Buying Advice JD5045D, Kubota MX4700 or NH Workmaster 45

[Canuck5]

Any help would be appreciated! This is for food plotting only, running a single shank subsoiler every couple of years (on hard Georgia red clay), a 5 shank chisel plow, disc harrows, a 2 row corn planter and a few other light duty things.

The physical size of these machines is about as big as I can go, but I am content with them and feel they can meet my needs. All our food plots (Less than 10 acres) are on "Paper Company" land and going with too much larger of a tractor would make things a little more difficult. I can't cut tree's down to open up travel ways.

I don't feel that I need 4WD .... a FEL would be nice, but it would be off the tractor 95% of the time for various reasons.

I have chosen these 3 makes & models only because there are dealers within 30 miles of where I will be keeping this tractor and because they are names I am pretty familiar with. Just being in the tire kicking stage, from all appearances, pricing is within $1000 of each other.

Being 56 years old and only wanting to buy one more tractor for this occaisional use, I would appreciate any opinions on which direction I should go! With this hunting property being over 2 hours away from me, I want something that is dependable and will be ready to work when I get down there. I'm the type of guy that doesn't need a lot of bells and whistles, to make me happy.

I'm familiar with tractors, but ones that were pretty much made in the USA and Canada, many years ago. All these new ones, are made in India/Korea or Japan, so your experience will help me a lot!

All advice is appreciated!!

 

[Martian]

In my opinion, the JD and NH are UTILITY tractors and the Kubota is a COMPACT utility tractor. For lighter use and the ease of HST, I would go with the Kubota. For heavier work, look closer at the JD or NH.

 

[nolewatcher]

I've had tractors of various sizes and brands...all the way back to the old David Brown. I've had a Kubota, Zetor, David Brown, and two John Deere. The Kubota ran good and I had no mechanical problems with it. It was just too light (maybe the problem was it's weight distribution). The best tractors I have owned have been the John Deeres. Cost me a little more up front, but in the end cost me far less.

 

[vtsnowedin]

We are very similar in what we want in a tractor. I have snow to move plus trees of my own to haul and cut up but everything else on your list is on mine. I looked at the same three tractors plus a few more but in MFWD as I am in hill country with lots of snow most years. I've chosen the JD5045E but haven't taken delivery of it yet so I can't tell you for sure how I made out. As you say the prices were very close. What sold it for me was the weight of the machine about 1200 lbs more for the JD then the other two. That number might be a bit different in the 2WD D version and it's competitors. Rear 3PH lift capacity was also 400 LBs better on the JD and the loader could lift 400 to 600 lbs more. But perhaps more important then that when I sat in the seat and fired it up everything seemed to be in a logical place and within easy reach and the tractor moved and handled like it ought to. Mines due in eight more days and I'll keep you and everyone else here posted on how she works when I can get some real seat time.

 

[Bluegill2]

Any of the 3 would do the job and are good tractors. Of the 3, the Kubota should be more nimble, getting in and out of the woods.

I've owned a few different brands, but have stayed with Kubota because they have been dead nuts reliable.

Also one thing you might consider with ground engaging work, is a smaller tractor with 4wd will do the work of a larger 2wd.

 

[mogwai]

The workmaster 55 is the same physical size as the 45. Turbocharger, bigger tires & slightly bigger hydraulic pump are the main differences.

 

[Canuck5]

Hey, thanks for all the opinions so far!!!!! I sincerely appreciate them!!

 

[boggen]

your doing a good amount of field work, so weight and traction is going to be up there on priority list.

check on prices from rear dullies. along with front and rear weights.

a FEL can add extra front weight, but putting suit case weights on the front might be a better option for field work.

4WD or MFWD, might be worth while, if any the fields have low area spots that tend to be wetter vs other parts of the fields. or wet hill side that is angled so it does not see sun till late portion of the day to dry out.

double check to see if you can move wheels in / out, to adjust for row crops. sometimes you can swap wheels and rims from one side to other. to enlarge or reduce width of tire tread. some times you need to by spacers.

double check your equipment, and need for 540RPM or 1000RPM PTO speeds.

double check for cat 1 vs cat 2 3 pt hitch.

rear hyd ports, i am guessing possibly 2 rear ports? maybe 3? if you have equipment that needs one hyd for lowering road tires, one to raise left wing, and another hyd port for raising right left wing that folds out on 3 pt hitch equipment.

do you need anything special for 3pt hitch? position control? TNT (top n tilt), quick attach, or easy way to attach implements vs dragging out a 6 foot pry bar, and re-positioning tractor multi times to get things hooked up?

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i hate driving for long times in a car. my foot wears out, if cruise control is not working. for tractors, you might prefer a "manual geared transmission" and some sort of throttle lever that you can set. and just grab a hold of the steering wheel and go.

i normally do not suggest manual geared transmissions. for jack of all trades tractor that does a little bit of everything. rotatory cutter (bush hog), FEL work, pulling trees, land scaping etc.. due to constantly changing gears and going from forward to reverse. but for field farm tractor. find the gear for manual geared transmission, for soil conditions and and set the gas/throttle lever and forget it. errr other words tractors cruise control.

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bells and whistles....

cabbed tractor, or at min sun shade,

block heater / battery warmer, if you need tractor in winter and live in cold climate.

triangle slow moving sign?

extra rear and front work lights? may not be needed if doing primary field work, but rear lights high up pointing down, can help make life easier to unhook / hook stuff up. as you crawl the tractor in for the night.

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for field tractors that may set for a few months at a time. example in winter. make sure you can pull all the panels off easily, so you can get into tight ugly spots, to clear out mice nests. when i say easily, use of easy twisting handles or like, vs having to grab a hold of socket wrenches to undo bolts to take panels and shields off.

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as far various brands and models. make sure you physically set down in each one, some of them have a funky setup. example split rear brakes are on same side as the gas peddel or go peddles. and not enough room to get both feet onto the one side. joystick or levers for FEL may require to really reach. turning your head/body so you can easily see out behind you, as you are in the field to make sure all is going ok.

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i realize you said basics are fine no need for bells and whistles. but much of above, can really make a difference and make life easier. vs grinding your rear into the ground to get things done.

 

[Canuck5]

Thanks Boggen!!! Lots of good idea's in there! I appreciate it and will give them consideration!

 

[RollingsFarms]

right now the John Deere 5D/E tractors are 0% for 60 months AND $1,500 off with the purchase of two or more implements (fel can count as one). I will also tell you that the fel is not, or used to not be, quick-tach on the 5D models. you CAN take it off, but it's not easily removeable like the loaders on the mfwd tractors. I don't know if this is still the case or not, but maybe something you want to ask your dealer since you said the loader would be off 95% of the time. While you may think you have no use for a fel on a tractor for food plots, let me tell you that for someone who uses his tractor for food plots sometimes there's about a gazillion things I have seen a need or use for it, which is why I plan on adding one to my tractor here soon.