Looking for a tractor

[darius]

This board has been a great help in my year long search for a CUT. I haven't taken the leap yet, but think I should get your input since we have moved and are in a little dirrerent situation.

We are on 5 acres, mostly wooded with about 1.5 acres to mow, LOTS of trees.

My intended uses are: Mowing, pulling the aereator, the spreader and the roller, moving firewood, pushing snow and maintaining 350 feet gravel drive. Also looking at several lanscaping projects including rock and retaining walls. Gardening and clearing some of the woods for a trail.

Lawn is flat to gentle rolling. Woods are steep and rocky but have a good path.

I was thinking about getting a ZTR commercial walk behind to mow with and then getting an older CUT (Kubota 7100,7200 or Ford 1210) for the other work.

But now I'm wondering if a single unit with power steering and a belly mower would do the jab and be better (Like a BX, or Kubota 2100, 1700, 1750)

I would like to get a loader eventually, but am willing to start out with a dirt scoop and box blade.

Really don't want to spend over teh $6000 mark and don't want a project tractor.

Currently use a Deere 318 with a front blade and Cat 0 3 pt.

Can anyone help me focus my thinking from the 2 unit option or the single unit option?

I appreceiate all the help.

 

[Stonewall]

Unless the 318 is on it's last legs or you're just plain tired of it for some reason it will take care of your lawn chores without a problem. Put a snow blower on the front and use the skid shoes to keep it off the gravel and your drive will stay clear. When you want to get started on the landscaping projects you should look into a used CUT with a loader for the woods clearing and rock/soil hauling. Consider a Hydro trans for the loader work and it will go a lot quicker and easier. With the woods being hilly you will want to pay close attention to the outside track width of the tires. Wider usualy = safer on hills but the key is center of gravity and if you do a search on this site for that topic you will find lots of info. I think your money will go farther if you stick to a L&G tractor for the yard chores rather than investing in a single use ZT whatever. By buying a used CUT you will be able to get a bigger machine for the money than you would buying new.

 

[Tractor_Barn]

You can get a new tractor/loader for just a few bucks more. Check out ctoa.net for some good info.

 

[hazmat]

<font color=blue>Really don't want to spend over teh $6000 mark and don't want a project tractor</font color=blue>

Tough call for your price range. Are you sure you don't want to add a 1 in front of the $6,000 to make $16,000?/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif Lots of options for financing. Sometimes you just got to bite the bullet and go for it. You only live once. (Gee real easy for us to spend your money.

I think I've got some relevant experience to answer your question.

I have 4 acres, 2 to mow, the rest trees. Front half is rather steep, back half pretty flat. In high school & college I worked summers mowing lawns with commercial walk behinds 36" to 54".

Without a doubt, the walk behind mower will mow faster than a CUT. Cut quality will be somewhat better, but I've been very impressed with My New Holland MMM, also had a Rear Landpride that cut well, and Everybody seems to love the 60" deck on the BX.

A used walk behind in good shape will cost about what a rear finish mower will ($1,200+/-) so strickly speaking cash, it's a wash. A mid mount mower costs what a new walk behind mower costs ($2,000 - $2,500). Plenty of reading on Rear vs Mid Mount here, do a search (I prefer the MMM).

So do you have space for two machines? Do you want to maintain two machines? Why not keep your 318? Or is it time to put it out to pasture? One of my "selling points" to get the wife's approval was that the CUT would do it all! The ultimate power tool.

Not a very educated guess here, but I don't know if you'll be able to find a modern CUT with hydro for $5K (this is assuming you spend $1K on the walk behind mower)

I think it is time for you to pound the pavement and test drive some machines. Then you'll get a better feel if you want a sub-compact (BX) or Small compact (B7500 etc). Check out Deere & New Holland as well.

I've been very happy with my choice of the New Holland TC18. Cost $15,600 for Tractor, Loader, MMM, and rear blade.

PS Get the loader if you can at all afford it.

 

[Thomas]

Power steering really should be consider for fel & rear mower..the B7100 working little mule,but it will work you also.You might be in luck if you attend farm & dealer auctions..have you consider a nice 2wd tractor,for one could get a heck of a good deal for 6 grand. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[rdbrumfield]

Power steering is a big plus.
I had a 245DT Kubota that I broke the steering box out of. It had a fel on it and all the presure was ultimately put on that little box. When I wore the tires out, I did the unthinkable thing and put a set of mud and snow tires for a pickup on. They were the same height so didn't effect the ratios. I found that the tires held up better and the steering was much easier. Of course the trade off was less traction up front, but only in soft ground. Other than that, I would certainly do it again.

 

[Kodiak]

IMO: if your thinking small tractor for loader work I don't you gonna get by to well without 4x4.

 

[MossRoad]

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.power-trac.com>Power Trac </A> has their 22hp 4wd hydraulically articulated tractor on sale for $6000.00. It comes with built in loader lift arms. A 10 cubic foot bucket is about $400.00. A 4' front mounted mower is about $900.00. All together, there are about 30 attachments available. You might want to check them out, just for the fun of looking /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[SteveM]

$6000 is plenty

I will play devils advocate here - you can do plenty of work with $6000, but you have to make sacrifices. Here would be my solution: Either keep the 318 for primary mowing or sell it to buy another used ZTR/lawn tractor with hydro. This keeps your 6 grand for the real tractor, with the following general options:

Ford 1500, 1700, 1900 series circ 1980s. For 6k you might find a loader, definately can get 4wd. Usually a used unit will come with a brush hog, or box blade which you will need.

Kubota 6100, 6200, 7100, 8200 - the 6xxx series are a little small, but still useful if 4wd. A 7100 4wd with a few implements will fit this price range.

Grey Market (preferably Yanmar) 2000 series with loader can be had for 6k, possibly with another implement. Parts are readily available, but you should find a mechanic/dealer willing to do repairs before committing.

New Chinese tractors (Jinma, Deadong sp?)You can get a new chinese tractor for 6k, probably with few implements, no loader. Research would be required to make sure you are comfortable with this 'most risky' route.

I currently have 40 acres that I semi manage with cheap tractors. I had a little kubota b6000 with a bunch of implements, and now I am shopping in the $4-5,000 range. Top on my list is a very clean Ford 1700 2wd, a Mitsubishi 160d 4wd, and a few B7100s.

Dont get discouraged, and please visit jplan.com - there are nice folks with smaller wallets on that forum

 

[Von]

Re: $6000 is plenty

Steve, In this area, all you will find in that price range in a CUT will be junk! I sold my B8200 with FEL for $12k. and most tractors of that size will sell for over $10k If I could find them in the $6k range I would be buying them up and reselling them like hotcakes! I guess CUT sales are like real estate, location, location, location!!