Tractor Sizing Almost Daily Thread: SUBCOMPACT or COMPACT TRACTOR?

[jeff9366]

I have run out of power and the tractor came to a stop. Didn't have traction problems, simply not enough power to turn the wheels.

More HP out of LS XJ2025H? - 9/9/2016​

If you have this perception of your subcompact tractor after a short period of ownership it will make you crazy as time passes.

There is only so much a 1,600 pound tractor, with a two-range transmission can do. Consider a 3,200 pound tractor with 30-40 horsepower and a three-range HST. Tractor weight is the key consideration.


Heat accumulation often results if tractor diesels are tweaked.


Instead of dragging Oak trunks on the ground, obtain a relatively cheap cross-drawbar + boom which will allow you to elevate butts above dirt, reducing friction and keeping logs half clean. Cross-drawbar will increase your trunk pulling capacity by 50%. Elevated trunks will save your drag chains from abrasion, if you pull over hard surfaces.

I use a Dura Hitch with a short boom on a Kubota 'B'. It has been indestructible. Two widths: 20"/26"

LINKS: DURA HITCH

SHORT BOOM POLE ADAPTER

How much experience do you have with Box Blades? Maybe the BB is too wide. Maybe the BB angle of attack needs to be adjusted with Top Link. Maybe you will have to be content with partial box fills. Maybe you will have to wait for a soaking rain, then optimum soil moisture. Maybe you need a heavier prime mover.

I would suggest letting tractor roll down sloped pavement with engine off, listening, to be sure you do not have a sticking brake or some other friction fault.

 

[Beeenvenue]

These are my opinions. There are tons of newbees getting into CUTs and hobby farms; I think it is time to review some “facts”. At the very least I look at this like PCs now - buy what works for YOU!!

“Never ending ‘add this’”. I was on a budget of $25k in 2019 and made it. Just barely. Cab? Nice to have, would have added $5k or more and weight (see below). More hp? I bought 35; mine was available in 40 (same machine otherwise) for $2k more; couldn’t stay in budget. Weight? Frame? Even more hp. See next comment

“Get as big as you can” aka “get one size bigger than what you think you need”. Not for me. I’m a hobby farmer. With 14 acres of prairie to mow and generally keep up with I chose 35hp hst. The perfect machine for me. Would I like to have more hp? Once in a blue moon when grass gets really high and I have to slow down, but so what? Doesn’t affect loader work. And a bigger frame to allow more loader capacity isn’t really a need either (besides I bought kioti with best in class lift already). An extra hour added to 12 hours of mowing 4-5x/year is negligible. Besides I LIKE riding and using my machine!!
“Non-tractor considerations”

“Truck”. I have a 2005 small block f150. I have no plans or other need to replace it. But I can only pull 6700#. Going larger frame or bigger trailer etc would mean a different truck if I EVER need to pull it

“Trailer”. For me 7k is enough. Sure 10k is nicer. And 14k as well. But also heavier and this impacts total towing weight (see truck comments above) plus more $.
“Dealer importance”. I’ve been back twice in 5 years. Didn’t and don’t care. It’s a hobby farm; I don’t need to rely on my dealer nor build a relationship. My CUT is not used for my livelihood and if I don’t have it for a couple of weeks it is simply an inconvenience not a problem. I bought the best deal and shooed dealers until I got it.
“Resale”. I didn’t and don’t care. Some do. For me I wanted a machine to last for 20 years not to trade out like a car (which I don’t do either). Besides kioti sells (or sold) for 80% of a similar kubota new. Most of them near me sell for 80% of similar kubota used. So yes they resell for less but they cost less up front and retain about the same overall percentage value.

Weight vs affordability. I bought the kioti ck3510. Love it. Sure I’d like to have had the dk for more weight and larger frame. But extra $ and extra weight driving me to a bigger trailer for more $ and a new truck for more $
“Don’t buy new, buy used implements”. Have you really looked lately - like in the last 6 months?They aren’t the same prices they were 5 years ago; heck not even the same price as 1 year ago. And availability isn’t good either; people recognize what they have and are hanging onto them, or selling for extra $. It may still be cheaper to buy used but that’s IF you can find it.
“Xxx hasn’t been around as long as JD or Kubota.” So what. For CUTs those names aren’t the same as they were nor the same as their real Ag machines. The one I chose - kioti - has been in the US for more than 30 years; I’ll likely have left my machine to my survivors in 30 years.

(Yes I created a post for this today; including it here as well since Jeff’s post was created pre-COVID and a lot has changed)

 

[hornett22]

I would never consider anything smaller than a L2501 sized machine. After using several sub compacts, I just don't see the point. Especially for the $.

 

[jeff9366]

Current L285 'should' weigh around 2230 lbs; plus water filled rears. Seems like it runs out of traction before it runs out of power with 6 ft box blade pushing; and runs out of front weight before it will stop pulling.

Kinda think a Subcompact tractor would do as the L285 replacement.......?

If pulling a Box Blade to distribute dirt is important to you the dinky wheels/tires on a Subcompact tractor will be a major performance disappointment.

• Larger wheels and tires provide more tractive power pulling ground contact implements and logs, pushing a loader bucket into dirt and pushing snow. Larger wheels and tires permit heavier tractors to bridge holes, ruts and tree debris yielding higher operating speed with less implement bounce and operator perturbation.
• The dinky tires on Subcompact tractors effect the geometry of the Three Point Hitch. Even though some Subcompact tractors specify they have a Category I Three Point Hitch, that does NOT mean implements from tractors with larger diameter wheels and tires will connect. Subcompact tractors often require implements sized specifically for the Subcompact tractor category.

 

[jeff9366]

Subcompact category tractor ground clearance: