Both compact · Kubota against John Deere
Kubota LX3520 vs John Deere 3043D
| Spec | Kubota LX3520 | John Deere 3043D |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$29,879 | ~$29,644 |
| What that price is | MSRP, base build | MSRP, base build |
| Size class | Compact | Compact |
| Transmission | Hydrostatic | Shuttle |
| Engine hp | 34.9 hp | 41.6 hp |
| PTO hp | 28.7 hp | 36.3 hp |
| Loader lift | 1,325 lbsat the pivot pin | 1,186 lbsat the pivot pin |
| Three-point lift | 1,962 lbs24 in behind the lift points | 2,081 lbs24 in behind the lift points |
| Hydraulic flow | 9.1 GPM | 10.3 GPM |
| Drive | 4WD | 4WD |
| Engine | Kubota | Yanmar |
| Weight | 2,191 lbs | 2,840 lbs |
| Fuel tank | 8.5 gal | 9.7 gal |
| 4WD | Yes | Yes |
| Front loader | Yes | Yes |
| Cab available | No | No |
| Hydrostatic | Yes | No |
| Power steering | Yes | Yes |
| Cruise control | No | No |
| Warranty | 6 yr / 2000 hr powertrain | 6 yr / 2000 hr powertrain |
A highlighted cell wins its row on the rule named above the table: more power, lift, capacity or flow, or a lower price. A lift row is left unwon whenever the two makers measured in different places, or where either of them did not say — a figure quoted at the pivot pin and one quoted 500 mm ahead of it describe the same loader and differ by roughly a third, so ranking them against each other would invent a result. Prices are typical list and move with dealer packages.
From owner discussion and long-term write-ups
What owners of each one say
Kubota LX3520
What they like
- Common-rail turbo V1505 gives 28.7 PTO hp, nearly half again the LX2620's 19.4, for about $9,500 more
- 1,962 lb of three-point lift measured 24 in behind the lift points, which is the conservative figure and still beats what most sub-compacts claim at the ball ends
- 8.5 gal tank and 9.1 gpm of total pump output, both up on the LX2620
- A factory cab is offered on this chassis, which the whole Standard L02 range lacks at any price
- The LA545 reaches 87.6 in at the pivot pin, three and a half inches higher than the LA535 on the LX2620
- The BH77 subframe still allows a mid-mount mower and the three-point to work while the backhoe is fitted
What they complain about
- The LA545 lifts 1,325 lb at the pivot pin, only a pound more than the LA535 on the much cheaper LX2620, so the loader is not where the money goes
- Turbocharging puts it above the 25 hp threshold and into the heavier emissions band the LX2620 sits below
- At $29,879 it is dearer than a 37.5 hp L3902, which has more frame, more hitch and a bigger loader
- Hydrostatic is the only transmission on the standard model; the gear build is the narrow LX3520DTN, which takes no loader at all
John Deere 3043D
What they like
- 36.3 PTO hp is more than the hydrostatic 3046R delivers at 33.9, for roughly $9,500 less on Deere's published base list
- Turbocharging pulls 41.6 hp from 1.57 L, a smaller engine than the naturally aspirated 3035D's 1.642 L makes 34.2 from
- 2,081 lb at 24 in. behind the link arms and two rear SCVs as published, enough for a 6 ft cutter or a rear blade with hydraulic angle
- Same 9.7 gal tank and 2,840 lb chassis as the rest of the D line, so the price step over the 3035D is almost entirely engine
- Gear drive keeps more of that engine at the PTO than a hydrostatic would
What they complain about
- The turbo and the diesel particulate filter together are the most complex emissions plumbing in the D line, on the model with no hydrostatic option to show for it
- No cab and no cruise control on any 3D model
- 10.3 gpm total flow is unchanged from the 3035D despite 7 more horsepower, so implements do not move any faster
- Still the 300E loader at 1,186 lb at the pivot pin, unchanged from the 24 hp 3025D - the price step buys no loader capacity at all
- 845 lb at 500 mm ahead of the pivot pin is modest for a 41 hp machine, and it is the forward figure that governs pallet forks