Opinions - Replace B21 TLB with this B26 TLB?

[Carl_NH]

HI all.

Have a B21 for 21 years bought it new, now 750 hours - runs well, I just did the Hyd thumb last year - works great, the things lacking are a QA bucket for forks and lift capacity. I can add the QA bucket for $1500 and then I want QA fork set up too.

Been casually looking for a B26 and this one is coming up at auction in the NE https://www.rbauction.com/pdp/2022-kubota-b26-4wd-utility-tractor/12147935

It's a 2022 B26 with 223 hours - with hyd thumb.

- Concerns with this unit - if you look at the pics the oil filter is Kubota gray - like it has never been changed, and the same with the hydro filter both which should have been done at 50 hours and the OEM replacement filters are white. While that's not great, new filters and hydro oil would be changed
- The real concern is the black soot from the exhaust on the left FEL frame - this seems excessive - not right. IMO

So for you guys that have the B26 then in general some questions.
1. Is it normal that the FEL frame left side gets black from the exhaust?
2; Filter color - any reason they are the same as the engine color (other than not being changed? and is this a "pass on this unit"?
3. Anything else that you see is concerning?
4. Would I be better off adding a QA bucket setup on my B21 for $1300 and keeping it? "as it's a known machine"?

My view is if I can buy this unit right ($25K or so) it's worth it. but really looking for advice on the points above - filters and black soot, or if this is an indicator of a more serious situation based on your experience.

BTW I did contact the local dealer and sent them the S/N to look up to find out the history and warranty status.

Thanks in advance and the auction is Wednesday this week.

Carl

 

[CalG]

The B2601 I recently picked up really soots the loader arms!
I've seen inter-web things where owners have extended and diverted the out flow.

Think about it, it is ONLY at start up that the loader arms are in a position to get sooted! The rest of the operation time the arms are lifted and out of the way.

Compression ignition engines put out smoke when the get going!

 

[Carl_NH]

So Cal you are saying this has sat idling/running for long periods with the loader down, maybe doing BH work? So this amount of soot is normal on the FEL trame?

BTW this B26 is more a want than a need - I want 300 lbs more lift capacity and 4-5 more HP and a 20-year newer machine, but don't want to buy a problem unit either.

 

[CalG]

Looking at photo #22. That is half the soot that was on the loader of the 280 hour B2601 I just bought.. And this tractor has no Back Hoe.

It washes off....

The gray filters bother me more.
200 hours is 10, 000 miles in car speak. Normal factory change interval these days.

Modern oil is very effective.

 

[Smokeydog]

Yes on black on loader frame. M59 blacks the loader frame too. My B26 came with spark screen option on the tail pipe. Seemed to plug too often so removed. Added a short angle piece that helped the exhaust miss the loader.

B20 had vertical exhaust. Like the B26 exhaust better for woods work. Had the B20 for over twenty years. Nice upgrade to B26. Love the ssqa and backhoe qa is fast. The extra power is most welcome on our hillside farm. Have added many modifications to make it safer and more useful for our farm. Great little tractor.

B26s had a problem with cracks on a hydraulic rubber elbow on the pump suction line. To solve this Kubota redesigned the suction line with multiple pieces to reduce line stress in about 2018. If you do an oil change make sure this line is updated. I bought a replacement elbow and it came as a new line assembly. I might even replace that elbow again on next hydraulic oil change.

Extra lift capacity especially with the grapple is much enjoyed.

One owner, low hour B21 with hydraulic thumb might have appreciated in value from purchase price??? Used prices have really skyrocketed on TLBS.

 

[Smokeydog]

Wouldn’t worry on oil filter change.

Less diesel soot with additive like Standyne.

Missing a hinged floor plate from the backhoe to tractor.

3pt arms? Check if stored on frame.

 

[Carl_NH]

Thanks Cal and Smokeydog - for the soot, oil and missing pieces. The oil maybe no big deal but it shows lack of maintenance but its a low hour machine so likely OK,

Yes, I also searched the photos for the light arms but could not find them. Thanks for catching the missing floor plate - I take a look and see what Messicks wants for that, or best case they just took off for pictures!

 

[rScotty]

Thanks Cal and Smokeydog - for the soot, oil and missing pieces. The oil maybe no big deal but it shows lack of maintenance but its a low hour machine so likely OK,

Yes, I also searched the photos for the light arms but could not find them. Thanks for catching the missing floor plate - I take a look and see what Messicks wants for that, or best case they just took off for pictures!

I see the attraction. Nothing really to add, just sort of following along. And I will say that a person who enjoys tractor projects usually finds a use for two tractors - even two the same size where one tractor can use the BH to load the other FEL. At least until we figure out how to make one tractor load itself.

That B26 is very modern looking compared with the old B21 which does looks a bit old-fashioned by comparison. And it would be great to have 20 years of upgrades without the bother of the emission controls. The old B21 sure is rugged though. It might just go on forever. Did the B21 have SSQA? We do use our SSQA a lot. Hmm....does the B26 have a QA BH bucket? I cannot tell from pics.

Re: filters. I've often thought that until the filter begins to restrict flow and goes into bypass - which never really happens with all the pleated area....well, until that unlikely event happens, the filter can only become a more efficient and better filter as it accumulates crud. And two years or 200 hrs should be well within the life of a modern oil.

The B26 is under 25 hp, so no DPF. But I'm wondering if it has a EGR like our M59s? The EGR may be part of what makes older diesels from the Tier IV INTERIM engines so sooty. IMHO, that soot was because Tier IV Interim concentrated on NOx emissions and was lenient on soot. My guess is that the allowed soot was partly because of the EGR and also because of retarded injector timing which also reduced the main target NOx. Emissions concentrating on soot was left to full Tier IV and the DPF.

Whatever the cause, Our M59 sure does soot up the loader arm and front wheel when starting or changing rpm. Much more so than even our older totally pre-emissions diesels. I will say that when just sitting at a constant RPM to run the backhoe, the M59 with Interim Tier IV emissions does burn pretty clean.
I see the 3pt kit in old whole goods catalog was priced at $417. That seems low..

In our inflated economy a TLB might be as good as cash. I've suspected that some of the local auctions are working with a minimum set by a pre-existing loan.
My bottom line....it's interesting enough to be worth going to the auction...
rScotty

 

[Smokeydog]

Good catch rScotty, it does not have QA backhoe bucket. The B26 uses flares on their ssqa and QA backhoe buckets that make connecting even easier. Only model I’ve seen that on. Added that feature on several ssqa attachments.

 

[hkbirdman]

HI all.

Have a B21 for 21 years bought it new, now 750 hours - runs well, I just did the Hyd thumb last year - works great, the things lacking are a QA bucket for forks and lift capacity. I can add the QA bucket for $1500 and then I want QA fork set up too.

Been casually looking for a B26 and this one is coming up at auction in the NE https://www.rbauction.com/pdp/2022-kubota-b26-4wd-utility-tractor/12147935

It's a 2022 B26 with 223 hours - with hyd thumb.

- Concerns with this unit - if you look at the pics the oil filter is Kubota gray - like it has never been changed, and the same with the hydro filter both which should have been done at 50 hours and the OEM replacement filters are white. While that's not great, new filters and hydro oil would be changed
- The real concern is the black soot from the exhaust on the left FEL frame - this seems excessive - not right. IMO

So for you guys that have the B26 then in general some questions.
1. Is it normal that the FEL frame left side gets black from the exhaust?
2; Filter color - any reason they are the same as the engine color (other than not being changed? and is this a "pass on this unit"?
3. Anything else that you see is concerning?
4. Would I be better off adding a QA bucket setup on my B21 for $1300 and keeping it? "as it's a known machine"?

My view is if I can buy this unit right ($25K or so) it's worth it. but really looking for advice on the points above - filters and black soot, or if this is an indicator of a more serious situation based on your experience.

BTW I did contact the local dealer and sent them the S/N to look up to find out the history and warranty status.

Thanks in advance and the auction is Wednesday this week.

Carl

Hi Carl: I can't comment on the black soot - but all the service on my L-47 has been done by our local Kubota dealer in Milford, NH (where I bought it). It currently has a white oil filter on it - but I seem to recall that they may have put a grey filter on it when they did an oil change. I will look thru my old photos to see if I can verify this. I would think think that if you could buy this machine in the ballpark of $25K - it would be a fair deal.