to buy a tractor, because I wanted the best one made. And that's what I bought.
Almost 50hrs on my L3800, I have NOT noticed any issues with a jerky 3 point hitch. I've used a roto tiller, box blade, hiller, disk and a adjustable blade with no problem.
This tractor continues to impress me, almost daily....
This tractor continues to impress me, almost daily....
A few guys on another forum made a bunch of noise about this for a couple years. It's no where near as big a deal as they made it to be. And the L3800 was not part of this jerky display of emotions. Not saying there were no jerky 3ph, there were, but not that many and mostly the older L2800/3400...
Burt
New member
Equipment
L3700SU, box blade, 6 foot rhino blade, 1 bottom plow, 3 point receiver hitch.
llbaker:
HI, I guess I'm one of those guys who made some noise. It wasn't my first rodeo as I have owned tractors before...Fords. Now, if you looked up my detail about the jerky 3PH, you will find that myself and others have had a "fix," AND that Kubota is slowly acknowledging this issue.
Search under L3800 or L3700 Jerky 3PH here on this site.
Factory reps definitely know about it, so deal with them, not the dealer.
One experience person here suggested to swap a Grand L valve with the stock one that comes with the L3800 series
In my case, the factory did swap out a valve under warranty and made the jerky 3PH less jerky but still not as smooth as my previous rodeos were. In my blog, I listed the new valve part number.
My opinion is that for now, Kubota is establishing the "usual and customary" principle for as long as they can and will slowly slide this off later with a model change. Therefore, they will not do a recall or provide a fix in my thinking. It is highly unlike Japanese manufacturing to operate this way.
Ours was jumping 1 to 2 inches with a box blade and I believed it to be a severe safety issue. If you read my original blogs on this, you can read the story and the results.
Ours will jump slightly say 1/4" but if you feather it out slowly, it seems much much better. This is likely all the better it will ever get unless Kubota changes them all out.
In the end, if you purchase one new and still want it, I suggest that you write a note on your receipt that any latent defect will be fixed to your satisfaction under warranty. Or, try the Grand L valve after confirming it with a factory rep.
In the end, it will be your call. If you are a customer paying full price, you should expect a fully performing vehicle that is fit for the purposes for which it is intended and that it has no latent defects.
Try it out first.
Good Luck,
Burt
IF it was me I wouldn't let one model from a manufacturer deter me away from buying anything. As with everything in life you can get a lemon. Look at the next model up or down from Kubota. Take a peek and the L3200 or go into the Grand L with all the bells and whistles.
I can agree to that. I went back in February and climbed all over the L3800 and I could not get comfortable. I'm 6ft4 and oddly I fit better and I'm more comfy sitting on my little B6100 then I did on the L3800. Felt like my legs kept bumping and rubbing into everything. I hopped over to the L4600 and loved that tractor better. Comfy as could be on it.
I have searched this site on this issue. I most likely saw your comments. That's what got me going on this. The Youtube clips showing the use of a boom causing entire tractor to bounce and another where water in a bucket was splashing all over the place due to extremely jerky boom are what got me fired up. Others have claimed Kubota's response was that this was considered "normal" for the L series. If that’s normal I want nothing to do with Kubota. I consider the TPH a basic standard component of any/all tractors and I expect it to work in manor comparable to all other major brands/models. To try to pass this obvious defect off as normal is not acceptable. Maybe I will insist dealer hook something up to TPH and prove it works as it should before accepting delivery.
You have to take into consideration the source of your info. Not really sure who the hell rides around with a bucket full of water with their tractor. And this is by far not NORMAL for any tractor in the Kubota line up. Just the L3800 is the only one with that problem.
People tend to over exaggerate simple problems. It is a known issue with Kubota and they factory reps are doing what they can to fix the problem. And a solution has been found. Like I said before look at Kubotas one model up or down they don't have ANY problems.
People tend to over exaggerate simple problems. It is a known issue with Kubota and they factory reps are doing what they can to fix the problem. And a solution has been found. Like I said before look at Kubotas one model up or down they don't have ANY problems.
Can you post the You tube video you saw of with the water in the bucket... I've looked all over Youtube for 30 minutes and cant find it. I only found 3 videos of the jerky 3pt. Two of the vids were on a L3800 and one an L3700SU. Everybody posted before and after videos and the 3pth was fixed and people are happy.
I have 56 hours on my 3800 and i have never had issuses with the 3 point, i would say my loader is much more jerky than the 3 point.
And that seams to be caused by me bouncing around on the stick. Dune
And that seams to be caused by me bouncing around on the stick. Dune
gpreuss
New member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L3200DT w/FEL, K650 Backhoe, 5' Rotary, 40" Howard Rotavator, 6' Rhino blade
My L3200 has the jerky TPH. It is annoying, but has not been a real problem. My first Kubota was a L185DT, and it was smooth as silk.
Most of the competition has their own set of drawbacks. When I look at my 3200, I'm more impressed by what it does than what is wrong with it. But, still and all, I'd like to see Kubota fix it.
Most of the competition has their own set of drawbacks. When I look at my 3200, I'm more impressed by what it does than what is wrong with it. But, still and all, I'd like to see Kubota fix it.
My L3200 with about 10 hours on it has a slightly jerky 3-point raising slowly with a heavy attachment (land plane) on it. Not enough to shake the tractor much, but the implement does not raise smoothly when going up as slow as possible. Go up a bit faster, smooth as can be. If I hadn't read about the jerky hitch, I wouldn't likely have ever noticed it.
Just took delivery on a new 2013 L3200 HST 4X4 FEL
Very nice tractor. It replaced a L4600HST that was sold with the house. New place is too tight for bigger L4600 and that was decision to go with L3200. I have 5 hrs on it mostly moving rock and prepping pad for barn. NO issue with 3 point hitch and tractor is a lot easier to work with than bigger L4600. Have yet to run out of HP (vs L3800) so L3200 HST was the right decision.
Also saved $1200 on L3200 vs L3800.
Great tractor!!
Very nice tractor. It replaced a L4600HST that was sold with the house. New place is too tight for bigger L4600 and that was decision to go with L3200. I have 5 hrs on it mostly moving rock and prepping pad for barn. NO issue with 3 point hitch and tractor is a lot easier to work with than bigger L4600. Have yet to run out of HP (vs L3800) so L3200 HST was the right decision.
Also saved $1200 on L3200 vs L3800.
Great tractor!!