The ideal tractor size?

[searcyfarms]

if you are even thinking in the back of your mind a skid steer might be a good fit, I can assure you no matter what tractor you buy you will be wanting the skid steer for those such occasions - I had a tractor w/out a loader for a long long time before I decided I would be better off with a SS - so I kept the tractor and use the skid steer for loader work. They don't reach up to the HIGH places like the old F11 Farmhand did on our Farmall is my only complaint but not many loaders now days do. I recently got another tractor with a loader on it and I removed the loader and sold it and kept my skid steer if that tells you anything. Study hard before you pull the trigger -

 

[ning]

As I find myself looking at tractor options, I find myself wishing a tractor existed with the following (rough) specs:

Frame size - That of a Kubota B series. That is, small(ish) and relatively agile.
Loader capacity - At least twice that of a B-series. Ideally about 2,000 lb at maximum height.
Weight - To safely handle this loader capacity, and other tasks, a bare tractor weight of ~4,000 lbs.
Width - Extra wide for stability. Wide tires for flotation would be nice as well.
HP - ~40-45

Am I the only one that feels this way? Probably, which likely explains why no tractors like this seem to exist

I was in this mindset early last year and that's why I ended up with a Branson (I didn't need 40-45hp, though it's available with the rest of your wishlist).

 

[4570Man]

That’s called a forklift. Small, heavy and strong. They also get stuck all the time off road. Or a skid steer.

 

[searcyfarms]

yea I love my skid steer for so many things, it will go places I could never go with my tractor and climb hills like a beast as well as go down them w/out turning over - I run metal bar tracks in winter and its virtually unstoppable - the only time I was ever stuck is when I pinned myself between two trees and couldn't assist my self out with my loader - they are pretty lame in mud w/out tracks and really the only tracks I would ever use are bar type otherwise I would have a track machine they are not very good in the deep mud

 

[mikester]

Loader capacity - At least twice that of a B-series. Ideally about 2,000 lb at maximum height.
Weight - To safely handle this loader capacity, and other tasks, a bare tractor weight of ~4,000 lbs.

Reality check time. You need roughly 3:1 tractor weight to lift capacity ratio if you ever intend to keep all four wheels on the ground and even attempt to drive around with that load without becoming an industrial accident.

Example: my M59 weights over 8,400 lbs with backhoe and can carry 2,000 lbs at full height no problem. If I try that lift with no backhoe\counterweight I will be on 2 wheels.

Too many guys on this forum have unrealistic expectations with CUT capabilities.

 

[searcyfarms]

amen to that mikester..........."Too many guys on this forum have unrealistic expectations with CUT capabilities"

specs are one thing, reality and pucker factor are fact

I laugh when I see guys on here gonna get a 15'batwing and put on a 75hp tractor that is running 60ish on pto Baaaah........shake my head REALLY, if you are going to mow 1mph yea maybe it will work for topping grazed pasture or live in flat Kansas prairie and mowing in august when everything is burned up and dead after grazing - you bring your tractor here and it will be over heated and you will be clutching it constantly with what I mow. The stuff I mow at 12" tall on the batwing height will put a 105HP PTO hp tractor on its knees and only mow about 2.2 mph with it, I moved to a 137HP PTO ( that is spec hp not sure what its really doing ) and it will mow at 3.5 ( which is as fast as I want to go ) and never have to worry about speed or clutching, overheating, etc.....

So lets talk about the 6footish RMM - unless you are doing the same pasture topping, I have a 6.5 foot/78" mower that you couldn't get me to put anything less than 65hp PTO on around here. For what I mow at 6inches in height, I can put my 560 farmall on its knees in 2nd gear at about 3.0mph at times and have to resort to the T/A about 2.5mph and my 560 runs a strong 65hp, probably more as its turning 2400rpm WOT/NLS 2200 at WOT/ULS so its running 706 pump specs ;-)

lifting anything is widely discretionary, angles/bumps/moving/shifting/transitions/length of tractor/width of tractor/soil - but waits theres more - driver/speed/solid vs liquid/shape of item being lifted/is it in the bucket or on forks or dangling from a chain. People don't realize there is so much to consider when you pick something up, let alone try to move it after that.

ive been around this stuff all my life and I would say id personally lean on the bigger side of what you are thinking when it comes to SCUT/CUT or bigger capabilities vs specs in terms of doing what you want with it with less frustration and fewer pucker moments

 

[Jchonline]

My advice is to list out your tasks first, then start looking at machines that might be able to accomplish them. Even if you dont share them here, it will be a huge benefit. Don稚 chase the specs.

Also, now is the time to get out and drive/demo these machines. You will quickly narrow choices.

Skid steer does seen like an option. A few others I have seen are a telehandler, or a Bobcat toolcat. You just have to look at your application and budget.

 

[mikester]

Skid steer does seen like an option. A few others I have seen are a telehandler, or a Bobcat toolcat. You just have to look at your application and budget.

I wouldn't call any kind of skidsteer "stable" unless pogo-stick is your idea of stability. Agile yes, stable no.

A machine designed to do a little bit of everything does nothing particularly well.

 

[Jchonline]

I wouldn't call any kind of skidsteer "stable" unless pogo-stick is your idea of stability. Agile yes, stable no.

A machine designed to do a little bit of everything does nothing particularly well.

Skid steer loaders are available in 2 options. Wheeled and Tracked. I do agree a wheeled skid steer lacks in stability. At least when I have operated them on inclines/declines or side hill environments (albeit very limited for demos) the tracked loaders are very stable.

I agree, study hard and get out todemo. It look me over 6 months to make a decision. It just isnt like buying a car/truck.

 

[searcyfarms]

interesting mikester..........I will say this I have had far fewer pucker moments in my SS over the years and way more on my tractor due to stability - a SS has a VERY low center of gravity and I have taken mine places I would NEVER even think of going on any of my tractors - not only that with 1000s of lbs of weight n my bucket or on forks at the time too - I can look at a hill/bank and say HECK NO for a tractor and say well better go get the SS.. Maybe your SS didn't have the right traction combination for the work ?

I would take that challenge any day of the week for stability in my SS vs a tractor on slopes/grades ive taken 1000s of lbs of logs right up a hill no tractor could even go up empty and backed up hills I couldn't get up with my tractor as well.

I could carry my 2210 that I sold on my forks up a hill with my SS if needed ;-)