M62 TLB wheel spacers

[Wormwood]

Oh & regarding the stability of the M62... If you get a chance where you can safely test the stability to the limits, write-off the day & spend some time with rigging, straps, & clevis', you'll be glad you did... we happened to get the backhoe stuck on the side of a slope we had been grading with a Kumatsu, a water truck we were using had some leaks in the tank & by the time we realized it the M62 was in mud pit on the side of the hill, no matter which direction we went in the M62 the angle only got steeper as we moved. So we secured the M62 to the dozer which was uphill on solid ground & we began to claw the backhoe out be itself. It was extremely uncomfortable to sit in the seat & always felt like it was about to tip over, however standing back looking at the M62 it never looked as though it was close to tipping over. These days with the spacers installed I'm a lot less concerned about it's stability & have stopped sucking the upholstery up my butt.

The outriggers are another story, they're about 6" too short. My example is with a full bucket extended out & start swinging it to the side you will tip over (at least until the bucket hits the ground) before you get to the limits of your swing cylinder.

I have an extra set of rear tires, with the idea of making twin tires for the rear. I still might at some point but the spacers & the understanding of how stable the backhoe really is, I put the idea on the backburner for now....

 

[JWR]

Plowing my icy drive, I slid over a 4' embankment. Without the weights and addition wheel spacing it would have gone over, but the slope was at least 45 degrees, and it did not roll.(thankfully)'

45 degrees or 45% slope ? Dozers get away with 45 degrees at times. Wheeled tractors do not.

 

[rScotty]

The outriggers are another story, they're about 6" too short. My example is with a full bucket extended out & start swinging it to the side you will tip over (at least until the bucket hits the ground) before you get to the limits of your swing cylinder.

With which size bucket? The M59 won't quite tip over and touch the bucket down in that configuration you describe, but it does get real light on it's feet. It also is little bit base-narrow on the outriggers at full rise. So I think the M59 could use slightly longer outriggers itself. They aren't absolutely necessary, but like a higher operator's seat, and moving the parking brake over to the right hand side, these are all simple mods that would cost nothing and make a huge difference.

Hmm.....I wonder if the M59 and M62 have the same outriggers? It would make sense that the M62 would have slightly longer outriggers....after all, it has the longer reach.
rScotty

 

[Wormwood]

An 18" bucket filled with red clay dirt, not completely extended boom about 6-7' above the ground & the bucket almost fully curled. Swing the bucket & you'll feel it getting light on the opposite outrigger, sort telegraphing that it's about to tip over.

I'm not sure if the 59 & 62 have the same outriggers, I've considered extending them about 6" but just haven't had the time or all the equipment under the same roof when the thought was bouncing around in my head...

Oh on the power or lack of it when trying to lift the back end with the bucket, has anyone considered converting over to flat faced hydraulic quick connectors? Dunno two inlets & one outlets seems like they fight over the return from time to time.

Wormwood

 

[BeaconWoods]

Thanks for the response. Much appreciated. Where did you get the spacers? Handy having the backhoe stabilizers to pick the thing up. My hope is to get the tires filled at the same time as I add the spacers, so they only have to be removed once.

Is two inches enough extra width? Would you go more if wider ones were available?

Thanks again.

 

[JWR]

Thanks for the response. Much appreciated. Where did you get the spacers? Handy having the backhoe stabilizers to pick the thing up. My hope is to get the tires filled at the same time as I add the spacers, so they only have to be removed once.

Is two inches enough extra width? Would you go more if wider ones were available?

Thanks again.

Depends on where you plan to operate. I use 6" spacers on my B2150 and they made a huge difference for mowing steep ground (made it possible versus very unsafe..) but watch out for limitations -- your tires may be in the way of something else depending on how far you move them out. For example I cannot use the belly mower with my 6" spacers because the rear tires will no longer clear the mid-mount mower deck. With a back hoe type machine you might have other restrictions, hard for me to picture. I ordered my spacers from Bora and consider them to be excellent quality and fit. They have every little thing figured out for compatibility. See post #8.

 

[mike69440]

It's A LOT of work putting spacers on!!

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Maybe not a cinch, but to poor guys without a BH and stabilizers, now that's a LOT of work! Pick up the machine with the hoe and crab it to the tire or put the tire on a mover's dolly on hard cement pavement next time. Work smart, not hard.

Width and wheel weights make all the difference.

 

[Wormwood]

Thanks for the response. Much appreciated. Where did you get the spacers? Handy having the backhoe stabilizers to pick the thing up. My hope is to get the tires filled at the same time as I add the spacers, so they only have to be removed once.

Is two inches enough extra width? Would you go more if wider ones were available?

Thanks again.

Richard @ Bro-tek is where I bought mine, they were $450 delivered for the pair, it includes a set of lug nuts & lug bolts. Which brings ups a point, each OEM threaded stud & nut from Kubota is $60 & my first install with an impact driver I boogered up 3 or so threaded studs & nuts. the spacers are aluminum, 2" thick & due to the size of the OEM lug nut it sorta limits you on how you can installl. The hardware from Bro-tek is high grade so you can use anywhere on the installation. My problem was after my 1st install I was running minus 2 lug nuts & a couple more were seized. So my second install I removed all the threaded studs & replaced with Bro-tek's lug bolts, these hold the spacer to the hub, then I used the OEM lug nuts to fasten the wheel to the spacer. This was a lot of work using a 3/4" drive manually, I wouldn't use an impact unless you have extra hardware for the ones that get boogered up.


Is 2" enough extra width? That's subjective but by design the seating position makes it VERY uncomfortable to drive over the slightest grades versus a traditional tractor with the seat tucked down in between the rear wheels. So your perception is that you're going to tip over. My suggestion is to setup a situation where you can safely test the stability of the backhoe. Two things will become apparent, you feel like you're going to tip over way before the backhoe becomes unstable, two, the distance between the seat & the center of rotation is far enough that you can be slung out of the seat without at the backhoe even tipping over, if you did tip over, I'd be more concerned about hitting the roof than the ground. More like a catapult than anything else.

As I understand everything, spacers effectively lower the center of rotation but at the expense of the distance to the seat. While it does increase the stability of the tractor from tipping over it also increases the overall force the body would experience if you did tip over. So if your activity leaves any room for doubt, where that belt.

Hope this help...

Wormwood

 

[mike69440]

Kubota can keep their $60 studs. My time is not that valuable that i could not find the same with a tape measure, thread gage and a wi fi Connection.
PS, my weights spacers only add 1" each side and if I had to do it again would make them 1-1/4" or 1-1/2" to increase track 3" total, so 2" spacer is plenty. More stresses axle and bearings.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

I have 2" spacers on my M62, night & day difference on stability. Adding fluid in the tires, half full is good & it really can stick to the ground on a hill so long as you don't lift the bucket. Drop the backhoe & put on a batwing & it oddly sticks to the hillside. The only thing I can conclude is the engine compartment & subframe are lower than what the tractor appears to be. Yes the M59 & M62 have the same bolt pattern according to the spacers I bought.

It's A LOT of work putting spacers on!!

Curious if you've experienced any cracking or bearing failures in the hubs/wheels/transmission cases that is linked to the spacers?

I'm in the same situation as most of you, dealing with a tippy tractor (M62) on steep hills.