Buying Advice First timer looking for best tractor options

[Domino2332]

I am looking to buy my first tractor and am hoping you can help me identify some good options. I will be using the tractor on a newly started hobby farm. My primary uses will be light FEL work for landscaping/hauling of supplies, wood, trailers, etc...I can envision getting additional attachments for tilling/post hole diggerattachments at some point down the road...I will not be doing any mowing with the tractor.

Originally I was looking at MF 135, but learned it may not be the best for FEL..

Looking for something reliable with a FEL and under 8K...Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[strum456]

It sounds like you arent really going to be doing any ag work with it. No baling hay, working ground, etc. If this is the case, you would probably be the happiest with a 4x4 compact of some sort.

 

[Martian]

What have you heard wrong with the 135 for FEL use? Just curious, I don't know much about it myself, but haven't heard to avoid one with a FEL.

At any rate, you have a couple options in my mind:

1: Something like your looking at that is a utility, not compact utility, tractor and will out work a SCUT any day. What you will find with these is they will tend to be older machines and not as operator friendly, as well as likely having a boat load of hours.

2: A mid 90's CUT such as a Deere 970 that although may be similar in HP to a 135 is not nearly as beefy of a machine as the 135 and a 135 could work much harder. Where the CUT is nicer is they will tend to be a little more operator friendly and will be able to find one that doesn't have a boat load of hours.

You should be able to find either one of these in your budget. I just threw out a couple of models, but any will do perfectly fine.

Good luck in your search:thumbsup:

 

[Domino2332]

Not a lot of ag work...at most I would work up an acre of land or so...Any thoughts on compact brands or models for best reliability/handling of FEL?

 

[CAgnoli]

Probably the best advice I can give you is to go test drive the MF and whatever other brands are close to you. With that said, your price point has you in the used market for sure.

I'm probably not the best guy to give used advice, as im not very mechanical, so I've always bought new. Good news is this site is chock full of some freaking awesome experts that can point you in the right direction.

I had a New Holland TC25D almost ten years ago and that was a very good all purpose tractor that would probably be in your budget.

 

[Martian]

Not a lot of ag work...at most I would work up an acre of land or so...Any thoughts on compact brands or models for best reliability/handling of FEL?

Speaking from my experience, the old Deere 670/770/870/970/1070 series were rock solid machines. They have lasted quite a long time and in my opinion are some of the most reliable machines built. They were built by Yanmar for Deere if that makes any difference too you. I don't know about what the other brands have though.

 

[Combustix]

I got a tractor before I really new what I was going to do with it other than mow, grade and do light backhoe work. I have a B2710, that over the years I just get an new attachment for for the work I end up doing. Have a hobby farm now, with goats, chickens, ducks, and turkey. Wish I got the PHD for it. This little tractor has saved me big though.

 

[Domino2332]

I was told the MF135 is not the best for a FEL due to the lack of power steering (power assist is even lacking) and I heard that the brackets were only ok for handling a FEL

 

[Martian]

I guess that makes sense, but you would exact that with any of the older UTILITY tractors, from what your saying, I think you should be looking at the compact utility tractors (CUTs).

 

[Mike476]

Not necessary to avoid a 135 with a front end loader, the OPs question on a different post was whether the 135 would be good for his needs, to which the responses were that without power steering it would be a bear to drive. Also, the 135s front axles won't take heavy FEL work. That's not to say you can't have a FEL on one, simply that you need to be conscious of the limitations before purchasing one with a FEL for your needs.

Aside from the FEL considerations it will do everything else you need done with ease, and then some...... :thumbsup:

 

[flusher]

Not a lot of ag work...at most I would work up an acre of land or so...Any thoughts on compact brands or models for best reliability/handling of FEL?

Kubota B or BX series would work OK for that small amount of acreage. My first tractor was a new 2005 Kubota B7510HST (21 hp engine, 17 hp pto, 4WD, hydrostatic tranny) with the LA302 FEL (4-ft wide bucket, about 800 lb lift). Cost: $12600 in May 2005.

I own a 1964 MF135 diesel deluxe with multipower (45 hp engine, 37 hp pto, 2WD, gear tranny). It would be overkill for your small place. And it's not a particularly good tractor for attaching an FEL. The front axles are pretty spindly. And the 135 does not steer easily despite having "power assisted steering", which is a dinky hydraulic gizmo attached to the steering column. True power steering uses a large hydraulic ram (cylinder) attached to the front axle.

For FEL work you want a tractor with a hydrostatic tranny to make the back and forth movements a lot easier (no gear shifting with the hydrostatic).

Good luck.

 

[Domino2332]

Thanks for all the great insight so far...Definately some food for thought...I like the idea and value of an HST...Is a shuttle style transmission similar and does anyone have anythoughts on that type of transmission?

 

[Martian]

Thanks for all the great insight so far...Definately some food for thought...I like the idea and value of an HST...Is a shuttle style transmission similar and does anyone have anythoughts on that type of transmission?

Don't get caught up in people telling you which tranny is best. The HST is definitely easier, but the gear will deliver more power and is much simpler. It's really a wash for me, I like them both.

The problem I see you having is that in your budget it will be hard to find a machine that is big enough and has HST. I'd think you'd want to be in or around the 30HP+ range and there aren't many for that much with a loader and HST. If you can find one, that would be the way to go IMO.

 

[dkizerian]

I'm not sure what you plan on using the FEL for, but it sounds like you don't really have huge plans to do heavy work with the tractor, and most SCUTs would power a 48" tiller with no problem.

Maybe look at Kubota BX series, and B series tractor. I have a 16hp B7300 and it is about the perfect size for my acre so far. My only complaints would be small FEL bucket with limited lift, and the slightly low lift height of the 3pt, but this was only a problem with the monster-sized middlebuster I bought.

Good luck!