Newbie Alert... looking for tractor buying advice.

[Blicker]

Let me start by saying thank you to all here on TBN. I've lurking now for quite a few months and have learned a lot from y'all, but I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed as to what size tractor I might need.

We just moved back to Texas and bought 20 acres with house in the hill country. The property is very hilly, very rocky, but has grass in the valley. We imagine doing a lot of things on the property in the future, but our immediate plans are shredding, rock moving, cutting and moving a lot of deadfall and barn building (30x50 w/ 12 foot lean to).

We have an online business selling high end garden tools that we import from Holland and we receive the tools via tractor trailer. These boxes are typically 36x36x72 and weigh 1200 to 1500 lbs. I think I can do most of the chores with a smaller tractor, but no matter the size, I need a tractor to be able to unload these boxes full of tools from semi-trailer height. Our budget is under 30, but as we all do, I'd like to have some change left over for implements.

15 minutes away is a town of about 20,00 with a Kioti, Kubota and John Deere dealers. There seems to be unlimited tractor knowledge here on TBN, so I thought I'd get a better idea of what I'm looking for before I visit the dealers.

Again, thank you very much for any advice you have!

 

[2ndhalf]

Welcome Blicker..! It will help you and us if you specifically list the things you plan to use the tractor for. I can infer from your description of your business but don't want to assume.... you need to be specific. That will help with the decision.

I would even go into the plans you have for the 20 acres. The more detail you give the more TBNers can help.

Good Luck!

 

[Blicker]

Sorry, 2ndhalf, here's some detail

I have about 5-7 acres of grass that will need to be cut, so I'll need a shredder. The land was cleared of all the cedar but there is a lot of piles of deafall that will be moved and cut-up. As you can see in the pics, I'll be forever picking up and moving rock so a FEL is mandatory as well as forks for unloading trucks. I'll also be building a barn, so I'm counting on the FEL for a lot of lifting. In the future I can see us (wife) having some animals (cows, chickens, goats). I also have about 1000' of fence that needs to be run, but because of the rocky soil, I'll probably let someone with the right equipment to dig holes. The driveway is paved so no maintenance issues there, but I can see some work that a box blade would come in handy. I'm sure there's more, but that's what I have right now.

 

[Grandad4]

Welcome to TBN, Blicker. We have family with property similar to yours near Fredericksburg, and I've thought it is indeed rugged, rocky terrain that would be hard on equipment. It would depend on how much ground work you'll need to do. Moving or clearing rocks is hard on equipment, for example, even if you've got the right machinery for the job. And levelling or grading can bring your equipment into contact with underground boulders and ledge in a most unfriendly way. If that's what you expect, I'd suggest you try to find something built for severe duty... more than the typical "compact utility tractor". For example, you might consider starting out with a decent used dozer, skidsteer or excavator to get through all that heavy work initially and then switching over to a good chore tractor for maintaining the place. If you must be a "one and done" purchaser, I'd be looking at an MFWD (i.e. 4WD), utility type tractor instead of a compact, to gain ground clearance, heavier chassis and larger tires. Your budget may put a limit on what you'll be able to find in a utility tractor. Best of luck with your plans. That's some beautiful property you have!

 

[MAN IN BLACK]

I will second the utility type tractor over compact.
For the same reasons mentionned above + you gain major lifting capacity going ag utility way.
Something in the 40-50 hp range...it will eat most if not all of your budget, but you will have a sturdy machine with enough lifting capacity for your primary task...unloading crates with your loader forks.
I don't know enough of the brands you mentionned to comment on them , I'll leave that to others.
One good advice...buy the biggest tractor your budget will allow...you'll be happy you did in the long run.

 

[Blicker]

Hi Grandad4 and thanks for the welcome.

I don't think I'll ever be so ambitious to do the heavy work you described. I just need to pick up move the odd boulders that litter the grassy valley...the kind that will ruin a shredder blade. The hilly areas mostly need cleaning up of deadfall that are still here when they cleared the land prior to our buying it.

I'd like to get a nice compact utility, but it has to be able to unload 1500 lb boxes from semi trailer height. I figure any tractor that can do this will probably do the other maintenance chores I'll ask of it.

Thanks again!

 

[sea2summit]

If you have $30 cash I'd watch the local Craig's list for a Kubota MX or similar size Deere, in my area it seems like there are a lot of each about two years old with around 100 hours on them down in the low $20s even with some attachments.

 

[Blicker]

Hi MAN IN BLACK

Thank you very much! I was guessing the 40-50 range, but I'm kinda clueless and that was just from what I have learned by reading here a TBN.

 

[GManBart]

To be able to safely lift 1,500lbs from a tractor trailer you're going to want something that has a published max lift of more like 2,000lbs. Max lift is usually spec'd at the pins, and with forks the load can be quite a ways forward of that, and every inch farther out reduces lift capacity. The other thing is that you'll want 3pt counterweight for stability, and to reduce the load on the front axle (loaded tires won't do that).

I think something at least in the 40hp class size is the smallest I would go, and bigger wouldn't be overkill. Having three dealers nearby helps a lot. Go get some seat time and see what feels right, and what feels wrong. I might like a particular seat/wheel/control geometry that would drive you nuts, or vise-versa.

I've been slowly putting together a buying guide for people considering a first tractor purchase. Shoot me a PM with your e-mail if you'd like to take a look.

 

[Blicker]

Hi sea2summit,

Thanks, I appreciate your response. I'm not ruling out any of the other brands, but the MX sure is a nice machine and there's certainly no lack of people who are happy with the Kubota brand.

Thanks again!