What brand or model of tractor would recommend?

[Doc_Bob]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I am looking for 35-50 HP deisel 4WD with FEL.I have 49 acres of mountian land and plan to use it to haul mountian stone and firewood on fairly steep terrain.I will also use it haul topsoil as I landscape around my house.I would like to buy a machine a few years old with only a few hundred hours on it and spend between $10-15K.I have a friend who is a deisel mechanic and I am a welder with 25 years experience.I am not interested in bells and whistles.I want a utilitarian machine that I can fix with a shop manual.It would seem logical for it to be heavy and have a low center of gravity.I would appreciate any guidance on my 1st tractor purchase )</font>

NH
Bob

 

[Doc_Bob]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I am looking for 35-50 HP deisel 4WD with FEL.I have 49 acres of mountian land and plan to use it to haul mountian stone and firewood on fairly steep terrain.I will also use it haul topsoil as I landscape around my house.I would like to buy a machine a few years old with only a few hundred hours on it and spend between $10-15K.I have a friend who is a deisel mechanic and I am a welder with 25 years experience.I am not interested in bells and whistles.I want a utilitarian machine that I can fix with a shop manual.It would seem logical for it to be heavy and have a low center of gravity.I would appreciate any guidance on my 1st tractor purchase )</font>

NH
Bob

 

[texasjohn]

I think that most folks would say...get one just like mine..../forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

That said, I recommend:

Kubota, Hydrostatic transmission, 4wd, loaded tires, lots of weight on rear to counter loaded FEL.

Have your mechanic friend look at the tractor before you buy... am sure you would anyway...

 

[texasjohn]

I think that most folks would say...get one just like mine..../forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

That said, I recommend:

Kubota, Hydrostatic transmission, 4wd, loaded tires, lots of weight on rear to counter loaded FEL.

Have your mechanic friend look at the tractor before you buy... am sure you would anyway...

 

[N80]

For a newbie like me, all I can say is get one like mine because its all that I know. I have a Kubota L4400. That's 45hp and 4wd. With an FEL new it cost about $19,000. I realize this is over your budget (and it was over mine too). But if you can get a 0% financing deal you might end up saving money compared to borrowing against a home equity loan, etc to finance a used tractor. Plus you have the reassurance of a warranty which can be a real plus for a first time tractor buyer.

The main thing that people don't like about the L4400 is that it is a basic gear drive. No HST or glide shift. An HST might be good for mountains but my property is very hilly and I've had no problems with the basic gear drive. The tractor is very powerful.

The JD990 is very similar with a similar price.

 

[N80]

For a newbie like me, all I can say is get one like mine because its all that I know. I have a Kubota L4400. That's 45hp and 4wd. With an FEL new it cost about $19,000. I realize this is over your budget (and it was over mine too). But if you can get a 0% financing deal you might end up saving money compared to borrowing against a home equity loan, etc to finance a used tractor. Plus you have the reassurance of a warranty which can be a real plus for a first time tractor buyer.

The main thing that people don't like about the L4400 is that it is a basic gear drive. No HST or glide shift. An HST might be good for mountains but my property is very hilly and I've had no problems with the basic gear drive. The tractor is very powerful.

The JD990 is very similar with a similar price.

 

[bbse]

After owning glide shifts and gears, I am going to recommend something with a Hydrostatic transmission. If I had it to do again, that is what I would have got. One great thing about hydros, if you let off the pedal they stop. The other is infinite speed control which is great for stop/starting on hilly land, mowing, tilling, or loader work.

 

[bbse]

After owning glide shifts and gears, I am going to recommend something with a Hydrostatic transmission. If I had it to do again, that is what I would have got. One great thing about hydros, if you let off the pedal they stop. The other is infinite speed control which is great for stop/starting on hilly land, mowing, tilling, or loader work.

 

[IslandTractor]

PowerTrac 1430. If the terrain is really hilly then one of the specialty slope mowers from PowerTrac (which can be configured for many tasks other than mowing).

 

[IslandTractor]

PowerTrac 1430. If the terrain is really hilly then one of the specialty slope mowers from PowerTrac (which can be configured for many tasks other than mowing).