Tires M59 BT1200 backhoe attachment

[Smokeydog]

Wow! What a well balanced and powerful machine. Dug, pushed down two big dead ash trees threatening driveway and fences. Have used full size backhoes, 3pt, and tractor frame mount backhoes. Each have their advantages and disadvantages. The M59 tlb would be hard to beat. Not to big or small, just right for our family farm.

 

[rScotty]

Wow! What a well balanced and powerful machine. Dug, pushed down two big dead ash trees threatening driveway and fences. Have used full size backhoes, 3pt, and tractor frame mount backhoes. Each have their advantages and disadvantages. The M59 tlb would be hard to beat. Not to big or small, just right for our family farm.

I agree. I've also used other hoes and agree that M59 & BT1200 combo is just about family farm size perfect. It definitely doesn't need to be any more powerful. As is, it's almost to strong for its own good - constantly tempting me to lift and carry things I know it shouldn't. Aren't those controls nice and sensitive? Best I've ever used.

BTW... you asked, if the hoe was able to reach the rear steps and mangle them..... I think by now you've figured that one out, and hope it didn't cost you anything more than a mangled step. There's a kubota sticker available for the BT1200 warning that interference with the outriggers is possible at the extreme limit of swing.

I'm constantly making simple mods to the M59 to make a good machine better. Here are a few things that have worked for me on the hoe end... I've got pics on some of this if anyone is interested. These are all inexpensive mods that mostly just take a little time. Anyone could do everything here for a double sawbuck.
For that matter, so could Kubota.

1. The back side of the backhoe lever control panel is the perfect place to mount a small tool box. I found a mailbox with a lid that works perfectly. Just large enough but not too large. To mount there, a tool box needs to clear the boom when retracted. That's very handy.

2. The foot pedal for the thumb is at the wrong angle for my foot. I added a piece of wood to the top of the pedal and whittled it until it fit right. With the wood bolted to the pedal, it no longer folds, but it only folded to allow using the (mangled) steps to get on and off the BH, and I never go that way anyway.

3. In the back of the barn sits my Dad's beautifully tapered tool steel six foot rock bar. It turns out to be just the right tool for straightening mangled BT1200 backhoe steps. Warning! This won't help much if you've managed to mangle the outriggers themselves., so try not to do that.

4. For backhoes that have the optional quick change bucket mount, part of that mount is a spring clip used to retain the removeable main pin. I won't try to describe that spring pin any better, because if you have that option you already know what I'm referring to.
Anyway, that spring clip is too easily opened and lost when digging - resulting in bent bucket ears or a bent BH QC attachment. I've heard of two that have suffered that problem. Replace the spring clip with a bolt & lock nut that are strong enough to take the stress of being rubbed against a rock with full BH force. Or weld on a shield around the pin like JD does.

5. I keep a separate grease gun loaded with ugly sticky black-staining high moly grease which lives alone in it's own 5 gallon pail. That gun is only used for for the upper and lower swing pivots on the backhoe plus the adjustable center pivot for the front axle of the M59. For some reason those 3 particular joints will squawk unless fed moly grease. But I'm particular, and don't want that nasty black moly grease all over the rest of the tractor. Luckily the rest of the zerk-fed joints are happy with a normal green chassis grease.

6. Speaking of grease. I know that grease compatability is real, but I don't worry about it these days....used to...
I figure that if a zerk takes grease until I can see it emerging on the other side of the joint then my greasing technique is doing what it should. Unfortunately, Life keeps reminding me that beliefs aren't reality. So I hope I'm right about the grease compatability thing.

7. Some of the BH hoses have sleeves for abrasion/sunlight protection and other hoses don't. No idea why they decided just to protect some of them, but I just ordered a roll of nylon braided sleeving to protect all those vulnerable hoses.

8. The parking brake handle is right where a person's feet need to be to rotate the seat for BH/Normal use. I'm hoping that somebody will figure out how move that parking brake lever to some other location. On mine, I simply unbolted it & hung it in the barn....., but there's probably a better location somewhere on the tractor.... .

What did I miss? If you have a favorite BH mod, please share it.
rScotty

 

[Smokeydog]

Can’t have too many tool boxes. Mounted a big 50 caliber army box to the front ROPS upright. Want to mount a upright 6x6” steel tube to the right loader post for chain, chainsaw carrying.

Convex mirror increases safety awareness around the machine. Always worry working around people and pets.

Fire extinguisher

The stabilizer steps are unusable. Take some heat, welding and time to repair. Unlike the B26, can go through the deck.

A lot of my work clothes are stained with moly grease. Pairs well the welding burn holes. Soon to be the next fashion trend.

Like the rear brake. Close to the seat mounting. The chainsaw wedges nicely by the rear brake with the bar thru a gap on the rear ROPS post. Doesn’t work in backhoe mode. I don’t have room to sit and spin. Have to stand, turn the seat and walk thru.

Backhoe bucket will get a welded rear chain hook and holes on the side cutting bars for clevis attachments for lifting.

My machine didn’t have rear hydraulic couplers. Upgraded to 3 flat face coupler sets for the three lines. Easier to keep clean and learned how to connect.

Looks like it would be easy to add a hand lever to work with the thumb foot pedal. Have a piece of SS bar that will work. Might add some bars to pedal too. Agree the foot ergonomics on the backhoe are not the best. Have some safety grating I might extend the deck.

Thanks for sharing. I get lots of ideas, improvements and experience from posts.

 

[Smokeydog]

Scrap pile swing lock pin.


Carrying chainsaw on M59. Saw wedges in there nicely and stays put.

Last night wind and rain storm left limbs and one pretty good size tree “widow maker” across the driveway.

Awesome M59 could safely break an 8” maple to bring the ash top down. Then haul if off in 25-30’ lengths. Took about a hour.
Tree cutters would charge $800 just to cut up and over double that to cut and haul. We all earn our keep today.

 

[Smokeydog]

After getting the backhoe installed, getting all pins greased and getting use to the controls, exercised the cylinders to change oil and displace any air. Lost boom down force. Would drop on gravity. No noise or stress from tractor. Continued to cycle and bounce using other functions too. Then it started working again?!? Then lost swing left. Remembered earlier post about that mystery. Continued to cycle and the left swing eventually returned.
Hope these are infrequent events. Might have a slight creep right swing while operating using the front loader extensively??? Like a previous poster. Fortunately posts from other owner/operators help quell my concerns and insight what might be happening.

Did note while replacing the three hydraulic quick disconnects coupler sets the threads on the lines and pipe plugs on the tractor used Teflon tape. The smallest sliver of tape can cause problems in hydraulic systems. Use permatex high pressure, high temperature hydraulic thread sealant paste.