Do TLBs make "bad" tractors?

[catskinner]

If you buy the TLB you will never run out of friends that need help.

 

[RobertN]

I have a friend that is an arborist, true "tree doctor". Amazing the stories he tells of people having a vehicle attached to a tree by rope, chain pulley ect. Most end with the vehicle(truck, atv, tractor) damaged or destroyed.

Be really careful...

Doug,
I appreciate the advice, but I probably didn't write that the way I meant it. I didn't mean with the bucket leaning on the tree. I meant with the tractor pulling away from the tree through a tackle. That way the intent is the tractor and tree are going opposite directions. We do this regularly with an atv and it seems to work out ok.
ac

 

[avc8130]

I have a friend that is an arborist, true "tree doctor". Amazing the stories he tells of people having a vehcile attached to a tree by rope, chain pulley ect. Most end with the vehicle(truck, atv, tractor) damaged or destroyed.

Be really careful...

I have seen some great videos on Youtube. We keep the cameras off. Bad stuff only happens with the camera is near. I don't even have a camera on my cell phone.
ac

 

[keyman1808]

That's because they use a 50 foot rope to pull down a 75 foot tree. I use a 250 foot rope to pull down trees and never a problem. You just need to think it thru and dont be stupid

 

[montelatici]

"What's the average homeowner going to do with a backhoe?"

1. Remove a stump.
2. Dig up and remove a plugged up septic tank and renew septic field.
3. Dig a trench for a power cable to a gate, to an out building etc.
4. Dig a foundation for a shed.
5. Dig holes for fence posts. (If you don't have a 3-point post hole digger.

Many other uses, trust me.

 

[RobertN]

Well, when my arborist buddy is cautious about it, I am too. He has 30 years experience, and cut his teethe in arboretums on the West Coast. Between his degree, experience, I tend not to tie my truck or tractor to a tree, 5' of rope or 500'.

He still uses ropes and pulley, but not necessarily to a vehicle.

That's because they use a 50 foot rope to pull down a 75 foot tree. I use a 250 foot rope to pull down trees and never a problem. You just need to think it thru and dont be stupid

 

[avc8130]

1. Remove a stump.
2. Dig up and remove a plugged up septic tank and renew septic field.
3. Dig a trench for a power cable to a gate, to an out building etc.
4. Dig a foundation for a shed.
5. Dig holes for fence posts. (If you don't have a 3-point post hole digger.

Many other uses, trust me.

I am positive, that once it is here...it will get used. I am sure uses will just pop up monthly, if that slowly.
ac

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

After 6 years I finally bought a BX25. What have I used the BH for?
Dug a fish pond on a hillside, dug about 30 holes for trees, dug up and replanted several tall ornamnetal grasses, dug up and moved several ornamental shrubs, dug a ditch for my nephew for his downspout drain line, moved rocks with long reach of BH several times, loosened dirt from top of 12' dirt pile to then scoop up with front bucket, dug deep hole to set a 30' aluminum pole, dug up trees to replant at different locations, moved trees laying across burn pile, dug up flower beds behind rocks to big for me to move with bucket and a few other jobs I can't remember, Over 50 hours this year on this BX25 and probably over 35 of them were using the BH. Is it worth the extra money? I've made the payments so far so it has been for me. Do I recommend everyone buy a BH? No. Will a BH be worth more to some people than others? Yes. Is a BH the greatest thing since sliced bread? It has been for me, my brother next door and my nephew down the street.

 

[missingstexas]

I have a B26 TLB with the hydralic thumb. I was looking for a small general use tractor for mowing/yardwork on 6 acres and this deal fell into my lap. I thought to myself, if I buy the thing and use it for a year or two I can still get my money out of it if it doesn't work out to be 'favorable'. I LOVE this machine. I can remove the backhoe in about 5 minutes and reattach in about 10 (if I take it off on a level surface). The FEL is a quick attach so the bucket can come right off. My only problem is that I spent more money on the machine than I had originally planned so now I'm short on cash to get all the toys to connect to it, tiller, box blade, ripper, etc... I can cut grass with my roto cutter all day and not burn an entire tank of fuel, which is WAY better than a gasser ZTR... Good luck in whatever you decide.

 

[Bill in VA]

I知 not sure I can add much to this discussion but I can稚 resist. I purchased an M59 TLB last summer. Prior to that I used an L3450 which we still have. Prior to that we had an old Ford farm tractor which we had purchased an Arps backhoe for and prior to that we had an International Harvestor Cub tractor with a belly mower.

I distinctly remember all of them being agonizing purchases both in terms of the money and concerns over whether or not we would get use out of them. I think we got better at the selection process as time went on. The overriding factors seem to be:

• What tasks do you have to accomplish
• How often you need to do those tasks over time
• What limitations do you have for maneuverability/clearance/degree of slope
• What $$$ do you have at your disposal

I suspect you don稚 see the more commercial TLBs on smaller residential sites because potential owners think enough about those factors that the more commercial TLBs ultimately lose out for that setting.

After all there are no bad tractors, just bad owners.