I have a hydrostatic transmission, very easy to drive but you have to have the RPM up to cool the oil. I like gear tractors and I know what you mean by the "sound" of the tractor... I miss it. I wear ear protection which isn't the greatest. Only other thing I'll add is after a few hours of driving, I'm less sore on the hydrostatic. Both tractors are nice, both have ups and downs, test drive them both and see how they feel to you.
Going to look at a tractor tomorrow, tell me what to look for...
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dieselfuelonly
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Ok, thanks for the overview.
I'm kinda stuck as to what I want to do, I don't know if the NH is worth the extra money or not since its a bit smaller than the Yanmar.
I'm kinda stuck as to what I want to do, I don't know if the NH is worth the extra money or not since its a bit smaller than the Yanmar.
kozak
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I think you need to sit back & cool off a bit. Seems like your willing to consider other options. IMHO the TC18 is too small. Not that it cannot do the job, it's just too light & would take hours longer.
The Yanmar.....well.....much greater risk involved.
There are alot of other tractors out there. Maybe not quite as new but definitely more dependable from service & parts perspective. I know you won't want to here this (& don't take this the wrong way) but if money is tight, why not wait till next season. You will be able to afford much more tractor. I know the temptation is there to get something now to make things easier around the homestead but if you waited I think you would be happier in the long run.
If you are desperate.....get the TC18 if only from a re-sale standpoint for when you upgrade in the future.
Just my .02
Vic
The Yanmar.....well.....much greater risk involved.
There are alot of other tractors out there. Maybe not quite as new but definitely more dependable from service & parts perspective. I know you won't want to here this (& don't take this the wrong way) but if money is tight, why not wait till next season. You will be able to afford much more tractor. I know the temptation is there to get something now to make things easier around the homestead but if you waited I think you would be happier in the long run.
If you are desperate.....get the TC18 if only from a re-sale standpoint for when you upgrade in the future.
Just my .02
Vic
Spiveyman
Platinum Member
kozak said:
I echo these sentiments. Just curious dieselfuelonly, but how long have you been actively looking for a tractor to buy?
When I decided the time was right for me to buy mine I took a couple of months to look around. I found one right away that I really wanted, had just been painted, very nice looking tractor. I waited one day too long to call the guy on it and it was gone. I was devastated, but I started looking again. The next week up pops another one very comparable. The following week another, and the one I wound up getting. Over the course of a few weeks I had probably 6 or 7 tractors to choose from. And I'm not talking generally decent tractors that would fit my needs, I'm talking specific, Ford 6610 II's with no cab, 2 remotes.... etc. If I'd been willing to consider other manufacturers or models there would have been more no doubt. If you can afford to wait even a month you may be surprised at what you can turn up. Even give the TBN'ers a chance to look for you. You might also check around your local stock yards for an equipment auction. Our's has one a couple times a year. I'd just hate to see you get something that you wouldn't be happy with because it's all that is available right now.
I do understand the itch to get something, I'm horrible about that. So if that has you, take the advice previously offered and get the one you can sell more readily. The thing about a $5,000 tractor, is that you can probably buy one, use it for a year and sell it for $5,000 if you get one that is easy to sell. I'd think the NH would fit this mold better.
dieselfuelonly said:Ok, I read in another thread that hydro vs. standard clutch can become a war.
I don't know if the NH tractor is even for sale any more, I will call tomorrow.
However, which would you recommend:
Remember, here is my situation:
I have about 5 acres of relatively flat land. The only un-flat parts are the little ruts and stuff in the ground.
I am buying the tractor mainly for the purpose of mowing 2 pastures for the horses. I understand that a bush hog will not do a clean job, so I can still use my little 20HP riding mower for right around the house.
I am completely comfortable driving with a clutch, not that it is really challenging on a tractor (as far as I know). Unless I get a loader that comes with a tractor I highly doubt that I will be able to justify the cost of one soon/in the future.
Are the hydros as strong as a gear transmission? Do you have to worry about heat buildup? Do they take time to "warm up" like an automatic does in cold weather?
Which would you recommend for ME?
Is it worth the extra cost for the NH over the Yanmar, because the NH costs 500 more than the Yanmar and it doesn't include any attachments?
From what I've been reading it sounds like the YM2000 is a tough little tractor. I found the site Yanmar Tractor Parts, Sales, Service, and Delivery. which seemed to be a great source for parts, if I ever need any. The seller also recommended Antique Tractors - Yesterday's Tractors : Antique Tractor Headquarters too.
I know the NH looks nice and has 4WD and has some of the newer features, but I loved the sound that little 2cyl Yanmar made when it fired up, it seemed very simple to work on, the tractor was built like a rock, so I really don't know.
I think that because your main job will be mowing a hydro would be better. I don't have a hydro tractor (we have all much bigger tractors) but I think if I did my mowing would probably be quicker. It would be nice just to be able to press the pedal down further and go faster and then slow down easily again.
I think that the TC18 may be a bit small for you but then if you did get it and found it was too small it should be easy to trade in again and not lose any value.
The other thing is, that if you were comfortable working on the Yanmar, how about finding something a bit older. This way you could get a bigger tractor, that could do your mowing easily. They are as easy to work on as a Yanmar but parts can normally still be got through big name dealers.
Then if you wanted to, you could swap it in for something newer, and get either the same, or more money back for it.
I had a look on some sites (it is difficult because I am in the UK!)
EquipmentTraderOnline MF 135
This MF135 looks ok, needs some new sheet metal. It has the diesel engine and is virtually bombproof. We still use these tractors everyday on our farm.
I also found a this Mitsubishi, possibly a bit more than you wanted to spend
MITSUBISHI MTE1800FD For Sale at TractorHouse.com
jbrumberg
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Dieselfuelonly:
I am entering this thread relatively late, but I agree with the other posters as it relates to slowing down your tractor acquisition. The "right" tractor will be there if you are patient. Just out of curiousity have you made use of the major brands' tractor selector software programs on their websites? These programs can give you a relatively accurate recommendation as to what size tractor (frame and HP) based on your own data input. I will add that they appear loaded towards FEL use and acreage, but they do provide a starting point for tractor selection. I believe you could make the NH TC18 work for you, but I would recommend something a little bigger in the low to mid 20 HP range. As a newbie and with mowing and FEL (manure) work as anticipated primary tasks I would definitely recommend HST and 4WD/MFWD. Hang in there- Jay
I am entering this thread relatively late, but I agree with the other posters as it relates to slowing down your tractor acquisition. The "right" tractor will be there if you are patient. Just out of curiousity have you made use of the major brands' tractor selector software programs on their websites? These programs can give you a relatively accurate recommendation as to what size tractor (frame and HP) based on your own data input. I will add that they appear loaded towards FEL use and acreage, but they do provide a starting point for tractor selection. I believe you could make the NH TC18 work for you, but I would recommend something a little bigger in the low to mid 20 HP range. As a newbie and with mowing and FEL (manure) work as anticipated primary tasks I would definitely recommend HST and 4WD/MFWD. Hang in there- Jay
OP
dieselfuelonly
Gold Member
Grrrr said:
Hey, thanks for the links. Believe it or not I actually went and looked at that MF 135.
Give me your opinion on it:
It had a pretty good oil leak. It looked to be coming from somewhere on the top right side of the engine. The engine was all coated in that oily residue running down the side and there were some drips on the ground. From what I understand it is the European model, the front axle runs straight across and does not "sweep back" like the American 135s do. How hard would it be to get parts from this? I had a guy that works on tractors for a living tell me that it is something I should stay away from. The brakes were horrible to. Assuming that it would require more than an adjustment to fix, how much cost would I be looking at to replace the shoes? Is this something I could do myself? The motor really did purr when it fired up though. It ran just perfect.
Also, tell me about those little Mitsubishi tractors. I know nothing about them. Did Mitsubishi also make Satoh?
Heres a link to a tractor that I found. I know its a little less HP than most of you recommend, but for the price its got 4WD, a FEL, a little rear mount mower (not sure if its a bush hog or not), a tiller, and a couple more attachments.
REDUCED 78' Satoh 4x4 Compact Tractor
Anyway, thanks for all the help guys!
I rarely see a MF135 that is completely leak free. We have a MF135, MF165 and another with a loader and a MF595.dieselfuelonly said:
They all have an oily residue on the sides of the engine. But none of them leak a lot. The 165's will make a small puddle after a week.
The leaks are fixable by replacing all the seals and gaskets.
The European models also started off having swept back axles but then changed over to square axles. (FarmWithJunk could tell you when)
As for parts, they should be easy to get. In the UK, you can get all the parts through MF dealers or through replacement part manufactures. Almost all parts on this tractor are availible.
The brakes were never great, but do work. It think they would be about $500? to replace the shoes.
As you noticed, it is hard to hurt the little Perkins diesel in them.
Did you drive it at all?
Lots of info here Big Dean's Massey Ferguson tips
I don't know much about the Mitsubushi either. I just saw it and thought it looked nice
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dieselfuelonly
Gold Member
Yeah I drove it around a bit. Just a little bit though. The clutch seemed OK, transmission seemed good, it wasn't making any weird noises. But trying to get it to stop... that was another story. I had to stand up in the seat to get it to stop and even at that it didn't even BEGIN to lock up the wheels or anything, it kinda rolled to a stop about 6' later. The brake pedal had near ZERO travel too it.
What do you think of that Satoh tractor?
What do you think of that Satoh tractor?
RoyJackson
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dieselfuelonly said:
I think you'd be better off with the Yanmar.
Ol Buddy...the odds are, if you go for any brand (used) other then Deere, Ford/New Holland or Kubota, you'll end up with a disaster. If grey market...even more of a disaster.
You'd probably even be better off buying an old Ford 8N or something of that nature before going for any of these off brand machines. Even an older utility tractor (rather then a CUT) might be a better choice.
Yanmar is a risk...but probably a little less of a risk then something like Satoh.
So, do yourself a favor...focus on the majors or buy new. A 2WD 790 would cost you about $10K new and can easily handle a 5' cutter or a 6' finish mower. It's gear, but hydrostatic trannies aren't necessary if you have any coordination at all. If your 5 acres is pretty clear (not a lot of trees), hydro trannies wouldn't be in your best interest.
BTW, since you did link to that Satoh, I looked at it's HP ratings. Although I'd suggested larger used Deeres, if you're in the market for a smaller machine, that opens the door to a Deere 670 (my first tractor and a real work horse!) or a 755. Both of those would be comparable to that Satoh in power.
But, don't waste your time on these off brand units!
What dealers do you have in your area? Even
