CharlesPNW
New member
I have been researching my first tractor purchase at TBN a few months. I also have spent the last few weeks going to dealers, some 90 miles away, driving different tractors to get a feel for what I like and dislike. Since the list of work keeps getting longer on the 7 acre I recently moved to, and I did not want to rush into such a big purchase decision, I decided to rent a tractor for a few days to get some real seat time without a big commitment. FYI - I rented a JD3320 with 300CX FEL and 448 BH from my local True Value Hardware.
Man, what a blast! One of my big hobbies is landscaping. I like minimizing turf grass, and I like a few larger boulders more than a lot of smaller wall-rock type material for walls, terracing, seating and general aesthetics. At previous property could unload basalt boulders up to 700 lbs out of pickup and slide, roll and tip into position. However, the process was very slow, and I was limited to only a few boulders at a time due to small truck and usually just me, although neighbor did help once with a 1200 lb 3x4 slab I used as a patio landing. With the tractor, I was able to move larger boulders around the property that before I would have just said oh well, too big. The tractor could not lift some of them, but was easily able to push and drag to where I needed them.
With the 4x4 I could go anywhere, but that also meant I could get into lots of trouble. I found my front wheels jammed in between some rocks that I could not always see. I had my wheels turned all the way to one side, but with the angle and load, the rear wheels just pulled straight back, and I thought I was going to break something (I was reminded of the trips to Moab, UT, riding in my friends 4x4 rock climbers, and seeing how easy it was to break axles). I also found myself sitting on one fender to keep from tipping on more than one occasion, and luckily recalled a few posts I read on TBN on how to quickly recover from said endeavor. I have lots of overgrown woodland, lots of hills and even more rocks.
I learned I have more to think about in my eventual tractor purchase than what size HP to get. I recall some of the tractors I had looked at had exposed steering elements. At the time I thought no big deal. Now, after dropping into rocks all the time, I like having everything behind guards and shields. It might quickly narrow my list down a bit, but I like well engineered stuff. I also learned, for my needs, I need heavy not light. The canopy was great for falling stuff not hitting me. I do not like the FEL joystick placed where it blocks my movement around the deck. What else do you recommend taking into consideration that maybe you never thought of and have since learned? Thanks in advance to all that reply
Man, what a blast! One of my big hobbies is landscaping. I like minimizing turf grass, and I like a few larger boulders more than a lot of smaller wall-rock type material for walls, terracing, seating and general aesthetics. At previous property could unload basalt boulders up to 700 lbs out of pickup and slide, roll and tip into position. However, the process was very slow, and I was limited to only a few boulders at a time due to small truck and usually just me, although neighbor did help once with a 1200 lb 3x4 slab I used as a patio landing. With the tractor, I was able to move larger boulders around the property that before I would have just said oh well, too big. The tractor could not lift some of them, but was easily able to push and drag to where I needed them.
With the 4x4 I could go anywhere, but that also meant I could get into lots of trouble. I found my front wheels jammed in between some rocks that I could not always see. I had my wheels turned all the way to one side, but with the angle and load, the rear wheels just pulled straight back, and I thought I was going to break something (I was reminded of the trips to Moab, UT, riding in my friends 4x4 rock climbers, and seeing how easy it was to break axles). I also found myself sitting on one fender to keep from tipping on more than one occasion, and luckily recalled a few posts I read on TBN on how to quickly recover from said endeavor. I have lots of overgrown woodland, lots of hills and even more rocks.
I learned I have more to think about in my eventual tractor purchase than what size HP to get. I recall some of the tractors I had looked at had exposed steering elements. At the time I thought no big deal. Now, after dropping into rocks all the time, I like having everything behind guards and shields. It might quickly narrow my list down a bit, but I like well engineered stuff. I also learned, for my needs, I need heavy not light. The canopy was great for falling stuff not hitting me. I do not like the FEL joystick placed where it blocks my movement around the deck. What else do you recommend taking into consideration that maybe you never thought of and have since learned? Thanks in advance to all that reply
It sounds as if you are getting well prepared before you purchase. The renting sounds like a great idea. Trying different sized tractors would benefit as well. Finding the size that meets your needs is always important. 
