40-55hp CUT or Utility Tractor for 20 acre horse farm in Michigan

FULLPULL · Jan 30, 2007

I had tc40d it sipped fuel and did have a few small issues my dealer was great and it didnt take long to work them out .But the tractor did what i need at the time and i got what i bargined for.I just traded it in on a tc55 for more weight and hp that i needed i only have a few hrs on it but so far i like it .The steering and ehss works flawless the motor runs good and it is what i expected so far . The tractor needs to finish its break in then im going to work it out good .As with anything you buy there is always a chance you might have to use your warantee.I like my NH but i didnt take the time to test drive the others .

Z-Michigan · Jan 31, 2007

Doc_Bob said:
Okay. Sounds a little like a distinction that does not matter. I have used Kubota and NewHolland. They both are great products. I am conerned they suggest you buy the product they carry and not buy the product they don't carry. For example, you want a TN but they don't carry a TN, then suggest you go to a different tractor in another brands AG series that they do carry.
Bobwhen

If you read my post you will see that this dealer doesn't carry the utility-size tractors I'm looking at from EITHER NH or Kubota. The only Mxx40 series that I have seen was at a different Kubota dealer (an M7040 cab). Also, I have never asked them (or any other dealer) about a TN and I don't know why you keep writing posts as if I had tried to buy one and been steered to something else. Actually, utility tractors in general seem to be scarce in my area, especially ROPS versions. Only the JD dealers seem to regularly stock utility tractors, and only 1-2 per dealer location. Strange.

scott_vt · Jan 31, 2007

Z-Michigan said:
Ok, drove the JD 5105 and used Kubota M6800 this past weekend. Really didn't like the M6800 - the M7040 has A LOT of improvements even though I can see it was engineered by the same people. I will say that the M6800 was quieter and had less vibration than the JD5105, and had a noticeably tighter turning radius (even though I think their paper specs are pretty close for turning radius).

The JD 5105 was pretty impressive. It is basic, but it is built massively and everything seems well engineered, even if not the latest technology (e.g. dry PTO clutch). It drove nicely and everything worked great. I could definitely buy that and be happy. BUT... for a few hundred $$ more the M5040 would have several more features, including the hydroshuttle that the dealer is strongly encouraging me to get. I haven't ruled it out and I'm hoping to drive the M7040 again this weekend for more thoughts (that dealer's M5040 is still on order, he doesn't have a firm date for its arrival).

A few questions:

1) The Kubota dealer tells me you can wear out a dry clutch very fast doing FEL work, and he had one customer wear one out in under 200 hours. He tells me I should definitely get the hydroshuttle with wet clutch - a $1200 option vs. what he tells me is $2500 to replace a clutch. However, the JD dealer tells me that clutches last so long I shouldn't worry about it, and if you wear one out in 200 hours you're doing something wrong. Who's right? Do I need the wet clutch? I am planning on a decent amount of FEL work but it's definitely not the only thing I'll be doing. Are there any disadvantages to the wet clutch? Do they cost a million dollars to fix when they finally wear out or fail?

2) Is there any meaningful data on longevity and durability between JD and Kubota, or is this just a Ford vs. Chevy type thing?

3) The M5040 FEL has a skid-steer quick attach while the JD has a JD-proprietary quick attach. They seem about equally easy to use, but I would imagine that the skid steer attach gives me a lot more options for special buckets, forks etc. Is this likely to be true? I looked at the line-up of FEL attachments on the JD website and I wasn't impressed at what was available for the 522 - it looked like a bale spear and pallet forks were about it. Of course, that might be all I ever need - hard to know at this point.

4) The FEL hydraulic hoses on the JD 5105/522 loader hang down quite noticeably below the tractor. I have to think that they are at risk of getting snagged and even cut when doing fieldwork like brushhogging. Anyone have any problems with this? Or can someone convince me that this won't be an issue? It appears that the M5040 has a metal shield protecting the FEL hoses, which otherwise do appear to hang down in the same place.

5) The M5040 and virtually all Kubotas has a hydraulic PTO control, while the JD has a manual lever and a dry clutch for its independent PTO. Is there any meaningful difference here?

6) According to the Nebraska tractor tests, the JD 5105 is extremely stingy on fuel usage relative to its PTO power - a big plus with our diesel prices here (and in the future, IMHO). They don't have a test for the M5040 or any Mxx40 series. Can anyone with a 40 series tell me how their fuel usage fares?

Thanks - I'm nearing the end of my selection process.

Mornin Z,
Far be it from me to plug a green tractor

But my neighbor Neil up the road from me is someone I have a great amount of respect for ! He is a sheep farmer, originally from North Dakota where his Dad ran a dairy farm. He is an electronics engineer by trade, but homesteads in Vt presently. The reason I give all this backround is to show that he has tractors in his blood. He owns amongst others a JD 5105 as you can see in the attached picture. He does everything with this machine, including a bunch of bailing. He has pulled a square baler for many years with a kicker and hay wagon in tow up in our very hilly enviroment ! The attached pictures shows him towing a large block of concrete for my flag pole that I put in last year. I think I posted that thread before you were on board

In any event, I would be happy to e-mail you his address so you could chat with him about the machine. I think you will find him quite knowledgable !

BTW The last pic is coming through my field to its final resting place !

Oleozz · Jan 31, 2007

Scotty---You folks up North still believe in neighbors helping each other out, don't you? I have a neighbor like that, yesterday he helped me put a new thermostat in the Kioti in his heated shed. On Saturday he showed up at our house with clamp on pallet forks so I could take my sprayer off the back of my pickup. Like you I have a lot of respect for Joe but he doesn't drive green!!

scott_vt · Jan 31, 2007

Oleozz said:
Scotty---You folks up North still believe in neighbors helping each other out, don't you? I have a neighbor like that, yesterday he helped me put a new thermostat in the Kioti in his heated shed. On Saturday he showed up at our house with clamp on pallet forks so I could take my sprayer off the back of my pickup. Like you I have a lot of respect for Joe but he doesn't drive green!!

Afternoon Oleozz,
Yes sir, thats the way we work up here ! I would do the same for him, and have helped him on a number of occassions.

So this post is legal, that JD 5105 is one stout tractor, and I have heard him say on a number of occassions that he felt it was underated in the HP department as well as others.

Roto · Feb 24, 2007

Z, how is the searching going? I personally think the right tractor for you is the NH TC 55DA EHSS. Thats what I am planning on getting and I think its the right tractor for you. I would like to know where you read all the bad stuff about the tc55. Go to the NH forum and plenty of people have the tc55 and they all like it and very little problems.

round bales in out area are 400-500#s and i never saw a round bale over 1000#s. Just thought i would throw that out there.

mike

Z-Michigan · Feb 24, 2007

Timely post! My John Deere 5105 with MFWD and 522 FEL was just delivered this morning. I will try to post pics and a description of why I chose it in the next day or two.

As for TC55 issues, I got that partly from the forums here and partly from reading Nebraska tractor test reports on both the TC55 and its red twin the Case IH DX55. They were both tested, and I think it's actually the DX55 that sprang a leak in testing. Look up "Nebraska tractor test lab" and read the reports on both.

Had I not gone with JD I most likely would have bought a Kubota M5040, which has the hydraulic shuttle as an option just like the TC55.

I've been told by local people here that most farmers bale 800-1000lb round bales here. I suspect Maine's growing season may affect why your bales are in the 500lb range.

Roto · Feb 24, 2007

Congrats on the new tractor!! I am interested to here some feedback on it. Im sure it will be a nice tractor as any of them would have been nice no matter what you went with. I am not to familiar with that model so i will look it up and investigate.

mike

Roto · Feb 24, 2007

I saw the report and i was impressed actually on the tc55da. HP was what it was rated and hydraulic was 10.9 instead of 11.6 whcih is not far off and 3Pt hitch weight was 3433 at 20 inches instead of 3465 at 24 inches. I call that close enough. The fuel leak was a fluke as i have not heard of any problems with that on other 55 owners. I will say that its a fuel hog for sure. It also is heavier than any other comparitive tractor which is good for haying but not good for on a lawn. I just didnt want other TC-55 lookers to be scared away with this post.

Mike

FULLPULL · Feb 24, 2007

Congrats also on the new jd .I also read in back post caught up on a couple of issues .I havent had no problems with my 55da and i think NH done there job.I enjoy reading about tractor issues and talk but there is a time to say any new tractors are in most cases going to have a few bugs.Good luck with your new JD and many good hrs to ya.And may all be bug free hrs .