Roman Miller
New member
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2010
- Messages
- 2
I purchased a new McCormick CT28V tractor with an L102 Loader about six months ago, when I traded in my Ford 3600. Going from a 2 wheel drive to a 4 wheel drive has been delightful. The smaller McCormick is both a blessing and a curse! I miss the power of my other tractor, but I love the compact, small size that fits our little 19 acre farm much better.
Overall, I've been pleased with the purchase. However some engineering details on the tractor could be improved; some of the ruggedness and durability of my old Ford is not matched on the McCormick which has instead more frills and neat things. Four specific engineering things could easily be done to improve the tractor: (1) One of my early frustrations about the McCormick was its lack of a tool box! While that may appear to be a small thing, in my experience having a tractor without a tool box just isn't an option! My fix was to buy a small red tool box from Tractor Supply and bolt it to the top of the rear right fender where it fits nicely and is very convenient. (2) Another engineering frustration is the inability to fold down the rollover bar when I need to drive into my sheep barn to load manure. The only recourse is to totally remove the rollover bar when I'm hauling manure and then replace it. I've done that, but its a pain. (3) The brake set seems flimsy; thus far it holds the brake and tractor when I park it. But I worry that the somewhat flimsy bar that is supposed to lock the brake pedel will slip off. (The brakes themselves are great; much better than my Ford brakes!) (4) The single "joy-stick that controls the loader seemed a bit small and thin. The other day when pushing snow I managed to break it off. Obviously either I pushed the bar sideways too hard, or the bar was simply too fragile to hold up to consistent and repetitive use. (Maybe it was both.)
What I like is the ease of starting; the dependability thus far -- I have only about 125 hours on it. The tractor has a lot of pull for its small engine; the loader can lift a lot and if the back of the tractor is not weighed down, one has to be careful not to lift something heavy too high.
For me, the major selling points were that the dealer gave me a generous price for my old tractor (in the trade in) and then the balance due was 0% interest. That made the purchase less painful.
Prior to this purchase, I seriously considered a New Holland, Kaboda, and a MF as alternative choices. Would I buy this McCormick again? Probably so. I am disappointed that McCormick doesn't make a front-end blade that fits this loader. Having a front-end blade would make the job of pushing snow a lot easier.
I'd be very interested to hear the experiences of others who have opted to buy this tractor.
Overall, I've been pleased with the purchase. However some engineering details on the tractor could be improved; some of the ruggedness and durability of my old Ford is not matched on the McCormick which has instead more frills and neat things. Four specific engineering things could easily be done to improve the tractor: (1) One of my early frustrations about the McCormick was its lack of a tool box! While that may appear to be a small thing, in my experience having a tractor without a tool box just isn't an option! My fix was to buy a small red tool box from Tractor Supply and bolt it to the top of the rear right fender where it fits nicely and is very convenient. (2) Another engineering frustration is the inability to fold down the rollover bar when I need to drive into my sheep barn to load manure. The only recourse is to totally remove the rollover bar when I'm hauling manure and then replace it. I've done that, but its a pain. (3) The brake set seems flimsy; thus far it holds the brake and tractor when I park it. But I worry that the somewhat flimsy bar that is supposed to lock the brake pedel will slip off. (The brakes themselves are great; much better than my Ford brakes!) (4) The single "joy-stick that controls the loader seemed a bit small and thin. The other day when pushing snow I managed to break it off. Obviously either I pushed the bar sideways too hard, or the bar was simply too fragile to hold up to consistent and repetitive use. (Maybe it was both.)
What I like is the ease of starting; the dependability thus far -- I have only about 125 hours on it. The tractor has a lot of pull for its small engine; the loader can lift a lot and if the back of the tractor is not weighed down, one has to be careful not to lift something heavy too high.
For me, the major selling points were that the dealer gave me a generous price for my old tractor (in the trade in) and then the balance due was 0% interest. That made the purchase less painful.
Prior to this purchase, I seriously considered a New Holland, Kaboda, and a MF as alternative choices. Would I buy this McCormick again? Probably so. I am disappointed that McCormick doesn't make a front-end blade that fits this loader. Having a front-end blade would make the job of pushing snow a lot easier.
I'd be very interested to hear the experiences of others who have opted to buy this tractor.
