Buying Advice advice on tractor purchase

[ted temple]

Thanks to all of you for the very useful information and for encouraging me to spend more money. So I guess the argument to she who must be obeyed is for $100 more a month ($6000 more at 0% for 5 yrs) we can get so much more tractor that will do so much more work so much faster. The only problem with this argument is that my wife sees me on a tractor as an ecological disaster waiting to happen. So I will test drive and see what I think. Are there any No Calif folks that have dealt with Lampson Tractor Co. What are the pros and cons concerning a 4 in 1 bucket vs a grapple (I know get both)? Is top and tilt really useful for road and trail maintenance? Again, thanks for your help

 

[TripleR]

Thanks to all of you for the very useful information and for encouraging me to spend more money. So I guess the argument to she who must be obeyed is for $100 more a month ($6000 more at 0% for 5 yrs) we can get so much more tractor that will do so much more work so much faster. The only problem with this argument is that my wife sees me on a tractor as an ecological disaster waiting to happen. So I will test drive and see what I think. Are there any No Calif folks that have dealt with Lampson Tractor Co. What are the pros and cons concerning a 4 in 1 bucket vs a grapple (I know get both)? Is top and tilt really useful for road and trail maintenance? Again, thanks for your help

I can't help you with anything else, but yes it is useful; necessary no. I bought my tractor used and only have the hydraulic top link, but have used TnT. If I had bought new I would have included it. At some point I may add it.

 

[boggen]

same basic boat you are in. 80 acres aprox 50% pasture / woods other half lakes and fields.

while a cab is nice to have on a tractor. it can be a pain in rear at times more so going through trees / woods. and the cab catching every single branch there is.

personally prefer a "bush hog" for cutting tall weeds. vs a fail type of mower. granted if i had the choice i would get both of them. due to i have a creek going through the property. and the fail would allow me to mower easily mow the edges. without having to constaly backup with a bush hog.

but going down through trees a bush hog is my preference. that and being able to back down hills into the shore line of the lakes. (can't ride the hill along most of the lakes. but back and foward down the hills, a pain, but it quicker than using a walk behind self propelled weed whacker)

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a front loader with a bucket. can help move stuff. though front buckets are really not digging machines. i need to move dirt from one corner of property clear to the other side of property. and found it easier. to use a plow to get a few inches deep and the width of the tractor broken up. then come back with the front bucket. and just scoop up the dirt. without any real need of changing of gears.

for grading a drive / lanes. box blade would by my choice.

for snow plowing, a 360 degree rear blade. or less you had the cash for a snow blower.

as far as 4in1 bucket, standard bucket with grappel. or other. *shrugs* depends. as long as the bucket has hooks that i can toss my log chains around. so i can drag trees up and out of areas. before being cut up into fire wood. i could care less. but if you are doing a lot of clean up of brush piles to be burned. then 4in1 or standard bucket with grappel would be something. for me i would prolly go with a grappel. those twig piles of cutting up them bigger trees can get rather large rather quick. and for me it is easier to move big piles to a designated burn spot. then double check for bigger limbs, then run bush hog over the area. to cut up the small twigs that the bucket / grappel didn't get.