Shopping advice CTL vs TLB

[matt777]

Hi Everyone,

I recently bought a 50+ acre property in central California and I'm looking for a single piece of equipment that will handle most of what I need. The land is rolling hills, rocky, loosely covered with scrub oaks and pines, with some areas grassy. I'd like to build roads, trails, surface ditches, retaining walls/terraces/planters, remove trees and brush, mow/brush hog, trench for irrigation/electrical, etc.

I'm trying to decide between a CTL such as a Cat 299, Deere 333E, etc., or a TLB like a Case 580, Deere 110, 310, Cat 422, etc. These models are to give an idea of the range I'm considering, but ultimately I hope to buy a used machine with 2-3k hours and will look for a good value.

I settled on this range because I'd like weight and power for digging, clearing trees and brush, and moving large rocks or stumps. I'm also paying attention to hydraulic flow for attachments.

I'm writing to ask for people's impressions about the range of attachments available to these two styles of equipment. There is a huge selection of "skid steer" attachments that i guess would easily go on a CTL. So one question is:

1) How easily can "skid steer" hydraulic attachments be fit to the front end of a TLB like the Deere 110, Cat 422, etc. How would I know or what would I look for in the specs? Currently I am only looking at hydraulic flow and HP. Do I just get a plate that bolts onto the loader?

2) A related question is how easily can the backhoe be removed from these TLBs, and can a 3-point PTO attachment be mounted in its place? What about something that mounts to the 3-point but is powered by hydraulics?

Finally, 3) Would it make sense to mount certain attachments to the backhoe? For example, given the choice between a "skid steer" auger attachment and an auger that's meant for a backhoe, which would be preferable? Would they be interchangeable with the right 3rd party adaptor?

The attachments I'm considering are: chipper, flail mower, auger, grapple, (maybe) stump grinder, (maybe) forestry mulcher, and box blade.

4) What else haven't I thought of?

Thanks for your consideration!

 

[oldnslo]

Unless things have changed a true TLB like you are looking do not have detachable backhoe and do not have 3 point or PTO.

Front loader might have a high flow option for running implements but would be an option not a standard feature.

 

[two_bit_score]

'm trying to decide between a CTL such as a Cat 299, Deere 333E, etc., or a TLB like a Case 580, Deere 110, 310, Cat 422, etc. These models are to give an idea of the range I'm considering, but ultimately I hope to buy a used machine with 2-3k hours and will look for a good value.

There is a large difference in a JD110 TLB and the other TLB's you mentioned. THe 110 is a versitle machine but it's not on the size or power level of a 310. It's also no where as strong as a JD 333 CTL. Apples to grapefruits.

I initially thought the CTL like the JD 333 would be a good choice for you with all the things you want to do until I noticed you said your ground was "rocky". CTL tracks are rubber and rocky ground can be hard on them.

Have you looked at a Bobcat Versahandler?

https://www.bobcat.com/na/en/equipment/telehandlers

I don't have one and I've never used one. But a guy on here has one and is a big proponent of them. @Xfaxman are you listening?

 

[matt777]

Thanks for the pointers.

Regarding telehandlers, the Bobcat TL519 weighs 9898 lbs with 74 hp and 21 aux GPM, so it's in the sweet spot. It seems like the shift to "ground engaging" telehandlers is somewhat recent, so I might be priced out of the used market, but I will keep looking.

Regarding the ground, there are rocks, but most areas are dirt. I wouldn't use it to climb boulders, but I would drive over the occasional low outcropping. If wheels are preferable the JD 326 looks promising.

Regarding the JD 110, it seems to have it all if it was more powerful. I watched a video of a guy switching from mower to backhoe in about 10 minutes. If I went with something more like a "true TLB", I guess I would give up PTO attachments, but gain the flow to do front end attachments, and this might be the best case.

Please let me know if you think of anything else.

 

[D&D]

Thanks for the pointers.

Regarding telehandlers, the Bobcat TL519 weighs 9898 lbs with 74 hp and 21 aux GPM, so it's in the sweet spot. It seems like the shift to "ground engaging" telehandlers is somewhat recent, so I might be priced out of the used market, but I will keep looking.

Regarding the ground, there are rocks, but most areas are dirt. I wouldn't use it to climb boulders, but I would drive over the occasional low outcropping. If wheels are preferable the JD 326 looks promising.

Regarding the JD 110, it seems to have it all if it was more powerful. I watched a video of a guy switching from mower to backhoe in about 10 minutes. If I went with something more like a "true TLB", I guess I would give up PTO attachments, but gain the flow to do front end attachments, and this might be the best case.

Please let me know if you think of anything else.

You might look at the Kubota M59/ M62 vs the JD 110. I would also look at the jcb side entry skidsteers. Wheels vs tracks, ctl vs tlb, there is not a one size fits all.

 

[ruffdog]

I think the neighbor has a Cat TH460 B and he loves it. He has been an excavator his whole life and the telehandler is very versatile.

 

[matt777]

@D&D the Kubota M59/M62 is a great suggestion. For the M62: 8924 lbs, 63 hp, 31 GPM with PTO and 3PH (so clearly the backhoe is removable). This would probably meet all of my needs if I could find a used one in the 3000 hour range.

RE the JCB skid steers, the 300/300T is in the right range with the choice of tracks or wheels. Do you think the Kubota M62 could run the same attachments as the JCB 300? This might be where the trade-off comes in.

@ruffdog Can you give more description? The Cat TH460B looks like a great choice, and they seem to last forever with many listed over 10,000 hours. I found an encouraging video of a telehandler running a trencher here:

I would love to hear about a forestry mulcher or chipper on a telehandler.

 

[ruffdog]

@ruffdog Can you give more description? The Cat TH460B looks like a great choice, and they seem to last forever with many listed over 10,000 hours.

After he got the TH he sold his wheel loader. He has big forks, bucket, grapple, work basket, for it but I've never seen him run any hyd motor with it. Maybe his doesn't have the extra hyd capacity????

 

[4570Man]

A CTL is a way better loader than a backhoe is. The downside is the CTL can’t very well do backhoe jobs and the backhoe obviously can. A Deere 110/ Kubota m59 is a long way apart from a real backhoe like a Deere 310. The little backhoes have factory installed skid steer couplers on the loader. They both have factory installed 3 point hitches. It’s not a big deal to swap out the backhoe and use them. Some of the newer model backhoes have quick attach buckets but the old ones with appealing prices basically never did. You’d have your work cut out for you trying to convert one. The backhoes on the full size ones aren’t removable.

 

[rScotty]

Hi Everyone,

I recently bought a 50+ acre property in central California and I'm looking for a single piece of equipment that will handle most of what I need. The land is rolling hills, rocky, loosely covered with scrub oaks and pines, with some areas grassy. I'd like to build roads, trails, surface ditches, retaining walls/terraces/planters, remove trees and brush, mow/brush hog, trench for irrigation/electrical, etc.

I'm trying to decide between a CTL such as a Cat 299, Deere 333E, etc., or a TLB like a Case 580, Deere 110, 310, Cat 422, etc. These models are to give an idea of the range I'm considering, but ultimately I hope to buy a used machine with 2-3k hours and will look for a good value.

I settled on this range because I'd like weight and power for digging, clearing trees and brush, and moving large rocks or stumps. I'm also paying attention to hydraulic flow for attachments.

I'm writing to ask for people's impressions about the range of attachments available to these two styles of equipment. There is a huge selection of "skid steer" attachments that i guess would easily go on a CTL. So one question is:

1) How easily can "skid steer" hydraulic attachments be fit to the front end of a TLB like the Deere 110, Cat 422, etc. How would I know or what would I look for in the specs? Currently I am only looking at hydraulic flow and HP. Do I just get a plate that bolts onto the loader?

2) A related question is how easily can the backhoe be removed from these TLBs, and can a 3-point PTO attachment be mounted in its place? What about something that mounts to the 3-point but is powered by hydraulics?

Finally, 3) Would it make sense to mount certain attachments to the backhoe? For example, given the choice between a "skid steer" auger attachment and an auger that's meant for a backhoe, which would be preferable? Would they be interchangeable with the right 3rd party adaptor?

The attachments I'm considering are: chipper, flail mower, auger, grapple, (maybe) stump grinder, (maybe) forestry mulcher, and box blade.

4) What else haven't I thought of?

Thanks for your consideration!

We had the same sort of work to do on our property. After having some experience with CTLs and lots with tractors and TLBs we chose the TLBs. Right now have a Kubota M59 bought new in 2008, and a Deere 310SG bought used 2014.
Both are excellent, strong, & durable. I am older, and like my comforts. the M59 has a thumb and optional 3pt. The 310 has a large cab with heat and AC. Cab is big enough for a dog and buddy seat.

We enjoy doing our own landscaping, design, and building - but just for ourselves and friends. We do other things professionally. So tractors are now just a hobby for us. Being rural folks, we've had about a dozen tractors through the years.



To your questions:
1. Attachments: TLBs generally can use the same attachments as Skid Steers do. In fact the M59 has a skid steer quick attach plate as part of the standard FEL, and decent front remote hydraulic flow. So any attachment that will work on a CTL will work on the M59 as well - with the exception of hydraulic flow rate. More flow rate is available, but needs to be run off the M59's PTO hydraulics.
The Deere 310SG does not have the adapter plate for CTL accessories. It is available, would have to be added. Cost is about 1K. The 310 has huge high flow hydraulics.

2. Removing BH & 3pt. The M59 backhoe can be removed and the Cat. 2 3pt hitch mounted. Takes about 30 minutes doing it without fuss. Hydraulic outlets are the same as on any tractor with rear remotes.... or front remotes for that matter.
The Deere 310SG backhoe is NOT removable. There is no 3pt. It is a purpose built machine, and much more heavily built than the M59. The M59 is the 60 hp Swiss Army knife of tractors, the 310 is twice as powerful.

3. Other Attachments. The backhoe buckets on both TLBs are themselves quick attach type with extra hydraulics. That means a variety of buckets as well as other attachments can be quickly mounted to the backhoe boom. That option is not available with the CTL. Things like posthole diggers, clamshell grabbers, breakers, cutters.... flails...etc.
Backhoes also make excellent cranes for moving things. In fact, we use that feature of the BH more than we dig with them.
Either machine will run most rental attachments.

4. Things Not Thought of: CTLs have better traction, but you sit low and have to get into them by crawling over the bucket. You eat a lot of dust when working.
TLBs have you sitting above the work and looking down. Traction is not as good as a CTL - even though both TLBs are 4wd.
We sometimes hop on and take our TLB a few miles down the road to town or to neighbors. Traveling any distance like that on a CTL is a non-starter.

The M59 doesn't have the power of the CTL. It only lifts 4000 lbs in the bucket, but does have a 6 speed HST.
The Deere has plenty of power for everything. Roughly double the capacity of the M59. Lifts over 8000 lbs.
For getting into or out of a tight spot, either machine can lift itself with its backhoe.

Things not considered... I love the open cab on the M59... in the spring, summer, and fall. Winter not so much. Wish I had bought a thumb for the JD310SG. A BH thumb is so versatile it almost doubles the usability.
Why two? Well, we have a lot of dirt & rocks that need moving. The M59 with its backhoe can load up the 310 FEL bucket. The 310 then becomes our dump truck for moving dirt and rocks while the M59 is the more precise machine for spreading dirt or placing rock walls.
luck.
rScotty

 

[mikester]

Hi Everyone,

I recently bought a 50+ acre property in central California and I'm looking for a single piece of equipment that will handle most of what I need. The land is rolling hills, rocky, loosely covered with scrub oaks and pines, with some areas grassy. I'd like to build roads, trails, surface ditches, retaining walls/terraces/planters, remove trees and brush, mow/brush hog, trench for irrigation/electrical, etc.

I'm trying to decide between a CTL such as a Cat 299, Deere 333E, etc., or a TLB like a Case 580, Deere 110, 310, Cat 422, etc. These models are to give an idea of the range I'm considering, but ultimately I hope to buy a used machine with 2-3k hours and will look for a good value.

I settled on this range because I'd like weight and power for digging, clearing trees and brush, and moving large rocks or stumps. I'm also paying attention to hydraulic flow for attachments.

I'm writing to ask for people's impressions about the range of attachments available to these two styles of equipment. There is a huge selection of "skid steer" attachments that i guess would easily go on a CTL. So one question is:

1) How easily can "skid steer" hydraulic attachments be fit to the front end of a TLB like the Deere 110, Cat 422, etc. How would I know or what would I look for in the specs? Currently I am only looking at hydraulic flow and HP. Do I just get a plate that bolts onto the loader?

2) A related question is how easily can the backhoe be removed from these TLBs, and can a 3-point PTO attachment be mounted in its place? What about something that mounts to the 3-point but is powered by hydraulics?

Finally, 3) Would it make sense to mount certain attachments to the backhoe? For example, given the choice between a "skid steer" auger attachment and an auger that's meant for a backhoe, which would be preferable? Would they be interchangeable with the right 3rd party adaptor?

The attachments I'm considering are: chipper, flail mower, auger, grapple, (maybe) stump grinder, (maybe) forestry mulcher, and box blade.

4) What else haven't I thought of?

Thanks for your consideration!

Get a 20 ton excavator with a front blade and hiflo remote hydraulics, thumb, grapple rotator and wrist.

CTL's are handy compact machines but they are still death traps. I'd rather have something like a late model CAT420IT or bigger. TLB's have superior visibility compared to CTL's. Don't buy a machine without ride control.

Check out these mini-x machines. Look for videos with the rotator.

 

[matt777]

Hi @rScotty this is a very helpful response. From the photos, your property is similar to mine, I have a mix of pines and live oaks, with a similar amount of rocks and hills.

I'm thinking the only reason I would go for a JD 110/Kubota M59/M62 is if I needed a 3PH mower. But for now I could put a flail mower on the front of a 310-sized tractor twice a year for the grass. Just don't mow when it's wet. All the other needs are met by the range of attachments for the front end and backhoe with high flow, and I can pick them up as needed.

Have you had any experience with a hydraulic-powered chipper?

On to make/model:
In looking at used listings, I see a lot of JD, Case, Cat, occasional Komatsu and New Holland. Is there anything I should look out for or be aware of? Or are they effectively interchangeable for my purposes? How important is 4WD vs. 2WD?

You mention the thumb specifically: can this be added later or do I need to pay attention to it now?

Thanks for your advice.

 

[4570Man]

Get a 20 ton excavator with a front blade and hiflo remote hydraulics, thumb, grapple rotator and wrist.

CTL's are handy compact machines but they are still death traps. I'd rather have something like a late model CAT420IT or bigger. TLB's have superior visibility compared to CTL's. Don't buy a machine without ride control.

Check out these mini-x machines. Look for videos with the rotator.

Those machines are like $200k. Why would anyone want one at that price when you could buy a new skid steer and mini x cheaper?

 

[4570Man]

Hi @rScotty this is a very helpful response. From the photos, your property is similar to mine, I have a mix of pines and live oaks, with a similar amount of rocks and hills.

I'm thinking the only reason I would go for a JD 110/Kubota M59/M62 is if I needed a 3PH mower. But for now I could put a flail mower on the front of a 310-sized tractor twice a year for the grass. Just don't mow when it's wet. All the other needs are met by the range of attachments for the front end and backhoe with high flow, and I can pick them up as needed.

Have you had any experience with a hydraulic-powered chipper?

On to make/model:
In looking at used listings, I see a lot of JD, Case, Cat, occasional Komatsu and New Holland. Is there anything I should look out for or be aware of? Or are they effectively interchangeable for my purposes? How important is 4WD vs. 2WD?

You mention the thumb specifically: can this be added later or do I need to pay attention to it now?

Thanks for your advice.

A hydraulic thumb is a game changer. Aftermarket add on options frequently don’t fit the bucket right and aren’t half as good as an OEM. Hydraulic thumbs are expensive even if you get an aftermarket. Buying a machine with a hydraulic OEM thumb is the best option.

 

[rScotty]

Hi @rScotty this is a very helpful response. From the photos, your property is similar to mine, I have a mix of pines and live oaks, with a similar amount of rocks and hills.

I'm thinking the only reason I would go for a JD 110/Kubota M59/M62 is if I needed a 3PH mower. But for now I could put a flail mower on the front of a 310-sized tractor twice a year for the grass. Just don't mow when it's wet. All the other needs are met by the range of attachments for the front end and backhoe with high flow, and I can pick them up as needed.

Have you had any experience with a hydraulic-powered chipper?

On to make/model:
In looking at used listings, I see a lot of JD, Case, Cat, occasional Komatsu and New Holland. Is there anything I should look out for or be aware of? Or are they effectively interchangeable for my purposes? How important is 4WD vs. 2WD?

You mention the thumb specifically: can this be added later or do I need to pay attention to it now?

Thanks for your advice.

Yes, our western mountain/foothills land does sound similar. That's sort of what I figured. That means that you may have more sand and gravel than mud, and if so, then consider that universal tread or the new radial universals will work a lot better for our soil than the lugged Ag tires. But Ag tires will work...The point is that there are lot of ways to do your project.

I get the feeling that you are enjoying the idea of doing a lot of it yourself, and so do all of us here. Everyone has a different way. Any of them will work. I know my method & it works for me, but there are at least 50 other guys who do it just as well or better with different attachments.

Like the mowing.... I'm no help there. I don't have a lot of grass to mow, and about a third of an acre of lawn around the house is more suitable for a self-propelled mower - once I found the right one.. I do mow the local ball park, but that's a rural park & mowed wit a bush hog.

Rocks and hills are a problem for tractors and TLBs. If you want to flatten areas, then please do yourself a favor and hire a landscape artist with a bulldozer. She will still leave lots of of work for you to spend a year refining with your TLB - but it will be enjoyable work instead of trying to do something that the TLB is not really designed for. .

Same applies to the chipper. You can really simplify things by hiring certain jobs done for you. These are things you could do...but hard on machines and are places where hiring makes sense. One is the artist with a bulldozer for making main roads, flattening arenas, building sites, and shaping large areas.

Chippers of the most useful size are big loud dangerous expensive machines that you need rarely and they break a lot. Plus feeding a chipper is hazardous.
With your TLB and a saw you can cut and pile, then schedule a chipping date with your local forester. There is usually someone local that will rent himself and his chipper. Our local volunteer fire dept. bought a big chipper and firefighters do slash and chipping jobs to support their VFD.

Lets see... TLBs. The JD110 was possibly the cutest TLB ever built. I love 'em But they haven't been made for awhile, and JD quit instead of improving them because they saw the weak points needed some redesign. Sorry if I've offended anyone. I wish JD had continued with the 110 size. They hit the market squarely and by now we know the weak points. But instead, Kubota took over that size range and ran with it. Their TLBs - the B26, L39, L47, and M59/52 are all excellent. just flat excellent.
My advice is to leave the remaining nice little 110s to the aficionados. For your work, go Kubota, or Case 580, or Deere 310.

The Deere 310 is not as versatile or handy as the Kubotas. No PTO or 3pt hitch, and not so handy.... but what can I say? I own both for a reason.
BTW, the PTO gives you he option of running really high hydraulic water pump flow - enough for a water cannon. Just slide a PTO pump onto the PTO and you have a LOT of pumping capacity. That's what I mean by being handy.

CTLs are nice, powerful, and handy. They do tear up ground a bit. And althoughCTLs do a lot of things really nicely, traveling back and forth to a job isn't one of them. That is what a TLB does well...here, I'll give an example of traveling on the TLB that doesn't involve driving back to the barn for something I forgot. Which I do too much of..

Locally there is a source of landscape and natural flagstone rocks about mile from where I am wanting to use them. With the Kubota I can put it in road gear and drive over there, pull a lever to drop the SSQA FEL bucket, spin the seat around and use the hoe and thumb to dig out and load the bucket with 3/4 of a cubic yard of 250 pound rocks, reattach the FEL bucket, and drive a mile back to where I am building a rock wall.

As good as a CTL for what it does well, it doesn't do that sort of job well. It trailers nicely, but it is limited for traveling distances.

The other option you mentioned are the teleloaders/telehandlers. I like them, but know nothing about them. The guys who have them are all old timers, so I might end up with one too. I can see that happening, but that is a whole other level of sophistication and expense. For now, the TLB will do.

Hit me with another question and I promise a shorter answer....
Luck,
rScotty

 

[two_bit_score]

Use the "Search" function and look for Telehandlers. There are a lot of threads.

 

[rScotty]

Hi @rScotty this is a very helpful response. From the photos, your property is similar to mine, I have a mix of pines and live oaks, with a similar amount of rocks and hills.

I'm thinking the only reason I would go for a JD 110/Kubota M59/M62 is if I needed a 3PH mower. But for now I could put a flail mower on the front of a 310-sized tractor twice a year for the grass. Just don't mow when it's wet. All the other needs are met by the range of attachments for the front end and backhoe with high flow, and I can pick them up as needed.

Have you had any experience with a hydraulic-powered chipper?

On to make/model:
In looking at used listings, I see a lot of JD, Case, Cat, occasional Komatsu and New Holland. Is there anything I should look out for or be aware of? Or are they effectively interchangeable for my purposes? How important is 4WD vs. 2WD?

You mention the thumb specifically: can this be added later or do I need to pay attention to it now?

Thanks for your advice.

I promised, so....
They work the same. The wonderful Case 580 was made to be more owner serviceable. The Cat of the same HP is the opposite - and dealer parts and service are often high. The Deere 310 is probably the most common TLB in the USA for a reason: Service is doable, parts are everywhere and reasonable. It has been constantly improved since it came out - back when Boomers were teenagers.
Ours has 4wd, a cab, air suspended seat, radio, AC and heat, a buddy seat, and extendaboom. We bought it used for 1/3 of new. That is roughly the right range for 3/4000 hours. I sure wish it had a thumb.

But if I had to choose just one machine, I'd be keeping the Kubota M59 .

Get 4wd. Absolutely. Whatever you get, get it with 4wd. Do not do otherwise. It is the biggest single advance in under 100 hp machines since power steering.

And do get a hydraulic thumb...It is so handy it is like having a whole extra machine. Yes, it is expensive. It will save your back, and that makes it cheap. Ask anyone who has one.

enjoy!
rScotty

 

[jenkinsph]

I agree with rScotty for the most part. I am located in the mountains of New Mexico. Similar conditions to deal with and I have worked my equipment in Durango CO area too..

I still have a 110 tlb with Laurin cab and a 4520 cab tractor. I have been very satisfied with the 110tlb. I purchased it new in 2005 with all hydraulic add ons including 7 function backhoe. I do not have a thumb but do have the hydraulics built in for it. I have a quick coupler on my backhoe and can switch between a hydraulic auger (PA 30) and assorted buckets quickly. I personally prefer being able to sit up high when positioning the auger. I can spray paint a coffee can full of 3/4" rocks and place them where I need to drill a posthole and dead center them easily. That would be more difficult to do with a front mount auger. I drilled about 1800 holes to full 4' depth for my friends vineyard 8 years ago. I figured at the end of that job I deserved a PHD in post hole digging.

Flexibility of the various types of equipment. I would have to agree that you can do a lot with any of the choices mentioned. I really like the 110, m59 and m62 the best overall. If I only had one choice it would be the tlb. I may be wrong but as I understand it the "tlb" designates tractor loader backhoe, where as a tractor the backhoe is removable. A dedicated backhoe is just that a backhoe not a tlb. Kubota and Deere have both done a superb job designing these small tlbs'. When used as tractors the power beyond circuit on my 110 does a good job running my laser controlled grader box with independently controlled left and right wheels. While still allowing me to control topntilt hitch and hydraulically controlled rippers. All at one time with ability to keep 3 front functions hooked up too! I also find that using the PB circuit was improved since it has 16 gpm available and made the height corrections faster thus more accurate . My tractor has 11 gpm hydraulics so quite a bit slower reaction time. Pointing this out because the tlbs all have increased hydraulic flows compared to their Ag tractor counterparts.

My 1st choice for a tlb would be a new M62 Kubota reasoning it is the highest hp yet still a compact size machine. If full sized backhoes were made removable my choices would be different.

I suggest you look into purchasing with an open mind meaning keeping your options open, look for the best bang for your buck. I would not decide today what to buy rather see what is available and get a feel for the market.

 

[matt777]

Very helpful @jenkinsph This is how I'm thinking about it. Looking for used in an area near me with an open mind.

The biggest decision is between the M62 size and the larger dedicated backhoes. (There is some ambiguity in how they are referred to, but no ambiguity about size, power, and whether the backhoe comes off. For the record "TLB" does seem to refer to the smaller machines in the manufacturer websites.)

The trade off seems to be flexibility of PTO/3PH and precision vs. power, weight, and hydraulic flow. But it sounds like you have all the hydraulic power you need with the lighter machines.

So my question is what can't you do with the M62/110TLB that you wish you could? It sounds like post holes is covered

Now for the "open mindedness" part. There's pages of Case 580/Cat 430 backhoes near me at 5000+ hours, and maybe 1 M59/M62/110. So the used market looks very different.

Plenty to think about. Thanks for the advice.

 

[rScotty]

I'll be curious to hear what "jenkinsph" has to say. He certainly has the experience.

I personally think 5000 hours is too many for what you want to do. My JD3`10SG with 5600 hrs is in perfect shape...but it is still NOT suitable for the work you have planned... It is becoming too many hours to be your one tractor for everyday hard work. Note that I have two tractors and that is what allows me to have the older one. And for that matter jenkinsph has two tractors as well. Many of us do. For your first one, I advise you to stay at 2000 to 3000 hrs. Expect to pay up to 1/2 of new price. You will know the right one when it comes along

If I were you I would NOT be looking for a full size machine that is advertised publically for sale. Look at them and learn, but do not buy.....And certainly NOT a rental. Instead, after looking at what is for sale and not buying, invest some time by going around to some school district maintenance shops, shopping centers, church camps, utility companies and such. Tell the guys in the maintennace shop what you are looking for. Cash and 1/2 of new price will get their budget dept. interested. Leave a phone #, All of these places trade in good machines on a regular basis, but I'd be surprised if any of them had a Kubota TLB.

Also go to your local Yellow Machine Dealers: JD, Case, and Cat and tell them the same. Get to know a salesman & service manager at each. It's a good way to see which shop you feel comfortable with. Where I live, our yellow JD dealer treats anyone who walks in like they are family friends. The Cat dealer is standoffish, and so are his people. There is no Case dealer, but lots of neighbors have them so there is an underground support network for Case 580s.

None of that applies to the Kubota M59/62 or the JD 110. Those may well be sold publically by individuals rather than maintenance shops. Hopefully you can buy the Kubota/JD110 from a home owner, not from a person has been hiring himself out like it was a full size machine. Good as the the mid- size TLBs are, they are more lightly built.

That's sure a lot of post holes...!
rScotty