Buying my first tractor

[fried1765]

Looking and owning one are different things. Being that you don't have experience on owning any of those, why the constant bash on these brands? I just don't get it.

No, I didn't look at a RK tractor because we don't have Rural King stores here. Although, I have looked at the TYM tractors, being that RK tractors are just rebadged TYM tractors, it makes pretty much the same, and saw nothing wrong with those either. In fact, they are heavily built and come with a lot more stuff standard than some of the premium brands, where everything is an option.

Since you looks at the RK line, what's so wrong with it?

In a nut shell:
What is wrong with RK tractors?
They are being sold (and maintained?) by a "big box store" seller, who is not a tractor manufacturer!
To use a colloquialism: The retailer does not have a real horse in the race.
Like Cabellas (it is likely there was never a Cabellas in Portugal either), RK, as a seller of tractors, is very much a long term unknown.
If there is zero possibility for the Cabelas-TYM history to be repeated, then my concern is unfounded.
Perhaps the TYM-RK marriage is truly one made in heaven......I am simply not nearly as certain of that as you must be.
A TYM-RK divorce would very likely have a meaningful effect on the 8 year warranty support, and the ongoing value of RK tractors.

 

[ericmb]

I’m standing up one house at a time, the lumber will be close to where it’s needed. I’ve always had to pack lumber from the pile to the slab, just limited by what I could carry. I’m not moving lumber between multiple lots.

The tractor I’m looking at right now is a 35hp machine, it’s quite a bit larger but may still be considered too small for a lot of jobs.

 

[cathy liebchen]

I’m looking at a Mahindra 1635 HST with several attachments for under $20,000. It has a 60” brush hog, forks and 60” box blade included along with the loader on the front. It seems like a great deal, any input on Mahindra tractors would be great.

Would you buy a car made in India? Of course not. Same for a tractor

 

[Iowa Hillbilly]

I used to do landscaping and minor construction on new homes a couple of decades ago, so I'll offer my two cents. I was in the Ozarks at that time, so soil conditions don't match what you have described in your location. Both a tractor and skid loader can trench and grade ok as well as move materials. If you compare a tractor with ~35 hp to a similar weight skid steer with about the same power, they can get about the same work done. As you go up in skid steer size and hp they scale real well on a job site. The skid steer at 65 hp isn't much different in size than one at 35hp, but it moves faster and hauls more. It's tough to scale up a tractor as easily because it isn't as maneuverable. That can all be somewhat dependent on your conditions and construction time frame. The houses I was involved with all had walk out basements and they were popping up like mushrooms. All the subcontractors were trying not to trip over each other.

All that said, I think a tractor works very well for moving bulk materials with the bucket like top soil, gravel, or mulch for landscaping. A box blade can do amazing grading work for a lawn if you know what you are doing. The bucket on a tractor doesn't have the downforce to really do much with the base soil or subsoil. All the weight is on the back and it feels like you're trying to dig a hole with a plastic spoon if you use it for that. My only advice is to understand that the tractor won't do things as fast as a large skid loader.

 

[Iowa Hillbilly]

Would you buy a car made in India? Of course not. Same for a tractor

The old Mahindra were built like a brick outhouses. The only problem was that nothing was readable with the gauges. I have no idea if the new ones have that kind of build quality. I doubt it, since everything is so much cheaper and flimsier these days, but I wouldn't discount them on the premise that made in India means its automatically a pile of crap.

 

[finn1]

You need a CTL and a mini excavator. There’s a reason you don’t see more compact tractors on construction sites: they aren’t really suited for that type work. Compact tractors seem to primarily be suburbanite toys more than machines that you make a living with. I include myself in that group of compact tractor owners.

Unfortunately, your budget isn’t going to get you what you need.

Buying a tractor so you have it in the event you buy a lot and build doesn’t seem smart either. Consider that you moving may never happen. It’s a wish now, unless you have contracts in place.

Buy what supports your business, and let mowing your five acres justify its own equipment when the time comes.

 

[Jchonline]

This is a used purchase from an individual. I don’t know if he bought all the implements as a package or individually.

Ah ok that could be better then. Just make sure you get the brands/model numbers to look up prior If you go that route.

 

[Williy]

You haven't seen the Blue LS tractors??
From what I have seen they are very well
made with options that are standard! I
would suggest checking out other tractors
before you buy. You also need to check the
height that the bucket will reach especially for
construction work. Its your money you will have
to live with what ever you get so be sure to check
out all the tractors that you can before you make
a decision!

willy

 

[dodge man]

In my mind one of the construction grade Kubota B or L machines would be perfect, like a B26 for example. They are hard to find though and harder yet at the OP’s budget. John Deere also made construction grade TLB’s that were smaller at one time.

 

[fried1765]

In my mind one of the construction grade Kubota B or L machines would be perfect, like a B26 for example. They are hard to find though and harder yet at the OP’s budget. John Deere also made construction grade TLB’s that were smaller at one time.

JD marketed their construction grade 110 TLB units between 2000 - 2012, and they are very fine machines,.... with one exception.
They have a somewhat spotty history of transmission cases cracking.
I really wanted to buy a JD 110, but the potential for that issue scared me off.
I found a very low hour Kubota L48 TLB (251 hours), and bought it instead.