And.......another newbie here!

   / And.......another newbie here! #1  

TLR15

Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2013
Messages
39
Location
Western Maine
Tractor
1979 Case 580C
I just wanted to post an introduction. I'm doing my research for a future tractor purchase. I'm focusing on a used machine but with the 0% financing most manufacturers are offering, new is not out of the question.

I'm looking for a utility tractor for a 40 acre homestead in Western Maine. There is a mix of steep land and gentle slopes. It is heavily wooded with hardwoods. It will be used for

-Road maintenance. I have a 1500' gravel ROW and driveway to maintain. Not sure of the best implement for this. Boxscaper or blade.
-Snow removal. Same as above. I'm thinking a snow blower would work better than a plow.
-Hauling logs and firewood.
-Material handling. Currently there are two new buildings on the land that need landscaping.
-Possible small crop farming in the future.

I've been doing my research and have established a basis for what I'm looking for in a tractor. Looking for any input. Since this will be my first time tractor purchase and I have no real experience with them I'm unsure exactly what size engine I should go with but I'm thinking between 30-40HP. A backhoe would be useful too but I don't know how well a small machine would do. There's some big bones on my land!
I do know that I want the following

-FEL
-4WD
-3 pt hitch
-HST would be nice as would power steering.

I'm not partial to any brands but there are Kubota and JD dealers within 45-1 hour away.

So that's me. I'll be lurking around the forums.

Thanks in advance.
 
   / And.......another newbie here! #2  
So many things to consider like budget, distance to seller and your relationship with him, new or used, cab, BH and how strong a machine you need. I went threw the same thing 1 yr ago. Here is what I found here in CT. JD's to much $. Kubota to light. Mcormick to plastic. TYM to cheap. Mahindra very nice but not dealing Kioti Hst Just right. CK35 HP 3100Lbs Took my old machine in trade Wood implements Cozy cab addedw/ heat 2.5k lift 1650lb 4 yr warrenty. Now mine was an 08 w/55hrs dealer owned 24k. You may find another name and be able to find a deal and do better than me but I took 4 months of daily research going to see the units talking to dealers and driving the best bargins I could find. Kubota is a great machine and the upper models are heavier. Mccormic is Kioti with a few changes like rear fender fuel fill but plastic fenders. Good luck Remember this is like buying a car. Deal. and welcome to the greatest tractor blog you can find
 
   / And.......another newbie here! #3  
I will just throw out a couple of things, As for the power steering, almost any later model CUT (Compact Utility Tractor) will have that, and if you are going to have a loader it is a MUST have not a nice to have. 4wd for me is a must, but some people have gotten along without it. But get it if you can. I am a Hydrostat lover and will never have another gear tractor, I have had several of both kinds..They are all going to have a 3pt hitch unless you buy a dedicated TLB (Tractor Loader Backhoe).. I have never had a backhoe, I just cannot justify one in my rockpile, but people that have them like the convenience of digging when they want and for any small job without renting. I have heard many say though that you can rent one a whole bunch of times before it would ever be cost effective to own one. I have never owned a snowblower either, but I have heard it said they don't work too well on gravel drives.Think of throwing rocks around, and they are expensive. As for the box blade vs. grader blade, Most people seem to prefer the box blade, but another option is the landplane for gravel/dirt drive maint. I too am a Kioti lover, but pretty much all of the major brands are good machines.
Welcome to the forum

James K0UA
 
   / And.......another newbie here! #4  
As is often said on here, look more at your tasks than acreage, our smallest tractor is on our biggest farm because that is where it fits best. I can only pretty much echo what James KOUA and enterprisebbc said, I prefer Kubota, but my brother just bought a new Kioti; both good brands as are John Deere, Massey Ferguson etc.

Weight is not a big issue for me as we ballast our machines to fit our needs just like the farmers around us. Look at the spec sheets, drive them and you will find the one that fits your needs and budget.

I have found it pretty easy to under buy and go to small and tractors "seem" to shrink once you get them. What seems large and intimidating on the lot isn't so much once you get it on your land and use it as bit.

Like James, I don't have a BH, owned one once and don't use one enough to justify the cost, so we just rent one if needed.

Good luck and take your time.
 
   / And.......another newbie here! #5  
Welcome to TBN from a fellow Western Mainer.

Our homesite is carved out of the woods and rocks, and you have plans to do things very similar to my own tractor uses. I hired out the heavy work like foundation holes and small ponds. I use my New Holland TC40 (40 hp) for bush hogging, trail clearing, firewood hauling, snow removal and driveway maintenance.

I have a backhoe attachment and have used it a good bit, but your thoughts about small machines versus Maine rocks is correct. There are areas that are just too much for a small machine. So, you go around them, or get something bigger in. Wet areas are also a stopper comparing 4wd tractors to tracked machines. The backhoe is great for smaller projects like popping out a rock, digging stumps, ditching and trenching, light landscaping/hardscaping, etc.

If you foresee enough work in the next 5-10 years to warrant it, you might be ahead to buy a used construction TLB or small excavator. Those come with some very high cost potential maintenance/repair, so think about that aspect too. For me, it would be a very nice to have thing, but not something I can't live without. Have to draw budget lines somewhere. :)

Snowblowers are nice if you have a cab, but can be torture devices if you don't. They are much, much slower than a plow. I think after experiencing bucketing, truck plowing and blowing, I would give strong consideration to a FEL mounted snow plow. If you have quick attach on your loader, there is no snow situation around here that a plow and bucket cannot conquer. Or, go the yard truck route for the plowing, and cleanup what you have to with the tractor bucket.

A loader-mounted grapple is another very useful attachment for logs, dug out stumps, slash and brush piles, and rocks--within reason. A grapple can make things possible that no other attachment can, and save you hours of messing around with the FEL bucket. A grapple can actually place things where you want them, a bucket can only shove or dump them into the approximate location. If the grapple is not in the budget, then a 3-point lift boom used with chains can be very handy, but not anywhere like a grapple.

A 6" to 8" capacity PTO driven chipper is handy.

For engine horsepower, I wouldn't go below 40, and 45-50 is probably better.

If Osgood and Hammond are the dealers, I've never bought a tractor from either, so can't help you there. I bought my NH when we lived in Wells, then moved up here where NH is pretty scarce. I guess I would try to find what I liked from Kubota or Deere in this area if I were buying a tractor. There is a NH dealer, I think, in Skowhegan. Whittemores I believe is the name. I don't know anything about them either.

Good luck!
 
   / And.......another newbie here! #6  
Most of the TBN'ers here are more knowledgeable concerning what you'll need for tractor size and horse power than I and would also know better of which implements to purchase. My suggestion is if buying used, buy the "great deal"; if buying new, buy the dealer. I shopped three different dealerships and settled on the local Kubota dealer. If I ever buy another tractor I'll return to the same dealer for sure as they have always treated me well, both in service and in price.
 
   / And.......another newbie here! #7  
:welcome:
 
   / And.......another newbie here!
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Thanks for the quick replies.

Dave1949, it's great that there's a local guy who knows Maine. I have thought about a construction TLB, but their price, maintenance and the lack of a 3pt ruled them out.
I won't be doing any foundations as that work is done. There's plenty of rocks and stumps to pull and that's mainly the work I had in mind for a backhoe.
I guess if I pick the right machine I can get one in the future.

Do you think $10000 would buy a used machine with a FEL and 4WD in our parts?
 
   / And.......another newbie here! #9  
Thanks for the quick replies.

Dave1949, it's great that there's a local guy who knows Maine. I have thought about a construction TLB, but their price, maintenance and the lack of a 3pt ruled them out.
I won't be doing any foundations as that work is done. There's plenty of rocks and stumps to pull and that's mainly the work I had in mind for a backhoe.
I guess if I pick the right machine I can get one in the future.

Do you think $10000 would buy a used machine with a FEL and 4WD in our parts?

I really don't know about that. We aren't in the used equipment capital of the world, if you have noticed. :laughing: I'd say you would be pretty lucky to find that in a decent sized tractor that is in reasonable shape. Most of the 4wd/backhoe tractors out there locally are from the past 7-10 years, so they may not be that low in price.

Craig's List or Uncle Henry's are probably the best places to look for used local area equipment. I know Osgood's in East Dixfield have some used Kubotas, but at first glance, they looked well used. It's frustrating to look at the online sites like tractorhouse and machinerytrader because 99% of the equipment is far away. They are good places to get an idea on asking prices of used stuff. Then you would know if $10K is going to do what you want.

If you have a truck and trailer that can haul a tractor, it might work out to buy further away. Gives me the willies to think about buying a tractor sight-unseen and having it trucked to Maine. I guess people do it. People here can probably give good advice about how best to do that.

$2500-$3000 will buy you a lot of clean-up work done by a good local contractor with an excavator. It's money gone forever, but it can be the least expensive way to get it done in the long run. You could get a couple of estimates for what you want done, and that would help you decide if owning a backhoe attachment will be worth it. You can do the finish work yourself with the tractor if the heavy work is done.

Yes, you could also buy a tractor that you know has a good aftermarket backhoe available and add that later. Hydraulics on the tractor to support the backhoe would be good, and most prefer the strength/durability of a sub-frame mounted backhoe, rather than 3pt mounted. I don't know how deserved it is , but 3pt mounted hoes have a bit of a reputation as tractor busters.

Don't forget to start planning your equipment shed. :laughing:

There are a number of guys on here from all over Maine, so you should be able to get good help on your questions, references, etc.
 
   / And.......another newbie here! #10  
I agree with what has already been said. I think if you are going to do snow removal and since you have a fairly long driveway a cab would be a very good thing to have. I think a somewhat partial to Kubota so I recommend a Grand L, a L4240 or larger would be really nice.
 
 
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