Farm girl needs tractor advice

[kmully]

I'm thinking maybe this would be a Jd 4310 (not 4130). In 2003 the only moniker close to what you typed would be a 4310(unless something much bigger like a sprayer or something). These are great compact tractors because I have one! I'd recommend you look at JD's I-match system or Pat's easy change to help hookup 3point rear implements. If it is a 4310, and it has the ehydrostatic transmission, you won't find anything easier to learn to drive. You can feel comfortable on it in ten minutes. There are many of us online with these. They hold their value quite well and have proven to be very durable with minimal problems. You can lower/fold the ROPS (rollover protection system) down to fit into a garage. Just don't ever forget to lower if you have to in order to fit it under the door.

I realized while I was looking that it couldn't be a 4130 too, I couldn't find one on the net. There is a 4120? A 4310 sounds just too big for me? A fold down ROPS would be great, though. The offer came from the owners son and I'm still waiting on a price. I think he said his father paid 47K for it new!

 

[gemini5362]

I will tell you about my experiences. I have a B6200 4 wheel drive kubota, I also have a 4940C montana with a cab. Sizes of tractors is kind of like sizes of kitchens. Some people cannot imagine a kitchen where you have to take more than three steps to do anything. Some people think that if you cant cook a 6 course meal while 20 or 30 of your closest friends hang out in the kitchen talking to you that you are space deprived. It is all a matter of taste. I love to pick on soundguy, ask him how many acres he mows with what size mower. I will give some advice that i think everyone on here will agree with. Do not get a tractor without a front end loader (FEL) My wife has never asked me which I love more her or the front end loader. I think she already knows. I had a tractor for 20 years without one then I got a new tractor with FEL and cannot imagine how I have lived without one in the past. Either get a tractor with a hydrostatic drive or a shuttle shift. Hydrostatic drives are nice I have been told but they do add dollars to the price of the tractor. Shuttle shifts will allow you to go forward or backward by just moving a shifting lever one direction or the other. That is a lot easier than having to shift to reverse then shift back to forward, it also allows you to back up in a higher gear. Both of my tractors are 4 wheel drive. If you are talking about moving around in snow I would think that would be a good option to have.


I could do most of what you said you wanted to do with my 15 horse b6200. I have used it for post holes. I had a deck on it which i just took off today. I bought a finishing mower and to be honest could not reccomend to anyone that they use a deck versus a finishing mower. A 4 foot finishing mower will mow just as good as a riding lawn mower and cost a lot less plus take up a lot less storage space and upkeep. The only thing I think I would have a problem with is moving large round bales. From what you are saying I agree with the 25 to 30 horse group. A cab would be nice but will add a few thousand to the price. Good luck with your search and let us know what you decide on

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I realized while I was looking that it couldn't be a 4130 too, I couldn't find one on the net. There is a 4120? A 4310 sounds just too big for me? A fold down ROPS would be great, though. The offer came from the owners son and I'm still waiting on a price. I think he said his father paid 47K for it new!

A 4310 is not very big after 10 minutes. They turn sharp. Will lift large round hay bales with a rear 3pt bale spear. Think of a riding mower on steroids. Roughly twice as big as a riding mower but 4 times as capable.

If they spent $47K, this would put them in the realm of a much larger tractor (or a very large cadre of accoutrement). Keep searching and researching. If you look at new, take notice of a dealership's labor price, cleanliness and in general if they seem like someplace you wouldn't mind doing business with....good luck

 

[40_acre_mule]

I have 40 acres, (hence my name), of which about 20 are fields, mowed with the rotary cutter (bushhog). I have several swampy (boggy to y'all up north, I reckon) areas. My tractor is light enough with the wide R4 tires and 4WD to move across the muck without sinking, but heavy enough to load the FEL with dirt and haul it around. I also have a two+ acre pond that needs spillway maintenance. My 3 acres of lawn, plus 3.5 miles of walking trails are maintained with the finishing mower. I do more wrenching on the attachments than on the tractor. I use the FEL constantly. I don't own a phd, but borrowed one on two occasions to put up the fence posts. Snow is only a rumor in these parts.
Here's some of my experiences. Perhaps you'll find useful info...
Bought a used Ford 4000 (20+ years) to start with. Worked pretty good for two years, except the skinny R1 ag tires with 2WD would break throug the crust on the swamp and bury the tractor right quick. Then it started having little problems. I'd spend two hours fixing the tractor before I could use it at least once a week. Mostly minor repairs, but aggravating, especially when I had to spend the day going to buy a new part and installing it. When I got the okay from the CFO, I went shopping. I started with a basic price range, ($18K) and then started looking at everything available for that price. I compared weights, horsepower, attachments, #of speeds (forward AND reverse) or other type of transmission (some don't really have specific gears [HST]). I got the Kubota, (about $21K) because I felt that it had the most horsepower for the money, but still was the right size for my needs. I've never wished I had a smaller tractor, but occasionally have desired a bigger one, (mostly when trying to move a lot of dirt).
Things I found I couldn't live without, but didn't know until I got the new tractor: 4 wheel drive (I highly recommend it), R4 tires (your needs may vary) rear hydraulic controls, power steering, comfortable seat.
As for attachments, I buy them as I can afford them, but mostly I buy with an eye to the future. I want stuff that will make my life easier when I'm old and feeble. The sickle bar mower was expensive, but I can cut along the edges of the pond with no trouble. Way better than a hand held gas trimmer. Along with attachments, I've had to add to my tool collection. I'm a tool fanatic, but here's two I use all the time: an impact wrench (mine's electric) and a torque wrench. They are easy to learn to use. Finishing mowers cut just like a lawn mower and eliminate an additional gas engine that must be maintained. However, the blades will need to be removed for sharpening. The FEL is great for lifting the mower to get at the bottom.
Safety: Since you say you are a tractor newbie, I highly recommend reading as much of the safety forum as you can. I learned a lot there. Don't let your tractor kill you. Plays **** on living your dream.
Good luck. The folks on this site are great. Don't hesitate to ask questions.

 

[mjncad]

Welcome to TBN, and you are getting a lot of good advice; so I'll throw in my 2-cents worth too. If you only have 2-acres of lawn to mow, get a lawn tractor. Now I don't know diddly about horses; but if you could find a used JD 455 with a loader and mid mount mower deck, that might take care of your lawn and stable mucking chores. The 455 is a small diesel powered tractor with a Category 0 3-point hitch. Not many attachments for a Cat. 0 hitch. The JD X-series replaced the 455.

Get a loader and 4wd. I use the loader the most of any attachment I own. Since it sounds like a cab is out of the question $$ wise, get a canopy to keep the sun off in summer. I can't help you on the hay portion of your tractor needs.

As others have said, go look at the tractors and see what you like. Also a good dealer relatively close by is important. It's also good if there are other dealers within a distance you feel comfortable with should the nearest dealer turn out to be a jerk. There is a Kioti dealer about 15-miles from me; but he is a schmuck in my opinion. The next nearest Kioti dealer is over a 100-miles away as I recall. That's not close. I have 4 Deere dealers within a 50-mile radius to choose from.

I've just purchased my dream farm. 50 acres of hay fields leased to a farmer to take off hay. The house and barn are on 4 acres, about 2 acres of lawn to mow, 100' of gravel drive in a very snowy drifty area.
I will want to:
put in a good size veggie garden Will you need a tiller? If so, tiller choices appear to become limited on the smaller tractors.
put in 5 paddocks about 2 acres each (post holes) 3-point hitch post hole diggers are a pain in the butt. Rent a hydraulically powered one on a skidsteer. Being able to reverse an auger is handy if it gets caught on a rock or something. You can't do that with a 3-point hitch digger.
work the area behind the barn (60'x200') into a riding arena, now gravel.
Move hay bales, manure other stable things.
My first priority is going to be snow removal/plowing, then other attachments as needed. Until you can afford a blower, the loader will remove snow. But it becomes problematic as to where to put it if you have lots to move. Make sure the tractor you buy can handle a blower.
I first thought of getting an large ATV because it would be fun after working all day. Now after reading this forum I think I will need a compact/subcompact tractor.
Any advice for my situation appreciated!

 

[rtdiggr]

Kmully congrats on your purchase, i am sure it is an exciting time for you. There has been alot of great advice given here already.
I don't think we live to far apart [i am in Welland] I have been to almost every dealer within 1 1/2 hours of me. If you want PM me and i can share some choices i have made and why, you are more then welcome to come for a visit to see and try my tractor and implements.
There are a couple of JD dealers in the area. Kubota, NH and of course Massey also.

Shane

 

[gemini5362]

I have 40 acres, (hence my name), of which about 20 are fields, mowed with the rotary cutter (bushhog). I have several swampy (boggy to y'all up north, I reckon) areas. My tractor is light enough with the wide R4 tires and 4WD to move across the muck without sinking, but heavy enough to load the FEL with dirt and haul it around. I also have a two+ acre pond that needs spillway maintenance. My 3 acres of lawn, plus 3.5 miles of walking trails are maintained with the finishing mower. I do more wrenching on the attachments than on the tractor. I use the FEL constantly. I don't own a phd, but borrowed one on two occasions to put up the fence posts. Snow is only a rumor in these parts.
Here's some of my experiences. Perhaps you'll find useful info...
Bought a used Ford 4000 (20+ years) to start with. Worked pretty good for two years, except the skinny R1 ag tires with 2WD would break throug the crust on the swamp and bury the tractor right quick. Then it started having little problems. I'd spend two hours fixing the tractor before I could use it at least once a week. Mostly minor repairs, but aggravating, especially when I had to spend the day going to buy a new part and installing it. When I got the okay from the CFO, I went shopping. I started with a basic price range, ($18K) and then started looking at everything available for that price. I compared weights, horsepower, attachments, #of speeds (forward AND reverse) or other type of transmission (some don't really have specific gears [HST]). I got the Kubota, (about $21K) because I felt that it had the most horsepower for the money, but still was the right size for my needs. I've never wished I had a smaller tractor, but occasionally have desired a bigger one, (mostly when trying to move a lot of dirt).
Things I found I couldn't live without, but didn't know until I got the new tractor: 4 wheel drive (I highly recommend it), R4 tires (your needs may vary) rear hydraulic controls, power steering, comfortable seat.
As for attachments, I buy them as I can afford them, but mostly I buy with an eye to the future. I want stuff that will make my life easier when I'm old and feeble. The sickle bar mower was expensive, but I can cut along the edges of the pond with no trouble. Way better than a hand held gas trimmer. Along with attachments, I've had to add to my tool collection. I'm a tool fanatic, but here's two I use all the time: an impact wrench (mine's electric) and a torque wrench. They are easy to learn to use. Finishing mowers cut just like a lawn mower and eliminate an additional gas engine that must be maintained. However, the blades will need to be removed for sharpening. The FEL is great for lifting the mower to get at the bottom.
Safety: Since you say you are a tractor newbie, I highly recommend reading as much of the safety forum as you can. I learned a lot there. Don't let your tractor kill you. Plays **** on living your dream.
Good luck. The folks on this site are great. Don't hesitate to ask questions.

This poster brings up a good point that we dont talk about very often on here and that is tools that you need for regular tractor maintenance. The assumption is that we all have a million dollars worth of hand/electric tools or that we shop at harbor freight and only have a few hundred thousand dollars worth. Either way there are some basic needs that you really need as a tractor owner. I am going to start here and then I think start a new post on this subject. I noticed that he said he had a electric torque wrench. I have one of those and I think they are Ok. I never use mine because I have a air impact wrench which I like better. I think my 2 cents worth here is going to be to recommend a good Air Compressor. The new style seems to be to go for a good oilless compressor. I have three of those and will never ever buy another one. They work good but if you forget and leave it on with something that will leak down and have it cycle quite a while you will be rebuilding that compressor pretty quickly ( I imagine you can guess how I know that) Depending on the compressor the parts can be cheap or expensive I have two 30 gallon 5 horse compressors. I buy my piston and rings from the same supply shop. One of them costs 15.00 for those parts the other one costs 50.00. Oilless ones are a bit more maintenance but have a lot longer life span.