New VS Old. Need help

[Bill Stocklin]

I've tried the search function and can't really seem to get the right search to help me.

I need a tractor for several things.
1. Maintaining a road that has a LOT of truck traffic. I'd like to be able to pull a Johnson Hygrade or something similar. I have a road maintainer attachment (works good, but hard to keep the ditches clean- hence the grader) and a box blade that I use.
2. run pto jobs. Mostly a firewood processor. Doesn't need big power for this. Hence one of the pluses of the newer tractor- the economy mode of the JD pto's. edit- thinking about it, I probably would keep using my little tractor I have now for this.
3. General loader work. I have cattle and need to be able to unload and store them under the hay shed (stacked bales) so I don't wanna have something that feels like it's going to fall over when I get something heavy up high.
4. we also keep some gravel and materials stock piled around our yard and need to load it up on trucks from time to time so a decent sized bucket would be nice. It's not like production work or it will do it all the time, but it would be nice. You know how it goes, once you have stuff with loaders, you wonder how you ever lived before
5. Shredding. I've got about 40 acres that I mow off and on, and occasionally do favors for neighbors mowing (I like doing it- it's relaxing for me). I also do basic field maintenance, aeration, spraying, stuff like that.
6. I would use it to move trailers and stuff around my yard quite a bit.

So here is my question- I really like the older tractors, like 4450 in MFWD w loader. I like how they look, I like how they sound, how they are simple and how a monkey can fix 90% of the problems. Parts are easily available and relatively cheap. I owned one in the past (2wd ps) and really liked it.

I do, however, understand that technology brings better things. Big power in smaller packages, efficiency, longevity, diagnostics, comfort.

I have chronic back problems and one of the reasons I need a different (read bigger and smoother) tractor. I also need something bigger to pull a larger grader and deal with double stacked bales.

I was looking at 6140 ish sized. they lift high, powerful, nice, buddy seat (that's right- I said it- I'm a softy). but I need advice

What do you all think would be better? Why? Which would do better at pulling a tough to pull grader (I cannot express enough how difficult this road is- it's private and the ditches fill with silt when it rains hard- farmer REFUSES to let me put a berm in his field and he TRASHES my ditches and road if I don't keep it up regular. I now clean it with a skid steer or back hoe).

Which would be more comfortable?

Just a better fit.

Sorry for long first real post.

 

[Bill Stocklin]

oh, and I'm big. I'm 6'6" and like 325. Need something easy to get into and comfy when you are running it.

 

[ksluy]

The old JD 4450 great tractor i think about 140hp. if you find a great deal you would be looking at about $30,000 and 3 to 10 thousand hours on it. Looking at your list it looks like you could get by with about 50 to 100 hp. My JD 5085e was about 50k new with lots extras. My brother just purchased a Kubota M7060 in the mid $40's plus they have some great financing on new tractors right now. The JD is heaver and may handle your bails with more ease. Both the Deere and Kubota have e 540 pto. I think the shorter Wheel base of the Kubota would be great for moving your trailers around. Good luck on your search.

 

[Bill Stocklin]

Ksluy, thanks for the reply. I would be fine with a tractor that size if it weren't for keeping the road up. The tractor I have now won't begin to pull my buddies Johnson Hygrade 1200 grader (I was going to get something like that, but 10') and it's 61 hp. I also need something that has AT LEAST 3 hydraulic outlets to run a grader like that, which pretty much mandates larger tractors. The 61 hp also wont run my 18' batwing in high grass or reach the trucks that I have (10' to the top of the sides- it wont even get close). I noticed on the JD website that the 6115 and up will lift to 12'8". Koyker website says that their loader for 4450ish tractor lifts to 14', so other brands should be similar. As far as moving the trailers around, I have plenty of room- my yard is pretty spread out.

I also was looking for advice on the ride quality of the older 4450 (and/or things I should be looking for or buy for it) vs the 6130/6140 style tractors.

 

[bigbull338]

for a 6140jd youll be looking at $85,000 to $90,000 with a loader new.as said the 4450s are $25,000 and more.

 

[mfreund]

I would go with the 4450 ish. More tractor for less money.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Be careful comparing newer to older tractors. Everyone advertises engine hp now which is pretty much a useless number but it's a selling point. If your main use is pulling a high draft implement, I'dlook very closely at the base weight of the tractors. Kubota's are a nice machine but they are to light. Take the additional weight purchase into consideration.

With the 6140, I'm assuming your talking a D series. Thus is a basic tractor. Aka mechanical seat, two outlets and with that a cheaper price. Make sure you check on adoing remotes anD an air suspension seat for your back. Also, JD usually has two loaders that will fit a tractor. On mine I had the option of a 553 or 563 model and I went with the bigger one. I cant get enough weight on the tires alone without my concrete counter weight.

 

[motownbrowne]

Maybe 2 tractors? A big 2wd (or 4 if you want to spend the cash) wouldn't need a loader, basically just to pull the grader and the bat wing. Something like a JD 4320 could do it, right? Then a 60 HP 4wd loader tractor for the rest of the list. Just a thought.

 

[Bill Stocklin]

Maybe 2 tractors? A big 2wd (or 4 if you want to spend the cash) wouldn't need a loader, basically just to pull the grader and the bat wing. Something like a JD 4320 could do it, right? Then a 60 HP 4wd loader tractor for the rest of the list. Just a thought.

The only problem is, I want it to be able to load over a 10' high bed side. I currently use a back hoe to load the trucks, problem is, the backhoe is usually out on jobs, so we can't use material we have at the yard, which would save a ton of money and travel time, since the trucks are already here in the morning.

I know what the tractors cost. What I'm asking is, what do you guys think is a better tractor and which is more comfortable? I figured the 4450 (I'm just picking that number as a reference- I'm not stuck on that tractor) would be much better at the pulling at 12,745 base weight vs 8700 for the 6140 (I'm not sold on that model either- just using it as a reference of the newer style tractors that will reach as high as I need them to). That's almost 50% more base weight- with more power- obviously going to be a better high draft machine.

 

[motownbrowne]

Good point. Forgot about the high loading.

One idea for some better answers, put something like "looking for full-size utility tractor, maybe JD 4450" in the title of a post.

Not many users on this forum have tractors in this size category. Certainly some, but not many. You need to find a way to get the few who have these big rigs to see your post. The rest of us won't be of much help determining which is more comfortable.