I also picked up a 970 TLB last summer. Sold my old Yanmar YM3000 and will sell off my JD950 next spring. I like the 970 for size and power so far. The #8 backhoe can get in places a larger one can't, seams to dig plenty deep enough for me at 8 1/2' deep. Like the 4 cyl engine better than the 3 cyl on the other 2 tractors, just runs smoother. Got most of the manuals off ebay so far. Noticed that they split the chassis and the engine manual into
2, both high priced. Got the engine manual free on line posted a golf web site, they have the full engine manual on line free. ( bet JD doesn't like that one ) Still need the chassis manual, keeping a eye on ebay for that one.