Buying Advice How can a total noob buy a tractor?

[jimmyj]

Do a lot of searches here on TBN and also, if you will buy from a dealer talk to the locals about who is reputable. A good dealer is invaluable. The last thing you want to do is buy the wrong tractor for the job.

Make a list of:
-your budget
-what tasks you want to do right away
-what tasks you want to do 5 years from now
-what implements and accessories you will need to do those tasks

Then search those tasks and the price of all of the add-ons you will need. If you buy too small you will be bummed. If you want to grow hay, you will need a certain amount of PTO hp. Maybe buy Mohammed's book!

Have fun with it, it's exciting to get your first tractor. I could not afford one for years and years so I did a lot of research and am happy with what I got but if I did it again I would have gone up to about 50hp simply to get the larger loader lift. That said, I simply had to live within my budget so we all have that as our reality check.

Are there any pals or locals you can get to know to learn from?

 

[Gary Fowler]

I would think that size wise a 1920 with 4 wheel drive and FEL would handle anything you need on the horse farm with 25 acres to mow. I would look for one with the shuttle shift transmission (12 forward and 12 reverse) if you plan to use the FEL any at all. With that HP you could pull a 6 foot rotary cutter but since the 29 PTO HP is right on the line for accepted power to width of 5 hP per foot you may have to go slow in tall cover. It would still be small enough to maneuver in the barn for clean up.
Wow, I just looked at the prices listed for this model with FEL and I would think that for $12,000 or maybe just a tad more, you can buy a new 32 HP tractor with FEL. I just looks thru some buying /pricing sections here and in the LS section where a guy bought a new LS 3010 with FEL for $13288 and they have a 5 year warranty. The cheapest 1920 with FEL on Tractorhouse I saw was $9K for a '92 model. I would check out the new prices on tractors of like size and the financing offers before sinking 10K into a 15 year old tractor with 2000 hours.

 

[RPW]

Can't add alot but here's my 2 cents worth. By what you've described so far I'd recommend looking at a about 50+HP. That will give you the power you need for darn near any task you will need. 2wd or 4wd will depend on your ground. A lot has been said for each but you will have to decide. You might look at what your neigbors are using. Because of the amount of snow I'd be leaning toward a 4wd. HST or gear (any variety) is probably more of a persan preference. If you are doing a lot of loader work people will tell you HST is a must. I don't believe so. It depends more on the amount of time you can allocate for the task. Running a gear in the field while mowing etc. will probably be a better choice. For your operation a FEL is a must. Clearing manure, hauling hay etc. And don't skimp there get it when you purchase the tractor as it will be less expensive when purchase as opposed to purchasing it later. With the amount of acerage you've purchased if you plan on doing your own hay which is quite doable with a 50+HP tractor you "can" save money in the long run depending on the number of horses you have. Around here I've seen people pull 20+ large tight round bales (1600+lb coastal) off of 6 acres (2nd cutting). As far as new/used if you are purchasing from a dealer you should be ok with either. One thing to remember is a tractor will last 20 - 30 or more years with basic maintenance. People who have tractors with 3000, 5000, or even 10,000 hours will tell you that they are running just fine. Basic maintenance is the key. But if you are purchasing from an individual take someone knowledgable with you to spot the problem areas.

Decisions, decisions, decisions, you might find yourself buying more than one tractor. A smaller one for arena work and a larger one for field work. There isn't a single tractor that will do all tasks well. Each will perform certain tasks better than others.

Good luck.

 

[Jerry/MT]

hi all,

So, I want to buy a tractor, and am mostly interested in Ford 1920 and 1720s. The problem is, I don't have a clue what I am doing. I have little mechanical experience and don't even know how to drive or start a tractor.

Can anyone offer some advice on how to go about it?

First decide what you need the tractor to do. Then decide by soil conditions, loader use and slopes, whether you need a 2WD or a 4WD. (If you are going to need a loader, go to 4WD-stronger axle andbetter traction in mud with the bucket full.) Size the HP for the attachments you are going to use and then increase that by 25% for the inevtable growth in usage that you didn't think about when you bought it. make sure that you have at least two sets of remotes besides the loader. Then test drive your choices to make sure that you are confortable with whatever you buy. If you are buying used, make the sale contingent on a mechanical inspection by a local dealer's mechanic or someone you trust to give you a honest appraisal. Don't ignore this last point since you are a self admitted novice with machinery.

Good luck in your search

 

[Soundguy]

hi all,

So, I want to buy a tractor, and am mostly interested in Ford 1920 and 1720s. The problem is, I don't have a clue what I am doing. I have little mechanical experience and don't even know how to drive or start a tractor.

Can anyone offer some advice on how to go about it?

sine it will not be an insignificant investment ( you need impliments AND a tractor.. tractor alone is almost worthless )..

have you truly identified your tasks and the size you might need?

got any friends with tractors that could go with you when looking?

soundguy

 

[Borfly]

I actually just homed in on those models because the diversity is overwhelming and I needed to start somewhere as a frame of reference. The price of those tractors seems about right as I really can't spend over 10K. Plus they are cute.

Renting a tractor is a great idea- might look in to that. Also I'm going to stop by some dealers soon as those guys love to gab, usually.

We had a neighbor brush hog the property already for a very reasonable rate, so I probably would be doing maintenance brush-hogging on the pastures, which would be smaller. I'm not sure making hay is something I should realistically consider as a potential function of the tractor and myself, but if no neighbor is interested it might fall on me eventually. Definitely a fair amount of mowing ine the works for me either way.

Anyone know how many square bales you can get from 20 acres?

 

[jimmyj]

Anyone know how many square bales you can get from 20 acres?

It's kind of a moving target. Ask in your area as there are a fair number of variables.

Hay - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia\

http://www.haytalk.com/forums/f2/new-growing-hay-2314/

I suggest you search TBN too. Don't worry, you'll get it!!

 

[Reverend Blair]

Anyone know how many square bales you can get from 20 acres?

Er, what kind of hay? What kind of soil? How much moisture? How much sunshine? Big square bales or little square bales? Two cuts or just one?

My advice would be to talk to your local Ag agency and some people in your area. They should be able to give you some idea of what's normal where you live and how to increase your yield.

 

[CompactTractorFan]

everythingattachments.com

That's a good place to start, except now it's "the how too series": TheHowToSeries.com Home Page Here is a good video to start with: Tractor Basics :thumbsup:

 

[Borfly]

Er, what kind of hay? What kind of soil? How much moisture? How much sunshine? Big square bales or little square bales? Two cuts or just one?

My advice would be to talk to your local Ag agency and some people in your area. They should be able to give you some idea of what's normal where you live and how to increase your yield.

Just trolling for a ballpark figure- everyone on my road either has a dairy farm of makes hay, so I should be able to get an estimate from someone.