Sold my L-39 yesterday

[Builder]

All this talk about which is better L48 or L39 is interesting. Did you guys know that before there was an L35, or L39 or L48 there was an L5450 that's heavier and more powerful? It has an 11ft backhoe with 6200lb dig force, the loader is removable, it has 17.5x24 rear and 12.5x16.5 front rubber, hydraulic shuttle, wet clutch and is built to last forever. It does every heavy job the L48 does and quickly converts to do 3pt hitch jobs too. It was expensive in its day, but relatively unknown because not all Kubota dealers sold them. One other thing - the hood is not thick plate - but it does have a massive guard cage to protect it. L3's rule.

Interesting...with a nice EROPS, that would make a killer contractor unit.

 

[_RaT_]

All this talk about which is better L48 or L39 is interesting. Did you guys know that before there was an L35, or L39 or L48 there was an L5450 TLB that's 59 hp and weighs 9.5k with filled tires? It has an 11ft backhoe with 6200lb dig force, the loader is removable, it has 17.5x24 rear and 12.5x16.5 front rubber, hydraulic shuttle, wet clutch and is built to last forever. It does every heavy job the L48 does and quickly converts to do 3pt hitch jobs too. It was expensive in its day, but relatively unknown because not all Kubota dealers sold them. One other thing - the hood is not thick plate - but it does have a massive guard cage to protect it.
L3's rule.

The L5450, L4850 and the L4350 all had an optional L4540A or L5412 hoe available. The L5412 was an "extenda hoe" or as Kubota called it "Power Extend". The front guard was good, but I think the new guards are even better then the old L3's. Those 3 models had a nice direct injected diesel. The L4850 and L5450 were 5 cylinder diesels. They also had quite large front wheels/tires. The loader was removeable although nothing like the L30's are today. The L39 and L48 have condsiderably more hydraulic flow then even the L5450 which was 13 gpm. I really liked those old models and still frequently use the L4850. Rat...

 

[Builder]

I'd like to get a look at one of those things with a backhoe installed. 13GPM is pretty low.

 

[rbargeron]

I'd like to get a look at one of those things with a backhoe installed. 13GPM is pretty low.

Here's an example with a Bradco 11 ft non-extending hoe - sorry I don't have any close-ups, backhoe is off these days for snowblowing. The Kubota L5450 is not a Case 680 - but it sure is a versatile machine. The cylinders on the Bradco are 3" and 3 1/2" ID so they fill as fast as I can operate it - (weekend warrior) most times I idle it down.

Hi RaT - One reason my loader is a fast dismount is I have a couple chunks of rail anchored to the wall 2" above the floor - I slide the edge of the bucket under them, pull the locks, and the curl cylinders lift it off.

 

[_RaT_]

Thats why I don't rely on gpm figures so much. I have seen slow high flow and fast low flow loaders. I don't know why it works out that way sometimes, it just does. Very nice set up Dick. Great idea for the loader.

 

[Builder]

Nice rig. The only thing i don't like about it is the little seat on the hoe. I used to have a 285DT with a 3pt hitch backhoe. Having a swivel seat TLB is soooo much nicer. That's a big backhoe on that thing.

 

[curtisfarmer]

The difference between the L39s, 48s and the like TLBs is the frame and independent pumps so you can have not only high combined flow but independent actions on the hoe and other attachments. The heavy duty frame that everything rests in and the hoe attaches to is much better than the L series and others where the loader attaches to the bell housing and sends arms behind to attach to the rear axel to make a "kinda" frame. That 5450 sounds pretty cool for its time, I'll have to look it up. About the L48 being too slow....I wiped out plowing 2 days ago up a 1,000'+ driveway and slide backwards into trees. Ugly. Too heavy and too slow at 4.75MPH max speed medium range HST uphill to plow on slippery stuff. The L2350 GST I used to plow with did not have as much problem as the GST is much easier to match power with speed in different situations. The 2350 is about 1/3rd the weight of an L48 and about 3 times the speed going up hill. It is what it is, right? Extenda hoe sounds great, Bobcat offers one on their mini excavators, but it only adds like 1.5 ' and requires a bigger counter weight.

 

[mike69440]

About the L48 being too slow....I wiped out plowing 2 days ago up a 1,000'+ driveway and slide backwards into trees. Ugly. Too heavy and too slow at 4.75MPH max speed medium range HST uphill to plow on slippery stuff.

Sorry about what happed to the L-48. Much damage?

My L-39 will make hold of 5 MPH plus up the grade in posted photo in R4 post in 9th or 10th gear.
I know what you mean about slow.

Looks like I was just a bit luckier than you plowing with the L-39. See below.

Think we ought to invest in Front & rear Chain sets? The rear chains on my little B7200 Help a lot.


From:
Re: Plowed today, Impression of R4 has changed.

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http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...today-impression-r4-has-2.html?highlight=R4's



On cold dry crunchy even hard frozen snow I thought the R4 alone worked great. At 4 tons the L39 pushes a huge pile before it spins or bogs down.

On wet slushy icy snow I could not even maintain traction up a moderate grade, never mind push snow! The L39 started sliding backwards. Ye-Hah! Fortunately it slid into the shallow ditch side, not the 5' drop off and trees.

Had it slid that way I could have been hurt or had a crunched tractor.

I was stuck, but I dropped a stabilizer, turned the front wheels and let her spin till the front end swung downhill and I was able to pull out of the ditch.

This is the grade I was trying to plow. I plowed 3/4 way up.
I think I will work some more to get some of the grade out of the road.
Attached Files

 

[_RaT_]

Sorry about what happed to the L-48. Much damage?

My L-39 will make hold of 5 MPH plus up the grade in posted photo in R4 post in 9th or 10th gear.
I know what you mean about slow.

Looks like I was just a bit luckier than you plowing with the L-39. See below.

Think we ought to invest in Front & rear Chain sets? The rear chains on my little B7200 Help a lot.


From:
Re: Plowed today, Impression of R4 has changed.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/95576-plowed-today-impression-r4-has-2.html?highlight=R4%27s



On cold dry crunchy even hard frozen snow I thought the R4 alone worked great. At 4 tons the L39 pushes a huge pile before it spins or bogs down.

On wet slushy icy snow I could not even maintain traction up a moderate grade, never mind push snow! The L39 started sliding backwards. Ye-Hah! Fortunately it slid into the shallow ditch side, not the 5' drop off and trees.

Had it slid that way I could have been hurt or had a crunched tractor.

I was stuck, but I dropped a stabilizer, turned the front wheels and let her spin till the front end swung downhill and I was able to pull out of the ditch.

This is the grade I was trying to plow. I plowed 3/4 way up.
I think I will work some more to get some of the grade out of the road.
Attached Files

I think he meant "whipped out". The L48 (which I previously owned) without any question in my mind would very, very easily do what you have shown in the picture. Having a L3830 which is the identical engine to the L39, I also know what the limitations of the engine are. Basically the L48 is a L39 engine wise with one more cylinder. It has power that I don't hesitate could drag a L-39 around any lot. With a 72" box scraper that weighed 1100lbs, and rippers fully extended there were indeed times my wheels would spin when in low range. The real bummer for me was the medium range which should have been more versatile. In my opinion, since the L48 is equipped with a PTO which allows for everything from post hole diggers to mowers to Harley rakes, I found it just to slow for the mower and the rake. It also was to slow for all but close distance loader use. For whatever reason, high was just flat out weak. Low was almost to low as really was medium range.

 

[Builder]

I think he meant "whipped out". The L48 (which I previously owned) without any question in my mind would very, very easily do what you have shown in the picture. Having a L3830 which is the identical engine to the L39, I also know what the limitations of the engine are. Basically the L48 is a L39 engine wise with one more cylinder. It has power that I don't hesitate could drag a L-39 around any lot. With a 72" box scraper that weighed 1100lbs, and rippers fully extended there were indeed times my wheels would spin when in low range. The real bummer for me was the medium range which should have been more versatile. In my opinion, since the L48 is equipped with a PTO which allows for everything from post hole diggers to mowers to Harley rakes, I found it just to slow for the mower and the rake. It also was to slow for all but close distance loader use. For whatever reason, high was just flat out weak. Low was almost to low as really was medium range.

That's the final reason I didn't buy the 48. I thought the gears were all wrong. Combine that with the power soaking HST trans and it just didn't feel right.