garden/subcompact/compact for my needs?

[TomSeller]

Thanks for the replies. I have a Massey Ferguson, kubota, JD, and New Holland dealers close by. There is kioti that is 5 hours away which is a bummer. Branson dealer is about 2 hours.

I would go with Massey, Kubota or Deere. If they were close by I would add LS and Kioti to that list, but it does not sound like they are. I agree with the ~30HP range 4wd HST with a fairly large stance.

 

[Paystar]

I've done everything you need to do for the last 17 years with a 16 h.p. 1982 MTD lawn tractor, lol.
So any scut would do everything you need to do while giving you a front end loader. And has a low purchase price so you can buy some implements.
I went with a B2620 (about same size as the CT122) just to have the extra ground clearance when I'm pulling firewood out of the bush.

I didn't mention, my property is also larger than yours. if you like to spend money and mowing isn't your priority, a 30-35 h.p. tractor would be nice. Just hope you can find a last-years model so you don't have to deal with the DPF nightmares.

 

[RunninOnEmpty]

We built our house 7 years ago & maintain 6 acres. When shopping for a tractor I too considered a sub or compact. After months of research & seat time decided on the CK20. Kioti offered quality, value & a great warranty.
A sub-compact just seemed too small for the tasks at hand: Moving & leveling 200 ton of fill, large rocks, dragging fallen & cut trees.
With the CK20 I'm able to maneuver it thru the woods easily.

No matter what size/brand you go with, consider adding:

1. Loaded rear tires
2. Tooth bar
3. Tow hooks

Oh, add a post hole digger, you'll appreciate that once you get to landscaping.

 

[QuasarZ]

I was mistaken earlier, the two Kioti dealers are 45 min and 2 hours away. The LS dealer is the one that is 4 hours away. My wife is now saying to just borrow her dad's great dane mower (he has a few from a provisos landscape company) and get an old truck with a plow to handle our immediate plow/mow needs. After the house is built and we get an idea of mowing, plowing, landscaping needs etc we can evaluate the tractor purchase and get one that is right sized.

 

[GPintheMitten]

Well thats just ridiculous. Just kidding. Wives sometimes have a way of looking at things in a practical way.

When she says immediate needs is she talking about before you move/build?

If she is talking about first needs when it is built and you move to it, there are a number of tasks associated with the project that beg for a tractor.

1. Driveway establishment
2. Lawn establishment
3. Landscaping.
4. Pulling her out of a muddy driveway the first spring when the frost breaks.

Regarding the model of tractor. The Kubota B 2x20s are fairly light in camparison to say the Kioti. Thats a trade off and each has its advantages. The Kubota B2620 that I have is not to heavy to mow with and is quite capable in other tasks.

On the otherhand Kioti s have higher fel and 3pt lift capability. Not sure about weights of the other brands in your area but consider the weight issues. Not all tractors with the same Hp have same weights.

 

[DeereMann]

Paystar & dcgracier make good points -

The MMM's these days, if you get a drive-over, are really easy to hook up & detach now. Nothing at all like the old 'grunt 'n heave' days. I got lazy & in a hurry last year & left the mower deck on while doing some logging cleanup, but bent up my mulching kit baffles pretty good driving over the slash so I won't do THAT again!

Conversely, if you have an irregular area to mow like I do, taking the loader off & using a MMM makes it very easy to mow.

Finally, I concur that a SCUT won't go through heavy snow. I don't go into my woods in winter, so that's ok with me.

Good luck!

 

[DeereMann]

QuasarZ,

Reading your request more thoroughly, I see you are in the "Twin Cities". Presume that means in my neck of the woods - exurban Minnesota. If that's the case, and you have a 1500 foot long drive, you will get big time snow drifts & drive erosion. This just validates to me all the more you need a CUT, not a SCUT. You will have plenty of seat time in plowing/snowblowing, mowing, & landscaping as GP notes.

Tell the wifey if you start off with stop-gap equipment, you'll just have old junk to get rid of & need a tractor eventually (soon!) anyway. In springtime, tractor mfg.'s have lots of deals for you to have reasonable payments. Make sure you get the basic implements you want on the loan - buying them later is a big hit on cashflow.

Or you can buy a used CUT for more reasonable stop-gap equipment.

Good luck!

 

[QuasarZ]

QuasarZ,

Reading your request more thoroughly, I see you are in the "Twin Cities". Presume that means in my neck of the woods - exurban Minnesota. If that's the case, and you have a 1500 foot long drive, you will get big time snow drifts & drive erosion. This just validates to me all the more you need a CUT, not a SCUT. You will have plenty of seat time in plowing/snowblowing, mowing, & landscaping as GP notes.

Tell the wifey if you start off with stop-gap equipment, you'll just have old junk to get rid of & need a tractor eventually (soon!) anyway. In springtime, tractor mfg.'s have lots of deals for you to have reasonable payments. Make sure you get the basic implements you want on the loan - buying them later is a big hit on cashflow.

Or you can buy a used CUT for more reasonable stop-gap equipment.

Good luck!

Yeah I am currently in Maplewood, but the land is in River Falls (going to the dark side but I'll still be a vikings fan...even though they are terrible ha). The thing is I will need a bigger truck anyway (only have a grand cherokee now) to pull the tractor, and the mower can just go back to her dad when we are done. Guess in the spring time once the mortgage for building is squared away I can consider payments. Do you recommend any dealers around the area? I've been reading about the TYM 293 but the closes place is in Plainview so about 68 miles away.

I will still push for a tractor and see how far it gets me lol. Plus, I won't have a place to put it until the house is built which should be done by September.

 

[DeereMann]

Yeah I am currently in Maplewood, but the land is in River Falls (going to the dark side but I'll still be a vikings fan...even though they are terrible ha). The thing is I will need a bigger truck anyway (only have a grand cherokee now) to pull the tractor, and the mower can just go back to her dad when we are done. Guess in the spring time once the mortgage for building is squared away I can consider payments. Do you recommend any dealers around the area? I've been reading about the TYM 293 but the closes place is in Plainview so about 68 miles away.

I will still push for a tractor and see how far it gets me lol. Plus, I won't have a place to put it until the house is built which should be done by September.

That's the spirit! Tell her a truck is 2x more expensive than a tractor so a tractor is a MUCh better deal (which is the truth, even).

Glad to hear you have seen the light & are heading to God's country. Sooner or later, the Packer Fever will infect you. Yes, I am from Wis., only here for 'a job'. I am from southern Wis., so don't know the dealers in western Wis. area, there have to be a number of them as that is big time farm country.

The TBN gang seems to be big on Kioti & LS these days. Kioti made the short-lived Bobcat tractors, which I have also heard good things about. LS made (makes?) New Holland, also which I hear good things about. From what I have read, those seem to be on top in terms of quality & durability these days.

Kubota has always been good, but some of their designs seem (to me) a bit dated, without all the latest features & operator comfort. I tried one while I was shopping for a SCUT, ended up back with Deere. Deere makes excellent Lawn/Garden tractors, but their CUT's seem overpriced & behind the competition for features & quality. Their SCUT was very new (copied Yanmar then enhanced), & I liked the features best.

For your larger spread, I would go with something more substantial like a Kioti or LS CUT. The extra expense for a larger tractor is not really that much. I couldn't go with a CUT because my spread isn't that big, and I have hills.

All these brands have dealer locators, so all you have to do is google them.

Good luck - you have a lot to look forward to!

DM

 

[QuasarZ]

Just wanted to update this thread. Still in the research phase and got my wife onboard with a tractor haha. She has actually said to go bigger and also to look into new vs older so we get a warranty and it will presumably be our last tractor. After looking at a few used JDs in the 20-24 HP I will heed everyones advice and go bigger. They just seemed too small. I would hate to be out in the woods trying to pull a log and be wishing I had more power. I am going to look at a TYM 293 tomorrow. It is a 2013 model with 4 hours and loader for 13k. Good deal?