Buying Advice A tractor for 35 wooded acres

[deezler]

thanks for the BH input deezler. I get what you're saying and am pondering if that's a better route for me, but I'm leaning toward getting it because of the "buy once, cry once" principle. I know that every time I plop down $6-800 for rental and have to go and get it and then worry about getting it back in time.....well, there will be less anguish just buying it now. granted, less capable then a rented excavator. now....you want to see crying.....it'll be me if I buy the BH and still find I need to rent an excavator.

Haha. Yeah I am planning to push over some large trees and will be ripping out some big stumps - stuff a compact tractor backhoe would really struggle with. Almost wish I would have a larger excavator to do it more quickly and safely, but this is about all I can afford to rent. It's $660 + tax delivered Fri afternoon and picked up Monday morning. No rushing to return it, etc. They even stop by the gas station to top off the diesel at pump prices for ya.

 

[arrow]

Tractors get a lot smaller during the first few months of operation. The Bransons have a tighter turning radius than other tractors their size. I operate in tight quarters a lot and it's not been a problem for me. I've reached or exceeded the loader's capacity picking up logs with the grapple. CUT loaders can pick up more at ground level than at full height, and can often lift more than they can curl. I've carried logs back to my processing area with the grapple pointing down because it couldn't curl the log up. Of course I would not lift a heavy log to full height, that's begging for a rollover.

I think Branson one of the better choices but I just wish their dealer network was a little wider.

 

[southernboy]

Just my two cents. I am a do it myself type for the fun of it and doing it the way I want it. I recently had my woods game cut of huge gums and pines. The cutters did a great job but there is still lots of tops and stumps. As I said in my other post I am also looking for a new tractor. I was going to buy or rent a dedicated bobcat/dedicated backhoe. After a lot of research on popping stumps and my past experience using my tractor bucket to do the same I decided to hire a large excavator with operator. It was almost $1000 for a long day. He pulled at least 50 huge stumps, compressed a huge scag pile from the loading site, deepened two small ponds and moved a lot of tops. The stumps alone would of taken hours of backhoe digging on each. He pulled huge pine stumps at about 5 min each. Add the work done to the wear and tear on a compact tractor backhoe it is well worth the money to hire a good operator on a large machine. I was also amazed how tight of areas he got in to!

 

[tradosaurus]

I know people hate seeing old threads revived so apologies......I'm finally back to looking at tractors and re-read this one (and many, many newer ones) to help my decision and realized there is a ton of great information here provided by the good members of TBN. I think it's still relevant and useful, definitely to me and perhaps to others.

Interesting that I've basically picked up where I left off back in 2016/2017 and have it narrowed to basically the same tractors. My short list is still the Kioti CK3510H (the SE) and the LS XR3135. I've recently also added the TYM T474H and the Branson 3515H. Same two dealers for the Kioti and the LS....both seem good and have had their lines for quite a few years it seems. The Branson dealer is typical to what I see in this area, started with something else (car repair, small engines, lawn equipment, etc) and recently added tractors. No face to face yet but on the phone he seemed very helpful and knowledgeable. That means a lot to me. The TYM story is more complicated....I like the tractor specs and have seen generally positive things about it and especially the engine, but no nearby dealers and the guy with good price (almost too good) is farthest away and seems a little fly-by-night. I know, cross him off the list, but we're talking enough cheaper to make me consider it anyway. Plus I like the idea of giving a small guy a shot.......what can I say. Cooler heads (my wife) will probably prevail though and I'll end up forgoing the huge savings.

all the other tractors are within a few hundred of one another, which is to say cost isn't an issue between them really. The Kioti, LS and Branson are spec'd almost the same (same niceties for the most part, same power, Branson might have the slight edge on specs but loses a bit on dealer and name stability for me). The TYM is quite a bit more tractor but the dealer is farther away and one of these bigger equipment dealers, rather than an established mom and pop shop that I tend to favor. Also, I'm a little less sure of TYM even though they've been around for a long time. The dealer I spoke with did confirm that they'll do onsite (my site) warranty work for free, but if the tractor needs to go to the shop that's on me).

Same old story.....lots of threads like this. Just hoping something in my experience will help others as I've been helped. I'll try better to add to this as I go. If anyone wants to talk me into or outof any of the above, I'd love to hear those comments.

My list of tasks that are waiting for this tractor are:
brush clean up....LOTS of brush clean up.
moving logs...bucking, sawing
removal of invasives (those tree pullers have caught my eye)
pond edge clean up
water diversion
snow removal
gravel drive maintenance
maybe some tilling eventually
general loader work (gravel, mulch, etc)

I have 45 acres with 42 acres wooded. A heavy duty grapple (weight of grapple will reduce total lifting capacity), heavy duty rotary cutter, heavy duty box blade and about a 50 hp tractor might be you option and is what I have now. I started with a 33 hp and found that picking up downed trees (cut into sections) was a bit more than it could handle. Now I have a 54 hp with 1,000 lb more weight and 20 more pto hp. Also I would consider R1 tires running around in the woods.

 

[Williy]

I ordered a Yanmar YT235C TLB and I added the attachment to the
backhoe so I pick up brush, branches etc. a whole lot cheaper than
a grapple. I have a 1974 Ford pickup that I haul brush etc on our
property so will use backhoe to load pickup and then take and unload.
more work but saving around $5,000 and I get the exercise. Its a win
win situation for me!

willy

 

[ripHST]

It was almost $1000 for a long day. He pulled at least 50 huge stumps, compressed a huge scag pile from the loading site, deepened two small ponds and moved a lot of tops. The stumps alone would of taken hours of backhoe digging on each. He pulled huge pine stumps at about 5 min each. Add the work done to the wear and tear on a compact tractor backhoe it is well worth the money to hire a good operator on a large machine.

That sounds like a lot of work for a grand. I'd say money well spent.

I started with a 33 hp and found that picking up downed trees (cut into sections) was a bit more than it could handle. Now I have a 54 hp with 1,000 lb more weight and 20 more pto hp. Also I would consider R1 tires running around in the woods.

Tires is one of the big questions for me right now. I was thinking I'd go with R1s or the new R14s, but finding tractors without R4s around here is a challenge and the dealers are vague about whether they can switch them out within a reasonable amount of time and at the quoted price. I suspect it's going to be hard to get the R1s without ordering a tractor from the factory due to the different rims, and the lead time is probably too long on that from what I'm hearing. The Kioti has R14s on it now but the TYM and all others I've looked at had R4s. I really don't want tires to dictate what tractor I buy....but I have to admit I'm worried the R4s won't cut it in the woods on the slopes or if it gets too wet. I checked out the TYM yesterday and I'm leaning toward this over the Kioti....it's just more machine for the same money. Both dealers seem good, but the TYM is quite a bit farther from me.

 

[tradosaurus]

That sounds like a lot of work for a grand. I'd say money well spent.

Tires is one of the big questions for me right now. I was thinking I'd go with R1s or the new R14s, but finding tractors without R4s around here is a challenge and the dealers are vague about whether they can switch them out within a reasonable amount of time and at the quoted price. I suspect it's going to be hard to get the R1s without ordering a tractor from the factory due to the different rims, and the lead time is probably too long on that from what I'm hearing. The Kioti has R14s on it now but the TYM and all others I've looked at had R4s. I really don't want tires to dictate what tractor I buy....but I have to admit I'm worried the R4s won't cut it in the woods on the slopes or if it gets too wet. I checked out the TYM yesterday and I'm leaning toward this over the Kioti....it's just more machine for the same money. Both dealers seem good, but the TYM is quite a bit farther from me.

My dealer had the tractor I wanted on the lot but with R4's and I needed 3rd function, heavy duty bucket and rear remotes added.

Took about a month to have everything ordered and installed. I would think the R1 rims/tires should be easy to get.

 

[Williy]

Don't know if you have a Yanmar dealer near you but if you do
check this tractor out: Its kinda like a stick shift but its hydro.

YT3 Series | YANMAR Tractor

Explore YANMAR tractor models in the hardworking YT3 Series. Popular for 25 or more acres.

www.yanmartractor.com

willy
Of course I like Yanmar tractors as I haven't seen any better!

 

[ripHST]

My dealer had the tractor I wanted on the lot but with R4's and I needed 3rd function, heavy duty bucket and rear remotes added.

Took about a month to have everything ordered and installed. I would think the R1 rims/tires should be easy to get.

I've heard people on the forum say using R1s with heavy loader work can be a problem. Most of what I'll be doing is brush piles, but I do expect to pick up the occasional heavy log or rock.....would the R1s be a bad choice for uneven ground and loads like that? Any experience with that?

 

[ripHST]

Don't know if you have a Yanmar dealer near you but if you do
check this tractor out: Its kinda like a stick shift but its hydro.

YT3 Series | YANMAR Tractor

Explore YANMAR tractor models in the hardworking YT3 Series. Popular for 25 or more acres.

www.yanmartractor.com

willy
Of course I like Yanmar tractors as I haven't seen any better!

that's a beaut Willy, and that transmission seems really cool. but it's.....wait for it.....$22K more than the tractors I'm looking at! And roughly the same size as the TYM. Really cool though.