M59 Discussion Thread

[rScotty]

Hi rScotty

I'm glad to hear that Kubota has an approved bleeding system.

I can't wait to move snow next winter in a heated cab!

All the best guys with your M59's. I wished I could have joined that club but I am quite excited about the L45 purchase.
Regards, Lauren

I think I'd have gone the same way if I had to trailer the machine. The M59 is just heavy enough that it really needs one to make the jump to commercial trailering. That's a big jump.

I'll be envious when the snow flies. Every spring I forget how tough the cold weather was! Our Spring started about two months early this year. In the high Rockies we are looking at summer weather most days now.

As for the bleeding, I don't know what Kubota did right...but they sure got it right. Running out of fuel used to be about as much fun as dropping a toolbox on my toe. Now it's no biggie.
rScotty

 

[TBarD]

I think I'd have gone the same way if I had to trailer the machine. The M59 is just heavy enough that it really needs one to make the jump to commercial trailering. That's a big jump. rScotty

Well I sure hope you are wrong about this rScotty since I'll be hauling mine (for the first time) 700 miles straight North come late May. I have seen a number of comments one way or the other about trailering the M59. With a 14K trailer and a 26K limit for a non-commercial license that leaves 12K for the GVWR for the tow vehicle. I think my truck is rated about 9K GVWR (for the truck alone) and 12.5K for towing. The trailer is a bumper pull so I can keep the hitch weight within limits, with a load-leveling hitch. The M59 plus trailer will probably be very close to that, maybe a bit over. I think the Cummins with all the tow stuff I have on there will be able to haul it. Tell me if I am nuts to try this (then again maybe I don't want to know!).

This should only be necessary for 1-2 years after which I will be able to leave it up in Colorado (in my soon to be enclosed pole barn) over the winter. I agree, if one was doing this all the time e.g. for a small contracting business then something slightly smaller like the L45 would probably be preferable.

 

[TBarD]

I know you guys like pictures so here are a couple of nice Colorado pictures. The one on the left is my ranchland up in Colorado which is what the M59 is for. I think it will be just the right size for what I need to do to develop and work the place. The second is the headwaters of the Rio Grande which we go by on the way to and from New Mexico where we work, just to show how nice SW Colorado can be. I probably won't post any tractor pictures until the fun starts.

 

[Piston]

It sure is beautiful there!

I don't think the power will be the problem, I think it's stopping that you'd have to worry about. I'd certainly give a shot though, I think you'll be fine as long as your careful. :thumbsup:

 

[TBarD]

I don't think the power will be the problem, I think it's stopping that you'd have to worry about. I'd certainly give a shot though, I think you'll be fine as long as your careful. :thumbsup:

This is good to hear. I have brakes on both axles on the trailer and am adding an exhaust brake to the truck, so it should be ok if I keep the speed down. I'll certainly have to watch it on some of the downgrades in the mountains. But I know all those roads real well.

 

[lhansman]

Thanks for the photos TbarD. I live at the top of the Niagara escarpment north of Toronto in rolling hill country but we don't have anything to compare with those beautiful vistas in your photos.

You won't have any problems towing your M59. The issue for me is that my dumping trailer is rated at 14,000 pounds but it weighed 3,800 pounds from the manufacturer and then I lined the floor and sides with pressure treated 2x8, added a tongue toolbox with all my chains and tie downs and now it scales at about 4,500 pounds leaving me with a payload of 9,500 pounds.

According to the spec sheet, the M59 weighs around 8,350 pounds. The one I was looking at had the Laurin cab on it which I figure added 500 pounds, I wanted to foam all four tires which would probably add another 1,000 pounds plus I always travel with my forks (500 pounds) and one or two additional backhoe buckets. It became clear to me that I would be over the limit for the dumping trailer but you shouldn't have any problem with a 14,000 pound rated float trailer as it will be at least 1,500 - 2000 pounds lighter than my dump trailer I would think.

The L45 only weighs 7,200 pounds so I think I will be OK weight wise once I add the Laurin cab, foam its tires and carry my forks and a backhoe bucket or two but I will lbe very close to the 14,000 pound rating of the trailer. There is a scale house about 20 miles from my home which I expect will be closed on Sunday so I plan on towing the L45 down there in the morning and spending an hour or so confirming total and tongue weights before the cab gets installed and the tires get foamed.

If there is a scale near you, before the long trip to Colorado I would recommend you scale your load not just for total weight but since you have a bumper pull trailer check your tongue weight too. The rule of thumb is you want to have 10-15 percent of your total trailer weight on the tongue to ensure you don't develop trailer sway. You can adjust your tongue weight by moving the M59 forward of backward on the float and then mark of make note of the optimum position. I have only experienced trailer sway once after getting some bad advice on machine weight and how to load it many years ago and I can tell you it is not something I want to experience again. Fortunately I was able to grab the trailer brake controller and get stopped but I then had to spend a couple of hours on the side of the road to clean out my pants and then unload and reload the equipment with more weight on the tongue.

I have a buddy who has a full size Cat 420 TLB which weighs around 16,000 pounds and he tows it regularly and legally with his F350 dually so you shouldn't have any problems with your Dodge Cummins. The exhaust brake is an excellent upgrade if you are going to be towing heavy - especially in your part of the world. Getting going I never found to be a problem but you can never have too much stopping power. Exhaust brakes are now standard on 2012 Chevy and Dodge I think but Ford still only has the variable vane turbo and as an F350 driver I can tell you it definitely is not as effective as an exhaust brake.

I look forward to seeing more pictures from your scenic ranchland.

Regards,

Lauren

 

[TBarD]

Thanks much for the detailed comments Lauren. Regarding weights I think things are fine; I rechecked and my truck is actually rated to tow 13100. The tractor is probably 9000 with thumb and fuel so we have 12000 - 12500 overall including trailer. I will unfortunately probably have to make two trips to start, one for attachments, building materials, and other equipment, and one for the tractor.

There is a truck stop not far up I-25 which probably has a truck scale. Once I finish instrumenting the truck and installing an exhaust brake and load leveling air springs (both from PacBrake) I plan to do a short dry run loading and hauling the tractor and will check the weights, tire and axle temps etc. at the time. I doubt if I could monopolize the truck scale for an hour, however I have found an economical tongue weight scale which will do the job even better ([ame="http://www.amazon.com/Sherline-LM-2000-Trailer-Tongue/dp/B007REK28M"]Sherline Scale[/ame]).

Another useful improvement I made to my truck was adding heavy duty aftermarket bumpers; in particular the rear bumper is 3/16 steel and bolts to both the frame and the receiver hitch hence probably increases the hitch strength by at least 50% (at some cost in increased weight).

Another issue is insurance - for those of us with a Kubota, KTAC insurance looks to be a winner, as it will cover the tractor (and trailer and attachments if you wish) both at home and at a remote location, as well as during transport. It also covers accidental damage to the tractor itself during use, such as a rollover or sticking a limb through the radiator.

Regarding a trailer for the M59, I wouldn't go any less than 14K and 20 feet long; 22-24 is optimal.

I spent quite a bit of time reading postings and doing other research to figure out how to safely trailer the M59, so hopefully summarizing all this here will help others.

 

[natem]

Does Laurin cabs have a web site? I tried to find them one time and could not. How much is the cab for the L-45 going for?

 

[doelake]

The website is Laurin inc | Cabines, canopes et compacteurs pour tracteur et camion and it is a manufacturer in Quebec, Canada. Check it out:thumbsup:
Good luck,
Anthony

 

[doelake]

Hi rScotty

I'm glad to hear that Kubota has an approved bleeding system. My original B21 had a fuel tank that was just slightly over 5 gallons capacity and being lazy I used to try and get it into the red portion of the fuel gauge so that I could lift and dump the entire can of fuel without any spilling on the hood. The B26 tank is a little over 6 gallons which is nice in that I have a larger margin of safety using the same filling technique.

I think the L45 has an 11 gallon tank and I now have my own 100 gallon diesel tank at home with a pump so hopefully I won't get caught short like Anthony did.

Hi Anthony

Having finally put the thumb on my B26 last year there was no way that I was going to purchase another machine without one so the L45 will be delivered this weekend with a thumb and I also ordered it with the 4 in 1 bucket for the front to help pick things up.

I had at one point decided to keep the B26 (which was why I put the thumb on last year) but in the end decided that I really wanted a cab and I was concerned that I would find it very cramped in a B26 with the cab - especially in the back hoe area which is where I spend most of my seat time.

There is a used M59 south of Saint Catherines with the Laurin cab on it that I went down and looked at last November. It was a grey and windy November day and it felt real nice to be in out of the wind. Unfortunately the dealer wanted a ridiculous amount of money for the machine AND offered me an insulting trade-in value for the B26 so I walked away. In the end it was the right decision because the L45 fits nicely in my 14,000 pound dumping trailer both physically and from a weight perspective. I think I would have had to purchase a float trailer too if I had purchased the M59.

I will pick the L45 up this weekend and the Laurin cab has been ordered but it will be 6 - 8 weeks for delivery. We are currently in the middle of the worst snow storm for this winter I believe and I can't wait to move snow next winter in a heated cab!

All the best guys with your M59's. I wished I could have joined that club but I am quite excited about the L45 purchase.

Regards,

Lauren

Hi Lauren, I'm interested in a Laurin cab as well...let us know how everything works out....take and post pictures...we'll be waiting:thumbsup:
Best Regards,
Anthony
P.S. would it be inappropriate to say I'm a little jealous:laughing: