Buying a CUT, I think I have narrowed down some choices

[WillardinMaine]

I have and thank you all. Planning to visit a few of the dealerships this weekend to see the tractors in person. I do read over and over to buy bigger and recognize the common sense of that thinking. I don’t like the tier IV emissions on the bigger hp units buying used especially. So that limits the search further. A nice looking 40hp Kubota popped up when I first started looking, but I was not ready to jump. There is a descent 30hp Kubota, but I would like to see the price lower, but seller states it is firm. Used market is a tough one, but maybe I should give it more time.

 

[mikester]

If you are getting 3-5 feet of snow per year you will need a much bigger/heavier machine if you plan to push it with a plow...you are going to run out of space to dump the snow quick. A snow blower cuts and throws the snow away. A plow compacts and encloses you in. Unless you have a neighbor like me who is willing to dig you out with his snow blower and toasty warm cab. We get similar snow and my neighbor still hasnt figured out that his 10,000# one ton with plow cant get the job done half way through the season.

 

[Beeenvenue]

Pulling a tiller means HST unless you have very sandy soil. I am in heavy black clay and even my 35hp bogs down if I go too fast sometimes, so the ability to feather the throttle is very handy. I can’t imagine how much damage I would do being tempted to ride the clutch otherwise.

With respect to kioti - they have been around 30+ years. Not the 100 or so of JD but long enough that the idea they are a “newcomer” is false. I did a ton of research before I bought mine (first ever) and chose it at around 20k for a 3510 SE HST. To get the other orange L3301 similarly equipped was another 3000-3500, and close to 5k more for green. At 20k for a kioti the extra 15-25% was not worth it And allowed me to afford hst, remotes, independent pto, a couple extra HP, shredder, tiller, and box blade.

 

[mred2]

I got my tires loaded due to needing the traction while pulling 3 pt attachments. I have two rear remotes and wish I had 3. Rear remotes are a lot more expensive to add at a later date. I got the 3rd function due to needing it for my grapple. But the 3rd function can always be added later. Doing it now may save some on labor. TYM has been around for a long time, but I don't see dealers where I am at. They make a lot of tractors. Ls is the same. But I had a dealer within 60 miles. For me the LS was the best value and it fit me better. Test drive. And you will always want a bigger tractor (some of the time). My wife does not want my 50hp tractor close to the house, but has no problem with my son's 26hp. Size and weight for the job that needs to be done. Good luck!

 

[DK35vince]

Pulling a tiller means HST unless you have very sandy soil. I am in heavy black clay and even my 35hp bogs down if I go too fast sometimes, so the ability to feather the throttle is very handy. I can稚 imagine how much damage I would do being tempted to ride the clutch otherwise.

That's your opinion.
Been running a 6' tiller on my DK 35 gear for the past 19 years.
Handles the tiller no problem (no sand soil here or any need to ever ride the clutch)

 

[PEJ5]

I would not worry about owning a tier4 tractor, especially if a good used machine popped up for sale. On the geared CK2610, only 2Forward and Rev are synchronized. I understand that, for all other gears, you must be dead stopped to change/select...go HST.
Pallet forks should be high on your list. They double the usefulness of your tractor...place everything on pallets and stop lifting.
I agree that building a counterweight is critical asap unless you buy a heavy 3Pt implement and have lots of clearance/space. I have tight paths through the woods so a piece of concrete only 2 feet back will not get damaged like a $1000 implement might, wacking into trees.
Your PTO can run a 4" chipper so no chipper engine required. On the other hand your hydraulics may not have the pressure (psi) or flow (gpm) to run a 3pt splitter. A 20Ton splitter may only give you 10 or 12 and slow action. Get one with its own engine and hydraulics.
Just my thoughts. Have fun.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

LS has been around for a long time also, they are actually expanding their line currently, adding more options and standard features. One nice thing on the MT225E gear, is 12 forward and 12 reverse gears. I cannot think of any time that I would want to be in high range, 4th gear, and in reverse.... unless I had to back away from something REALLY fast!:shocked: low range 1st gear will move a house! It is a real cheaper gear. Have fun test driving a lot of tractors... you will find one that fits!

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Oh, the LS also has a 6 year warranty.

 

[finn1]

I would normally recommend a cab tractor and front blower, but sixty inches isn’t much as far as snow goes, so some sort of blade may work for you.

The fear of emission controls and the consequential limiting your tractor power to 25 hp is, in my opinion, a big mistake. Emission requirements nd control technology has been with us for nearly a dozen years, and I just don’t see problems with it anymore, once the teething pains have subsided.

That same 25 hp tractor can be had in a 40 hp model that has a much more civilized fuel system, with better nvh and cold starting characteristics, for a little more money.

Same with hst transmissions. They dominate the market in these small tractors, for hood reason.

A tractor should last twenty years. Why settle for the lowest cost, least frill, least capable model of something you will likely live with for years. Get something spec’d to do the job and make life easier and more enjoyable, for pennies more per week.

 

[jeff9366]

Tier IV emission standards require tractor manufacturers to add or revise pollution reduction technology on new tractors generating over 19 kW power = 25.4794 horsepower. Tier IV began phasing in during 2009, retail conversion was almost complete in 2013 when I bought my 'Tier IV' Kubota L3560.

Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) captures exhaust particulates (soot) in a ceramic matrix. When tractor engine runs sufficiently hot, accumulated particulates burn off periodically without operator intervention. If engine is not run continuously hot long enough to burn off particulates, diesel soot accumulates in the matrix. Once heavy soot accumulates in DPF the tractor forces soot clearance with the tractor parked and throttle open to about 2,200 rpm for about sixteen minutes, which makes the DPF REALLY HOT to burn off all accumulated soot. Burning off accumulated soot, either during operation or parked is called REGENERATION.

My Kubota regenerates routinely every 60 engine hours in warm Florida. 60 engine hours = 3,600 engine minutes.
Stationary regeneration, which is about 60% of my regenerations because I work in the woods, takes consistently 16 minutes in warm Florida.

16 / 3,600 = .0044 = .44% engine time used in stationary regeneration. (Less than 1/2 of 1%)


Tire wear and tire replacement will cause as many headaches and more expense than DPF for most long term compact tractor owners who read and comprehend their tractor's Operator's Manual.