L48...info from personal experience for odd comparison?

[rutwad]

Well it looks like the L48 is the largest of the smallest TLB's. Understandably there is probably a huge difference between it's backhoe capacity and a JD 310e. But I would like more information from specs. or personal operating experience.

My father has owned a Case 530 CK longer than I have been around. It runs well, but it has definitley worn through the years. Now my father is ready to get a newer backhoe and has decided on a JD 310E or similiar.

It is his money and his decision, but I do not want to see him buy more than he needs. I am guessing the hyd. pump or pumps on the Case 530 have seen better days. Since it is almost 40 yrs. old, I am wondering how a L48 would compare to it in lifting and digging force. I have tried numerous times to get the specs on a 530ck, but I haven't found anything. Just for starters, I would love to know the weight of the 530 ck.

Now of course I know the JD 310 is much more of a TLB, but it is also alot more weight than the L48 and cost more.

Several of you may say that it depends on his needs. Well, I think it will be a 90% farm backhoe. The digging depth on either is more than we will ever need.

So can anybody help? THANKS

 

[john_bud]

He might be better off buying a used full size TLB. There is an interesting thread in the construction forum on just this topic.

jb

 

[curtisfarmer]

I have nothing but gratitude towards my L48 cause without it, my business would not be as productive. You should check out the other threads in the buying pricing forums.......many pages of posts detailing the benefits of the L48 and now the new M59. Also compares L39 vs. L48. I like the L48 hoe, no other TLB hoe has the brute force the BT1100 has. I have a 20" Hyd. thumb on mine and it is unbelievable versatile for many jobs from stonework, to mowing and clearing brush, digging, stumping,..... The L48 is now the last in the TLB lineup which still has the heavy duty "hard nose" and heavy metal construction comapred to fiberglass. Medium, which is the gear your L48 will spend most of its life, people complain it is slow. 4.7MPH to be exact. As of yet though, it is probably the best 10,000 lbs. machine around.

 

[mike69440]

If removing a lot of large stumps and heavy digging are a requirement, then the 310 is the way to go.

Stay and dry and cool, get the Cab on the 310.

3 point work, and general digging and trenching, then the L48 even L39 can do a lot. I know, I have a beefed up L39. On an existing piece of farmland, that should be all you need.

As a repacement for what you have, $25 to $40 K buys a lot of new full size back hoe in todays housing slump.

The answer is use dependent.

 

[rutwad]

Thanks guys. he is leaning toward a used 310. Besides, if he got the compact TLB he would always wish he had gotten the full size. So I guess it's better to do it from the start

 

[curtisfarmer]

until he needs the 3pt. hitch............

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Since this is for farm use and he has been using a CK for 40 years I am going to assume he has another tractor or two and doesn't need to use the backhoe for 3pt work.

 

[art]

I've run the old ck's and they to a degree are more then an L-48 as they have a 14' hoe that was normally attached. On the flip side they only weigh in at 9,000 lbs and that 14 foot hoe could move the tractor in more directions when digging then todays operators could understand. The hydraulics are far better on the L-48 although in there day the ck's were fine. My thoughts are even with a L-48's shorter reach you could still trench faster with an L-48. The loader work would be about the same way as the hoe, bucket normally is a little smaller on the L-48 for capacity but the speed of the L-48 would put it faster then the 530.

To put it in a nutshell, the L-48 would easily out work the ck do to being very close in weight but with more hydraulics. The 310, now that is moving into a whole larger catagory of machine as far as weight and performance.

 

[curtisfarmer]

Nothing beats HST with a 1 stick loader control. Very versatile. I do alot around my farm with my L48, and have several older fords, but I find my L48 is 1-2 generations better than my older stuff....and it makes a huge productivity difference. Sure isn't a row crop tractor though.

 

[rutwad]

they only weigh in at 9,000 lbs

That's higher than I would have guessed, but I have tried searching hard for that information. Do you happen to know any more specs on the 530ck?

Sounds like the L-48 would do fine, or even the new M-59. Given the leaks and worn out pumps, I'll bet the L-49 could work circles around the 530ck. Thanks