Compact sub compact?

[jjeff]

Hello, looking to make a used or maybe new purchase of a open cab subcompact tractor, it will be used for mowing a hilly area with belly mower and snow removal, used once a year for wood making, grading reconditioning small driveway on hill.

Kind of interested in the bobcat 1021, due to its small size, Mahindra, ls/ new holland or Kubota sub compacts. Seems all subcompacts are hydrostatic drive these days which I'm not much of a fan of currently anyway. Mind you it's only about three hilly acres up there it will be used on. Currently use a old JD 212 with extra weight and bar tires for mowing and and a 4 wheeler with tire chains, weight box, using either plow, or self contained snow blower for snow removal up there, somewhat easily detachable Loader and belly mower are what I'm looking at. Seems like used subcompacts I've found have one or the other but not both/ deck and small loader.

Somewhat apprehensive buying used envisioning some used subcompacts were initially operated like a d9 lol.

initial new tractor quotes I've currently received were all about the same, I've looked at older threads and posts Not interested in considering or looking at zero turns for up there.

Thanks for insight, Jeff.

 

[2manyrocks]

Moss Road likes his PT425. Low center of gravity, easy to change implements, easy to get on/off,

T8 Class

Compact Tractors, Slope Mowers, Articulated Tractors, Tractor Attachments, Trailer Packages

www.power-trac.com

 

[jjeff]

Never even considered anything like an articulated do it all tractor.

 

[dodge man]

Kubota BX’s and JD 1 series are very common used and are solid tractors.

 

[MountainBuck]

I really like the Ventrac. For my hills I wouldn't be comfortable with anything else.

I use the rake or the bucket on the front of the tractor to groom my hilly driveway and am satisfied.

I've never felt like I have come close to rolling it, but I have slid in it on damp grass.

 

[WinterDeere]

Kubota BX’s and JD 1 series are very common used and are solid tractors.

Deere 1R series has removable loader and is built on a slightly larger frame than 1E series, if I recall. I was only looking at 2-series and 3-series last time I shopped JD, so didn't really look closely at the 1-series, but I do remember two pretty distinctly different frame sizes across the 1-series line.

 

[jjeff]

A new ventrac would definitely be ideal except for the price. Which wich at that price you could be in a cabbed sub compact with dual rears and all the bells and whistles.

 

[jjeff]

Doesn't John Deere use cast aluminum pretty extensively? Probably most manufacturers do these days anyway.

 

[dodge man]

The 1 series JD’s use aluminum for the transaxle but so do several other makers.

There are two distinct size frames in the 2 series, the 2025r vs the 2032r and 2038r. I believe the 1023e and the 1025r are built on the same size frame but I’m not 100% sure.

 

[jjeff]

The 1 series JD’s use aluminum for the transaxle but so do several other makers.

There are two distinct size frames in the 2 series, the 2025r vs the 2032r and 2038r. I believe the 1023e and the 1025r are built on the same size frame but I’m not 100% sure.

The smaller the frame size the better specifically in iny situation.

 

[dodge man]

The Kubota BX is noticeably smaller than a 1 series JD. I owned a BX2350 for about 10 years and put 800 hours on it, solid little tractors. I added a better fuel filter to it and had to fix a loss of steering with a new seal but it was pretty trouble free.

 

[WinterDeere]

Doesn't John Deere use cast aluminum pretty extensively? Probably most manufacturers do these days anyway.

Every JD I've ever owned had a steel frame, including the current models, as far as I know. On my 3 series one of the main transaxle castings is aluminum, but the axle half shaft housings bolted to either side of it are ferrous.

There are two distinct size frames in the 2 series, the 2025r vs the 2032r and 2038r. I believe the 1023e and the 1025r are built on the same size frame but I’m not 100% sure.

I'm sorry, you're correct, I was mis-remembering. It's the 2-series that's split between two frame sizes, not the 1-series. I was looking at what my dealer called the "big 2's".

 

[jjeff]

The Kubota BX is noticeably smaller than a 1 series JD. I owned a BX2350 for about 10 years and put 800 hours on it, solid little tractors. I added a better fuel filter to it and had to fix a loss of steering with a new seal but it was pretty trouble free.

U.p. Kubota is relatively close up there. Definitely not expecting to use or treat it like my 4150 or 2850. However I like the small footprint of the bobcat 1021 I saw recently.

 

[jjeff]

The mixture of harder ferrous steel and softer aluminum components bothers me anyway, from a few previous incidents over the years.

 

[Runner]

Kubota BX’s and JD 1 series are very common used and are solid tractors.

Seems like used subcompacts I've found have one or the other but not both/ deck and small loader.

I haven't done a scientific study, but it seems that a large percentage of the models dodge man mentions that I see on tractor sales sites do have loaders and mid mount mowers.
Example: First one I looked at -

652637

Shop Heritage Tractor for new & used John Deere tractors, mowers & ag equipment for your farm, construction and landscape needs. Find OEM parts and service too.

heritagetractor.com

 

[WinterDeere]

The mixture of harder ferrous steel and softer aluminum components bothers me anyway, from a few previous incidents over the years.

It all depends on how well the engineers planned for and calculated the associated stresses and ultimate failure strengths of each component. Things built much lighter today usually easily outlast things overbuilt decades ago, due to better tools (software, simulation) for analyzing those stresses. But when things fail, you can usually trace it back to some engineer who didn’t understand design margins.

 

[Runner]

I haven't done a scientific study, but it seems that a large percentage of the models dodge man mentions that I see on tractor sales sites do have loaders and mid mount mowers.
Example: First one I looked at -

652637

Shop Heritage Tractor for new & used John Deere tractors, mowers & ag equipment for your farm, construction and landscape needs. Find OEM parts and service too.

heritagetractor.com

Which brings up something else I've noticed - TONS of machines like that 1025R for sale with really low hours, practically new. I'm wondering why? Do people buy them, then decide they're not big enough and trade them in or what? As far as I know, they don't have any chronic problems with the 1 series.

 

[jjeff]

Which brings up something else I've noticed - TONS of machines like that 1025R for sale with really low hours, practically new. I'm wondering why? Do people buy them, then decide they're not big enough and trade them in or what? As far as I know, they don't have any chronic problems with the 1 series.

Maybe in some instances? Thanks for the encouraging listing info. Wish I had more used options around me. At least to kick tires. Definitely have what I need down here in terms of tractor sizes and being somewhat reliable with time to make repairs /mods as necessary, Up north not so much. Pretty much know what size tractor and options I desire up there knowing what I find useful is not what others might.

 

[WinterDeere]

Which brings up something else I've noticed - TONS of machines like that 1025R for sale with really low hours, practically new. I'm wondering why? Do people buy them, then decide they're not big enough and trade them in or what? As far as I know, they don't have any chronic problems with the 1 series.

I suspect the former more than the latter. We haven't been seeing a lot of threads here filled with chronic 1-series problems, but we do know most wish they had bought a bigger tractor, and the 1-series are awfully small!

 

[jjeff]

Wow, there's more used Kubota bx and JD 1 series out there than originally thought. Broadened manufacturers to include the JD 1 series so Im looking for two specific brands I'm somewhat familiar with. thanks for the input and insight.