Looking for most economical tractor to meet needs

[Birdhunter1]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Could I find a used utility or ag that would be reasonable? I was hoping to stay under 10K used and only up to 15k new.

)</font>

If looking for a used ag machine for under 10K anything red by Case/Ih or MF or anything greeen by John Deere in the 35-50 hp range with a loader should do it.

If you were looking for a new one a MF 431 with a loader woudl be the ideal machine, heavy enough to handle your bales just fine with no probles and big enough to run a 6' bushhog for your pasture.

 

[Birdhunter1]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Could I find a used utility or ag that would be reasonable? I was hoping to stay under 10K used and only up to 15k new.

)</font>

If looking for a used ag machine for under 10K anything red by Case/Ih or MF or anything greeen by John Deere in the 35-50 hp range with a loader should do it.

If you were looking for a new one a MF 431 with a loader woudl be the ideal machine, heavy enough to handle your bales just fine with no probles and big enough to run a 6' bushhog for your pasture.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Album10 wrote: </font><font color="blue" class="small">( All tractors carry pivot point ratings. Some brands also add other lift points but if you compare the common point all use it will give you a good idea of how they compare.)</font>

You're right that if everyone went to using a pin ratting that it would be "fair", but this is not about fair. Its about certain companies trying to skew customer perception by publishing deceptive figures that have no real world use.

The pivot pin ratings, and using them for comparision, have little basis in how much a loader is actually capable of lifting.

Here we have a new shopper looking to lift 800# round bales, (they weigh over 900# when wet) without getting into a brand war, he was told to look at a tractor that had a ~1200# capacity, but if he did that, then he would have bought a loader that would not meet his needs because pivot point ratings have very little real world use.

What is even more telling that the pivot point ratings are deceptive (legal to use, yet bordring on fraudulent intent) is that an apparently experienced owner recommended the loader and based the load recommendation on pivot points. If anyone SHOULD know better it is an experienced user/owner, but again, many have been fooled.

The fact is that pivot point measurements are reasonably useless. They have been made common only in the past few years, and only as a marketing ploy used to inflate their capacity. They are now becoming more common, which is a shame.




Crittersitter . . . As to the appropriate tractor, I tend to favor the logical advice from Soundguy and others who suggest an older ag tractor is the way to go. Something like a Ford 4000 or 5000 would likely be appropriate. Also good choices would be an older JD, Massey, etc.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Album10 wrote: </font><font color="blue" class="small">( All tractors carry pivot point ratings. Some brands also add other lift points but if you compare the common point all use it will give you a good idea of how they compare.)</font>

You're right that if everyone went to using a pin ratting that it would be "fair", but this is not about fair. Its about certain companies trying to skew customer perception by publishing deceptive figures that have no real world use.

The pivot pin ratings, and using them for comparision, have little basis in how much a loader is actually capable of lifting.

Here we have a new shopper looking to lift 800# round bales, (they weigh over 900# when wet) without getting into a brand war, he was told to look at a tractor that had a ~1200# capacity, but if he did that, then he would have bought a loader that would not meet his needs because pivot point ratings have very little real world use.

What is even more telling that the pivot point ratings are deceptive (legal to use, yet bordring on fraudulent intent) is that an apparently experienced owner recommended the loader and based the load recommendation on pivot points. If anyone SHOULD know better it is an experienced user/owner, but again, many have been fooled.

The fact is that pivot point measurements are reasonably useless. They have been made common only in the past few years, and only as a marketing ploy used to inflate their capacity. They are now becoming more common, which is a shame.




Crittersitter . . . As to the appropriate tractor, I tend to favor the logical advice from Soundguy and others who suggest an older ag tractor is the way to go. Something like a Ford 4000 or 5000 would likely be appropriate. Also good choices would be an older JD, Massey, etc.

 

[CWP37]

Critter,

I'd check out a new John Deere 5103. It's not a compact, but it's an economical 50 hp tractor that will easily handle round bales. You should be able to get one with FEL for around $16k.

 

[CWP37]

Critter,

I'd check out a new John Deere 5103. It's not a compact, but it's an economical 50 hp tractor that will easily handle round bales. You should be able to get one with FEL for around $16k.

 

[coasterez]

The lift capacities of various loaders has been written about to infinitum. I don't think we need to rehash this over and over again here. I have enough confidence in the original poster to expect that they would do that kind of research, if in fact they did not already know it. Surely the poster will read many many discussions. That's why he's here.

Regarding the CK25, I was simply suggesting the "absolute minimum" tractor he might be able to get away with. Furthermore, the 30%, number isn' t any more exact, and could be even more misleading. The lift capacity will vary as a function of distance from the pivot point. This can be easily calculated for any specific distance. So, it will be largely determined by the attachment configuration (QC or otherwise).

And, of course, you can always get a higher spec'd loader, as others have suggested, and you'd be hard pressed to find a heavier, more stable tractor with that kind of hydraulic pump performance, in the same size and price range as the CK25 to put it on. I, too, like the 3ph suggestion, assuming it'll work for the user. Of course, there's nothing like an in-use test drive to make up one's mind.

A used tractor probably offers the best value for the poster. Obviously, going with the minimum may not be the best choice. But, it was sorta the question asked.

Tom

 

[coasterez]

The lift capacities of various loaders has been written about to infinitum. I don't think we need to rehash this over and over again here. I have enough confidence in the original poster to expect that they would do that kind of research, if in fact they did not already know it. Surely the poster will read many many discussions. That's why he's here.

Regarding the CK25, I was simply suggesting the "absolute minimum" tractor he might be able to get away with. Furthermore, the 30%, number isn' t any more exact, and could be even more misleading. The lift capacity will vary as a function of distance from the pivot point. This can be easily calculated for any specific distance. So, it will be largely determined by the attachment configuration (QC or otherwise).

And, of course, you can always get a higher spec'd loader, as others have suggested, and you'd be hard pressed to find a heavier, more stable tractor with that kind of hydraulic pump performance, in the same size and price range as the CK25 to put it on. I, too, like the 3ph suggestion, assuming it'll work for the user. Of course, there's nothing like an in-use test drive to make up one's mind.

A used tractor probably offers the best value for the poster. Obviously, going with the minimum may not be the best choice. But, it was sorta the question asked.

Tom

 

[DavesTractor]

Look at a 3525 Mahindra. It is a 2wd utility tractor, a little bigger than the old 8N size tractor. It lifts 2500 lbs at the pivot pins, has power-steering and can be bought with a loader for under $15K. It is a very reliable, simple to work on tractor. It is a heavy enough 2wd that it performs well with a loader.

Even our friend here that is on his soapbox about pivot pin ratings would agree this is adequate to handle the round bales you mention.

 

[DavesTractor]

Look at a 3525 Mahindra. It is a 2wd utility tractor, a little bigger than the old 8N size tractor. It lifts 2500 lbs at the pivot pins, has power-steering and can be bought with a loader for under $15K. It is a very reliable, simple to work on tractor. It is a heavy enough 2wd that it performs well with a loader.

Even our friend here that is on his soapbox about pivot pin ratings would agree this is adequate to handle the round bales you mention.