Takeuchi
Takeuchi TL8R2
The Takeuchi TL8R2 is the ground-up redesign of the TL8, the mid-frame radial-lift track loader from the company that invented the CTL. The 74.3 hp Kubota V3307 avoids DEF, the reinforced undercarriage carries Takeuchi's reputation for track life, and the R2 update added a roomier quiet cab, a 5.7-inch multi-function display, creep mode for attachment work, and an available 33.8 GPM high-flow package - keeping the dig-first radial geometry that made the TL8 a favorite of dirt-moving owner-operators.
Specifications
Features
Pros
- ✓Takeuchi's undercarriage reputation holds up - heavy track frames and sealed rollers routinely push original tracks well past 1,500 hours.
- ✓The 74.3 hp Kubota V3307 needs no DEF, and sharing its engine family with Kubota's own SVL75 means parts and mechanic familiarity everywhere.
- ✓Radial lift geometry with strong breakout force makes it a natural digger and grader - owners consistently call it a dirt machine first.
- ✓The optional 33.8 GPM high-flow package runs mulchers and planers that many 74 hp competitors cannot support.
- ✓The R2 cab is far quieter and roomier than the old TL8's, with a wide door, good sightlines to the bucket edge, and effective A/C.
- ✓New creep mode lets you dial ground speed independently of engine rpm, transforming trencher and mulcher control.
- ✓Build quality and fit-and-finish draw consistent praise - Takeuchi owners tend to become repeat Takeuchi buyers.
- ✓Strong resale - used Takeuchis are scarce and sell fast, particularly in the Southeast where the dealer network is dense.
Cons
- ✗Radial lift means the load arcs away from the machine at height, so loading tall dump trucks is clumsier than vertical-lift rivals like the TL10V2.
- ✗The 2,116 lb rated capacity trails vertical-lift machines of similar weight, forcing lighter partial loads of dense material.
- ✗The Kubota still carries a DPF, and short-cycle users report regen interruptions on cold mornings.
- ✗Takeuchi's dealer network remains thinner than Bobcat, Deere, or Cat in the Plains and Mountain West, which can stretch parts turnaround.
- ✗The standard 19.1 GPM circuit is midpack, and the worthwhile high-flow package adds meaningful cost to the sticker.
- ✗At 9,182 lbs with cab it needs a 3/4-ton truck and a stout trailer, unlike small-frame machines a half-ton can pull.
- ✗The mechanical-style control feel, even in pilot configuration, strikes some operators as heavier than the EH systems in newer rivals.
- ✗No factory vertical-lift version exists at this size - Takeuchi pushes you up to the TL10V2 if you need truck-loading geometry.
Compare the Takeuchi TL8R2
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