Buying Advice Back in the Tractor Market, after a few years of enjoying a B3200

[TroyR57]

Well, the tractor fever has hit again, after buying up property around me, I have went from 10 acres to 25, so doubled my land, and therefore need more tractor.
The B3200 TLB set up has been a great little machine, bought it used from Barlow's back in April of 2011. The other thing I am thinking about , is maintenance, if I Keep the 2009 model B3200, its time to start replacing Hoses, and I need a seal for the main boom of the back hoe.

Looking at either a L3901, or L4701, with all the same equipment I have on the B3200, but I will have to change from the Kubota brand quick attach, to the SSQA type equipment, so I will have to sell/ trade in, the Forks, and two buckets, and I want to upgrade the backhoe from the B76, to the B77, or B92 if I go with the L4701.

One other option is to keep what I got, and get a used L2501 with FEL, that I have found used near by for a good price, and then have some work on the B3200 to upgrade hoses etc,

Let the fun begin, shopping for tractors.

Its been way to long since I been on this site, I even had to work at getting resigned in, password issues, but hey I made it.

 

[jeff9366]

L3901 (2,778 pounds, bare tractor) will only be somewhat more capable than your B3200, (1,764 pounds, bare tractor)

L4701 (3,307 pounds, bare tractor) is a tad heavier.


You should consider an MX series tractor. (3,700 pounds, bare tractor.) Besides the additional weight, MX has much larger wheels/tires. BH92 available.

L4701 and MX are almost identical in price. The additional weight and larger wheels and tires are only a small increment additional cost to you.


The fundamental importance of TRACTOR WEIGHT eludes many tractor shoppers. Heavier tractor chassis weight is more important for most tractor applications than increased tractor horsepower. Within subcompact and compact tractor categories, bare tractor weight must increase 50% before you notice a significant tractor capability increase. It takes a 100% increase in bare tractor weight to elicit MY-OH-MY!

Heavier tractors are built on larger frames with larger wheels/tires. Heavier tractors with large diameter tires have more tractive power pulling ground contact implements, pushing a loader bucket into dirt and pushing snow. Larger wheels and tires increase ground clearance, enabling a heavier tractor to bridge holes, ruts and downed tree limbs with less bucking and disturbance when passing over rough pasture and woodland.

 

[TroyR57]

L3901 (2,778 pounds, bare tractor) will only be somewhat more capable than your B3200, (1,764 pounds, bare tractor)

L4701 (3,307 pounds, bare tractor) is a tad heavier.


You should consider an MX series tractor. (3,700 pounds, bare tractor.) Besides the additional weight has much larger wheels/tires.

L4701 and MX are almost identical in price. The additional weight and larger wheels and tires are almost no additional cost to you.


The fundamental importance of TRACTOR WEIGHT eludes many tractor shoppers. Heavier tractor chassis weight is more important for most tractor applications than increased tractor horsepower. Within subcompact and compact tractor categories, bare tractor weight must increase 50% before you notice a significant tractor capability increase. It takes a 100% increase in bare tractor weight to elicit MY-OH-MY!

Heavier tractors are built on larger frames with larger wheels/tires. Heavier tractors with large diameter tires have more tractive power pulling ground contact implements, pushing a loader bucket into dirt and pushing snow. Larger wheels and tires increase ground clearance, enabling a heavier tractor to bridge holes, ruts and downed tree limbs with less bucking and disturbance when passing over rough pasture and woodland.

All three of them were parked side by side at ACME equipment, Grand Forks ND, here where I am working, really liked the looks of the L4701. Below is my property now.

 

[TroyR57]

Here's three possibilities, all in a row, L3901, L4701, and MX5800. Leaning toward the L4701 currently.

 

[newbury]

<snip>Below is my property now. View attachment 561731

If that is your 25 acres it looks like you've got about 15 acres of mature hardwoods and it's flat. What do plan on doing with your tractor?
Bigger is not necessarily better in dense woods.

Just like heavier is not necessarily better in rice paddies.

 

[TroyR57]

The top part, which is north, was an old trailer park, all but two are gone now, and just use the 60 RFM to keep it down, just south of that is a part that I have to bush hog, due to the taller stuff that has grown up, currently have one of my friends do it about ever other month for $125 dollars, since I am gone most of the time, Working, only 16 months to go before retirement. The part to the east that is where my House is, is all mowed with small riding mower. The South West Conner is heavy wooded, and I am building trails thru it to ride my Side by Side. Lots of downed trees in it due to storms, and a bunch of brush piles from thinning about 10 years ago, starting to rot now though. In between all this is a low area, that I want to make about an 2 Acre Pond.

 

[TroyR57]

The old Trailer park, even that last trailer is gone now. Two old ones still back in the woods.