Tires Loaded rear tires on L48

   / Loaded rear tires on L48 #1  

fred2560

New member
Joined
Dec 18, 2009
Messages
1
Location
Hanceville, Alabama
Tractor
Kubota L48TLB
I just bought used L48, seller told me rears are loaded. I read in manual not to load tires if using backhoe. Why? I plan on doing a lot of backhoe work, mostly stump removal and bush hogging hillside. Should I unload and how?
 
   / Loaded rear tires on L48 #2  
Never knew for sure why they say that. Loaded back tires can add several hundred pounds per tire, adding to the loads on everything. Maybe the designers think the backhoe weight adds enough more tractive force that tire ballast isn't necessary. I'm old school. More weight = more traction = better performance = more stability when moving around with the backhoe sticking up. The L48 is a tank - I don't think you'll hurt it leaving them loaded. The stabilizers may not be as happy about lifting everything, but you can always give them a little help with the hoe.
 
   / Loaded rear tires on L48 #3  
My B26 says same thing but I can still make the rear light when lifting heavy stuff with the loader and mine are foam filled. I would always load the rear tires on one of these as it needs to be as heavy as possible when digging in the hard clay, but in mud your screwed no matter what you do JMHO. If you took the fluid out you would be very disapointed on how it felt.
 
   / Loaded rear tires on L48 #4  
I just bought used L48, seller told me rears are loaded. I read in manual not to load tires if using backhoe. Why? I plan on doing a lot of backhoe work, mostly stump removal and bush hogging hillside. Should I unload and how?

An awful lot of backhoe work involves picking up the rear end of the machine by applying down pressure with the hoe and then repositioning the entire machine by swinging the hoe.

Loaded tires make this much harder to do, if not impossible, and put a lot of stress on the hoe.

Sure, you can probably accomplish any task, short of crossing a trench, by repositioning the machine through maneuvering on all 4 wheels, but productivity will be very low.
 
   / Loaded rear tires on L48 #5  
An awful lot of backhoe work involves picking up the rear end of the machine by applying down pressure with the hoe and then repositioning the entire machine by swinging the hoe.

Loaded tires make this much harder to do, if not impossible, and put a lot of stress on the hoe.

Sure, you can probably accomplish any task, short of crossing a trench, by repositioning the machine through maneuvering on all 4 wheels, but productivity will be very low.

To add to that the rear is often lifted with the outriggers as well to level and/or stabilize the machine.
 
   / Loaded rear tires on L48 #6  
Just to add to the topics of which covered most of your concerns already...yes, productivity will go down, but the stability you gain is worth it. Just my opinion though.
 
   / Loaded rear tires on L48 #7  
I have always gained stability by lowering the outriggers.

If I must travel sidehill, swing the hoe to the uphill side and extend it for counterbalance. Leave an outrigger down, but a few inches off the ground and travel at low speeds if the situation is really dicey.

The only time loaded tires would have helped was when I was carrying a heavy stump in the FEL going downhill. It got tippy forward, but extending the hoe backward and keeping the load low got me through.
 
   / Loaded rear tires on L48 #8  
I believe the only reason Kubota says not to load the tires on their TLB's is liability. Loaded tires with the backhoe could exceed the limits of the ROPS in a roll over. They actually say to load them when the backhoe is off and unload them when you use the backhoe. I find that to be one of the most ridiculous statements I have ever read in a manual. At least at one time they said not to load the tires on a cab tractor either. Both of my Kubota TLB's have loaded tires and always will.

MarkV
 
   / Loaded rear tires on L48 #9  
I have had them loaded almost from day on on my L48 and would not have it any other way makes a much more stable machine and I think it would be next to impossible to tear anything up doing it
 
 
Top