I am wanting to buy a tractor. I have been borrowing equipment and I am done with that. I have 60 acres 1/2 timber and 1/2 open. I just dug a 2.5-3 acre pond. I need something that I can mow, brush hog, landscape, and most importantly use to put in about 5 acres of food plots. I am thinking a 40-60 HP 4wd tractor with a loader. I know I would have to use a smaller disc and brush hog but I don't mind spending a little extra time because I enjoy the work.

Do you think this sounds suitable? Those of you with experience please let me know what you think. I do not have a preference on brand.

Thanks for any information and advice.

I bought a Kubota MX-5100 4WD with 6'house shredder and a 6' box blade,FEL,51 hp turbo. So far it has been great. I went with a name brand because there is a lot of off brand stuff out there- here today no parts tomorrow- wasn't worth the chance. The dealer is top seller and don't think anybody can beat him. I will give his contact info via pm

I have65 ac. And it has done well


Pat W

You need to consider if you want a category 1 or 2 tractor. I have one of the larger HP category-one tractors. It is a JD-1070 that I bought back in 1990. I'll let you know how well it lasts after another 25 years if I make it that long:) Buying a tractor with a nearby dealer is useful if you need parts. I did not buy JD implements though. My loader is Great Bend, my brush mower is Bush Hog, my finish mower is Woods, and my rototiller is Land pride. Kubota is a well respected brand tractor as well. Go for 4-wheel drive if you can swing it.

Deere's 5000 economy series are competitively priced with other brands. We have owned a number of them over the years when we had a commercial turkey grow out operation and I currently have a 5083 to play with.

Also have a 3038 hydrostat that I like that was also priced pretty good but it is only about 36 hp so likely smaller than you want.

The smaller hydro tractors are a joy to operate and handy as a shirt pocket. Very quick cycling, although a hydraulic reverser on a gear tractor makes loader operation a lot more effective and a little more closer to the handiness of the hydro. But if you want larger size implements to cover larger tasks, the small tractors are not quite up to it. Mowing large areas that are rough like a pasture they will beat you to death also.

If you have a bad back, pay attention to the seat suspension. It will make all the difference in the world.

+1 on a hydrostatic tractor. At 60 acres I'd lean to the 40-50 hp. Min. You need to shop the dealers close to you and pick the dealer. I'd stick to the major colors green, orange etc.
personally, I landed on green and would never look back. My pick for you would be a slightly used Deere model 4520, and since you will be brush hogging look at the cab. For my project I picked the slightly smaller version with the 3320. It would do everything you asked but would take longer because of the slightly smaller implements.

Thanks for the information. I really appreciate it.

We went with the DK45 4X4 hydro stat cab kioti. They run a bobcat motor and loader quick attach. 45hp.

We have 100 acres here but shes is just used for cutting grass and blowing snow. 6' bucket, 6' blower, and 6' mower.

We got this after running a Kubota L3110 four wheel drive hydro. With 30hp.

I really recommend the industrial tire. This is after having the ag tire like on the JD above and turf tires we had on the Kubota. If your blowing snow or pushing heavy with the loader you will love them. Then back to cutting grass they will not cut in on you when its wet.

Get the most power for the tractors size. This you will not regret ever. When they change the wheel base for an extra 10hp its not worth it for the weight added.

Love the Kioti and cab. Nice AC when cutting grass, no dust or allergies, no sticks in the face and best of all no heavy snowmobile helmet blowing snow. Just a T shirt.

Cheers Don.

I think the most important factor is finding a good dealer.

If you consider investing in used equipment here are a few web sites you might find what you're looking for:

http://www.equipmenttraderonline.com/

http://www.machinerytrader.com/

https://www.rbauction.com/used-farm-equipment

All advice and observations above are right on. In particular, I'd second snrub's recommendation to pay attention to the seat suspension, even if you have a good back. My next upgrade for my present CUT (compact utility tractor) will be a new seat arrangement. My back holds up to 8 hours of running small or large chainsaws, but put me on my Ford 1720 for a few hours of logging or snow plowing, and I'm stiff and sore.

If you like to research the internet, you might try tractorbynet.com for info about sizing, brands, dealers, pics, advice, DIY projects, on and on. IMHO, that forum approaches Pondboss in usefulness.

And, do your best to keep the tractor out of deep water. But come to Pondboss for help if you need to retrieve it...

I ended up with a 4WD Kubota L3400...34 HP only pulls 5 ft. implements but reasonably priced and feels solid compared to others I "test drove." No bucket even thought it'd be handy if I did have one.

I went to a website tractorbynet.com for some helpful information and a forum to get some generic and specific info before I bought mine in 2006

Note that tractors were in short supply in south Mississippi just after Katrina so I had mine shipped from Kentucky.

I bought an orange one with 4 wheel drive. it's is a 34 hp with the all Terrene tires. Like you I did a lot of research and asked a lot of questions and then purchased the Kabota. So am I happy with my purchase? u betcha, would I do anything different, u betcha !! I would buy one with the ability to pick up more wt with the front end loader. Sure, it will pickup a full bucket of Agg lime and or dirt, but it wont pick up the heavier stuff, like a big tree trunk or 3' cement culverts. And it does not have a back hoe. Wished it had a back hoe So I suggest u look ahead and plan on spending a bit to get all of what I mention here. But if you can only get one of the thing I bring up, then make it 4 wheel drive because it will be the biggest regret u will have is with out it.
Tracy

I've struggled with this over the years....do I invest in a single machine solution with a newer machine, understanding that I'm going to have 5 digit cash involved? Or is there another option?

For me I've ended up with older, specialized machines....I currently have a 3 machine combination that suits me. I've got a Massey Ferguson 2135 with a loader for dirt/rock work, a Massey 50 for bush hog/finish mowing/tilling/box scraper work, and an International 2504 with a side mount articulated sickle mower for pond bank duty and the occasional high HP towing/pulling needs.

I have the same $$ or more invested in my machines than I would have had I bought a new (or newer) 4X4 machine when it comes down to it. But for me a multiple machine answer has been the best. But I've got plenty of storage and the shop and tools to keep them running. That won't work for everyone.

I have been looking for a few months and keep struggling with the direction that I need to go. I have no mechanical background so I would like to get something newer thinking that I may have less issues in the future, or at least have local support from a dealer. I do think a 4x4 will be the direction that I go. I enjoy reading everyones comments and pictures. I am sure it will end up being like my bass boats. Start at what is affordable and then getting bigger and better every year after lol.

I have had IH , Kubota, I agree with then dealer statement. Not many Case IH dealers around me. I like My IH better. Got a 70 Hp Kubota for my wife, in 2007 , no problems except front seals and that was self induced by hay netting. My only disappointment is handling the Big round bales , had to fill the tires with fluid and watch uneven ground with the Kubota. It is just short wheel base.
If American Made is Important Look where the tractor and Engine is made. I was surprised to find some Jon Deere had overseas Engines. Good tractors though.

The closer the dealer the better off you will be. Getting it worked on will be a lot easier especially if they come out, but also when you get parts the closer the better.

The Kubota dealer I bought mine from beat everyone's price by over 5K that's a lot of moola. There are no smaller tractors make in our country... Very sad.... Reason I went with Kubota vs others is it is made in Japan not China or Korea,plus they have a solid background unlike the fly by night brands... My friend bought one of those off brands.... They gone.... And no parts or service.... Piece of mind and the fact that you need a tractor for a long time... The Kubota MX5100 is a medium frame tractor but it will maneuver in tight areas such as woods... That makes a big difference


Pat

The only tractor I have is an 8n Ford. I just use it for bush hogging and blading the lane. Had it for 20 years with no repairs. I bought a used Terramite mini backhoe about 8 years ago from a rental place when they bought new ones. Got it for 4K and use the heck out of it. The front bucket saves me lots of lifting and is great for pulling fence posts. The weight of the backhoe gives great traction and digs a prettily impressive hole.

Poppy, I also have an old 8N and like it. The problem is that I like using my 38 HP JD more. I haven't cranked the Ford in 3 or 4 years.

The JD has turf tires(expensive mistake that I'm living with),4wd, shuttle transmission and FEL. The JD is about 10 years old and has less than 500 hrs on it. I use it mostly as a utility tractor and to put in wheat for the deer, bring in firewood, etc. The local dealer went broke. Running a business, booze and bimbos was too much for him.

The only problem I have with the JD is the cheap plastic cowlings. My land is extremely rocky and the only plastic that hasn't broken or cracked from vibration and the FEL shaking around is the fenders. Maybe any or all of the newer fiberglass tractors would have suffered the same fate.

A couple of things to think about. A grease gun is your best friend. Unless you are farming, a tractor without a FEL is only half a tractor. A FEL without 4WD is almost useless. Rear tires without weight can make an ugly corpse.

I don't use the ROPS or seat belt like I should. That has been a bad, dang near, fatal mistake on 2 occasions.

Dave, please wear your seat belt !! When I was young and first starting out in family life, I was an ambulance driver/attendant in Vernon Texas. A lot of farming goes on around that part of Texas. In two years, I was called out on 2 occasions, for tractor turnovers. Both were young guys and they did not survive the turnovers when trapped under the tractors. Today most tractors have roll bars and will keep the tractor off of you when you wearing a seat belt that hold you in place under the roll bar. Wear your seatbelt.
Tracy

Good point on the seatbelt, but they're of little help without a ROPS. I put a ROPS on my older 1971 deere and wear a belt. When you live in a state like WV I think its a must, nothing is flat. Having 2 tractors is really nice because I have a backhoe on my primary worker that never comes off. Having another to mow and work the ground saves me a lot of time. Here is a sample of some of the slopes I mow.

We bought a 1967 Oliver 1650 gas tractor a few years ago, it works great for our acreage needs. 67 HP, it came with a loader, shredder, and an 8ft blade, the back tires are fluid filled.

I have two tractors the first being a JD 790 4x4 and the second a Mahindra 6530 4x4. Fortunately, in my area we have JD and Mahindra dealers which has been said is an important consideration in making a decision in buying a tractor. My 790 has been put through it's paces and amazes me in what it has been able to do and handle. My 6530 is simply a 'beast'. Thus far, I have primarily used it to clear and haul timber as well as brush. Dealer access and parts availability are two of the most important considerations

I looked at the 46hp mahindra and decided to go Kubota for many reasons, one being that the Mahindra was so loud even at idle the you would have to wear hearing protection just to idle. The other was the exhaust stack came up in a way that would get tore off with the youpon that I need to clear

Pat

One of the times I spoke of was just stupid to even attempt or even talk about.

The other was when I went straight down a hill, about a 30 degree angle, to scoop up a load of wet sand to haul to the house and let dry for kids to play with. The whole works started going over forward and, thankfully, I had the presence of mind to quickly stuff the bucket back down. Then I walked to the house for a shovel to empty out the sand.

If that would have been me I'd need to go to the house to empty my drawers before emptying the sand!

I had the smaller brother to that tractor, the 2520 with loader for three or four years. It was a great little tractor. I traded it for the 3038 to get a little more horsepower to pull a 7' finish mower a little better. The 2520 did it, but not very fast if in big grass. I like both tractors equally will, with the size being the main difference. Bought a Bad Boy light commercial zero turn mower with 72" deck and have only used the finish mower on the tractor one time. Thought wife and I would both mow and get it done quick. The Bad Boy mows it so quick, likely will hardly ever use the rear mounted finish mower again.

On a small utility tractor I like the R3 industrial tires. They are a little wider and are tougher than the R1 ag tires. With a loader, tires tend to get spun even if being careful and the R3 tires hold up a little better from cuts and the like. In mud the R1 ag tires are actually better because the lugs are deeper and clean out the mud better for better traction. The R3 industrial are wider for more flotation. The R3' will cost $200-400 more, depending on the size tractor.

Deere also makes a 4000 series that is between the 3000 and the 5000 series. I checked into them a little and they do have hydrostat, but they get into enough more money a person can go to quite a bit larger tractor in the 5000 for the same money. It all depends on a person's wants and needs though. The 4000 series is a very nice tractor.

A buddy of mine has a JD 970 that he bought new in the late 90's. He swears it will do everything that I will want it too. Its 38HP I believe but the older ones seem to be built a little heavier. He wants me to play with it some before I buy one. I don't want to buy something bigger than I need but I want to be happy with what I buy. Been shopping on the internet several hours every night lol.

970 is a good, basic, dependable tractor.

When my FIL was looking for a little tractor, he was looking for something used. Everything we found that was nice they wanted what I thought he could almost buy a new one for. Checked in with our local dealer and they had 3 970's that had been on the lot a while (they have been made quite a few years) and he bought it brand new with loader for hardly more than the asking price of anything decent used.

They are a Yanmar tractor. Full gear dirve (not hydrostat) so not quite as nice for loader work as a hydrostat but still completely usable. They are made in 2wd and 4wd. The 4wd will do four times as much loader work as the 2wd. 2wd on a small tractor is almost helpless for loader work of any significance.

All that said, the front end 4wd on all these little tractors is kind of the weakest part. Under hard use they will start leaking at the pivot point. We have serviced my FIL's twice, but in fairness his eyesight is almost gone and he spins the front tires in cow manure with baler twine and wraps twine around the front spindle. Don't do that. Plastic baler twine will destroy the front wheel seals pronto.

Dry clutch so if you are a clutch rider that likes to slip it a lot, the clutch will be a weak point on loader work with a mechanical transmission. That said, FIL has not had to put a clutch in yet, so they must be pretty tough.

970 is a very good little old technology tractor that can be bought reasonable. I think they still sell basically the same tractor but under a later model number also. I don't know that number.

If you are thinking used, be sure to check new prices. It costs as much per hour to work on these little tractors as our big 450 hp 4wd and track tractors. Some not too major repairs and you will have more in a used one than if you had bought new with warrantee. Extended warrantee is not a bad idea if you are hard on stuff.

I'm not really interested in anything too old, I would like something newer. But I thought about trying out his 970 just for size reference. A fishing friend of mine (his family) owns a Massey Ferguson Dealership. I plan to check them out too. Snrub, you are absolutely right about pricing some new ones over used ones. Some of them are very similar in price. Thanks for the continued conversation!

The little Massey tractors should be good also. Not sure currently who makes their small ones but Iseki used to make them. Iseki is also a very good Japanese tractor. As the size gets larger the Massey will likely be from Brazil in their economy tractors and France in their premium tractors. Massey is one of the largest tractor manufacturers in the world.

We have a number of Challenger (used to be Cat) brand tractors and the wheeled Challenger's are nothing but Massey Ferguson tractors painted yellow. We have had good luck with them also. We have a dozen or two tractors around the farm and have some experience with a few brands.

Great thread! All I have at my disposal is an old Ferguson 35 with a dual PTO/Drive clutch. It keeps my leg strength up dealing with turning and stopping. Worst manual brakes ever! I have to literally stand on the brake pedals to keep the thing under control going down a slight hill unless I use the clutch and low gear also. It probably doesn't help the wheels are filled with chalk so the thing weighs a heck of a lot.

Kind of fun working the old bugger, but it gets work done.

If I had the scratch and I didn't just buy a really nice Ferris zero-turn I would be thinking a nice tractor would be in order.

One thing I found out while shopping a few years back is that you can get a used full-sized tractor and implements for FAR less than a compact or medium sized used tractor, even with similar hours on them. There is a lot of private demand for the smaller tractors, so it keeps the price up apparently. If you are not trying to mow a lawn under limbs, or need to turn tightly you may want to take a peak and see if that still holds true.

Its better to have more tractor than you think you need than to not have enough. Performing the same job may also wear less on a larger tractor than taxing a smaller one, therefore extending life, parts, etc. Just something to consider.

I would agree with that. Bigger is generally better as long as it is not too big to do the smaller stuff you want.

If you are going to keep it in a shed or garage, (which you should), size matters if it will not fit in what you already have.

I strongly suggest if you are not familiar with the difference between a manual gear and a hydrostat transmission, go to a dealer and ask to test drive some new ones of different sizes around the lot. Raise the loader up and down, turn sharp right and left, cycle the tractor back and forth like you were digging something then backing up then dumping. You will notice distinct differences between a manual transmission with clutch, a tractor with manual transmission but with a hydraulic reverser, and a hydrostatic transmission. You may find you like one over the other a lot. It will also make a difference in price too though.

If you have run equipment a lot, you probably already know or have an idea. For anyone that a riding lawn mower is the biggest piece of equipment they have ever ran, testing out the different transmissions will be beneficial in your quest for the perfect tractor. If your main job is mowing a pasture, a simple mechanical gear transmission with dry clutch is fine. But for loader and utility work where you go forward and back, changing directions a lot the hydraulic reverser transmission with wet clutch or hydrostat transmissions have some distinct advantages.

We have them all around the farm. Just depends on your needs, wants and what you can afford.

I went with the gear trans because of the sand and lots of youpon to remove. If you almost get stuck the gear will continue to pull whereas the hydro can go into bypass and oops you stuck. I guess like you said it depends on what you use it for the most. If in the woods and tight places a smaller frame higher HP might be wanted

As usual, I'm late to the party.

I think I've had almost as many tractors as I've had fishing poles. Tractors were a major hobby for many years.

About 15 years ago I got real interested in small Japanese 4-WD/AWD tractors after I bought one very cheap at an auction. Over a few years I bought several more that looked like real beaters. I got them at pretty low prices because of their appearance. Once I got them home, I found that the problems were mostly cosmetic. New seats, new paint and decals, some repairs like bearings and glow plugs, made me enough to buy a brand new tractor with cash.

One thing I learned was that most of the smaller diesel tractors sold in the US for the last 30 years were from overseas, mostly Japan. Like most of the 40-hp to 50-h and smaller, diesel John Deeres from the 1970s to about 10 years ago were made by Yanmar of Japan. My Masseys and Allis-Chalmers were made by Hinomoto of Japan.

The South Korean and Japanese small diesel tractors are nearly all excellent. Many are multi-country.

I bought a new Mahindra about six years ago with front-end loader and a frame-mounted hydraulic backhoe. It is truly multicultural. It was assembled in Trumbull, TX. The diesel engine and very heavy duty drive train were made by Mitsubishi. It is all heavy metal, except for the dashboard, seat cover, knobs, and some minor parts. The tires, wheels, and basic parts are from the US. The front-end loader and backhoe were designed and manufactured in Kansas by Kansas Machine Works.

I never got to use the 3-year front-to-back warranty. I did lose some hitch/clip pins and minor parts, like the fuel cap. My local dealer replaced them for free.

It now has about 600 trouble free hours. I've put about 40 hours plowing snow and grading my 1/2 mile of driveway this season.

Yes, I like my Mahindra. To the best of my knowledge, Mahindra is now the world's largest-selling under 50-hp tractor manufacturer -- out selling even John Deere and Kubota. We havehave a number of great dealers in this area who have been selling them for at least 10 years. Parts, for what few I've needed, are easy to obtain.

But, I could be happy with any number of other Japanese/South Korean made compact or utility tractors, if it was locally well supported and been manufactured for a number of years.

IMHO, I'd just stay away from Chinese or Eastern European tractors. Quality is somehat of an issue, but parts support can be a major issue.

Iseki (Japan)also made some of the small MF and White tractors and made the small Bolens Diesel tractors when Bolens was in business selling yard machines and mowers. Had one of the 15 hp Bolens we used in the turkey barns to pull the poult cart for years. Son has it now for his kids to learn to drive a small tractor. Have also bought and fixed up a couple of the grey market Yanmars with the attached tillers. Tough little tractors.

There are also a number of new small tractors built under different names that come from Korea. I think the Bobcat brand and Cabellas brand tractors are Korean but would not swear to it. A lifetime ago I actually owned a farm equipment dealership and sold stuff and could tell you where all tractors were made (almost none in the USA, except for perhaps the sheet metal). I've not had any experience with the Korean tractors but the quality appears to be good. Kioti (kind of a Kubota knockoff) may be Korean, don't know for sure.

My JD3038 has a Yanmar engine and frame (3pt rear end etc.), but I suspect the hydro is built by Funk in Coffyville Kansas. I don't know that for sure, but did a tour of the Funk transmission factory probably a dozen years ago right after Deere bought it. Saw several small Deere Hydro tractors in their test area and ask about them. They said that Funk sold some stuff for Deere small tractors and was working on more models. They expected to be doing a lot more of that.

My 5083 Deere has the Deere engine built in France (I think if I recall what was on the tag correctly) where a lot of their small engines are built (Yanmar in Japan builds the compact Diesels) but the same engines are also built in Mexico factory for what was the 05 series (newer numbers now). It's transmission not sure where built but there is something that is cast into the hydraulic housing that is definitely not Deere. I'm guessing Ursus or Zetor, but don't really know. Some of the series above mine in the economy class sure have back axles and brake systems that resemble Zetor stuff. The 5303 I had for several years came from India. I really liked that tractor for what it was and what it cost. Parts on Deere tractors have stamped origins from all over the globe.

Stuff is made all over any more. Heck our 500 hp tractors have the starters and alternators made by Denso (Japan) or Bosch (Germany). One of our US made combines (made in Hesston Kansas) had the threshing core made in one of the European countries - Poland or Yugoslavia or something like that.)

Main thing, get a good dealer. Stuff is made all over any more. Deere used to have a big ad campaign when the 5000 series came out about made in the USA. Yeah, right. Taken out of the sea container, the axles and wheels put on, and maybe some of the sheet metal made. Their adds were laughable. Tractors were good though. Think we have had six of the 5000 series Deere now and they all have been good.

And I would also say the Chinese stuff that I have seen is not up to snuff. Some day it will be (remember when Japanese stuff was related to crap? I do 50 years ago - they improved, China will too.). Korean used to be shabby stuff, now the Kia cars look pretty good and the little tractors look fine. Long as you can get parts as needed later and a dealer than can take of inevitable problems.

Eastern European stuff............ some had good design (some by Fiat like the UTB tractors sold by Long, made in Romania) but mfg quality was not always too good. Russian Belarus tough as nails, but might get a good one, might not. Some funky designs.

In high school I read Implement and Tractor industry magazine while most kids were reading Hot Rod Magazine. Had bought two new tractors by my senior year in high school (3020 JD and 2030 JD). I lived and breathed that stuff. Still go to major farm shows and spend three days looking (Husker Harvest Days in Nebraska).

I'm rambling and senior citizen moment showing. Better quit.

Snrub
Don't stop now, this stuff is interesting!




Pat

snrub, a wealth of tractor knowledge forsure. How would you recommend a small farm workable back or trac hoe?
Tracy

Mahandra used to build International Harvester tractors for the Indian market.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahindra_Tractors

They still use some of the body/engine designs but what I like is they are heavy and have not gone to plastic fenders/hoods like some other manufacturers.

I come from the industrial off road equipment manufacturing background and knew John Deere has had Yanmar engines and Funk transmissions in their industrial equipment. I used to buy John Deere engines, John Deere rear diffs and Funk transmissions for our construction equipment.

I looked for a decent deal for over a year before settling on a tractor. I am privileged to have a old neighbor of wisdom near my place. We were talking tractors one day and he says, "I built well locations for oil companies for 40 yrs. It seems like most rig crews had Kubota tractors on location. Those roughnecks abused the hell out of those li'l tractors and they still seemed to run forever...if I was looking for a tractor, that's one I'd get." With that info and further research, I ended up getting a very low hours Kubota L3300 (35 hp) tractor. I would insist on the 4wd model with the front loader. That li'l L3300 4wd will pull & turn a 6' Howse brush hog all day long. The loader is invaluable.

Guys,

I am going to steal Bowfishersmith's thread for a quick question....I have to buy something very soon. I may be looking for "Tractor Impossible." I want something with a mower deck, snow blower, front loader, 3-point hitch and prefer gas. So basically, I want a tractor I can mow the lawn with, snow plow the driveway with and use as a small utility tractor as well. Any thoughts? I was originally considering a JD 500 series but I would really like a loader and hitch.

That would be tough to do, not knowing what a person is going to be doing with it and what emphasis he has on most important features.

If you start looking around at different tractors and have specific questions about some feature, I can probably help. I may not know about a specific feature on a specific model tractor, but I have a pretty good handle on the mechanical aspects of about any feature a tractor would have. I can give you pro's and con's, what applications where the feature works best, etc.

I've had some formal mechanic training in my early years, owned and run a dealership for 7 years, have been driving tractors since 6 years old, and currently have 15 or so tractors on the farm. Be glad to help however I can, but I'm better at answering specific questions than making a general recommendation because there are so many variables. What one guy loves, might not fit the next guys needs.

Like in true PBF fashion, which tractor to buy,
"it all depends"

Snrub, you are a wealth of knowledge for sure. And I fully understand, it being hard to recommend anything if you don't have all the information. I am just looking for equipment that might be used on day to day things like digging a line to place aeration lines, or shallow drainage ditches to drain excess water from my wildlife food plots, or 1/8 acre forage ponds. The real small trac hoes have little ground clearance and I am thinking I might plant it somewhere on the property and not be able to get it out till late July or August. Haha Or I was told if it fly's, floats or **** you are better off to rent it!! you think this might include if it digs?
Tracy

Mow, blow snow, class 0 3-point is doable, if you want a FEL, you gotta go bigger to get anything that will be of any real use (IMHO). I'd also rethink the gas and go diesel. Much less problems in the long run. There's a reason why the majority of equipment that gets a lot of hours of use is diesel.

Thanks Esshup,

My concern with bigger is whether I can still have a mower deck and snow blower. Do I just need to bite the bullet and concede I need two pieces of equipment?

Google kubota 3350.

Sweet! There is a dealer near here. I will swing by and take a look.

Edit: Checking out prices, I just can't justify that much money for my little 6 acres. Marking this one up as something I want not something I need. Current thought is to move forward with my original plan of a JD 500 series and when I want to occasionally do some heavier work, just rent what I need for a few days. No storage and no maintenance for something I won't use that often.

They had a couple mower options for my L3540. The mid mount would have been totally ridiculous. The LT1050 works just fine for anything I have to mow. Which, I haven't mowed anything in a while.

Be wary of the earlier L40 Grand series tractors. 07-08 era. They used some crappy components on them. Toasted the two tilt cylinders within a couple weeks after buying this NEW. They bent like wet spaghetti, and cylinders are not covered under warranty, so that cost a pile.

They had bearing issues in the rear end and one of mine split in half. It wrecked a lot of stuff and cracked the housings. That was covered under warranty, but if not, would have cost a pile. About 6K. Kubota couldn't back out of this one because it was happening to a number of rigs.

Even tho, I still kinda like it.

I have seen some enormous snow blowers on tractors around here on dairy farms. They are large enough you want to make sure there are no cars in the drifts or the car will loose. So yes, you can get a blower for a full-size no problem, but I am sure they are not cheap.

For mower, it would not be under the belly, but a 3pt finish mower. In some ways they are better than a belly mower as you can tuck them under trees without having to drive under them, but they stink for circling tree trunks. You wind up hitting a lot of things if you are not skilled.

That 3350 takes a belly mower and a front mounted thrower.

I bought me a new 1739E Massey Ferguson today. Hydrostat, 4x4 with a quick attach FEL. I also bought a Rhino 72" rotary cutter and a 66" Rhino Tiller. I like the 5 year warranty, weight, FEL height, axle width, hydraulic pump capacity and the dealer. I asked our local Kubota dealer for a price and I am still waiting. As I said before, I know very little about tractors. But MF seems to be a reputable company and the dealer is family owned and has been for many decades. The price seemed to be ok. I will start out with this size and go from there. I am pretty excited. Thank you everyone for your help along the way. Food plots here I come!

bowfishersmith,
Congrats!!! There's nothing like some "tractor therapy" to get a fella ' s mind right after a tough week...a MF is a reputable brand...let us know how she works out...you're gonna really like that 4x4 pulling that 6' cutter...
Charlie

There is no way anyone could convince me to use a gasoline engine on a small utility tractor. There is no way I could even begin to compare the differences of a 15-30 HP gasoline engine tractor with a 15-30 HP diesel tractor.

Except for the Chinese tractors, and some of the eastern European tractors, there are few bad diesel tractors made these days. Those made in Japan and South Korea, under brands from everywhere -- like Mahindra of India, most of these tractors are extremely tough and nearly maintenance free.

There is absolutely no performance comparison between a 20 HP diesel utility tractor that weighs 2000 lbs., vs a 20 HP gasoline lawn/garden tractor that weighs 400 lbs.

My 23 HP diesel, with front-end loader, backhoe, and many other implements, sips about 1 gallon per hour. My 21 HP gasoline garden tractor sucks about 5 gallons per hour, and I regularly have to use the diesel tractor to get the gasoline tractor unstuck!

Regards,
Ken

Yep!

Horsepower can be misleading. Torque, and traction (weight) play a much greater role in getting the work done. As an example, Deere offered the 455 garden tractor, which featured a yanmar 3 cyl diesel rated at 22 hp, but the thing was still just a garden tractor....it only weighed around 1000 lbs. The same tractor with a 2 cyl. gasoline engine, the 445, weighed only 100 lbs less and had the same horsepower.

By comparison, a steam powered traction engine from the very early 1900's might be rated at 25-30 hp, but could pull a six bottom plow through prairie sod for 10 hrs a day. Hook that same plow to one of today's 4WD compact diesel tractors with the same horsepower and have a go at it... be about like a banty rooster scratching in the dirt.

Weight (traction) and torque....that's the key.

Forgot to add...congrats on the purchase, bowfisher!

Bowfisher, I have about the same in a JD. Like my 4 wheelers, it is a utility machine for me.

Bowfisher, Stickem wrote there is nothing like tractor therapy, but the therapy I need is after I get off the darn thing. it's like ridding a hard tail motorcycle. No shocks, so I feel every bump and then when I get off @ the end of the day and I need Therapy for sure My respect for the true farmer has gone up a lot. I do about 15 acres in yr round food plots. Does not sound like much till you figure it's 3 here and 2 there. On the hill and in the bottom, Ha ha, I like it but the tractor beats me up lol

Tracy

It's a good hurt Tracy. I'm with Stickem. Gotta have it

Pat, u and Stickem are right, I love it to, all that beat me up, from the tractor ride is worth it most of the time because I love watching the deer in the summer months. A soybean field in the summer will hold Bucks, Does and fawns all @ the same time. Where not so much in the fall and winter food plots. But, I wished a tractors ride was like a Big OLD Cadillac with a soft ride

Tracy

Fellows, I think you may be comparing Chevy's to those Cadillacs....a utility tractor is just that. Utilitarian. A much larger farm tractor will generally take operator ergonomics into account and have a better seat suspension, and larger tires and wheels that help smooth out the bumps a little.

And that farm tractor may spend much of its working life in huge, established fields. Not the woods, or crossing creeks, or running over logs, or clinging to the side of a hillside. With no suspension to speak of, the terrain is usually the problem, not so much the tractor.

Sparkie, the description of the land with rocks, logs and etc sounds just like the area where I do most of my farming

Tracy

Congrats on the MF - I was raised on Massey - first Massey Harris, then MF. Currently have a Massey 50 that I use for tilling/mowing/drive maintenance and looking to pick up another.

Would that be farming, or playing, Tracy?

Dale, I was raised around the other half of the family...my father is an ex-Ferguson mechanic.

Useless trivia for the day: Harry Ferguson invented the hydraulic, draft-sensing 3-point hitch system still used today. He demo'd the tractor on a farm belonging to Henry Ford, and Ford was so impressed that he struck a bargain with Ferguson to allow Ferguson's hitch to be used on Ford's tractors. The two men made the deal in the field, and sealed it with a handshake. There was no paperwork or contracts involved.

Ford was able to use Ferguson's system on his tractors, provided Ferguson was given credit. That's why older 9N and 2N Fords have a badge on the hood that mentions "Ferguson system"

When the popular 8N came along, Ford decided he no longer needed to acknowledge Ferguson's involvement, and the lawsuits began. Ferguson began building his own tractors, and merged with the Massey-Harris company in the early fifties.

Sparky we had a 9N when I was a kid that had the 'Ferguson System' plate on it...that was the tractor I learned to drive first...then we upgraded to a Ferguson 35 Deluxe with a 2 stage clutch...I was sh!^^ing in tall cotton that day! I could run the bush hog and not get pushed down the hill anymore!

No overrunning adapter on the PTO shaft? Yeah, that'll scoot you right along.

Grammer makes a low profile suspended seat that might be able to be adapted to small utility tractors. I'm going to find out some day. Have a "Bad Boy" brand zero turn mower that has rubber suspension on all 4 wheels but also offered an optional suspended Grammer brand seat which I purchased. Expensive but we'll worth it to a farmer that spent too many years on rough riding equipment that resulted in 3 back surgeries.

I've taken measurements, and it appears it may be adaptable to my 3038E Deere tractor with new brackets fabricated. If so will buy another. Sure would be welcome addition. All our big tractors have either air seats or hydraulic active seats.

The Grammer model on the mower is a first rate seat with good although limited travel suspension as well as a really good seat with lumbar and fully adjustable for weight. Not a cheap Tractor Supply replacement seat.

My last four tractors have all been less than 25 HP, for exactly what Sparkplug is saying. My present "utility" tractor is 23 HP, but very very heavy, and with a very low center of gravity. The entire drive train, including the axles, are cast iron. I've got the rear wheels filled. It is 4WD, and runs with a 3-cylinder Mitsubishi diesel engine that has remained unchanged in design for at least 20 years -- and is still being used in many small category-1 utility tractors. When I bought my present tractor about 6-7 years ago, that engine model had been 20 HP for many years. Somewhere in the last 3-5 years California mandated that it should be 23 HP to meet their pollution regulations.

This little tractor weighs in at nearly 3000 lbs., with the front-end loader, which I never remove. Add an implement to the back, like the mating frame-mount backhoe, and it goes up to about 4500-5000 lbs.

No, it doesn't have any suspension, but it moves through the woods, and around my ponds very gracefully. For someone who needs a "utility" tractor, the small 4WD diesels (under 30-35 HP) sure are tough and versatile. Cabs are even available for most of them. Mine has moved incredible amounts of snow, pushed over one heck of a lot of trees, and so many other things I can't even begin to list them. Without any suspension, they don't do well on long trips, plus they only have a maximum road speed of about 10-15 mph. But, they sure will do a lot of work, with minimal maintenance, such as oil changes, regular greasing, filter changing, etc.

Totally agree. A good utility tractor is as handy as a pocket on a shirt, rough riding or not. If you're going to make your living from the operators station, then pay some mind to ergonomics and comfort. If you're only in the seat for a few hours every month, then simply do the best you can, seat/suspension wise, and go on.

I firmly believe that tractors are like chainsaws, firearms, and Lays potato chips.....one is never enough. Soon, you grow tired of switching implements. Sure would be nice to have a dedicated machine for the box blade/ bushhog/ FEL/......

Tony -- that is a serious low blow to one's manhood!

I think I have at least four working chainsaws, not including things like chain limb trimmers.

I don't have a lot of firearms, but I feel I actually have an adequate sufficiency to cover any of my requirements from squirrels and snakes, to cattle/hogs, and deer.

But utility tractors -- I only have one these days. There sure are times when I'd like to have a couple more, just for what you stated. Especially when I need to use implements that need the PTO. They should should all have their own tractor. My PTO implements cause me to use a lot of the 10-bad-word vocabulary I learned while in the Navy.

I will say that "quick attach", whether front-end loader devices, or three point hitch quick attaches (I use "Pat's") sure saves a lot of bad words. But, anything with a PTO attachment sure uses up all the bad words saved elsewhere.

My tractor barn is only big enough to hold four tractors, and it currently only has enough room for one tractor, its implements, my UTV, garden tractor, and other good toys.

Don't tempt me. It could lead to a divorce!

I'm with Sparky on this one...the MF 50 is purely a 'pulling' tractor...blade/bush hog/tiller/etc. I have an International 2540 that has a mid mount hydraulic sickle mower that basically has one use - mowing the pond banks. I have a JD 300 loader/backhoe for any big work I need to do. And I'm currently in the market for a small loader or possibly a skid steer.

The only difference between a man and a boy is the size of their feet and the price of their toys.

I've got Allis to handle the trail mowing with a 5' finish mower that seldom gets removed, and the Ford 801 to do everything else. Trouble is, this time of year I need the bushhog frequently, as well as the box scraper nearly everytime it rains. So that means a lot of attachment swapping, which is not nearly as much fun as it used to be. Anyone else keep a steel fencepost handy to act as a prybar when swapping implements? A tip to help speed the process along: keep a separate toplink with every implement, already set for length. Much quicker.

I want a FEL, badly. VERY badly. So that will entail purchasing another tractor, probably a compact diesel.

And I hadn't even considered a skidsteer, but now I see where that might round things out nicely. Not good.

Tony,
I wholeheartedly agree...I think about that 2nd tractor every time that I make a decision to go from the box blade back to that 969 lb 6' Howse shredder....it's tough on my sanity (and my back) as I am usually alone...

Hey guys, for those of you talking about the pain of switching attachments...have you looked into something like this? I think it's about $170, but looks to save quite a bit of time.

Pat's Easy Change System
http://greenwellmfg.com/

Sprkplug
A skidsteer is nice but will flatten your wallet
I got a Kubota MX5100 turbo diesel 6' howse shredder, Armstrong box blade, and FEL and I love it.

PS the three point hook up adjusts to angles if you're not lined up

Don't know why Case discontinued the Eagle Hitch.

http://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cgi-bin/viewit.cgi?bd=case&th=167915

http://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cgi-bin/viewit.cgi?bd=ttalk&th=602969

I'll start at the end. For several years, a friend stored a lot of his excavating equipment and dump trucks at my place. I had use of them when they weren't in use. One was a large Gehl skid steer, somewhere in the 65-70 hp range. I loved having it here, along with lots of quick attach implements. But, it would be extremely expensive to replace a utility or farm tractor with a skid steer because the implements are not interchangeable with 3-point implements.

I've owned a lot of 1940s through 1960s farm tractors, including a number of old Ford "N" series, pre and post 1947. I still regularly use a Massey 35 and 135 for community projects. But, my little 23 hp 4WD Japanese diesel will out-pull and out-lift (3-point hitch) those tractors. I've restored a lot of IH, John Deeres, and Allis-Chalmers from that era.

My last Allis was actually a Hinomoto 3-cylinder diesel, painted orange and with all the Allis-Chalmers logos and labels. That same model tractor was also sold under several other old-time American tractor names who had them painted red, or white, or ... I got my parts from a Massey dealer. It was a real beast at about 20 HP. Same with several red Yanmar 2- and 3-cylinder tractors. All crossed to green John Deere tractors.

There were a number of US companies that manufactured FELs for these tractors. The first that comes to mind in Kansas Machine Works, but there were many more.

Just a few years ago, for about $5000, and with a little bit of personal work and ingenuity, you could have a pretty nice setup with one of these older 2- or 3-cylinder 4WD diesel tractors, outfitted with an FEL, including front and rear hydraulic fittings.

Just something to think about.

I've been using the Pat's Easy Hitches for a number of years. The last set I bought about two years ago was probably about $50 less than you show. They are great. For most implements, it is just drop it off, and back up to the next one and pick it up. I love the things.

Unfortunately, they still don't make hooking up a PTO any easier. That still remains a 10-bad-word experience.

Edit, that looks neat.

In addition to my JD, I have an old 8N. I haven't cranked it in several years. I expect it needs a battery and a trip through the fuel system.

Several manufacturers used proprietary hitch systems before the 3-point systems became standardized. As RAH stated, Case had their "Eagle Claw", IH had a "Fast-Hitch", and Allis Chalmers utilized the "snap coupler"

But, these systems limited your choice of implements to those produced by the tractor manufacturer only. Brand interchangeability was non-existent.

The Pat's system looks to be an extension of these ideas, just manufactured to work with the standardized 3-point. I have a couple attachments that are 3-point, but do not utilize the "pins" attached to the implement itself, but use removable pins instead. Pat's system would not work at all with those, but does help with many others.

Massey, Allis, Oliver, Challenger, Gleanor, White....all are, or were, together under the Agco umbrella.

Dave -- with the various 8Ns, a 9N, and a 2N, I've owned, I found that letting any one of them, non-running, for more than about 15 minutes, required adjusting the points and adjusting the carburetor before I could get it re-started.

My 76 year old brother has a crooked arm because of a 8N. In the early 1950s, about an acre corner of our farm was sold to a Ford/Ferguson dealer. My brother hung out there regularly. Back in the early '50s, those tractors were delivered without a battery. Once they arrived, a battery would be installed, and the battery would get charged by starting the engine, using a hand crank inserted in the front of the engine. My brother was inexperienced and young enough (7th or 8th grade, I believe) to not know that you shouldn't wrap your thumb around the crank. It backfired. He was in a cast for several weeks.

Very true, our 1967 Oliver currently has a White loader on it.

My father in law has several tractors stored in our barn, two Farmall Ms, one wide front, one narrow front, and a Ford Jubilee. The Jubilee was discing the garden earlier today.

shorty,
shoot us some pics...would be great to see those old plow horses...

Especially the Jubilee. My grandfather and my dad both had one. I grew up driving those guys when I was 9 years old and started working the fields. It would pull two 14s all day long. Wish I could find one to buy now.

Ok, I'll need to take some pictures. My father inlaw grew up using Farmalls and Fords when he was young man on the farm.

We had a Farmall M, a JD H, an Allis WD and the Jubilee. Great memories. I had to stand up to hit the clutch!

I found a few pictures of the Farmalls, but will need to take pictures of the Jubilee.

DEl

Wow, shorty...classic stuff. Keep ' em coming...

edit,
I have the Pat's easy change system and it makes changing much easier even though Cat is correct concerning the connection. Only issue is that it extends the 2 lower hitch points a couple of inches and the top link isn't long enough for me to properly rotate my disc so I have to change it out. But, that is a minor inconvenience

Ken, I got my wrist busted about 35 or so years ago cranking a D8. When it backfired, I saw nothing but stars. And, I was raised cranking tractors. Should have known better.

On the farm at Muleshoe, we had an 8N plus a Farmall with tricycle front wheels. That land was a lot flatter than my place at Bowie.

Heres our 71 Deere 820 pulling our 66 airstream caravelle up to the house for a bath.

Nice!


Here is the Jubilee.

Very nice!

We picked up the new Massey. I think it will meet our needs just fine. My wife is learning how to drive it. Being a hydrostat it is pretty simple. Thank you everyone for your help with this process.

MF 1739 hydro 4x4 with quick attach loader
72" Rhino rotary mower
65" Rhino rotary tiller

That looks like fun!

Congrats on the new purchase, bowfisher! Welcome to tractor ownership.

BF,

That is the perfect setup IMO. I am envious!!! What will you do for snow removal, blade or blower or...?

Bill D.,
Eventually I will probably get a blade. We currently live in town and a shovel is good enough. Our 60 acres is 4 miles from us. When we build one day I will have a need for a blade. Maybe by then I can buy some more implements. lol. I really think it is going to work for us.