Hello from the midwest. New land owner Ima need a tractor.

[Gravet]

Recently moved into a wooded plot with 4 acres of woods and about an acre of grass. My wife has given me the go ahead to hunt down a tractor that will suit our needs which are as follows:

Need to cut trails in the woods and maintain trails with a brush hog. Maintain our long gravel driveway. Till a small garden. Move rock and soil (loader to come later). Plow our driveway. Pull stumps.

I'm new to the tractor world but like to think I have a mechanical mind (like to work on cars, gokarts, anything that moves), so I'm working to figure out what size tractor I will need. I'm thinking a compact tractor will suit my needs with it's ability to squeeze through the woods. I'm also wanting 4wd. My budget is low at $3000-$4000 (tractor only). I like the positive things I hear about Yanmar compacts, so I'm focusing on them and research other brands as I come across them in my search.

I feel like a Yanmar 2020D would really suit my needs but I've found a 1510D for a decent price and in good shape. Would a 1510D handle my needs? Any thoughts or advise is greatly appreciated. Any other tractors I should really hunt for?

Cliffs:
$3000-$4000
Compact
4wd
parts easily found
loader in the future
brush hog
grading

 

[arlen4720]

Is that 3,000-4,000 or 30,000-40,000?

 

[jeff9366]

Need to cut trails in the woods and maintain trails with a brush hog. Maintain our long (??) gravel driveway. Till a small garden. Move rock and soil (loader to come later). Plow our driveway. (??) Pull stumps.

I'm working to figure out what size tractor I will need. I'm thinking a compact tractor will suit my needs with it's ability to squeeze through the woods. I'm also wanting 4wd. My budget is low at $3000-$4000 (tractor only). I like the positive things I hear about Yanmar compacts, so I'm focusing on them and research other brands as I come across them in my search.

I feel like a Yanmar 2020D would really suit my needs but I've found a 1510D for a decent price and in good shape.

Would a 1510D handle my needs?

A Yanmar 1510D has only 20-hp and 1,400 pounds weight. Really, a large lawn/garden tractor. Not enough power nor weight for the tasks you have listed.

The Yanmar 2020D is a little more tractor: 23.5-hp AND 2491 pounds.

I learned how to operate on a John Deere/Yanmar 750, which is almost the same Yanmar 2020D but painted Deere green. This is better, but still on the low end of power and weight and therefore capability, especially for rocky Indiana soil and Indiana mud. Bear in mind that the rated horsepower is new, and your budget is for a high hour tractor that may only have 75% of the horsepower it had new.

A Yanmar 2020D will be able to pull a 48" bush hog but only at fairly slow speed and would be limited to cutting pasture; not enough power for saplings/berries/vines.

You could pull a 12" single bottom plow; for a garden that may be enough. ( Plow would turn soil 5"-6" deep.)

Not much detail on your driveway. A Land Plane would be the implement of choice for a LONG gravel driveway but the 2020D would NOT have enough horsepower to pull one effectively. A 60" rear/angle blade or heavy landscape rake would be the alternatives but tractor power marginal.

Pulling stumps would be OUT.

I advise you that the single most useful accessory on a compact tractor is the Front End Loader. I would shop for a tractor with FEL. It will save your back every day. Adding an FEL to an old tractor is impracticable.

I think you need to look for a tractor with a Category 1 three point hitch, with at least 30-hp TODAY, 4-WD and a FEL.
( New, $18,000 - $22,000)

Almost all implements are made in Category 1. I believe the Yanmar 2020D is Category 0 and implements are limited in Category 0. (The Deere/Yanmar 750 was definitely Cat 0.)


CATEGORY 1 THREE POINT HITCH LINK:

http://www.tractordata.com/articles/technical/threepoint.html

 

[jeff9366]

Is that 3,000-4,000 or 30,000-40,000?

Do you consider this post HELPFUL?

 

[Gravet]

Is that 3,000-4,000 or 30,000-40,000?

$3000 - $4000

A Yanmar 1510D has only 20-hp and 1,400 pounds weight. Really, a large lawn/garden tractor. Not enough power nor weight for the tasks you have listed.

The Yanmar 2020D is a little more tractor: 23.5-hp AND 2491 pounds.

I learned how to operate on a John Deere/Yanmar 750, which is almost the same Yanmar 2020D but painted Deere green. This is a little better, but absolutely on the low end of power and weight and therefore capability, especially for rocky Indiana soil and mud. Bear in mind that the rated horsepower is new, and your budget is for a high hour tractor that may only have 75% of the horsepower it had new.

A Yanmar 2020D will be able to pull a 48" bush hog but only at fairly slow speed and would be limited to cutting pasture; not enough power for saplings/berries/vines. You could pull a 12" single bottom plow; for a garden that may be enough.

Not much detail on your driveway. A Land Plane would be the implement of choice for a LONG gravel driveway but the 2020D would likely NOT have enough horsepower to pull one effectively. A 60" rear/angle blade or heavy landscape rake would be the alternatives but tractor power marginal. Pulling stumps would be OUT.

I advise you that the single most useful accessory on a compact tractor is the FEL. I would make that purchase first, as part of any tractor deal. It will save your back every day.

I think you really need to look for a tractor with a Category 1 three point hitch, with at least 30-hp TODAY, 4-WD and a FEL.

Almost all implements are made in Category 1. I believe the Yanmar 2020D is Category 0 and implements are limited in Category 0. (The Deere 750 was definitely Cat 0.)


CATEGORY 1 THREE POINT HITCH LINK:

TractorData.com - Three-Point Hitch

This is the exact information i needed. It would be very easy to go out and grab the tractor that fit my budget without researching and then find out it doesn't fit my needs. It sounds like I need to loosen up the wallet a tad and continue my research for a bit more power and a category 1 three point hitch. The driveway is an 1/8 mile gravel with a gradual slope. I would love to find a good enough deal that would include the FEL. As I said, I'm going to loosen things up and see what I can find.

Thanks for being patient with me.

 

[waycoolmarine]

not to be the bearer of bad news , but the wallet needs to open a lot, you should be looking around 10,000 for a compact 4x4 with loader and 3 point,or be very handi/mechanical if you stick with 1 of the big 3 life will have less headaches-in my opinion

 

[murphy1244]

not to be the bearer of bad news , but the wallet needs to open a lot, you should be looking around 10,000 for a compact 4x4 with loader and 3 point,or be very handi/mechanical if you stick with 1 of the big 3 life will have less headaches-in my opinion

And Broke. What are the big three?

 

[wolftree]

Gravet,

Two important online sites you will want to look at and use in your search.

"www.tractordata.com" for specifications and data on used tractors. Do not take their information as gosphel. There are mistakes and information left out, but it is a handy guide.

"www.tractorhouse.com" This is a listing of used tractors from dealers across America. There are search functions as well.

 

[jeff9366]

November - February is normally when tractor prices are at their lowest.

Spring is when tractor prices are at their highest.

Check back. I am sure you will receive another dozen opinions.