Buying Advice What tractor to buy for general utility work - <50 Acres??

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My first truck went over 200,000 before it needed a clutch, while my last track toy needed a clutch every third weekend. It depends on how you use. Luddites fear industrial change and specifically, technological change. If my intent was to call people pushing back against a CVT or HST transmission, small-minded, I would have selected a different word.

At any-rate, while possible, long intervals between clutch changes are not normative unless the machine is under-utililized in its capacity to work or sits around.

That said, it is easier to use a CVT or HST transmission.

No one was pushing back on alternative motion methods. It was you pushing back on geared machines and for the novice, an unfair assessment as it was coming from only your view point. Others thought to chime in as a result of your one sided argument which several here thought erroneous. . I do not agree with your statement that long clutch life is not the norm. I expect and what I've seen is a clutch to last the life of the tractor. Your statement is like saying all of your teeth will need to be pulled out of your head by the time your 70. May have been true in the 40's and 50's but like clutches, teeth should last the life of the owner.
The information here comes colored as a result of varied experiences. Your assessment was particularly so and obviously rather limited in scope. Your opinion is just that…yours; but you come across as the end all be all of information which can give false impressions to the people attempting to learn something here for their own sakes. You can say anything that has an engine is a "ticking time bomb". By the way, the word "Luddite" can certainly pertain to being a small minded individual resisting progress.. Either way, it was a definite slight dig to those thinking differently from you. Totally unnecessary and not necessarily truthful as well.

 

[doxford jim]

Let the OP decide what he wants - he only asked for types and sizes of tractors suited to his particular needs.

Regarding gear tractors - there is nothing wrong with them. The MF65 I sold had over 11,000 hours on it and the gears were just fine. I don't know if the transmission and/or clutch had ever been rebuilt, but it worked just fine.

My Jinma is a geared tractor and it works just fine (so far) and all I have had to do is check the clearances and make adjustments as needed.

I like the basic tractors where there are no computers, sensors, pressure switches etc. to screw you around and go wrong. I much prefer the old 1960's style set up where things could be easily checked and repaired. I use an OBD11 scanner/reader for trouble shooting my pickup and that is enough for me.

Since it is my preference to drive a geared tractor, it should not matter one iota to anyone else - likewise with the OP.

My only regret is not buying a tractor with a cab and heater/AC. Open station is fine for when you live in a temperate climate - not where I live. Unless I win the lottery, I will stick with the geared tractor - maybe build me a cab on it.
Me and the geared tractor get along just fine as I am sure many other owners do.

 

[Piston]

Hello all,

I have looked at the Mahindra and Kubota models, and there seem to be several that would fit the bill. For my use, I cannot justify a John Deere...

FYI,
If your considering Kubota, you may as well consider Deere. They're in the same league price and quality wise. I truly don't believe you are paying for the "name", as some may claim. However, if your a "spec sheet" kind of guy, you will typically get more for your money with other brands. I think the other brands have a lot to offer and get a lot of bang for your buck.

If you want a gear model, don't let anyone talk you out of it!

 

[AGRIMAN]

while my last track toy needed a clutch every third weekend.

That clutch problem is known as operator error.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

That clutch problem is known as operator error.

No, the clutch was a slipper style so that a guy could be going 100 mph, and smoothly shift from a tall gear to a shorter gear without over-revving the engine, and under heavy braking, the majority of the weight would shift the the front wheels, allowing the rear end to kick out, and under heavy gas slide right around the corner. Not always the fastest way around the corner, but too much fun. Trouble is that i went through at least a set of tires every day.

 

[AGRIMAN]

No, the clutch was a slipper style so that a guy could be going 100 mph, and smoothly shift from a tall gear to a shorter gear without over-revving the engine, and under heavy braking, the majority of the weight would shift the the front wheels, allowing the rear end to kick out, and under heavy gas slide right around the corner. Not always the fastest way around the corner, but too much fun. Trouble is that i went through at least a set of tires every day.

Ok, race track. Sounds like you must me drifting. You also know that when you are racing or just playing all bets are off, if not I would have issues with a lot of stuff.

I started using a custom clutch shop many years ago. I usually will upgrade to a button disc with Kevlar lining and heavier pressure plate. Once done, you pretty much bullet proof the clutch an often it's half the cost of standard clutch from the dealer.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

No one was pushing back on alternative motion methods. It was you pushing back on geared machines and for the novice, an unfair assessment as it was coming from only your view point. Others thought to chime in as a result of your one sided argument which several here thought erroneous. . I do not agree with your statement that long clutch life is not the norm. I expect and what I've seen is a clutch to last the life of the tractor. Your statement is like saying all of your teeth will need to be pulled out of your head by the time your 70. May have been true in the 40's and 50's but like clutches, teeth should last the life of the owner.
The information here comes colored as a result of varied experiences. Your assessment was particularly so and obviously rather limited in scope. Your opinion is just that…yours; but you come across as the end all be all of information which can give false impressions to the people attempting to learn something here for their own sakes. You can say anything that has an engine is a "ticking time bomb". By the way, the word "Luddite" can certainly pertain to being a small minded individual resisting progress.. Either way, it was a definite slight dig to those thinking differently from you. Totally unnecessary and not necessarily truthful as well.

Is a CVT or HST easier to operate than a gear or power shuttle?

Yes or no?

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Ok, race track. Sounds like you must me drifting. You also know that when you are racing or just playing all bets are off, if not I would have issues with a lot of stuff.

I started using a custom clutch shop many years ago. I usually will upgrade to a button disc with Kevlar lining and heavier pressure plate. Once done, you pretty much bullet proof the clutch an often it's half the cost of standard clutch from the dealer.

OT: Yes, my racing clutch in my last track toy is a different animal altogether, but it was the example I pulled to define the bottomed of clutch life. FWIW, the slipper clutches allow an engine that would over-rev a short gear and be blocked from shifting by the blocker ring because the gears never match speed, to make the gear change, and continue to slip the clutch until the engine speed matches gear's speed, and then lock all automatically with no driver input other than the gear change. Thus you can trail brake silly deep into the apex, counter-steering as you do, and be in the exact right gear to power on once the apex has been hit. The clutches tend to fry because they're slipping far more than a non-slipper clutch.

 

[paulfun9]

I prefer a gear trans and would have purchased a geared tractor if the wife didn't need to use the tractor to.

My backhoe is also a hydro and when one line sprung a leak that was all she wrote. Nothing worked at all and there it sat till I was able to pull it out with an other machine. If it had been a gear it would have been very easy to drive it back to the shop for repairs.

Looking at the cost of filters for the HST alone I figure replacing a clutch after many many years of service would be a wash dollar wise.

The added useable power attained with a gear drive compared to a HST could also be considered a big plus.

I have never had a problem getting into a pile of dirt and coming out with a full bucket with a HST or a Gear drive so when all else is considered it comes down to personal preference and if I was to buy a second tractor for just me to use it would certainly be a gear drive!

 

[MinnesotaEric]

I prefer a gear trans and would have purchased a geared tractor if the wife didn't need to use the tractor to.

My backhoe is also a hydro and when one line sprung a leak that was all she wrote. Nothing worked at all and there it sat till I was able to pull it out with an other machine. If it had been a gear it would have been very easy to drive it back to the shop for repairs.

Looking at the cost of filters for the HST alone I figure replacing a clutch after many many years of service would be a wash dollar wise.

The added useable power attained with a gear drive compared to a HST could also be considered a big plus.

I have never had a problem getting into a pile of dirt and coming out with a full bucket with a HST or a Gear drive so when all else is considered it comes down to personal preference and if I was to buy a second tractor for just me to use it would certainly be a gear drive!

FWIW, these days the HST, transmission, wet brakes, and hydraulics all share the same oil. In Kioti's NX series lineup, for example, the manual transmission versions takes more oil (presumably due to the larger transmission housing) than the HST versions, and both have the same oil change intervals and use the same expensive filter.