Pond Boss
Posted By: Uncle Shawn Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 02/25/20 04:12 AM
Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors


Thought I would ask everyone's opinions on the above brand tractors. I currently have a Massey Ferguson which has been very dependable. 


Once we move, it'll be too big of a hassle to load it up and truck it across the country. The above brands have dealerships within reasonable distance from my possible new home.


I'll be staying in the 40-50 horsepower range and have grown lazily accustomed to the hydro clutch. Thought I would spoil myself for once and look into the possibilities of a tractor with a cab. Goodbye freezing tractor time and wearing ice underwear tractor time!


I will have 20-30 acres of hay fields that I could farm but might not do that for a few years. Something in my proposed horsepower range would have me ready for that project.

Besides using it for hay, it would be worked hard in the years to come all over the property.


Go ahead and share your opinions and experiences!
I have a Kubota 5700 since 2014 and I m very happy with it.
Pro: low consume, steers on itself, has cab, I use with it everything from 2 meters mower to the fertilizer spreader to the 22 quintals of water sprayer. No electronic. Never had a problem in all these years working on my 3 farms for a total of 740 acres.
Cons: the air conditioner is undersized. On the road it does not exceed 27 km/h.
I have a 15 year old 40 hp John Deere that has done everything I've asked of it. Prior to buying it, a guy told me that a tractor without a front end loader is half a tractor. And a FEL without 4wd is useless. I have found these things to be true. I also like the hydrostatic transmission. No clutch. actually, I mostly use the FEL to haul fire wood, dead hogs and deer.

When things get sloppy I have found that tractors and 4 wheelers make a difference.

One of the biggest considerations is a dealer close to you for parts and repairs. I don't have one and wish I did.

And then there's the need for a trailer to haul it on.
We have two LS tractors, a 3135 (35 HP) that is about 3 years old now and a new MT5 73 (73 HP), both with cabs and front end loaders. We love them, which is at least half due to the fact that our LS dealer is fantastic.

Originally Posted By: Dave Davidson1
One of the biggest considerations is a dealer close to you for parts and repairs.

Very true. We were dedicated New Holland users, but the last NH dealer who wanted to sell anything under $200k sold out to a conglomerate that couldn't be bothered to talk to someone wanting to spend $35k+ in cash for a NH Boomer.

Then we found out that the NH Boomers were made in the same factory, same production line as the LS 3135 (so are the same size JD's, Case, and IH tractors). But the LS cost about 2/3 of the NH and 1/2 of the JD.

P.S. The only two drawbacks to a heated, air conditioned cab are the price and (if it applies) going under trees. Well, and not hearing your wife fall off the hay wagon.

P.P.S. Stereo!
I bought a brand new Kubota 11 years ago. 33hp 4x4 with loader and tiller. I LOVE IT. Not one time do I wish I would have bought something different besides maybe bigger. I don't do any farming so cant help with that part. But I can tell ya if you buy one brand new it shouldn't be to much of a concern with a dealer being close for parts. The only thing I have went to them for is a battery which lasted 10 years. I am a believer that they are like trucks (CHEVY, ford, dodge) they are all very well made. Its how you take care of them that will make the most difference. Shop around and find which has the best seat LOL and the bells and whistles you want.
Once we get down there and get a feeling for the property, I'll start making trips to dealerships. Hit up the service department first and see how they run things. See if people are friendly and if they have common maintenance parts in stock.


Then it's off to the sales department for the first mission.......find a comfortable seat! Once I find range of comfortable seats..... then I can get down to business.



The property has a thick vein of trees down one side of the pond and a treeline all around the perimeter. I didn't even take that into consideration when thinking about purchasing a cab tractor. Luckily, I will have my redneck chainsaw in the cab. laugh

Attached picture 25de1575338c24fe22207d1ad6235591.jpg
LOl I love the redneck chainsaw.
I have a Kubota MX5100 and it’s a turbo. Got it at Normange Tractor .... they won’t be beat on price or service
My father was an LS dealership a while ago. He sold a lot of them, they were pretty dependable and quite a few of them were actually the old Ford design. If I remember correctly there was a shake up within the company and the organization kind of fell apart there for my father liquidated his inventory and never renewed as a dealer when they re-emergered. He actually kept one to use around the shop as a yard tractor. We beat the crap out if that thing for years and couldn't kill it. Finally it burned up in a fire back in May.

He replaced it with a Massey that I guess he's happy with though he has had problems with the transmission and electrical system - all within months of buying it brand new.

He was also a Branson dealer for a hot minute too. Shortly after taking them on his shop burned down and in the reorganizing since then he's decided just to stick with lawn & garden. He sold a couple though. They seemed like half decent machines and were owned by the same company as Mahindra. They were practically the same tractor but the Branson was much more affordable.

We have a Kubota B1700 that we use around our pond and that thing is sweet.
My ol man bought a kubota when I was 2 (41 years ago). He just sold it in his estate auction in November still running strong. He dug sewer lines for a living. I couldnt tell ya how many hours it had on it.
Most of the hay guys around here go with Case or New Holland for the 100+ hp tractors, and the mid-range tractors like mine are Kubotas. I've got a cabbed 50/30 and it's been great. We've had it 12-13 years maybe, and never had an issue with it. Great dealer handles all the service, and its nice to make a quick call and a big trailer shows up to take it in for service.
I've been doing homework on all the brands in my list, trying to find positives and negatives for all of them. Branson is in the lead right now. Overall weight, standard equipment, price point and overall stoutness have pushed it ahead of the others.


Before I go test drive one, I see one issue. An air ride seat upgrade is not offered in a 50ish hp Branson. I would have to find a seat that would fit, add an air compressor,plumb and design it myself:(
I've heard that the stereos on Bransons play nothing but country music, Yakov Smirnoff, and Andy Williams.
What's wrong with that? laugh

Attached picture LqQZAftR_400x400.jpg
Posted By: brad b Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 04/20/20 01:34 PM
It's hard to beat a Kubota for a tractor in that hp range
Posted By: snrub Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 04/20/20 04:46 PM
Here is an old thread that might have some useful information. I know it has some info on smaller LS tractors and as I recall a lot of information about attachments. If there are some attachments you want sometimes buying them at the same time as the tractor the dealer will give a better "package" deal than buying the attachments later. So the thread might be helpful in that respect.

It was a very popular thread at the time.

Tractor for maintaining small acreage thread
Thanks for dredging this up! I am finally looking at getting a tractor, and am thinking new as the depreciation is so dang tiny and I don't want to turn wrenches when I simply want to get stuff done.

I lost access to an older MF with a dual stage clutch, and enjoyed doing stuff with it, but it had no front-loader, and the clutch for the PTO had absolutely no slip, so I sheared a few bolts off trying to engage the brush hog.

So right now I am looking at a Bobcat compact, as there is a dealer down the road from me at work, and my old pizza delivery guy is a budding salesman. I am looking at a CT2040 level tractor. They appear to be well-built machines, and the dealership has been around for ages. I don't have experience with diesel, so I am a little frightened by that, especially running it out of fuel.

Wondering if anyone has experience with these for advice? 16 acres of crud, most needs some clearing. Mostly brush hogging, hauling dirt, and maybe some hobby farming of ~2 acres.

If I purchase it myself without 0% it is ~$19K new with front-loader. Otherwise it jumps to $23K with 0% (hardly 0% interest!)
Originally Posted by liquidsquid
I don't have experience with diesel, so I am a little frightened by that, especially running it out of fuel.

It's a lot harder to do with a diesel due to the improved fuel economy. We ran an (old, admittedly) gasoline Ford 2000 we borrowed from my FIL for the first three months we owned our place, and I swear it took 5 gallons of gas every time I used it after work. Our current diesels run way less than a gallon and hour, even the 73 hp LS.

See where you can buy off-road diesel, and save by not paying the highway taxes.
Running a diesel out of fuel is certainly far worse than running a gas engine out, but don't let that spook you. The older diesels would require that the injectors be somewhat unscrewed so that the fuel pump could purge the system once fuel was put back in the tank, then tightened back down. Some of the not-so-old diesels came with push plungers that would purge the lines in case this happened. Neither was a big deal, but still worse than just filling it up with gas and cranking the starter for a bit. I'm not sure about anything newer than, say, 1990 however.

It only happens once unless you are the type that learns the hard things the hard way...lol.
I ran out of gas once in a '70 Dodge Dart. Once was enough.
I ran my Kubota 33hp out diesel once. Wasn't that big of deal. Filled It up, took off fuel filter to purge the line n hit the key. Took bout 30 seconds total. Mine can run all weekend on a tank (8 gallons).
You would think there was some sort of check valve that would cut the engine as soon as air was detected in the line.
So I wound up with that Bobcat (Kioti) tractor: https://www.bobcat.com/tractors/models/ct2040/features great little machine with a front-loader, filled tires, and a 3rd function hydraulic feature to deal with snow plows.

I don't know how I managed without one all these years. Cleared about an acre of heavily knotted land this past weekend that I thought would take me all winter. I did manage to run over a small springy stump that pushed in the oil filter last week, which caused the machine to immediately shut down. I was OOC for a few days waiting for a tech as i could find nothing wrong but error codes, and it wouldn't turn over. Turns out when there is a high-pressure detected on the oil, it blows a fuse. Swapped the fuse, and runs fine.

The damned thing sips fuel, and the exhaust pipe is cool to the touch. How? Already at 38 hours on it.
About the only thing neater than a front end loader is a collection of other attachments to do other things you need. We have bale spears and a pallet fork; I'm still contemplating a grabber now that I have a tractor with a third set of front end hydraulic controls.
Posted By: esshup Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 11/10/20 01:46 AM
Originally Posted by Theo Gallus
About the only thing neater than a front end loader is a collection of other attachments to do other things you need. We have bale spears and a pallet fork; I'm still contemplating a grabber now that I have a tractor with a third set of front end hydraulic controls.

Theo, once you get the grapple for the front you will find out that it is the most used implement that you have.
I don't know, I've only got about 10 miles of fence rows that I could clean up with it. smile
Thankfully my neighbor is willing to share a few implements like a back blade, york rake, and a small plow. First I have to purchase the articulating snow plow, which is a bit pricey at $2.5K but if I didn't do that, I would need to purchase a new ATV at about $6K+ with a new plow. My old one is long in the tooth, and frankly, I am tired of dealing with it. It is fun until you get real snow in the 8+ inch range.

The next is a grapple, that was the original purpose of the 3rd function. But dang, they are not cheap! I was picturing one of those two-prongers that mounts on an existing bucket, but I cannot find one that fits. Instead it seems that I need to find a whole new grapple bucket.

What is working through is getting all of the brush into a heap, then mashing it down with the bucket, then repeat. I had a 10' ball of brush I was literally rolling across the front field like a mutant hedgehog. It was kind of fun! Waiting for a wetter weather to burn that up.

Picked up a set of these, simple and handy!
https://r2manufacturing.com/
Posted By: DDD Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 11/10/20 08:14 PM
Google "Lane Shark". It is a mower/shredder that mounts to your FEL. It can be adjusted to be straight in front of the tractor, to the side, and even 90 degrees from the ground. I use mine set to the side (flat) around the edges of the pond. Turn it 90 degrees (perpendicular to the ground) to trim brush back on our roads, and flat in front to cut brush. It is hydraulic, so I had to run hoses to the front of the FEL to run it. It is advertised to "maintain" and not to "clear brush". The only problems that I have had are some screws backing out of the gear box housing. A little lock tight fixed that. I have seen something similar while driving by another tractor dealership, but not the same lime green color, so there may be other brands of similar products out there. It is my favorite attachment for working around the pond.
Posted By: esshup Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 11/11/20 12:48 AM
This sure does come in handy. There are times that I wish that it didn't have a solid bucket, but this gets used at least weekly.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
I keep breaking my new tractor by trying to push brush, slicing off small trees about 2' up, running them over, then trying to back up. The backing up process drives the remaining stump up into the engine compartment. This time I drove one into the fan blade and radiator.

Soo.. now I am looking into adding a brush shield under the front of the tractor to stop this from happening. I have not been able to find one off the shelf, so I need to locate someone with the equipment to fabricate me one that is affordable. There is a front brush grill already attached to the front fender, so thinking adding a new shield onto this mounting point and wrapping under the engine area and then bolting onto accessory points at the foot rest. Not sure what materials to use, and even if to bother painting something that is going to take abuse.

The key is to keep these stumps from popping up after driving over them with the front axil and causing me problems.

Any ideas?

Thanks
Do you have a front end loader on it?
Posted By: esshup Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 11/22/20 06:50 PM
You will have to carry the "belly pan" a long distance rearward to keep them from popping up and poking something further rearward.

Also, make dang sure that you make it easy to remove. When trash accumulates in it, and things get hot, fire happens. So, you have to clean it out regularly to prevent that. I was at one pond building rodeo where the dozer belly pan caught fire...........

Agree with DD1. If a FEL is on there. cut them off with the bucket, or manipulate the bucket and FEL so you can rip them out of the ground with the blade on the FEL. Stick the blade into them close to the ground. stop but keep forward pressure, rotate bucket up to try and pivot them out of the ground. Repeat as long as required to either cut them off close to the ground or pop them and the roots out.
Yes, I have a FEL, and it is my bad as both times I have done this, I thought I popped the stump out, but instead the little jerk went right under the bucket as a remaining 1/4 slice of sheared off stump. A sword of wood that I cannot see until it pops up from under.

As long as I can clear it out a pan with a leaf blower, I am good. Perhaps using that screen steel material so water doesn't sit in the pan when left out and any other crud just drains out. Not to mention it wont weigh a metric ton. I am going to talk to the tractor guys, they are very helpful. From what they claim is they get custom items made for equipment fairly often, and think that what we come up with would be useful for not just me. Apparently they cannot keep these new Bobcat tractors in stock they are selling so well. They expect a lot of service calls like mine since people have been purchasing them for similar use cases. I am a relatively new adopter with this line, so we are all learning.
Posted By: TGW1 Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 11/24/20 01:33 PM
I am rough on my tractor when it comes to tearing something off the tractor. I recently lost the side panel motor cover and then drove over it where it was caught in the rear wheel and bent it all to bad. I could go on with other stuff I have done to the tractor. That is why i did not buy a tractor with a cab, because i knew i would have wound up with broken windows all around,
My entire property is rocky and my John Deere was the first plastic tractor I had ever owned. I tore up a bunch of cowling that has had to be replaced. Now, I slow down and act like I have some sense.
liquidsquid,

There are some cheaper attachments that will help you "grub" out your trees, rather than cutting them.

One is an inexpensive clamp-on called a ratchet rake. (Typically $300-$400 for smaller tractors.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F-RSXtW60s

They work better than just your FEL bucket edge. Beware, if you are grubbing trees that are too big, you can damage your loader arms! (Likewise, for old stumps or rocks in the ground.)

If you can't justify buying the grapple bucket versus your remaining trees to be cleared, there is another option. Go to a big equipment rental place and rent their skidsteer with a grapple bucket.

In my area, it is only $185/day for the 61HP Bobcat, and $235/day for the 66HP Bobcat. They add $90/day for the grapple rake. The rake style grapple will allow you to shake the dirt off of the trees. The dirt stays where you want it, and there is less dirt in your burn pile.

You will also not believe how much more power at the ground edge a 66HP skidsteer delivers compared to your 40HP(?) tractor. You will get the work done much faster, and will probably save more wear & tear value on your tractor than you pay for the rental.
Advice for first-time tractor shoppers reading this thread:

My budget still does not justify owning a tractor at this time. However, my area has several "full-service" equipment rental companies.

I can rent a 32HP Kubota at one place, or a 32HP John Deere at another one. Both include the FEL. My places have lots of attachments that you can (slightly) beat up on their nickel. I can rent a brush hog mower, box blade, seeder, or PTO-drive reverse tiller.

I recently rented the JD for $150/day, plus $85/day for a brush hog, plus $25/day for an 18’ trailer. They dinged me 11%(?) for the damage waiver. That all hauls behind a 1/2 ton pickup, unless your truck is really light duty.

I highly recommend that you rent before you buy! You can find out which style transmission is better suited for most of the work you will be performing. Do you need 4WD? Is X HP enough for your application, or do you need to move up to a larger tractor? Is a 5' box blade sufficient to dress out my road, etc.?

These are all good things to know before you finally plunk down your hard-earned money to buy your own tractor!
Posted By: Bobbss Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 11/26/20 05:03 AM
With all this tractor talk going on I figure I might as well ask a few questions.
I more or less inhairited a little John Deere 4110 a couple years ago. It has a MMM and using it to mow the yard is the only thing I've used it for. I do have a front loader and snow plow for it but have never used them. I've been thinking about getting a small brush hog and maybe a box blade for it to use over at my property where my pond is. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with a 4110 or similar using a box blade and brush hog? Also wondering how big of a pain in the butt is it to take the MMM off and on so I can use it for these things? With it only being 20 hp, I'm not sure how much work it can do, and would hate to buy stuff and it not be worth it.
Bob, I am not a tractor expert, but I do have lots of different "terrain" and "cover" that I take care of on our 300 acre farm.

I think your JD 4110 probably has MFWD (Mechanical Front Wheel Drive). That give you some "half-a**" 4WD which actually helps a 20HP do a fair bit more work.

If your property with the pond is flat, smooth, and manicured like a yard, then you can mow with your MMM. If it is rougher terrain, OR if you are cutting small trees or nasty vines, then a brush hog type mower is the way to go. (I believe the modern brush hog mowers are made to be matched to the tractor's HP at the PTO.) I have seen 4' brush hogs that require a minimum of 15HP at the PTO. The JD specs say you have 17HP at the PTO.

That little brush hog can only cut brush up to 1". If you have a grass field full of little cedar trees or pines, you could run it all day. If you are cutting 1" hardwoods all day, you will probably wear out that brush hog a little early.

You would also be amazed out how easily you can grade or dress slopes (or even do light ripping) with a box blade. Go look at some of the videos on youtube and see if you have enough of that kind of work to justify buying a box blade.

I have never switched out a MMM, so I don't know how much time that would take you. Hope the rest of my comments help you.
Posted By: Bobbss Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 11/26/20 07:05 AM
Thanks Fishinrod, it is 4wd and is probably the MFWD. My 23 acres where my pond is, is pretty rough. It was pretty much all wooded and we had maybe 3 or 4 acres cleared a few years ago but had no finish grading done. The ground is rough and rocky with some grass, weeds, blackberry and small saplings so it definitely needs a brush hog. I hope to do a lot of leveling and move the road when we build so I didn't want to do too much until then but I guess I'm going to have to do some before then. I also have about a 1/4 mile of gravel road that needs grading.
It sounds like you definitely need to brush hog the 3-4 acres that were cleared, or they will revert back to forest.

The trade-off is always that a job with smaller equipment takes more time.

If the previous owner took care of the tractor, then you have a good start!

P.S.
Some invasive plants/trees are not harmed by mowing and you need to use herbicides. I don't have blackberry, but a farmer near me does. I have heard him complain about fighting it.

My worst problem is honey locust, which re-sprouts and spreads after mowing. I visit the Noxious Weed Dept. in our county 1-2 times/year. They can advise which herbicide is best suited for which problem, and they sell it at cost if you own land in the county. Your county probably has a similar department.

[A few of the herbicides will kill fish in very tiny quantities, so also check with the experts before applying those in your pond watershed, or your neighbors.]

Good luck on all of your projects!
Posted By: Bobbss Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 11/26/20 02:44 PM
Thanks Fishinrod, the previous owner was my father in law and he took great care of it. He didn't use it much, I think he mostly used it to plow snow around his house in the winter. I think it only has a few hundred hours. I'll have to check it, it has been a while since I looked at the hours.
I have honeysuckle as my worst invasion, it is everywhere around here.
Honey Locust? I have them along a property line. They keep out trespassers. LOL.
The next time somebody at PB complains about trespassers poaching their ponds, I would be more than happy to ship them some Honey Locust. laugh
Posted By: RAH Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 11/27/20 06:24 AM
I have used honey locust branches to protect newly planted emergent plants near the pond banks. Seems to keep nibbling critters at bay until they get established and the limbs (and thorns) gradually rot away. Need to very careful handling them though. My 5 German shepherds seem to discourage trespassers...
Posted By: snrub Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 11/29/20 03:20 AM
Originally Posted by Bobbss
With all this tractor talk going on I figure I might as well ask a few questions.
I more or less inhairited a little John Deere 4110 a couple years ago. It has a MMM and using it to mow the yard is the only thing I've used it for. I do have a front loader and snow plow for it but have never used them. I've been thinking about getting a small brush hog and maybe a box blade for it to use over at my property where my pond is. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with a 4110 or similar using a box blade and brush hog? Also wondering how big of a pain in the butt is it to take the MMM off and on so I can use it for these things? With it only being 20 hp, I'm not sure how much work it can do, and would hate to buy stuff and it not be worth it.

I had a JD2620 that I think was 26 hp and looks to be about the same physical size. I did a lot of stuff with that little tractor while building my main pond. Very handy. Put a box blade or weight box and wheel weights if you do a lot of loader work. Over working that little front end gears can get expensive. Make the back end do work to when using the loader and that takes ballast on the back end. You will want a 48" brush hog type mower and a box blade width that just covers the rear tires. Good news is those size implements can be bought really reasonable at farm stores and with the horsepower you are dealing with you will not have to worry about tearing the lower cost implements up. You did not say if it was an 8 speed or hydrostat. Hydrostat is handier but the standard transmission works too. FIL has a JD970 with standard transmission and think it has over 2500 hours on it now.
Posted By: Bobbss Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 11/29/20 04:11 AM
Thanks again for the info John! It is a hydrostat,which is one of the things I like about it. Don't know if I would want one without it. I do have a big weight that goes on the three point but a box blade might be heavier. I'm glad to hear that people think it is worth buying implements for it.
My advice is to ...... take snrub's advice.

I think his farm grows tractors the same way it grows fish! grin
Posted By: Bobbss Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 11/29/20 05:30 AM
Does anyone have advice on good brands of brush hogs and box blades? Better yet brands to avoid?
Posted By: RAH Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 11/29/20 10:38 AM
I am a fan of Land Pride. Bush Hog makes good brush mowers. My box blade is an off brand and has worked fine for 30 years, but I did once have to straighten one shank and have a new shoe welded back on, but replacement shanks are available (I bought a spare after bending the first shank but never bent a second.
I have had good luck with Howse shredder on my MX5100 Kubota. I beam outer frame, tough . Box blade is an Armstrong..... have bent the scarafers trying to root up youpon roots.... better to use FEL
First time I’ve ever heard of an LS tractor. That sent me to Google.
Posted By: snrub Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 11/29/20 02:36 PM
The ones RAH mentioned are good. I broke down and bought an expensive JD mower for my new 4044. It does have a deeper deck and larger blade carrier (thus shorter blades) which will do a better job in tall grass/weeds. I figured I would own it till I died so over the years the extra cost amortized out would not be much extra.

Having said that, on my JD2620 which is about the physical size of your tractor I bought a cheap 4' rotary mower at a farm store that was selling out and quitting so I got it really cheap. That mower did everything I ask it to and never complained. When you are talking about a 4' mower they usually use the same gearbox as the 5' and sometimes the cheaper 6' mowers. With your horsepower you would never need to worry about the durability of the gearbox or blades. On a 5 or 6' with a higher horsepower tractor that can become an issue. Another thing is the bigger mowers can be had with either a shear pin or slip clutch. As long as your talking about tractors about 35 horsepower or lower I don't see the need for a slip clutch. You just pull the engine down if you run it in the dirt or hit a stump. Not the case if you are running a 50 hp tractor or up. If you have a 80 hp tractor with a shear pin protection cutting in some rough stuff, the shear pin can become an issue of losing your religion. With your horsepower there is no issue. You don't have a big enough tractor to shear it. I have never sheared a pin on either my 2620 (4' cheapie) or 3038E (had a Frontier 5' mower on it). My new 4044 (44hp) and JD6' mower (model HX6) has a slip clutch on the mower because that is the way it was equipped on the dealer lot. But a shear pin would have been fine also. Had I bought the 4066 (66 hp) a shear pin protection mower could have become a problem in some conditions. The shear pin or slip clutch is mainly to protect the mower drive line although does also provide some protection to the gearbox if the tractor is a higher horsepower than the mower gearbox is rated for. In the larger mowers that can become an issue in rough cutting (tractor tearing up the gearbox), but again with your tractor any 4' mower you would buy would have a gearbox that far exceeds your tractor capacity to tear it up. So no worries.

Probably more than you wanted to know. I owned a shear pin 6' mower many years ago and used it on a 60 hp tractor. It was a pain. Always carried a half dozen shear bolts with me at all times.

For those that have higher horsepower tractors and want a slip clutch protection, the problem with them (especially if they are stored outside) is the clutch disks can freeze up with rust then you have zero protection because they will not slip at designed torque. The main indication is a twisted drive line. Most manuals say to loosen the torque setting bolts, slip the clutch, then re-tighten the adjusting bolt/bolts. Trouble is it is a pain and most people never do it. Should do it at the beginning of each season. On a 25' or above flex wing mower there are usually 3 of them. We have replaced wing drive lines before when the clutch was frozen up.
Posted By: RAH Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 11/29/20 03:45 PM
What version of the 4044 do you have? I am envious of the cab!
Posted By: Bobbss Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 11/29/20 04:13 PM
Thanks for all the great info guys!
Posted By: snrub Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 11/29/20 05:31 PM
Originally Posted by RAH
What version of the 4044 do you have? I am envious of the cab!

I believe it is a 4044R with hydrostatic transmission. Has cab and air of course along with radio. I did trick it out pretty good with rear weights, quick hitch (after market), dual rear auxiliary hydraulics, third hydraulic loader outlet with electric button on the joystick for the grapple and 4N1 bucket, rear tires filled with washer fluid for additional ballast, economy PTO (dealer installed option), horn, rear lights, outside rear view mirrors. Bought a 3pt receiver hitch off Ebay to move my wood splitter and trailers around with and bolted four 100# rear tractor weights to the bottom of it for additional ballast for the loader (as well as a stand for when the hitch is off the tractor). 72" regular bucket that came with the loader. I already have a 7' finish mower for the rear of it (but I do most of my mowing with a Bad Boy ZT), a fork lift attachment, a skid steer adapter attachment plate, and a grapple attachment that fits the loader quick tatch (as well as my 5083E tractor).
Posted By: Bobbss Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 11/29/20 05:49 PM
John, that is a sweet set up!
Bobbss,

I have used rentals of the brush mowers, box blades, and rotary tillers. Obviously, I have not run them enough to comment about their longevity. However, I believe they were all Land Pride brand at two separate rental places.

I assume the rental people are pretty scientific at determining the "bang for the buck" on their attachments.

**Caveat: I live in Kansas, and the Land Pride manufacturing facility is located right in the middle of the state. That could also be the reason for their choices.
Posted By: esshup Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 11/30/20 03:23 AM
Woods makes good mowers too.

One caveat about the brush hog and the slip clutch. Make sure you loosen and slip it the beginning of every season, even if stored inside. I forgot, hit a stump and broke the output shaft. 72" brushog, IIRC 66 hp tractor. Cost me around $1K for parts I did the work myself.
Posted By: RAH Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 11/30/20 07:58 AM
I should also mention that I bought the heaviest duty 5' Bush Hog mower for my 40 HP tractor and it took so much more power just to operate its mechanism that I must now mow higher and slower than with the King Kutter mower that I replaced when it was "used up". I would probably been have better off with their medium duty mower, but the heavy duty one that I bought is very rugged and will likely outlast me. It has a slip clutch which has never been adjusted, but I always keep it in the barn. It has tangled with many immovable objects... The diesel tractor bogs, but only the swing blades have been affected. It needs a sharpening this Winter once again. Trail mowing has its hazards.
Originally Posted by esshup
Woods makes good mowers too.
I have a 72" Woods Brush Bull that I have abused the hell out of. Blades, gearbox, body, and drive shaft have withstood all of that. However, I have frelled up the tail wheel yoke several times by backing into hidden stumps. We now pasture the cows in our woods which makes maintaining the paths there much easier, since they clear out undergrowth and you can actually see where you are mowing. I haven't messed up a tail wheel assembly for 3 years now.
Posted By: RAH Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 11/30/20 11:35 AM
The tail wheel is definitely at risk, as is denting/twisting the deck. The heavy duty 5' Bush Hog brush mower that I have has withstood what the King Kutter would not. I bent back the wheel assembly on that one more than a couple times. I have used my brush mowers pretty hard including backing over some pretty large multiflora rose clumps and lower it down to take them out (when clearing land). Probably pretty tough on my PTO as well, but my JD 1070 has done pretty well over the last 30 years.
Posted By: TGW1 Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 11/30/20 12:06 PM
My tail wheel that came on my Land pride did not last very long because it bent pretty bad and I had to replace it when it was all pretty new. The one purchased was alot stronger and was made for the land pride brush hog. That tells me they knew the tail wheel was a week wheel or they would not have have a tougher setup for the same brush hog. Like i said earlier, i can tear up some equipment. This is one reason I rent heavy equipment when I need it instead of buying it. Whe u look at something like a track hoe you would think they are tuff but i bet i can tear one up just by accident.
Posted By: Bobbss Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 12/01/20 02:26 AM
Thanks to everyone for the great info on brush hogs. Will a box blade help with removing rocks or would a landscape rake or something else be needed for that, after using a box blade.
Posted By: RAH Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 12/01/20 05:38 AM
I consider a box blade something that does the same job as a dozer, but much slower.
Posted By: Bobbss Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 12/01/20 10:03 PM
Originally Posted by RAH
I consider a box blade something that does the same job as a dozer, but much slower.
Thanks, that is kind of what I thought.
Posted By: esshup Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 12/02/20 04:26 AM
Landscape rake or go rent a Harley Rake.
Posted By: Bobbss Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 12/02/20 05:17 AM
Thanks Esshup!
Posted By: TGW1 Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 12/02/20 12:50 PM
I also had to replace my swing blades on the land pride brush hog. My son hit a root or stump, something really hard as it really bent the blade. I also learned it takes alot of power to remove the bolt that hangs the swing blade. I used the winch and breaker bar wrench on my side by side to brake the nut from the bolt.
Posted By: RAH Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 12/02/20 01:47 PM
My bolts on the swing blades are also really hard to remove (not the nuts but the tapered bolts). Just could not drive them out, even with a 3/4" hammer drill). So much trouble that I rigged things up so that I can sharpen them while still on the mower. A real pain!
Posted By: TGW1 Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 12/03/20 11:23 AM
Rah, I bought the 2' breaker bar and the correct socket from Kubota dealer. I then used the winch on my Polaris to pull on the breaker bar. It was my last attempt to loosen the nut. I had no other ideas on how to break the connection. Luckley it worked.
Posted By: Augie Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 12/03/20 02:56 PM
A cheater pipe slipped over the handle of your breaker bar typically makes quick work of tight nuts.

With adequate mechanical advantage you may bend/break the breaker bar, and/or break the stud/bolt, or successfully remove the stuck fastener.

Liberal application of PB Blaster/Knock'er Loose or similar penetrating lube along with a bit of heat may improve the odds of success.
I agree that everything Augie said is "spot on".

If possible, spray on some penetrating lube the day before you are going to knock off the frozen nuts. Give it time to work, and then spray again when you are ready to start working.

I would add - also try turning them the wrong way. You won't be tightening the nut. Usually, the problem is the nut is frozen, rather than too tight. Once you get it moving in either direction, it will be much easier to remove.

Finally, "shock" impact is much more effective than continuous torque. I have seen a crew put two guys on a cheater pipe and not budge the nut on a 2" bolt. They then hit it with a 3# sledge hammer and it comes right off with only one guy on the cheater. (This is the reason an impact driver/drill is so much more effective.) Obviously, you can't hammer harder than the bending strength of your bolt.
Posted By: snrub Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 12/06/20 03:28 AM
A 1" impact wrench works pretty good, like the ones used on semi wheels.

Lacking that a cutting torch putting some heat on the nut while avoiding the bolt also will break a lot of them loose.

I often touch up blades while on the mower but if they need a lot of grinding take them off.

A good welding shop with a forge can hammer them out also which retains more metal than grinding.

I have never hard surfaced any but my Bad Boy Outlaw XP zero turn mower has hard surfaced blades (hard surface on the bottom side) so I would assume it could be done to bush hog blades also.
Posted By: jamecsen Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 08/27/21 07:30 AM
I decided to get myself a 2015 Kubota 5700.
Posted By: RAH Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 08/27/21 11:02 AM
Glad you got a tractor. For those with advice on loosening the blade nuts, I have no problem removing these. My issue is with driving out the tapered keyed bolt after removing the nuts.
I'm in the market for a new tractor for my 20-30 acre property and am considering brands like Kubota, LS, Branson, and Mahindra. I currently own a Massey Ferguson which has been great, but I'm moving across the country and it's not feasible to bring it with me. I've heard mixed reviews on all these brands and would love to hear some firsthand experiences or opinions to help me decide. Anyone have thoughts on these brands or recommendations based on your own use?
Posted By: esshup Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 02/21/24 02:50 PM
I've had a Kubota for 15+ years and it's been bullet proof.
We have two LS tractors, a 3135 (35 hp) and an MT5-73 (73 hp), both with cabs and front end loaders. We use them for general farm chores and round baling hay, mostly. We are happy with them. (The older we get, the more we appreciate heat and A/C.)

What we are really happy with is our local LS tractor dealer. They provide great support, even showing up to fix equipment they didn't sell us if it breaks. I think having a dealer that wants to sell and support the size of equipment you are interested in is more important than what brand of machinery they handle. Previously, we ran all Ford/New Holland equipment. When we had a local NH dealer who wanted to sell us stuff and service it, that was great. After all the New Holland dealers in Ohio consolidated down to one, who wasn't interested in selling anything that cost under half a million dollars, we had to move on. "I might be able to get a mechanic to you in a couple of weeks" doesn't cut it when the hay is raked and ready to bale and there is rain in the forecast.
I've dabbled a bit with Kubota and Mahindra tractors in that horsepower range and found both brands to be reliable and up to the task for the kind of work you're describing. Kubota, in particular, impressed me with its ease of operation and comfort, which would be a big plus for those long days you mentioned, especially with a cab to keep you out of the weather. The hydrostatic transmission on these machines is a dream if you're looking to avoid the leg workout from a traditional clutch.

While I haven't personally used an LS or Branson, I've heard good things about their value for money, especially in the durability department. If cost is a significant factor, and you're leaning towards Kubota for its reputation and dealer support, you might want to look into how to get a cheap Kubota tractor. Sometimes dealers have great deals on used or even new models that have been sitting on the lot for a bit.
I have a mid sized John Deere with front end loader and 4WD. The only problem I’ve had is the actuator arms on the FEL. Due to inactivity, they have dried and leaked. Had to take them off and go to dealer for new seals.

I was told to buy a tractor with a front end loader and that a FEL without 4wd is useless. I agree. I use the loader for a lot of things. Most recently putting a grandson in it to fill deer feeders.
I also have another tractor. It’s a vintage Ford 8N that I’ve had for a long time. When I first got it, I took it to a mechanic who totally overhauled the engine. Then a new set of rear tires and a dual axle trailer to haul it on. Then a lot of equipment. I and neighbors did some work with it planting wheat patches, building ditches, etc.

Then I got the hots for more power, a front end loader, and bought the JD. At first, I used both of them. Then, I didn’t use the Ford as much and now it has been about 15 years. I would have to drain oil and pour it through a bunch of times. Then check on the radiator, rear end, etc. I know there would be something electrical that has gone bad over time. I need my butt kicked.
Posted By: Augie Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 02/28/24 08:34 PM
We bought a Kubota L3901 a few weeks ago. Couldn't keep spur gears in the front drive axle on the Massey Ferguson we had so poof it's gone.

The Kubota is very slightly used - had 120hrs on the clock when we brought it home. I've put about 15 hours on it so far and I'm finding that
it is a much better machine than the Massey. That one always felt underpowered in terms of both pulling ability and hydraulics. I did like the
shuttle shift transmission but not much else. The Kubota is a full hydrostat which I'm still getting used to but I think I will like it fine once the
muscle memory sets in.

I expect with the hydrostatic drive the Kubota would be a brilliant tiller tractor but I've already cut the driveshaft on my tiller to fit the Ford 860
so likely will never find out. I've got a back blade on the Kubota now which along with the front loader makes it super handy for driveway
grooming, landscape work, etc.

Dave's mention of ram seals drying out reminded me that I had to replace a hydraulic hose on the Kubota last week. Six year old machine
with only 120hrs on it so not really a surprise and not really a big deal either. It cost $65 for the new hose and a gallon of Super UDT.
I expect I'll have to replace most of those loader hoses over the next couple years.
Posted By: esshup Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 02/28/24 10:57 PM
Augie, if you do driveway maintenance, look at a land plane.
Posted By: Augie Re: Kubota, LS, Branson & Mahindra Tractors - 03/12/24 04:49 PM
Land planes are great tools, but I've reached the age where I want one tractor for every implement that I use on a regular basis,
and right now I'm out of operational tractors that don't already have a job. I know, first world problems. lol
I wish I had a tractor for every implement and a place to park them indoors.

I should have stopped buying implements 20 years ago.
Theo - have you had any issues with parts on Mahindra. We recently bought a L3092 (proximity of dealer and rep) to the farm. Got scared off of the Mahindra which is also fairly close but kept seeing reports of delays on parts if you need something to the tune of a month or two (perhaps during supply chain nonsense and covid?).
ooooh - you picked a good time to ask!

Our tractors are two LSs and a New Holland.

Our Mahindra is a Side-by-Side, an XTV 1000 which is a rebranded Intimidator made in Arkansas (now 5 years or so old). The steering broke about a month ago, with all the splines on the shaft that descends from the steering wheel into the (steering gear box) breaking off. Our dealer was unable to get the correct Mahindra/Intimidator part and has ordered an aftermarket replacement.

We hope it's fixed before hay season. shocked
I wonder what causes such problems with parts when things go wrong. Fingers crossed you get what you need before hay season starts!
If Mahindra made a Roxor with an Automatic transmission, my wife would buy one in an instant to take into the local village (where the parking spaces are too small for a pickup). It's a small drinking town with a college problem.
© Pond Boss Forum