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Tucker
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4 Nokesville, Virginia
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2003-03-12          51031

Hey all - new to the site and frankly new to having property larger than a 1/4 acre. Looking for advice on a tractor. I have approximately 11 acres with 4 acres of open mowing and 3-4 acres of old cedar that I will be ripping out slowly over the next few years. I have been offered the opportunity to purchase a used L35 with backhoe and wanted to see if anyone might offer (1) some general advice on the tractor model and whether it's appropriate for the job and (2) what I should look for in a used tractor since I've never bought one before. By the way the tractor has 980hours on it and has had the oil changed every 250 hours. It also has two new front tires and is either a 97 or 98 model. I've worked some construction in the past but never spent much time examining the machines so just wondering if there are some general hints that may steer me in the right direction. Sorry this is so long...so let me stop. Any help is appreciated.

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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2003-03-12          51044

I'm asuming that the L-35 is a Kubota tractor,you don't say if the hoe is frame mounted ot three point, Is it a 2 wheel drive or four wheel? You speak od cedars, how big are they, and what do you want to do with them? If you could be a little more specific on some of these questions there are lots of nice folks on this site to help you out. My only comment on the one statement you made about the tractor is that three or four oil changes in 5 or 6 years don't really seem to be very good maitnence by my standards. I'm sure others will comment too to help you out. ....

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TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2003-03-13          51073


Somebody here probably knows more about the tractor than I, which isn't much. I took a look on tractortips and an L35TL seems to be a 26 pto hp tractor manufactured in '96. The info didn't indicate it has a CAT I 3ph but that may just be incomplete database entries. It may also indicate that the TL model is a specialty tractor and may be designed for a hoe. Somebody here probably knows.

The thing about backhoe use with a tractor that size is whether heavy hoe use may have weakened the tractor chassis. If the backhoe is a 3ph type I'd think about it a bit because 3ph hoes stress tractors more than sub-frame types.

You didn't say if the tractor has a loader. Many dealers won't sell a backhoe equipped tractor that doesn't have a loader because it's a safety issue. But, from the sounds of the work to be done, a tractor without a loader wouldn't be a great choice anyway. A tractor without 4wd also may not be great.

The one comment I'd make is that using a backhoe on a 26 hp tractor for clearing mature forested land will take a lot of time and maybe be hard on the tractor. Dozers make short work of land clearing, but the idea may be something that is intended to be chipped away at for years and a compact tractor would do the job.

....

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Tucker
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4 Nokesville, Virginia
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2003-03-13          51084

Gentlemen, thanks for the responses. I'll tell you as much as I know. I read about the L35 on this site and the Kubota site. From what I can tell it's a 35hp that has been favored by landscapers. The tractor does come with a FEL and it is 4WD. The oil change info is just what I've been told but the reply that 4 oil changes over many years is exactly the type of info that I'm looking for. Thank ye! As for the property it is heavily wooded with eastern red cedar on one side and I'd like to clear approximately 3-4 acres of those cedars out to create open pasture. The cedars range from saplings to rather large trees (18-20inch diameter). I also have a driveway that is approximately 450 feet long and co-own 1/2 mile of private road with 7 other neighbors. I want a tractor that is big enough to handle a job like this as well as other projects around the property over the years and want something that is not going to be underpowered. I've been reviewing the New Hollands Kubotas and Deeres and have been leaning NH or Kubo for the price and reliability. Maybe a TC35 or TC40 would be the better way to go? I'm listening to any suggestions. Thanks. ....

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Tucker
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4 Nokesville, Virginia
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2003-03-13          51086

And Hardwood, I'm planning on chipping up as much of the cedar as possible for mulch and I guess burning or having the rest hauled away. I thought that cedar was too pitchy to burn in a home fireplace though so I'm leaning towards hauling. ....

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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2003-03-13          51100

Tucker, unless you're experienced with tree felling the size cedars you describe are pretty risky handling your self. If you have very many that size why not call a logger who might be willing to buy the logs or at least take them down and haul them away for the logs, you'll have plenty of brush left to chip up for mulch. If you're intending this cedars aeria to be pasture why not just let the stumps rot where they sit, stumps of that size are quite a challenge for a small hoe. The other jobs you describe are well within the ability of a 30 - 35 hp, tractor. You don't say if the tractor you mention is from a dealer or a private source, I've allways been content to buy from a local dealer who has sold the same brand for several years, they want to earn your trust for your future needs as much as you want them there to take care of your service needs. ....

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TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2003-03-14          51118


Good chance that the tractortips specs refer to the same tractor you're looking at. I gave the pto hp specs because they're the more common spec for comparing tractors. I forget what the engine hp specs were but 35 sounds about right for 26 pto hp. The TC's mentioned are pretty much in the same class and probably would perform about the same.

Overall, that sized tractor seems about right for the work described, except that the land clearing would go very slow. However, it is a one-time job and maybe a bigger tractor wouldn't be as good for the on-going work. One comment I'd make is that sometimes people who buy used tractors with a backhoe find that all the 3ph parts aren't there--especially true for lower link arms but stories about missing hydraulic parts also are heard. I would check that the 3ph is operable if you have interest in using 3ph implements.

Hardwood's point that maybe the cedar bush has enough commercial value that a logger would do a lot of the removal work is possible. It's probably worth checking out, but commercial operators do leave the stumps and often tear up the scenery more than property owners would like.

A couple of years ago a neighbour cut some of his cedar bush, limbed, skinned and cut to length in place. Then carted the poles down south to build a pony corral for a granddaughter. That seemed like a lot of work compared to me who bought skinned cedar posts and rails from an ag supplier for not too much. The idea was more like a hobby for my neighbour and maybe your cedar bush has similar possibilities.

....

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Tucker
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4 Nokesville, Virginia
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2003-03-14          51129

Hardwood/TomG thanks for the comments. I have seen some info on logging and been thinking about exploring my options. I've gotten an estimate of $7500 per acre to clear the land, including stump removal and carting away all the cedar. That's a little steep for my budget. For that amount of $$$ I've considered renting a loader to do the work myself. I'm buying the tractor from a homebuilder that I know who is interested in buying a larger JD backhoe. I've also looked at a neighbors brand new B7800 which is another option. The tractor looks to be in good shape I think it's been used for doing yards and light grading work. As a new landowner do you have any advice as to design/landscaping? Questions such as where to put my barn or where to fence and how to address the stream etc are questions that I'd like to resolve before I start bulldozing trees etc. Again, thanks for the advice and any help will be appreciated. ....

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ruger454
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 39 lapeer, MI
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2003-03-14          51130

L35's are built quite heavy specifically for b.h. work. They have a lot of extra frame and reinforcing. Make sure all of thr 3 point hitch stuff comes with the tractor. I have used the smaller version of that tractor (L21?) to dig out some stumps and it wasn't too bad to dig out 12-14 inch stumps depending on the soil. It might be a little time consuming but if you are not in a hurry it would probably be a great tractor. With all of the extra beef I don't see how you can go wrong, depending on the price of course. ....

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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2003-03-14          51158

Tucker, you bring up another interesting point. In our neck of the woods it's not at all unusual for rural wooded one acre lot to bring as much a 60K with no utilitys. Some of this land would'nt have brought 60K fo 300 acres of it 25 years ago. So before you get too bulldozer happy I think I'd check around with the county extension folks or possibly hire a landscape designer to look your property over as you might destroy a diamond in the rough that with parhaps keeping some of the best of your cedars and with some sweat equity on your part could be made into a real showplace. Other than the heavy tree removal a lot of this kind of thing you could do yourself, perhaps a small pond, some rock gardens, retaining walls etc. that don't require a lot of real expensive materials you could handle yourself with your tractor/ loader/ hoe/ and perhaps a box scraper. We've did quite a bit of this kind of thing and it's really kind of fun to watch it develop. Just another idea. ....

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Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2003-03-15          51185

The L-35 would handle the job with time. It is capable of digging the stumps you mentioned and doing the development work after. ....

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