Buying Advice What is a good modern chore tractor for 40K or less?

[Deerherd]

Check out a Mahindra M Power 85 Cab, or 8560 Cab.

I looked at the Mahindra, no power shuttle or electronic hi/lo, no 750 pto speed and only 12 forward speeds. Nothing is more aggravating than needing a lower or higher gear to run a certain implement and its no where to be found. I really wanted to like the Kioti DK90 but it has the same shortcomings.

The John Deere was baby Jesus sweet but when I was quoted a price my first response was, no I only needed one. The buddy seat almost got me anyway......

The Mahindra was less money but the gap narrowed having to add in the brush guard, third remote and something else that escapes me at the moment.

If you don't need to regulate your ground speed and don't do a lot of loader work where the power shuttle really shines I'm sure the Mahindra would be a good tractor.

 

[Dr_Zinj]

Pardon me, but the old 8N and 2N/9N Fords were considered "chore tractors" in their day. And they were "only" 23 hp.
8N was the top-selling individual tractor of all time in North America, and intended for small to medium-sized farms; not the big factory farms of the current day.
In some respects, today's 20-40 hp CUTs are direct descendants of the 2/8/9N models for small to medium farms.
Anything bigger isn't really a "chore tractor" anymore, it's a factory farm tractor.
But that's just my 2 cents.

 

[Will_C]

Just weighing in on a "chore tractor"-my cousin owns a 900 acre dairy farm, and their chore tractors-what they use for bush hogging fields, raking hay, moving bales, etc. -are a JD 7410, a 6420, and a 5525. Now understand, their bush hog is 15' wide, bales weigh 1500-1800lbs, and their hay rake is twin rotary model that is PTO powered.

Their tillage/haying tractors are 2-7810;s, a 7710, and a 7930. They have a 3000 series JD compact that is for the "wife and grandkids!" Times have changed!

Will

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I looked at the Mahindra, no power shuttle or electronic hi/lo, no 750 pto speed and only 12 forward speeds. Nothing is more aggravating than needing a lower or higher gear to run a certain implement and its no where to be found. I really wanted to like the Kioti DK90 but it has the same shortcomings.

The John Deere was baby Jesus sweet but when I was quoted a price my first response was, no I only needed one. The buddy seat almost got me anyway......

The Mahindra was less money but the gap narrowed having to add in the brush guard, third remote and something else that escapes me at the moment.


If you don't need to regulate your ground speed and don't do a lot of loader work where the power shuttle really shines I'm sure the Mahindra would be a good tractor.

2 Februarys ago I had a chance to talk with the executive VP of Mahindra. Believe it or not they actually know me at Mahindra. Anyway, I point blank told him that the then 8560 needed a hydraulic shuttle like the 35 series and a 16x16 tranny. I was told that there were no plans for any improvements for that tractor and that they were selling them as fast as they could build them, so why change? So on one hand I understand, why change something that sells FAST as it is, but then on the other hand, isn't it always better to be improving things?

My 7520 works pretty good and I don't really care about a power shuttle, but it sure would be nice to have 4 more gears as long as they were splitting speeds and not just creeper gears.

Just my opinion.

 

[TheRealWorld]

Lots of great info, I am learning a bunch, I really appreciate your input. I will keep studying this and hope to make a decision. I am contacting a different dealer on Thursday. Busy tomorrow!

 

[Deerherd]

One of the most frustrating aspects of buying a tractor in the US is seeing that a company makes what you want but they don't import/offer that feature for the US market.

When I bought my LS the ONLY option was front suitcase weights.

A feature I really liked on my Kioti was the rear lever to control the 3 point. Why Kioti leave this feature off their bigger US tractors escapes me and not importing their larger tractors with power shuttle and more gears makes no sense. Same with Mahindra.

While looking at the LS tractor there were cut outs on both rear fenders for switches to raise and lower the three point from either side at the rear. Perfect, I'll take it.

The dealer pulled out the owners manual and yep, there in there. Actually there was a whiz bang "electric module" that replaced the 3pt and draft controls as part of the package. He said the price was $1600 and I said, I'll take it. Heck the indicator icons and lights are on the dash for the module. While he was checking with the factory I was going through the owners manual and lo and behold, there was a Buddy seat available also, complete with part number! It looked like a real easy install, you can see the outline of the holes in the vinyl on the wheel well.

I'm sitting there when the dealer calls and asks for the Buddy seat by part number. Yes they have two in stock but they refused to sell them because of liability reasons. They are afraid somebody will fall out of the cab! Geez Louise! Maybe they should find out what Deere and New Holland are doing, they have them.

I also ordered a service manual when I purchased the tractor, they are still working on it 5 months later. Don't even get me going on their web site.

These annoyances aside it's been a great tractor and I'm sure it's only a matter of time before all manufacturers offer this type/size/featured tractor.

Here's a picture of inside the cab and you can see where the module would go. You would lose the three point and draft levers and they would be set with dials. The little green lever and button is a great feature that raises the three point with the lever and a push of the button lowers it to your set levels.

 

[TheRealWorld]

On your LS tractor, I have a few questions. When did you buy it. How many hours are on it. Would you buy it all over again if the one you have was destroyed? Please explain the transmission, can you just put it in gear without using the clutch? Can you shift up or down in gear with no clutch? I appreciate your input, thanks.

 

[Deerherd]

I bought it this spring and it has about 100 hrs on it. I hope it doesn't get destroyed, that would mean I would be DEAD because I don't let anyone else drive it but if I lived, yes I would get another.

You need to use the clutch when you shift the L,M,H lever (located on the floor left of the seat) or the 4 speed. (red handle in my previous post's picture).

You do Not use the clutch when going from forward to reverse or using the hi/lo feature on the aforementioned 4 speed shifter. (Two buttons on the side) This tractor will NOT let you ride the clutch. After 6 seconds a loud warning buzzer will go off (which is mentioned NOWHERE in the manual) and if you don't let up immediately it will put itself into neutral. A little unnerving if your trying to back up a hill to pick up an implement some moronic dealer leaves at the steepest part of the driveway....

This tractor has plenty of grunt so I seldom use low range other than hooking up implements. High range would be good for fleeing the police or road travel in general so medium is usually where that selector sits.

If I'm doing loader work I hardly ever use the clutch, I use the neutral to stop.

When I am choosing a gear to plow in for instance, I will Select it with the hi/lo in the hi position. That way if it starts to bog down a little, I just let up a little on the gas and hit the low button and she keeps on going. Same with mowing.

Good luck in your search!

 

[TheRealWorld]

Any idea if the 7040 is worth the $50,000 price the local dealer is asking, compared to what you paid. You have made some very helpful comments, so let me ask you this. Would you pay the added price for the few additions that I will get that you did not.

 

[Deerherd]

I looked at the 7040, it was a 7K-8k diff and it wasn't worth it to me. Loader and 3 pt lift capacities are the same, you can buy a few nice implements for the larger tires and 9 more ponies! Lift height is 1 1/2 higher with the 7040 loader, but digging depth is that much less. I believe the difference comes from the larger tires on the 7040. Not sure what else is different.

Actually, I would have gone with the 7010 if it came with the Power shuttle and 40F/20R gears with Hi/Lo.

I started out looking at 60 to 70 hp tractors and went a little overboard....

What size tractor do you have now?