Specialized tractors big & small, what ya got?

[Volfandt]

Seems many here have more than one tractor and have outfitted these different machines for different tasks.
This is not meant to be a "my tractor is better than yours" endless debate, I'm more curious as to what folks have and how they use it.
Here's mine,
1) 2004 Kubota BX23 w/60" MMM. This is my primary estate machine which includes finish mowing 4 acres, all the material handling duties and digging when needed. This gets the most hrs which avg's about 100 per yr.

2) 1966 856 Wheel Horse 3 speed gear w/36" belly mower & snow plow. I've had this machine for over 22 yrs and it's about retired although it's still very servicable. I use it primarily to pull my trailers around and finish mow around the mailbox (where the BX won't fit). In the rare case of enough snow fall, it plows the drive way. I also use it to just joy ride around the property. The 856 avg's about 2 hrs a month.

3) 1966 876 Wheel Horse HST w/50" sicklebar mower. I use it to sickle mow a long bank along my front yard & road and around the pond. The bank's too steep for a std mower and it used to take a weedeater about an hr to keep it mowed down. The Sicklebar mower is just the thing and my back thanks me for it
I just aquired the 876 this past early spring and I switched the sicklebar mower to it from the 856 as I wanted to go slower than the 3 speed 856 would go when sicklemowing. The more I work it the more I need to wrench it but the engine and HST are sound so it's worth keeping it servicable. The 876 avg's about 3 - 4 hrs per month in season.

Since I don't need to do much in major upkeep now, just maintaining what I"ve already done w/an old Ferguson TE20 that I've since sold, it's surprising how little seat time I get even when considering I'm splitting it between 3 machines.

 

[Soundguy]

I also relegate specific tasks to specific machines.

I have a 1955 ford 850 and ford 660, both with ford 711/722 series 1 arm loaders. The 850 has a dirt bucket, and the 660 has maneur bucket. I primarilly use the 850 to move round bales of hay.. though do dig a little dirt from my stock pile when needed. The 660 is the maneur pile tender.

My primary mowing machine is a NH 7610s and it pulls a 15' jd 1517 batwing. I do have a backup mowing rig of a 1975 ford 5000 and a howse 10' mower.

Ford seed and fertalizer application my 1952 ford 8n takes over. Light and nimble..

Rest of my tractors are just shedded waiting for use.. or run in a parade or two...

Soundguy

 

[daTeacha]

An old Cadet 109(129 with the replacement engine) that hauls the spreader whether it's full of firewood or manure. It also cuts the rough areas of the property and mows the pasture when needed.

A JD 240 which mows the pretty area of the lawn when the JD Jx75 with bagger is not being used to cut the lawn for fodder for the sheep and donkey.

A Case DX 29 with FEL, grapple, short toothbar, long toothbar, back blade, bush hog, carryall/snowplow and front forks. Used to move logs for firewood cutting area, move dirt, clean barn, move brush, mow field edges, plow driveway, maintain driveway, construct sandstone block wall, direct trees being felled, move large hay bales, move pallets of whatever, and entertain the operator with discovering new ways to use it.

 

[RayCo]

I currently own 4 tractors, all small.

1. A 2007 BX24, about 36 hours old. My wife and I built a house on 4 acres in 2003, and since then, we've been getting NOTHING done outside. When we started pricing out what'd it cost to pay someone to do some of things we wanted, we realized that in addition to losing out on all the good that comes with doing something yourself, it'd also be totally not cost-effective! So, enter the BX24.

2. A 73 Wheel Horse D-180. I got that in April of 05 for free. A friend bought a house, and the previous owner left the tractor behind. It didn't run or anything, and my friend told me if I could get it out, I could have it. So, I got it, and this taught me about the wonderful world of 3 point hitches and things. I've used this tractor mostly to grade ground, carve trails in the woods, plow snow, and drag cut trees over to the burn area of my property. (WH enthusiasts will notice that 73 was the year of the 18 Auto, and the D series started in 74. I didn't know what model it was when I got it, and narrowed it down to being a D-180. I called it that for so long that when I figured out it was probably actually a 73 18 Auto, I was already in the habit of saying D-180. It has a Kohler K532 from a D-200, so maybe I should just call it a D-190.)

3. A 75 Wheel Horse D-200. These came standard with a rear PTO, so that is the main reason I got it. I got a good deal on it, and have been looking for a tiller for it ever since. I've yet to find one, but it doesn't really matter much now, since I'll eventually get one for the BX. This tractor will be on Ebay after I figure out why the starter immediately tries starting the tractor as soon as I connect the battery. Bad ignition switch, reckon.

4. A ~1990~ John Deere LX176. This tractor cuts the grass. I expect nothing more of it.

 

[MarkV]

For me it is a 98 Kubota B21, which rarely sees the backhoe these days, for general work. It is light enough and nimble enough to use on the finish lawn with the spreader, aerator, garden tilling and what little rotary mowing I do.

The heavier work is done with a 2005 Kubota L39. It handles any dirt work, tree removal and material handling needs we have. The L39 is almost more tractor than we need for 32 acres that break down as 5 in pond, 25 wooded and 2 being buildings and formal lawn. We do what maintenance is needed on a 70 acre tract and a 130 acre tract that my MIL owns so we keep the L39.

Finish mowing is done with a Cub Cadet ZTR and I’ll never consider finish mowing any other way again.

MarkV

 

[sandman2234]

Most of my work is done with my JD2555 such as box blade, bush hogging, etc. My Ford 7710 has a ditch mower on it, and it was purchased to clear my neighbors property in exchange for a small piece. It took months to get the tractor and by that time the deal was over. I had to tell them I couldn't do it with the JD so it ended. Parts of that property are so low and soft that driving over them in two wheel drive is out of the question. The ditch mower just reaches out and mows it and then you drive across the cleared property. Plus it is 4wd so that helps. It has also recently been used to pull tractor trailers out of the neighbors ditch when they try to cross it in the wet season. It doesn't have the 3pt lift arms so no point in taking the ditch mower off it.
David from jax

 

[ToadHill]

I retired the Massey 85 and Oliver cletrac.

Now I do most all the work with the Kioti DK35. The old 8N gets hooked up to the trailer to give the grandkids tractor rides through the woods.

 

[MossRoad]

My Power Trac PT425 does everything I need it to do.

All of the implements are mounted out front on the FEL arms where I can see them. I can change implements in 15 seconds without getting off the tractor. If it is a powered implement, it takes 30 seconds because I have to connect two hydraulic hoses. Think I'm exagerating? Just click on my little tractor signature and that will take you to my website. Then click on the video link and watch me change implements in 15 seconds. I highly recommend the machine and would buy another one in a heartbeat. I've owned it for five and a half years and still smile every time I operate it.

 

[D7E]

I'm a big believer in having too many tractors and leaving them set up for particular jobs .

Ford TW20 sprayer,corn planter
Ford 7600 grain-vac,auger,swather
JD 2030 finnish mower,ditch mower
MF 390 4x4 swathing,timber skidder/loader,snow blower
Fordson major log splitter
Steiger bearcat harrowing,scraper
Versatile 895 cultivating,discing
Versatile 876 cultivating,discing,seeding
Cat D7 clearing bush
case 580 backhoe general farm maintenance

 

[machmeter62]

I'm a big believer in having too many tractors and leaving them set up for particular jobs .

Ford TW20 sprayer,corn planter
Ford 7600 grain-vac,auger,swather
JD 2030 finnish mower,ditch mower
MF 390 4x4 swathing,timber skidder/loader,snow blower
Fordson major log splitter
Steiger bearcat harrowing,scraper
Versatile 895 cultivating,discing
Versatile 876 cultivating,discing,seeding
Cat D7 clearing bush
case 580 backhoe general farm maintenance

I believe in your philosophy also; otherwise I would be spending the majority of my time changing implements, or neglecting the job! I live in an area where too much is not enough, and enjoy the variety!!