I bought me a tractor. It is a Ford Industrial with loader, shredder, and box blade. I have been missing something in life and now I have found it. I now can't wait to get up in the morning and crash into trees and repair roads and washout. I have cleared so much more brush out around the pond it is unbelievable. I wake up early thinking about what I'm gonna attack next. Tractor! Where have you been all my life.

i love tractors but my dad doesnt like when i take them out and gettem stuck lol. we built are pond with our tractor and backhoe

Heybud,

What took you so long? You will be amazed at the many uses you find for that loader, especially. Indispensible around ponds. Congrats!

BOO HOO I want one too I have a yanmar 226d 4x4 but no loader, I keep thinking I need to put a loader on the front but then I worry that I will use it for something its not rated for and break it. Maybe I need to try and find a skid steer on the cheap. I would love to get a backhoe, kinda hard to justify the price unless I plan to make money with them. I will say I do love my tractor, just last night, I was running the brush hog around the pond gathering ticks for my scratching pleasure.

I was showing my tractor off for the wife and burried it to the axle with the shredder on it. Took about 3 or 4 hours to dig it out and I didn't even get mad. Next ran into a tree trying to knock one down and broke a hydraulic line on one of the loader cylinders. Had to have it repaired. Man this is a hoot. Guys you need to start this at 21 or 31 not 61 years of age like me.

heybud
LOL I got a 10 yr. head start on you. Last sat. Kubota delievered a M6040, Armstrong HD 7' boxblade and a Woods 840 shreader. Put 7 hrs. on it yesterday. Took off into a field of 8' sunflowers and yes, it was a "hoot". ATI builds a 4in1 bucket that is really a "HOOT"! Unreal what an amature can do. My wife with minimal instruction saturday took off mowing and was gone for 2 hrs. The AC and Satellite radio (her choices) I also enjoyed yesterday!

heybud,If you chain a post across your back tires and hit the posi lever it will pick the tractor up out of the hole and save you the digging.BEWARE,this is very dangerous as you get excited and forget the post back there,tearing off fenders,seat,steering wheel,driver well you get the picture.
Tom G

heybud, My hubby just got a tractor with a frontend loader on it, he says its a Massy Ferguson Industrial 45 or 50 horse. Now I am scared to see what trouble he can get into. I'm sure it will happen.

I was wondering what implements people have and some uses for them. I have a box blade, bushhog and front end loader. What implements would be useful and some things you use them for (maybe normal use and somethings people don't think of using them for)

Heybud, I bought a 6' tiller from tractor supply and have turned ugly looking areas around my farm house into nice smooth patches of ground.

IMPLEMENTS - EXTRA USES

Haybine - wildlife control (snakes, rabbits, groundhogs, deer, and skunks SO FAR)

Square Baler - upper body workout

Round Baler - backside vibration

Hay rake - vocal accompaniment

Bush hog - emergency aerator

Post Hole Auger - water dowsing

Hay Tedder - Klingon Batttlecruiser simulation.

Cool Stuff. I have already used my box blade, which has a trailer ball welded on it, to tow my tandem axle 10 foot trailer. I'm guessing you no longer need a membership to a work out gym Theo?

I got a WR Long grapple for mine. Not only is it amazing what I can knock over with the tractor but now I can pick it up and move it afterwards.

Here is my hubbys new prize.

What? Nobody else keeps Diet Dew on the fender?

In addition to things already mentioned I have a spreader that can hold about 1000 pounds and fling stuff 30 to 40 feet. I use it to broadcast seed, fertilizer, and spread lime into the pond. Also have a post hole digger that I've not only used for installing posts but have a 12 inch auger for planting medium sized trees. Never tried drilling through the ice for fishing. Probably my two most useful implements are the bush hog and tiller. Just trimmed the brush from around my pond with the bush hog. I use the tiller to smooth and level out anything that needs it as well as I occasionally use it at a very shallow setting to lightly plow my path around the pond to keep rough stuff from growing. No wait, the spreader makes 3 most useful implements. No wait, I also have a pocket gopher killing machine cause we have lots of those pests. Wait again, how about the tank sprayer that I use to kill weeds in my food plots? Then there's the 2 ton hydraulic dump trailer that I use about every day to haul everything and anything. I never knew I had it so good. The best investment I ever made was a tractor with a category 1 - 3 point hitch. You can buy a tool for everything that fits right on.

My dad recently bought a stumpgrinder for our tractor that hooks up to the PTO. It works pretty good and takes about 10 minutes for an average stump. It is alot faster than using the dozer to dig them up and it doesn't leave a big hole in the ground.

I can already see having just a couple of implements is not near enough. I love it " A Tractor, the gift that keeps on wanting"

I only have 2 acres, but my girl Cindy owns the adjacent 80 acres. Her property has about 1 acre of course lawn, 6 acres of pecan orchard (leased to neighbor), 14 acres of cotton/peanut field (leased out), and the balance is wooded. At this time the orchard is maintained by our neighbor who mows it as needed. There's 1 mile of dirt road that starts at the front of the property and ends in a loop in the woods.

Cindy has been thinking about buying a 60" zero-turn mower for the lawn, around the field, and to mow the orchard when Mr. H retires (he's 85). I've suggested that she pass on the mower and get the smallest, best quality tractor that can handle the needs of her property. Value/cost is a big factor to Cindy. The tractor should be just big enough to be able to work the 14 acre field if she should ever decide to plant it herself.

People seem to like Kabota around here, and 4WD is also recommended. Does anyone have any advice?

I'd recommend something around 32 hp.

GW,

If possible it would be great to have the zero-turn mower plus a tractor of about 40 hp. Small tractors of around 20 to 25 hp can be used for finish mowing, but they aren't as good as the zero-turn mower for a finished lawn look. Larger tractors can be very difficult to maneuver around trees, shrubs, etc. in a lawn situation.

Also, a 20 to 25 hp tractor would be undersized for the rest of the property, although better than no tractor. In my area, a good used 40 hp class tractor can be easily found for $5000 or less. I bought a MF 55 hp tractor 25 years ago for $5000 and that's about what it would sell for today and it runs just as good as it did 25 years ago. Whatever you decide, buy a diesel powered tractor.

Thanks, Meadowlark. I suppose Cindy might be willing to buy both tools, but it would have to be a long time in between purchases. One thing to consider is that she is willing to have a course lawn. She isn't even planting or sodding, just letting the Bahia from the orchard move in.

Maybe a smaller/cheaper 0-turn would be affordable enough. She had been looking at 60" Scags which are pretty pricey.

A tractor is like a pickup truck. Once you have one, you can't do without it. Your needs seem to expand with the capability of the tractor and implments. I never knew just how badly I needed a front end loader until I bought a new tractor with one. Of course, that ain't all bad.

And, like ML says, they really don't depreciate much.

GW If you want a mower that stays in the shop get a cheaper zero turn.If you want to get on it and mow get a Scag.Your too far from me so I hope Im not out of line with this but I own a lawnmower shop and see all the mowers out there,Ive owned them all and mow have a Scag Tiger Cub,48"cut and mow roughly 4 1/2 acres.It takes about 2 hrs cause I stop for a brewsky break.In 5yrs its NEVER broken down on me.IMHO its the only way to go.My wife had a cow when I bought it but she now understands the value of a good piece of equipment.When something gets used that much and never breaks it get cheaper all the time.Also there like a tractor,they dont depreciate much over time.Ive owned them all and you cant beat a Scag.Talk to the commercial mowers that have themand theyll tell you straight,they are the best.If you ddecide to buy a cub cadet because of price get 2 or3 so you can get youre grass cut
Tom G

When you all recommend a 32 - 40 horse tractor, do mean gross HP or PTO HP?

Also, does a new tractor lose value to the same degree that a car does the moment you buy it?

GW,

PTO hp, in my case. That's the only number that really counts to me.

I've never had the luxury of buying a new tractor so I'm not sure of that answer. I have three tractors of 23, 50, and 55 pto hp whose combined purchase price was less than one new tractor...and the 50 hp tractor has a back-hoe and front-end loader. Each one of the three tractors could be sold today for what I paid for each one of them. When you take the tax breaks into account, they are actually worth considerably more today than they were when I bought them....and I doubt that could be said about a new tractor.

By careful shopping around, watching the newspapers, etc. you can find some great buys in used tractors in my area...and as long as you stick to diesel and exercise a few common sense evaluation methods, there is relatively low risk in purchasing a used one,IMO.

Tom, we don't have any Scag outlets here. I recently ran across a Hustler, and couldn't believe how heavy-duty it was built. In fact, they look way over-built. The 1 I looked at had a 23hp Kawasaki engine, and a 52" cut. What's your experience with them, if any?

GW, tractors don't depreciate much, if any. My first one was a Ford 8N that was made in about 1950. It's still ticking. I paid about $2K and still have it. Several neighbors have borrowed it when their tractors had problems. It's as handy as the pocket on a shirt.

About 6 or 7 years ago, I bought a new 4 WD JD with about 40 HP and a front end loader. I found that all new tractors are now rated at motor instead of PTO. It's been a dream and will outlive me. It cost about $25K, is fairly low mileage and is worth about what I paid for it. Power steering is great and the old Ford doesn't have it. I've used it, with a box blade, to clean out a couple of old silted in stock tanks.

If you get something with a front end loader make sure it is 4wd. Actually, I can't imagine not having a loader. I use it for everything.

If I had it to do over again I would probably, like ML says, look for a good used one. Big tractors, at farm auctions, are less popular than smaller utility ones in my area. Common sense evaluation methods just might mean getting a good tractor guy to help you shop.

BTW, 4 wheelers depreciate about 40% when they leave the sales floor.

Thanks all, very helpful.

On another note, with the major brands (at least) of tractors, parts are usually available for years and years. This is certainly the case with JD, Ford/New Holland, and (to a slightly-more-difficult-to-obtain extent) Massey-Ferguson.

Front end loaders are simply wonderful, great for a whole horde of uses.

Since Theo mentioned parts, its probably worth- while to say a little about Gray market tractors. These are generally new tractors that are made for sale in a foreign country but are re-sold here....generally at very good prices. The problem with them can be parts availability, or lack thereof. Some guys swear by them, but others haven't fared so well. There is an entire segment devoted to Grey market tractors over on tractorbynet.com.

One way to recognize a gray is that they generally do not have safety equipment such as seat belts that are required in the USA. Also, any lettering is usually in the language that it was originally meant for sale. If one could assure parts availability, this might be a viable option to save some money.

I talked to a friend that did a lot of shopping around before he bought a new tractor. He told me that you get the most bang for the buck from Kubota.

ML, when I was tractor shopping, I went to tractorbynet and asked some questions. Everybody told me that it didn't matter what brand you bought as long as it was green, blue, red or orange. There were a lot of concerns about European and Korean tractors regarding durability and parts. I found no enthusiasm concerning the "off brands".

Actually, everybody recommended that I base most of my decision on who the closest dealer was. Of course, I didn't and have to either fix it myself or haul it 50 miles.

My implements: All are 6 ft.

disc(s), chisel, blade, box blade, seed slinger, mower, rear scoop that I rarely use.

TSC is pretty convenient but a lot of their stuff is pretty flimsy. Best place to buy is farm auctions.

DD1,

Just to be clear, when I said grey market I wasn't referring to the color of the tractor...many orange Kubotas are sold as gray market and will have Japanese markings and no seat belts on them. Personally, I wouldn't hesitate to buy one if I could verify that the local Kubota dealer had parts, which most of them do because they are the same basic tractors that are sold here but without some of the features.

ML, I was thinking more about Eastern European like Belarus, etc. I'm not sure about Yanmar. I didn't know that about Kubota. Are the Japanese marking ones sold by the Toyota dealerships? I wonder how the part numbers coincide. Essentially everybody told me JD, New Holland, Massy and/or Kubota would always have dealer support.

I talked to a guy that got a contract to mow Texas highway road sides. He bought 4 of the Belarus. They broke down and the dealership couldn't repair them or even get parts. Belarus sent a mechanic from Europe who also couldn't fix anything. Since I look for something to work with instead of work on, I try to stay with the 4 major brands. Bargains scare me.

Before I bought my tractor I got all the information I needed from this forum:
http://tractorpoint.com

Believe it or not it's just as good as Pond Boss but all about tractors. Lots of discussion on that board about grey market tractors and everything else. Also the quality of people on that board is similar to here.

DD1,

Here is an example of what I was talking about....I wasn't talking about off-brand names, but talking about a grey market version of name brands such as Kubota. Again, if I could verify parts, I wouldn't hesitate to buy one of these.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/grey-market-tractors/100502-identify-used-kubota.html

Heck Larry, that looks like a good deal to me.

Bobad,sorry it took so long to get back to you.I havent seen much about them because theyre new in this area but they tried to sign me up as a dealer a couple years ago and I looked one over.they were built fairly well BUT I wasnt impressed with their spindle assemblies.Thats what the blade bolts to that does all the work and breaks all the time.I asked Scagdistributer how manr spindle ass they sold last year...37.. and they cover 5 states.I sell that many MTDs in a month.

You might be surprized at the manufacturing location of engines and parts for most of the major brands of late model tractors.

I've found that a tractor with combination adjustable fish cleaning station and large minnow bucket (for the really big ones) is invaluable.


ADJUSTABLE FISH CLEANING STATION


MINNOW BUCKET FOR THE REALLY BIG ONES

Be careful cat, I think your tractor might tip forward.

I've owned and "restored" a number of gray market tractors in the last 10 years -- after I stopped a 30 year hobby of restoring American tractors older than me -- and I ain't so young anymore.

I bought and restored enough of these "grey" creatures to afford a really nice NEW tractor -- first ever for me.

There are some excellent buys out there, but you have to know what you are buying. Of all the gray market tractors, IMHO Yanmar has to be at the top of the list. Many of the Yanmars are great tractors, with really good U.S. parts support at very reasonable prices. However, there are some models that aren't supported at all.

Certain other brands, like some of the Hinomotos, are real good too. But, you must find models that directly cross to American versions of Allis-Chalmers and Massey-Ferguson. Even then, you must buy models that are reasonably supported by AGCO dealers. Many need seals and gaskets. Even with US support, these parts are very expensive. A year ago, I paid $20 for an 8-inch O-ring, $95 for a king-pin seal, and $19 for an ignition key to fit a Massey 1020 equivalent tractor.

There are a lot of publications -- domestic and foreign -- about how dangerous these gray market machines are. You must evaluate this for yourself. A 1970 U.S. tractor has about the same safety features as a 1985 Japanese gray market tractor.

Good luck,
Ken G.

I have a mit D2500II...the water pump froze which broke the shaft and went into the radiator..the repair shop couldnt find any parts and had to fabricate most of the them ($1400)...my point? if you get a grey, make sure you can still get parts...I also have a NH TT55 which has been great, but its only two years old.

I saw a cement mixer and a limb mulcher that attaches to the PTO. I want one of each.

Heybud,

Be very careful around that limb mulcher...you still owe me a lesson on BBQ that I intend to collect some day.

Wanted to post some pics of our newest addition to the "slave-ranch" (per my son davatsa).

That's just amazing.

I'm literally seething with jealousy.

ManoMan, the treads on the tires aren't even dirty. Congratulations, Al. What HP is it?

Man o Man - THATS a nice tractor.

http://www.kubota.com/f/products/M5040specs.pdf
-------------------------------------------------

It's the 6040. 62hp 55pto. I am NOT a turbo fan and wanted 200 cu.in. With 40 hrs. we couldn't be happier! The 7' mower sure got small quickly on 30 and 40a sunflower fields. Does great around the ponds. The ATI 4in1 bucket is an absolute blast on brush work and even post pulling. Biggest surprise is fuel economy, must work HARD all day to use 10 gal.





It feels like more than 62hp...for sure. The Armstrong "Heavy-duty" boxblade is already in need of repair.

Does anyone have an opinion about this tractor for general use mowing, road, woods, and pond maintenance?

http://www.tractorhouse.com/listings/detail.aspx?OHID=5120194&guid=6d835b833f014e2aafbaaf1f902dc1af

It includes the trailer.

GW,
I see the attached box blade, but does it come with a shredder also? If not, I'd factor in the cost of a shredder if you're serious about buying that tractor.

How much work will you be doing? 45 HP is good for many overall maintenance tasks, but big jobs might require a bigger tractor

Thanks davatsa. It doesn't come with a shredder.

We've been looking at small tractors because the size would be best for maneuvering in the woods (60 acres). I just talked with Cindy about the limitations of this type of tractor for working crops. It's my understanding that the wheels are too narrow to work well with standard farming implements. She has decided that she would like to be able to work the field (14 acres) fairly efficiently in case she decides to do it herself.

One consideration is that we need hydrostatic drive if she's going to drive it. I haven't done much research yet, but I'm thinking that an agricultural model isn't likely to have hydro.

I understand that it's better to have more power than you might need, but I can also see some advantages to staying with a compact tractor.

edit: One of the reasons for getting a tractor with less HP is expense. We're trying to get one that will do a decent variety of tasks but not go over $20K, or at least not much over. If a job gets too big we can always hire it out. Our goal is to have a tool that will do most of what we need and not necessarily all of what we might need. I hope that doesn't sound defensive, I'm just trying to explain our goals. Thanks for the imput!

Another example of "Everything's big in Texas!" It's too small for David, and too big for me!

How big is the right size is, of course, relative to the size of the job. A 45 HP tractor like that begs for a large mower in order to be able to mow fuel-efficiently. Put a 5 foot mower deck on it like I use, and it'll burn 2x the fuel needed for the job. If you have a large enough area to mow, you can throw a 15' or so wide mower on the back of that machine and really make time.

Here's what (on the big side of jobs) I know that 45 HP tractor would be able to do, GW:

-Pull a 3 bottom plow
-Run a small or medium sized round baler (up to maybe 1500 lbs bales)
-Handle a three-point backhoe attachment on the back (with front end weights)

It will of course handle smaller jobs, too, but less efficiently and more expensively than a smaller tractor. If possible, figure the size of your work and buy to match.

I too doubt anything that big has hydrostatic drive. Driving a stick on a tractor IS notably easier than in a car, because one rarely has to change gears while moving. You can start from a full stop in any tractor gear. Maybe that would make enough difference for Cindy; it does for my Son.

Some comments on that particular tractor:
-Box blades are wonderful for dressing gravel driveways and top dressing fields. My wife loves hers.
-That front end loader has seen a fair amount of use for 756 hours. Note the left front tire is low. It IS possible to ruin a set of front tires with hard and/or inattentive front end loader use in even less hours than that. So check out those front tires for damage, wear, and leaks if you look at buying it. The good news is, front tires are a lot cheaper to replace than rears.
-Trailer looks nice. If it's in good shape, it's useful for lots more than just hauling the tractor.

GW
I have no experience with NH (maybe 4-5 hrs total), but you may want to read this:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/nh-buying-pricing/104396-do-not-buy-tc40-45-a.html

Theo lots of HSTs out there to 55+hp.

aint nothin gets between a man and his tractor
a landscape rake for the back grait for finishin work and a root rake for the front cant beat it for gettin up trees and stumps.

gw i beleave i know this fela my home is only 20 mins from jville i would be happy to look at it fer ya newholands aint the old fords but not abad tractor.

That's the problem with the "antique farm machinery" business, Al, I don't know sqwuat about anything made after about 1990.

GW,

I have the same tractor except 35hp.

It has 500h on the meter, and it's been good so far. I think the 45hp will handle mowing and maintenance real good up to 15a, but 20a would be pushing it, depending on the chores. My 35hp is almost maxed out on a 6' bush hog and 55" disk harrow. I think the 45hp model will pull a 7' bush hog and a 6' disk harrow just fine. It will pull a 9' finish mower no sweat. The 17LA loader is a good implement, and I have really punished mine.

The reason I chose NH over the other popular brands was the tractor size. For a given HP, the NH has bigger tires and a bigger frame. Compared to the NH, the other 35-45hp tractors look a lot smaller.

GW, my thoughts: 14 acres kinda indicates about a 20 to 25 HP tractor and less expense. I have a 39HP 4WD JD, bought new, with hydrostatic and turf tires. While it has done just about everything I have ever wanted to do, I regret the choice of the hydro and turf tires. Once you get the absolutely necessary liquid added to the rear tires, it leaves a footprint just like the farm tires. They just don't give as much traction. They also slip more in mud and, even with 4WD, my son in law got it stuck. The hydro seems to limit torque which shouldn't be much problem on your place. With the hydro and turf tires, I have found farm implements that I couldn't pull when smaller tractors with farm tires and and standard transmissions could. Again, I doubt that you will run into that problem.

I got along for years with an old Ford 8N until I realized that advancing age necessitated a front end loader which necessitates 4WD and power steering and $. I still have both tractors. In 6 years, I still don't have over 250 hours on the JD and it is just about right for what I want to do on 205 acres of heavy brush and planting 25 acres of wheat for deer hunting.

I've seen lots of guys over buy on tractors. As is often said here, define your needs and goals and match the tool(s) to the job. Check on the price and availability of implements for your tractor. It's a lot cheaper to occasionally rent or pay someone to do that job that you're underpowered for. Excess power is good for putting hair on your chest but not much more. Heck, Meadowlark has built nice ponds with a small dozer. It takes more time but he has the time. For big jobs, call in the heavy artillery and keep your money in your pocket.

45HP is still a utility tractor and they cost a lot since there is a good market for them. I doubt that you would lose $ on a resale.

I wouldn't give that post much weight. The same poster also complained that a Rhino rotary cutter was junk. Anyone that's used a Rhino knows better. The whole thing sounds suspicious to me. Some people could find a way to dismantle a cannon ball.

Thanks for all of the help gentlemen.

letsrodeo, that's a very generous offer. It would be great if you could find time to look at the tractor, I'll just have to figure out how to thank you. No hard feelings if it doesn't happen for whatever reason.

All: Planting any crop may be 5 or more years down the road, or maybe never. At this time Cindy leases the field to a neighbor. Our first thought was to get a utility tractor that could get by on the 14 acres, even it it wasn't best suited for it. The truth is Cindy may never want to work that field. It's just as likely that it would get fenced in with some goats to do the mowing.

Now we're thinking that we should just focus on the best machine for everyday maintenance of the 1 mile road, two ponds, and the woods. Another neighbor leases the 6 acre Pecan orchard so he mows it, but if he ever retires we'll probably be doing the mowing ourselves. Cindy can always buy a used basic tractor just for working the field if she ever decides to.

As for the hydro, I would like it as much or more than Cindy. I'm the one that will probably be operating the tractor most often. Even though I don't have experience with tractors I'm sure I could work with a regular transmission after enough practice. The reason I'm leaning towards hydro is that I think I'll be using the front loader a lot and my impression is that it's much easier with hydro. I drove a kubota HST and I liked the way the foot pedal worked. Come to think of it I'm not even sure if all brands use a foot pedal for the hydro...

bobad: do the above comments change your idea of the sizing of our tractor since we won't be doing much on the 14a for now?

avhatsa: thanks for the link. I want to hear differing viewpoints. I've also found several threads by people who were very happy with this model tractor. I have to say that if Cindy were buying a new tractor it would be a Kubota. In fact there is another tractor that looks interesting but unfortunaltely it's at the opposite corner of the state. It's a 2005 Kub L5030 HST, front loader, 4wd, 300 hrs, dual rear remotes and the dealer is asking $19,800. The problem is getting there to look at it.

gw i will try to hook up with tomarow my em is in my byo i see you are in sw ga. i am from the miller and baker conty area.

Thanks letsrodeo, I couldn't see your email address so I sent you a PM (private message).

GW,

Unless you will be plowing >3a or bush hogging the whole 24a, it should be fine. If you're like me, anything more than 2-3 hours in a tractor seat is torture.

After factoring out the 14 acre field the longest chore would be mowing the 6 acre orchard and that won't happen until the neighbor stops leasing it. Other than that it will be road work, forestry and pond maintenance.

Here is another tractor that I'm looking at. It's the one that is in the opposite corner of the state, but other than that it seems like a good tractor.

Kubota L5030 HST, 50 eng. hp, 300 hours, $19,800 firm.

Don't know about the price, but you generally can't go wrong with a low hour Kubota (or Deere, or JD, or NH, or Case-IH)

I want to warn you about the ag tires in case you aren't familiar with them. They can really wear you down after an hour or 4 of mowing. Also, you have to be careful mowing in 4WD when on soft-ish ground. The front tires can really shred the turf when you make a turn. Most owners prefer R4's unless thay do a lot of plowing.

Thanks bobad. If we were getting a new tractor it would have industrial tread. Maybe we could find someone to trade tires with if we get one with ag tread.

The prices seems pretty good to me. The loader is a skid steer type and the tractor has 2 rear remotes. I haven't seen any Kubotas in this HP class for much less, not with the loader.

GW: is it 4wd?

I bought an L5030 HST about 2 years ago. I have 22 acres and have been very pleased with it. I'm new to the tractor (and pond) thing but I would recommend a Kubota.

After doing some research I narrowed it down to JD and Kubota. Partly due to my needs and their reputation reputation but also due to the proximity of the dealerships. Seems JD wanted a few more $$ just for the green paint and the local dealer didn't seem too interested in my business. My local Kubota dealer was great and I believe I got a very fair price.

Thanks Rob. Yes it's 4WD.

We also have JD and Kubota as the 2 local dealers. I half thought that Kubota would be more expensive but I learned it isn't that way. I've probably owned more American made cars/trucks, but I have a lot of respect for Japanese vehicles.

OK since you guys have this discussion going, let me get your advice on this one. We've been looking for a compact tractor. Don't know anything about them. We only have 3 acres with .25 acre pond, but we have a lot of trees that were piled up when the pond was dug. And a lot of other small project we'd like to do. We got a phone call about a 1999 Kubota L2350DT with a loader that might be available. It is a 4-wheel drive, I do not know how many hours. What would you think this is worth, do you think it might meet our needs???

Pond Girl, I think it would fit your needs but as for value; it all depends. Hours are important but so is the history of those hours and the maintenance. If it has been used daily by a landscaping crew, it might not have been treated as well as a single owner tractor.

If it has spent all day, every day, in mud or deep sand it could have issues. Look carefully and if it has a fresh paint job you might need to ask why. New furniture like hood or fenders could indicate rough treatment.

The least expensive maintenance is a grease job every 10 hours and oil change every 50 hours. Are there any records available?

Compact utility tractors are expensive and handy as the pocket on a shirt. Might become available sounds like a pending trade in. Ask yourself and the seller just why it might become available. If someone is trading for a larger tractor, they might have used it on more than it could handle.

With all of the above negatives out of the way it might last for the rest of your life. It is probably a good fit for your needs. Price and value don't always match on these tractors.

Thanks for the advice. This tractor was owned by my Uncle's Uncle. He passed away last week, heart surgery didn't turn out well. I always feel better about buying 'used' stuff from people I sort of know. He is the second owner of the tractor. First owner was a farmer but I don't know how much he would have used it in farming operations. The gentleman that recently owned it (probably 2-3 years) was an appliance repairman, so I don't think he used it in his job in any way. Probably like my hubby, more of a toy. ha Now that we are getting older, we are starting to want more toys.
After the tractor, he's talking about a 4-wheeler, and a 'large' screen tv.
Thanks again for your thoughts!

I want a 4 wheeler but I'm still making payments on my new L4400 kubota. someday....someday....she will let me have one..."SAD FACE"

Pondgirl Big LCD HD screens are cheap these days, at least let him have one of those it will keep his mind off a four wheeler for at least a week or two. It worked for me until I saw this commerical last week. The engineers were about to release their new 2008 models to the public but had to run them by corporate before hand. Next sceen they were jumping copy machines,desk,file cabinets etc.. pretty well trashed out the coporate head quarters with the new powerful models. I've been thanking about a 4 wheeler ever sense. Darn it

Don't know how I ever got along without a 4 wheeler or my tractor with a loader. The nice thing about loaders is that it is a back saver and gives a lot of maintenance opportunities that you wouldn't ordinarily tackle.

I drive 70 miles to my land in my pickup, jump on the 4 wheeler and leave the pickup at the house. The pickup is only good for hauling stuff and I guess I could use a trailer. However, I've had pickups all my life and will never change.

Yeah, I know a lot about justifying toys.

I want one of these.

I bought a 4 wheeler as a toy and with the hope of using it to do real work. I am amazed at how useful it really is. Really glad I got it.

Wound up getting one of these trailers from Northern Tool which has made it even more useful.

...added to list.

I got my heart set on this one. I want a utility vehicle around the farm but I also want to climb mountains in the summer months. I drove a diesel powered 4x4 kubota the other day, diffently a great utility machine but it felt a little top heavy for any extreme ventures in the hills.

Somewhere in a post from a forgotten era, I think it was Cary (?) that had some competitive experience with the Ranger VS one or two other side-by-side units. I think one of the field tests was climbing a steep hill. Ranger got 2 big thumbs up.

That's what I'm talking about RT!

I have the wants for a 4 wheeler, a dirt bike, an offroad kart, and a Kubota utility vehicle. That one vehicle would just about take care of everything.

The razor above is a new line from polaris who also makes the Ranger. The Ranger is a bigger machine and will carry tons more payload than this model. 1500 lb compared to 350 lb. I thank this model is designed more towards off road performance than utility. That's why I'm considering it. Top speed is said to be 55 mph.

Bobad,

Are the quotes in your sig. line from Jack Handey's "Deep Thoughts?"

If so, then you da man!

rockytopper, hold off on getting anything for now, I'm thinking about getting everybody one of these.

Now - if he was asking for that, I'd be going to town with him tomorrow! Exactly what "I'm" looking for!

I may have to post my beat up ole barn fire burnt down honda foreman 4x4 and the dump trailer I have made for it. I have a Yanmar 25hp tractor that I have used the heck out of it is perfect for my 10 acre farm, I have a 5' rotoray mower, a 5' box blade and a angle scraper plus a dang dirt scoop that I cant work worth toot! and I have just added a old 1975 case uniloader to mix of things I need to work on before I cant use them type equipment, but that is my farm budget! I am forced to buy things that I can work on and fix rather than buy something that is in good running order.

Using any kind of front end loader, for quite some time, can be a real character builder. It looks simple but it isn't. Instruction manuals don't help. Then, one day it works. I never figured out when I learned how. It's more a sense of feel.

trailsguy, I wish I had more skill at maintaining and repairing engines and machinery. I'd love to see pics of your stuff.

Yep! Here's 1 that Handy wrote especially for us.

"The tired and thirsty prospector threw himself down at the edge of the watering hole and started to drink. But then he looked around and saw skulls and bones everywhere. Uh-oh, he thought. This watering hole is reserved for skeletons." -=Handy=-

"If we could just get everyone to close their eyes and visualize world peace for an hour, imagine how serene and quiet it would be until the looting started."

We did it! We bought a 1999 Kubota L2350DT with a Woods front end loader this afternoon. I paid $7,000. I think I could have gotten her down to $6,500, but since she is selling because her husband past away last week, I just wouldn't ask. It has 801 hours! Which kinda scarred me, but we know both owners, and my hubby called the first owner (who put on probably 790 of the hours) and he said it never gave him any trouble. Just needed something bigger on his horse farm. The brush hog had already been sold, so now the search is own for that. Would like to have a blade to grade the drive way a little. What other things can I do around the pond with 'just the right part'?????

800 hours is baerly broke in for a kabota i tell everyone ya cant do with out a land scape rake most used tool i have other than the loader i will say again i luv my kabta....

How would you go about finding accessories? Someone suggested farm auctions but that might be a little intimidating... Where are other places to find? My hubby said you he was told he could get a 5 foot brush hog from Tractor Supply for $500???

TSC is my favorit store for just about all my shopin

IME that price is about right.

For top dressing gravel drives, smoothing out fields, evening and loosening the surface of riding arena, and other tasks, a box blade is just wonderful. Price range is roughly that same as for bush hogs

There is another very useful site that I and other pond boss dudes hang out I've noticed and it is
http://www.tractorbynet.com
very friendly forum as well.

takes a bit of navigating through it but once you get the hang of it, it's not too bad

Pond Girl, take a look at farm auctions for equipment. I don't care much for TSC for equipment. It is too lightweight and doesn't seem to hold up very well. No matter where you buy it, farm equipment, even 5 to 6 ft. stuff, has gotten expensive. Ask questions on tractorbynet.

The same NH TC45D that I asked about a month ago has dropped from $22K to $17K.

http://www.tractorhouse.com/images/Tractor/fullsize/74539847.jpg

4 WD, 72" box blade, hydro, 726 hours, 2005, imperial trailer included.

Is it starting to look like a better value now?

Thats a nice tractor! I spent several months of research and NH was on the top of the list. I actually bought a 2007 Kubota L3540 Grand with quick attach front loader, loaded tires, HLA HD37 forks, Land Pride disc harrow, 6ft box blade, 6ft back blade and a used 14K trailer for around 36K. If it wasn't for the fact that this Kubota has so many advanced features and commands a higher resale value, I probably would have chosen a comparable NH or Massey Ferguson. Addicted to tractors - Me Too!!!


Pond Girl --- Land Pride makes some really nice stuff, very well built and affordable. Also look at Horst Welding out of Canada, also good quality at good prices. Do you have a quick attach front bucket on your loader? If so, the 4,000lb forks, I have found to be quite a valuable asset. Picking up stuff like pallets , trees, stumps, rocks and broken concrete are much easier than with a bucket and it's quite a bit cheaper than adding a grapple attachment with hydraulics. Enjoy your tractors!!!

GW. IF THAT IS THE SAME ONE HERE IN MY AREA THE FELLA NEVER ANSWERD MY CALLS LITTLE HARD TO SELL IFIN YA DONT RETURN PHONE CALLS.

Thanks for the effort letsrodeo. I called him today and the tractor is sold.

Here is another thing to add to the list. This is a scraper that we have used to help fix our roads. We had 100 tons gravel delivered Friday afternoon and had 300 yards of road completed in 5-6 hours of working on it.

Sweet. How many horses in that green tractor?

53 HP, I believe. It is a John Deere 5105, 2002 model. Bought it on ebay for 18,000 last spring. It only had 180 hours when we got it.

Newest addition to the family - http://www.dovebid.com/assets/display.asp?ItemID=fac7853 - I only have to go pick it up. 2002, 1111.8 hrs, 105hp Perkins which are very good engines. I have a Cat V50DSA pneumatic tired fork truck with a 67hp Perkins, and that will move more dirt than my New 2007 Kubota L3540. As long as you don't get it stuck. Auction tips and tricks to follow. If anyone is interested.

Actually GW, If you buy a new tractor the value is going to be like a sine wave to a degree, and if it is kept properly, the value will hold, if not go up. Just don't buy something made in China or India, or Grey market stuff coming from Asia. ---- HP depends on what you want to do, and how fast you need to do it in. What do you really need and what do you want to spend? or pay for? Difference here. High Quality and Operational ease are big factors. My Kubota is at my sisters house and they give me 62.50/hr to use it, plus they buy the fuel. Cheaper than renting because I have all the Implements that are required. They could use it for free, but insist on paying.

Thanks for the info Phil in MI - I'll check it out.
Here are my hubby's 'toys'. I wonder what's next???

Good start Pond Girl. Tools, machinery, implements and other toys seem to breed like rabbits in my world.

GW, when I last went tractor shopping, I found that all new tractors are rated by engine HP, not at PTO. There may be exceptions.

HI, DD1 and GW,
Usually everything is marketed and sold on Gross HP, However, if you look at the spec. sheet, you will discover the PTO power, and it varies quite a bit about makes and models that have similar Gross HP. It's all about the mechanical efficiency that transmit the engine resources to the PTO. Some are better than others at first start, Now how long will it last!!! --- Can somebody show how to post pictures on this website??? Thanks, Phil

Thanks Pond Girl, but I would never impose that much unfinished stuff on anyone!!! Hubby needs to have a leash, and you have to kick some butt, But don't get rid of the Kubota!!!

Our John Deere has 53 Gross HP and I believe 50 PTO HP.


This link will show you how to post photos.
http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=92443#Post92443

Dang Pond Girl's beau has better toys than me....

Classic Pontiacs - 2, JHAP - 0

Boats - 2, JHAP - 2 (if I get to count the kayak)

What looks like an air boat - 1, JHAP - 0

Tractor - 1, JHAP - 0

Huge barn/garage 1, JHAP - dinky little barn

HI Chris,
Thanks for the info on how to post pictures.

JD has some of the best equipment on the planet and the efficiencies of transmitting GHP to operational HP are excellent. Problem is that JD, like the big 3 have mandated that tier level suppliers utilize China as a source to cut costs. I have a video of an operation in China that you would not believe!!! I tried to pop it on here, but that didn't work. I will forward it to Cecil and see if he can do anything with it. Phil

HI JHAP,
Never go to the grocery store hungry, otherwise you might walk out with a bunch of stuff that will never be used. Eyes see it, Heart desires it, and if it is not Organic, then you have to build a pole barn to put it in, and keep it in, until it becomes organic.

JHAP
the 68 Firebird was my hubby's when he was a teenager. many many years ago! Gave it to a younger brother, then got it back a few years ago. Can't let that go. The airboat is mine! I never could back a real boat into water, a phobia I have...but I need something I can float around in. The '70 Lemans is my sons. He lives in Little Rock in the city and has no place to store it. I told my hubby the next toy is mine....home remodel!!!yoo hooooo

Hey, PG, home remodeling doesn't qualify as a toy. I doesn't go lickety split. Now, I really admire a woman with an airboat. I love those darn things. A friend tokk me down the Brazos River a couple of years ago. It was too low for regular boats. We jumped gravel bars, sand bars and slid sideways through skinny water. What a ball.

This is it - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GZrntCbVT8 I was told I might get in trouble for posting something about China on this website. But Hey, we live in the USA

Hey DD1, If Pond Girl says Her next toy is a remodeling job, Then thats what it should be!!! Remember that women can multi task and are not given enough credit, even though they can drop you like a ton of bricks into the ocean, and pick you back out, all while talking on the phone, ya only have the generous window that is allowed. GO Pond Girl!!! And their Hearts are more than satisfied with what they accepted, even if it is not what they initially want. Women are amazing people, pay attention to the good ones and help them fulfill their dreams, because theirs are yours, then you guys have nothing to worry about. So give Pond Girl Her desires to remodel the house. It's only a total win scenario for everyone. Thats the way I see it. Phil

You might want to spend some time behind the wheel of one of them before you lay down 12+ . I own two Rangers and IMO the Ranger offers the best of both worlds, trail riding and work and the bench seat is a big +.

Jim thanks for the input. Do you do any serious off roading on the ranger? I'm not talking extreme stuff but fairly steep grades and rocky terrain, 24 in watercrossings, etc... in the high country. I see a lot of Atv's when we go 4 wheeling in Colorado in the truck but I've yet to see any side by sides trail riding. Just curious. I totally agree the ranger is probably the best choice for us sense most of the time it will be use on the farm. My final choice will be mostly based on how my big frame fits in these little buggies. I sit in a rhino at the dealer and the roll cage is about 1 inch from head not good.

...remember this thread?

The reason you don’t see a lot of S x S on public trails is because of the 50” rule. If your vehicle is 50” or wider your not allowed on some trails. You might want to check out these sites…a few of them are PB members.
http://www.prcforum.com/
http://utilityoffroad.com/forum/Default.asp

Bobcat 963G is on it's way from FL to MI. Whew... I escaped that that loss of a pile of money. Truck will be in place 1:00pm Monday. Car carrier will be there the same time to make a makeshift loading dock. Cant drive a diesel powered vehicle in the plant. (Tropicanna Orange juice)

This was the most difficult pickup from Auctions that I had to do.

Great news is that it's only going to be 1250.00 for shipping and the car carrier, and with the bill of lading I get 748.04 back.

Not bad for an 02 963G which Blue Books at 32K.

Six way blade under construction, I have all the tools.

Pick-up went well. Elmers only charged me 60 bucks for the car carrier that made a makeshift loading dock. Tommy, who picked it up was pretty much geeked up when they loaded it and got a class 101 on operation. I am totally relieved as this has had meticulous service and well maintained, except for a few dents and scratches, and that has been confirmed. So Wednesday night, I probably will have a hard time sleeping. This is just as exciting as getting a new pair of K-Mart tennis shoes when I was a kid, and not only dreaming to wake up to nothing, the shoes, eventually showed up.

DD1, I'm not trying to pick on you, but I wonder how accurate your last statement is. I've been doing a lot of tractor shopping lately and I don't think I've found any low hour 4WD tractors priced anywhere near 60% of their new value. I consider your opinion to be important so I just thought I'd double check this.

I think Dave is talking about ATV's, not 4WD tractors.

Right, I'm talking about REAL toys.

I wondered about that.

Chris, don't you have a slightly used ATV for sale?

Sure do. It is smoking hot, like they say in that used car commercial.

ARE WE HAVING FUN YET?



GMC TO THE RESCUE!

That could have easily been a lot worse.

My dad has been wanting a cab tractor. The bad thing about them is that you would have been trapped inside if it fell over.

LMAO. Did you have to change your skivies?

I hate when that happens.

ahvatsa welcome to the club, Momma had to come pull me out last year. The more I tried to get out the worst it got.

If that tractor was blue,it would be me!Geez, is everyone here nuts or what.

Well...

maybe we'll have a few Condello-sized BG that will make extra-large spawning beds out of the ruts when the pond finally rises??

Maybe it's not completely a lost cause...

Thanks for posting those photos Ahvasta. I think they should serve as a reminder for several things:

1. Working around a pond can be dangerous - so be careful.

2. Working with a tractor on an incline can be dangerous - so be careful.

3. Combining 1 and 2 can be VERY dangerous so be VERY careful.

4. If you ingnore items 1 through 3 take photos just so the rest of us don't feel like complete idiots when we ignore items 1 through 3.

I decided to forge a seasonal stream across my property last year with a Polarius Ranger. Sunk it up the the floor board. So here I was in the Ranger with my wife riding shotgun stuck in the middle of a small stream. The banks of the stream were muddy as heck. I had to jump out of the Ranger wade through the VERY cold stream, and through the mud to get to dry land. I still had my "driving shoes" on - slip on outdoor shoes - that are comfy for driving. I lost one on the deep mud. So picture in your minds eye JHAP soaking wet, and muddy, wearing only one shoe, hiking back up to camp to get my 4Runner. This would have been very funny except I had just driven over 500 miles in the 4Runner to get to the pond property and was a wee bit tired. I probably should have taken photos but after 9 hours on the road, then setting up camp my humor level wasn't up to par. I might have even uttered a bad word. Possibly even two.

I get nervous just looking at those pictures!! Glad it turned out OK.

Jeff I have a similar experience except I was in our 4x4 pickup with my wife driving. We were just taking a Sunday drive around the country side near our place. My wife turned onto a county road that turned out to be a non maintanced road that the local teens had mudd crawls in. When we approached the mud hole area which was about 100yds long, my wife stopped and said what do you thank. I said if you are going for it, punch it now and don't let up. We made it to the last hole about 5 ft from dry land and burried it to the axles. Nearest house was about 2 miles away. I lost both shoes in the mud and hiked out with one bare foot and a empty 12 pack box of keystone on the other foot.

I found a good deal on a little Kubota for Cindy. I just got back from Orlando today and the tractor will be here tomorrow.

whew, the older the kid, the bigger the toy, the bigger the rut, the bigger the perdicament....glad yer ok there ahvatsa..whats worse is now that beautiful clean new ride is dirty

JHAP, you never told me that story......you must have been just as embarrassed as when you moved the gams
you and RT...too funny....a keystone box shoe

gw, my wife wont let me have one til after the house if fixed...you lucky dog...what did you get..a "B" series?

It's a L3130HST with a 723 front loader. I think I "stole" it.

Let's hope the guy selling it to you didn't.

I think he's legit Theo, but he apparently doesn't like to put effort into getting the best price. He's selling a beautiful 17 acre spread and he's moving into an apartment in a few weeks. I guess he just wanted a quick sale. The tractor only has 114 hours on it.

We got our first tractor in a divorce sale; it went pretty reasonable too.

This couple is splitting up as well. The guy sold the tractor for just a little more than he owed Kubota for it. He bought it 18 months ago and sold it for 60% of what he paid.

Dave, if I had to tell you all of the dumb stuff this city boy has done in the past two years of pond ownership, well lets just say then we'd never have time to get any fishin done!

One thing this city boy has learned from this whole pond/acreage ownership is that you can watch all the Bonanza reruns you want - that still doesn't make you a rancher.

PS - I also never told you about the time I put my alum. boat in the pond without the drain plug in - but shhhh don't tell anyone.

New toy!

Nice. How much does it hold?

Now, get back to work.

Our John Deere 4230 that we have had for the past ten years just mysteriously(i know I cant spell) caught on fire last week and burn the entire cab off. Our machanic said it was probabaly just electrical. It was just weird that it had been sitting parked for 3 weeks and then all of the sudden catches fire. My first thought was whos bad side did I get on.

Theo it's a 3 yd. DP-84 from Durabilt. Anxious to get through learning curve. Like it so far! Several in our area use them to terrace and smooth roads also.

jsand13,
I've heard your story before. Mice chewing on wires was the culprit then.

I slid my skidsteer down the dam into the pond last week-end and it took my tractor and a 4WD-1-ton to get it out.Sorry,my hands were shaking too much from the pucker effect to take pictures.But Im sure you guys GET the picture.