Kubota Standard L Series VS. Grand L Series

We're out today with the Kubota standard L Series tractor and the Grand L Series machine to show you some of the differences that exist within Kubota L Series tractors. One of the first things we want to look at when comparing these two tractors is to have a real conversation about what your application is. All too often when we see guys sitting down to compare machines we end up in a situation where we're just basically hunting for the biggest number. You're always going to find one tractor or one model that's going to offer a little bit more and a little bit more and a little bit more and it becomes the point of where you want to stop.

Generally, the first thing that we want to do when going through this process is the how do you take a giant step backwards and really think through what it is that you have for applications for this tractor. Rather that happens to be loader work or mowing chores or property maintenance or just a little bit of everything. Really identify what the pinch point is going to be in your application. If it's loader capacity for instance if you have a £2,000 pallet that you need to unload you've got a very different tractor in mind if you simply need to move mulch with that loader.

Take a moment and really think through what you're going to be doing and then take those applications and look for the tractor to meet your applications as opposed to just shopping around what you think the right tractor may be. The L Series is a complicated family there's a lot of differences between all the machines that have model numbers starting with L. Will start here with the standard L models. The L2501, 3301 and 3901 are all built on this same chassis and their intention is to be a small utility oriented tractor.

For typically geared towards small hobby farmers horse farmers that kind of stuff where you need a small machine to say be mucking stalls, moving around bales, general chore task mowing and that kind of stuff. This is a value-oriented tractor it's not Kubota\ss most deluxe offering as far as transmission features and comfort things go but it's really a very very good bang for your buck. Also in the standard L Series is the model 4701 that's a little bit larger chassis than what this machine is right here but still in that economy family. It's a lot of the mechanical bits are a holdover from Kubota L30 series there deluxe machine of years gone by because we came out with the 60 series with a lot of electronic features on it.

That machine stayed in the product line to give a more simplistic mechanical transmission offering. The 4701 is a bit of an oddball at all these machines and that is the only one that sits on its size chassis with its particular features. If you're looking at say a 3901 and eating a little bit more loader capacity or a little bit more engine horsepower a 4701 maybe the tractor for you.

At the other end of the spectrum is the Grand series tractors and these things range from 35 horsepower at the bottom end to 60 horsepower at the top end. As you move through all those models there will be some small changes in chassis size as well. When you move from say 35 to 40 horsepower you grow about four inches in order to accommodate a little bit larger machine this could take a little bit larger loader. Up in the upper end of that when you go up into the 52 and 60 horsepower machines you go to a Category two rear end they give you a little bit more robust rear end for heavier three-point implements.

For the most part the distinguishing features between the Grand series and the standard series are going to really come out in bells and whistles on economics. This is a series tractor that features Kubota HST plus transmission. It's electronically controlled hydrostatic transmission they can do a lot of stuff. We've got a solid 15-minute video focused solely on all the features contained in that transmission. It's a very nice piece but is contained in the grand series tractors. You can see here this is also a cab machine it' going to come standard with heat and air conditioning on it.

For us here in the Northeast we're selling a grand series tractor we almost always 90% of the time are sawing them with cabs. Were in a snow environment up here and guys are often buying these for our hot summers and cold winters to be more comfortable in those working environments. The factory cabs are going to come on the deluxe series where today they're not offered on the economy models. Our deluxe tractors that come with deluxe three-point hitches as well so when you look at the three-point on one of the grand series tractors you'll see you have this piece down here to push down to extend the link ends out to make it easier to hook up your implements.

You'll have pins in your sway bars down here to make them easier to adjust as simple ratchets up here to change out your leveling. Over here in the standard L series tractor you'll see you've still got a three-point hedge but it's not quite as nice to use. You don't have those extendable ends, quick inches could go in the back here to take the place so that. You have turnbuckles back here in the back to adjust your left-right sway bars and turnbuckle up here as well in order to just your leveling. These two pieces down here on the side these two sway bars can be swapped out with a more deluxe kit if you like that nicer option.

These are all things that can be optioned out differently if there's a particular objection back here that you'd like to overcome but by a large the more deluxe tractor is going to come through standard equipment with all those more deluxe three-point hitch features. Within this family of tractors frankly, there's a lot of different options but the biggest things that you're going to notice here is a difference between standard features and deluxe features. The standard L series the 2501, 3301, 3901, 4701 are all economy series machines.

You're going to find more simplistic transmissions three-point hitches and those kinds of things. Doesn't mean those tractors are capable of less work they certainly can get the job done just as well as their deluxe brethren are but it might be a little bit more comfortable on another machine or maybe a little bit easier to operate a more deluxe tractor, you can stay cool inside of your factory cab. Here's really where our comparisons are going to come down is not so much of the difference is a capability.

There's going to be an equivalent tractor in the standard series for roughly every equivalent tractor in the grand series but you're going to find those differences really shaking down to comfort features in economics. There is one thing that the Grand series tractors can do that the standard series cannot and that's front implements. You can get made PTO's for the Grand L60 series machines enabling you to run say front snowblowers from brooms and those kinds of things. Gives you that power point out the front.

All in the standard series that is not an option those pieces have been removed from the tractor in order to bring the price point of it down. If you have an application that demands front implements the grand series is where you really need to be. This is some of the differences between the standard L Series and the Grand L60 series. If you're going through this process and you have further questions the best thing that you can always do is to get down to one of our lots and actually hop on these machines and drive them around.

You'll feel the differences in those agronomics for yourself and take a look at the physical tractors and help us really identify the right tractor for your application. If we can help you with any of your needs for parts service or if you're looking for a tractor like this give us a call. We're available at 800-223-373 or online at Messicks.com.