L2501 with or without 3pt. Hitch

PaulL

Well-known member

Equipment
B2601
Jul 17, 2017
2,433
1,363
113
NZ
Thanks. More learning here. Like, what the heck do you use stabilizing arms for in the first place. I'm only getting this tractor and the chosen implements to cure the topography. So that people, ATV, the jeep, can walk and enjoy the forest, without being attacked by bushes and those that called it home.
Telescoping 3ph arms make it much easier to attach implements.

In general you loosen the stabilisers every time you take things off (to get enough play to get the arms off the pins), and then tighten them so your implement doesn't slop around.

The turnbuckle style tend to get dirt and grit very quickly, and sometimes get bent a bit. They then become very hard to turn, so you need a crescent spanner or a set of pliers, and you fight them every time. You also screw them all the way out, then all the way in, which is time consuming. It works, but it's annoying. Telescoping arms you just pull a pin out and they're lose, you put them on, drop the pin in the right hole, you're done. They're massively easier.

You can also get telescoping ends. That means you can back up close to your implement, then pull the arms in and out a bit to fit onto the implement. Without those you have to horse the implement around to get it exactly lined up, and the bigger your tractor the bigger your implements. With my B2601 the implements are small enough to push around, and I store them on dollies in the shed so they're easy to move. With anything bigger you tend to store outside and they're too heavy to easily move. Then a quick attach or telescoping ends really come into their own.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

ahr6912

New member

Equipment
l2501HST w/ bh77
Aug 5, 2021
21
10
3
Simpsonville, SC
www.jewelsbyus.com
Telescoping 3ph arms make it much easier to attach implements.

In general you loosen the stabilisers every time you take things off (to get enough play to get the arms off the pins), and then tighten them so your implement doesn't slop around.

The turnbuckle style tend to get dirt and grit very quickly, and sometimes get bent a bit. They then become very hard to turn, so you need a crescent spanner or a set of pliers, and you fight them every time. You also screw them all the way out, then all the way in, which is time consuming. It works, but it's annoying. Telescoping arms you just pull a pin out and they're lose, you put them on, drop the pin in the right hole, you're done. They're massively easier.

You can also get telescoping ends. That means you can back up close to your implement, then pull the arms in and out a bit to fit onto the implement. Without those you have to horse the implement around to get it exactly lined up, and the bigger your tractor the bigger your implements. With my B2601 the implements are small enough to push around, and I store them on dollies in the shed so they're easy to move. With anything bigger you tend to store outside and they're too heavy to easily move. Then a quick attach or telescoping ends really come into their own.
thanks so much. something to look into once the tractor is in the garage. BTW, I've got 214" or 18' feet long. Wigth is great, height is no problem. Comments.
 

ayak

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L3301 HST
Feb 16, 2018
609
819
93
WV
thanks so much. something to look into once the tractor is in the garage. BTW, I've got 214" or 18' feet long. Wigth is great, height is no problem. Comments.
If you put the tractor inside the garage with the backhoe on, be certain to lock the boom of the backhoe such that it can’t slowly overnight try to make an unintended drive thru/doggy-door thru the side of your garage. That’s assuming of course you don’t have enough room to actually curl and lower the bucket to the floor once it’s parked (my preference). I also like to put the FEL bucket down and flat on the floor as well.
 

ahr6912

New member

Equipment
l2501HST w/ bh77
Aug 5, 2021
21
10
3
Simpsonville, SC
www.jewelsbyus.com
If you put the tractor inside the garage with the backhoe on, be certain to lock the boom of the backhoe such that it can’t slowly overnight try to make an unintended drive thru/doggy-door thru the side of your garage. That’s assuming of course you don’t have enough room to actually curl and lower the bucket to the floor once it’s parked (my preference). I also like to put the FEL bucket down and flat on the floor as well.
Great thought. I'm on the same wavelength.
 

PaulL

Well-known member

Equipment
B2601
Jul 17, 2017
2,433
1,363
113
NZ
thanks so much. something to look into once the tractor is in the garage. BTW, I've got 214" or 18' feet long. Wigth is great, height is no problem. Comments.
18'/214" is 5.5 metres, give or take. That's a bit more than I have, and I have no backhoe.

The tractor itself is 2.8 metres/110 inches. Loader will add a metre, backhoe a metre or maybe more. I find when I really use space is when it's disassembled. So I take the loader off, I park the tractor between the loader arms, but not quite tight up against it. I also have to put my forks or bucket somewhere (depending which is on the loader), and you'll need to put your backhoe somewhere. If you're like me the backhoe won't live on the tractor, so you'll probably put the backhoe at the front of the shed, then the loader behind that, and you'll attach or detach the loader depending on what you're doing. You'll be tighter for space than you think, but it's definitely enough.
 
Last edited:

ahr6912

New member

Equipment
l2501HST w/ bh77
Aug 5, 2021
21
10
3
Simpsonville, SC
www.jewelsbyus.com
18'/214" is 5.5 metres, give or take. That's a bit more than I have, and I have no backhoe.

The tractor itself is 2.8 metres/110 inches. Loader will add a metre, backhoe a metre or maybe more. I find when I really use space is when it's disassembled. So I take the loader off, I park the tractor between the loader arms, but not quite tight up against it. I also have to put my forks or bucket somewhere (depending on which is on the loader), and you'll need to put your backhoe somewhere. If you're like me the backhoe won't live on the tractor, so you'll probably put the backhoe at the front of the shed, then the loader behind that, and you'll attach or detach the loader depending on what you're doing. You'll be tighter for space than you think, but it's enough.
Thanks for that. I'll give pictures when it comes.
I intend to leave the backhoe on when in the garage.
 

PaulL

Well-known member

Equipment
B2601
Jul 17, 2017
2,433
1,363
113
NZ
I intend to leave the backhoe on when in the garage.
:). I had lots of intentions too.

Unless you use the backhoe all the time, that'll get old. Although I forgot you had an L, so you're probably not mowing with it - which is the task that I do the most and the task that I take the attachments off for. But to use any other implement at all (e.g. box blade) you have to take the backhoe off. And taking the backhoe on and off isn't as easy as you think, so you'll get to a place where you say "I'm gonna use the box blade again tomorrow, no point putting the backhoe back on for the night, then taking it off again tomorrow morning". It'll all come down to how often you use the backhoe v's how often you use your other implements.

Anyway, not that it matters. I always remind myself that just taking implements on and off my tractor is better fun than sitting around watching TV (or posting on Kubota forums on the internet). Anything I'm doing with my tractor is fun.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

ayak

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L3301 HST
Feb 16, 2018
609
819
93
WV
Thanks for that. I'll give pictures when it comes.
I intend to leave the backhoe on when in the garage.
Plan on making one of these dolly’s for moving it around in your garage any time you want to have it off. Really makes it easy to go back and forth.
158EA273-95F4-410B-B5B0-190F7773C400.jpeg

Of course these days that’s likely $800 in scrap lumber. 🤣
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

bbxlr8

Active member

Equipment
L2501 w/R14s, LA525, BH77, SGC0660, CL 5' BB, CL PHD, WG24 + Ford 1210 60" mmm,
Mar 29, 2021
381
245
43
Eastern PA
Really like the dolly fab. Just curious, why do you take off the bucket and do you think it would work w/ bucket on with some mods?
 

dirtydeed

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
B2650 BH77, U27-4R2, BX23TLBM, box blade, rear blade, flail mower, Stump Grinder
Dec 8, 2017
3,020
3,673
113
Wind Gap, PA
Great advice from others above. One additional comment I have for you is to put a strap between the two outriggers (while storing, and while it's mounted) to keep the outriggers from drooping (which they will). If you have something close to the hoe when that happens, it can get damaged.

Look for the red strap connected to the stabilizer pads in my pic below to give you an idea of what I'm referring to.

One more thing: when you remove the hoe for storage, connect the hydraulic lines (for the hoe) together. It will slow the droop and keep the connections clean.

Best of luck to you and enjoy your machine.

backhoe resting.JPG
 

ahr6912

New member

Equipment
l2501HST w/ bh77
Aug 5, 2021
21
10
3
Simpsonville, SC
www.jewelsbyus.com
Great advice from others above. One additional comment I have for you is to put a strap between the two outriggers (while storing, and while it's mounted) to keep the outriggers from drooping (which they will). If you have something close to the hoe when that happens, it can get damaged.

Look for the red strap connected to the stabilizer pads in my pic below to give you an idea of what I'm referring to.

One more thing: when you remove the hoe for storage, connect the hydraulic lines (for the hoe) together. It will slow the droop and keep the connections clean.

Best of luck to you and enjoy your machine.

View attachment 64441
Wow, love you guys. Strapping those sidearms. Great idea. Get'er done.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

dirtydeed

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
B2650 BH77, U27-4R2, BX23TLBM, box blade, rear blade, flail mower, Stump Grinder
Dec 8, 2017
3,020
3,673
113
Wind Gap, PA
With two separate dollies like that, do you find droop where the arm moves away from the base? Do you need a strop around the bucket and arm to stop that?
No.
It doesn't move at all. I think because the hoe frame is on two supports it really can't go anywhere? I don't really know, but it will stay in that position over the entire winter.
 

ayak

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L3301 HST
Feb 16, 2018
609
819
93
WV
Curious, what is the weight rating on those casters? Where to buy locally, like Tractor Supply, maybe?
Got mine off Amazon. I put two swivels at the rear end of the dolly and two rigid ones at the seat end.
CF1FAAC4-3BCF-42A9-9268-BD3D275AAAFD.jpeg
 

PaulL

Well-known member

Equipment
B2601
Jul 17, 2017
2,433
1,363
113
NZ
How much does a backhoe weigh? I'd have thought it'd be getting close to 1000lbs?
 

bbxlr8

Active member

Equipment
L2501 w/R14s, LA525, BH77, SGC0660, CL 5' BB, CL PHD, WG24 + Ford 1210 60" mmm,
Mar 29, 2021
381
245
43
Eastern PA
Great ideas all - thanks for the pictures!
 

ayak

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L3301 HST
Feb 16, 2018
609
819
93
WV
Really like the dolly fab. Just curious, why do you take off the bucket and do you think it would work w/ bucket on with some mods?
As far as working with the bucket on, that was the original way I used it. Then I ordered a trencher bucket along with that quick-change adapter so I decided to add that one extra piece of board to the top of the back end, so I now keep the buckets themselves separate.
Here was the original dolly before adding the other stuff (and before my garage😁)
8E577B0F-FDEB-4443-BD85-E8AC810DA67A.jpeg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user