Picking a first tractor

/ Picking a first tractor #1  

Smf834

Bronze Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2021
Messages
59
Location
SW WA
Tractor
L2501
I know it gets asked here alot, but every property has different needs/concerns, so here it goes.

we live in 5+ ac in a wooded property, lots of holly trees need to go, with lots of blackbery bushes, short volunteer brushes around the taller trees. We live in pac nw. I am considering either a sub compact like the Massey gc1715 (about 1700 lbs), or should i stick with a heavier kubota L3410, but about 5-6k more.
 
/ Picking a first tractor #2  
So many good options, but MFWD and a front loader are absolute musts(in my opinion). HST is also worth every penny in situations such as yours, but depending on local deals can be over-riden by other factors if a glide shift or shuttle shift is on the table. For 3410 money, there are similar sized tractors with 4 cylinders that I would suggest will hold their value better over the long term. Finally, err on the side of larger - always :)

Good hunting
 
/ Picking a first tractor #3  
I know it gets asked here alot, but every property has different needs/concerns, so here it goes.

we live in 5+ ac in a wooded property, lots of holly trees need to go, with lots of blackbery bushes, short volunteer brushes around the taller trees. We live in pac nw. I am considering either a sub compact like the Massey gc1715 (about 1700 lbs), or should i stick with a heavier kubota L3410, but about 5-6k more.
You need to provide more information about what you plan to do with this tractor.
 
/ Picking a first tractor #4  
Yes, your tasks you're expected to perform, move dirt or move heavy objects, manipulate driveways or mowing/haying, snow removal or not? And geography, hills or flat country. All counts for what tractor will suit you best.
 
/ Picking a first tractor #5  
I suspect you won't need a very large tractor. Determine whether lawn mowing will be one of the tasks required of it. Some tractors support front PTO and belly mower but others do not. Whatever you get you should probably stay below 25 horsepower. Above that you'll have a computer and a diesel particulate filter. I have a preference for staying simple.
 
/ Picking a first tractor
  • Thread Starter
#6  
You need to provide more information about what you plan to do with this tractor.
As a future tractor owner, honestly i don’t know what i can do with simply a fel on a tractor. I want to be able to clear a grove of holly, clear blackberry, level an uneven field after clearing, and spread gravel occasionally. My property right now is mostly forested and uneven, a slight downhill slope. Soft mud after rain.
 
/ Picking a first tractor
  • Thread Starter
#7  
I have come across a

1)Massey gc1715 (sub-compact) almost brand new for 11k, or a

2) older 800 hr L3410 for about 15k or

3)a more beatup L2600f w/o fel for 7k,

4) old Ford 1700 low hrs for $7k.

Didn’t know if i should look for specific weight/hp class? Is it better to have a newer model with less hp or an older one with more hp/more weight?
 
/ Picking a first tractor #8  
I'm going to suggest you go to You tube and do a search . Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words or post . Type in removing bushes with a small tractor . Same with Spreading gravel or dirt .

If it looks like you can get your requirements with a smaller tractor than go that route. If not research some larger units .

All I can say is a tractor can save a thousand hours of labor and a hurt back :)
 
/ Picking a first tractor #9  
Following thread will help your decide between a subcompact or compact tractor.

Most here would consider three acres about the max size property for a subcompact, but a subcompact may work for you if the ground is smooth and you have plenty of time. All subcompact and the <2,000 pound bare weight compact tractors have a mid-PTO as standard equipment, in addition to the always standard rear PTO associated with the Three Point Hitch.
If you do not intend to power a mid-mount-mower (MMM), which requires a mid-PTO, opt for more tractor weight. A mid-PTO can be an encumbrance doing demanding tractor work.

 
/ Picking a first tractor #10  

If the Ford is 4-WD rather than 2-WD, and if the Ford has a Loader, and if you can do the maintenance on a forty (40) year old tractor yourself, this would be an economy choice. 2,600 pounds bare weight is good for five acres. The rear wheel width is adjustable from 43" to 59" so the tractor will be quite stable for its weight if the wheels/tires are adjusted wide. Shibaura Japanese tractors are well regarded by T-B-N contributors. Parts should be reasonably available via web suppliers. (This tractor likely has a mid-PTO.) Twenty-five horsepower is just sufficient to spin a light duty 60" Rotary Cutter via rear PTO for cutting dry grass. I doubt the Ford powering a 60" Rotary Cutter would cut Pacific NW Himmalyan Blackberries, except, possibly, very slowly, backing into the Blackberries with the Top Link short.



Ford 1700 Dimensions​



Dimensions
2WD Wheelbase:60.2 inches
152 cm
4WD Wheelbase:59.3 inches
150 cm
Length:110.6 inches
280 cm
Width:54.7 inches
138 cm
2WD Weight:2444 lbs
1108 kg
4WD Weight:2633 lbs
1194 kg
2WD Ground clearance:14.4 inches
36 cm
4WD Ground clearance:12.6 inches
32 cm
2WD Front tread:43.5 to 57.5 inches
110 to 146 cm
4WD Front tread:44.5 inches
113 cm
Rear tread:43.3 to 58.7 inches
109 to 149 cm
Ford 1700 tractor photo
1979 - 1982
Hundred Compact Series
Compact Utility tractor
Shibaura built
 
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/ Picking a first tractor #11  
Front end loader is like a pickup truck. Once you have had one, you can't image life without it. A lot of good advice here already. I would suggest to buy a tractor with FEL. Adding one later can be a pain depending on the machine you buy. If you have a CAT 1 three point hitch, with 540 PTO, and an FEL, you have the basics to do a lot of things. You are then limited by only the weight, horsepower and size of the machine.
 
/ Picking a first tractor #12  
I’d rather have a BX tractor with a loader vs a 50 hp tractor without a loader. A tractor without a loader is made to pull things and in the absence of things to pull it’s not good for much.
 
/ Picking a first tractor
  • Thread Starter
#13  
The ford is 4x4, with fel, about 400 hrs. I will need to learn on how to wrench an old diesel.
 

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/ Picking a first tractor #14  
Sitting at my desk, the Ford appears to be in excellent condition for $7,000.

You will need to learn hydraulic repairs long before you need an engine repair.


For working over the blackberries with destruction the goal, consider a Ratchet Rake bucket attachment to tear Blackberries down in manageable segments, then mow prostrate vines. Spray inevitable sprouts with Gordon's (brand) "Brush Killer" from Tractor Supply Company (TSC).



 
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/ Picking a first tractor #15  
4) old Ford 1700 low hrs for $7k.

A nearly identical Ford 1700 with a loader sold for $3000 two days ago near me. Granted, prices are regional and it was a good deal, but I would highly suggest you drive a tractor with a hydrostat (old or new) before spending over 5k on an older geared tractor for a 5 acre property. I'd wager you'll be going forward and back more than some might realize - especially after you figure out how incredibly handy loaders are! Price-wise, you might find that Ford 1520/1620 are about as good as it gets in the HST department before entering the JD 4300(compact series) and above price realm.
 
/ Picking a first tractor #16  
Going forward and back on a geared tractor is hard for some people, but not so much for others. HST has drawbacks, too. Price, power loss and noise all come to mind. Great advice to try out the tractors in which you are interested. If you can drive a manual transmission car, you may be more comfortable with a gear drive. If you have bad feet/legs you may want the HST.
 
/ Picking a first tractor #17  
Going forward and back on a geared tractor is hard for some people, but not so much for others. HST has drawbacks, too. Price, power loss and noise all come to mind. Great advice to try out the tractors in which you are interested. If you can drive a manual transmission car, you may be more comfortable with a gear drive. If you have bad feet/legs you may want the HST.
I wouldn't say a gear tractor is hard to use at all, in fact, my personal preference tends to be JD's power shift / Kubota's glideshift etc for most of the "farm work" I do. Wet clutch is the only option, since I'd rather not be splitting tractors every two thousand or so hours.

For 5 acres though, there's really no comparison in work efficiency between HST and old gear transmissions. Getting things accomplished in close quarters is just so much quicker and easier. The Kubota 3710 and Ford 1620 I use never lack for power or display any transmission noise whatsoever. I should have had the wife video me on the 1620 the day I pulled our neighbor's Deere 5302 down the county road and up his fairly steep hill after his clutch went out around our corner - it was enough to convert my die-hard old school Deere son to an HST "appreciater" :)

The real decision for the OP should be treadle pedal or two pedals, ha!
 
/ Picking a first tractor #18  
First question is why would you want to get rid of the holly? It takes many years for holly to be come mature enough for harvesting. I'd be asking around the local garden stores to see if they needed a supplier for holly. And when you say "volunteer brushes," I'm assuming you meant volunteer plants/seedlings. And these could be viewed as an asset depending on your local soil conditions and how easy these are to dig up and pot for sale or transplant.

As CBF stated, we need much more info, about your property and your intended use, in order to give you relevant opinions.

Also, I'll have to assume you are storing the tractor inside or under cover of some sort. A bigger tractor will of course require a bigger space.

Even without any more info, I think the Massey 1715 - a good little estate lawn mower tractor, horse stall cleaner - would not be your best choice for a 5+ acre wood lot. How mature are your trees? Do you heat with wood? Are you considering using a chipper in the future? Do you ever have to plow snow, groom your driveway, or pull cars out of ditches? And how established are these blackberries you want to get rid of?

When i first got my property, it was over run with blackberries, 6 feet high in some places, and no way of knowing what was at ground level. For clearing those areas, i just rented a small bulldozer for three days.

Hold this, as just opinion: But there are stages to a property. Particularly if it is raw land or if it is neglected land. First stage, you are going to need some big guns to get the job done. Rent these big guns. Then, there is a middle stage that you will want to make relatively small changes to your property. A 14-25 HP tractor, with FEL, and Box Scraper works well in this stage for making patios, and paths and moving materials.
Then, there is, after everything is established, a maintenance stage. The mid-sized tractor 14-25 HP will still work, yet it will be slightly cumbersome if you need more precise landscaping work.

So later, we just bought a garden/lawn tractor to do that work, mostly mowing, while still keeping the 14 HP Compact Tractor to deal with the odd heavy lifting, such as pulling cars out of ditches, clearing snow, hauling firewood, or dragging out the occasional fallen, mature tree.

If I had any advice, I'd say get a tractor with a wide stance. Even though you say you have just a slight down slope. First few years, had mine on three wheels, more than i want to say, till I learned to respect how the machine worked on even small slopes. And your ROPS is only as good as when you are wearing your seat belt. :)
 
/ Picking a first tractor #19  

Ford 1700 Transmission​



Ford 1700 tractor photo
1979 - 1982
Hundred Compact Series
Compact Utility tractor
Shibaura built
1600
Series:150017001900
1710
Transmission
Gears:12 forward and 4 reverse
Oil capacity:23 qts
21.8 L
Three speeds, plus reverse, in four ranges.
 
/ Picking a first tractor
  • Thread Starter
#20  
Appreciate all the advice above. I am trying to rent a 25hp kubota to see if it can handle what i need before investing in a 35+ compact tractor.
 

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