BUYING NEW TLB

[RGOEDDE]

I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT DEERE 110 TLB VS. KUBOTA L39. NEED A VERSATILE MACHINE. READ A LOT OF THREADS WHERE ONE PERSON TALKS ABOUT HIS TRACTOR AND SAYS ITS THE BEST. BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE ONES I'M LOOKING AT. NEED A MACHINE THAT CAN DIG OUT SMALL CRAWL SPACES FOR SUN ROOMS AND ROOM ADDITIONS. THEN DIG FOOTERS. CAN'T USE A BIG MACHINE. OWN A DEERE 4600 WITH LOADER AND HOE. BEEN A FANTASTIC TRACTOR. NOT HEAVY ENOUGH FOR DAILY CONSTRUCTION USE. DEERE AND KUBOTA HAVE A NICE MACHINE. JUST WISH BOTA WOULD HAVE WENT WITH HYDRO TRANSMISSION. ANY BODY OUT THERE OWN ONE OF THESE TRACTORS THAT CAN TELL ME THE PLUS AND MINUSES?

 

[CurlyDave]

I really like the hydrostatic transmission on my 110.

I have read on TBN that the Deere FEL is stronger (can lift more) than the Kubota, but I have no basis for comparison.

If you get the 110, a skid plate is a must. Take a look under the machine and you will see why.

 

[shasta]

I have an L39 and so far it has been a very good investment(3.5 months and 150 hrs). The backhoe is great, very good at getting difficult places. I had a HST prior to the 39 and had concerns about the change to the GST. The switch is very easy. The only times I noticed the difference was making small movements like hooking up an implement or if you try to shift gears on a very steep hill. You will learn to use the cluch ( about the only time you use it) for finess movements and the trottle to adjust engine speed for gear changes. I have never been on a 110 to compare features or strength. The L48 has the HST and should be as strong as the 110 if strength is an issue for you but there is a size trade off.

 

[CurlyDave]

One other factor with the 110 TLB is that it takes standard Skid Steer attachments -- no adaptor needed.

One thing to watch for is that if you want the extra hydraulics for a 4-n-1 bucket, or for a thumb on the BH, they must be factory installed at the time of order. There is no adding them after the machine has been delivered. (I got them with mine & am very happy that I did.)

 

[Dirthog]

Have had a L48 for 4 years and it is a horse it will out lift and out dig the JD110 that a friend of mine has and will also load most trucks except maybe a large tandem or tri-axle

 

[SkyPup]

The L39 is more maneuverable than the L-48 and it weighs only 7,000 lbs, so easier to transport too. Our L-39 has 400 hrs on it and it goes like gangbusters, not a lick of any problems to report either. I personally prefer the GST transmission over the HST too.

 

[LarryRB]

I too have the L48, almost 400 hours and nothing to report ever wrong.. Only thing I would like is a little more speed in medium when hog mowing, This isn't to be, so I go on with it... I read some months back that the JD110's were having transmission problems. I am sure by now, that this is cleared up.. Several things I saw, and I tried the 110 several times,, the 110 is wide open underneath and very easy to snag a hydro line or other thing, There is a skid plate option and if ordering the 110, get this option.. They don't lift as high, have a little less lifting power and the hoe is one foot shorter,, The Kubota's come standard with 3 point hitch set ups where this also, is another option on the 110's...

 

[SkyPup]

One reason I did not purchase a JD 110 TLB was one look underneath it.......

 

[shasta]

One other factor with the 110 TLB is that it takes standard Skid Steer attachments -- no adaptor needed.

One thing to watch for is that if you want the extra hydraulics for a 4-n-1 bucket, or for a thumb on the BH, they must be factory installed at the time of order. There is no adding them after the machine has been delivered. (I got them with mine & am very happy that I did.)

The L39 loader also comes standard with Skid Steer quick attachments. My 4in1 bucket front hydraulics were installed by the dealer when I purchased the tractor, but can be added at any time, either front or rear if you wish. Another feature of the L39 loader that I like a great deal when using pallet forks is the self leveling feature.

 

[catvet]

I've also been looking at TLB's and have pretty much settled on the L39 based on reviews, comments here on Tractorbynet, etc. Still need to use one for awhile to see how it feels and works. The L48 looks great but it would seem to be too large a machine for what I would want.

Anyone have a price they have paid for one? I would like to buy new but am not averse to used. A local Kubota dealer has a used 2005 with 370 hours listed for $29,800. My impression from their website is that it has been a rental.

Thanks for info.

 

[shasta]

catvet,
Mine was about $36000. That included 4in1 bucket, front hydraulics, work lights, tool box, 18" bucket, and all the fluids and filters for the 50hr service.

 

[mike69440]

I've also been looking at TLB's and have pretty much settled on the L39 based on reviews, comments here on Tractorbynet, etc. Still need to use one for awhile to see how it feels and works. The L48 looks great but it would seem to be too large a machine for what I would want.

Anyone have a price they have paid for one? I would like to buy new but am not averse to used. A local Kubota dealer has a used 2005 with 370 hours listed for $29,800. My impression from their website is that it has been a rental.

Thanks for info.

I'd try to work them down a bit. $$$$ I have an L39 with 200 hours. Loader is weak in the curl IMHO. Lift is ok but I would like about 15% more there also. Curl could use another 50% on breakout force. Hoe is sweet for the size. I shock loaded the hydraulic pump running about 50 Yards of gravel I moved down a bumpy gravel road. Just got it back from shop after 6 weeks as pump came out of Japan. I'll be working it this weekend.

I like the GST. Good on fuel. Except for above, good quality.

 

[catvet]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm renting the rental L39 which is for sale over the weekend. I'll see what I think of it.

 

[AndyMA]

I've heard a lot of good things about the L39. I know when Kubota introduced it at the dealer meetings, they had JD 110's there to compare it against. The dealers I know came away very impressed with the L39.

Andy

 

[paph]

I had the L39 for this whole season, using it for my landscape business and what I have noticed is in line with other posts being that the fel is a little weak and the hoe is quite a beast. One thing that has been a problem is lack of traction. Tires load up in wet soil and and the machine wont even steer in the direction you want which I think is becuase the hoe is too big for the machine and the front end is too light as well as the tire design is skid steer like, no ag type tires where available when I ordered mine just what I got and turf. One more minor gripe is the fel is way too long which has to affect lifting power.It seems it could be 2 feet shorter than it is. I almost went with a 110 but the jd dealer was reluntant to give me a good price with out a long drawn out negotiation. I like my machine and would recommend it. I like the gst far better then the hst on the L48 which I tried. It was too big to be versatile and would put you over the 10,000gvwr. I paid 37,500 with quick connect backhoe bucket with thumb, and pallet forks, work lights, tool box.

 

[RGOEDDE]

DID MY HOME WORK. SINCE MY FIRST POST. I HAVE TRIED OUT THREE TLB'S. VISITED A JOBSITE WITH A NEW L39. WENT TO A LANDSCAPER WHO OWNS AN L48. THEN A LANDSCAPE COMPANY THAT OWNS TWO JD110'S. I AM NOT A PROFESSIONAL EQUIPMENT ANALYST. HOWEVER, AFTER OBSERVING AND USING EACH TRACTOR. I CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE BEST ONE, IS THE ONE YOU WOULD LIKE TO OWN.
L48---ONE BEAST OF A TRACTOR
L39---MORE MANEUVERABLE, JUST DIDN'T CARE FOR SHUTTLE.
JD110---NOT PERFECT, BUT THE BEST FOR WHAT I NEED. I BOUGHT IT!
THANKS TO ALL REPLIES. I'LL KEEP YOU INFORMED OF PERFORMANCE AND ANY PROBLEMS THAT MAY ARISE.

 

[mike69440]

I had the L39 for this whole season, using it for my landscape business and what I have noticed is in line with other posts being that the fel is a little weak and the hoe is quite a beast. One thing that has been a problem is lack of traction. Tires load up in wet soil and and the machine wont even steer in the direction you want which I think is becuase the hoe is too big for the machine and the front end is too light as well as the tire design is skid steer like, no ag type tires where available when I ordered mine just what I got and turf. One more minor gripe is the fel is way too long which has to affect lifting power.It seems it could be 2 feet shorter than it is. I almost went with a 110 but the jd dealer was reluntant to give me a good price with out a long drawn out negotiation. I like my machine and would recommend it. I like the gst far better then the hst on the L48 which I tried. It was too big to be versatile and would put you over the 10,000gvwr. I paid 37,500 with quick connect backhoe bucket with thumb, and pallet forks, work lights, tool box.

I just got my L-39 back this weekend. It was at the dealer for 6 weeks due to a blown quad ring seal in the oil pump and a small leak in the transmission.
I was told the custom molded quad seal was not available as a separate replacement part and that a new pump had to be ordered. Wait till I call the dealer back and tell them they lost the button insert and rubber boot to the front remote on the joystick.

In any case I echo "paph's" comments on the L-39. I was sliding all over the side of a hill in a light rain today.

JD ought to call Kubota to the carpet where Kubota makes their spec comparison against the JD-110 loader. No way is the Kubota loader as strong as the Deere overall. At the extremes of travel, the Kubota loader's curl is limp wristed. The linkage has no leverage.

The L-39 is very maneuverable, a feature that should be copied by any manufactures entering this market.

The GST suits my needs, as I am not doing close quarter loading that much. More often I am running loads up to a 1/2 Mile. Typically load carry is between 100-300 Ft. This rules out a track steer type machine. Why Kubota chose the close ratios between the 12 speeds for rages 4 through 9, I imagine had to do with the economies of transmission design as opposed to utility. Ratios are too close.

For my use a tractor has it over a skid steer with the 3 pt and rear PTO for land maintenance.

So why can't someone market a machine like the following?

I want a small do all TLB rather than a full size commercial sized machine. I just need a heavier machine for my tasks. I don't need a monster. The L48 & JD-110, size wise is borderline to big, but it is still not heavy enough. The new Yammer is only got 500 LBS on the L-39.

It really does not cost that much overall to put more steel in a tractor. Maybe $4,000? If there was a machine with the L-39 dimensions except add 5-6" in track for stability, keeping the existing 6' bucket except an inch or two deeper, and put a killer front axle in the machine along with 12.5-18 front tires and 17.5-24 rears, I would be trading the L-39. I imagine a machine weight just under 9,000 Lbs, and it would need low fifty something hp for power.

Offer both a GST and HST transmission.

If Kubota were to produce a machine like the above it would be the L-48 replacement or should I say displacement. Does this make room for a top dog machine could target just beneath the smaller commercial TLB's? Right now I only know of two machines in this category, the JCB 2CX and IR-570. An L-60 something might take a good chunk of the TLB market.