Buying Advice Tractor buying Advice. 3,4,5 family tractors. Help deciding what I need.

[ArlyA]

We are also pondering the 3 and 4 series tractors and not sure which might be the best for our needed. The 4's do have quite a bit more lift capacity (front and rear) while its footprint is only slightly larger. But the 4's do weight quite a bit more, I can't recall the difference, but might have been around 1500 lbs extra. Folks who do the same kind or trail work as we'll do say the 3 are better at that. Sorry I can't offer any smarts to thread this but I am interested to read the opinions.....

 

[iKloke]

I think the only thing you will have issues with, based on your needs, with the 3-series......is lifting the pallets.

I dont know how heavy the pallets of salt and concrete you plan to lift are.....but a typical full skid of whatever (retaining wall blocks, concrete, salt, sand, etc) is probably in the 3500# range.

I "thing" the larger 4 series would handle that on some QA forks and NOT clamp on forks......but I dont think the 3-series will even come close.

Everything else you describe, should have no issues with a 3-series

The three would life the tree pieces in the bucket ok? One thing you guys are teaching me is that I should plan a tractor for what I do day in and day out and on the one time things rent something big.

I can get McKoys to deliver the salt split up possibly. I will be buying pavers at some point, brick as well but those would be one time things. If the three would do the rest then I could consider it.

I really wish the 4 series was reliable or the 5 series would not tear up the yard. I would just buy a 5 and be done with it. Knowing I could lift anything needed.

 

[iKloke]

I think the only thing you will have issues with, based on your needs, with the 3-series......is lifting the pallets.

I dont know how heavy the pallets of salt and concrete you plan to lift are.....but a typical full skid of whatever (retaining wall blocks, concrete, salt, sand, etc) is probably in the 3500# range.

I "thing" the larger 4 series would handle that on some QA forks and NOT clamp on forks......but I dont think the 3-series will even come close.

Everything else you describe, should have no issues with a 3-series

Ok, I will do some research and see what I could split the pallets into for a 3 to be able to life it. I am also going to research 4 series or hope that some people with them speak up here.

 

[iKloke]

FWIW, the 3xxx and 4xxx series cab tractors are hst only. I would not expect either to lift full pallets of concrete or pavers, too much weight for these fels to handle. A half or 2/3 pallet is reasonable for the 4xxx. If you need to lift full pallets a larger 5xxx M is required.

I have a 4520 cab 2009 and have been very satisfied with it. Don't really know for a fact about the newer 4066R or other tier 4 models though.

Curious about your location? Are you in Lake Charles or La Comb? Hope the flooding subsides soon and best wishes with the recovery.

I am in Lake Charles and we were lucky here. My plant in Zachary not so much and I spent most of the week helping get that back up and volunteering time to those in need.

Had I had the tractor already, I would have had it up there helping people get things in and out of their houses. That is part of the reason I keep thinking bigger. I just want to make sure I have something big enough to help neighbors or community after a hurricane.

Clearing roads, clearing vehicles or things like that. I would hate to be in the deep of it only to break a tractor. That said I am seeing what people are saying about what do I really need it for typically and rent for speciality.

This goes against every piece of my Boy Scout upbringing of be prepared. In everything in life I buy to cover any situation and have always been happy with that.

It seems I might have to settle here as it has to be a mower as well. It will be a tractor as a secondary to a point but I need it to have power when it is.

 

[iKloke]

FWIW, the 3xxx and 4xxx series cab tractors are hst only. I would not expect either to lift full pallets of concrete or pavers, too much weight for these fels to handle. A half or 2/3 pallet is reasonable for the 4xxx. If you need to lift full pallets a larger 5xxx M is required.

I have a 4520 cab 2009 and have been very satisfied with it. Don't really know for a fact about the newer 4066R or other tier 4 models though.

Curious about your location? Are you in Lake Charles or La Comb? Hope the flooding subsides soon and best wishes with the recovery.

I really hope Incan figure out the 4 series issues. A high 4 series would be my best bet I am thinking.

I will post a simple post asking those with the new 4 series to speak up and hope for the best.

 

[iKloke]

I realize you have been focusing on the JD models, but the Kubota models in a simular size to the JD 4xxx series have been quite solid in their performance. My friend has an L4310hst with cab, it's about the size I would envision you in, and been very reliable. It's about 16 years old, he has about $15k in it, bought used about 7 years ago. About 1500 hours on it... handles pallets and logs for his saw mill easily, over 2k lbs.

Can save alot of money going used, and there's no emissions issues.

I have considered that over and over, even a used JD as well. My biggest issues have been financing as that is my only option and getting a good rate on something used and the fact that I am an IT specialist and not good with mechanics so I am worried about buying a unit that I do not know the real issues it might have.

With as few hours as I will use this though. I am thinking going with a 3 series might work and buying a used bigger tractor down the line for one offs.

 

[iKloke]

In my experience only, any one machine for all you ask of it is going to be a "compromise tractor". No tractor will do it all well, so prioritize. If you have the typical yard and house, ie. not a shrub, tree free yard with a square or rectangular house footprint. Unless you Roundup the heck out of your yard, with a 3,4 or 5 Series you are going to have places it simply won't go. We don't have anything in our yard and thanks to several thousand dollars spent on Pavestones our house no longer has nooks and crannies to mow; much easier to mow. We were lucky enough to start with a blank slate and designed our property with ease of maintenance in mind; could be done with 3 or 4 Series, but still not ideal.

You will just have to prioritize uses and get the one best suited for those tasks then get by with the others.

I can certainly identify with your situation, we have about ten tractors, but I can now only operate those with cabs. Our kids and grand kids now mow our yards with a BX2660, but if absolutely necessary I could do it with my 5740, but sure hope it never comes to that.

One of our neighbors has a 3520 with MMM and still needs a zero turn, another has a Kubota L3540 with MMM and still had to buy a zero turn.

Suggestion: Get every comfort feature available in your cab tractor, as you age you will be glad you did. Consider any short term or one time jobs and consider renting the right equipment, it's saved us a lot of money and fuel and allowed us to get by quite well with what we have.

I know I've not helped a lot on specifics, but that's because I can see no one tractor solution.

No, you actually helped me a great deal. I am thinking a 3 series decked out to the T's for comfort might be our best bet. Our house is a rectangle and our fence is perfectly in line with that. We are also going to be doing the paver thing to make life much easier as well.

I do have a nice Cub Cadet ZTR and we are keeping that to use for any tough areas too. I will have to settle I believe in a 3 series of the 4 series prove to be too bad off.

 

[iKloke]

We are also pondering the 3 and 4 series tractors and not sure which might be the best for our needed. The 4's do have quite a bit more lift capacity (front and rear) while its footprint is only slightly larger. But the 4's do weight quite a bit more, I can't recall the difference, but might have been around 1500 lbs extra. Folks who do the same kind or trail work as we'll do say the 3 are better at that. Sorry I can't offer any smarts to thread this but I am interested to read the opinions.....

I still value your input and I hope we can both get the answers we need. Something else mentioned Friday by a vendor is that the 3 or 4 series will bounce around a lot as they are light.

Though it will be a yard work tractor with an Air Ride seat so I so not see that being an issue.

 

[jenkinsph]

They are not cheap but you can get airconditioned mowers too. Just so you are aware of them. Most people would prefer a tractor for its flexible uses.

 

[iKloke]

They are not cheap but you can get airconditioned mowers too. Just so you are aware of them. Most people would prefer a tractor for its flexible uses.

That was actually my first option but then the realization of all I can do with a tractor so it was off the table. Thank you though for the help.