Buying Advice New to Tractors.. Advice on starter with FEL?

[DatacomGuy]

Looking to get my first tractor and looking for advice.

I have 5 acres, mostly wooded. I'm primarily looking for a front-end loader. I'm looking to spend ~5K and I know there are deals out there.

The question is - i'm not sure what to look for and stay away from, from a brand perspective, engine size, diesel vs gas, etc.

I'm primarily looking to use my FEL for carrying loads, moving dirt and minor grading at times, carrying heavy loads, moving firewood and trees, rock moving/removing, etc. Uses are endless. I dont have any implements I have my sights on for now, although i'm sure i'll pick some up eventually (bush hog probably, but not sure about any others).

Looking for some advice for a newbie.

Thanks!

 

[jeff9366]

Look for a tractor with at least 12" ground clearance.

Look for a tractor with a weight of at least 2,500 pounds, bare tractor.

You need weight mounted on rear Three Point Hitch to counterbalance all but modest loads on FEL. Bush Hog is reasonable counterbalance.

When you find likely used tractors, research on this site: TractorData.com - information on all makes and models of tractors


TWENTY NINE USED TRACTORS ON EBAY, NEAR ZIP CODE 30301: -garden -lawn -enclosure in Industrial Tractors | eBay

Tractor reliability is primarily a function of prudence and exerpience of the operator(s). With a multiple owner, $5,000 tractor it is unlikely the tractor has been operated and maintained with prudence nor experience through more than first and second owners.

Tractor mechanic time is $75/hour in rural north Florida, which is probably cheap in Atlanta.
Transportation for repairs additional.

Good luck.

 

[Tractorable]

Here man, saved you the effort. Stretch the budget a little bit, rent a trailer, drive up to North Carolina and buy this tractor. It's a John Deere 790 with 322 hours. Built by Yanmar in Japan it's pretty much bullet proof. TractorHouse.com | 26 JOHN DEERE 79 For Sale

The general consensus on this forum is that all manufacturers make good tractors these days so don't worry too much about the brand, at least initially. Your issue is going to be finding a good tractor with 4wd and loader for $5K.

With five acres you should be fine running five foot implements, maybe even 4ft implements. A bush hog usually takes about 5 PTO HP per foot to operate well.

 

[jeff9366]

TRACTORABLE YOU ARE THE MAN.

My first tractor was a Deere 750, predecessor to Deere 790 above. Deere 790 is a really nice DIESEL tractor.
FEL lift capacity ~~750 pounds~~
ONE OWNER.

TractorData.com John Deere 790 tractor information

 

[MESSMAKER]

I agree. Nice deal.

 

[Thomas]

Still lot of good used 2WD tractors to be purchase starting around 5K.

 

[bspeedy]

Here man, saved you the effort. Stretch the budget a little bit, rent a trailer, drive up to North Carolina and buy this tractor. It's a John Deere 790 with 322 hours. Built by Yanmar in Japan it's pretty much bullet proof. TractorHouse.com | 26 JOHN DEERE 79 For Sale

The general consensus on this forum is that all manufacturers make good tractors these days so don't worry too much about the brand, at least initially. Your issue is going to be finding a good tractor with 4wd and loader for $5K.

With five acres you should be fine running five foot implements, maybe even 4ft implements. A bush hog usually takes about 5 PTO HP per foot to operate well.

That is a DEAL!

Nice find.

I agree - the $5K tractor with 4wd and FEL is one you probably don't want to own. You'll have 9 or 10 grand in it when you should have just bought a good one.

 

[DatacomGuy]

Here man, saved you the effort. Stretch the budget a little bit, rent a trailer, drive up to North Carolina and buy this tractor. It's a John Deere 790 with 322 hours. Built by Yanmar in Japan it's pretty much bullet proof. TractorHouse.com | 26 JOHN DEERE 79 For Sale

The general consensus on this forum is that all manufacturers make good tractors these days so don't worry too much about the brand, at least initially. Your issue is going to be finding a good tractor with 4wd and loader for $5K.

With five acres you should be fine running five foot implements, maybe even 4ft implements. A bush hog usually takes about 5 PTO HP per foot to operate well.

Wow, nice find. This one is perfect and definitely worth a little over budget.

Thank you!

 

[DatacomGuy]

****.. Sold He said it sold same day it was listed and literally got hundreds of calls.

I need to find something similar