M62 TLB for Maintaining Hilly Land ?

[JWR]

Unless you have a specific need for a compact machine you aren't doing yourself any favours getting an M62 over a full sized construction TLB.

You might recall that the OP said he was limited in ability transport the larger machines. He is trying to fit everything within his practical limitations.

 

[Jchonline]

The bottom line is you have too much to do for 1 machine really. If you have 10 good years left you may never finish with a M62 lol.

Developing land is for construction equipment. Skid Steers, bulldozers, excavators, full size TLBs. Maintain land is for tractors. The M62 does sit somewhere in the middle, but it is much less capable than real construction equipment. It is also less capable at field work than a geared utility tractor. Forget transporting, just leave it out there.

For hilly work (I live in mountains like RScotty) Im not fond of any tractor to be honest. Get in a tracked machine and you will never want to get on a tractor on a hill again. The M62 was not bad, but I would not rate it any better than my L6060. YOu can use the backhoe to offset some of that imbalance if you are careful...but keep in mind it also raises your center of gravity if the arm is retracted...and it adds more to the rear of the machine.

M62 also isnt going to do a great job mowing that much land. HST machines just arent designed for mowing 200 acres. They are designed for loader/dirt work...and it will get hot mowing that much. If it is dusty you are also going to need to take a dip in the lake after every time you mow, and wear a mask/goggles.

 

[mikester]

You might recall that the OP said he was limited in ability transport the larger machines. He is trying to fit everything within his practical limitations.

I stand by my statement. I don't see anything in the OP's original post saying he needs to be able to tow a machine around everyday for work maintaining gardens in town using a half ton pickup truck.

An M62 is still too little tractor and too little TLB, worst of all worlds for 215 acres. The OP already has a 4710 which isn't a whole lot smaller on the 3PH than the M62.

If you need to drive screws, buy a screw driver. One of these won't help you very much.

 

[JWR]

I stand by my statement. I don't see anything in the OP's original post saying he needs to be able to tow a machine around everyday for work maintaining gardens in town using a half ton pickup truck.

An M62 is still too little tractor and too little TLB, worst of all worlds for 215 acres. The OP already has a 4710 which isn't a whole lot smaller on the 3PH than the M62.

View attachment 853269
If you need to drive screws, buy a screw driver. One of these won't help you very much.

Yeah Mikester, after the continued discussion, I have to agree with you and Jchonline in post #22 -- forget the transporting, just leave it there. I'll repeat a little and say: I think the OP needs to think out his plans and decide how much of his activity will be using the backhoe and how much will be bushhogging and other things using a utility tractor. Then make his choices based on his best estimate plan.

 

[Smokeydog]

I’ve scaled back from bigger ag tractors, full size backhoe, skidsteer, dump trucks to just a B26 and M59. Both modified to meet our hillside farm, 140ac, meets our needs now. Don’t have big fields but many smaller pastures and meadow areas with lots of woods. Creeks and ponds just paradise! They work great for us. Clearing with the brown tree cutter the past several days. Appreciate what a powerful compact tractor can do. I have mess with a lot of trees. Types of woods and density vary in what part of the country your in.


80% in 3pt mode for each. Changing to backhoe 15minute if not in hurry, twice that if rushed.

Liked my other equipment, don’t miss the maintenance.

Do have tilt gauges in the ROPS.

Wife thinks the B26 is hers and does most the mowing for the hilly yards, berry patch and orchards. Can confidently operate the M59 when I’m in the FEL man basket. The B26 does have rear wheel extensions and ballast.

Our last tractors? Hopefully last 20 more years.

 

[Smokeydog]

Would caution anyone operating in the woods to have a 4 to 6 post ROPS with strong roof. Lacking in many open station agricultural tractors. Our driveway is like a green tunnel of mature trees. I’ve had limbs fall out of the blue while maintaining it or operating in the woods. No injuries but caused a few more gray hairs. Like me, some have built their own. Tractors need extra armor if messing in the woods.

 

[AuCivil]

Just as a clarification. My tractor will never see most of the 215 acres since it's mostly wooded. Probably have a couple of miles of dirt roads/trails that need cleaning, scraping, ditching and mowing. 8 acres of food plots to breath life into and reclaim less than a mile of old logging roads. Plan to control burn most of the thinned pines so no tractor needed. Letting the hardwoods do what hardwoods do.

Seems like a full size machine would be more difficult to maneuver in the woods and require larger access routes. Also couldn't haul it back to the house (20 miles) to work on my 17 acre homestead. Currently plan to leave the 4710 at the homestead for most of the maintenance needs.

 

[rScotty]

Just as a clarification. My tractor will never see most of the 215 acres since it's mostly wooded. Probably have a couple of miles of dirt roads/trails that need cleaning, scraping, ditching and mowing. 8 acres of food plots to breath life into and reclaim less than a mile of old logging roads. Plan to control burn most of the thinned pines so no tractor needed. Letting the hardwoods do what hardwoods do.

Seems like a full size machine would be more difficult to maneuver in the woods and require larger access routes. Also couldn't haul it back to the house (20 miles) to work on my 17 acre homestead. Currently plan to leave the 4710 at the homestead for most of the maintenance needs.

OK. Now we can reload. In your original post you did say, "I'll be putting in a septic system, waterline, building pad, maintaining/building access roads, food plots and some brush hogging."

And of course we all focused on the hardest parts - the building parts... particularly the building of roads and also a pad. That focus makes sense. We are all experienced machine guys and know you buy a tool for the hardest jobs so that the rest of the work is easy.
And naturally we all started hollering that if doing those jobs yourself you want construction equipment.

Now if we back off the work load and get to maintaining rather than lots of earth moving, then a lot more options open up. The M62 would be hard to beat for maintaining, trenching, landscaping, and all the everyday chores. And it can pick up and walk off with two tons... not exactly peanuts. Plus they are real handy....I've said they sure are easy to jump on and off of. Even handier than the 4710 because of the M59/62 four post canopy supports. BTW, that M59/62 canopy is double thick, insulated, and has some steel beneath it. Won't stop a tree, but it would stop a pretty good size branch.

And the Kubota TLBs will do much of what the larger ones will. They are big enough and strong enough to do big TLB work in a pinch. They just are not made to do it in big bites or nearly as fast.
I hope we are helping,
rScotty

 

[Smokeydog]

We are mostly wooded too. Have to manage tons of trees as well, hobby farm and landscaping. The M59 is a good multi purpose platform to multiply our older work force. Small enough to use in woods and around buildings.

Use to burn brush decades ago. Current best practices is to pile or push into gully. Supports wildlife and soil. Good resources and advice available from forestry and conservation agents. Deer and turkeys have replaced cattle, horses and goats. Deer watched me clear perimeter trees yesterday. Always surprised how close they get when on a tractor.

5’ Brown tree cutter is a good fit and finding far superior to Hd rotary cutter to keeping vegetation under control. Made tuff in Alabama. The weight, power, HST, FEL with grapple, and dexterity of M59 makes for a great combination.

 

[AuCivil]

OK. Now we can reload. In your original post you did say, "I'll be putting in a septic system, waterline, building pad, maintaining/building access roads, food plots and some brush hogging."

And of course we all focused on the hardest parts - the building parts... particularly the building of roads and also a pad. That focus makes sense. We are all experienced machine guys and know you buy a tool for the hardest jobs so that the rest of the work is easy.
And naturally we all started hollering that if doing those jobs yourself you want construction equipment.

Now if we back off the work load and get to maintaining rather than lots of earth moving, then a lot more options open up. The M62 would be hard to beat for maintaining, trenching, landscaping, and all the everyday chores. And it can pick up and walk off with two tons... not exactly peanuts. Plus they are real handy....I've said they sure are easy to jump on and off of. Even handier than the 4710 because of the M59/62 four post canopy supports. BTW, that M59/62 canopy is double thick, insulated, and has some steel beneath it. Won't stop a tree, but it would stop a pretty good size branch.

And the Kubota TLBs will do much of what the larger ones will. They are big enough and strong enough to do big TLB work in a pinch. They just are not made to do it in big bites or nearly as fast.
I hope we are helping,
rScotty

The building pad and septic system are just for this property and the work involved should be on the minor side. Also want to add some water holes, with liners, in the woods.