Anyone still running an L48 TLB?

[Carl_NH]

Good point, I was wondering what an L48 hoe with a thumb could pick up at full extension, pounds wise. I am normally working with 8 to 10 foot logs around 12 - 16 inches in diameter, the big boys don't come along all the time.

The question at "full extension" is not how I would imagine most use the BH to handle wood lengths. At full extension lifting anything with a BH is not what it was designed to do, but picking and stacking/placing 2-300 Lb rocks at full extension is fine - just not 2000Lb Logs.

I use my little B21 and thumb to pick up 8-12" x 10-12' long oak or maple and carry to a pile or pick from a pile to cut into log lengths. In the pick up and haul, its pick/grab with the thumb near the tractor with the boom close in.

When in a pile of logs to split and cut, yes, reach is important, and I pull the logs in with the bucket, then pick with the thumb, lift, swivel to cut - all the time with the stabilizers down.

 

[4570Man]

Good point, I was wondering what an L48 hoe with a thumb could pick up at full extension, pounds wise. I am normally working with 8 to 10 foot logs around 12 - 16 inches in diameter, the big boys don't come along all the time.

Probably 750-1000 pounds. The loader will be stronger even with the boom closer than full reach.

 

[rScotty]

Good point, I was wondering what an L48 hoe with a thumb could pick up at full extension, pounds wise. I am normally working with 8 to 10 foot logs around 12 - 16 inches in diameter, the big boys don't come along all the time.

I rarely lift logs at full extension. I usually use the bucket to pull them half way closer and then clamp with the thumb and lift. However, plotting lift power vs geometry at half extension is a complex task. Most specs just give lift at full extension.

I do have those figures for the M59 because in the BH operator's manual there is a graph of rated allowable lift (87% of maximum lift) at full BH extension. Allowable lift on the M59 is 1334 lbs at 12 feet extension.

I don't have the same numbers for the L48, but they should be in the L48 BH operator's manual. BTW, Kubota TLBs come with 2 manuals - one for the machine & loader and the other for the BH.
But I think we can get close enough to answer your question.

Looking through my old advertising brochures for the B26,L39,L48 & playing with those digging specs shows that the L48 has about 84% of the dipperstick digging force of the M59... and about 78% of the bucket force at 11 feet extension. So 80% of M59 specs would be reasonable.
For the L48, that would be an allowable lift of 1067 lbs at 11 feet extension. 4570Man pretty much nailed it.
Enjoy,
rScotty

 

[fried1765]

I rarely lift logs at full extension. I usually use the bucket to pull them half way closer and then clamp with the thumb and lift. However, plotting lift power vs geometry at half extension is a complex task. Most specs just give lift at full extension.

I do have those figures for the M59 because in the BH operator's manual there is a graph of rated allowable lift (87% of maximum lift) at full BH extension. Allowable lift on the M59 is 1334 lbs at 12 feet extension.

I don't have the same numbers for the L48, but they should be in the L48 BH operator's manual. BTW, Kubota TLBs come with 2 manuals - one for the machine & loader and the other for the BH.
But I think we can get close enough to answer your question.

Looking through my old advertising brochures for the B26,L39,L48 & playing with those digging specs shows that the L48 has about 84% of the dipperstick digging force of the M59... and about 78% of the bucket force at 11 feet extension. So 80% of M59 specs would be reasonable.
For the L48, that would be an allowable lift of 1067 lbs at 11 feet extension. 4570Man pretty much nailed it.
Enjoy,
rScotty

I would look in my L48 manual if I could, but I am 1500 miles away form it.

 

[Tags]

I do not think you can go wrong with an L48. I think the only con is the slow-ish speed in the medium transmission setting. There is a landscaping company that rents space at my yard, they have had one for at least 15 years, probably more than that, and when I say it has had little to no maintenance that is probably giving those guys too much credit, I don't think I've ever seen them check the oil and have NEVER seen them grease it. The machine goes back to the dealer maybe every three years or so when something "breaks", like a frozen pin, leaky cylinder, or travel pedal out of adjustment, then it gets a full service. I've seen them pick up ridiculously heavy items and I've seen the way they dig with the backhoe and they have yet to twist, break, or bend the hoe or the loader. The travel pedal linkage on their machine is worn out and does not have full throw so they ALWAYS run it in high range so it moves faster.....they have never had a transmission issue....I can only imagine that a well cared for unit would last just about forever....the best part afaic is it has NO emissions or electronics.....

 

[fried1765]

I do not think you can go wrong with an L48. I think the only con is the slow-ish speed in the medium transmission setting. There is a landscaping company that rents space at my yard, they have had one for at least 15 years, probably more than that, and when I say it has had little to no maintenance that is probably giving those guys too much credit, I don't think I've ever seen them check the oil and have NEVER seen them grease it. The machine goes back to the dealer maybe every three years or so when something "breaks", like a frozen pin, leaky cylinder, or travel pedal out of adjustment, then it gets a full service. I've seen them pick up ridiculously heavy items and I've seen the way they dig with the backhoe and they have yet to twist, break, or bend the hoe or the loader. The travel pedal linkage on their machine is worn out and does not have full throw so they ALWAYS run it in high range so it moves faster.....they have never had a transmission issue....I can only imagine that a well cared for unit would last just about forever....the best part afaic is it has NO emissions or electronics.....

"the best part afaic is it has NO emissions or electronics".

Those reasons are EXACTLY why (last June) I bought my 2006 model...... with only 250 hours.
But.......I confess..... mine is purely for play work, she sleeps inside every night, and will always get TLC.

 

[cstamm81]

thanks for all of the replies on using the hoe to pick up logs, it all makes sense.

 

[rScotty]

thanks for all of the replies on using the hoe to pick up logs, it all makes sense.

It sure does. And it's not limited to picking up logs. The point is that before we got a backhoe, we thought of them in terms of digging. But it turns out that our backhoe sees as much or more use for picking up and placing than for digging. Digging is something we only do sometimes - frankly we could rent an excavator for that.
But picking things up and moving them is something we do all the time. Everything from clamping rocks & scrap wood with the thumb, to hooking a strap to the eyelet on the welder/generator.

Now that quick-change backhoe buckets are getting to be as common as SSQA FEL buckets, in the near future I hope we see attachments that are made specifically to use the backhoe's ability to pick and place.

I'd like to see a backwards facing bucket with a hydraulic clamp and push-off. It would be handy for my hobby of stacking rocks and building rock walls.
rScotty

 

[fried1765]

It sure does. And it's not limited to picking up logs. The point is that before we got a backhoe, we thought of them in terms of digging. But it turns out that our backhoe sees as much or more use for picking up and placing than for digging. Digging is something we only do sometimes - frankly we could rent an excavator for that.
But picking things up and moving them is something we do all the time. Everything from clamping rocks & scrap wood with the thumb, to hooking a strap to the eyelet on the welder/generator.

Now that quick-change backhoe buckets are getting to be as common as SSQA FEL buckets, in the near future I hope we see attachments that are made specifically to use the backhoe's ability to pick and place.

I'd like to see a backwards facing bucket with a hydraulic clamp and push-off. It would be specifically made for my own hobby of stacking rocks and building rock walls.
rScotty

As has been said here before: A TLB is the Swiss army knife of tractors.
I eased my gun safe into my basement with my backhoe.