Compact 4wd v. Larger 2wd utility tractor?

[sdkubota]

RNR has the best advice, go drive some. You might even ask one of the dealers to let you demo a machine on your site. I drove tractors for a week at various dealers before making my decision. Customer service helped put the Kubota dealer at the top of the list.

Mine is a 2wd gear model with FEL. It is light in the rear end without ballast on the hitch but I haven't gotten it stuck even on theses red clay hills during the winter. Does it spin some? sure it does but so does the 4wd Kubota M5700.

My FIL farmed these red clay hills for nearly 50 years with 2wd tractors and never got one stuck and I have yet to get one stuck (24 years). My personal opinion is that 4wd is over rated for hobby farming. For those of you doing extensive loader work or moving snow on a regular basis it IS essential.

To say 2wd tractors for loader work are obsolete goes a little too far. Mine works fine with ballast on the 3pt hitch.

I built a 1,000 lb counter weight and wow...what a difference!

[Ted Summey]

I've been planning something similar built using a barrel.

[JDgreen227]

I built a 1,000 lb counter weight and wow...what a difference!

While I admire your inventiveness, there have been MANY times I have tried to move a large rock with the FEL on my deere and if I didn't have MFWD there was no way I could move it. Now, about your counterweight...you don't state how often you actually have it on your tractor or for what purpose you use it for. On my tractor the MFWD option adds 300 lbs. of weight and I cannot remove it. HOWEVER, it is ALWAYS available, I don't have to (bleep) around installing or removing it, and best of all I still have the option of installing an implement (blade, plow, disc, etc.) on the rear 3 point. And as far as fuel economy goes, I would rather haul around 300 extra lbs. all the time than 1,000 pounds some of the time, especially when I don't have to waste time installing and removing a rear counterweight.

[GManBart]

While I admire your inventiveness, there have been MANY times I have tried to move a large rock with the FEL on my deere and if I didn't have MFWD there was no way I could move it. Now, about your counterweight...you don't state how often you actually have it on your tractor or for what purpose you use it for. On my tractor the MFWD option adds 300 lbs. of weight and I cannot remove it. HOWEVER, it is ALWAYS available, I don't have to (bleep) around installing or removing it, and best of all I still have the option of installing an implement (blade, plow, disc, etc.) on the rear 3 point. And as far as fuel economy goes, I would rather haul around 300 extra lbs. all the time than 1,000 pounds some of the time, especially when I don't have to waste time installing and removing a rear counterweight.

That sort of overlooks the fact that to take full advantage of the FEL you're going to need a counterweight regardless of 2wd or 4wd, so you still wind up hauling extra weight around, and have to mess around removing and installing it with some regularity. Hanging an implement off the back helps, but that's not usually enough weight to truly max the FEL potential.

[sd455dan]

And if you're going to have a counterweight why not consider a gannon or similar boxblade with top and tilt- right around a 1000lbs. right where you need it and very handy for motorcycle trails, driveways and many other uses...

[rmorey]

Thanks, that's what I've kinda been thinking. You can get one of these package deals around here -3032e, box blade, bush hog, FEL - for around $20k. Or the equivalent Kubota. This is mainly a toy for me and I'm not wanting to spend $35k+ on a toy. By the time I got a 4wd utility tractor with its toys, it's well over $30k.

I've enjoyed reading your thread. I don't normally but into someone elses conversation, but...

I just traded my 2005 Kioti CK 25 HST w/ 1,188 hrs on a 2012 CK 35 HST (Friday). The dealer gave me (final tally) 87.4% of my original investment in trade. I like the size of this series so I stayed with it.

The real issue is, that in the 7-8 years I had this tractor, I never had it into the dealer once. It never let me down. The dealer will send you filters and such if you don't ever pass by his door. The $$ issue, saved almost $8,000 over JD eqiuiv.

As far as accessories, I find used and auction finds are a cheaper way of acquiring the toys I needed (wanted).

Just sayin...

[lutt]

To the op, I have 16 acres of woods and small fields at my residence, I found a good deal on a 4200 4wd hyd. deere. Now, I would like to have a little more horsepower for mowing and bushogging, but pushing, this little rig is pretty good for its size. I had my timber cut off last spring and been using it like a little dozer cutting roads and pushing up what is left of the tops after I cut firewood, it is just a little slower than a bigger machine. You got to treat them like a little kid, little bites at a time instead of big ones. You didnt state whether you had any other property that you may have to haul your tractor to, you have to do much hauling, tractor size is also something to consider, most people dont have the means to safely transport larger equipment safely. That can run up more cost.(Buying a larger trailer, truck to pull said trailer,etc)This may be a non issue for you though. I have rental property, deer hunting property, and family cemetary to keep up, so I haul a lot. Whatever you choose, go with 4wd, large or small.
4wd makes a small tractor bigger so to speak. If you get 4wd in a large one, well thats just berries. By the way, not pushing John Deere, I looked at Kubota, NH, and Mahindra. I am friends with the salesmen at our NH dealership, where they also sell Mahindra, in a small tractor, they had rather sell you a Mahindra. The same goes for the CIH dealership, they sell Kubota also, and would rather sell you a Kubota in a small tractor. LUTT

[agsanders]

Thanks. I don't really need to transport it anywhere. It will simply stay at the house. I'm gonna go take a look around soon. I was planning to go yesterday, but it was monsoon season here. I have several deere and kubota dealers close by. I also have a mahindra dealer close. By close, I mean 10-15 miles. Kioti is 60 miles away. New holland is 60 miles. LS is 100+ miles. Between kids, work, etc. it's tough to find time for toys.

[sd455dan]

Been lurking for a long time. First time posting. I have about 15 acres that I need to maintain. All wooded. I would like a tractor for general bush hog work, cutting trials, moving dirt and generally just messing around. No mowing of fields, heavy plowing, etc. The terrain is slightly rolling without any steep hills. Combination of planted pines and virgin hardwoods.

I've talked to several different people about my needs. Some recommend one of these compact 4wd packages - JD 3032 w/ FEL, box blade, bush hog for instance. Others recommend something like a JD 5045 w/ associated implements. I'm not hung up on deere, just giving examples. We have all the major dealers within a short distance.

I have spent hours reading threads but I need some help and advice.

After rereading your original post a couple of things came to mind, The woods have sometimes made me want a smaller tractor because of navigating thru the trees trying not to rip the canopy off on low hanging branches, also I have to clean horse stalls with the loader and its amazing how fast a wall can get pushed out or how big a 40 hp tractor can seem if you do any work in a barn or out building, on the other hand all the other work that Iv'e ended up using a tractor for the most part made me glad to have purchased larger machines than what I thought I needed. Hope this helps

[JDgreen227]

After rereading your original post a couple of things came to mind, The woods have sometimes made me want a smaller tractor because of navigating thru the trees trying not to rip the canopy off on low hanging branches, also I have to clean horse stalls with the loader and its amazing how fast a wall can get pushed out or how big a 40 hp tractor can seem if you do any work in a barn or out building, on the other hand all the other work that Iv'e ended up using a tractor for the most part made me glad to have purchased larger machines than what I thought I needed. Hope this helps

sd455dan, what you say brings up something I never even considered prior to buying my deere and I thought I really researched the purchase well...but didn't consider overall height with the ROPS, fortunately the model I chose came with the folding ROPS otherwise it wouldn't have fit into the barn or garage I keep it in. I had a good buddy with a Ford 1520 that I borrowed before buying my tractor and should have realized a machine with a fixed ROPS was over 7 foot clearance. Since I also mow under a lot of trees I am glad my tractor has that feature.