Buying Advice how much HP? need 4x4?, and other advice appreciated

[pdubdo]

I just bought land in southern Oklahoma with approximately 50 acres in pasture that's been fallow for several years. Pretty flat, with the remainder in pecan bottoms/creeks. I'll be bush hogging waist high pasture, dragging cut red cedar and brush into piles, cutting/maintaining a couple of roads, planting a little winter wheat (2-3 years from now), and lots of fence work/clearing. I'm looking at used, 40-50 HP, FEL, and 4x4. Budget is 10K or less. Reliability is important. So...

1. Do I really need 4x4?

2. If I find a good buy in the 30-40 HP range, should I take it?

Thanks for replies.

 

[fishheadbob]

You don't need 4x4, we existed nicely for decades without it. 10K or less is low and is going to steer you to an older 2wd model, probably with a lot of hours which could make reliability an issue. If you find one calling your name weighing in at 35 HP or higher it should do your jobs fine. Happy shopping.

 

[blueriver]

Welcome ... 4x4 is nice but not needed .. they just get stuck deeper!!!! I'd get the most HP for the money. Just seems like one is always a little shy on the HP end.

 

[Grandad4]

I just bought land in southern Oklahoma with approximately 50 acres in pasture that's been fallow for several years. Pretty flat, with the remainder in pecan bottoms/creeks. I'll be bush hogging waist high pasture, dragging cut red cedar and brush into piles, cutting/maintaining a couple of roads, planting a little winter wheat (2-3 years from now), and lots of fence work/clearing. I'm looking at used, 40-50 HP, FEL, and 4x4. Budget is 10K or less. Reliability is important. So...

1. Do I really need 4x4?

2. If I find a good buy in the 30-40 HP range, should I take it?

Thanks for replies.

You've got the right type of tractor in mind but your budget won't come close to buying it. Tractors hold their value quite well and new equipment like that will be in the mid 20's and up. As others have suggested the alternative is an older 2wd farm tractor if you can find one in good condition. May need more maintenance but will get you started within your budget needs.

 

[silvertramp]

4X4 is a must have for me, especially with a FEL. I've had both. A smaller 4X4 will out work a larger 2X4 any day of the week.

 

[ovrszd]

4X4 is a must have for me, especially with a FEL. I've had both. A smaller 4X4 will out work a larger 2X4 any day of the week.

I agree. A FEL tractor in 2wd is pretty much worthless to me. Especially if you add a Grapple to your FEL. Which you will eventually want to do if clearing brush.

I agree with everyone else in regards to your budget being low.

So, I think you need to prioritize the things you listed as "wants", including the budget. If money is at the top of the list, then you start dropping "wants" until you get there. If at all possible I'd increase the budget before I let 4wd go.

I bought a 1984 47hp 4wd tractor last Winter for $8500. I put another $2500 in it fixing everything wrong I could find, including new rear tires. It would cost me $2000 to add a used FEL. I'd have a total of $13,000 in a very nice, older, tough as a boot, AG tractor that will outlive me. Fortunately I didn't need the FEL.

My Brother recently sold his 3 year old 32HP 4wd Kubota with FEL for $15,000. My 30 year old tractor will work circles around his little Kubota.

So go old if your budget is restrictive. To do that you need to educate yourself about tractors. Drive around your area looking for tractors on homesteads that might fit your needs. Stop in for a visit. Almost everyone will readily talk about their tractors. You'll also be spreading the word that you are shopping. You might find what you need and can afford close by. At a minimum you will be making friends with your neighbors, which will repay you many times over in the future.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Unless you are going with old iron tractors in the 80+ HP size with an FEL, you are going to need 4x4. Recently my 70HP 4x4 tractor broke a front drive shaft and with FEL on it, it wouldn't climb the ramps on the trailer for me to load it. I had to position the trailer below a hill so the ramps were just about level in order to get it on the trailer so I could take to the dealer to fix.
Now, I had removed the water from the tires to lower the weight for hauling and it has no other rear weights so that affected the rear traction, but it is a good indication of 2 WD ability with an FEL. Even with water in the tires, once I was hauling some firewood and had the FEL loaded with rounds. I forgot I had it in 2 WD and when trying to back up just a slight incline, it would just spin out and that was with tires loaded. My tractor only weighs 6800# without ballast so it isn't comparable to a 70 HP older iron AG tractor that would be in the 10K range without ballast so perhaps you could get by with one of those.
But 4 WD will do so much more for you especially in the newer CUT tractors. I think you could pull as much with a 40 HP 4 WD as you could with a 70 HP 2 WD. You wouldn't have the PTO power of course but traction wise you would be ahead of the game.

I worked the farm with 2 WD tractors all my younger years and there are lots of things a 2 WD can do when properly ballasted with dual rear tires, but after having owned 4 WD with FEL, I wouldn't buy anything else.

 

[ovrszd]

I worked the farm with 2 WD tractors all my younger years and there are lots of things a 2 WD can do when properly ballasted with dual rear tires, but after having owned 4 WD with FEL, I wouldn't buy anything else.

I agree Gary.

 

[GManBart]

I don't think you're likely to find 40-50hp, 4x4 with FEL for $10K. You might be able to find an older 2wd machine with FEL for $10K, but that's still going to be tight and you need to know what you're looking for.

I saw this the other day, and other than the turf tires, is probably what you should be looking for...but it would require a close inspection. Any time you see a machine like this that's clearly be repainted, you have to wonder how hard it was worked in the past (but honestly this one does look solid).


john deere 1530 diesel loader tractor

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

I hate to be snotty, but I wonder how people always seem to have money to buy great pieces of land but NO MONEY to buy a decent tractor. It makes me think of the people who buy big fancy houses and don't spend a dollar on landscaping around them.

Why buy a bowling ball if you can't afford to get the holes drilled?