Kubota

I believe I saw a comment about Kubota tractors breaking when large implements are mounted. What is that all about? What model? Are there more specifics?

Paul

Some of the smaller models have cast aluminum for the rear axle housings. I don't know what models but I do know several tractor dealers were giving magnets to customers that were looking at their brand and Kubota and told those folks to stick that magnet to the Kubotas to see what they were trying to buy.

Last year in the winter a guy I worked with was pushing snow in parking lots around town to make a little extra money. His Kubota is in the 40 hp range. Used bucket on front loader and blade on the rear. Had the blade turned to the back and back pushing. Backed in to a pile of snow and broke the rear housing that the rock shafts go through. He found a used one and did the repair.

I expect the larger models are a bit tougher.

Well Paul, I don"t know what you have been told, or by who. But I can pull a 5 furrow plough with my tractor, and it has worked just fine. Bruce

I have the older version of Bruce's tractor below. I pull a 12 row john Deere 1760 planter with liquid fertilizer. Push a 12' pusher box in snow in the winter too, among other stuff. It's not built like a 180hp 4640 or something, but then again sometimes people push the limits. I have a 5740HST at work that is thoroughly abused and it has hardly given me any problems in almost 3000 hours

(quoted from post at 10:13:23 01/25/15) I believe I saw a comment about Kubota tractors breaking when large implements are mounted. What is that all about? What model? Are there more specifics?

Paul

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On the 2 main farming forums in Britain there have been topics last year about 100-ish HP Kubota tractors snapping in half around the transmission/clutch housings, and back axle castings cracking.

When you look at main tractor dealer's secondhand tractor stock you do see low houred Kubotas that have been traded back against other well known makes.


The problem here is that many new tractors can travel at 50KPH = 30MPH on the road, and implements bouncing on the rear 3 point has caused problems on several makes & models.

Yes a box blade or blade going backwards and striking a manhole cover will break something. probably break about any brand.. You Can mistreat anything. Aluminum axel housing, somebody is pulling your chain. No nothing about what the magnets were for but NO model has aluminum axel housings. As for the larger ones breaking in Europe may be but KUBOTA enjoyed a 43% increase in tractor sales in the 100 HP and over in the Europe market last year. Must be doing something right.

A while back there was a thread on smaller kubota tractors being used for pto work like square balers having problems. I think it was mainly because a 30 hp compact is not the same as a 30 hp tractor from the 40's and 50's. I remember a post from years ago saying the same thing.

Recently-released registration figures by make for compact and agricultural tractor sales during 2012 – data must be released a year in arrears, according to EU competition rules – show that despite a 250-unit drop in the UK market from 2011 to 2012, the sales fall was felt harder by some makers than others.

The market fell by 253 units in 2012, from 15,217 to 14,964, or 1.66%. But despite the relatively small drop overall, some manufacturers gained numbers while others were hit by falls greater than the overall total decline.

Registrations recorded by the economics department of the UK Agricultural Engineers Association showed that John Deere remained top of the market, but that its registrations dropped slightly, from 4,972 to 4,734, giving it a 31.6% share of the market, down from 4,972 units and a 32.7% portion.

CNH’s New Holland brand also saw sales drop very slightly, from 2,758 to 2,737, but this represented an increased share, from 18.1% to 18.3%. Case IH, though, saw both a unit sales rise, from 1,332 to 1,377 – this figure includes a handful of Steyr tractors – and a proportion rise, from 8.8% to 9.2%. The combined totals gave CNH an overall 27.5% share of the market, up from 26.9%.

AGCO, meanwhile, shifted 3,306 tractors, up from 3,179, increasing its market share from 20.9% to 22.1%. Massey Ferguson sold 2,005 tractors – Challenger tracked machines are also included in those numbers – for a 13.4% share, up from 12.4%. Fendt also increased its share, selling 747 tractors for a 5.0% slice of the market, while Valtra registrations dropped back from 627 units to 554, giving it 3.7%, down from 4.1%.

Claas had a tough 2012, its market share dropping back from 5.0% to 4.3%, the result of a sales drop from 760 units to 643. Despite its strength in sub-50hp machines, Kubota’s figures were also down, with 615 tractors registered versus a 2011 total of 653, nudging back its market share from 4.3% to 4.1%.

Next in the league order was AgriArgo, responsible for the McCormick and Landini brands. Its overall sales were up significantly, at 434 versus 490, taking it from 2.9% to 3.3%. McCormick registered 47 more tractors, at 346, giving it a 0.3% share boost to 2.3%. Landini registrations edged up 0.1%, courtesy of 144 registrations.

While its figures weren’t broken down by its four brands, Same Deutz-Fahr made a 0.3% market gain to 3.0%, by way of registering 449 tractors. JCB was the last mainline maker whose figures were recorded, its market share dropping 0.1% to 161 units. Other unlisted makers represented the remaining 3.0% of the market, registering 452 tractors, a figure down from 523 units and a 3.4% share during 2011.

THIS IS A REPORT BASED ON OFFICIAL FIGURES PUBLISHED BY THE AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING ASSOCIATION.

EUROPEAN UNION RULES STATE THAT THE FIGURES OF ANNUAL SALES MUST BE PUBLISHED A YEAR IN ARREARS. THE SALES FIGURES FOR 2013 WILL BE DUE FOR PUBLICATION IN NEAR FUTURE.

FOR THE RECORD I HAVE NO AXE TO GRIND AGAINST KUBOTA AND UP TO 10 YEARS AGO WORKED IN CLOSE ASSOCIATION WITH THEM SELLING IMPLEMENTS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR KUBOTA. THEY ARE A GOOD COMPANY WITH SOME GREAT TRACTORS.

I have no problem with your figures. I was expecting you to reply and thing is with that hefty GAIN in sales they are not where in the completion yet but does show they are gaining. The over hundred horse power market may prove to be a different market than the utility and compact market that they have do so well with. Will be interesting to see the 13 figures but according to the company I am right with the gain reported.

I'll post the next years' sales figures when they are published.

The average HP here is now 150HP. The livestock farmers have been purchasing tractors in recent years in 100-120HP bracket. But with the collapse in milk prices in past few months, the dairy farmers have stopped spending on anything.

The whole industry here is based on re-sale value at 3-4 years old at end of lease period. Both McCormick and Claas had good initial sales but mechanical problems cost them dearly, replacement sales vanished & secondhand values have been hit hard.

It will be interesting to see how Kubota fare over next few years against the big 4 established tractor manufacturers.

I think it also depends on what part of the planet you are standing
on as to your perspective. Here in the USA kubota has always been
a utility tractor. they even got there start here with the sub
compact and have continuously added to there line. but in other
countries Kubota is like a john deere here. Kubota will have a
175hp tractor on the market here in the USA next year. I do believe
that the line they will be releasing here is the Kverneland line that
they bought in 2012. From what I have read Kverneland has always
been one of the big AG lines in europe. I think the attitude towards
kubota on this page is due to we are used to seeing them as a light
duty compact land owners tractor. But that is changing. Kubota is
becoming a tough tractor. that in time will be a norm. i think in 20
years you will drive through the country and see green, blue, red,
and Orange.

Kubota makes small compact utility tractors.
Those model numbers start with "L", AIRC.
Heavier agricultural models start with "M". I
have a Kubota M4000 which is an old smaller
utility tractor, 45HP? It was beat to pieces in
a chicken house before I got it but is still
running. and everything works. I'm impressed
with the quality of the design.

Kubota has been trying to break into the big
tractor market and maybe some of the big models
haven't been quite big enough to handle someof
the big implements, but I'm not familar with the
really big stuff. I've never heard of any
problems with the medium sized tractors. Locally
in SC Kubota is chewing up the competition.

KEH

JM. "Aluminum axel housing, somebody is pulling your chain. No nothing about what the magnets were for but NO model has aluminum axel housings."
Google/ kubota Aluminum axel housing and start reading. It's not just Kubota but other brands as well. These seem to be in the compact size for the most part. In that search I even found a thread on this site.

It's by Mike T in 2013

"A New Holland dealer told me that all the 2000, 3000, 4000 series John Deere Compact tractors have aluminum rear end housings. So, I had a small magnet in my pocked and took it across the street to the Deere dealer. He was right.
Now, how does aluminum housings affect the tractors lifetime?

And, would they be a reasonable 'bang for my buck' for maintenance of 60 acres? About half is wooded and the rest I brush hog occasionally. Sometimes I use a rear scraper blade and a front end loader would be nice.

Are these tractors OK?

Mike"

Been awhile since I checked but I think it was the B series Kubota and some of the smaller JD's also had aluminum used at the rear end area.
The New Hollands did not at that time. But the New Hollands were also the ones I have heard of them breaking in half in the middle.

Thanks everyone for your responses. Paul

My township bought a 7040, they use it on a bush hog side mount mower, the three point housing busted off the tractor. I looked at it, and that thing is CHEAP MADE! The patrolman said the hydraulics are too weak for it. I think they went backwards, they went form a Zetor to well, this thing.

We have had both a 3000 and a 4320 compact JD. Hydro. Pull a 6x30 no till kinze planter. With all the asseries. Have used it hard! No problems. Just got back from loading bales on trailer 14. Have a Kubota 126GX love it. (Like the one Above. Vic