Do TLBs make "bad" tractors?

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Here is the list:

Snow moving. Have a plow to clear the driveway, but need an FEL to get the piles out of the way during winters like this or I lose access to my garages and my driveway becomes too narrow.

Tree/bush movement. Dig up larger bushes and relocate them. Dig out stumps from trees I cut for firewood.

Firewood operations. Move downed trees. Apply pressure to felling trees. Relocated pallets full of firewood from seasoning area to burning area. Tow around log splitter.

Flagstone patio. I need to build one.

Concrete patio: needs to go and something put in its place.

Pallet fork operations: load and unload ballast from plow truck. Firewood. Other general ops. This is where the loader specs of the TLBs shine to me.

Brush hog: I have about 4 acres to bush hog annually just to keep them from turning into woods.

Dirt work: maintain dirt bike/atv track.

Regrade a few areas around the driveway to aid in snow removal. I need to cut back some slopes to create room to push snow.

Fence: need to build a new fence around the pasture. Post hole digger rental.

Stuck vehicle: twice this winter I could have pulled my own truck/cars out of being stuck at my own house. Embarrassing, but truthful.

Trailer: relocate the trailer around the property more easily than the monster pickup.

Mowing: NO! Nothing will beat my 61" ZTR around my property.

This is pretty much how I wind up yearning after an L39. I keep looking at everything, and it seems best to just buy that. Buy it once and be happy. I have found a few nice used examples within driving distance with <500 hours for ~$25-28k. This is the same I would be spending on a 37hp L series in my area with T/L/B. The capabilities of the L35 just keep calling to me. I CAN move it around as I own a truck/trailer large enough already.

ac

The Kubota F models with a 72" front deck will eat it up in grass or in a parking lot. F models can do a few other tasks also but the ain't cheap.

 

[radioman]

All good points...
Bottom line is, you really need to know what you're going to do with the tractor, TLB or whatever.

Just reading the manufacturer's specs just doesn't cut it.

he nailed it! :thumbsup:

 

[avc8130]

The Kubota F models with a 72" front deck will eat it up in grass or in a parking lot. F models can do a few other tasks also but the ain't cheap.

Neat. But I think I will stick with the ZTR and a tractor to handle the implements.
ac

 

[Tom_H]

I want to add one term to the discussion: Utility Tractor. As said before, a TLB is primarily designed to excavate with the BH, then load into a dump truck with the FEL. It does not lend itself easily to swapping implements, except for quickly changing BH bucket sizes and a roller/compactor for backfilling trenches. A Utility Tractor, on the other hand, is designed for versatility. It is a utilitarian machine, meaning it is designed to do many things fairly well, while not specializing in one or two things. Most of us have a UT, a CUT, or a SCUT. Utility tractors are not as heavy duty as TLBs, however, in their "utilitarian" design, it is far easier to change implements for the task at hand. A BX25 is not a true TLB; it comes with a BH, but it is in reality a SCUT. For totally specialized jobs, there are dedicated machines like ZTRs and tracked front excavators; these specialized machines are very non-utilitarian. A TLB is not a "bad" tractor; it is just not a utility tractor.

 

[Jeff Lary]

I have a Kubota L2950 with Woods 7'6" back hoe mounted on a sub frame w/fel I love it i dig couple of hunderd feet of ditches on my network of woods roads each year i have installed 20 or so culverts some for me some for others.I dug my foundation for our new home addition. and countless other things .In my situation life without a Back hoe would not be an option.If my rig burned to the ground today I woud buy brand new tomorrow and thats no joke. my Experience with track hoes get me a little over zellous wth my own rig but thats half the fun .Cound not live without one now ,no freakin way.

 

[Argosy]

You had the wrong ones.

Not even. They are great machines, but they aren't multipurpose tractors. The OP needs to understand while looking at the weight capacities, etc., there are trade offs.

 

[avc8130]

There's only one term I want to add to the discussion: Utility Tractor. As said before, a TLB is primarily designed to excavate with the BH, then load into a dump truck with the FEL. It does not lend itself easily to swapping implements, except for quickly changing BH bucket sizes and a roller/compactor for backfilling trenches. A Utility Tractor, on the other hand, is designed for versatility. It is a utilitarian machine, meaning it is designed to do many things fairly well, while not specializing in one or two things. Most of us have a UT, a CUT, or a SCUT. Utility tractors are not as heavy duty as TLBs, however, in their "utilitarian" design, it is far easier to change implements for the task at hand. A BX25 is not a true TLB; it comes with a BH, but it is in reality a SCUT. For totally specialized jobs, there are machines like front mowers and tracked front excavators; these specialized machines are very non-utilitarian.

I have dug through the manuals and procedures to pull the backhoes off a few tractors. From what I see, if you have a CUT w/ subframe backhoe, it is pretty much the same procedure as pulling the backhoe off an L series TLB.

Once the backhoe is off, there sits the 3pt hitch, same on both...right?

Yes the FEL is "stuck" on, but the bucket is quick release.

Am I really missing something with how the L series TLB is less "good" all-around? Or is it just that most can't justify/afford the extra cost and then they make up "reasons" the TLB series isn't as good as a utilitarian tractor?
ac

 

[TripleR]

I have dug through the manuals and procedures to pull the backhoes off a few tractors. From what I see, if you have a CUT w/ subframe backhoe, it is pretty much the same procedure as pulling the backhoe off an L series TLB.

Once the backhoe is off, there sits the 3pt hitch, same on both...right?

Yes the FEL is "stuck" on, but the bucket is quick release.

Am I really missing something with how the L series TLB is less "good" all-around? Or is it just that most can't justify/afford the extra cost and then they make up "reasons" the TLB series isn't as good as a utilitarian tractor?
ac

I think that is pretty much going to depend on the user and use of the equipment. We have two hill farms and not being able to take the FEL off for use on our steep hillsides is unacceptable, so a TLB is simply out of the question for our use. There is daylight and dark difference between how our tractors handle with and without the FEL.

We have an older model Case backhoe we no longer use and when we need to dig something, we just go rent an excavator. I must admit I am tempted from time to time, to get a tractor with a backhoe, but it just doesn't make sense economically for us right now. I may at some time in the future and I will pick something which has the capability to remove the FEL to increase the utility of the machine.

 

[Tom_H]

I have dug through the manuals and procedures to pull the backhoes off a few tractors. From what I see, if you have a CUT w/ subframe backhoe, it is pretty much the same procedure as pulling the backhoe off an L series TLB.

Once the backhoe is off, there sits the 3pt hitch, same on both...right?

Yes the FEL is "stuck" on, but the bucket is quick release.

Am I really missing something with how the L series TLB is less "good" all-around? Or is it just that most can't justify/afford the extra cost and then they make up "reasons" the TLB series isn't as good as a utilitarian tractor?
ac

I think modern tractors have outgrown some of the older terminology. Some of the older really commercial rigs didn't have the BH that popped off quickly. Some of the newer tractors are quasi-hybrids between true TLBs and UTs. I would not consider any L a heavy duty commercial tractor; you surely don't see it digging up sewer and water mains down the center of six lane thoroughfares. Instead you see true TLBs that are yellow, built by Case and Deere (commercial Deeres are yellow, not green).

 

[ryer]

A regular ag tractor Kubota or otherwise is really not designed to move dirt day in and day out. A TLB is. This is because of the bigger GPM pumps, larger cylinders and mainly because of the heavy duty one piece no twist frame. It also depends on how often you really are going to use the tractor, a lot of guy put maybe 50-200 hours a year on their tractor...but if you are like me (1000 hours on L39 in 23 months and 500 hours on B26 in 12 months) then the heavy duty structure pays off. The TLBs do cost you quite a bit more up front but if you are really going to be running the tractor 6-8 hours a day, in my expirience the TLBs hold together well. Like I said before in this post I can go from digging a stump with the backhoe to pulling a box blade or shredding in about 15 minutes then I can go back to backhoe in about the same amount of time. I simply leave my backhoe off most of the time and leave the 3 point hitch connected with a quick hitch...so now it is like a regular tractor. I can switch from implement to implement in under 2 minutes...so I do not see the down side to this set up. Just my 2 cents.
Ryer

P.S. find the size tractor you think you will need...and buy the next size up or you will always wish you had