My next work partner: Kubota L45

[Gasifier]

My new to me 2012 L45. She is going to need a little T.L.C. But this one has a hydraulic thumb on the backhoe, auxiliary hydraulics up front (controlled at the loader), and three auxiliary hydraulics at the back for three point hitch operation! I have never had that before. Also came with the factory three point hitch. Unfortunately I am so busy right now I won’t have time to use it much for the next three weeks. Ugh! I did get 20 minutes with it this evening to go push some horse manure up the pile and try the backhoe out for a minute. Can’t wait to get a full day to spend on it after the ground dries up some more. Still pretty wet here.

How many L45 owners at TBN?

 

[Rustyiron]

You are just out of control!
Are you finding all of your machines locally? I imagine that by now (watching all your flips) that you have little cost in them.

 

[Gasifier]

You are just out of control!
Are you finding all of your machines locally? I imagine that by now (watching all your flips) that you have little cost in them.

This one was not local. But not too awful far away either. I’m hoping this just needs minor cosmetic TLC and minor maintenance needed. I have a LOT of work I want to do with it after things dry out a bit here. And I get some free time to enjoy!

Hey. Wait a minute. Who is out of control here? How much equipment do you have again? I have one piece at a time! How many for you?

 

[JWR]

Hours? Those orig tires?

 

[tacticalturnip]

That's a real nice machine! You'll get time with it soon enough, and you'll have some fun.

 

[Gasifier]

Hours? Those orig tires?

Just over 1,000. Yes.

 

[Smokeydog]

Congratulations!

Don’t have a L45 but do have M59 and B26. Got hooked on TLB series over 30 years ago with the first B20. Versatile, powerful tractors soon displaced several Ag tractors and old construction equipment pieces. Age and lack of labor farm help has encouraged us to do more cybernetic augmentation with hydraulics and machines options. The TLB platforms have been a great opportunity to build from. Much heavier built, stronger hydraulics, safer ergonomics than their Ag cousins for many of the maintenance and upkeep issues we have tractors for. Learned much on this site from others sharing their experience.

 

[Gasifier]

Congratulations!

Don’t have a L45 but do have M59 and B26. Got hooked on TLB series over 30 years ago with the first B20. Versatile, powerful tractors soon displaced several Ag tractors and old construction equipment pieces. Age and lack of labor farm help has encouraged us to do more cybernetic augmentation with hydraulics and machines options. The TLB platforms have been a great opportunity to build from. Much heavier built, stronger hydraulics, safer ergonomics than their Ag cousins for many of the maintenance and upkeep issues we have tractors for. Learned much on this site from others sharing their experience.

Thank you.
I have owned several of the Kubota TLBs

1999 Kubota L35 TLB
2012 Kubota M59 TLB
2005 Kubota L48 TLB
2007 Kubota L39 TLB

Amongst several other machines. It is so great to have a piece of equipment around whenever I need it. Instead of renting and returning. Or paying someone else to do it, which is not affordable. And this way I get to have all the fun.

And now the 2012 L45.

We will see how I like this one. The M59 is a very nice size machine. With good power. I looked for one of those this time around but they are too expensive when you find one with extremely low hours. I like to buy very low hour equipment, if I can afford it. And pre-emissions (2013 or older).

Hopefully this machine will be mechanically sound.

 

[nybirdman]

Congrats on the new rig,we are just out-side Ogdensburg on Black Lake.We like our Kubotas also.

 

[Smokeydog]

Good, low hour, pre emissions tractors are getting harder to find. Enjoyed a little trading to support my orange addiction.

TLBs used to be some of the best bargains. Well shopped used ones could do years of work and sell at a profit. More into the work doing than the selling. Seem a lot higher and rare now.

Mr M59 and I have done KX excavator attachment modifications on our older M59 backhoes and greatly appreciate the upgrade in optional attachments.

 

[Gasifier]

Debris forks being built by neighbor/friend should help in land cleanup work with L45. I found two separate sets of 48” forks for sale.

I’ll use these on brush, branches, logs, and stumps already dug out. I see burn piles in my future where I need to clear unwanted trees in an area for more horse pasture.

Will leave the nicest trees for shade though.

 

[Gasifier]

I’ve had this tractor for about two weeks now. But have been working so much I haven’t been able to use it. Probably just as well. Everything is so wet. Rain, rain, rain.

I had a guy deliver a dump trailer full of firewood today and he couldn’t get it backed down my road. Narrow road with both sides soft. He got off one side with his trailer and that was it. His 3500 needs new tires, and that Chevy was going nowhere.

I told him to sit tight, and I went to the barn and brought back the L45. In four wheel drive, standing on the rear axle lock, and in low gear. The L45 struggled, but with some steering and wiggling, managed to pull him out. His 7’X14’ dump was full of stacked, fresh cut and split hardwood. Heavy. I had him dump it just off the side of the road on high ground where he could get his trailer leveled. I will move it to where I wanted it with the front bucket, after the rain stops and the ground dries up. Whenever that is!

 

[tacticalturnip]

This rain that's been moving through the northeast has been a pain, lol.

Sounds like you had a little fun with the new Kubota, even if it was wet and muddy.

 

[Gasifier]

This rain that's been moving through the northeast has been a pain, lol.

Sounds like you had a little fun with the new Kubota, even if it was wet and muddy.

Even if only for a few minutes. Any amount of tractoring is usually fun.

 

[Gasifier]

I was able to use the L45 for a little while today. A question for you folks. While digging a stump up and out I had plenty of hydraulic power. Also plenty of power with front loader and bucket moving heavy, fresh cut, bucket fulls of firewood. The place I did not have enough power was with the hydraulic thumb. The thumb opens and closes, but would not grab strong enough to lift the stump. And it wasn’t that big/heavy of a stump.

Is there an adjustment on a valve or something to increase the holding pressure?

I think it is probably suppose to give way to the bucket strength, but it does not hold strong enough to clamp and hold.

 

[jjeff]

Set the thumb and curl the bucket with what your trying to pick up instead, or at least that's what I do successfully for picking dozens of stumps out every spring. It should have a pressure relief valve on the thumb probably preset so you don't break anything. My mini with thumb does similar it's supposed to, was a slight learning curve of using thumb correctly for me anyway. Have fun enjoying and learning on that nice tractor.

 

[Gasifier]

Set the thumb and curl the bucket with what your trying to pick up instead, or at least that's what I do successfully for picking dozens of stumps out every spring. It should have a pressure relief valve on the thumb probably preset so you don't break anything. My mini with thumb does similar it's supposed to, was a slight learning curve of using thumb correctly for me anyway. Have fun enjoying and learning on that nice tractor.

I’ll give it another try. But I couldn’t pick a stump up that didn’t weigh that much. When you say set the thumb. You mean move thumb into position with foot pedal, then take foot off pedal and use buck to clamp. Correct?

 

[jjeff]

I’ll give it another try. But I couldn’t pick a stump up that didn’t weigh that much. When you say set the thumb. You mean move thumb into position with foot pedal, then take foot off pedal and use buck to clamp. Correct?

Correct, in my case if the stump starts to slip I'll either curl more or apply more pressure to clamp. I have a toggle on joystick for clamp. Learning to use the thumb if it didn't have a pressure relief valve I probably would have bent the hydraulic thumb cylinder at minimum lol. I will say imo I've become pretty profecient at curling the bucket and loosening or tightening the thumb simultaneously.

 

[Gasifier]

I’ll let you know when I get time to try it again. Maybe tomorrow, early evening. But I’ve used hydraulic thumbs before and this would not allow any pressure for sufficient clamping.

 

[Smokeydog]

Similar problem with L45 on OTT discussing lack of grip with backhoe thumb. Knowing the pressure first step in diagnosing the problem.