Buying Advice Need advice on first tractor

[flusher]

First off, my property is all hill and clay. I am looking into getting my first tractor and am stuck.

Tractor A weighs 5000lbs, is 86-90" wide, 41hp, and is 2WD.
Tractor B weighs 2600lbs, is 56" wide, 36hp and is 4WD.

Both come with similar FELs, though A has a little more capacity.

A is $18,233
B is $18,700

My tasks would be moving the occasional round hay bale, field mowing, snow removal (not much), gravel road creation and maint, various digging and grading, and running a single bottom plow to break some new ground for various small scale gardening.

All hills? Get the tractor with the widest wheel track and the lowest stance. Want the tractor center of gravity as low as possible consistent with ground clearance requirements that depend on how rugged your land actually is. Safety first, last and always when working on hills.

For example, here is my 1964 Massey Ferguson 135 diesel that has been modified from a field tractor configuration to squat low for work in the olive orchards around here. The wheel track is 84" wide (measured to the outside of the rear wheels) and the centerline of the rear axle is 20" above the ground. The front axle spindles have been shortened to keep the tractor level. The rear tires are Goodrich 6 ply 18.4-16A (18" wide, 16" dia rim) and are 40" tall overall.



Good luck and be careful out there.

[enterprisebbc]

[QUOTE=flusher;3182370]All hills? Get the tractor with the widest wheel track and the lowest stance. Want the tractor center of gravity as low as possible consistent with ground clearance requirements that depend on how rugged your land actually is. Safety first, last and always when working on hills.

For example, here is my 1964 Massey Ferguson 135 diesel that has been modified from a field tractor configuration to squat low for work in the olive orchards around here. The wheel track is 84" wide (measured to the outside of the rear wheels) and the centerline of the rear axle is 20" above the ground. The front axle spindles have been shortened to keep the tractor level. The rear tires are Goodrich 6 ply 18.4-16A (18" wide, 16" dia rim) and are 40" tall overall.



Good luck and be careful out there.[/QU

[enterprisebbc]

you will never regret 4wd. You might with 2wd down the road. Do it once.

[GPintheMitten]

These are very different tractors. To me its not just a matter of preferring 4wd. While I like 4wd, I have several times wished that I had more weight.

Life is full of compromises. For me, and my uses, I opted for a light weight compact 4wd hydrostatic.
Someday, I may get an additional larger tractor to do hay with. It's all about what you are going to do.

[trimpy]

Yea, there are a lot of factors to consider. I tend to prefer simpler over complicated as well so I am sure that will factor in. I guess I am pretty nervous about tipping over.

Here are some shots of the land in question as well:

[Grandad4]

First off, my property is all hill and clay. I am looking into getting my first tractor and am stuck.

Tractor A weighs 5000lbs, is 86-90" wide, 41hp, and is 2WD.
Tractor B weighs 2600lbs, is 56" wide, 36hp and is 4WD.

Both come with similar FELs, though A has a little more capacity.

A is $18,233
B is $18,700

My tasks would be moving the occasional round hay bale, field mowing, snow removal (not much), gravel road creation and maint, various digging and grading, and running a single bottom plow to break some new ground for various small scale gardening.

Suggest you double check your specs. Mahindra website says the 4025 is 69.4" wide, not 80-90", and weighs 4,389 lbs. Still an old-school hoss of a 2wd tractor, but not something almost 8 feet wide!

As noted, these are two very different machines. The most similar thing about them is their price point. Can you do your work with either? Sure. There would certainly be some situations where the big machine would be better, such as pulling your one bottom plow (in dry conditions). Just my opinion, but I think the modern 4x4 would generally be more handy and convenient for everyday use. For any kind of loader work, a 4x4 hydro will out work a 2wd gear hands down. You would have to decide what your work will be like.

Hills are another story. Wide beats narrow for any side-slope travel while 4x4 beats 2wd for up and down travel due to traction and stopping advantages. Note that tractors only have rear brakes, but the 4x4 drivetrain means you have stopping power at both ends of the tractor. So most people favor 4x4 on hills because traversing side slopes is something to avoid regardless of what you're driving.

As for brand, both good machines. We've found Kubota to be very durable and reliable but Mahindra owners say the same about their equipment.

[trimpy]

Yea, my bad on the width. Its the 4WD version of the 4025 ships at 83" and can be widened to almost 90. The 2wd version is 69 and can be widened to 80"... so sayeth the dealer.

That makes sense with the traversal of a hill vs up and down. My property is bowl shaped so traversal is going to be hard to avoid.

I am glad that it really comes down to preference. I have some test drives scheduled this weekend, so we shall see. Thanks to everyone that chimed in!

[Grandad4]

"My property is bowl shaped so traversal is going to be hard to avoid."

Do your best to prepare ahead of time and don't take unnecessary risks. We had a family friend killed in a hillside rollover many years ago, a lesson that has never been forgotten. Sadly, that is all too common. Thanks for the pictures. Beautiful property. Tractors and hillsides like you have in WV don't get along very well, so stay safe!

[case245]

get the 4wd tractor i was on ice going down a hill in 4 high locked the brakes up i slid a few inckes on R1 s my 7040 83ooibs a light 2wd tractor is useless i own a 21hp 4wd case in 2wd that thing sucked wouldnt go no where even at 500oibs you ll not be happy with it

[vtsnowedin]

Test drives are cheap and very informative. Before you buy ethier of the ones your looking at test drive one of these. JD5045E. It has the weight, the power you want and the width and has 4wd. More money of course but worth it.