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

   / Tractor buying Advice. 3,4,5 family tractors. Help deciding what I need.
  • Thread Starter
#52  
Ok great, I will do the largest 3 family of we go that way so we should be ok.
 
   / Tractor buying Advice. 3,4,5 family tractors. Help deciding what I need. #53  
So then I want the actual forks vs the ones on the buckets. Easy enough. Is The Fel easy to explain?

Yes, you want actual forks. Not sure what you mean by "is FEL easy to explain"? If you are asking what FEL means.....that Front End Loader

Also they suggested the middle PTO / deluxe package which adds a 3rd hydraulic if I was going with the MMM but so am not sure on needing it without.

I am thinking a pull behind would be more reliable but I am new to the MMM and it just seems flakey but that is with no knowledge of how they really work.

Something else added a 3rd hydraulic in back as well? I intended on reading up on it this weekend but maybe it's an easy thing to explain?

Trying to see what options I want it will want once I understand them. It sounds more and more like a 3 series will do it for me if I am smart.

A MMM is typically a better set up than a Rear finish mower (RFM). They are more maneuverable, follow the contour of the ground better, and typically will leave a better finished cut. And you dont have to constantly look behind you to make sure you arent swinging into things, or mowing off the wifes flowers. But MMM's are typically a bit more $$$ than a 3PH mower, and can be more challenging to hook up and take off. And if you choose to leave it on....that can be nice as you can have your mower on as well as something on the back and dont have to fool with it every week when you want to switch between mower and something else. BUT..... leaving it on may not be the best in the woods, as you loose ground clearance.

As to the 3rd remote. Rear hydraulics (remotes) can be used for a number of different accessories. Required.....no. Nice....yes. You can run a hydraulic toplink cylinder or sidelink cylinder (instead of threaded style you have to get off to adjust). You can run hydraulic scarifiers (rippers) on a box blade, hydraulic angle on a rear blade, or pull around some of the old farm equipment like disc's or tow behind bushhogs that have hydraulics for raising and lowering the transport wheels.

Most will advise to get at least 3 rear remotes. That way you can have both a top link and side link cylinders, as well as a spare for things like angle on the rear blade. Doing that gives you basically a fully hydraulic 6-way blade right at your fingertips without ever having to get off to amke a manual adjustment.
 
   / Tractor buying Advice. 3,4,5 family tractors. Help deciding what I need.
  • Thread Starter
#54  
Yes, you want actual forks. Not sure what you mean by "is FEL easy to explain"? If you are asking what FEL means.....that Front End Loader



A MMM is typically a better set up than a Rear finish mower (RFM). They are more maneuverable, follow the contour of the ground better, and typically will leave a better finished cut. And you dont have to constantly look behind you to make sure you arent swinging into things, or mowing off the wifes flowers. But MMM's are typically a bit more $$$ than a 3PH mower, and can be more challenging to hook up and take off. And if you choose to leave it on....that can be nice as you can have your mower on as well as something on the back and dont have to fool with it every week when you want to switch between mower and something else. BUT..... leaving it on may not be the best in the woods, as you loose ground clearance.

As to the 3rd remote. Rear hydraulics (remotes) can be used for a number of different accessories. Required.....no. Nice....yes. You can run a hydraulic toplink cylinder or sidelink cylinder (instead of threaded style you have to get off to adjust). You can run hydraulic scarifiers (rippers) on a box blade, hydraulic angle on a rear blade, or pull around some of the old farm equipment like disc's or tow behind bushhogs that have hydraulics for raising and lowering the transport wheels.

Most will advise to get at least 3 rear remotes. That way you can have both a top link and side link cylinders, as well as a spare for things like angle on the rear blade. Doing that gives you basically a fully hydraulic 6-way blade right at your fingertips without ever having to get off to amke a manual adjustment.

Man I am tired, the Fel should have been obvious. The MMM has the drive over system for quick on and off though I will rarely need to take it off as it will be used weekly and our land is mostly flat here.

I am truly appreciative to all of you that have answered. This will help make my decision much easier.

So far I am leaning towards this.

3049R
The nicer FEL
A set of forks
The MMM
The Deluxe Cab
The Mid PTO upgrade package, don't rem eve what it was called but added Mid Hydraulics and extra rear hydraulics.

Am I missing anything important?
 
   / Tractor buying Advice. 3,4,5 family tractors. Help deciding what I need. #55  
Just a suggestion, but maybe you should get some quotes on the different packages you are considering and go from there. Sounds like you want the best of everything, so get quotes for that. Costs may point you in a different direction than you think that you may want to go.
 
   / Tractor buying Advice. 3,4,5 family tractors. Help deciding what I need.
  • Thread Starter
#56  
Just a suggestion, but maybe you should get some quotes on the different packages you are considering and go from there. Sounds like you want the best of everything, so get quotes for that. Costs may point you in a different direction than you think that you may want to go.

Very true, I will do that. Yes, I am going to max it out so that I enjoy using it even as I age. I hope for a one time purchase.
 
   / Tractor buying Advice. 3,4,5 family tractors. Help deciding what I need. #57  
Our situation is very similar. We need something to help with trails and our guesstimation puts it all at around 60K in cost. The difference between the 3 and 4 series tractor cost is minor, but all the needed attachments adds up very quickly. The backhoe difference alone is $8000 or $10,000. Nonetheless, I may never see this tractor ever be replaced and same for many of its attachments. So if we save $15,000 going with the 3 series (I'm including attachments higher $) but find its not good at doing X job. Then we saved nothing. Its all a compromise!
 
   / Tractor buying Advice. 3,4,5 family tractors. Help deciding what I need.
  • Thread Starter
#58  
Our situation is very similar. We need something to help with trails and our guesstimation puts it all at around 60K in cost. The difference between the 3 and 4 series tractor cost is minor, but all the needed attachments adds up very quickly. The backhoe difference alone is $8000 or $10,000. Nonetheless, I may never see this tractor ever be replaced and same for many of its attachments. So if we save $15,000 going with the 3 series (I'm including attachments higher $) but find its not good at doing X job. Then we saved nothing. Its all a compromise!

Yes, exactly where I am. I hate spending money and regretting not just paying up front for what I need. In 30 years I will either be content or hate the way I went. I tend to show much longer than I am here.

I can put it off till next summer at this point but I doubt much will change in that time other than me going back and forth.
 
   / Tractor buying Advice. 3,4,5 family tractors. Help deciding what I need. #59  
Very true, I will do that. Yes, I am going to max it out so that I enjoy using it even as I age. I hope for a one time purchase.

I own several tractors, but for my last personal cabbed tractor I did the same thing, I printed off all the options and took it to the dealer and still missed a couple of things I had to add later.

Mine has:

Air ride seat.

3 Rear Remotes with hydraulic top and side links (TnT). I didn't get the float function on any, but recommend it on at least one.

Third function for grapple, tree puller etc.

SSQA (quick attach) for ease of switching between bucket, grapple etc.

Fluid Filled Tires and additional wheel weights (You won't need this)

Rear and Side Window Defogger.

Radio for Sons (aftermarket was much cheaper)

No need for mid PTO as I don't mow yards.

Make a list and others here can guide you, they sure helped me.
 
   / Tractor buying Advice. 3,4,5 family tractors. Help deciding what I need.
  • Thread Starter
#60  
I own several tractors, but for my last personal cabbed tractor I did the same thing, I printed off all the options and took it to the dealer and still missed a couple of things I had to add later.

Mine has:

Air ride seat.

3 Rear Remotes with hydraulic top and side links (TnT). I didn't get the float function on any, but recommend it on at least one.

Third function for grapple, tree puller etc.

SSQA (quick attach) for ease of switching between bucket, grapple etc.

Fluid Filled Tires and additional wheel weights (You won't need this)

Rear and Side Window Defogger.

Radio for Sons (aftermarket was much cheaper)

No need for mid PTO as I don't mow yards.

Make a list and others here can guide you, they sure helped me.

You guys have all been great. I will make a second post with a list or might do it here.

Also adding R4 tires on it.

What is a float function?

Tree puller, I will have to look into that. I also need to find how a stump grinder works etc as I will have about 80 pines total to drop if we clear it.

No one has mentioned a defogger as an option. Is that a factory option or added after? We Fog up here constantly in our vehicles.
 
 
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