Will an L3560 w/ BH77 fit in my garage without drama?

[IWantAnOrangeTractor]

I'm considering the ROPS L3560 w/ Backhoe.. but I can't fine one locally to look at in person and measure, so I can't figure out if it's too risky or annoying given my garage.

Height
My garage door height is 7' tall to the wood trim, 83.5 inches to the weather stripping.

ROPS: I've seen multiple reports that the L4060 with folded ROPS is 83.75 inches tall, so it fits but just barely. And someone else said that with a backhoe on the back it drops like 2 inches in height. If I order this with a backhoe and R14 am I good to go or is this too risky?
BH77: The specs say BH77 is 80.3 so it should be easy to drive in and out.

Length
My garage is exactly 21' long. I cannot find anywhere how much the BH77 extends the tractor, or a total length with bucket. Will I need to turn the backhoe to fit?


Other Options I'm Considering

1. L2502: This is the tractor I was ready to buy. No emissions nonsense (particularly nice since I'll be mostly loader, backhoe, forks, and idling), it'll fit in my garage easily, I can transport it safely on my 7K trailer (with BH removed), and I don't need PTO horsepower as I'm mostly using it to move dirt around. My concern is that I have hills so I like the idea of a wider tractor. I also wonder if I'll be frustrated with the lift capacity if I want to lift a log or bin of crap with forks one day. If I hadn't read "Buy the next size up" 1000 times in this form, I'd have already bought an L2502. :-D

2: MX4900: Ironically, despite being a larger tractor, the MX4900 folded ROPS are lower then the Grand L so the MX would easily fit under my 7' door. But it's longer and requires a BH92, which I'd have to lower to get in and then turn to fit length wise. I'm not sure I want to do all that every time I use the tractor. And as cool as it would be to have an MX, it seems a bit much for what I'm doing.

3: L4802: I looked hard at the L4802 but it's equal or more expensive than the L3560 and MX4900, so I can't see any argument to buy it. (unless I needed the extra HP which I don't)

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

Get the tractor you need and modify your garage door.

No drama, just money to alter the door.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Those seem like pretty (shall I dare say...radically) different tractors to me.

I mean a 2502 Vs a 4802 or MX4900. ????

Lots of pretty big differences in my opinion.

What are your actual "work needs"?

I think that would/should be the major deciding factors. If you're already questioning the lift capacity, I bet you will be a little "let down" and will soon wish you would have gone with the tractor with more lift capacity.

Oh and my 2501 with loader and BH77 fit in my 24' (ish) garage with no problem. Your 21 footer will be plenty long enough for the 2502. I have an 8 foot door though, not a standard 7 footer.

Having to swing the BH certainly would NOT be a deciding factor to me personally.

I would also LOVE having a BH92......Just say'n

 

[PoTreeBoy]

The L3560 is deluxe compared to the L2501/2. Size aside, hydraulic flow is ~8gpm vs ~5, exactly how this would affect the bh function, I don't know.

 

[IWantAnOrangeTractor]

Those seem like pretty (shall I dare say...radically) different tractors to me.

I mean a 2502 Vs a 4802 or MX4900. ????

I realize the choices may seem ridiculous. But hear me out

1. For now I mostly want it to dig up dirt from one spot and place it in another. And to generally be able to have pallet forks available, get stuff into my dump trailer, etc. I already have something else (Ventrac) for all mowing tasks, and it can actually pull a light duty York rake, box blade, etc. But it can't get a load of dirt into my dump trailer, or dig a hole. Once I have a tractor around I'm sure I will find other uses for it, but I don't know what they are yet. But I'm confident I will not be plowing fields or brush cutting.

2. The L2502 is probably perfect for me. I like the idea of no emissions. I don't see needing the HP. I have 16 acres but a lot of it is inaccessible to a tractor due to hills. I have lots of trees.

3. Then I started considering one larger frame size for stability. My property is not flat and I keep reading that the wider stance is a big help. That and "always buy one size bigger than you think you need". The next wider frames are the big jumps I listed: L4802, L3560, Mx4900.

4. The MX sounds absurd until I realized (a) it's ROPS is shorter than a Grand L and (b) it's cheaper than an L4802 (based in the configurator and current incentives).

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I realize the choices may seem ridiculous. But hear me out

No sir, I did not say, nor did I mean to imply your "ridiculous".

I simply meant that the difference between those tractors seems almost like "quantum leaps", thats all.

I love my 2501, and have been very happy with it.

Like you pointed out, I like the "old school" diesels as well, and the 2501's legendary reliability.

The only time I have ever been "tempted" to switch, was when I sat on an M62 with the BH.

That was quite a machine, but the ~$100,000 price tag, "cooled my jets" pretty quick.

 

[hedgerow]

Here's my take on this. You say you have 26 acres and not flat. If you can afford a MX4900 with backhoe get it. The others will probably do the job. You will like the bigger frame size tractor much more stable on the hills than the others. More loader and back hoe cap. What's not to like about that. Swinging the back hoe when putting it in the garage no big deal. Don't worry about the emission's. I have way north of two thousand hours on my MX6000 and have had zero issues.

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

I think @hedgerow nailed it. Get a big MX and if it fits in your garage... That IS the one.

As for going thru the process of fitting the BH in your garage daily is an issue, don't do it all the time. If you are going to be using it for several days, leave it parked outside. And when you won't be using it for awhile, rain, etc... Then garage it.

Unless theft is a issue where you live and parking it outside for periods is a no-go.

If you have the bread... Go big.

Like @Runs With Scissors stated, the M62 is also my dream TLB. Get that if it's in the bank and build a barn for it. Lol

 

[trikepilot]

I think @hedgerow nailed it. Get a big MX and if it fits in your garage... That IS the one.

As for going thru the process of fitting the BH in your garage daily is an issue, don't do it all the time. If you are going to be using it for several days, leave it parked outside. And when you won't be using it for awhile, rain, etc... Then garage it.

Unless theft is a issue where you live and parking it outside for periods is a no-go.

If you have the bread... Go big.

Like @Runs With Scissors stated, the M62 is also my dream TLB. Get that if it's in the bank and build a barn for it. Lol

Or a simple metal carport/garage. I just had a really nice 20x30 all-metal shed built for $5k. A similar shelter for just a tractor will be cheaper. I'd hate to spend the kinda money these tractors now cost only to find out that my desire to eek out a garage clearance landed me the wrong tractor.

 

[IWantAnOrangeTractor]

You say you have 26 acres and not flat. If you can afford a MX4900 with backhoe get it.

Oops it's actually 16 acres not 26 (typo fixed) but I still take your point: the MX it's more stable and worth turning a backhoe to get in/out.

As for going thru the process of fitting the BH in your garage daily is an issue, don't do it all the time. [...]
Unless theft is a issue where you live and parking it outside for periods is a no-go.

Oh that's a great point. I could definitely leave it out in the woods for a few days.

I'd hate to spend the kinda money these tractors now cost only to find out that my desire to eek out a garage clearance landed me the wrong tractor.

Right... It's not like the L2502 is cheap. I was ready to buy it and see how it worked out... until I saw the price with BH. Right now I don't have the open, level space for a structure, but I could use the tractor I buy to prepare the land for the tractor I bought

 

[Russell King]

Please review the differences between a true TLB and a tractor with a FEL and a backhoe. One may be easier to remove the backhoe and FEL than the other. I have no idea myself. But if that is important to you that might narrow down your options?

 

[IWantAnOrangeTractor]

@Russell King The issue with a true TLB is they have tops that don't fold. So we're back to fitting in the garage.

 

[trikepilot]

I have 56 hilly acres here in the Virginia Blue Ridge area. My B2620 with a backhoe and R4 tires goes into some wild places. I am pondering the addition of 1.5in wheel spacers on the back to make it a bit reassuringly stable. The spacers are an affordable option to make a slightly smaller tractor feel more planted while enjoying easy garage door clearances. I built an economy lean-to shed off the back of the garage mainly to preserve indoor space. There is also a cleanliness factor to keeping the tractor and backhoe out of the garage on a regular basis.

 

[IWantAnOrangeTractor]

My B2620 with a backhoe and R4 tires goes into some wild places.

Good to know people get work done without actually going 3 sizes up I will also get 2" spacers if I go with the 2502.

This raises a question on how specs match reality. The turning radius of the L2502 and MX4900 are 8.2 and 8.9 feet respectively (both w/ brake). I was shocked that they were so close. Does this similarity play out in reality? Or is the MX actually significantly harder to navigate in tight spaces?

 

[Speed25]

Also being on hilly land with a lot of trees, I highly recommend the smaller tractor because it'll go places the bigger ones simply can't. I started with the L2501 which was more than I needed, and I knew it up front. I used it sparingly for 5 years doing the heavier tasks I wanted to get done, mostly grading/leveling, moving dirt, moving rocks, clearing some spaces, etc. After I'd done the big stuff, I sold it for what I bought it for new and downsized to the BX that's more appropriate for my property.

If you have chores that the bigger tractor will speed up, get it to start with and you can always downsize later without taking too much of a hit since our orange tractors hold their values very well.

Also of note, I fit my L2501 through a pair of 72" wide x 80" high french doors with the ROPS folded down during that time. The 60" bucket was really tight with those doors only opened 90-degrees, haha. I've finally removed those and am putting in a real 8' tall garage door now for the baby BX because I'm really tired of folding the ROPS up and down, but due to my sloped land, the ROPS needs to be up if I'm on the tractor.

 

[IWantAnOrangeTractor]

Also being on hilly land with a lot of trees, I highly recommend the smaller tractor because it'll go places the bigger ones simply can't. I started with the L2501

Interesting.. And you found a way to work the 2501 on the slopes with no issues? Did you use wheel spacers?

Did you have the BH77 and how did you like it on the 2501?

 

[trikepilot]

I am not saying that my work demands will be the same as yours. But while I do believe that it is paramount to avoid buying too little tractor, I also feel that there is often a tendency to overdo it. The key is to not rush into a purchase. Weigh all the variables, see in-person as many if the options as you can, and lean into the collective wisdom of forums like this.

 

[IWantAnOrangeTractor]

I also feel that there is often a tendency to overdue.

I'm picturing Jeremy Clarkson unable to get through a gate with his huge Lamborghini tractor, and Kaleb telling him he's an idiot. That can be me in an MX

 

[Speed25]

Interesting.. And you found a way to work the 2501 on the slopes with no issues? Did you use wheel spacers?

Did you have the BH77 and how did you like it on the 2501?

I just had the L2501 with the loader, no BH. It generally did well in the woods, but the loader really increases the turning radius when trees are in front of you, and if you're going up and down hills, you can't go off-camber because it was narrow (no wheel spacers) and top heavy, even with loaded tires and rear ballast. The backhoe will exacerbate that. I was careful to clear my paths with the slope of the land and turn in flatter areas and not risk it on off-camber stuff. For moving dirt, definitely get a tooth bar for the front.

 

[JasonW]

How about for the majority of your work, rent a skid steer for the main dirt moving and clearing. Then find a machine that will fit your needs while fitting in your garage.

I find that my M series is more nimble in the than my MX. Both equipped with FELs.

The comment about getting work done without going two sizes up is inaccurate as any work can be done by hand and shovels. Just how long it takes. Many trade/buy up machine sizes, not the other way around.