Smaller Tractor (60HP or Less) with Cab & Backhoe?

Gary Fowler · Aug 15, 2016

Grandad4 said:
If a lot of your work involves digging and moving material (more than 50% ???), a TLB that can also handle 3 pt and pto powered implements makes good sense. If you're mostly doing other chores (mowing, cultivating, etc.), and sometimes need a backhoe ( less than half the time), a CUT with an add-on backhoe might be more suitable. For me, being able to easily detach the FEL for mowing chores (which you can't do with a TLB), more than made up for the two seat hassle with the backhoe, but that's a personal preference thing.

I haven't found that needing to detach the FEL is a problem. If clearance is an issue, the bucket can be removed from all of the Kubota TLBs but since they are quite small to begin with, I don't find the need to remove anything. Mine came with the 3 PH but so far in 5 years, I haven't needed to use it. The only time the backhoe has been off was when I bought it and the previous owner showed me how to take it on and off which was super easy. He used it to bush hog with a 5 foot mower but since I didn't buy the mower and already had another tractor, I haven't ever had it off.
On the really hot days, I suppose a cab would be nice to have but the 4 post canopy works pretty good for shade and rain protection, even when operating the backhoe. The one thing I hate about my cabbed tractor is the decrease in visibility which I find to be a hindrance to finesse work using the FEL. It is almost impossible to gauge the bucket's front edge from the cab. I think any pros for having a cab on a backhoe would be offset by the lack of visibility with it. I did watch a backhoe with a cab once while loading a dump truck that was so covered up in dust that you could hardly see the backhoe. That would have been a dangerous and dirty job without the cab.

jenkinsph · Aug 15, 2016

I think most of the tlb models have a ssqa fel so dropping the bucket is easy to do as well as swapping to forks or grapple.

Cabs vs. open station are up to the individual. I prefer a cab no question about it for me.

Dropping the hoe and installing the 3 pt. hitch is fairly easy to do. I did this for over four years until I bought a tractor to handle the 3 pt. work. You work with what you have.

willysmb · Aug 15, 2016

The tractor is going to need to be used for pretty much everything although I am thinking I may just get a smaller TLB and then an older tractor for the 3pt/field work. Everything I am going to be doing is hobbyist level so the cab is not really a necessity although surely would be nice to have. However for me, if the weather sucks that I don't want to be out in it I don't really have to be. The big reason I would love to have a cab would be for bees because my son is allergic but good prevention and I can solve that problem.

The 3pt work will pretty much be limited to some deer food plots and a smaller garden for now. If it gets bigger than an older dedicated 3 point rig might be in my future. I've got a mower for the lawn and I don't see doing much brush hog type work but you never know. Again, a $5,000 older tractor can handle that.

I know that older tractors require work and are less reliable. However I drive a 50's Jeep back and forth from work a few times per week. I enjoy working with the old equipment when your not in a rush or hurry.

I just need to decide what level of TLB would fit my needs. I would really like the L series just not sure if I want to spend that and not sure if the B series is enough. I also see that the Kubota B series regular tractors have a single seat for their back hoe but again not sure that is big enough for my needs.