need tractor advice

[jimsfirewood]

tractor experts - I could use some advice. I have 166 acres, 143 is woods. I use a atv to haul firewood out of the woods, mow some trails and field edges. The atv is too small. I am thinking about getting a 4wd compact tractor. Uses for the tractor: mow trails, some meadow, tree plantings and field edges; blow snow off 1/2 mile of entry roads; load firewood from splitter into dump trailer with fel; and could you skid a few logs with one of these. Smaller fw logs not saw logs.
A cab would be a good deal for snow blowing; most of the mowing is a little rough, not much woody veg to mow though.
I looked in Kubota catalog and see b3030 has cab available. JD, kubota and NH dealers are close, kioti is 75 or 100 mi away.
Any advice about brand, model, attachments and what's a good price appreciated. Thnx.

 

[Donnyj]

would a cab hurt you down in the woods or do you have alot of room to get around? I use to do the same thing with my atv and 8 ft trailer as far as hauling firewood. I bought my Kioti for just the same reasons as far as dragging logs, hauling firewood, removing snow {1/4 mile} driveway, and brushog work as well as lanscaping. I have not had to use it yet for the snow removal, but I'm confident it will work fine. Everything else it has worked great. I don't think I would want a cab on mine down in the woods. If you have the room then that won't be a problem. I have not seen a DK45S with a cab yet, but I understand it is coming. I think it will be a DK45C, someone correct me if I'm wrong. I beleive the DK55 and 65 all have cabs available now. I'm very happy with mine doing everything that you described you needed to do. Good luck to you! I'm sorry, Welcome to the site!! How rude of me. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[TractorLegend]

A person buys a tractor so infrequently that I wouldn't consider 75-100 miles too far to go look at a Kioti. I bought my CK30HST about that far. Your dealer would deliver Im sure. A Kioti that is.

 

[jimsfirewood]

Thnx for the good comment DK. I definitely don't want to have to open those trails up to where you could move around with row crop equpt. Blowing snow w/o a cab is not good but the neighbor can do it. I should add that I rent out the 23a to a neighbor, it's not an issue. The main item is trail accesss with a compact 4wd machine that can pull. And fel and rough mow capability.

 

[jimsfirewood]

I have seen numerous positive comments about kioti here and price seems favorable. A friend is suggesting a skidloader because of the manouverability and turnaround capability but i think too slow and too much substrate damage. I read something about NH has some kind of articulated steering option, that would be worth getting as turning radius is major issue.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

<font color="red"> A friend is suggesting a skidloader because of the manouverability and turnaround capability but i think too slow and too much substrate damage. I read something about NH has some kind of articulated steering option, that would be worth getting as turning radius is major issue.

</font>

New Holland offers an option on their mid-and-large CUTs called SuperSteer. SuperSteer equiped tractors allow for extremely tight turning radiuses. What is often not talked about is the other feature that comes with SuperSteer, it is called Sensitrac and it automatically shifts the tractor between 2wd and 4wd as the tractor needs traction, it goes a long way to prevent excess damage to the ground. There are several members on TBN who use SuperSteer equipped tractors, you may want to post an inquiry in the NEW HOLLAND OWNING/OPERATING forum to get their feel for it. Most eveyone who uses it seems to really like it.

 

[Keith_B]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I have seen numerous positive comments about kioti here and price seems favorable. A friend is suggesting a skidloader because of the manouverability and turnaround capability but i think too slow and too much substrate damage. I read something about NH has some kind of articulated steering option, that would be worth getting as turning radius is major issue. )</font>

A skidsteer loader is not nearly as manueverable out in the wooded areas and trails as the tractor will be.

No matter what brand you choose, you may want to consider a loader. Given your uses a loader would really save you a lot of time and work.

 

[odleefs]

I heard that the Kioti DK45S Cab model will be available late September (was supposed to be introduced in August), so we'll see.

 

[KentT]

If you're willing to do your own service/maintenance (and dare to be a bit different), and the full cab is not critical, you may want to look at one of these:

http://power-trac.com/

While the base price of the tractor doesn't look like that good a deal, price one with the attachments (AND controls), you'd be looking to add (such as grapple bucket or 4-in-1 bucket, rough-cut mower, planter head, forks, etc.), and the package price is then quite competitive...

Then, you'd have the added maneuverability of an articulated tractor in the woods and full-time 4WD for traction and stability. I've just bought a used one, and am selling my Kubota for just those reasons, since it'll be used mostly in the woods... I found that I was using either diff-lock or the individual wheel brakes far too much, just for controlling traction with a load in the bucket, and both of those functions limit the manueuverability in the trees -- which is limited in comparison to an articulated tractor to begin with....

IMO, these are a "hybrid" that combines the features/functions of a log skidder, skidsteer, payloader and/or a CUT/SCUT...