Bought a B21, have a few questions

[cowpatty]

Good luck with your B21. I am continually impressed with how my machine performs. Very versatile. :thumbsup:

 

[SixMilesSouth]

Good luck with your B21. I am continually impressed with how my machine performs. Very versatile. :thumbsup:

Since I won't have a chance to play much before next weekend, tell me a little about what yours has done for you. I know the specs, but how large a rock can you move with this machine? Has it lived up to your expectations when it comes to hoe work? The little that I used my, I saw that the back hoe easily throws the tractor around -- plenty of power! Are your tires filled? I wonder how much that would help steady things.

I'm looking to move a lot of large rocks, bring logs out of the woods so I can split them closer to the house, dig up stumps and roots and create some drainage on a marshy piece of land. I hear so many good things about the B21, I can't wait to tackle all these projects.

 

[lhansman]

Congratulations on your purchase SixMilesSouth.

You should be able to move rocks up to about 1,000 pounds easily with the B21. When you are lifting I have found that there is more power in the roll back of the loader then the lifting. With some large rocks I would roll the bucket (or forks) forward a bit, try and lift the rock and if it won't come off the ground then try the roll back. It won't be too high, but it should enable you to get the rock off the ground and relocate it.

All of the rocks you see in the attached photo I moved and positioned with my B21. The backhoe is very powerful too when it comes to moving and positioning rocks although as you point out sometimes the tractor moves instead of what you want! I always had the rear tires on my B21 loaded and have done the same on my B26 as I think more weight on the stabilizers is better.

 

[Ken45101]

Since I won't have a chance to play much before next weekend, tell me a little about what yours has done for you. I know the specs, but how large a rock can you move with this machine? Has it lived up to your expectations when it comes to hoe work? The little that I used my, I saw that the back hoe easily throws the tractor around -- plenty of power! Are your tires filled? I wonder how much that would help steady things.

I'm looking to move a lot of large rocks, bring logs out of the woods so I can split them closer to the house, dig up stumps and roots and create some drainage on a marshy piece of land. I hear so many good things about the B21, I can't wait to tackle all these projects.

It all depends on your needs and expectations. It **is** a small unit. I'm used to bigger stuff so it seems minimal to me, but it will do most jobs, just slowly.

As for the hoe "moving the tractor around" very much, you need to have the stabilizers well set as well as the bucket.

I have used mine for some digging for water lines to the barn. Does that well. I've also used it for digging trails across our hillsides. It's very slow for that job but it does it.

As for dragging logs out of the woods, I've never tried that. With our hillsides here, I would be worried about stability.

One thing I've used it for is for ditching along the driveway. It works but, like any backhoe, it can only dump the dirt 90 degrees from where it digs, which means right on the driveway.

It's limited in how big of rocks and stumps it can dig. We have some big ones here that it can't handle.

As for the FEL lifting, it's rated for 800# IIRC. I've had round bales of hay that it wouldn't lift. I've had bucket fulls of heavy wet mud that it had some difficulty with.

I've used it for burying horses. It's a slow process but a heck of lot better than digging by hand.

Bottom line, it's a nice small unit for small jobs. Ideal for many small jobs. But it's not very adequate for bigger tasks. OTOH, big units are often not very good for small tasks. And it's a heck of a lot better than no backhoe ;-)

Ken

 

[SixMilesSouth]

Congratulations on your purchase SixMilesSouth.

You should be able to move rocks up to about 1,000 pounds easily with the B21. When you are lifting I have found that there is more power in the roll back of the loader then the lifting. With some large rocks I would roll the bucket (or forks) forward a bit, try and lift the rock and if it won't come off the ground then try the roll back. It won't be too high, but it should enable you to get the rock off the ground and relocate it.

All of the rocks you see in the attached photo I moved and positioned with my B21. The backhoe is very powerful too when it comes to moving and positioning rocks although as you point out sometimes the tractor moves instead of what you want! I always had the rear tires on my B21 loaded and have done the same on my B26 as I think more weight on the stabilizers is better.

That's the kind of what I was thinking, too. I don't need to lift the rocks up to much, just get them moved around. Thanks for the photo.

Ken, thanks for your input. I know it's not going to be able to do everything, but it sure beats giving my back a workout. My brother is a heavy machine operator and the first thing he said was, "should have gotten a bigger one." But after he used it a few minutes last weekend, he was impressed with the grunt for its size.

I've attached two quick photos I took this morning. I have to clean it up -- don't like the previous owner's mud all over it!

 

[Ken45101]

I have to clean it up -- don't like the previous owner's mud all over it!

ONLY if you put your own mud on it! A bh without mud isn't working! :laughing:

Ken

 

[Carl_NH]

Hello again and thanks for the pictures.

I would suggest several additions - bucket hooks are invaluable - put on three - one in the center and at each edge. if you Google bolt on hooks you will find some if you dont have a welder. As others have said the bucket curl lifts bigger rocks so I get the rock under the lip of the bucket and attach a chain around the rock and curl it back into the bucket. I have moved 1000Lb plus rocks this way. By the way the rated lift is 926Lbs - Kubota uses their numbering system TL421 is the loader and 421x.2.2KG = 926 Lbs the same applies to the rest of their line.

If the rocks are too big to lift I push them - can easily move a 3' rock by tumbling or pushing, or by the BH too but slower. I live on ledge here in NH - lots of boulders everywhere.

For logs, I have moved lots of logs out of the woods either by skidding behind the tractor or pulling in reverse with the bucket and log off the ground. I have a scraper blade for snow and I just remove the blade and use the frame of the scraper on the 3PTH to lift and drag logs.

For other additions especally cutting wood, get a thumb - easy to lift logs and hold them off the ground for cutting. Also a thumb for rocks is a must building a wall etc. I got mine from Richard at Brotek - get one with the heavier 1" Cat 2 pins if you go with Brotek.

Also by your picture it doesnt appear your bucket has a cutting edge? They are 3/4" thick and bolt on the bottom. This strengthens the bucket edge and prevents bending.

Do you have a splitter yet! if not a 3PTH splitter works right off the hydralics at the rear and I hook mine up to the FEL with hoses going to the rear valve and I pin the BH up. Is a 3 min change out.

Have fun.

Carl

 

[Ken45101]

Do you have a splitter yet! if not a 3PTH splitter works right off the hydralics at the rear and I hook mine up to the FEL with hoses going to the rear valve and I pin the BH up. Is a 3 min change out.

Carl,

You lost me there on the splitter. Are you saying you just mechanically attach the splitter to the FEL bucket but run the hoses to the rear and connect to the backhoe connections?

Ken

 

[Carl_NH]

Ken,

Yes that's exactly what I do. Here are some pics. I got this from Ramsplitter in IL and Doug put legs on the 3PTH spliiter so it sits on the ground, or I can remove the leg on the end and lower with the FEL to ground level to load large rounds.

Then recently made a chain saw mount and chain box on the left side loader frame - so dont need to put the saw in the BH or FEL anymore and forget and dump it!

Carl

 

[Ken45101]

Carl,

Thanks. My old TSC splitter died (pump, I believe) and if I can't get it cheaply fixed I've thought of rigging it up to the B21 or the M5040 hydraulics.

Ken