M60 or L57? Towing?

[ecoscaper]

Ive had an L3830 for over 5yrs and its been great, but outgrowing it now. I do landscape/stonework/landclearing, have a Mini X (kx 121), need a heavier duty bucket loader to go along with the mini and work I"m getting into, looking at the M60 or L57. It seems like if the tractor was going to sit on my land and not leave I'd go with the M60 or 70 but due to the need to transport it (with current truck F350 single rear wheel) I'm leaning toward the L57 lighter and more compact. Considered a skid steer but too used to tractors! Dealer says I'll be fine towing the M60, but I don't know Will be using grapple bucket, plowing snow, and putting in driveways as well. Would also get the cab, long winters in NH! Thanks for any tips -

 

[nybirdman]

Did a quick research on Kubotausa.com,My L4240 HSTC with 854 loader is about 5500lbs(I have loaded rears adds about another 1000lbs.)The L5740 should be slightly heavier...The M6040 with Cab is 5445 lbs,couldn't get the weight on the LA1353 loader but it must be about 2000lbs.A total of about 7500lbs.for the M60 or 2000 lbs more than L5740.

 

[brain55]

I'd be willing to bet that even with a cab and grapple bucket, an M6040 won't weigh anymore than your excavator. I will say that the M6040 is physically big, and looks like it weighs more than it does. I know the guys at the landscape company I worked at were afraid to haul it because of its physical size, even though it weighed considerably less than our Bobcat track loaders.

Brian

 

[curtisfarmer]

I have kx121 and 2 L48s and towed with duramax 3500 until I got my new F450. If you can tow the KX121, I wouldn't even worry about the bigger tractors. The l48/M59 with loaded rears weighs 9,000 lbs+/-. Where are you in NH? I live in Wilton.

 

[ecoscaper]

Great points guys thanks! I actually downsized recently from a Dodge 3500 drw which towed the mini fine, but only have towed it once with the F350; was better with the drw towing, probably just hire out someone to tow the mini, as it'd be towed less than tractor. Gotta try the L57, don't know if I want to give up HST, seems L57 is pretty close to M60 but lighter/ more compact, go into peoples yards don't want to scare them with a gigantic tractor. M60 could surprise me when I drive one. Be nice to put what ever I get in a dump trailer, might not work with M60.

Curtisfarmer I'm over in Fitzwilliam, work mostly in Cheshire county, how's the Wilton area? Went over to Chappel in Milford the other day, salesmen thought I should go with a skid steer tried a NH190? was nice but still hooked on tractor. Thought about a L48 or a used M59 tough machines but no cab, its a long winter!

 

[curtisfarmer]

You should consider a L48 or M59 in my opinion. I went from farm tractors (Fords) to the industrial Kubota line and avoided the homeowner L series. Read my posts about the TLBs versus L series, they are 2 different classes of machines. I thought about getting a M5070 or something bigger, but most of waht I do is dirt work, and the M series are realistically agriculture farm machines. I mostly work in these neck of the woods and this side of the mountain but go to Keene everyother weekend or so and cruise around your neck of the woods. If I was closer I would offer my hauling services for your mini. How is business out there?

 

[curtisfarmer]

BTW, I plow with my L48s....no cab....and work all witer outside with them. That is when I like the heat in the KX

 

[ecoscaper]

Biz has been steady, get into Chesterfield, Westmoreland quite a bit, Keene provides steadily but like to be out in the towns more. Peterboro be nice to get into more. How's biz in your area? Seems like Milford, Amherst r good areas. Do you do stonework or more excavation/land work?
I looked back at prior posts and saw I was on here in beginning of this year researching L48/M59, ended up getting mini ex, kept the L38, no regrets getting mini but ready for a heavier duty bucket loader. Over 5 yrs. w/L38 dirt, gravel, stone, it did it, boulders too, but the times where its coming up short in the power department are more frequent now.. Like the M59 seems like it'd be more than enough, but no cab, don't need backhoe, still a good choice? Would like to get into brush hogging more, got a 300+' driveway to plow, makes me lean toward the M60, but then 3000lb pallets of stone would be no problem for the M59 where as M60 maybe problem. I hear ya on the L5740, the lift with the L's just won't cut it and I don't want to be disapointed later! Now I gotta find a M59 w/no hoe, try that out, try out the big ol M60 too, if I go with the M59 just have to do another winter w/no cab, done it for years now but was excited to have a cab this winter, driveway and light logging it'd be nice but... Hey thanks for the tips!

 

[crazyal]

I was kind of disappointed to learn that Kubota doesn't make the M59 with a cab. I like my case BH but it's just too heavy to move around so I loose a lot of nice small one day jobs. Lifting 3000lbs with the FEL may be much for either tractor. You might be able to do it with the 3pt though. Not much help if you are trying to unload a trailer.

 

[ecoscaper]

This is a tough one! I'm not trying to be woosy about having to have a cab but I was getting real excited about it. I guess I don't offload that many 3000lb pallets, most of the time stone get delivered in bulk, but there are times.. I'm looking for a used M59, maybe add a cab if the $ isn't too high, I don't need the hoe for now so that should help. I spend more time sitting on the tractor every yr, not a bad thing but been stung, soaked, froze, sprayed, dusted, geez time for a cab?