***TLB SHOWDOWN***

[yooperdave]

My NH dealer insists that his TC55DA with loader & backhoe is SUPERIOR to the Kubota L48 TLB.

The NH might have a bit more pto power and loader capacity, but the Kubota has a subframe loader and 3 hydraulic pumps and hydraulics packages that will do anything.

NH says it is better to get off the tractor to get back on the hoe. I thought the Kubota having a common swivel seat was more efficient.

I believe that the Kubota is also cheaper.

Should the John Deere 110 TLB be compared to these 2 also?

Any comments and insight from the experts out there?

Thanks

Yooper Dave

 

[_RaT_]

Oh yeah, I would include the JD 110. In fact, the JD and Kubota are true TLB's, the NH is a standard tractor with which you can add a loader and or backhoe. The loader on the JD and Kubota are integral. The hoe, while removable is more integrated since it incorporates the same seat and the hydraulics as well as hoe attachment are integrated into it regardless of whether you buy the hoe. They also utilize a much lower gearing then comparable non TLB tractors that have HST transmissions. That does not imply that the NH is not worthy to compete by any means, but if your going to go that route, why not consider some of the other models made by Kubota or JD that fall into the same category as the NH. Both the JD and Kubota TLB's are HST only. I'll admit, I know little about the NH you mention, I did know quite a bit about the JD and Kubota TLB's. Rat...

 

[gray]

Dave.

Now look what you have started?

I have tried both the JD110, L48 and a related TC40D with a LA17 loader. I also owned a L35 for a year.

My FWIW on these:

L35- great machine with an OK glide shift
Loader lift hieght is not great but will do in most cases
Back hoe is good but a bit jerky on the swing due to one pump system.
Getting off and on can lead to trouble, I have one real bad experience with a fall I took doing so which lead me to moving to the L48. Mud and sticks can catch even the most cautious person unable to do anything but deal with gravity.

The JD110 is a great machine with nice loader and visability.
It has almost the same specs as the LA18 has but is a self leveling type which is good if useing forks. I do this on occation on small construction jobs. It is built as a full time TLB with full tractor abilities. I did not like steping up and over the seat to go from BH to loader. I am getting older. I did like the travel control from the BH seat position. A nice feature that others should consider. I may do it to my L48? Not that hard to do. The back hoe is smooth and I believe it has a swing pump as well? Good visibility and power with a 10 ft depth. All around very nice machine if it is reliable?

The L48 was my choice because. Most loader lift and reach. Self leveling and highest auxilary hydraulic flow-12.7. Enough to run many loader mounted attachments. The seat swivel system seamed to be the safest and fastest for me to use. The HST is smooth, a bit more so than the JD110. The BH reach and dig dipth was the best of them all. The power of the hoe is tops especially when you look at the extra foot of reach. The third pump for the swing make it very easy for close in control and good filling ability. Both the L48 and JD110 have very easy off BH- about 2 to 3 min. Not as good af vission over the hood but OK to the bucket corners. Self leveling loader. Full time TLB type construction with full tractor functions.

The TC40D was nice. I liked the loader control position. I liked the curved hood and view of the bucket. The HST was not as smooth as the L48. The loader was not as strong nor as much lift hieght. I did not like the back hoe options offered me. They were and are all add ons. They can work well if they are quality units but no way are they as good on the following ways. Smooth multi pump opperation. Short as possible machine length for good manuverability in tight spots. High ground clearance comes with the TLB but not as much with a straight tractor unless you mount a 3 pt BH and many say they can put too much stress on a tractor. ( the TLB's come with sub frames as part of their full time structure)
I came to not like getting off and on to do BH work mostly due to the conditions and time it takes to do it.

My vote and one that will be questioned by many:

L48 gets a 9.5 of 10
JD110 gets a 9.2 of 10
TC40D gets a 8.0 of 10 but I did not try a BH on it
L35 gets a 8.8 of 10 and it would be a 9.0 if it were HST

Fire away gentelmen. I put my vest on.

Gray.

 

[lamarbur]

I agree wholeheartedly. I have a "add on" Bradco 511 on a Mahindra. Now, Mahindra in fact (DID) sell this combo with warranty. It does a great job. Problem is, on/off to move or use, takes tremendous time and therefor time lost. Time lost, depending on what your doing, can be extremely costly in short and long run. TC55DA, Went with AndyMA to his dealer few weeks back. Nice powerful machine. CANNOT hang anything bigger than 759 hoe. Nine foot hoe use for me,, zero, zero. Cannot reach from hoe seat to tractor operating station. (I can do this on my Mahindra) therefore more time lost getting on and off. I asked Andy's dealer (who has been around 50 or so years) why not hang a Bradco 511? He said some NH dealers are doing so, but it voids warranty immediately.. If a Mahindra 40 HP tractor can, why can't a bigger machine? Only thing I can think of is the factory is afraid in case someone is brand new at hoe operating.. In either case, if 9 ft is OK and one has all day to get on- off, on -off and has all the time in the world, then by all means, look at and try it out.. I don't have those options. I have tried both the L 48 and JD 110. Both nice machines, my favorite being the L 48. In my neck of the woods one can't get a basic machine (no buckets included) anywhere under 42,000. Buckets, work lights and all else, plenty extra.

 

[gray]

Yooperdave,

I am surprise more TBNers have not put their thoughts in on your post?

I had to having tried a few of the units mentioned. There must be others with lots of info to share? I did catch your JD post. It takes a challenge some times to get people to speak up.

I will be in GB for about a week starting friday. If you need help spending money, I can do that? I learned how from my wife. No, she does not read my posts-----I hope.

Call Northland Lawn in Mason WI to see if they will give you a price on a JD110. They are highly thought of in our area and if could be interesting to see what they would sell for? I have an old quote from them last year. It was around 36500 with Quick coupler, 72"HD bucket, 24"BH bucket and lights.

Did you get a number on the L48 from Service Motors yet? They had better prices then D@B when I shopped.

Still looking forward to hearing form others with knowlege about these machines.

lamarbur,

You made a good point about the add on back hoes. I have often thought of it that way but you have experience and that makes your coments clear. This is not to say an add on loader or back hoe is not a functional and valueble set up. They are here for a reason and will remain so. I have seen some that are nice set ups that really can do good jobs.


Gray.

 

[yooperdave]

Hi Gray,

I have had several personal issues to attend to, so I am not up to speed quite yet.

Do you live near Green Bay?

We should do supper sometime /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

Regards,

Dave

 

[gray]

Dave,

I have a sister living there. My daughter is staying with her for the week and I am going down to visit as well.

I would like to meet you. E-mail me your number and I will contact you when I am in town.

I thought you had disapeared for a minute there. After posting those inflamitory questions, I thought you may have gone into hiding? I have found out , it is easy to get people going without meaning it on the forum. People are passionate about tractors and experieances. I don't mind it but you never know what will trigger some comments?

Hope to hear from you. E- mail. webberconst@hotmail.com

Gray.

 

[jmc]

yooperdave,

Just a general comment about changing seats vs rotating one seat- sorry if you already know this: If you're digging a hole that you want to keep the bottom flat and undisturbed, like a footer, its easiest to use just a small part of the arm's arc. That's the part where the arm is more or less vertical. Since this arc length is short (and even shorter on a small backhoe), you are often moving the machine to keep the BH in the sweet spot. Sometimes you can move the machine with the hoe, but if you have to get up and down to switch seats each time, I don't know... With me, any project that requires getting on and off the tractor a lot means my a$$ is dragging that night.

John

 

[uhmgawa]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( NH says it is better to get off the tractor to get back on the hoe.)</font>

What was his rationale for this? Better exercise? Tracks
more mud everywhere? Takes longer to finish the job?

Actually I hardly ever bother to swing the seat around
to the backhoe location. The L48 seat has a stop in the
forward tractor position about 15-degrees to the
right. While perhaps not the ideal ergonomically I find
reaching around to the left with the seat at this stop, it
is quite easy to pilot the backhoe.

Also seated as such I can raise the loader bucket as well
as hit the HST pedal to trivially move the works during
backhoe operation.

 

[yooperdave]

The dealer said that the seat for the L48 was too far back from the bucket, and was harder to see down the excavation.

By using the seperate seat on the NH, the operator was closer to the work, and could better see what is going on.

I would rather have a common seat. It would be easier to turn the seat and go then to get up and make a big production of moving the tractor.

Yooper Dave