Buying Advice First Time Tractor Buyer - Massey Ferguson 1726e

[ranro]

Hello. I am new when it comes to tractors. I am looking for a compact tractor to help me on my land. I have found some 2019 Massey Ferguson 1726e that the dealer still has on the lot, so it still has the warranty and everything. Because it is a new 2019 there is a good discount on it. It is basically the same price as the used compact tractors that I see posted out there in the $14,000 to 16,000 range. I like the 1726e because it has some weight on it 2600 lbs. I have a lot of brush and trees to move around, so I thought the weight would be helpful. I do not really have a lot of flat area where I need to do any cutting or shredding. A lot of other compact tractors are not that heavy.

For comparison, I could get an LS MT225HE for about $17,000 or a Kioti CK2610H for about $19,000.

Do you think getting the Massey Ferguson 1726e is a good tractor for me or should I wait and consider something else?

 

[K5lwq]

Welcome to TBN!

You are smart to be considering weight. Have you used a tractor before?

 

[ranro]

Hi K5lwq,

I used to tractor to run a shredder when I was younger (about 35 years ago), but that is it. So you can safely say I have never used one.

 

[K5lwq]

Not knowing how much land you have to take care of, and not knowing how steep the slopes you have are, it is difficult for us to provide helpful recommendations.

You could rent a few different sizes and brands of tractors to get an idea of what would work good for you.

As this conversation grows, there will naturally be more information that will help guide your decision. Take your time before purchasing and think about future uses. Many first time tractor owners buy the wrong machine and have to purchase again.

 

[RjCorazza]

Seems like a nice sized machine. If you're moving brush and logs I would look into the loader specs to get an idea of what you will be able to lift. Pay particular attention to the "500mm in front" of the loader pins, and at what height (full, 1 meter, etc). Also ssqa mount is a BIG plus for switching between forks, grapple, or bucket.

 

[Roadworthy]

All the tractors you listed seem to be in the approximate same weight and power range. You need to consider whether the dealer you've chosen can adequately support your tractor. Some can't or won't. For comparison, in 2019 my Kubota L2501 was about $16,000 new. By the time I added a front loader it was up to $20,000. Look at how your chosen tractor is equipped as well as the price. If the tractor is still too light you can add a ballast box or have the tires filled.

 

[jeff9366]

Massey Ferguson 1726E

2013 - 1700 Series
Compact Utility tractor

Manufacturer: Massey Ferguson (a part of AGCO)

Massey Ferguson 1726E Engine:
Shibaura 1.5L 3-cyl diesel
Shibaura N843T-F
diesel
3-cylinder
liquid-cooled
91.3 ci [1.5 L]
Bore/Stroke: 3.307x3.543 inches [84 x 90 mm]
Emissions: Tier IV
Emission control: internal exhaust-gas recirculatio (iEGR)
Power: 24 hp [17.9 kW]
Rated RPM: 2600

Fuel: 10 gal [37.9 L]

3-Point Hitch:
Rear Type: I
Rear lift (at ends): 2205 lbs [1000 kg]
Rear lift (at 24"/610mm): 1598 lbs [724 kg]

Power Take-off (PTO):
Rear PTO: transmission
Rear RPM: 540 (1.375)

Dimensions
Weight: 2600 lbs [1179 kg] (gear)
2657 lbs [1205 kg] (hydro)
Wheelbase: 65.9 inches [167 cm]
Length: 116 inches [294 cm]
Width: 52.4 inches [133 cm]
Height (ROPS): 97.6 inches [247 cm]
63.8 inches [162 cm] (folded)

Massey Ferguson 1726E Power:
Engine: 24 hp [17.9 kW]
Gear PTO (claimed): 20.4 hp [15.2 kW]
Hydro PTO (claimed): 19.2 hp [14.3 kW]

Transmission:
Type: gear
Gears: 9 forward and 3 reverse

Transmission:
Type: hydrostatic
Gears: infinite (3-range) forward and reverse

Mechanical:
Chassis: 4x4 MFWD 4WD
Final drives: bull gear
Differential lock: rear standard
Steering: hydrostatic power
Brakes: wet disc
Cab: Two-post foldable ROPS.

Hydraulics:
Type: open center gear pump
SCV flow: 6.7 gpm [25.4 lpm]
Total flow: 10.5 gpm [39.7 lpm]
Steering flow: 3.8 gpm [14.4 lpm]

Page information:
Last update: January 25, 2019
Copyright: Copyright 2019 TractorData LLC
Contact: Peter@TractorData.com

 

[jeff9366]

In less than 25-horsepower tractors there is little demand for gear transmission tractors. If this tractor is clutch and gear the transmission style may be why this tractor has been sitting.

HST transmission is most of the market as almost all tractors around this weight are used in residential situations rather than fields. HST costs around $1,000 more than clutch and gear.

Have you experience driving a clutch and gear car?

 

[ranro]

In less than 25-horsepower tractors there is little demand for gear transmission tractors. If this tractor is clutch and gear the transmission style may be why this tractor has been sitting.

HST transmission is most of the market as almost all tractors around this weight are used in residential situations rather than fields. HST costs around $1,000 more than clutch and gear.

Have you experience driving a clutch and gear car?

Hi Jeff,

The tractor is an HST transmission. I think the reason it is still setting is because the dealer sells another brand of tractor and I think the salesman push the other brand more. At least I got that feeling when I was there. I have looked, but I have not really read anything about the 1726e. For the price I figured it would be a good tractor for me to do what I need.

Yes. I can drive a clutch and gear car. I used to have a CDL and drive tractor trailers with 9 gears in them, but now I am a software engineer. I was driving the trucks to put myself through college.

I recently bought 12 acres with about 800 feet of river frontage. The land has never been kept up and I want to use the tractor to help me get rid of all the driftwood and clean up my river bank, so the kids and I can go camping and fishing.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Getting a 2019 vs a 2020, or soon to be 2021 does not matter so much with tractors as cars. They are "judged" by hours of use.... new is new! Where the savings come into play is how long the tractor is sitting on the dealers lot. The longer it sits, the less he has room for another tractor, the less he has for his "floor plan" stock, the more pressure he gets from corporate to move units... so, with that in mind, he paid less for that tractor when he got it, he has more "room" in it to lower the price to move it out.

Jump on it.... it is a good tractor. Just make sure you deal to get options you need. Get them to put on remotes (at least negotiate a deal on them), maybe front 3rd function. Think about what you will need in the future and plan what you would need on the tractor for those needs.

Example: when I made my deal for the tractor, I negotiated a 2 pair of rear remotes installed for $595.... basically half of what it would cost after the sale. Same with attachments... I negotiated a $900 post hole digger for $450 with the 12" auger, also an $850 heavy box blade for $450. My back hoe cost me $5K when I got the tractor... it would be close to $9k now.

You have them in a good position to negotiate the sale.... GOOD LUCK!

Oh, and this time of year is also in your favor! They may not be selling to many tractors before the holidays....

Not sure where you are located (maybe update your profile).... tractor prices are definitely regional... some areas are better than others... a location might help others in your general area help you out better.

 

[Doug62]

The 1726e is decent machine. It didn't quite do what I needed it to and it sounds like our use is pretty similar. Below are the things that I ran into with it that caused me to go the next size up.

I used a 1726e for the last 2 years on some waterfront property I have. My buddy bought the land next door to mine and bought the tractor new at the same time. After using it to do all sorts of stuff over the last 2 years, both of us felt that something one step up would have been a better choice. I really wanted a cab tractor for a number of reasons so I took his advice and stepped up one size and bought an 1835M cab model 2 months ago for my own use at the beach and at at an inland 100 acre family. That farm is mostly timber these days but still has 20-30 acres of pasture in use. I LOVE the 1800 series size. The loader has close to double the capacity of the 1726e and that extra 800 lbs of weight and the extra loader strength makes a world of difference in moving a lot of dirt. One of my biggest issues with the 1726e was I could only go to the top of the pile for a full bucket of dirt in one maneuver. To get a full bucket from lower in the pile meant backing out a little or going in several times. Even if I went to the top of the pile, it meant backing up and lowering the load from almost full height before driving. It slowed me down a lot and I still have several hundred yards of dirt to move before the end of the year on this one project. The 1835M does this much better for me and I get much more dirt moved in the same amount of time. I can go in much lower and come out with a full bucket without having to backup as I did with the 1726e.

The machine itself doesn't look all that much bigger but once you start using it it becomes obvious how much stronger it is. The money is probably around 7K more but you get considerably more capability. I think 1700 series also came in a 35 or 40 hp model but don't know anything about the frame sizing or weight on those. The 1700 series will no longer be sold and has been replaced by the 1800 series.

The second thing I didn't like about the 1726e was the transmission. It has 3 selector speeds (snail, turtle and jackrabbit) Then you have to manually shift between 3 forward gears in each of these. Here is the rub.... You have to completely come to a stop and let the engine idle down to shift into any another gear. It's very time consuming. There is no shifting as you go like a car. It really slowed work down. I constantly found myself grinding the gears as I was trying to shift it after I stopped. I'd think it had idled down far enough but it hadn't. Sometimes it would go in but not always. So I'd have to sit there a little longer for the RPMs to get all the way down.
The 1835M I bought has an HST and it works far better. Overall the 1835M gets a lot more work done in the same amount of time compared to when I was using the 1726e. But that does have a price difference someone around 7K-8K I believe for a non-cab version. I really didn't ask about current pricing on the 1726e when I went in to buy mine. This number is based on what he paid and what I was quoted for the 1835M series. To me it was well worth the price difference but that was because I already knew I needed a little bigger tractor.

I think I just have this one picture of the two of them in the same photo. The 1726e is not a bad tractor it just couldn't quite do what we needed it to. My friend has already bent a couple of hydraulic arms trying to do more than the tractor could do. One or more on the backhoe as well. The backhoe that fits the 1800 is bigger and heavier as well. So think about how much you really want to do with it. The 1726e will do basic stuff pretty well if you are not worried about how long it takes you can probably get it to do what you need it to for the most part. If you're going to dig up big tree stumps or move a lot of dirt, gravel, etc. or use a grapple, I'd go for their 36 or 40 hp model. I went with the 36 because it's 36.3hp and the 40 is 39.4hp. I didn't see the use in stepping up only 3.1 hp on a same physicy machine for a signficiant price difference.

This is my experience witht the exact machine you are looking at so hope it helps.

 

[CobyRupert]

....I recently bought 12 acres with about 800 feet of river frontage. The land has never been kept up and I want to use the tractor to help me get rid of all the driftwood and clean up my river bank, so the kids and I can go camping and fishing.

Maybe a good application for a 3 point hitch tractor winch?

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