Kubota L48 or Deere 110? Your thoughts..

[curtisfarmer]

Your machine sure looks nice, but come on now, we are talking about TLBs, not big machines like yours. I still don't think a comparison to your machine makes sense in this forums context. I could say this and that like a CAT 988 loader loads better than yours and argue I could install a lawn with it. But is it realistic? Yes your machine is nice and we would all love to have one, thank you for extoling its virtues, and it is what it is. A full sized hoe that costs alot of money and is much larger than what is being discussed here. How about CAT versus Case, I personally would not buy your machine and instead would own a CAT because I think they are better. Does it matter. No.

p.s Did not know your machine came with so many implements, very impressive.

 

[Builder]

Your machine sure looks nice, but come on now, we are talking about TLBs, not big machines like yours. I still don't think a comparison to your machine makes sense in this forums context. I could say this and that like a CAT 988 loader loads better than yours and argue I could install a lawn with it. But is it realistic? Yes your machine is nice and we would all love to have one, thank you for extoling its virtues, and it is what it is. A full sized hoe that costs alot of money and is much larger than what is being discussed here. How about CAT versus Case, I personally would not buy your machine and instead would own a CAT because I think they are better. Does it matter. No.

p.s Did not know your machine came with so many implements, very impressive.

You began to compare your L-48 with a full size backhoe and I felt it was necessary to let you know a Case backhoe CAN perform many of the functions you said it couldn't do in your last post here:

" tractors such as an L48 is the most usable and versatile machine for landscape contractors like my self. Your Case won't mow fields, pull a rake, plow snow in residential driveways, grade gravel, have quick attach forks, spin a post hole digger, fit in my barn, fit in tight areas, and a whole bunch of other things that cannot live without. Besides the fact that you cannot do smaller jobs that an L48 can do with all the power it needs. A fullsized backhoe does dig better, but that is all it

You weren't comparing brands, you were comparing a small TLB to a large TLB.

I've run both (Kubota and Case full size) and there's no comparison. A large TLB can do anything better than a small one except cost less and fit in a small garage or a small space/trailer. I say this without bias-I have no reason to be biased. CAT is no better than Case or Deere. I was going to buy a CAT when I first started looking. I actually think the CASE might be a bit better and my Case dealer is much closer.

'nuff said.

 

[mike69440]

I hope in the end for my particular situation have a newly acquired small 18,000 lb excavator and small TLB (8100 lb L39) will prove more efficient and cost effective than having a full size near new BH.

As I only have been moving spoils short distances, enjoy the dozer, thumb and extra reach, and track features of the excavator which work well. I still have all the benefits and limitations of the L39. Each have their place on my property.

The excavator will out dig a full size hoe, the dozer blade will push dirt at least as well (Better I think) as a BH with a dozer blade or 4 in 1 bucket.

Of cause the excavator is missing tires (never win a race) and that big loader.

If I were in business & roading a single machine around town, that full size machine BH makes sense. A small utility tractor could clean up after the BH.

Often having a machine like a utility tractor, an excavator, and a track steer gives the contractor versitility they never get with one machine.

 

[JPCjr]

Builder,

Just out of curiousity, is there any application at all that you think the L48 is good for? Or do you just think it's a worthless machine, not capable of anything? I read about your experience with your L39 and I'm wondering if you just hate everything Kubota now and think all of their products are useless.

 

[xxxsandman]

Well I can tell you one thing so far that is a MAJOR plus for the the Kubota L48, they are much easier to pull to a job then ANY full size Backhoe! I've transported both now (full size backhoe and L48) and the L48 pulls very nice on a 14k gooseneck behind my Dodge 1 ton. The full size backhoe is a VERY big load on a 20k gooseneck behind my 1 ton, not to mention I'm overweight with it.

So if trailering your equipment is a requirement and you don't have a LARGER then 1 ton truck with 20k trailer and CDL, the L48 is about the biggest machine you can get.

My brother has an older BIG Ford backhoe (555?). It was wore out when he bought it (all he could afford) and guess what it's still wore out. It seems about twice as big as the L48, but I've used both and the L48 can keep up with it in all ways. I'm sure the old Ford would whip up on the L48 back in the day, but not anymore. Point is, if you buy an affordable wore out backhoe, it may not perform as well as an L48 or similar TLB. So, just keep that in mind when shopping all those backhoes that are half what they was new. They may be half the machine they was new too! Not saying you can't get a good machine for a good price, just saying you can get a wore out machine if you aren't careful.

So far I'm liking the L48. It really has more pushing ability then I thought it would. I hauled over 100,000 pounds of chicken litter in today and used the L48 to push it up into huge piles. I'm happy to report it is as strong loader wise as my New Holland LX865 skid steer and that's pretty strong!

 

[tlbuser]

You weren't comparing brands, you were comparing a small TLB to a large TLB.
'nuff said.

http://members.tripod.com/~hornedgorilla3/G/gorilla.gif

 

[Builder]

Builder,

Just out of curiousity, is there any application at all that you think the L48 is good for? Or do you just think it's a worthless machine, not capable of anything? I read about your experience with your L39 and I'm wondering if you just hate everything Kubota now and think all of their products are useless.

Heck no. I think the Kubotas are great machines! I just get tired of reading these myths perpetrated by others who don't know that a full sized backhoe is probably the most versatile machine ever built! Curtis Farmer made statements that just weren't true and I saw the need to set the record straight. he implied that my backhoe can't do anything but dig better than a Kubota and that's just not true, they can plow snow, transplant trees, lift palletized material, run a landscape rake, etc.

Miike69440's situtation is different. He's mostly working on piece of property and a trackhoe & small TLB makes a lot of sense.

I think if you had experience running both, you'd realize that a Case 580 is darn near as manueverable as a small Kubota. Reason I know is because I've run both machines in the same scenarios and was surprised at how nimble my Case is in tight spots. I'm just kicking myself for ever having sold my Ford 555!

 

[Builder]

Well I can tell you one thing so far that is a MAJOR plus for the the Kubota L48, they are much easier to pull to a job then ANY full size Backhoe! I've transported both now (full size backhoe and L48) and the L48 pulls very nice on a 14k gooseneck behind my Dodge 1 ton. The full size backhoe is a VERY big load on a 20k gooseneck behind my 1 ton, not to mention I'm overweight with it.

So if trailering your equipment is a requirement and you don't have a LARGER then 1 ton truck with 20k trailer and CDL, the L48 is about the biggest machine you can get.

My brother has an older BIG Ford backhoe (555?). It was wore out when he bought it (all he could afford) and guess what it's still wore out. It seems about twice as big as the L48, but I've used both and the L48 can keep up with it in all ways. I'm sure the old Ford would whip up on the L48 back in the day, but not anymore. Point is, if you buy an affordable wore out backhoe, it may not perform as well as an L48 or similar TLB. So, just keep that in mind when shopping all those backhoes that are half what they was new. They may be half the machine they was new too! Not saying you can't get a good machine for a good price, just saying you can get a wore out machine if you aren't careful.

So far I'm liking the L48. It really has more pushing ability then I thought it would. I hauled over 100,000 pounds of chicken litter in today and used the L48 to push it up into huge piles. I'm happy to report it is as strong loader wise as my New Holland LX865 skid steer and that's pretty strong!

That's correct, because an L-48 is a small machine, it's much easier to transport. I think that's pretty apparent. Comparing a newer L-48 to and "old wore out Ford" backhoe is not really the comparison that was being referred to previously in the thread by Curtis farmer. I'd rather have an L-48 than an old worn out Ford backhoe, unless I was digging a full depth basement or lifting 2 + tons in the bucket.

Suffice it to say, my Case is 2 times the machine of an L-39 or L-48. Add the air conditioned cab with suspension seat, extendahoe, 19' backhoe reach, 8' FEL and 6,500lb lift capacity, 27mph road speed and it's lights out. I think inferring that an L-48 compares to a full size backhoe is silly.

 

[coopers]

I think it's apparent that machines these days are built well enough that any size and type of machine can and will work for various applications. My previous job I held I operated case backhoes (we had two) and my boss REFUSED to use any other machine for a job. I got used to having to improvise with the backhoe to preform jobs that I would have preferred another machine (and these two were OLD 580B's!). Not every job that someone preforms will require a full size TLB. I believe that the L39 and L48 are great machines and should be used for certain applications that don't warrant a full size machine. As nimble as the full size backhoes can be (and I admit I am very biased towards Case backhoes) there are just certain applications that it is easier to use a smaller machine.

There were also plenty of times that I wanted to run the backhoe into a tree because I was so frustrated with not having any other resources to make the task go quicker and cleaner; and an excavator came to mind quite often. I'm not quite sure how we started talking about small TLB's and ended with large TLB's. If I remember correctly the original poster did not have an interest in a large TLB for various reasons and if I remember correctly again he ended up with an L48. This argument can go around in circles forever. I suggest starting another post/thread to hash out "The Benefits of Large backhoes vs. Small backhoes." There's stuff that a Case backhoe can't do that a Deere 120C can do. There's the start of another thread! wow.

Blake
WA

 

[Builder]

I agree. There's a place for small TLBs and a place for large TLBs. I just wanted to let Curtis farmer know that a big TLB can take the same implements a small TLB can, except for maybe a field mower.