L6060 finally gets here.

[kthompson]

My third Kubota and most likely my last tractor. I retired from farming last fall and been down sizing. Looked at JD and Yanmar in detail with some thoughts on LS and a glance at Kioti. For my needs and wants the Kubota L6060 was best fit.

It is a Kubota L606 with cab and fel. Got it with R4 tires for while the R1 will pull more the R4 wears better on pavement and also is easier on turf. Had third function, two rear remotes one with float, rear work lights and rear tires filled for ballast for the fel.
Also ordered Everything Attachment's 60 inch Wicked Root grapple, h

First impression after running it with the grapple for about an hour think the grapple and the tractor are a good fit.

As to the grapple, there is a youtube video the person tells there is a sharp edge on the ends of the channel iron the hoses for the hyd cylinder run it that will cut the hroses. The ends are sharp and EA needs to use a grind most likely to radius those ends. I plan to take large rubber hose and split it and use tie straps to hold it around those hoses. The other thing that amazed me the how small the cylinders on the grapple are. Man they are small, however clamping pressure seemed to be very good. Grapple's workmanship other than the sharp edge looked very good. I was buying a Land Pride with the tractor but when the grapple was out of stock and really glad for like the design of the EA grapple much better. The 60 inch width seems to be a good length on that tractor. The amount the it opens is decent but you don't want a grapple with any less. Well not for what I was moving. The only function negative we experience was had hard time connecting the hoses. To easy to have pressure on the hoses if the grapple is moved unhooking or hooking. We used it to move some hard wood logs about 18 inches in diameter and about 8 foot long. Tractor and grapple handle them fine.

My hat is off to Ted with EA as he so effortlessly runs around with grapples on youtube raking with the same grapple and this ole boy is not near as smooth or fast with the raking part.

As to the L6060, dealership was running short staff due to COVID 19 and they missed some items before it got to me. Nothing large but tie straps had not been trimmed on hoses on loader and the one that stumped me was display is set on metric and that is not made to be changed by customer. Did find instructions on another forum tonight. Will take care of that tomorrow. Please know not knocking the dealership on those items, very much knew they are running short staffed and I wanted the tractor for being off today and of tomorrow to get some work done before expected winds and heavy rains in next few days.

FEL seem strong. At about 1500 rpms running in M range it handled the pushing into piles of trees cut a variety of lengths from about 6 feet to 20 feet. Diameter varied from 4 inches to about 18 inches, maybe even 20, Grapple had no problem grasping and hold anything that was in decently it and the tractor had no issue with any lift. Was working on basically level crop land and the tractor was very stable transporting the loads and was easy to lift and lay in a metal dump trailer with top of sides about 4 off the ground. Just for comparison, have a 5 ton excavator with grapple on it. By no means will the tractor lift the amount of weight nor to the height the excavator will. At same time the excavator is very slowing transporting from point A to point B. The high and low speed in a range is neat. Not sure needed it today but did use it some just to learn it. There is more difference in speed there than I expect even reading the specs on the speed. Steering was good with fel loaded.

There are some things not 100% pleased with at present. Bought the standard seat, right not pleased with it. I weigh 240 pounds. I have tighten it and tighten it and it still was bottoming out with me. Maybe there is still more left in it. The door latches from the inside just don't like the level you use to open the door. To me for a tractor it seems too small. Not sure how a person with a large hand or gloves with find it. There is no obvious place to rest your arm while using the FEL. The seat is tight to the left side enough don't let your left hand hang between the two while you are travel across rough ground or you might just have a hurt finger or two. Surprising the brake pedals on the left was no issue. If there is a tool box I missed it, need to find area to place one. Like the access to the rear remotes, very good. Like the side windows that really open and the back glass. One big reason I pass on JD 4000 series was there was no side windows. The weather was such had it not been for those three windows would have needed the a/c and with the windows the breeze was plenty.

They used the Kubota 3rd function valve system one big reason was it uses the factory joy stick and handle. Found that handle felt good using the 3rd function.

There is a lot about that tractor have no experience with yet. Not even sure how to turn the lights on. Headlights mainly. May can post pictures tomorrow evening. First need to take a few more and then figure out how to.

I really thank those here who helped me when I really was giving strong consideration to the Yanmar YT359. I still like that tractor and the package from the factory is better than JD or Kubota. Price I think was about $4,000 less than the Kubota and at leas that much more than the JD. Also appreciated those who shared their experience and opinion on the L6060. Kenneth

 

[Fallon]

Small hoses mean slow cylinders not weak cylinders. Many cylinders, especially TnT ones have restrictors in them for the same effect. The holes in mine are only pencil lead sized. Slow means you can control them precisely. Often slow & precise is way more important than speed. They will get full pressure.

There is a small pocket next to the seat. Not much but enough for a few wrenches. No other room anywhere I can find for a toolbox. Some people put caps or pipes in the tubes in the loader to store chains or tools in.

 

[RickB]

I’m glad you were able to get your new ride!

 

[dbchaplin03]

Great write up Kenneth. As you know Ive been following your experience with this purchase from your other thread. Ive wrestled with this same purchase for about 3 years. I looked all the tractor brands and let money dictate what i bought a few times but thankfully have got my money back out of those previous machines. Was looking at an M7060 to replace a 55hp skid steer and a 35hp tractor. But the M7060 is just too big for what Im doing in the woods stature wise. Beautiful machine, but too big.

Actually signed the purchase agreement with the dealer to buy a new MX6000 and it would be sitting in my garage right now, but as we were configuring it we realized you cant get that machine with 2 float valves in the rear. You can get 2 double action and 1 float but not 2 floats.... So i started researching it again and saw all the extra features of the L6060. Ordered mine with 1 double action and 2 float valves (for a top and tilt kit), bought the HR2572 hydraulic scarifier box blade, loader, 3rd function (ordering same grapple) R-4s, pallet forks, and a woods heavy duty 72 bucket.

Im extremely thankful for Brian at Fit Rite who helped me with several questions in regards to this purchase. I know the MX6000 would have been a fine machine, and i would have really enjoyed it, but the extra features of this L6060 with the HST+, floats for the T&T, and other features make me really excited for this purchase. Cost wise.... I paid nearly the same price as what I would have for the M7060, but i got a lot of additional items that i wouldnt have for the same price. The box blade was $2900 alone. Second thing was Ive been in the Air Force for 16 years now and weve moved 11 times. Im planning to retire in somewhere between 7 and 20 more years (lol I love what i do and have been very blessed). The L-6060 will be a lot easier to trailer with us than the M series)

I also was very impressed with the Yanmar tractors. I really loved their new hydro transmission and think they really have something there with it. What prevented me from buying was 1) dealer availability, closest was 1.5 hours away. 2) I made the mistake of buying 2 undersized Kiotis in the past. While i think Kioti makes a darn nice tractor after owning 2... Try finding a buyer who understands that? I feel Yanmar would be the same way. When i was selling my Kiotis i had person after person trying to compare and tell me why i should lower the price to next to nothing because its a Kioti, not a Kubota. I was able to sell both of my Kiotis for fair prices, but not as easy as selling a used Kubota probably would be. 3) Pricing from that one and only dealer anywhere within reason to us was significantly higher than a comparable Kubota.

 

[riptides]

Nice write ups from all. Enjoyed reading of your purchase decisions.

Kubota has the line up that you have to do your homework on.

Sure you all will be pleased with your new tractors.

 

[Citydude]

Sweet! Nothing better than the smell of a new cabbed tractor :thumbsup:

 

[jeff9366]

Congratulations on the new Grand L.

jeff9366

 

[SDT]

Good choice.

I surely like my L6060.

Take a close look at the routing of the hydraulic hoses for the third function valve behind the right front wheel. You will find that they are very vulnerable to damage. Aftermarket protection devices are available but expensive. Perhaps you can fabricate something yourself.

I also defeated the operator presence switch to prevent the engine from shutting off when leaning to one side. Doing so properly (so that it can be conveniently reconnected if and when I sell it) is not as easy as doing so on some tractors as the switch and connector is inside the seat. I removed the seat, disassembled it on the work bench and made a short jumper cable that connects in place of the switch.

You will find it thirsty when working hard but it is wonderfully convenient.

Did I mention that I really like mine?

SDT

 

[OrangeMuscle]

Congrats fellow L6060 owner. Even thought you might think you are unhappy with your factory seat, it is better than my upgraded expensive air ride seat that doesn't even swivel like yours. You will love your tractor more and more every hour.

The wicked grapple is way to slow for me. Painfully slow. There is no need to have it slow for precision. If that were necessary for a surgical pinch, just lower rpms for a moment. Otherwise fast opening and closing is so much better, which I don't have. I had it with my old Titan grapple. It makes it so much easier when you can quickly snap the grapple to snatch and tug and manipulate your target. I have gotten use to the wicked grapple and it's snail like qualities. With the coronavirus nightmare I have been putting in massive seat time manicuring the forest. The one positive from this mess is everyone has time to have the best spring cleanup opportunity.

 

[jjp8182]

Congratulations on the new tractor :thumbsup:

...and thanks for the write up as adding a cabbed L6060 to the future fleet has been a consideration of mine. Be nice to have something in the 60hp to 80hp range to use as a "PTO on wheels" and for light off-road towing. A second tractor and perhaps (eventually) a third(?) would seem to be more useful than adding other equipment with it's own dedicated engine (e.g. wood chipper, or a site dumper).