Bought a D40 Today

   / Bought a D40 Today #1  

AKtinman

New member
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
24
Location
At the Lake, MN
Tractor
John Deere X585
After much procrastination and many hours studying the posts on this forum, I bought a new D40 today. I looked at NH, JD, and Kubota, as well. The NH was about $1000 higher in cost, and I liked the layout and ergonomics of the D40 over the JD and Kubota. Getting a $300 credit off the top from Case because I am a Farm Bureau member didn't hurt, either!

Bought the 116 FEL, and a box blade, and the dealer included a hay spear. This is to replace my old 8N with Dearborn FEL. MAJOR step up! Or maybe I should say an EASY step up, as I will no longer have to climb on the tractor from the rear:)

I still have the attachments I used with the 8N, and now am wanting a rock bucket, but I will post my query about that item on the Attachments forum.

Delivery is for tomorrow afternoon. I probably won't sleep tonight;)

I have been mostly lurking for the past year and a half, and doing lots of learning. Thanks to all for the pleasant education!

Ron
 
   / Bought a D40 Today #2  
Boy are you going to have fun. I started with an 8N and a Wagner loader, then went to a Ford 4000 with FEL. I thought that was a gaint step. Then I got my NHTC40DA. It is a whole new world. Post pictures and report on your first few hours.
 
   / Bought a D40 Today #3  
Ron, I know you must be anxious to get your tractor. I pass Hendershot every day going/coming to/from work and I've noticed the rock bucket in the air on his lot. I have one I bought from McMaster with a grapple and I love it. You'll need filled rear tires and a good boxblade or similar for additional ballast. Those rock buckets are very heavy.
 
   / Bought a D40 Today
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Greg delivered the D40 about 2:30 today and spent about an hour with me, going over all the details of the tractor, the majority of which we had gone over previously on the lot. Very pleasant to do business with and very professional. I have nothing negative to say about the other 3 dealers (Blue, Green, Orange) in the area, this just worked out best for me.

After a quick review of the controls I took a drive around the place as a familiarity check. My first task was to move some stumps to the burn pile, then smooth out the backfilled trench from the well to the barn. I went slow to get the feel of the new rig, and it is an incredible step up from the 8N.

Jim, the rock bucket in the air at Hendershot weighs close to 700 lbs. It is the "Edge" brand, and is manufactured by Virnig. I called Virnig today and they gave me the names of some of their dealers, and I called the one in Weatherford, who will give me a quote on the SRV60-CT. Virnig said they retailed around $800. This bucket is 60 inches wide and weighs 330 lbs.

Specs on the Rhino boxblade list it as 477 lbs. I know I need more weight in the rear, but I am a bit undecided on how to do it. I've got some mesquites to clear (who doesn't:)) and I am concerned about fixing flat tires with some of the antifreeze, etc solutions. On the other hand, putting slime or something similar in the tires won't allow filling with weighty liquids. Maybe I am missing something here...

I've got enough projects going that the D40 is going to have to just get occasional use for the next month or so. Still, logged 2.5 hours today. I LIKE it!

Jim, I am not far from 101 and get up to the ice house on 287 at Sunset a couple of times a month or so for the "John Wayne" burger. Maybe I can buy you a cup of coffee or Dr. Pepper sometime.

Ron
 
   / Bought a D40 Today
  • Thread Starter
#5  
How about some pix:
 

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   / Bought a D40 Today
  • Thread Starter
#6  
I didn't get the canopy as the ROPS has to be folded to get into my barn. I will build my own canopy this spring. I figure on adding a tool box and making a grille guard. Also welding some hooks on the bucket. Rear remotes will be added as well.
 
   / Bought a D40 Today #7  
Good morning Ron.
Congrats on your new investment...she looks like a beauty. :)
 
   / Bought a D40 Today #8  
AKtinman said:
Jim, the rock bucket in the air at Hendershot weighs close to 700 lbs. It is the "Edge" brand, and is manufactured by Virnig. I called Virnig today and they gave me the names of some of their dealers, and I called the one in Weatherford, who will give me a quote on the SRV60-CT. Virnig said they retailed around $800. This bucket is 60 inches wide and weighs 330 lbs.

Specs on the Rhino boxblade list it as 477 lbs. I know I need more weight in the rear, but I am a bit undecided on how to do it. I've got some mesquites to clear (who doesn't:)) and I am concerned about fixing flat tires with some of the antifreeze, etc solutions. On the other hand, putting slime or something similar in the tires won't allow filling with weighty liquids. Maybe I am missing something here...

Jim, I am not far from 101 and get up to the ice house on 287 at Sunset a couple of times a month or so for the "John Wayne" burger. Maybe I can buy you a cup of coffee or Dr. Pepper sometime.

Ron, the pictures of your tractor next to that old 8N really tell a story. Your productivity with the loader is gonna "skyrocket" in no time. I have a another distant neighbor who bought a D40 about two years ago. I don't talk to him much, but I think I can see the smile on his face from a mile away while he is using it.;)

You aren't the person who bought my old industrial Ford 4000 with a loader are you? He worked for the railroad, and I can't remember his name...just checked his business card and his name was Ken, so it wasn't you.:)

Did you get the QA loader? I can't tell from the distant picture on the trailer. Also, if you decide to get a grapple for your brush, you will need at least one rear remote. If you want to operate one, just PM me and I'll give you my phone number and address so you can stop by and "play" with mine that I mounted on my rock bucket. The rock bucket does weigh about 500 lb and the QA adapter for it is another 100 lb. With my grapple, I'm up to around 750 lb. That's a lot for the 16LA on my NH and leaves me with only about 1200 lb of lift capacity. However, you can do a lot with that much. My rock bucket is a S-Houle brand, but I think they buy them from someone else because I've seen the identical rock bucket with another brand name on it. Mine was about $1500. If you can get the lighter Virnig for much less, it might be the best in the long run.

I understand why you don't want to load your rear tires, but I think the benefit far outweighs the alternative of not having the ballast. I operated my TC45D without ballast for over two years and it's a different tractor with the ballast; much more stable. I don't have hardly any mesquites, so your situation is different. I have some sealer that has "chunks" in it that I got from McMaster NH. It does a good job of sealing leaks, but I don't know how it would work with filled tires. Maybe someone at Decatur Tire or some other tire specific place that does a lot of farm tires might have some ideas for you. If you don't go with filled rears, I'd sure look at putting wheel weights on the rear before using the rock bucket much.

When you say you come up to the "Ice House," are you referring to the Texas Pickup down 287 toward Alvord? I know they have a John Wayne burger, but my favorite is their hickory burger. I also like the Hot Skillet down at the truckstop too. We frequent both of those restaurants and all the ones in Bowie too. I don't get down toward Chico or Bridgeport much though. I do go to Park Springs for every election.:p

Give me a PM and we'll get together for that cup of coffee sometime.:)
 
   / Bought a D40 Today #9  
Mornin Ron,
Very nice lookin machine !!! Almost dont want to get her dirty ;)

Good Luck with your new machine! :)
 
 
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