Buying Advice Is it possible to go too big?

[JWR]

I "took the scenic route" to this point in my life of being in my early thirties with two young kids and fleeing to the country. Shithead until my early twenties, military, out and used my GI bill, found myself back in a CA that seemed greatly different than what I knew as a starry eyed kid, bought a CA home to do significant renovations on, had a couple kids, sold home and made a mint, moved 3000 miles to 58 acres in NC.

I don't know about tractors in your life but the move sure was a good decision ! The kiddie seat is a very bad idea for many reasons. First VERY few machines have those available, even new, so it unreasonably limits your choices and costs you dearly in too many ways. Second, during the "ride with Daddy years" your lap is the best tool and just do it while NOT doing work. If you must do it for longer periods then use some other vehicle like a motorized utility cart whose name I can't recall and am too lazy to look up. Posts 9 and 10 above are both good advice. There are 1000 variables here and starting into it slow will pay dividends. Trade up to larger if and when you need to, learn as you go, etc. Take the long view -- you don't have to do it all at once.

 

[alexpops]

You might want to check out LS in the 50-60 HP range (unless you plan on doing real farming at some point -- in which case the actual farmers on here have better advice). You get a lot of tractor for the money & you have one of the largest dealers in the country near you If I remember correctly. He sells TYMs as well if that's more your flavor. I was in a similar position to you about 6 years ago. Bought in Florida to "move back to America" after 30+ years in CA. The Auction Market isn't anywhere near as attractive as it was a few years ago, but you can still find value if you take your time & research what's available/coming to auction in the near future -- I've bought all my equipment at auction, but I worked as a car & truck mechanic as a kid, so I understand the older systems better than the computer controlled stuff. The money you save gives you more for implements that make the platform (tractor) more useful. I've pushed my XR 4150 beyond its limits (safety and loader), but it's basically been flawless for my needs (cleaning up storm debris after hurricanes, transporting heavy items, fencing, light woods cleanup) once I figured out its capabilities & gives me ideas for more projects. I was lucky, in that I got the LS with warranty transferred (never had to use) & the machine only had ~160 hours on it when I bought it. At the same time, it won't "Do everything", so I wound up getting the CAT mini-ex for the work I couldn't do with the LS. (ps the CAT and LS together cost me about what the LS would have cost me new from a dealer at the time, so the money saved allowed me to get a trailer, flail mower, pallet forks, grapple, & Auger as well as an extra bucket & thumb for the CAT & the third function kit for the grapple on the LS -- with the warranty set to expire this month -- Deplorable diesel hydraulic pump is next item on the list) I don't mow as much as you, so the ZT was picked up due to better maneuverability around trees in the yard & less weight near the house. R1's & R4's chew up lawns & I wouldn't want turfs in the woods or near my pond doing any real work since the shore mud "moves" depending on rainfall. Recognize that you will need LOTS of storage space for the tractor, its implements AND maintenance work & plan accordingly. The shed I bought the property with is fine for riding mowers, but wont take the Tractor, so a barn/metal building is next big project & the current housing options for the tractor/mini-ex are those portable "garage in a box" contraptions that will keep things out of the weather, but have no room to actually work on any of the equipment. I'm guessing you already have a barn if the land was farmed before, but if not ... that is something else to consider in the decision. Finally, given that virtually EVERYTHING comes from China/Asia these days, don't expect parts availability for warranty repairs to be quick until the current mess clears (if that's why you are looking at NEW).

 

[PaultheMaleNurse]

I don't know about tractors in your life but the move sure was a good decision ! The kiddie seat is a very bad idea for many reasons. First VERY few machines have those available, even new, so it unreasonably limits your choices and costs you dearly in too many ways. Second, during the "ride with Daddy years" your lap is the best tool and just do it while NOT doing work. If you must do it for longer periods then use some other vehicle like a motorized utility cart whose name I can't recall and am too lazy to look up. Posts 9 and 10 above are both good advice. There are 1000 variables here and starting into it slow will pay dividends. Trade up to larger if and when you need to, learn as you go, etc. Take the long view -- you don't have to do it all at once.

The reason behind wanting the buddy seat, and I wasn't clear enough in my first post which was my bad, is not that I want them there for work. That is daddy time.

Some may say I'm TOO safety minded by this but I don't really want them in it EVER, unless they have their own seat with a seat belt. No seatbelt and seat then no joyrides when they are little and no learning to operate it when they get older. I know people did things different in the past (or still) with sitting on a fender, lap, or dad instructing while standing on the 3 point, but I just have very little interest in that risk. Again, trauma ER and ICU nurse and I've read numerous times on this very forum about how dangerous these machines and farm work is. I might consider instruction on a smaller machine when I'm standing off and beside like in a video Tractor Mike put out but even that is not my favorite idea if I could be up in the jump seat instructing instead.


Not in reply to you JWR; we plan to purchase a 4 seater side by side right along with the tractor to move the family around the property. I do have my eye on the diesel kubota rtv right now.

 

[Smily0]

I moved from TX to Central TN 3.5 years ago and bought 43 acres. We do have much more hills than you describe, but, nothing crazy here like I see within a few miles in any direction of me. I ultimately bought a L6060 cab, and have been really happy. The dealer almost talked me into the M7060 for about the same price, which would have been bigger/heavier/more powerful, but overall I'm glad I stuck with the L6060. It fits in my garage bay without modification (biggest reason), and the HST+ is great for precise work. Power wise it has done everything I've asked it to do so far, with the biggest implements being a 8' 3 point brush hog (in my profile picture), and a 7' tiller. I also have a nice tree chipper, box blade, drag harrow, and others. So far, I've only ever wished the loader had a little more capacity. I can unload ~1800 with ballast on the back, but that means I often have to slide a few bags of feed off a pallet. I really wish it could haul a full ton, but not so much I'm willing to upgrade. I love having the cab to help with allergies and heat when brush hogging. I was on the fence on cab/open station, and I'm pretty sure I would have regretted the open station had I not bought the cab.

One thing I wish I had done differently with implements is bought a larger batwing brush hog. I've been looking hard at the Rhino AG TS12 or possibly 2150 (just barely enough HP for this one), but I need to validate some dimensions. Tractor Time with Tim has run them on much smaller JDs, but the PTO/Drawbar on the Kubota was an issue, so I need to check mine first before ordering. Check out his channel to get an idea of just how much can be done with a SCUT or CUT.

My younger kids come along with me brush hogging (again, most of it is flat or shallow hills) from time to time, but they have to stand in the cab. I'm too big for them to really sit in my lap, though they do sit with my wife sometimes. I'm not so concerned with them having a full cab being with me (they are 5 and twins are 7), and I won't take it anywhere that could even be considered a rollover risk. I leave those areas for when I'm alone.

 

[Jac65]

Try to think about what you will be doing on a daily/weekly basis with your tractor. you mentioned building a road. that is a big job, but a one time deal. Once it is in, you just need to maintain it. You don't need to buy a tractor big enough to do everything, you can rent or hire out some of the big earthmoving and other jobs and be done with them. I have a 30 hp that does everything a bigger tractor does just slower and smaller. I can move dirt, gravel, trees, mow, plow etc but I have 60" implements not 96". It meet my needs, fits my barn, and budget. Good luck.

P.s. I have a lot of trees an my property and the ROPS is a pain working around them, if you are working in the wood a cab will be a nightmare and expensive to repair. Unless you live on the machine, open station is my advice for a new owner. Better situational awareness on an open too.

 

[Spartanguy]

Welcome to the East Coast. I had a similar question many years ago, purchased 56 acres along a river in SC - South Carolina, about 20+ acres kudzu covered and the rest had been clearcut years earlier but was coming back to wooded. I had a mess that I could not even drive a tractor through it. I decided on a 85 HP Kubota M series and it has been a great machine. Strong enough to plow my 20+ acres and to push/cut trails through the wooded sections. I finally hired someone to bring a dozer in to clear the kudzu and the stumps and logs under it, piled it up and I burned up most of it, that really made the difference for me. I also sprayed the kudzu when it came back from the dozer work with something Clemson created and it took care of the kudzu. Plowed and seeded everything and now I have great fields, nice wooded acres, about to build my retirement house on the hill. I went with the cab and I am really glad I did, heated and cooled when I need it, you do have to be careful in the trails. I did ride my 2 sons as they were getting old enough (they are grown now), but really just enough to teach them how to use the tractor. If I was really working the tractor then I was by myself. For storage I put up a 80' by 50' building with 20' extensions on both ends, so 120' wide to hold the tractor and all the toys. This was mostly a place for my sons to grow up; hunting, fishing, camping out on the river, riding dirt bikes (even getting good enough to run a few races) and ATVs with their friends - priceless.

 

[Bullwinkle123]

For me, the last thing I would want is any kids, pets, or even adults near the tractor when it's operating. It also takes practice to achieve "situational awareness" when you're sporting tons of equipment stretched out in front of, and behind you, by potentially long distances. (My 6' brush cutter extents about 9' back from where I'm sitting, the back of the cutter makes wide turns). There is zero forgiveness when you accidentially misjudge how close your implements (front or back) are to a thing you're trying not to hit. If you hit, it's 400+ pounds of implement which at any speed is going to break bone or crush someone completely. (400 pounds is about the lightest implement on a compact utility tractor like my MX5400).

NO PASSENGERS!

I have a low level constant fear that my wife or someone will be close, when I'm not aware of it, perhaps because they're trying to get my attention when I'm wearing hearing protectors. I consider anything within about a 20 foot radius of the tractor a no-fly zone for any living thing that wants to keep on living.

Above and beyond that, good luck. I think it's good to buy too big than too small. I rationalize it partly by considering all my equipment to be a long term rental that I will try to take good care of for eventual resale if necessary.

Make sure you've considered where you're going to garage the equipment you want garaged (for me that's the tractor and any equipment with hydraulics or moving parts on on the PTO). Also consider how you'll tow it, or if you need to. Chances are whatever you drive isn't able to tow a big tractor, especially once you factor in the weight of the trailer required. However you may have no need to tow it, and a decent dealer can help you on-site for key maintenance services.

 

[Bullwinkle123]

On the regen issues some people worry about, I really don't know what the big deal is. My regens are rare, and don't interfere with my routines at all when they occur. I would not let regen worries factor into a purchase decision at all.

 

[Beerslayer]

I will admit to not having read the whole thread, but my answer is "no".

(1) The price you're paying for what you're getting drops disproportionately as you move above the size that many "new to tractors" folks think is "too big". If you don't have to trailer it (for a landscaping side-hustle or something), or if you aren't having to deal with very limited space to store it, bigger is better.

(2) More weight and power does more work, and it is safer too. Small loaders tip over easier, small tractors roll over easier when mowing slopes, invariably using too small of a tool tempts people to attempt things they shouldn't.
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This.

I read all 8 pages of posts and disagree with so much of the advice given.

For your situation I'd find a 100 HP or so Kubota 4x4 with loader. Always buy 4x4. Cab is great. Buddy seat is a good safety option. Get implements sized to that tractor.

I did nearly what you are proposing. Got the 95 acres (25 is field the rest timber), bought big machinery as it was a 200 mile commute for me and I only had a day or so a week to get anything done.

Started with a used 33 HP Kubota with a loader. Bought brush hog and tiller. Kubota is so worn out now that I need to cut off the ball swivel ends of the lift arms and weld new ones on just from mowing. That tractor was way too small.

My dad was right, the larger the machine, the safer they are and easier to operate. I started running a Case 450 dozer by myself at 11 years old, my dad just showed me how to operate it, left me with lunch and water on my 11th birthday and said, "you'll remember this". Later I graduated to a D7 dozer and was amazed how much work I could get done and how much safer it was.

I had an 80 HP David Brown my dad gave me before he died. Was a great tractor but nothing compared to the 110 HP Deere I just bought. It gets used more than anything else here. 100 HP is not too big at all.

My garden is 1 acre and I till it with a 150 HP John Deere and a 22' heavy disk. Doesn't take long.

For field work I just bought a 235 HP Steiger articulating 4x4. Overkill for 25 acres but my 150 HP Deere just wouldn't pull the plow and ripper through the heavier ground. The Steiger gets right to it.

My wife and guests like the 150HP Deere 4630 as it rides smooth, easy to operate, has a nice cab, working AC and a radio. I have no trouble getting someone to put in 3 hours do disk the field. I won't let any of them use the little tractors, too easy for them to get hurt on them.

Pretty much every working farm has children riding in the tractor cab with the parents all the time. Those farmers are raising adults, not children. Those "kids" can safely operate those machines from a very early age, mature early and learn responsibility. Just the other day I met a parade of 4 new John Deere combines coming down the road with a matching set of dark haired teen and preteen girls driving them down the county road. Those girls were operating half million dollar machines and paying very close attention to the work at hand. Wait until you are comfortable with the tractor then let the kids learn to work with you.

I mentioned a 100 HP Kubota above, John Deere is also great but I do like the interchangeability of the skid steer attachments for the front loader. My 110 HP Deere doesn't have that.

I'd avoid any other brands. I've owned, operated and repaired almost every brand and parts availabilty and dealer support is best with Orange or Green.

Finally, plan on getting a backhoe or excavator. I've got a Caterpillar 416D backhoe. It's tough and gets worked like a rented mule around here. Remember, a Loader is not a Digger. Farm tractor loaders are great for moving and spreading loose material but you can break a farm tractor in half trying to dig with it. An excavator in conjunction with a 100 HP tractor loader would work great.

Our Deere dealer has a great financing program for both new and used tractors. My Deere 6115 is a 2013 model, open station and no DEF. Wish it had a cab and a buddy seat.

My current tractor lineup is

33 HP Kubota, worn out
80 HP David Brown, tired
110 HP John Deere
150 HP John Deere
235 HP Steiger
8000 lb Pettibone telehandler
Caterpillar 416D backhoe

I'd like to add a 50 HP utility tractor at some point but what I have is getting the job done

 

[Junguda]

One thing that helped us was driving around the holler and noting which brand, size of tractor was in the field working and what type of work was being done….Tractors in barns or sheds we did not count… Sometimes we’d pull in a drive and the operator would come over… This gave us an idea what others were using in the area and implied what brands had enough support to keep operational… spoiler alert…. We saw all brands… but the usual two were most common… The size was surprising… more smaller were in the fields working… more bigger we’re in the barns sitting… Good luck and keep us posted…