New Holland VS Kubota

[kf03aggie]

So our ranch recently started baling our own hay after years of buying it. Believe it or not in our part of Texas we could buy hay and still be profitable (until recently when our hay guy sold out and the new guy went up 35%). Anyway we need a new hay tractor. We are running 75hp New Hollands but the baler we bought really needs 100hp. We have owned Kubota in the past and been pleased and are pleased with our New Hollands, but we have never owned a tractor the size of what we are getting ready to buy so I figured I'd ask yall. I know there are several guys in here who run big operations and might offer an opinion. Anything I should look out for? I know that in this size tractor I will be running DEF, anyone experience problems with either system? I have great dealer relationships on both sides so that is really not a sales point. It's going to come down to which tractor is best for the money. OK thanks in advance for the help guys!

[txtrophy85]

Kubota is twice the tractor a new Holland is.

I bailed hay with a 110 hp néw Holland and it was a dog.

At that horsepower rating I would go kubota, case or John Deere. We had a 120 hp Massey that I loved but it was a big boy

[Rubi513]

^^^
I would go orange or green. Better resale

[Walker]

What kind of baler do you have that 75hp is not enough?

[Bowtech38]

I have kubota customers that bale with 70-130 hp tractors. A m5-111 would be great for what your looking at. 110 hp at the engine. Lift round bales no problem. It’s a def machine but the new sensors in the def tank are holding up great.

[tdwinklr]

^^^
I would go orange or green. Better resale

chiming in here as well, good to know on the resale.
I have an older Kubota, 27 hp diesel and love it.

[HogHunter34]

I’m a JD fan but Kubota makes a great tractor IMO
Not sure on the larger HP tractors but on the smaller HP Kubota typically builds a heavier frame weight which might factor into heavy use of a tractor

[jfk47]

Don't overlook the CaseIH tractor. I had a 90hp Case that pulled a JD baler for years. Never had a hiccup or bogged it down. Used it to mow, sometimes rake (when the smaller tractor was down) and then baled. Unhooked the baler and hooked up the front and rear forks and hauled every bale to the barn. Never had a problem.

[Arrowthreat]

CASE and NH are the same tractor now.

Neither one makes near the tractor they use to. Kubota wins hands down. The only reason people buy them is because they associate Grandpas Ford or old school Case with the new ones, or the price tag. I'm not saying they're not decent tractors, but they're nowhere near what Kubota is or the M and R series John Deere's.

We have a 2012 (last year before emissions) Kubota M9540 at the house. It does everything we ask of it. My main complaint is it rides like crap. The newer M series ride a lot better.

[ramrod]

If you like both brands, do a side by side comparison for the HP you want. They will have different lift capacities and hydraulic flow rates. I would also glance at the weights to see which is a heavier built tractor.

[kf03aggie]

So interesting story, I go to my local Kubota dealership today and ask to see a 100 hp tractor. The salesman says I probably need to look elsewhere, so I ask why. He says that they have had so many problems with their tractors with the DEF system that the owner isn’t ordering or selling any right now. Something like 75% of the tractors over 70hp have been in on repair in the last 2-3 year models. All with the same problems with the DEF system. And with limited part availability it’s been a disaster. Supposedly they have it fixed and it will be all good with the 2022 model but even the salesman was unsure. I appreciate his honestly greatly. I’m gonna check with another orange dealer, but if I get the same story I may have my answer.

[clay4626]

I run older john deer I have a 4440 4430 and a 4230 with a loader
the 4440 and 4430 will handle 567 baler 936 moco and equipment
you can find a good 4440 for 30000 4430 for 25000
lot more tractor and no def or regen for less money

they have both 540 and 1000 pto

[ggreg02]

Anyone have any experience with the Massey 4710? I stoped and looked t one a few weeks back and it looked pretty solid.

[Box-R]

I love my M5660 Kubota. Was just shredding with it this evening. Works great.

[planomustang]

Take this for what it is worth.

About 16 years, ago, my father bought a Kubota M108(?), after his ~1972 JD 4020 burned up in a grass fire. The Kubota was a 108 hp tractor, with four wheel drive, FEL, and a nice cab. Nice rig. We cut/baled our hay, and pulled a 15' bat-wing mower with it. For cutting/baling/moving hay it was great. For running heavy implements on rough ground, not so good. Twice, the main hydraulic line from the pump to the transmission/remotes broke, just because it was cheap/weak. It was a pain to replace, and we had to wait to get it shipped from overseas. Note, when that line breaks, the tractor will dump all the hydraulic fluid, then you have to repair it, where it broke, unless you have a machine that can tow it.

About 6 ago years ago, my dad started the first cut of hay with a Kuhn cutter, in a small pasture. Made one round, then the tractor went up in flames. Some kind of fuel leak, that had never presented itself. Again, cheap/weak parts, on a machine that got used on rough ground. Note, we babied that machine, because we know it could not take the abuse that the JD 4020 did. It only had 7000 hours on it, and half of that time was doing easy work like moving/feeding round bales.

He replaced the Kubota with a New Holland T6.155. That is a 2016, 155 hp tractor. It now has 2000 hours on it, and nothing has broken on it. I still baby it, a bit, but I have pulled a 10 tandem disc and the big bat-wing mower, over lots of rough acres. Nothing has broken, and we just do the scheduled maintenance, like we did with the Kubota. We will see what happens in the next 2000 hours.

Just some observations, after running these two machines, which are not in the same category.

1. Better visibility from the Kubota cab. May be due to being a slightly smaller tractor.
2. Price: 2005 Kubota, used with 37 hours, from Zimmerman, $47K, with FEL, bucket and hay spike. Yes 37 hours. Two rear remotes.

2016 NH: New. $83K, with FEL, hay spike, FEL grapple, FEL post hole digger, 10' tandem disc, FEL bucket, FEL third function remote, 3 rear remotes, GPS guidance system, and 30' boom sprayer.

3. Service: Zimmerman Kubota was pretty good, unless they had to order parts. I never dealt with their service techs. McMaster NH is good. We have first name access to there service techs, and we can get specialist on Bailers, cutters, and other equipment. But, NH is expensive.

4. Convenience: On the NH, you can run the three-point lift and PTO, from outside the cab. On the Kubota, you had to climb into the cab.

Personally, I prefer the NH to the Kubota. YMMV, depending if you are just having fun or running a real ranch. No offense, intended.