The M62 has a 14-foot maximum digging depth, a 17-percent improvement over the previous model.Photo: Kubota Tractor Corp.
Kubota Tractor Corp. is starting 2016 with a flourish, using this week’s World of Concrete tradeshow in Las Vegas to introduce two new models in its tractor-loader-backhoe (TLB) segment.
The new L47 and M62 replace the L39, L45 and M59 in the Kubota product line. The new models join the B26 to round out Kubota’s TLB line. The new models, along with the B26, are available at Kubota dealerships nationwide beginning this month.
Both the L47 (seen here) and the M62 can perform front loading, rear excavating and other implement tasks.Photo: Kubota Tractor Corp.
Tim Boulds, Kubota construction equipment product operations manager, says the new TLB lineup is more powerful and more efficient than previous models and offers more features for comfort and convenience.
The two new models feature optional single-lever hydraulic hookup for coupling and uncoupling of front implements, “making Kubota’s TLBs an attractive three-in-one option to buyers in the rental, construction and landscaping sectors,” Boulds said.
Kubota says its new TLBs are essentially three machines in one, capable of performing front loader, backhoe and tractor work, and supported by an integrated main frame for increased durability. Both the L47 and the M62 can perform front loading, rear excavating and other implement tasks, such as a pallet fork or a box blade, via either a mechanical two-lever quick coupler or an optional hydraulic quick coupler.
With the hydraulic coupler, the operator needs only to press two dashboard buttons to release the levers securing the front implement. After backing away and proceeding to the next attachment, pressing the buttons again re-engages the levers and secures the new implement.
The backhoe’s quick coupler allows for easy switching of Kubota excavator buckets, the company says, and a four-point rear quick-mount system allows for simple detachment of the backhoe when it’s not needed.
With the aid of an independent PTO, the TLBs can use a wide range of PTO-driven implements, including rotary tillers, snow blowers and rear-mounted mowers. And because the PTO is hydraulic-independent, operators can engage and disengage without stopping the tractor, Kubota says.
In addition to the front loader and tractor, the M62 features highly efficient backhoes that dig deeper and reach farther than previous models, according to a Kubota news release on the new models.
Landscape contractors will be interested to know the new models now feature the ability to use certain Kubota mini excavator buckets.
Kubota’s L47 boasts a 10-foot digging depth and a bucket digging force of 5,825 pounds. The M62 offers has a 14-foot digging depth, a 17-percent improvement over the previous generation’s 12-foot maximum. The M62 has a bucket digging force of 6,572 pounds.
On both TLB models, a lever-engaged backhoe crawling mode allows the operator to slowly creep forward or backward while remaining at the backhoe controls. This feature not only saves time, the manufacturer says, but enables more sure-footed operation in situations such as working alongside a trench.
The L47 and M62 are powered by turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engines that use a Common-Rail direct injection system, which, along with Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) and Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF), enable compliance with Tier 4 Final emissions regulations. In addition, both engines are more powerful than their predecessors; the L47’s engine produces a rated 47.1 gross horsepower, while the M62 produces a rated 63 gross horsepower.
Both the L47 and M62 are equipped with a much larger 17.7-gallon fuel tank.
In both models the clutch pedal has been eliminated, allowing the brake pedal to be relocated to the left side of the cab, reducing interior clutter and simplifying driver operation. Foot space on the backhoe platform has been increased 27 percent over the previous models. The electronic throttle lever and PTO switch require less physical effort to engage than older mechanical controls.
