What tractor will do eveything I need well?

[ducks13]

Hi, I need some help deciding what tractors will fill my needs and what I particularly need to look for.

I have couple of acres that is heavily wooded with some open areas. I really want to have a continuing landscaping project and think I deserve a tractor with a loader. On my property there are some steep grades, 40 to 50% in places that I think I壇 like to be able to go up while using the box blade on turf tires. I may also want to use the tractor to move a 20 enclosed trailer that will weigh about 4,000 to 5,000 ibs using the 3 pt. Part of the path I will need to take the trailer up and down has about a 20% grade. I will be using the loader primarily for moving compost, mulch and dirt as well as lifting fallen trees and such.

I already have a JD 318 garden tractor with a 3 point on it. I have a 48 deck for it, a 48 King Kutter box blade, a 30 hydraulic tiller, a 48 aerator and a 10 cu. Ft. poly cart. Actually I have two 318 but one has a broken rod and I haven稚 found time to fix it yet.

I think I will need 4WD with diff lock to do this and I particularly want the tractor to have a ROPS for safty痴 sake. Ideally it would have two rear remotes so I could get a hydraulic cylinders for the top link and one of the side links on the 3 pt for use with a box blade. If I could easily just remove the loader and use those two SCV痴.

I may also want to use the tractor to move a 20 enclosed trailer that will weigh about 4,000 to 5,000 ibs using the 3 pt. Part of the path I will need to take the trailer down and up has about a 20% gravel grade. How big a tractor will I need (weight and 2 wheel of 4 wheel drive) to do this safely?

I壇 like to spend no more than about 10K on this unit. I have excellent mechanical repair skills so an older tractor would be OK. I am thinking that a 655 of 755 would work well and I致e also thought about a 2210. Any others that I should be looking for? What JD or other manufacturers units should I be looking for to accomplish the above?

Thanks for any input
John

 

[RoyJackson]

Towing that trailer (especally down a 20% grade) pretty much eliminates the 655, 755 or 2210. In fact, I'd suggest you tow that trailer with a pick up truck rather then tractor that has (for all intents and purposes) two brakes.

For the remainder of your tasks, I'd suggest a 790, 870 or 970. I also suggest you expand your search beyond just Deere. Not too many Deere CUTs for $10K or less, but you'd probably find an older Ford, Massey or something like that. Maybe even a Yanmar.
And, with the grades and slopes you describe, definitely 4WD with a ROPS as well as more grippy tires then turfs.

 

[AKfish]

John - IMO, I think you need to raise your sights a bit higher than either a 655 or a 755! Even with 4x4..

I have serious doubts about either tractor being able to safely manage a 4-5000lb trailer on a 20% grade! Sounds like a bad script for a scary movie!

If you want to stay with a Hydro tractor (older); I'd START looking at something close in size and Hp to - 4300 or 4400 with MFWD.

AKfish

 

[MikeInEburg]

Does the trailer have brakes? If so, you can configure a controller on the tractor and then get away with a smaller machine than would otherwise be recommended.
Mike

 

[Haoleguy]

John - I might suggest that you look at some of the Power Trac models( Versatile Tractors,Compact Tractors,Trailer Packages,Landscaping,Utility Vehicle Rentals,Mowers-Power Trac ) ..see subforum on this tractor producer. The other suggestion are some of the Italian tractors of which Deere sells rebadged Goldoni tractors....see the 20A under specialty tractors.....Gary

 

[jenkinsph]

John,

About the trailer issue, you would be far better off money wise to get a much smalller trailer, trailer are realatively cheap compared to a tractor big enough to handle the trailers you mentioned.

I agree with Roy about the tractors though I would keep my eyes open for a good deal regardless of brand.

 

[ducks13]

Thanks for the info. The trailer does have brakes so that should make going downhill easier. Would a 655, 755 etc have any trouble getting up it with the trailer?

Won't the hydro hold all four wheels back to provide braking?

Will my idea of using the loader controls to control the 3 pt links be practical?

Is there any good place to find the differences between the different JD models other than tractordata.com? I am having some difficulity determining what exact models I should be looking for.

Thanks again,
John

 

[JimRB]

I have seen trailers push trucks off the road in panic situations when the owner failed to properly maintain the trailer brakes. Jack-knifing also with no trailer brakes. A little 2,500 pound tractor with another few hundred pounds of loader to control a trailer going downhill with no trailer brakes? Never see me doing that as I want to live to see another day. You might also be dreaming about enough traction with a little, light tractor to pull that heavy long trailer up a steep hill. If the trailer has electric brakes then you need to wire up a controller on the tractor including a switch on your brake pedal. Your truck already (should have) has the brake controller.

 

[jenkinsph]

First you should use a drawbar to pull a trailer, not the TPH. If you want to pull this 4-5000 lb trailer up and down a steep grade get a 50 to 75hp utility tractor that is in good shape. For the steep grades you mention you will have the cart before the horse if you aren't careful.

That is why I suggested a smaller trailer. A 650 would be okay for a 1000 lb trailer on steeper grades and beyond that is dangerous.

 

[Gittyup]

You should look at the tongue weight capacities on the tractors you are considering. I think, there too, you'd be over the limit, depending on trailer load distribution. Even with brakes, I think you are asking for trouble to pull that big of a trailer with a small tractor down any kind of steep grade, and I doubt you'd have the traction to pull it up the hill either. Don't do it.

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

On my property there are some steep grades, 40 to 50% in places that I think I壇 like to be able to go up while using the box blade on turf tires.

Thanks for any input
John

You're thinking of going "UP" a 40% - 50% grade - with Turf Tires - pulling a Box Blade?

I think you need to rethink that one!

 

[jenkinsph]

You're thinking of going "UP" a 40% - 50% grade - with Turf Tires - pulling a Box Blade?

I think you need to rethink that one!

Seems a little optimistic doesn't it?

 

[ducks13]

Okay, I did some rethinking, thanks for the input.

I decided that all I really need the tractor to do with the trailer is turn it around on a tight radius and then if needed I can hook it back up to the tow vehicle. I do still have a question; I thought I've heard of even garden tractors being used to back boat down trailer ramps at marinas. Is this another case of my not knowing what I am talking about or does the going backwards make a difference or are boat ramps not that steep?

Secondily, I decided that I won't try to run the box blade up hill with turf tires :laughing: wishful thinking is all I can say. So, it seems like I need a 4WD tractor with diff lock and ag tires and I figured a 955 is all the tractor someone with like myself should really need.

Then today I found a 955 for sale for locally with a little under 2000 hours, a 70A loader but it doesn't have a pto shaft as shown in this picture.

Anyone have a good idea why it would be missing the shaft? I don't know that I really need the pto, but it would seem to make a big difference in what it is worth. They are asking $6k for it. Do you think it is worth that?

Can anyone tell me if it has a rear scv?

The tires look decent to me in the picture, am I correct?

Anything in particular I should be looking at or checking for?

Thanks for all the help, I really appreciate it.

 

[jenkinsph]

John,
I think I would pass on a tractor without the pto unless I got it dirt cheap.


Second is it really necessary to drag a trailer up and down the hill? I work lots of landscape jobs where the fell accomplishes the task of moving materials, debris and limbs.

 

[Gittyup]

If it doesn't have a rear PTO, then it has broken somewhere along the way and it's hard to tell what else might have happened in the tranny too. That price for a 955 is really really cheap. You'd probably be getting what you pay for. Will also be hard to sell without a PTO.

Right size tractor, but I don't that one is right. Look at 955's on tractorhouse.