M59 questions

[Bill in VA]

Well I'm now up to 20+ hours on the M59 and it has done virtually everything I've asked of it. As long as I can find an edge on the shale I have to dig it rips it up. I'm finally getting use to the backhoe enough that I can skim an area and actually grade it so to speak. We had some large virginia pines drop over into the field edges and it pushed them back into the woods with no problems. The loader still challenges me since I can't see what I'm doing with the front edge and I'm still trying to get the right feel for it. But generally I'm extremely pleased with it and am gaining confidence with every use.

Some questions though have come up.

1st, I tend to run it in low 30% of the time and midrange the rest of the time while using the low/high switch on the column quite often in both. I actually have not used the high range at all. I'm curious if this matches what other users do?

2nd, I tend to prefer approximately 1400 to 1700 rpm for most tasks in the ranges I'm using. Does this also match other users?

3rd, So far I find the level rod for the front bucket to be useless. Either i'm missing the point or I'm just not trusting it. Do you folks use this at all?????

4th, Since I've been using the backhoe a good bit I've been greasing the pins periodically. Is it possible to overgrease these pins with negative consequences? Or would I just be wasting some grease?

5th,
I searched for tire chain info on this site and found a substantial amount. I see that some are using front chains, that someone found that chains will not fit the rear tires without spacers and lots of discussion exists on front vs rear chains. I checked the clearance on the rear tires and sure enough it appears too tight for chains. I find that to be very disappointing if Kubota truely frowns on front chains then creates an initial set-up that doesn't accomodate rear chains. I consider chains to be the norm and not something that would be unusual to use. So is anyone using rear chains without wheel spacers? My manual states nothing about tire chains.

And just so I feel like I've gone to confession ( it is Sunday after all), I've done 3 dumb things:

Number 1, I tried to step off the right side of the tractor, caught the loader control on the shorts I was wearing and darn near plastered my face on the ground below.

Number 2, I tore a good bit of skin off my right hand when having forgot to release the hand brake from the backhoe seating position I attempted to do it by reaching around with my right hand from the forward seating position. It released and so did my hand into numerous metal parts.

Number 3, I stalled the engine once when attempting to fill the bucket with shale.

Now I feel better.

Anyway, hope everyone has a good 4th

 

[Charlesaf3]

Stall? Wow. Do you have the stall preventer running? I only ever managed to stall putting big oak through the chipper.

I like the level rod a lot. Depends what you are doing.

Can't answer on grease or chains - I'm running r4s, haven't had a problem

I usually use medium, 1500 rpm, and auto throttle. But depends on what I'm doing of course

 

[TripleR]

Well I'm now up to 20+ hours on the M59 and it has done virtually everything I've asked of it. As long as I can find an edge on the shale I have to dig it rips it up. I'm finally getting use to the backhoe enough that I can skim an area and actually grade it so to speak. We had some large virginia pines drop over into the field edges and it pushed them back into the woods with no problems. The loader still challenges me since I can't see what I'm doing with the front edge and I'm still trying to get the right feel for it. But generally I'm extremely pleased with it and am gaining confidence with every use.

Some questions though have come up.

1st, I tend to run it in low 30% of the time and midrange the rest of the time while using the low/high switch on the column quite often in both. I actually have not used the high range at all. I'm curious if this matches what other users do?

2nd, I tend to prefer approximately 1400 to 1700 rpm for most tasks in the ranges I'm using. Does this also match other users?

3rd, So far I find the level rod for the front bucket to be useless. Either i'm missing the point or I'm just not trusting it. Do you folks use this at all?????

4th, Since I've been using the backhoe a good bit I've been greasing the pins periodically. Is it possible to overgrease these pins with negative consequences? Or would I just be wasting some grease?

And just so I feel like I've gone to confession ( it is Sunday after all), I've done 3 dumb things:

Number 1, I tried to step off the right side of the tractor, caught the loader control on the shorts I was wearing and darn near plastered my face on the ground below.

Anyway, hope everyone has a good 4th

I have found the level indicators tangle up in brush too easily, so if they don't get ripped of before I get the chance I remove them. I can see where the rod type if cut correctly and marked would help the beginner especially, I have learned to do a passable job without one.

There is a whole thread on here about FEL greasing and even with the diversity of opinions, the worse you are going to do is waste grease.

Oh and I have found you can get your shorts caught on just about anything on a tractor.

 

[Stonehaller]

3rd, So far I find the level rod for the front bucket to be useless. Either i'm missing the point or I'm just not trusting it. Do you folks use this at all?????

I like the bucket level rod on both my tractors. You may need to adjusted it. With the tractor on level ground and the bucket flat, adjust the rod or stationary marker so the flat/bend/notch/whatever in the rod lines up with the marker. With a little practice you will learn how far your bucket is tilted by watching the rod.

Number 1, I tried to step off the right side of the tractor, caught the loader control on the shorts I was wearing and darn near plastered my face on the ground below.

On my L39 I found I was often wanting to get off on the right side. Yes it is easy to bump the loader control or the foot throttle but I added a step to make it easier and safer. You can see it here:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/155494-l39-filter-guard-right-side.html

 

[rScotty]

Well I'm now up to 20+ hours on the M59 and it has done virtually everything I've asked of it..... generally I'm extremely pleased with it and am gaining confidence with every use. Some questions though have come up.....

Bill, glad you are having fun. Our M59 at 225 hrs just keeps getting better. Good questions, and I'll try my hand at answers as we see them here. Oh, I'll probably write too much below, but that's fun too.

ON THE QUESTIONS
1. RANGE: I also run ours in mid-range most of the time when working. Low range is useful here and there for pushing into the dirt when loading, or maybe when fine control is needed. High range seems only good for going from place to place if it's over about 100 feet. Frankly I'd shift the ranges more if it shifted easier. In fact that's one area where the JD110 is just flat superior. Like you, I use the high/low column switch constantly....and that's an extra feature that I don't think the JD even has.

2. RPM. Hmmm....If I have the autothrottle on then the motor will rev up too high for my taste even when I barely advance the foot control. It's a personal thing, but I don't like for the motor to roar so much in exhance for so little gain. Perhaps it is a holdover from some sort of emission requirement; it isn't necessary, so I often turn off the autothrottle and just set the RPM by the hand throttle. Your 1400 rpm sounds about right for relaxed loader work; I'll check it today. Sometimes when I'm warming the motor up by just motoring down the dirt lane on our property I'll putt along at even less RPM - only feeding in a bit more by hand if the ground rises.

That's for loader work and traveling. For backhoeing I do all my hoeing at the lowest idle. First of all, I'm not that good with the hoe, second...it's easier on the machine, and thirdly I just don't like the sound or a roaring diesel when the whole point of being there is to have a good time.

3. THE LEVEL ROD. It's a personal thing I guess. Sort of based on how your eyes work. Handy for some and useless for others. For leveling the bucket it works better for me to watch the level pads welded to the top of the bucket. What a clever idea those level pads are!! They are very visible and mine are at exactly the same angle as the invisible bucket lip.

As for the rod, I took it off. The problem for me is that the rod doesn't move in and out much in relation to the rotation of the bucket lip and not at the same ratio. Compounded by a little bit of bucket lip rotation having a large effect. In short, for me the rod measurent lacks resolution while the welded pads on the top of the bucket are a simple 1:1 ratio. The rod resolution would be easy to improve with an intermediate bell crank, but Kubota doesn't seem to have tumbled to that idea - or even realized the problem.

Funny you should mention the level rod, because I had taken it off and forgotten it. But I remember that first seeing it and the way it was hooked up did give me a queasy feeling about the whole loader geometry and design philosophy. If they missed something so basic about resolution and leverage then what else did they miss? They missed something for sure, since their loaded breakout force is way, way too low and the reason for that can be nothing except a geometric mistake in the design of the bucket tilt portion of the loader linkage. Enough on that, though. He is probably a young engineer who will eventually get older, more experienced, and hopefully wiser. I've concluded that the loader is certainly built strong enough and it is rare when someone gets everything 100% right the first time. I made similar mistakes in my own career. Someday someone of us will just have to take the time to sketch out the linkage and fix the breakout. But I'm getting too old and lazy, and it isn't really a problem. So far we just back out of the load a bit if the breakout force is inadequate.

4. ON GREASING THE BACKHOE PINS: When they were new, mine squeaked a lot and seemed to require a lot of grease to get them be quiet - maybe it just took awhile to get all the spaces filled up. I can't imagine negative concequences of overgreasing unless you step in a plop of the stuff. Use your favorite chassis grease on most pins, but the very highest loaded pins on the swing table still squeaked sometimes until I greased them a few times with a tube of that horridly messy and expensive black moly grease. That fixed things. It's nasty stuff to have around though. Gets all over everything.

5. TIRE CHAINS. That would make a good separate subject. I prefer front chains to rear ones, and had a set specially made to fit the M59. So far we've never mounted them. The R4 tires and 4WD have been adequate for two winters....though barely so.

Well, I fell off the right side too! Only once, though..I knew it was a mistake when I felt the loader lever tug at my cuff....

On the emergency brake position: My opinion is that it would have been better mounted on the other side of the driver's seat. I may change mine, and thta will also give more foot room for the tapdance when doing the facefront/faceback operator's seat swing. Hope your hand is OK.

Yes, ours can also be stalled in some of the manual throttle modes. But we have to work at it. If we sort through the HST modes on the dash control until we get to "stall guard", select that and also leave the autothrottle activated then it just won't stall at all.

Sounds like you are having a good time. Let us know as you discover new things. And where you decide to mount a toolbox. Isn't it nice to have a drinkholder?
enjoy, rScotty

 

[Bill in VA]

First, thanks to everyone for replying

I don't feel quite so sheepish now about catching my shorts on the right hand dismount. I guess if thats the dumbest thing I do I'll be fortunate. The step Stonehaller did is a great idea so I'll take a serious look at that although I think there may be more stuff in the way.

Seems like I'm about on target with everyone else on the rpms and the leveling rod appears to be a mixed bag on the replies. I'll give that another go when i get back on the machine, probably tomorrow. The toolbox (rScotty mentioned) is something else I need to work on as well as where to attach a shovel and hand hoe. Sometimes i just have to get off and do a little manual stuff.

We finally had some rain and as it was coming down I walked over the roadwork I had done noting where I had more to do for drainage and such. Basically, I've got a lot more to do. Best thing is I'm looking forward to it!!!!!!!

Thanks again-Bill

 

[rScotty]

The toolbox (rScotty mentioned) is something else I need to work on as well as where to attach a shovel and hand hoe. Sometimes i just have to get off and do a little manual stuff.Thanks again-Bill

My tool box is a stiff canvas bag hung from a hook mounted on the BH lever guard -just aft of the Rt. rear tire. Someday it will be better.
My favorite way to carry a shovel and hoe is to lash a couple of lengths of 2" PVC pipe vertically to the FEL upright. Then I drop the handles of the shovel and hoe into them and they ride with the blades up.
rScotty.

 

[DiezNutz]

It's interesting to see some "ehh" comments regarding the bucket level rod.

My tractor didn't come with one, and some time back, fabricating your own seemed to be the latest rage. Some of the TBN'ers here came up with some very well executed designs that looked factory.

I never was compelled to though... my reasoning was that unless the tractor is also on flat level ground (and how often is that?), you're not really cutting a level swath. All the rod is telling you is that the loader arms & bucket have a certain relationship to each other, but nothing about the relationship of the arms to the tractor. Which also means there's only one specific position of arms and bucket where the bucket really is level.

Instead, many times I'm wanting the bucket to have a different angle of attack based on the tractor's attitude, so that the end result is level. Rod is useless there. So for me, too, the level pad on the bucket, as well as the "feel" I've developed for how the bucket is cutting in - maybe as I'm feathering the curl, is what seems to work best. :confused3:

First, thanks to everyone for replying
I don't feel quite so sheepish now about catching my shorts on the right hand dismount. I guess if thats the dumbest thing I do I'll be fortunate.

Bill, you're far from the only one, and anybody that tells you they haven't also done this is probably lying. :laughing:
I've caught the FEL joystick on the way down and dumped a load of dirt, stone, etc. I'm kinda in the habit now that if I jump off the right side, and if I'm wearing shorts, I grab the cuffs on the way down so they can't snag anything.

Congrats on your new toy. :thumbsup:

 

[TWD]

Can either of you share with me:

- the overall length of the M59 (with, and without BH)
- maximum width (outside tower to outside tower)

The kubota spec page doesn't show these it seems.


Thanks

 

[rScotty]

OK now. This one is for every M59 operator....
How many times last month did you drive off with the parking brake still on? Darn, I just did it again yesterday.
rScotty..

 

[natem]

Yeah, The same on the L45, drives me nutts.

 

[gwdixon]

Don't forget the L48. And it has a brake light on the dash as an alert!

 

[rScotty]

Don't forget the L48. And it has a brake light on the dash as an alert!

It does? Well, I'm impressed with the L48 all over again. How much more intelligent of Kubota in the L48 design to put a warning light right out in front of the operator's face....a location one might expect to be obvious because it matches where most people have their eyes located. Instead of which, the M59 designer located his brake warning light just aft of the operator's right ear. Makes one wonder about the poor guy's own anatomy.
rScotty

 

[Charlesaf3]

OK now. This one is for every M59 operator....
How many times last month did you drive off with the parking brake still on? Darn, I just did it again yesterday.
rScotty..

Do I actually have to admit that in public? 700 hours on the machine, and I still do that a couple of times a month... maybe more. I wish there was a buzzer...

where the toolbox comes mounted isn't bad, though it could be waaay bigger. Baileys sells nice rubber mounts to clamp tools on with - I've got a hatchet, a 3 pound sledge (essential tractor tool) and I'm going to mount a shovel.

I have logging chain wrapped around the front grill (rough on the paint) and hoisting straps wrapped around the FOPS.

Shovel will get mounted to roof I think. Trying to find someplace sufficiently out of the way

700 hours and I love it still. I just wish I had the trunk.

Hey scotty did you reverse the foot pedal on the thumb? easy, and I like it a LOT more.

 

[ManAtArms]

OK now. This one is for every M59 operator....
How many times last month did you drive off with the parking brake still on? Darn, I just did it again yesterday.
rScotty..

I'm a little late here...but I do it all the time and it drives me NUTS!

-Mark

 

[rScotty]

Do I actually have to admit that in public? 700 hours on the machine, and I still do that a couple of times a month... maybe more. I wish there was a buzzer...

Hey scotty did you reverse the foot pedal on the thumb? easy, and I like it a LOT more.

Nope, I confess that I've not changed that hydraulic line. Either I need to do that before I get anymore used to the way it is now or else do it. Probably just do it. It's time to change the hydraulic fluid on mine anyway.

While I'm at it, I'll put on a warning light on the dash for the parking brake. Maybe several...

That hollow end of the FEL support keeps catching my eye. It ought to be good for something...

What I did do was to clamp a 2x4 to that grab rail just aft of the backhoe levers. That gave me a convenient place to hang a couple of "BucketBoss" Gatemouth bags. One bag holds chain and the other holds hand tools.

Haven't yet got around to making a tool rack for shovel, hoe, rake, and tree trimming shears. So those things tend to ride in the backhoe bucket until the handles get broken. Sure gotta fix that.

I did adjust the inching lever so that it now inches in fwd as well as reverse. Very handy feature. Took about 5 minutes to adjust. Moving the parking brake to the right hand side of the seat and adding an upright exhaust will both take longer - but are still on the list.
rScotty

The M59 continues to impress me with its power and convenience.

 

[Chuck K.]

Nope, I confess that I've not changed that hydraulic line. Either I need to do that before I get anymore used to the way it is now or else do it. Probably just do it. It's time to change the hydraulic fluid on mine anyway.

While I'm at it, I'll put on a warning light on the dash for the parking brake. Maybe several...

That hollow end of the FEL support keeps catching my eye. It ought to be good for something...
What I did do was to clamp a 2x4 to that grab rail just aft of the backhoe levers. That gave me a convenient place to hang a couple of "BucketBoss" Gatemouth bags. One bag holds chain and the other holds hand tools.

Haven't yet got around to making a tool rack for shovel, hoe, rake, and tree trimming shears. So those things tend to ride in the backhoe bucket until the handles get broken. Sure gotta fix that.

I did adjust the inching lever so that it now inches in fwd as well as reverse. Very handy feature. Took about 5 minutes to adjust. Moving the parking brake to the right hand side of the seat and adding an upright exhaust will both take longer - but are still on the list.
rScotty

The M59 continues to impress me with its power and convenience.

Scotty while I cant take credit for coming up with this idea it works great.. I dont know who posted it but I made one holds my chain, a small sling and a some synthetic rope.. I have yet to fab some sort of retainer but it seldom works its way out..
Its there in the middle of all that soot from the exhaust..

 

[rScotty]

Scotty while I cant take credit for coming up with this idea it works great.. I dont know who posted it but I made one holds my chain, a small sling and a some synthetic rope.. I have yet to fab some sort of retainer but it seldom works its way out..
Its there in the middle of all that soot from the exhaust../quote]

Chuck, that's a great storage area. Thanks for the picture - I hesitate to ask what you are carrying in the bucket. I'll start using that tool area on the GP (Great Pumpkin). Yeah, I know carrying things in there isn't original with either of us, First I saw it was in about 1980 when Yanmar made the arms on their removeable loaders that way so that they could carry their loader support legs in there. That was when Yanmar was mostly building big industrial diesels and only a few tractors - back before Yanmar was a corporation.
rScotty

 

[gwdixon]

Here is how to use that FEL space if you REALLY want to do it right.

Kubota mod #1 FEL storage - OrangeTractorTalks - Everything Kubota

 

[Chuck K.]

Scotty while I cant take credit for coming up with this idea it works great.. I dont know who posted it but I made one holds my chain, a small sling and a some synthetic rope.. I have yet to fab some sort of retainer but it seldom works its way out..
Its there in the middle of all that soot from the exhaust../quote]

Chuck, that's a great storage area. Thanks for the picture - I hesitate to ask what you are carrying in the bucket. I'll start using that tool area on the GP (Great Pumpkin). Yeah, I know carrying things in there isn't original with either of us, First I saw it was in about 1980 when Yanmar made the arms on their removeable loaders that way so that they could carry their loader support legs in there. That was when Yanmar was mostly building big industrial diesels and only a few tractors - back before Yanmar was a corporation.
rScotty

Scotty those there are watcha call "mudbugs" or crawfish:thumbsup:. I got tired of purging them in a kiddy pool so I threw the strainer together so I could dump out the water without dumping the crayfish..
They are not simply plugs but a length of pvc pipe as long as the loader is wide.. I capped the ends (PVC cap's OD is too big) I cut a large section out of the middle where I store stuff and you can slide the storage tube out to access chain, rope, etc then slide it back in..

I finally found a picture: