M62 TLB for Maintaining Hilly Land ?

[Smokeydog]

My solution for outrigger feet.

Then improved steps for climbing up and down. Unless you have a ground crew there seems to be a lot up and down.

 

[AuCivil]

Got my quote today 107+tax Anybody in the market for a kidney?

Dealer also said no spacers were available for the rear wheels and if aftermarket ones were added it will void the warranty.

Also been watching a bunch of videos about how unstable tractors are on slopes. I've used tractors on a sporadic basis for 50 years and have taken my JD4710 a bunch of places the last 20 years that I apparently shouldn't have. Now that I've been educated, I'm scared to drive on flat ground. I've turned into a pudd'in. If you're belted in, won't the ROPS protect you unless you bounce down a hill?

The m62 does have a lot of weight at the bottom of the tractor frame which should lower the center of gravity thus increasing stability. Not sure it would offset the 14' hoe.

 

[rScotty]

Got my quote today 107+tax Anybody in the market for a kidney?

Dealer also said no spacers were available for the rear wheels and if aftermarket ones were added it will void the warranty.

Also been watching a bunch of videos about how unstable tractors are on slopes. I've used tractors on a sporadic basis for 50 years and have taken my JD4710 a bunch of places the last 20 years that I apparently shouldn't have. Now that I've been educated, I'm scared to drive on flat ground. I've turned into a pudd'in. If you're belted in, won't the ROPS protect you unless you bounce down a hill?

The m62 does have a lot of weight at the bottom of the tractor frame which should lower the center of gravity thus increasing stability. Not sure it would offset the 14' hoe.

TLBs are more stable than tractors, and both can be somewhat comfortable to downright scary on hills - but you already know all that.
I'd still hire a landscaping savant on a dozer to do all the the main work first. Afterwards you will have flat areas that still need a lot of work - but it will be safe work. Working them will be a good way to learn about the TLB.

On price, I wonder what that machine costs if it has a few hrs of demo time on it and without all the bells and whistles? All you really need is a 3pt kit, a thumb, heavy FEL bucket, and maybe a 3rd function.
For comparison, that combo on an M59 in 2010 was quoted to my neighbor at $56K (without tax) - which would be about $80K now using inflation-adjusted dollars.

BTW, there is an inflation calculator (Consumer Price Index) at U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics if you are curious about inflation adjusted prices.

 

[AuCivil]

TLBs are more stable than tractors, and both can be somewhat comfortable to downright scary on hills - but you already know all that.
I'd still hire a landscaping savant on a dozer to do all the the main work first. Afterwards you will have flat areas that still need a lot of work - but it will be safe work. Working them will be a good way to learn about the TLB.

On price, I wonder what that machine costs if it has a few hrs of demo time on it and without all the bells and whistles? All you really need is a 3pt kit, a thumb, heavy FEL bucket, and maybe a 3rd function.
For comparison, that combo on an M59 in 2010 was quoted to my neighbor at $56K (without tax) - which would be about $80K now using inflation-adjusted dollars.

BTW, there is an inflation calculator (Consumer Price Index) at U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics if you are curious about inflation adjusted prices.

New unit less the top/tilt, extra rear Hydraulics ports, 4-1 bucket, hyd loader bucket attach, one BH bucket and telematics may be around 93K which seems to jive with the ads I've seen. Not sure what a demo discount would be but finding one around here would be like finding a needle in a haystack.

A lot of the areas I'm planning to use for trails are 30+ year old logging roads. They have filled in some but are still somewhat flat.

Would you drive your M59 w/ BH attached forward up a 35-40% slope? How much does the backhoe affect stability?

 

[Smokeydog]

Really surprised your combined price wasn’t higher and a year wait. That’s a lot of extras. There is some economy of scale buying all at once. Don’t expect you will be putting major hours on all attachments. Some of the attachments could be bought used after.

Used prices vary so much by region. Similar machines vary 30% say from New York to Texas.

I operate on a hillside every time I use one. Moving trees, carrying weight, swing boom, outriggers partially down just in case is just part of the ballet. Looks effortless but takes skill building, practice, patience and more practice.

While I’ve owned and used several different backhoes I’m nowhere as skilled or as fast as full time operators.

 

[rScotty]

New unit less the top/tilt, extra rear Hydraulics ports, 4-1 bucket, hyd loader bucket attach, one BH bucket and telematics may be around 93K which seems to jive with the ads I've seen. Not sure what a demo discount would be but finding one around here would be like finding a needle in a haystack.

A lot of the areas I'm planning to use for trails are 30+ year old logging roads. They have filled in some but are still somewhat flat.

Would you drive your M59 w/ BH attached forward up a 35-40% slope? How much does the backhoe affect stability?

That's fair. A demo is a unit used to sell new ones. It's a common sales technique - or used to be. Our M59 was a demo from the state fair. It had about 25 hours on it.... mostly at an idle....back in the days when diesels were made to idle. Tell us what use you plan for Telematics?

A 30 to 40% grade? For short stretches of established road - like mountain driveways and logging roads - I think I've seen that much slope and people seem to be willing to drive it in the summer. I wonder what the limits are? Slope is difficult to estimate; maybe I'll go out and measure a few instead of guessing.

I do know that for unimproved ground, wet, or snow there is never a need to drive on a slope so steep that a machine cannot work on it or even turn around. Most machines - including farm tractors - can go straight up and down a slope that is too steep to work on. It makes more sense to just go around.

BTW, last year I just watched a local contractor take a JD 310 4x4 backhoe up an even steeper slope to do some work. The slope was grassy and too steep to walk. He did it be cutting a series of steps into the hillside. So it can be done - but it looked pretty foolish to me. I wouldn't do it that way; I'd go around.

 

[AuCivil]

Telematics is not a requirement but appears to aid in keeping the tractor maintained and running.

The 200-400 ft. streches 30-40% slope is on some of my access roads. Can't go around. Have traversed them with my 4710 w loader and rotary cutter when it's dry and with SXS when damp.

 

[Smokeydog]

Yesterday was cool and decided to clean up a neglected field down by the lake and railroad track. Hadn’t been cut for 7-8 years and not by the M59. Spent a couple of hours cutting kudzu, small trees up to 8-10” and moving large trees that had uprooted. The M59 and brown cutter performed great and did a good job clearing and opening up the field. A wildfire last week on the other side of the track had smoke and ash falling on my side. Needed to provide better access.

Going back decided to clear a steep old logging road. In about the worst spot going uphill the tractor quit. 10-11year old OEM battery doesn’t have much left. Walked out and returned with 5 gallons fuel and jumper cables. Tight fit for the truck headed down hill and backing up would be a challenge. Tried several times to start no go. Air bleed on injection pump open. Decided to let them spend the night connected together.

Today carried another 5 gallons of fuel in. Fuel getting to filter. Filter bowl had clean fuel. Changed filter last year. Fuel flowing past lift pump and pulsed when trying to start. Finally trying to start. Took several times allowing starter to cool in between tries. Finally got her going again.

Tilt meters on roof ROPS 15* Backing down got to 18-19* to the creek road. Wife drove it home from there while I got the truck. Glad I didn’t have to back out.

Still not sure why it ran out of fuel.

On side slope always cautious. 10-15* I move real cautious and slow. Depends of the operation.

 

[AuCivil]

Yesterday was cool and decided to clean up a neglected field down by the lake and railroad track. Hadn’t been cut for 7-8 years and not by the M59. Spent a couple of hours cutting kudzu, small trees up to 8-10” and moving large trees that had uprooted. The M59 and brown cutter performed great and did a good job clearing and opening up the field. A wildfire last week on the other side of the track had smoke and ash falling on my side. Needed to provide better access.

Going back decided to clear a steep old logging road. In about the worst spot going uphill the tractor quit. 10-11year old OEM battery doesn’t have much left. Walked out and returned with 5 gallons fuel and jumper cables. Tight fit for the truck headed down hill and backing up would be a challenge. Tried several times to start no go. Air bleed on injection pump open. Decided to let them spend the night connected together.

Today carried another 5 gallons of fuel in. Fuel getting to filter. Filter bowl had clean fuel. Changed filter last year. Fuel flowing past lift pump and pulsed when trying to start. Finally trying to start. Took several times allowing starter to cool in between tries. Finally got her going again.

Tilt meters on roof ROPS 15* Backing down got to 18-19* to the creek road. Wife drove it home from there while I got the truck. Glad I didn’t have to back out.

Still not sure why it ran out of fuel.

On side slope always cautious. 10-15* I move real cautious and slow. Depends of the operation.

Hope you figure out why it died. Had a JD that got fungus in the fuel and it would die on a steep slope.

If that's side to side, 15 degrees (27%) to 19 degrees (34%) cross slope is pretty good.

 

[mike69440]

I agree that the stabilizers could use some improvements. They do work, but could do much better. The factory steel feet have an inverted U shape that makes a pretty good ski fore and aft. In the lateral direction, they are simply too small and too close in to do what they should.

For starters, they could have a heavy corrugated rubber bottom, plus maybe some spikes at the corners, have twice the footprint, and stick out farther. The basic shoe seems sturdy enough to add those features, ...even as bolt-ons. One thing to watch is with the M59 it is possible to swing the bucket far enough to foul the stabilizers. I don't know if that is still the case with the M62.

Anyway, the stabilizer feet are an easy mod.

rScotty

If the L39 is my last tractor, I’ll will be happy with that. Besides, I'm too old to do all those mods over again. I have very much enjoyed using it. I'd be on my 3rd std Ag. tractor the same size, as I would have killed a lesser machine. Why is everyones tractor shinier than mine? I think it is possible to swing the bucket far enough to wack the stabilizers on all Kubota TLBs.

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