Which 20-25HP TLB for land clearing and landscaping?

[IXLR8]

I think your idea to rent is a good one. I was looking at tractors in the 25hp range. I had never used a TLB before and I rented a turbo one with 35 hp, it was not enough... sending me back to the financial drawing board as my checking account can't go to 35+ hp at the moment. Glad I rented before I bought an undersized tractor.

 

[Gittyup]

I have a Kioti CK25 gear TLB. Cost under $20K in 2006. Weighs in at close to 5500 lbs, as equipped. Is a great digging and moving machine.

 

[Z-Michigan]

As far as a backhoe, guys that say you don't need one are guys that have never owned one. They are a VERY expensive option but also very useful, and a CUT with one will always have high resale value.

Guilty as charged. I would love a backhoe, but can't justify one. Just not that many holes that need digging. I didn't see his list including digging small deep holes - there was site prep, but that sounds more like grading/shallow digging that can be done with other tools. Again, I would love a backhoe and don't doubt the usefulness, but you better have some real uses (or a fat wallet) to spend $8k on something if it only gets used 10 hours a year.

 

[IslandTractor]

I have to disagree with some of the opinions posted here. Having just cleared about 3 acres of land with a Kioti CK20 TLB over the past two years (about 100hrs on the land clearing) I have to disagree with those who say it is not an appropriate tool. Configured with a grapple and bush hog the CK20 was very effective at clearing all brush and in conjunction with chain saw and BH it did a fine job with trees. Of course a bulldozer would do things faster but if someone is developing their own land and this is not a commercial operation, a tough little TLB will work fine.

The CK20 configured as a TLB costs about $8000-10000 less than a "real" Kubota B26 but comes very close in specs. Again, not to be compared for daily commercial use but rather from the perspective of a homeowner prepping and clearing land. A 22hp tractor based TLB is also going to be much more useful for general maintenance than a bigger commercial TLB once the basic clearing is done too. Can the L35 even pull a bush hog or finish mower?

 

[AndyMA]

I have to disagree with some of the opinions posted here. Having just cleared about 3 acres of land with a Kioti CK20 TLB over the past two years (about 100hrs on the land clearing) I have to disagree with those who say it is not an appropriate tool. Configured with a grapple and bush hog the CK20 was very effective at clearing all brush and in conjunction with chain saw and BH it did a fine job with trees. Of course a bulldozer would do things faster but if someone is developing their own land and this is not a commercial operation, a tough little TLB will work fine.

The CK20 configured as a TLB costs about $8000-10000 less than a "real" Kubota B26 but comes very close in specs. Again, not to be compared for daily commercial use but rather from the perspective of a homeowner prepping and clearing land. A 22hp tractor based TLB is also going to be much more useful for general maintenance than a bigger commercial TLB once the basic clearing is done too. Can the L35 even pull a bush hog or finish mower?

Just a question. Where in RI are you . Much of RI that I have worked is either pure sand or very sany soil. Nothing like the clay laden tightly packed rocky soil whre the rocks all interlock that is prevelent in much of New England that is not costal. Also a with a tiny TLB you will be spending forever digging even a small pond and may not be able to complete it.
Just my opinions based on over 40 years of tractor operating experience.

Andy

 

[AKKubota]

I have 3.25 acres of tough ground. Its on a slope, has a year round creek and is clay, rock and gravel.

I originally purchased a Kubota L3830 TLB with BB & RB. I later added a cab. I cleared approx 2 acres of heavy spruce and have planted in approx 1 acre of lawn, completed a small pond, built some "paths" and a number of other projects. I am extremely happy with my choice and have 430hrs on the machine including snow removal duties in the winter. I was new to tractoring and learned alot as I went. I only put about 100 hours on the tractor/year. Most importantly, I had a great time.

I am now selling the 3830 to a buddy from work who just bought 5 acres and wants to spend a few years landscaping it. I'm going to down size to a SCUT or slightly larger as I only have some maint and snow removal needs now. Good luck

 

[art]

I have customers that given the time have done all of what you want to do with the BX Kubotas. With loader and backhoe they are well over a ton and work well. There are also some good deals on the B-series tractors right now!

The B-21 and B-26 as well as their larger L-series and M-series have far larger hydraulic systems then normal add on compact tractor systems. The larger tractor you go the less time you spend doing the work.

To find a good used unit might make it so for the twenty you get a TLB and a zero turn mower.

 

[IslandTractor]

Just a question. Where in RI are you . Much of RI that I have worked is either pure sand or very sany soil. Nothing like the clay laden tightly packed rocky soil whre the rocks all interlock that is prevelent in much of New England that is not costal. Also a with a tiny TLB you will be spending forever digging even a small pond and may not be able to complete it.
Just my opinions based on over 40 years of tractor operating experience.

Andy

Prudence Island. The soil is quite sandy though there are also lots of rocks and shale. I'm not sure I'd like to dig a pond with any TLB, that seems like a job for a dozer but the original poster had lots of land clearing tasks that were virtually identical to the work I did with no problem using the CK20. Would a D9 have been faster...yup. But the CK20 up to the task and could be hooked up to a bush hog then finish mower once the basic land clearing tasks were finished. The CK20 has a strong loader (1070 lift at pivot pins) and a good 6.5ft backhoe which was very effective in digging out the bigger stumps. It was easily converted to a mowing machine with either a bush hog or rear finish mower and while it is not a lightweight tractor like the equivalent Kubotas, it was not so heavy as to be a problem when mowing. I don't think it makes sense to have a bigger TLB to do maintenance work on 3.5 acres so it makes more sense to start with the smaller TLB, take your time and have a more flexible package when you finish.

I wouldn't argue with someone who decided to buy a bigger used machine to do intial clearing then downsize for the maintenance but that does put you at risk of being able to keep the used machine up and running as well as selling it when you are finished. You'd then need to buy another tractor anyway for maintenace duties. Using the CK20 TLB, I did the work on weekends over the course of a couple of spring, summer and falls without any problem. That would be silly if I were doing it as a commercial operation but as a homeowner it made perfect economic sense and was a reasonably practical solution.

 

[Soundguy]

You could do it all with a spade shovel and an axe and a lifetime supply of ben-gay as well.. but I wouldn't want to.

I work for a GC.. we do land clearing... we don't buy 'baby' TLB's due to time constraints. We can't afford to take 2-3 years to clear a 2-3 ac lot.

Smallest 'useable' TLB we've ever owned was a case 580L

No one is say a small TLB won't do it.. just saying it will take longer, and in some cases, be harder on a small machine. IE.. i wouldn't want to skid a monster timber with a lawnmower sized tractor..

Soundguy

I have to disagree with some of the opinions posted here. Having just cleared about 3 acres of land with a Kioti CK20 TLB over the past two years (about 100hrs on the land clearing) I have to disagree with those who say it is not an appropriate tool. Configured with a grapple and bush hog the CK20 was very effective at clearing all brush and in conjunction with chain saw and BH it did a fine job with trees. Of course a bulldozer would do things faster but if someone is developing their own land and this is not a commercial operation, a tough little TLB will work fine.

The CK20 configured as a TLB costs about $8000-10000 less than a "real" Kubota B26 but comes very close in specs. Again, not to be compared for daily commercial use but rather from the perspective of a homeowner prepping and clearing land. A 22hp tractor based TLB is also going to be much more useful for general maintenance than a bigger commercial TLB once the basic clearing is done too. Can the L35 even pull a bush hog or finish mower?

 

[IslandTractor]

I work for a GC.. we do land clearing... we don't buy 'baby' TLB's due to time constraints. We can't afford to take 2-3 years to clear a 2-3 ac lot.

Smallest 'useable' TLB we've ever owned was a case 580L

That is why I specified that I was not discussing a commercial operator's approach to land clearing. The original poster is a guy with 3.5 acres that need clearing. He seems to want to do it himself. It is doable in a reasonable amount of time (100 hours of tractor time in my case) with a 22hp TLB. I never met a log I couldn't lift or skid out. I never found a stump I couldn't dig out. Most folks are not trying to clear virgin forests but rather are reclearing land that has been abandoned for a while and is covered with 6-18 inch trees. Those are not a problem for a CK20.

A big commercial TLB will obviously do the job faster but then so would a D9. You can play that game on the spade side or the megamachine side of the equation. A machine that can clear the land faster is unlikely to be as useful in the maintenance of that land. My point was that for a home/landowner with only vague ideas of what he wants to do with the land, a small tractor based TLB will give him the flexibility and capability to clear the land and then maintain it without needing to sell or exchange equipment.