What are your guys thoughts on a small TLB?

[Little Red Tractor]

If you're going to go with the TLB option, I would only add that a Kubota B series would be my preference over the BX. More mass--mass is your friend unless you're working on extremely soft ground.

 

[Qbota]

Hey all,

I’ve been tossing around ideas of what my first piece of machinery should be for a while. My fiance and I are currently flipping a house and we would like to do more flips following this one. What I am looking for from the machine is to do jobs around the house (Right now I don’t need for acreage but we do have goals of getting 5-10 in a few years time) some side jobs between houses, and moving material/digging/grading when needed at our future flips is the primary goal. Mini-ex/skid steer is the ultimate setup but I’m not operating strictly from my machine, I’m using it to help things move along. I like the idea of having one sitting at a housing project I can do whatever I need with even if it’s a little slower. I currently have a 7’x16’ flatbed trailer that I believe should fit it ok.

I had done a decent amount of searching and then stumbled upon Kubotas TLB series. They seem to offer similar digging forces to the small mini-exs. They have better hydraulic flow than other options I’ve found too. I like its compactness. It can lift over 1300lb on the FEL and breakout force on the hoe is almost double what some of the cheaper options like TYM and Kioti had. The con here is pricing which is upwards of $50,000. It’s a lot of cash upfront compared to just adding a backhoe attachment to a standard tractor. I will have this machine the rest of my life so spending the extra money isn’t something I am against but I want to be sure it’s worth it. Has anyone ran the Kubota TLB series. I’m wondering how much better they perform beyond the typical tractor with backhoe added. Are there any others I may have missed that I should be looking into as well?

Thanks!

I own a Kubota B26, and consider it one of my best friends. Only weighs 4000 lbs, bucket attaches with standard skid steer quick attach, backhoe isn’t overwhelming, but adequate and provides counterweight for the bucket. I bought the 3pt hitch kit and use a mower and grade box. Then I bought a set of pallet forks and can use it for *many* chores. With the low weight and non skid steering you can drive on most lawns without damage. For big stumps I would rather have a full-size, but if I only have one, this is the right one for me. Fits on my 16’ flat trailer and is transported behind my F150.
His name is “Doug”.

 

[Steam Ray]

Hey all,

I’ve been tossing around ideas of what my first piece of machinery should be for a while. My fiance and I are currently flipping a house and we would like to do more flips following this one. What I am looking for from the machine is to do jobs around the house (Right now I don’t need for acreage but we do have goals of getting 5-10 in a few years time) some side jobs between houses, and moving material/digging/grading when needed at our future flips is the primary goal. Mini-ex/skid steer is the ultimate setup but I’m not operating strictly from my machine, I’m using it to help things move along. I like the idea of having one sitting at a housing project I can do whatever I need with even if it’s a little slower. I currently have a 7’x16’ flatbed trailer that I believe should fit it ok.

I had done a decent amount of searching and then stumbled upon Kubotas TLB series. They seem to offer similar digging forces to the small mini-exs. They have better hydraulic flow than other options I’ve found too. I like its compactness. It can lift over 1300lb on the FEL and breakout force on the hoe is almost double what some of the cheaper options like TYM and Kioti had. The con here is pricing which is upwards of $50,000. It’s a lot of cash upfront compared to just adding a backhoe attachment to a standard tractor. I will have this machine the rest of my life so spending the extra money isn’t something I am against but I want to be sure it’s worth it. Has anyone ran the Kubota TLB series. I’m wondering how much better they perform beyond the typical tractor with backhoe added. Are there any others I may have missed that I should be looking into as well?

Thanks!

I needed to dig my basement under the existing house, I bought a lightly used kubota BX23 TLB, it was excellent for my needs, I doubt I'll ever part with it. I had a 3 point add on backhoe, for 50 HP case I bought well used at an auction, it was okay for out in the yard, but it wasn't the fine operating machine the Kubota is. I didn't want to knock the house around while it was on old stumps and adjustaposts while I dug out from under it. It was a perfect tool for the operations and is still a great tool. It's too small for field work but anything around the house or buildings it's great. I dig a lot of trenches for electric and commo and drain lines. I can almost throw away my shovel except for a little light clearing work. One of my best ever purchases. I do have a bobcat 520, I bought broke and fixed, it was an even more wonderful tool. I can always find a way to use them.

 

[ultrarunner]

I could have written the same for my BX23...

Also did a fine job digging out a basement and moving 100' of yards dirt/gravel from a neighborhood project to level the lower yard...

The big 40,000 pound blade runner excavator owner said he'd never seen anything like it.

 

[mikester]

Hey all,

I’ve been tossing around ideas of what my first piece of machinery should be for a while. My fiance and I are currently flipping a house and we would like to do more flips following this one. What I am looking for from the machine is to do jobs around the house (Right now I don’t need for acreage but we do have goals of getting 5-10 in a few years time) some side jobs between houses, and moving material/digging/grading when needed at our future flips is the primary goal. Mini-ex/skid steer is the ultimate setup but I’m not operating strictly from my machine, I’m using it to help things move along. I like the idea of having one sitting at a housing project I can do whatever I need with even if it’s a little slower. I currently have a 7’x16’ flatbed trailer that I believe should fit it ok.

I had done a decent amount of searching and then stumbled upon Kubotas TLB series. They seem to offer similar digging forces to the small mini-exs. They have better hydraulic flow than other options I’ve found too. I like its compactness. It can lift over 1300lb on the FEL and breakout force on the hoe is almost double what some of the cheaper options like TYM and Kioti had. The con here is pricing which is upwards of $50,000. It’s a lot of cash upfront compared to just adding a backhoe attachment to a standard tractor. I will have this machine the rest of my life so spending the extra money isn’t something I am against but I want to be sure it’s worth it. Has anyone ran the Kubota TLB series. I’m wondering how much better they perform beyond the typical tractor with backhoe added. Are there any others I may have missed that I should be looking into as well?

Thanks!

It will be cheaper for you to stand on the street corner handing out $5 bills than to buy a SCUT TLB. You are doing this as a business - rent the right late model machine for your job, take the 100% write off this business year. No maintenance, no headaches, no fixing breakdowns. You still have to find a monkey to operate the machine and hopefully not kill themselves or bystanders or create more damage than they fix.