Noob Here...Seeking a Tractor Education, Please

[kailor]

I'm new here and have been reading the forum now for several weeks trying to prepare myself to make a knowledgeable tractor purchase in the future. I've never owned or driven a tractor before, but I now have land (10 acres). Something I've not been able to discern across all brands is this...what features are essential in making sure that I'm comparing apples to apples across different brands? Without initially comparing dealers and parts availability, but machine to machine, I think they might be:

1. Weight
2. HP at PTO
3. ?

Being in north Alabama, I've access to most any brand. All inputs/thoughts are appreciated. Thanks for having me!

 

[Raul-02]

l weeks trying to prepare myself

I went to Tractor College
It's free on youtube.
Start with the Goodworks Tractors site, he's got Tons of great material including how to not kill yourself or destroy your tractor.
From there you can expand
Everything Attachments does a lot of instructional stuff
There is Tractor Mike He was a dealer and a rep so he knows a lot.
Dave Knows How
My Wild Kiotoi Adventure
Tractor Time with Tim
My Cluttered Garage
Tony's Tractor Adventure Homestead

That'll keep ya busy

 

[ruffdog]

As a noob....get out and drive some tractors...new and used. You want to buy one that you are comfortable operating. Only you can get a feel for what is right for YOU.

 

[K5lwq]

Get to know your neighbors. They probably will have good advice on how to move forward.

I suggest renting for specific task to get some seat time and learn works well for your property.

The biggest thing is learn to respect the equipment. You have to pay attention to a lot of things when operating. It is not like driving a car where the rules are laid out before you. Things can go south quickly so start slow and work your way up to different tasks.

 

[sea2summit]

Define the work you want to do then shop for capabilities. Maybe it’s mowing without undue soil compaction. Maybe it’s FEL capacity.

Good luck!

 

[rademamj1]

Yep. Its more important to define your expected future work on that 10acres, so you can define your specific tractor needs. Are you just mowing? Or have a gravel road to maintain? Do you expect using a snowblower in winter? If your lot is wooded, any need for a PTO chipper? Will you be needing a tiller for garden preparation? How much loader work to you expect, and project weight of those loads.

 

[airbiscuit]

I agree with defining what you want to do with your tractor and implements you will be using first. Then determine the frame size that will do your tasks optimally. I am guessing a 35hp mid frame tractor about the size of a John Deere 3039R or 3032E (or same size Kioti, Kubota or LS) would do the trick. Go to a few dealers and do some test drives to get the feel of things - If you can find any dealers who have tractors in stock!

 

[jeff9366]

Something I've not been able to discern across all brands is this...what features are essential in making sure that I'm comparing apples to apples across different brands?

The fundamental importance of TRACTOR WEIGHT eludes many tractor shoppers. Tractor capability is more closely correlated to tractor weight than any other specification.

The most efficient way to shop for tractors is to first identify potential tractor applications, then, through consulataton, establish bare tractor weight necessary to safely accomplish your applications. Tractor dealers, experienced tractor owners and TractorByNet.com are sources for weight recommendations.

Bare tractor weight is a fundamental tractor specification easily found in sales brochures and web sites, readily comparable across tractor brands and tractor models, new and used. Shop your weight range within tractor brands. Budget will eliminate some choices. Collect a dealer brochure for each tractor model in your weight range.

I spreadsheet tractor and implement specs, often a revealing exercise which cuts through specification clutter. I have a column for cost per pound.

Neophyte tractor operators are often intimidated by instability of tractors with small front wheels and large rear wheels, therefore frequently purchase tractors too light, too small for long term satisfaction. ((Tractors seem to shrink after about twenty hours of operating experience.)) Within subcompact and compact tractor categories, a significant tractor capability increase requires a bare tractor weight increase of 50%. It takes a 100% increase in bare tractor weight to elicit MY-OH-MY!

Selling a used tractor is easy. Selling multiple light implements in order to buy heavier, wider implements for a new, heavier tractor requires a lot of time. Depreciation on implements is worse than depreciation on a tractor.

BUY ENOUGH TRACTOR​

 

[jeff9366]

I have 10 acres in North Alabama.

If your ten acres is fairly flat and level I recommend a tractor of 2,500 to 2,800 pounds bare tractor weight.

Tractors are inherently unstable operating on sloped ground. Tractor rear wheel/tire spread, sometimes adjustable, is a critical factor increasing compact tractor stability working sloped or uneven ground. A 4" to 8" wider rear axle substantially decreases tractor rollover potential.

If your ten acres is sloped or uneven I recommend a tractor of 3,600 pounds to 4,000 pounds bare tractor weight. This is the mid-weight category of compact tractors, a high volume segment. Every tractor manufacturer produces an economy model and a deluxe model in this weight range. Horsepower options range from 35-horsepower to 60-horsepower in this weight range.

When considering a tractor purchase, bare tractor weight first, tractor horsepower second, rear axle width/rear tire spread third, rear wheel ballast fourth. Ample tractor horsepower is needed for PTO-powered implements such as Bush Hogs and snow blowers, but remains subsidiary to tractor weight in defining tractor capability.

 

[LD1]

First identify why you want a tractor.

Gardening? Tiller? Driveway maintenance? Backhoe work? Lawn mowing? Firewood? etc etc.

Once you have identified the tasks.....decide what size attachments you want for those tasks. Then you can select an appropriate sized machine to handle those tasks and implement sizes.

Be prepared for some compromises along the way. Driveway maintenance and backhoe/loader work....the heavier and bigger the better. But heavier and bigger is not really a good thing for lawnmowing and gardening.

Its okay to compare HP.....but you must FIRST compare the tractors frame size...which is closely related to a tractors weight.

You can find ~35hp tractors ranging from under 2000 pounds to over 4000 pounds. So if you ONLY use HP as a basis for comparing.....you may be looking at a 1800# machine that can only lift 800# on the front loader and trying to compare it to a 4000 pound machine that can lift a 2500# and is physically ALOT bigger. Both will have the same/similar HP. Obviously that isnt a good comparison.

Once you have a good idea of what "physical" size machine you want...go to the dealers in your area and sit on some. How the tractor "fits YOU" and its ergonomic layout is far more important than comparing paper specs. Because at the end of the day....tractors are tractors and if you are comparing similar sized machines....there is very little real world difference in their capabilities.