John Deere 110 vs Kubota M59

[Martian]

Yes, the extension bolts on top of the standard ballast box. Just taller - more space to fill - and HEAVIER!

The backhoe sits out there a long ways! Quite a bit farther than either a box blade or the ballast box. Gotta pay a bit more attention when that hoe is on the tractor. The cylinder rod for the bucket curl is a shiny, smooth "target" just waiting for a nick or gouge!

IMO - if you have a need for a box blade - and they are very handy to have... it's a better investment than a ballast box. You can dress up a ballast box - for shovels, rakes, axes and chains, straps - but it's the wrong tool for grading, leveling and maintaining trails and driveways! Plus they can do extra duty moving snow.

But... a good, HD box blade is expensive. Yes, the heavier ones do a better job - IMO.

Don't forget - proper ballasting saves your front drive from excessive wear and tear - as well as extends the life of your rear tires (always spinning when the rear end is too light).

AKfish

Very true about that back cylinder - really didn't think about that. I could definitely have the use for a box blade. I take it there's not much maneuverability difference between the box blade and rear ballast. If I get a box blade would you see any use for a ballast box as well? Really wouldn't want to have both of those expenses. And I did not know you could use a box blade for snow - figured they'd tear up the drive - I do have asphalt drive if that makes any difference. But could use it for that. I've found my 3120 is really light in the snow with just the back blade on and the box blade could work out well for the more weight. Would you recommend the hydraulic box blades? I've seen more of them in the weight class Deere recommends. Is there anyway to add weight to a box blade?


EDIT: Also I looked at my back blade and it is a RB1084. Anyone know if it's iMatch compatible?

 

[jenkinsph]

MTM, I would hit the large rental yards and look for a good deal on a used heavy duty boxblade. Old and rusty is fine, cracked, warped or welded all over is not.

I am going to play politician here and change my story. Forget the ballast box and put that money into the hd box blade or IMatch instead.

About the IMatch, the believers are people who have it with the implements setup correctly, the naysayers either haven't used it or did not take the time to set up the implements. IMatch is cheaper than telescopic links too.

I am sure AKfish would agree that trying to hook up your new 110 with standard hitch arms to a clevis style implement that weighs over 1000 lbs. is a PITA by yourself. Telescopic links are a lifesaver, IMatch is even better.

 

[Martian]

MTM, I would hit the large rental yards and look for a good deal on a used heavy duty boxblade. Old and rusty is fine, cracked, warped or welded all over is not.

I am going to play politician here and change my story. Forget the ballast box and put that money into the hd box blade or IMatch instead.

About the IMatch, the believers are people who have it with the implements setup correctly, the naysayers either haven't used it or did not take the time to set up the implements. IMatch is cheaper than telescopic links too.

I am sure AKfish would agree that trying to hook up your new 110 with standard hitch arms to a clevis style implement that weighs over 1000 lbs. is a PITA by yourself. Telescopic links are a lifesaver, IMatch is even better.

I have a large auction repossession company right by my house that sells a lot of really good stuff for very cheap. I watch that regularly. They've sold everything there - if I had my 110 already they have a hydraulic snow blade for auction on thursday. But I will be watching there for sure for a good deal. They sold one a couple weeks ago for around $400. It looked pretty heavy but I just browsed by it.

That is what I am thinking as well. I will let the box blade double as a ballast. If I find heavy duty box blade, but still not quite 1200 pounds do you know anyway to add weight to a box blade?

How much do telescopic links run?

 

[CurlyDave]

I have never wanted a ballast box for my 110 TLB. The hoe is a much more versatile ballast than any box could ever be. Most of the time, I tuck it in in the "normal" storage position, but if I have to go downhill with a load in the bucket, I can extend it full length to the rear and slow way down.

While it doesn't add any weight, it does move the center of mass of the hoe back a few feet, making the weight more effective.

And, on a side hill, I can extend the hoe to the uphill side, to give a lot more stability than any ballast box. Again, go slow and constantly watch the extended hoe so you don't run it into something.

While I have scarred one outrigger piston, I was able to repair it easily. I just don't think any of the pistons on the hoe are in real danger. You are not going to ding them hitting a tree, only a rock outcropping or a steel post is going to cause damage, and that is avoidable.

 

[Martian]

I have never wanted a ballast box for my 110 TLB. The hoe is a much more versatile ballast than any box could ever be. Most of the time, I tuck it in in the "normal" storage position, but if I have to go downhill with a load in the bucket, I can extend it full length to the rear and slow way down.

While it doesn't add any weight, it does move the center of mass of the hoe back a few feet, making the weight more effective.

And, on a side hill, I can extend the hoe to the uphill side, to give a lot more stability than any ballast box. Again, go slow and constantly watch the extended hoe so you don't run it into something.

While I have scarred one outrigger piston, I was able to repair it easily. I just don't think any of the pistons on the hoe are in real danger. You are not going to ding them hitting a tree, only a rock outcropping or a steel post is going to cause damage, and that is avoidable.

I will have the backhoe on 90% of the time. The other 10% will be a lot of grading and I would want sufficient ballast for while I was grading as well if I needed to lift something. I guess I shouldn't say I'm looking for a ballast for a 110 with the auxiliary purpose of grading but looking for a box blade to grade with the auxiliary purpose of being a ballast.

 

[jenkinsph]

I will have the backhoe on 90% of the time. The other 10% will be a lot of grading and I would want sufficient ballast for while I was grading as well if I needed to lift something. I guess I shouldn't say I'm looking for a ballast for a 110 with the auxiliary purpose of grading but looking for a box blade to grade with the auxiliary purpose of being a ballast.

My experience has been about 50% loader/backhoe 40% tractor/3ph and 10% subcompact/3ph.

If you use forks or grapple to move trees, limbs and stumps while using the backhoe to dig up the stumps you can wind up with quite alot of ground to smooth up. The smoothing and grading will take more time if you do a good job.

 

[AKfish]

My experience has been about 50% loader/backhoe 40% tractor/3ph and 10% subcompact/3ph.

If you use forks or grapple to move trees, limbs and stumps while using the backhoe to dig up the stumps you can wind up with quite alot of ground to smooth up. The smoothing and grading will take more time if you do a good job.

My uses are somewhat different than either Steve's or Dave's. I've got a small hobby farm. With steel, horse corral panels and high steel arches over the gates. Of course, there's fences as well. And barns and sheds.

Having the backhoe on all the time in the midst of those obstacles is problematic... while I haven't damaged the curl cylinder; I have bent/broken the grease zerk at the bottom of the shaft. Replacing reqired chasing the threads.

And I've only once wrecked a piece of 1"x4" trim on a shed with the hoe. 'Course all the trees I've hit with it while manuevering... Long story short - only having a ballast box or rear blade or box blade hanging on the 3pt - is sometimes a nice relief!

So, I likely use the tractor 50% of the time; at least - without the hoe.

AKfish

 

[Martian]

Wow, I guess the way you guys talk is that the BH being off offers a lot better maneuverability. I guess we'll have to see what happens but from the sounds I will obviously need a good ballast. I've been looking at the weights of a lot of BB's but the ones that aren't hydraulic are usually in the 5-800 pound range. Does anyone know how to add weight to a box blade or will I just have to find one that weighs the right amount?

 

[AKfish]

Wow, I guess the way you guys talk is that the BH being off offers a lot better maneuverability. I guess we'll have to see what happens but from the sounds I will obviously need a good ballast. I've been looking at the weights of a lot of BB's but the ones that aren't hydraulic are usually in the 5-800 pound range. Does anyone know how to add weight to a box blade or will I just have to find one that weighs the right amount?

I've got an older, Cat I JD45 rear blade - 7'. Probably weighs in the neighborhood of 350lbs. I added a couple of sections of 90lb/ft. of railroad rail to the top of the blade. Welded 6-1"1/4" bolts along the curved top lip of the blade; drilled the railroad rail and bolted the sections. Likely 4' total.

Then I scrounged up a 7' section of serrated ice-blade from a DOT roadgrader. Drilled and bolted it onto the front face of the existing flat edge blade. Likely 75lbs at least.

That could add quite a bit of weight and structural firmness to a medium duty box blade.

AKfish

 

[Martian]

I've got an older, Cat I JD45 rear blade - 7'. Probably weighs in the neighborhood of 350lbs. I added a couple of sections of 90lb/ft. of railroad rail to the top of the blade. Welded 6-1"1/4" bolts along the curved top lip of the blade; drilled the railroad rail and bolted the sections. Likely 4' total.

Then I scrounged up a 7' section of serrated ice-blade from a DOT roadgrader. Drilled and bolted it onto the front face of the existing flat edge blade. Likely 75lbs at least.

That could add quite a bit of weight and structural firmness to a medium duty box blade.

AKfish

Alright, at least this way I know I have the option of adding weight.

Another question I have is that I was looking into pallet forks as well. Not super important, but figured they'd be handy to tote stuff around. What's the main difference between the screw on bucket ones and the bracket mount? I would ideally get the SSQA ones but how do the bucket ones work, for the price they don't seem to bad.