Surprise: B26 TLB available below MSRP

[klausorchard]

Here in Canada (Nova Scotia), the Kubota website lists the barebones B26 TLB at CAD 52,000. FEL bucket, 3rd function valve, backhoe bucket, thumb, three point hitch, are extras. However, I have received a quote for all those elements included for CAD 51,000 and free delivery in February. This surprised me. I thought I put in this data point. I didn’t think that dealerships give customers a break with inflation out there what it is.

I am currently negotiating a deal that also includes chains, and a swapped out bucket (for the 4-in-1). Amazingly, the standard FEL bucket gets removed from the price, but not from the specifications when it is swapped for the 4-in-1. The dealer confirmed I‘ll get the standard bucket as a free add-on. Also, I had the tires swapped from the industrial R-4 to the agricultural R-1.

Are there any other options I should have installed now that’d be a PITA later? The use is varied on my hobby farm and includes field work, construction work, and forestry work.

My mechanical abilities are undeveloped, nonetheless I‘ll forego the 3 year extended warranty, which on this forum is considered a money grab. I negotiated with the dealer to provide me with the full shop manual as a freebie.

The Top‘n‘Tilt kit looks enticing until I read reports on this forum that notorious leaks on those tend to to render them more trouble than they are worth.

I am still evaluating a need for rear hydraulic valves. Even after reading forum entries, I am still unclear on what exact implements I benefit from them, other than a woodsplitter.

On the second-hand market, I am surprised that only a minority of first owners paid for the thumb on the backhoe, the 3rd function valve and even the 3ph. Not merely are used prices high, once I have these functions added, as an expensive after fit, the price of a 9 year old used unit with 850h is only 15%-20% below new.

My first use of the tractor will be to prepare the area for the shed that will house it, and build said shed, as it won’t pass the garage door.

 

[mikester]

You will want 3 rear remotes if you plan on TNT. If you are using this for "construction" you will want TNT. You will want a cab too.

From your description of what you want the machine to do (aka logging) you might want a bigger machine like an M62.

If you have the space I'd suggest a used full sized construction TLB.

 

[kreuss]

I recently added a Top‘n‘Tilt kit to my B26 and absolutely love it when using a box blade. No more hopping on and off the tractor to make adjustments. My side link did leak down fast enough to be annoying, but I added a hydraulic check valve and it's fine now. I used cylinders from eBay so I don't know if the Kubota kit has check valves. Even if you don't go with the Top‘n‘Tilt cylinders I would recommend you add the rear hydraulic valves. These are expensive and hard to add later.

 

[fried1765]

Here in Canada (Nova Scotia), the Kubota website lists the barebones B26 TLB at CAD 52,000. FEL bucket, 3rd function valve, backhoe bucket, thumb, three point hitch, are extras. However, I have received a quote for all those elements included for CAD 51,000 and free delivery in February. This surprised me. I thought I put in this data point. I didn’t think that dealerships give customers a break with inflation out there what it is.

I am currently negotiating a deal that also includes chains, and a swapped out bucket (for the 4-in-1). Amazingly, the standard FEL bucket gets removed from the price, but not from the specifications when it is swapped for the 4-in-1. The dealer confirmed I‘ll get the standard bucket as a free add-on. Also, I had the tires swapped from the industrial R-4 to the agricultural R-1.

Are there any other options I should have installed now that’d be a PITA later? The use is varied on my hobby farm and includes field work, construction work, and forestry work.

My mechanical abilities are undeveloped, nonetheless I‘ll forego the 3 year extended warranty, which on this forum is considered a money grab. I negotiated with the dealer to provide me with the full shop manual as a freebie.

The Top‘n‘Tilt kit looks enticing until I read reports on this forum that notorious leaks on those tend to to render them more trouble than they are worth.

I am still evaluating a need for rear hydraulic valves. Even after reading forum entries, I am still unclear on what exact implements I benefit from them, other than a woodsplitter.

On the second-hand market, I am surprised that only a minority of first owners paid for the thumb on the backhoe, the 3rd function valve and even the 3ph. Not merely are used prices high, once I have these functions added, as an expensive after fit, the price of a 9 year old used unit with 850h is only 15%-20% below new.

My first use of the tractor will be to prepare the area for the shed that will house it, and build said shed, as it won’t pass the garage door.

WoW!
$40K USD for a new B-26 TLB?
Do you also get the special Nova Scotia ("free" health care?) opportunity to pay an additional 15% -$6K USD - HST ?

 

[klausorchard]

WoW!
$40K USD for a new B-26 TLB?
Do you also get the special Nova Scotia ("free" health care?) opportunity to pay an additional 15% -$6K USD - HST ?

Yes 15% HST on top. Are deals better in the USA? I spec‘d it on the US Kubota site and the listed price is $44k, so discounts would have to be north of 10%.

 

[Henro]

How much mud do you expect to deal with?

R4 tires may be more durable when doing construction work than R1 tires.

My experience is that R4 tires are great until you get into mud that fills the lugs and turns them into slicks.

Otherwise, R4 tires are my choice due to their durability, at least on the rears. I did foam fill my fronts soon after getting a puncture within a week or two of taking delivery. AND that was on my property and not a construction site which would offer more puncture hazards.

 

[fried1765]

Yes 15% HST on top. Are deals better in the USA? I spec‘d it on the US Kubota site and the listed price is $44k, so discounts would have to be north of 10%.

I JUST SENT YOU A PRIVATE MESSAGE.

 

[klausorchard]

How much mud do you expect to deal with?

R4 tires may be more durable when doing construction work than R1 tires.

My experience is that R4 tires are great until you get into mud that fills the lugs and turns them into slicks.

Otherwise, R4 tires are my choice due to their durability, at least on the rears. I did foam fill my fronts soon after getting a puncture within a week or two of taking delivery. AND that was on my property and not a construction site which would offer more puncture hazards.

Mud is a common soil condition here in the Maritimes, its an area of high rainfall and my land is a mix of river floodplain agricultural quality soil but with imperfect drainage due to a clay substrate, and sloped forest soils with variable moisture and clay. My little 30 year old Kubota F2000 needs tire chains to have dependable traction. Thats why I ordered chains for the B26.

So a high traction tire that is gentle on my best agricultural soil is the reason for the R-1.

Other than tilling, mowing and ag related, the principal use case will be for forest road construction. I have the time to do it with reflection and no rush. I am semi retired and have the time to take things slowly.

There are 4km of road in the plans, in forested land but I will run it in such a way as to avoid having to fell big trees. So a lot of removal of shrubbery, saplings, working the earth. Rockiness is not a major issue around here. I dont want bigger than B26. One reason (not the only one) is that I take it across a self built bridge where I am conscious about how much weight it can handle. Another reason os that a bigger machine means more soil compaction.

Thanks to input received here, I‘ll have the 2 hydraulic lines installed at the rear (with the float detent valve) and I asked my dealer about the check valve setup for the T‘n‘T. If no check valves, I forego the TnT for now.

The third use case is light building construction, two sheds, one cabin.

A fourth use case is to be neighbourly and help out occasionally with bush hogging and similar.

I wont use it for snowplowing, other than removing snowbanks created by the municipal plow that blocks my gate. For my driveway, I use a Honda 1332.

 

[fried1765]

Mud is a common soil condition here in the Maritimes, its an area of high rainfall and my land is a mix of river floodplain agricultural quality soil but with imperfect drainage due to a clay substrate, and sloped forest soils with variable moisture and clay. My little 30 year old Kubota F2000 needs tire chains to have dependable traction. Thats why I ordered chains for the B26.

So a high traction tire that is gentle on my best agricultural soil is the reason for the R-1.

Other than tilling, mowing and ag related, the principal use case will be for forest road construction. I have the time to do it with reflection and no rush. I am semi retired and have the time to take things slowly.

There are 4km of road in the plans, in forested land but I will run it in such a way as to avoid having to fell big trees. So a lot of removal of shrubbery, saplings, working the earth. Rockiness is not a major issue around here. I dont want bigger than B26. One reason (not the only one) is that I take it across a self built bridge where I am conscious about how much weight it can handle. Another reason os that a bigger machine means more soil compaction.

Thanks to input received here, I‘ll have the 2 hydraulic lines installed at the rear (with the float detent valve) and I asked my dealer about the check valve setup for the T‘n‘T. If no check valves, I forego the TnT for now.

The third use case is light building construction, two sheds, one cabin.

A fourth use case is to be neighbourly and help out occasionally with bush hogging and similar.

I wont use it for snowplowing, other than removing snowbanks created by the municipal plow that blocks my gate. For my driveway, I use a Honda 1332.

"rockiness is not a major issue around here"
Annapolis valley?

 

[klausorchard]

"rockiness is not a major issue around here"
Annapolis valley?

Lake Ainslie area in Inverness county. There are rarely stones heavier than what you can pick up readily with two hands. Ag Canada classifies the area as Category 4 farmland, which is the worst cropland category, but still cropland. Limiting factors here are acidic soils, imperfect drainage, more so than excessive stoniness. Soils are good enough for cornfields once limed and fertilized.

The substrate is clay of unknown depth. No contractor around here has ever hit bedrock, and provincial bridge construction drove a pillar 20+ metres down into the clay and called it good enough.

 

[Henro]

Thanks to input received here, I‘ll have the 2 hydraulic lines installed at the rear (with the float detent valve) and I asked my dealer about the check valve setup for the T‘n‘T. If no check valves, I forego the TnT for now.

I think float and check valves are incompatible. They were when I built my own system of four rear remotes a long time ago.

Still, I think you should get the rear remotes. Wonderful accessory. Would not be without mine.

Perhaps one section with float, and others with check valves?

Do get the rear remotes. They add so much to tractor functionality. Would not be without mine...can't even imagine it now...

 

[fried1765]

Lake Ainslie area in Inverness county. There are rarely stones heavier than what you can pick up readily with two hands. Ag Canada classifies the area as Category 4 farmland, which is the worst cropland category, but still cropland. Limiting factors here are acidic soils, imperfect drainage, more so than excessive stoniness. Soils are good enough for cornfields once limed and fertilized.

The substrate is clay of unknown depth. No contractor around here has ever hit bedrock, and provincial bridge construction drove a pillar in 20+ metres into the clay before they called it good enough.

Cape Breton is such a stunningly beautiful place!
I have driven the coastal loop of Western Cape Breton several times, and from Maragree Harbour along the North shore side of lake Ainslie as well.
Ground did look quite squishy in many areas.

 

[klausorchard]

Cape Breton is such a stunningly beautiful place!
I have driven the coastal loop of Western Cape Breton several times, and from Maragree Harbour along the North shore side of lake Ainslie as well.
Ground did look quite squishy in many areas.

Yes it's lovely around here. The mountains are just the right size, it's a sea of green wherever you look, frequent rain and the rain is evenly spaced throughout the year, no big droughts, no big heatwaves, no coldwaves either (plenty of snow, though), bald eagles circling the skies, long and warm sand beaches in summer (the shallow and relatively stagnant waters of the Gulf of St-Lawrence warms to well above 20 degrees C), there are blackbear, moose, fish otters, etc., on the property, no traffic on the dirt roads, low population density, yet only 20km away from a small but 24/7 community hospital. Plus, some of the least expensive productive land and properties in Canada. It's Gods country in my and my wife's tastes.

I'll definitely get the rear hydraulic lines based on advice here. One has the float, for the other my dealer is finding out about the check valves. I will also post my final deal with the full specs and price, for a reference point.

Thanks to input here I have enquired with my dealer how much weight front foam-filled tires add to the machine.

 

[rScotty]

How much mud do you expect to deal with?

R4 tires may be more durable when doing construction work than R1 tires.

My experience is that R4 tires are great until you get into mud that fills the lugs and turns them into slicks.

Otherwise, R4 tires are my choice due to their durability, at least on the rears. I did foam fill my fronts soon after getting a puncture within a week or two of taking delivery. AND that was on my property and not a construction site which would offer more puncture hazards.

We don't have mud, but we have every other difficult terrain including side slopes, hills, creeks, deep snow, sand, and lots of rocks. After using R4s, I don't think you could get me to go back to R1s. I like the flotation. But where you are I'd expect to have to use chains most of the time.

 

[klausorchard]

I am surprised that on the USA-based auction sites, the B26 is sold throughout without any options. Going through the first two dozens of listings, none come with the backhoe thumb, or the 3pth, or 3rd function valve, or rear hydraulics. It appears that almost everyone buys the B26 bare bones. That surprises me. For Canadian listings also, I’ve yet to see one that offers more than standard.
https://www.machinerytrader.com/listings/search?ModelGroup=B26&Category=1046&ListingType=Auction Results&Manufacturer=KUBOTA&sort=15

 

[fried1765]

I am surprised that on the USA-based auction sites, the B26 is sold throughout without any options. Going through the first two dozens of listings, none come with the backhoe thumb, or the 3pth, or 3rd function valve, or rear hydraulics. It appears that almost everyone buys the B26 bare bones. That surprises me. For Canadian listings also, I’ve yet to see one that offers more than standard.
https://www.machinerytrader.com/listings/search?ModelGroup=B26&Category=1046&ListingType=Auction Results&Manufacturer=KUBOTA&sort=15

I have an exceptionally low hour L48 TLB that I bought used in (Maine) 2019.
It has every possible option, including a diverter for hydraulic loader bucket locking (no dismount required).
The Kubota TLB that I have, seems to follow right in line with your observations.

The machine was apparently initially delivered to the dealer with only Q/A loader and hoe buckets.
Options were added, at some point, perhaps by dealer, maybe prior to delivery.

My hyd. thumb is not OEM Kubota, but is an excellent custom built unit, by MC Faulkner & Sons (now SRS Attachments, Norridgewock, ME).

 

[top gnome]

It seems like you got a great deal. I ended up with my b2301 at from the build your own site I was 38 k with attachment CAD and I paid 32,700 I added a grapple and third function on top that I paid extra for and they loaded the tires and added a block heater for free. Nova intl.

 

[bbxlr8]

Definitely a good deal and they really "punch above their weight". My neighbor has one and it is a beast.

When I was looking, I found a couple of fair deals used but they lasted a few days. Most around here were rentals that were ridden hard and put away wet. In the end, I did not want to modify the garage/shed for height as the canopy is integral to the unit.

 

[fried1765]

Definitely a good deal and they really "punch above their weight". My neighbor has one and it is a beast.

When I was looking, I found a couple of fair deals used but they lasted a few days. Most around here were rentals that were ridden hard and put away wet. In the end, I did not want to modify the garage/shed for height as the canopy is integral to the unit.

"The canopy is integral to the unit"?
How can that be?
I am of the opinion that any/all canopies can be removed if desired.
I run my L48 TLB with the canopy off, for convenience in the woods.

 

[bbxlr8]

Yes - really surprised me too as that was my first solution. This series (smaller & larger one) have a pseudo roll cage if you will. I verified with Kubota.

When you look at it closely, there are ways to take it apart of course, but those front supports and frame are not meant to be removed and used that way on these models.