Kubota B-Series vs Standard L-01 Series

Neil form Messick's here. We're out today with several Kubota machines, and we're going to take a moment to show you some of the differences when you move from a B-Series tractor into an L-Series tractor. Take a walk here with me around these two machines, and we'll show you some of the things that make these tractors tick. First thing that you want to do when going through and comparing two machines is take one gigantic step backwards, and stop looking at all the numbers. Too often we see customers who hyper-focus on a particular specification of a machine, and kind of miss the overall picture of what their application is.

You're going to find when you line these guys up side-by-side that an L-Series is going to lift more than what a B-Series does, or is going to offer more horsepower, and you can always take baby steps forward, but you're going to find yourself typically creeping into a bigger, and bigger, and bigger machine and into one you may not necessarily need. Before you really dive into comparing two models, or comparing two brands, really sit down and think about what chores you have at hand. Whether it's loader work, what is the minimum specification that you need out of a loader to get done the chores that you have at hand.

Whether it's round bales to lift, or pallets to unload, or dirt and material to move, or whether you're just scooping up mulch and you don't need so much. You can do the same thing for horsepower as well. Horsepower is going to help your implements in terms of rotary cutters, and mowers, and snowblowers, and those kinds of things. And so when we're looking at horsepower we want to look at what do we need in order to operate the implements at hand. Before comparing two models, that's the very first thing that we want to do is really get that application honed in, so that we know that we're looking for the right tractor.

Kubota offers a lot of models, and when we compare a B-Series machine to an L-Series machine, we need to be starting from the right place from the get-go. Within the B-Series and the L-Series, there's multiple chassis sizes themselves. This right here is the larger of the B-Series tractors, today, that's the 50 series. There's also a smaller series as well, the B 20 machines, that are a much further leap to get to an L. Over here in the L-Series, this is a standard L-Series tractor, and this one here is a 3301, 2501, and 2901 are going to sit on exactly the same chassis and look very very similar. But again, in the L-Series, this is a small standard L-Series machine. The grand L-Series tractor, or the larger L4701 are very very different tractors from this, and we'll kind of continue on that slope upward into bigger equipment.

One of the distinguishing differences between these two machines is that application that they're made for. Typically, B-Series tractors are really geared towards landscape applications. This is a tractor where you don't necessarily want a big heavy machine. Weight is good in some applications, but if you're in landscaping tasks, or you're driving across lawns all the time, you don't necessarily want a big heavy tractor because it just puts big deeper ruts in the ground all the time as you're traveling. So a B-Series machine is going to be a tractor that's powerful but intentionally built on the lighter side of things as far as roll tonnage goes to be in that lighter landscaping type application.

The L-Series is going to be a little bit different. Once we move up into an L-Series machine, we're getting into more utilitarian type tasks. You're not going to put a mid mount mower on a standard L-Series tractor where you will on a B. This machine has got to have a little bit more meat to it, when you look at the rear ends of these tractors you're going to see a lot more bulk. A little bit more heavy duty axles and those kinds of things to support a little bit higher capacity tractor. Yes, this is a bigger machine, it sits on a bigger frame, it's loader is going to lift more, everything is incrementally bigger and heavier. But those distinctions there between a turf application tractor, and a utility application tractor is really important.

You're going to find that these tractors really have more in common than what they have in differences. And we can really see that when we look at the back end of the tractor. The three-point hitch for instance on this machine is an economy three-point hitch without extendable link arms. There is more deluxe options that can be put back here if you'd like another option. But from the factory, these are standard machines with standard three-point hitches, so that is all very much going to be the same. Both also can have rear hydraulic remotes, if you have the need for that for implements on the rear. But when you get in the back here and you start looking at the differences in the axles, and the size of the housings you can start to identify some of those differences that I was talking about in terms of roll tonage.

The back end of a B-series tractor is still heavy-duty, it's still a cast iron three range transmission, but there's just not as much bulk in size in the back of the machine over there as there is over here in an L. When we look at the L-Series machine, you'll see a lot more heft back in here around these large transmission assemblies, and the size of the axles coming out to the end, and the length of the axles. All those things contribute to higher capacities, and more weight for a tractor geared towards utilitarian tasks. One thing that often confuses people when comparing the series tractors is that there's complete overlap in terms of the horsepowers that are offered.

This tractor right here is the 3301, there's also a 2501 in this series. So this larger frame L-Series machine is offered in 25, 33, and 39 horsepower. Over in the B-Series, we can start in that small chassis machine at 23 or 26 horsepower, or in the bigger chassis at 26 and 33. So you can actually have a 33 horse machine over here in a B compared to a 25 horse machine over here in an L, where the smaller tractor can show more horsepower. That's another place that we really want to step and dive into our application, right? Let's look for applications where we need horsepower. If we're running rotor tillers, rotary cutters, snow blowers, PTO generators, these are all things that need a high rev powerful PTO in order to run them.

Loader work is not one of those applications where you need a lot of horsepower. That loader, sitting right here on the front, the lift capacity of this loader is going to be determined by the pressure of the fluid going into the cylinders, and that pressure is the same regardless of what engine is down here under the hood. And so if you're looking at a tractor mostly for loader work don't buy horsepower that you may not necessarily need. Again, when we look at the horsepower differences between these machines, we want to do that based on the application that we have and the implements that we're running, and not necessarily simply look for the biggest number.

There is a small difference in the optioning of these tractors. Well, the B-Series machines are considered one of Kubota's deluxe offerings, the standard L-Series are considered one of their more economy offerings. You're going to see some small differences in terms of ergonomics, and body panels, and those kinds things. If you look here on the B for instance, you'll see the controls are up here on the fenders inside of these nice pods of lever guides around them, you have a digital dash with a lot of information that can be given to you, and rubber floor mats and stuff down here on the bottom.

You also notice that the pass-through area down here on the bottom doesn't have a big hump in the middle that is typically found in an economy tractor. We walk over here to the standard L I can show you a little bit of what I mean. We get a little bit more of an economy layout. The levers, for instance, are recessed down here below the fenders as opposed to being up on them in a more comfortable operating area. Down here on the floor you do have a hump in order to take your feet across as you get on and off the tractor. That doesn't mean this is necessarily a bad thing in any way, but there's a distinction between these machines, this is the standard L-Series machine, meant to give you a lot of bang for your buck.

You can see that actually in the way that some of these things are laid out back here. When you price these two tractors, you're going to find that this is actually within a couple hundred dollars of the Big B-Series machines. Even though it's a lot bigger tractor with a lot higher capacities, some of these differences in control layouts, and the deluxe features of the tractor, not having them up here helps to hold the cost down a little bit, and make this a really small leap. Another thing that we include in that deluxe and standard offering is the mid-PTO.

The B-Series machines are all going to have a mid-PTO on them with the exception of the SU3350 model, that will allow you to run mid-mount mowers, front snowblowers, and those kinds of things. Standard L-Series does not have a mid PTO, so in this larger tractor no mid mower, no front snowblower, and again those are distinctions that are typically made between deluxe and standard tractors. So clear as mud, right? If I summarize that a little bit, I would come down and say, if you're looking for more of a landscape homeowner type tractor, a B-Series machine is right for you.

Great around estates in the five to seven acres or so, more or less depending on what your application is. But if you're into hobby farming and that kind of stuff, or more utility-oriented tasks, or you're going to be crashing through the woods, a standard L-Series tractor is going to give you a little bit more machine for only marginally more money, and really put the power where you need it, rather than having money tied up in deluxe features and mid PTO's, it's going to give you a lot more heft in order to go work with. Those are some of the broad differences between a Kubota B-series tractor and a standard L-Series machine. If you're in the market for a compact tractor, and we can help you, give us a call at Messick's, we're available at 800-222-33373, or online at messicks.com