Buying Compact Adding Loader

[AudreyK]

Hello everyone! We are looking to buy a compact tractor, 4x4, diesel, NON hydrostatic. We are having a hard time finding what we are looking for in our price range $6500 or less. We live on nearly 8 acres and would use it for working 3acres of land(plowing, disc planting), brush hogging, and would use the bucket for work projects.

I have found a couple tractors that have everything but do not have a loader and in the $3700-$4500 price range. I got a quote for a woods loader but they want $2400 and that DOESN'T include installation or the valve. We can handle installation but have a few questions.

For instance we found a Kubota b7200 with low hrs. Could I buy the loader from woods dealer and just buy a valve & levers from Tractor Supply?? The dealer is stating that valves and levers from them are approx $800!!

Another idea was I found a lightly used loader in really nice cond. but it doesnt have the frame mount or the valves and levers but its a LA 302 and came off a b7500 (slightly larger). Would this be usable on the 7200? What items would I need to make it work just frame mount and controllers?? Anyone use controllers from TSC and have insight?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Grandad4]

Hi, Audrey. Welcome to TBN. The Woods loader seems like the better option to me, but I think you may still have "issues" with the prices that were quoted. The critical thing is what was included in the $2400 price and what's in the $800 segment. If $2400 is only for the bucket,arms, hydraulic cylinders, etc. (i.e. everything that attaches/detaches from the tractor), you'll need not only the hydraulic valve and hoses but also the mounting brackets that are installed on the tractor for mounting the loader. You could certainly locate hoses and a control valve for less than $800, but the mounting brackets would have to be specific for the loader and the tractor. The reason I'm guessing that might be the case is that manufacturers like Woods make a generic loader unit that fits many tractors and then provide a custom-engineered mounting kit so it fits on specific models of tractors. The way you described it sounds like the generic loader is $2400 and the mounting kit is $800. Yes?