Anyone still running an L48 TLB?

[cstamm81]

Thumbs are handier than you know. I wish I could express just how much. It isn't that they make things easier as much as they make the tractor into a whole new type of machine - One that becomes more important when you get past a certain age.....that age being when lifting heavy things is less of a challenge and more of a concern than it once was.

The thumb is especially nice for working timber. Not only will it grab a log for bucking and hold it all day at waist level...but it will stack the rounds when you are done. And if you want to move the log somewhere, you can curl the log in close and then swing the hoe to the side so that the thumb is holding the log into the bucket like a jousting lance. In that position a tractor carrying a big log is only slightly wider than the tractor itself. You can drive with the log right back down that narrow trail you came in on.

And for picking and placing rocks for landscaping or stone walls....well with a thumb you can make a move that that a bucket alone just cannot do.

Downside is the expense. I'd go hydraulic and aftermarket on most, but the L48 has a kit that is probably still available. My first choice would be to look for one of those and hang the expense. This is a once in a lifetime investment in a good back. Your back will thank you. Mine does.
rScotty

I appreciate the insight rScotty. If I wasn't sold before on a hydraulic thumb, I sure am now. Carrying a log parallel to the machine is something I would have never thought of. Although I'm still fairly young, I've wised up slightly after my first hernia surgery, although I'm quite sure I have the beginnings of another one that will need repaired.

The reach of the longer backhoe on the 48 is another reason I'm drawn to the machine, using it for logs and firewood will be easier with the increased reach. In a perfect world, I'd go for an M59 like you have, but the extra 15 grand that I see them go for puts them out of my league for the time being.

 

[4570Man]

A hydraulic thumb was a must have when I bought my M59. I knew they were way better than the manual thumb I had before but it makes the backhoe way more useful. It’s definitely a 10/10 item.

 

[rScotty]

I appreciate the insight rScotty. If I wasn't sold before on a hydraulic thumb, I sure am now. Carrying a log parallel to the machine is something I would have never thought of. Although I'm still fairly young, I've wised up slightly after my first hernia surgery, although I'm quite sure I have the beginnings of another one that will need repaired.

The reach of the longer backhoe on the 48 is another reason I'm drawn to the machine, using it for logs and firewood will be easier with the increased reach. In a perfect world, I'd go for an M59 like you have, but the extra 15 grand that I see them go for puts them out of my league for the time being.

They are all good. We looked at the L39, L48, and M59. The M59 had just come out and that particular one was on special. so that one came with a lot of options at a special price. Ultimately it was my wife who put her foot down and declared that we were getting the M59. The reason for our M59 might not be what you think. One big reason was that the seat revolved into backhoe position with room for my 65 year old long legs and big feet to turn around easily. Another was the creeper function that works from backhoe position. The greater reach is something you do use a lot. The spec is for greater digging depth, but how often does one do that? You use the greater horizontal reach everyday. And then there was the loader lift ability. We had a need to lift the occasional three to four thousand lb load and have it stay stable on a slight slope - but most do not.

There is a power & stability advantage to larger machines of course. But they will always be there. And since you are looking at used machines, I'd also not ignore the L39. It has that 12x8 glideshift transmission which is a plus, and a good reputation. Somewhat smaller, but rugged. You might save enough to get the thumb. It's just big enough to be a decent size tool for 10 acres.

Just so you know, it wasn't the smaller size that bothered me about the L39, and I think that 39 hp is plenty. My problem was getting into backhoe positon on the tractor and also with it's shorter wheelbase it bounced my back around more when carrying a bucketload down a dirt road. One L39 owner put a hydraulic damper on the loader lift arms to stop the hobby-horse bouncing. It's an inexpensive modification - standard on full size TLBs - that would benefit all of Kubota's TLBs. It's not just Kubota, all TLB's bounce too much in my opinion. Hard not to bounce when you have big soft tires, a lot of weight on both ends, and are frankly trying to go too fast... Someday I'll put his mod onto the M59
rScotty

 

[Carl_NH]

I will be consistently dropping black walnut and ash trees on my own and neighbor's properties, and I can see how nice it would be to grab logs with a backhoe thumb, and buck them in the air! I've got a pile of about 50 black walnut logs to process as we speak.

50 Black Walnut Logs you have gold mine there! What's the market like now for black walnut in PA?

On our farm in central PA in the late 60's we had 4 Black Walnut trees 20-24" DBH and straight for at least 16' and they sold for $1K each on the stump at that time. We kept the smaller 6-10" limbs from the trees and had that sawed that into boards too.

Back to BH's, and thumbs, I could not agree more, there is so much I have done with a thumb, like taking the tree tops to the chipper with the thumb tucking into the side of the machine. Then picking rocks, building walls, holding wood and more!

Another tool I got was a ripper Trencher - does a super job for narrow conduit/wire/pipe trenches and no need to buy a 7" or small bucket for the hoe. Then with rocky rough soils and roots/stumps its like having a pick axe on steroids.

 

[rScotty]

I appreciate the insight rScotty. If I wasn't sold before on a hydraulic thumb, I sure am now. Carrying a log parallel to the machine is something I would have never thought of. Although I'm still fairly young, I've wised up slightly after my first hernia surgery, although I'm quite sure I have the beginnings of another one that will need repaired.

The reach of the longer backhoe on the 48 is another reason I'm drawn to the machine, using it for logs and firewood will be easier with the increased reach. In a perfect world, I'd go for an M59 like you have, but the extra 15 grand that I see them go for puts them out of my league for the time being.

Well, before you get too excited....I was just thinking about the difference in weight for our different woods. Here we have pine, fir, and aspen - all destined to be firewood, and most under 18" in diameter. I normally cut logs into 12 foot lengths and then using thumb and BH bucket swing them parallel to the tractor to carry them home. There they are cut into two foot rounds and stacked to be split.

That technique works great for our firewood collection in the Colordo mountains., but I doubt it translates to big diameter hardwoods like your black walnut. Especially when you want them to remain as longer logs for lumber. I'm not even sure that the big JD310 would handle a two foot diameter 18 foot long black walnut log that way..... and it's a 15,000 lb tractor that dwarfs the M59. In fact, I'd probably just drag that log with a chain...
rScotty

 

[4570Man]

Well, before you get too excited....I was just thinking about the difference in weight for our different woods. Here we have pine, fir, and aspen - all destined to be firewood, and most under 18" in diameter. I normally cut logs into 12 foot lengths and then using thumb and BH bucket swing them parallel to the tractor to carry them home. There they are cut into two foot rounds and stacked to be split.

That technique works great for our firewood collection in the Colordo mountains., but I doubt it translates to big diameter hardwoods like your black walnut. Especially when you want them to remain as longer logs for lumber. I'm not even sure that the big JD310 would handle a two foot diameter 18 foot long black walnut log that way..... and it's a 15,000 lb tractor that dwarfs the M59. In fact, I'd probably just drag that log with a chain...
rScotty

My 310 would lift 5,000 pound concrete blocks with the boom. My M59 lifts a pretty respectable log with the boom but a 24’x18’ probably isn’t happening. The M59 stabilizers kinda suck that doesn’t help the lifting ability. Sawing 18’ lumber is pretty much non existent though.

 

[cstamm81]

50 Black Walnut Logs you have gold mine there! What's the market like now for black walnut in PA?

On our farm in central PA in the late 60's we had 4 Black Walnut trees 20-24" DBH and straight for at least 16' and they sold for $1K each on the stump at that time. We kept the smaller 6-10" limbs from the trees and had that sawed that into boards too.

Back to BH's, and thumbs, I could not agree more, there is so much I have done with a thumb, like taking the tree tops to the chipper with the thumb tucking into the side of the machine. Then picking rocks, building walls, holding wood and more!

Another tool I got was a ripper Trencher - does a super job for narrow conduit/wire/pipe trenches and no need to buy a 7" or small bucket for the hoe. Then with rocky rough soils and roots/stumps its like having a pick axe on steroids.

I really should see if I can locate anyone serious about buying them. I've shown them to people, and everyone says they're worth money, but that's where it ends. I'd rather see them turned into something beyond firewood, and obviously some extra income would be nice. Thanks for bringing that up!

Also, thanks for the ripper trencher advice, I have seen them, and I'm sure they could be very useful as well.

 

[cstamm81]

They are all good. We looked at the L39, L48, and M59. The M59 had just come out and that particular one was on special. so that one came with a lot of options at a special price. Ultimately it was my wife who put her foot down and declared that we were getting the M59. The reason for our M59 might not be what you think. One big reason was that the seat revolved into backhoe position with room for my 65 year old long legs and big feet to turn around easily. Another was the creeper function that works from backhoe position. The greater reach is something you do use a lot. The spec is for greater digging depth, but how often does one do that? You use the greater horizontal reach everyday. And then there was the loader lift ability. We had a need to lift the occasional three to four thousand lb load and have it stay stable on a slight slope - but most do not.

There is a power & stability advantage to larger machines of course. But they will always be there. And since you are looking at used machines, I'd also not ignore the L39. It has that 12x8 glideshift transmission which is a plus, and a good reputation. Somewhat smaller, but rugged. You might save enough to get the thumb. It's just big enough to be a decent size tool for 10 acres.

Just so you know, it wasn't the smaller size that bothered me about the L39, and I think that 39 hp is plenty. My problem was getting into backhoe positon on the tractor and also with it's shorter wheelbase it bounced my back around more when carrying a bucketload down a dirt road. One L39 owner put a hydraulic damper on the loader lift arms to stop the hobby-horse bouncing. It's an inexpensive modification - standard on full size TLBs - that would benefit all of Kubota's TLBs. It's not just Kubota, all TLB's bounce too much in my opinion. Hard not to bounce when you have big soft tires, a lot of weight on both ends, and are frankly trying to go too fast... Someday I'll put his mod onto the M59
rScotty

I am looking into: L35, L39, L48, and M59. The M59 is simply too much money right now, although it does seem to check every single box one could want in a mid sized machine. The L35 isn't off the list, but the GST might not be the best with the hills I have. Everything I read about them has been very positive though. From what I have read, the L39 GST reacts quicker to shifts, and the extra 4 forward gears make it more usable overall. I would consider an L39 and test it out well, if I found any local that weren't beat to death. I am drawn to the 3k plus lift capacity on the L48 loader, and the longer hoe. It seems the extra reach of the hoe would be well worth having a slightly larger machine.

 

[fried1765]

I really should see if I can locate anyone serious about buying them. I've shown them to people, and everyone says they're worth money, but that's where it ends. I'd rather see them turned into something beyond firewood, and obviously some extra income would be nice. Thanks for bringing that up!

Also, thanks for the ripper trencher advice, I have seen them, and I'm sure they could be very useful as well.

Gun stock makers are ALWAYS looking for black walnut!

 

[cstamm81]

Good point, I was wondering what an L48 hoe with a thumb could pick up at full extension, pounds wise. I am normally working with 8 to 10 foot logs around 12 - 16 inches in diameter, the big boys don't come along all the time.