Pricing out an L6060

[calhoun9001]

If your going to be in tight situations most of the time, I would agree that your looking at the right tractors. I ran a 4320 to do most of my work when I built a home on a couple acres, was a great tractor. A bigger tractor was never needed. I loved the hydro trans for that application. If your going to stay with CUT I would definitely get the hydro trans.

 

[SDT]

ThL6060 is quite light for much of a root grapple.

Why do you need/want draft control. For your plans you do not need it and cannot effectively use it with R4 tires.

Hydrostats are very convenient but also very inefficient. For your purposes (unless you plan to use your tractor mostly for variable speed/reversing work) I would look for a larger frame size tractor with a hydraulic reverser. The MF 4600 series might be a good choice and the incentives are currently good.

SDT

 

[TripleR]

Owning an L5740HSTC and an M8540HDC, I can certainly understand both sides of the coin. I often run both in a single day and bought the L5740 after the M8540 for the tight, close in work that will wear you out on an M or the M simply won't fit. I love the M Series Kubota and really like the equivalent in JD, Massey etc., but there are times a CUT like the L5740/6060 is just the right tool.

I wouldn't/don't worry about burning out the hydraulic clutch on our M Series and we use it for a lot of back and forth loader work and box scraper in addition to running a 10' pull type rotary cutter, they are very good systems; same goes for the other makes.

I am slower than my sons doing loader work with the M8540, but they will usually grab the L5740. They can operate both about as quickly, but are much more tired at the end of the day on the M.

Yes, the M is a stronger, more robust machine, will lift and pull more, but for our uses, there will always be a need for the 5740. Cost is high, but the HST+ is worth it for us at least and I noticed the new John Deere CUTs have an eHydro with some of the same features.

I can't honestly say which is best for the OP, only relay our experience.

 

[motownbrowne]

Hydro transmissions are very slick to operate, and very convenient. They are less efficient than gears, but many of us feel they are worth it.

That said, for what you want, you should at least test drive a power shuttle transmission. You can get a bigger stronger tractor for less money.

As far as fitting in smaller spaces, the narrowest wheel spacing on the bigger tractors should still be pretty small.

I had another thought also, for your budget you could buy two tractors. How about a mx5100, a large open station hydro tractor, and a cabbed b or bx. Unless air conditioning is a major reason you like a cab, you can get by without it during the summer. An open station will be better in the woods too. Just something to think about. Or maybe a tractor and a used skid steer. Two machines would be more versatile that one. I just think that of all the people I've heard wanting to complete the type of projects you want to do, I don't hear too many people buying 6060s, 5740s, or similar tractors. You should be able to get more capability out if your budget.

Of course if the 6060 is what you want, and the features are worth the $$ to you, go right ahead. I bet that's a sweet tractor to own, good luck.

 

[TripleR]

Owning an L5740HSTC and an M8540HDC, I can certainly understand both sides of the coin. I often run both in a single day and bought the L5740 after the M8540 for the tight, close in work that will wear you out on an M or the M simply won't fit. I love the M Series Kubota and really like the equivalent in JD, Massey etc., but there are times a CUT like the L5740/6060 is just the right tool.

I wouldn't/don't worry about burning out the hydraulic clutch on our M Series and we use it for a lot of back and forth loader work and box scraper in addition to running a 10' pull type rotary cutter, they are very good systems; same goes for the other makes.

I am slower than my sons doing loader work with the M8540, but they will usually grab the L5740. They can operate both about as quickly, but are much more tired at the end of the day on the M.

Yes, the M is a stronger, more robust machine, will lift and pull more, but for our uses, there will always be a need for the 5740. Cost is high, but the HST+ is worth it for us at least and I noticed the new John Deere CUTs have an eHydro with some of the same features.

I am adding a grapple right now along with 400 pound wheel weights to go with the filled tires as we work on a lot of hills, my counter ballast is a Land Pride HR3584 at a bit over 1100 pounds.

I didn't get draft control, but at times kind of wish I had.

I can't honestly say which is best for the OP, only relay our experience.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

I took my pilgrimage to Iowa today and looked at both a MF4609 and a MF1759. Along the way I visited a Deere 5085E as well. Although in my mind I entertained utility tractors as options, in person both the MF4609 and 5085E are way too big for what I want to do except for road building. I did not make a video for either the 5085E or MF4609 because I didn't think I knew enough about them and because I'm discussing the merits of the L6060 and MF1700s (and Deere's 4066R if they build one before I purchase). The MF1759 is ruled out because I decided that the hydrostatic is easier to use. I'm waiting for a sharper quote on the 1758 to come in my email to compare with the quote on the L6060. In the meantime, here are my initial impressions of the MF1759

 

[MHarryE]

I took my pilgrimage to Iowa today and looked at both a MF4609 and a MF1759. Along the way I visited an Deere 5085E as well. Although in my mind I entertained utility tractors as options, in person both the MF4609 and 5085E are way too big for what I want to do except for road building. I did not make a video for either the 5085E or MF4609 because I didn't think I knew enough about them and because I'm discussing the merits of the L6060 and MF1700s (and Deere's 4066R if they build one before I purchase). The MF1759 is ruled out because I decided that the hydrostatic is easier to use. I'm waiting for a sharper quote on the 1758 to come in my email to compare with the quote on the L6060. In the meantime, here are my initial impressions of the MF1759 YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVjE5xxcLwc

One comment on your video - you state the Massey has a stronger rear axle due to planetaries rather than bull gear reduction but the specs I find on the 1758 say bull gear final drives. I'm not saying that is bad. Bull gears end up being larger to transmit the same power at the same gear reduction but they do have advantages. Goodness knows I have had enough failed planetary parts around my home until my wife made me scrap them because she considers them junk rather than works of art.

I admit to having brain fade. We have added 3 tractors since I retired and haven't considered Massey due to dealer location. Then it dawned on me I get a 10% employee discount after negotiating my best deal with a dealer. I still feel good that my Kubota orange matches my Allis-Chalmers roots from the first 22 years of my engineering career.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

One comment on your video - you state the Massey has a stronger rear axle due to planetaries rather than bull gear reduction but the specs I find on the 1758 say bull gear final drives. I'm not saying that is bad. Bull gears end up being larger to transmit the same power at the same gear reduction but they do have advantages. Goodness knows I have had enough failed planetary parts around my home until my wife made me scrap them because she considers them junk rather than works of art.

I admit to having brain fade. We have added 3 tractors since I retired and haven't considered Massey due to dealer location. Then it dawned on me I get a 10% employee discount after negotiating my best deal with a dealer. I still feel good that my Kubota orange matches my Allis-Chalmers roots from the first 22 years of my engineering career.

Yes, the L6060 and MF1748 (both eHST machines) both use a bull gear final driver rear axle. The 1759 I drove is a sycro shuttle and uses a beefier planetary final drive.

The 1759 has the identical engine spec as the 1758, but due to the HST, the 1758 has a lower PTO output than the 1759 (high 44-point-something versus 47). Assuming all specs are true and use the same method of measurement, the L6060 has better than 10% more PTO power (45ish versus 52ish). The Massey engine is smaller than Kubota's engine. In my videos you can see the Massey idles around 900 rpm compared to Kubota's 6-700 rpm. Yet the Massey weighs more. For me and my special back issues, the Kubota's seat sucked but the seat was not the optional air seat. Also, I felt that I could more easily look backward in the Kubota than the Massey.

Of importance to me, the tie rods on the Massey steering are mounted behind the axle, and much better protected against bashing damage.

Oddly, the MF1759 did not have an air seat, a feature I thought was standard with the cab. The dealer is calling to find out why he could not spec an air cushion seat when he tried to quote me an MF1758.

 

[art]

ThL6060 is quite light for much of a root grapple.

Why do you need/want draft control. For your plans you do not need it and cannot effectively use it with R4 tires.

Hydrostats are very convenient but also very inefficient. For your purposes (unless you plan to use your tractor mostly for variable speed/reversing work) I would look for a larger frame size tractor with a hydraulic reverser. The MF 4600 series might be a good choice and the incentives are currently good.

SDT

The right size root grapple for the capacities of the tractor make it so a root grapple does work! The root grapple does have to be the right size for the tractor and loader and they work great! To have the wrong size or one to heavy will cause problems.

Draft control works with any tires you choose there is nothing that will change the ability of draft control to do it's job with a difference of tires!

The hydro would be the best tractor for his work after the excavating job is done. So why not buy a tractor that would be right for the work you have to do for the majority of the work you have to do?

 

[SDT]

The right size root grapple for the capacities of the tractor make it so a root grapple does work! The root grapple does have to be the right size for the tractor and loader and they work great! To have the wrong size or one to heavy will cause problems.

Draft control works with any tires you choose there is nothing that will change the ability of draft control to do it's job with a difference of tires!

The hydro would be the best tractor for his work after the excavating job is done. So why not buy a tractor that would be right for the work you have to do for the majority of the work you have to do?

Sorry, but draft control is needed for tillage work where R4 tires are poorly suited. Hence the modifier "effectively."

Of course grapples, like all other implements, should be sized to the tractor upon which they will be used. Hence the modifiey "much."

SDT