Grading New to me Kubota M59

[mike69440]

Would tire chains on front tires of M59 do harm to front end?

Big ones maybe will damage front axle over time, but I use Small Section ones on my L39 from Amazon, etc on the front.
These diamond-pattern link chain features shorter links to provide excellent all-around performance, and is made to be easy to install. It is better for on-road and off-road surfaces, steep grades, deep and packed snow, and icy roads. This chain provides Class-S clearance, and requires chain tighteners (included). I think you need Size WS-1705
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/B1AuiYOtblS.pdf
Amazon.com: Security Chain Company WS164 Whitestar Alloy Tire Traction Chain - Set of 2: Automotive
Have wheel weights so BH does not push machine around as much and the rear tires stay planted, at least on level ground. I recommend more weight.
Two problem with chains is you need special chains or double chains to give a reasonably smooth ride and they track the mud all around.
R4's stink in slop, but the BH can usually extricate itself from all but the worst situations. Only once did my wife have to keep me from sliding over a 20' embankment with our excavator.
PS
Thumbs up to soft cab vs No cab in winter!
ESCO Bucket teeth are way better than any bolt on cutting edge. Weld a 2" x 2" piece of angle to back of bucket edge for back dragging.

 

[mike69440]

Not in my opinion, just use your head and for sure, flip it out of fwd on firmer (traction) surfaces. If you have a hard push and the tractor is really "hooking up'' to the ground is when I might be concerned about chains on the front. Just wheeling around in the slop & mud I wouldn't worry at all.

I remove my chains after snow season. Regardless with my machine ballasted at least an extra 1,000 lbs and with the relatively weak L series front axle of my L39 on high traction surfaces, I typically push into and pull out a full load from a pile in 2WD.
M59 front axle is much stouter, I would not worry.

 

[rScotty]

I remove my chains after snow season. Regardless with my machine ballasted at least an extra 1,000 lbs and with the relatively weak L series front axle of my L39 on high traction surfaces, I typically push into and pull out a full load from a pile in 2WD.
M59 front axle is much stouter, I would not worry.

When we bought our M59, I had a lot of experience with compact and sub-compact tractors so I knew just what kind of chains I wanted & ordered up a custom set for the front on the M59.

What I didn't realize was that traction is all about weight per square inch of tire surface. If I had more experience, I would have realized that what that means is that for a lighter tractor chains are real necessary and you can use them without much worry of hurting the tractor. But when a tractor gets to a certain size and weight, the need for chains goes way down while the danger of overloading the drive train because of the traction that chains provide goes way up. There are times when a tractor needs to spin a tire to protect the drive train.

At almost 1000 hrs now I've never had a reason to run chains on the M59. We have real snow here in the mountains at 7000 feet but no mud. With all that weight, gear selection, diff lock, and 4wd, so far the M59 has plenty of traction in the snow without chains at all. Well shucks.....OK, maybe the chains will be useful when the tires wear down to smoothies, but I could just as easily buy new tires when that happens.

After using chains on compact tractor since the 1980s, our beautiful custom-designed, cross-linked, extra-plated, & expensive! M59 front chains haven't moved from their peg in the barn. Sure look nice hanging there, though.
rScotty

 

[Gasifier]

When we bought our M59, I had a lot of experience with compact and sub-compact tractors so I knew just what kind of chains I wanted & ordered up a custom set for the front on the M59.

What I didn't realize was that traction is all about weight per square inch of tire surface. If I had more experience, I would have realized that what that means is that for a lighter tractor chains are real necessary and you can use them without much worry of hurting the tractor. But when a tractor gets to a certain size and weight, the need for chains goes way down while the danger of overloading the drive train because of the traction that chains provide goes way up. There are times when a tractor needs to spin a tire to protect the drive train.

At almost 1000 hrs now I've never had a reason to run chains on the M59. We have real snow here in the mountains at 7000 feet but no mud. With all that weight, gear selection, diff lock, and 4wd, so far the M59 has plenty of traction in the snow without chains at all. Well shucks.....OK, maybe the chains will be useful when the tires wear down to smoothies, but I could just as easily buy new tires when that happens.

After using chains on compact tractor since the 1980s, our beautiful custom-designed, cross-linked, extra-plated, & expensive! M59 front chains haven't moved from their peg in the barn. Sure look nice hanging there, though.
rScotty

Are your drives and parking area a hard surface that you can scrape down? Concrete or pavement. We live in the country and have crushed stone and will not be doing pavement or concrete. Too much cost for a lot of road and parking combined. What happens is snow eventually gets packed down and turns to ice. Leads to a lot of slippery surfaces. (Don’t want to be throwing salt $ down all the time.) I have not had the M59 for long though. But have owned a few heavy TLBs and am surprised at how you can still spin tires even with lower throttle and gear selection. The ice chains I had on my last tractor were outstanding in all traction situations.

 

[mike69440]

Are your drives and parking area a hard surface that you can scrape down? Concrete or pavement. We live in the country and have crushed stone and will not be doing pavement or concrete. Too much cost for a lot of road and parking combined. What happens is snow eventually gets packed down and turns to ice. Leads to a lot of slippery surfaces. (Don稚 want to be throwing salt $ down all the time.) I have not had the M59 for long though. But have owned a few heavy TLBs and am surprised at how you can still spin tires even with lower throttle and gear selection. The ice chains I had on my last tractor were outstanding in all traction situations.

With New England / NY freeze-thaw-freeze cycles I need ice cleats on my boots to walk across fairly flat ground. A few times a year I spend $$ to get the drives and some of the working areas sanded.
I'd never live down one of the critters having to be put down from a broken leg slipping on the ice. Even 4 leg drive doesn't work well.
Ever have an excavator slide down an icy hill with a panel truck stuck sideways at the bottom? (I stooped in time and did lift him out., but I nearly soiled my underwear.)
PS what you going to do for a Cab?

 

[Gasifier]

With New England / NY freeze-thaw-freeze cycles I need ice cleats on my boots to walk across fairly flat ground. A few times a year I spend $$ to get the drives and some of the working areas sanded.
I'd never live down one of the critters having to be put down from a broken leg slipping on the ice. Even 4 leg drive doesn't work well.
Ever have an excavator slide down an icy hill with a panel truck stuck sideways at the bottom? (I stooped in time and did lift him out., but I nearly soiled my underwear.)
PS what you going to do for a Cab?

Maybe I’ll just pay my retired neighbor to plow me out with his truck/plow combination. Simpler! LOL

 

[rScotty]

Are your drives and parking area a hard surface that you can scrape down? Concrete or pavement. We live in the country and have crushed stone and will not be doing pavement or concrete.

I agree that the ground surface is everything. What I said about not needing chains with the heavier equipment is right for our land & may not be for yours. That said, and since you asked....all of the drives and parking areas on our property are simply the native soil, sand, and gravel. No concrete or pavement at all. In fact, no crushed stone either.

Most of our Rocky Mountain "soil" doesn't even have loam or clay. It is just like what you find in the bottom of a mountain stream and is locally called "DG" which is "disintegrating granite". As granite weathers it breaks down into a quartz sand and rounded granite gravel. Like in a trout stream. All of our land is composed of that. Maybe that is why chains aren't necessary for larger tractors here.

DG also drains well. And the Rocky Mountains are basically high dry desert. Even in deep winter the dirt under the snow isn't wet enough to form much of an ice layer.
rScotty

 

[Gasifier]

I just picked up the three point hitch kit and two foot backhoe bucket for the M59. I haven’t had time to use it but went into the boxes and they did not contain the pins to connect the lower arms. Darn it!

Does anyone know if I can buy two pins at TSC or NAPA or is that something I’ll have to get through a Kubota dealership?

 

[Gasifier]

Ha. Looks like they are already in the tractor. D’Oh! I’ll be alright.......

Slick system of backhoe removal. No problems at all taking it off.

 

[Rustyiron]

:thumbsup: