How much tractor do I need?

[GManBart]

If he advised a backhoe and you are a neophyte tractor buyer, with 1 under your belt, he shouldn't have. Backhoes are EXPENSIVE. And for on 5 acres it's definitely overkill.

First tractor, or tenth doesn't have any bearing on whether someone might need/want a backhoe. The same can be said of acreage...lots of people have around the same size property, a similar tractor, and a backhoe, and are very happy with the setup. My folks have around 5 acres, and my father bought a Terramite (his first machine) and has used the heck out of the hoe, which he swears is the most useful part of the machine....depends on your intended uses, not your experience level, or lot size.

 

[Schneeky]

I liked the way everything was layed out. I'm not really used to anything, so something new shouldn't be hard to get used to.
Getting comfy paying for a new tractor?
Now THAT will take some getting used to.

The man with the Bobcat mounted forestry tools came by. Super nice fella. Sez he'll work all I want for $100/hr. and shred it all into mulch. At that rate I'm somewhat unconcerned if this rig'll uproot the little trees. I'll get a small bush hog to clean up the upshoots from what's left. And just worry with diggin up what's in the way of planting. What's not to like? d:^) Schneeks.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

$100 per hour sounds good. I have a field to clean up of about 1 acre across a small creek so we can add parking at church. I would pay that out of my pocket to save me from having to do it with the backhoe. It was in row crop 30 years ago.

 

[Schneeky]

I thought it sounded very fair. And he can go thru this mess pretty fast. We got to yakkin a bit and he had some pretty interesting horror stories about crap he's run into buried in the leaves-n-such. Like finding a bicycle on a property out on Oak Island that trashed $750 worth of blades on a $300 job. I'll be putting in some serious effort to try and get these woods cleared of such things prior to. I know I've ran into a pile of junk with my bladed weedeater. Old fence, solidified bags of concrete, piles of shingles, guy wires from the power company.
Looks like we're set to pull the trigger on the Mahindra this week. I'm jazzed. d:^) Schneeks..

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I could use some one to mulch an acre but with the back hoe I have found a 30's era steel spoke car rim, mostly buried coon foot harrow that did not help the DR mower that found it first and wads of barbed and American fence. It is just across a small ditch next to our church. Dozing with the FEL set on its cutting edge and the backhoe in the fence rows hopefully I will find stuff that could get a tire.

Which transmission are you going with in your new Mahindra?

 

[Schneeky]

Hydro. My old Kubota B was hydro and I liked it. Still made me nervous to push it, tho'. The current L305 is straight drive. Kindofa pain, but no biggie if I'm not inna hurry. Tried the shuttle shift, and I might be a l'il ignorant about'em, but it seemed to me that if I had ta do all that I bout may as well go straight drive. :confused3: d:^) Schneeks..

 

[DK35vince]

Tried the shuttle shift, and I might be a l'il ignorant about'em, but it seemed to me that if I had ta do all that I bout may as well go straight drive. :confused3: d:^) Schneeks..

We differ on this one.
My last tractor was straight drive gear. My current tractor is the synchronized shuttle.
I like the shuttle much, much better

 

[Schneeky]

We differ on this one.
My last tractor was straight drive gear. My current tractor is the synchronized shuttle.
I like the shuttle much, much better

I'm sure if you're used to it it's a good system. 'Specially compared to straight drive and I've heard nothing but good about them. Coulda just been my ignorance of it or mebbe the sales guy wasn't 'splainin it right. But it seemed mighty close to straight drive with a skosh less clutching.
Do you like it enough that if you were buying new you'd stay with it? d:^) Schneeks..

 

[DK35vince]

If I were buying new today it would be either a synchronized shuttle, powershift/glideshift or hydrostat.
Not sure which.
It wouldn't be a straight gear I do know that.

 

[TripleR]

We have them all and the hydraulic shuttle is easier than the synchronized shuttle and the HST easier than them all. My brother regularly uses several old crash boxes, straight geared units and they get the job done, but we've owned them for years and sure won't buy another.

 

[grm61]

If he advised a backhoe and you are a neophyte tractor buyer, with 1 under your belt, he shouldn't have. Backhoes are EXPENSIVE. And for on 5 acres it's definitely overkill.

IMO, how many acres you have has little to do with whether a backhoe is a worthwhile purchase, or what size tractor is appropriate, it has everything to do with your terrain and tasks you need to complete.
I live on a unimproved rock pile, for me the hoe is really handy, I use it often, the convenience of having it on hand to me is worth every penny I paid for it.
Everything my wife dreams up has to do with digging a hole, the ground is brutal here, I would not be without it, I have even used it for weeding out old overgrown flowerbeds and raised gardens , it works really slick for peeling out sod and weed overgrowth.:thumbsup: Handy unit I tell ya

 

[DK35vince]

IMO, how many acres you have has little to do with whether a backhoe is a worthwhile purchase, or what size tractor is appropriate, it has everything to do with your terrain and tasks you need to complete.
I live on a unimproved rock pile, for me the hoe is really handy, I use it often, the convenience of having it on hand to me is worth every penny I paid for it.
Everything my wife dreams up has to do with digging a hole, the ground is brutal here, I would not be without it, I have even used it for weeding out old overgrown flowerbeds and raised gardens , it works really slick for peeling out sod and weed overgrowth.:thumbsup: Handy unit I tell ya

+1.
10 years ago I got my backhoe when we were getting ready to build our house.
Used it to help build the driveway, install culvert ditches and pipes, dig off the steep bank out front, install 1100' drainage pipe, 800' waterline, 700' electric line, foundation for a pole barn and pool. Etc. Etc. Etc.
What I saved doing all the above myself vs paying someone else to do it the backhoe likely paid for itself. And now I have to use at my convenience.
I think mine was money well spent.

 

[Schneeky]

A backhoe sure makes sense with all those projects. Around here the place is pretty well established, just overgrown. And not a lotta rocks. That said, no tellin what kindof projects may come outta the woodwork after clearing it off.

I've heard some of you guys refer to "loaded" tires before. Is that something I should be getting done before the tractor leaves the dealer? Seems like it could be a useful thing if I wanna use the FEL for a fork lift to shuffle my wood around. Thanks. d:^) Schneeks.

 

[TripleR]

The need for backhoes are often a somewhat contentious, those that need them seem to think everyone would and vice versa. Deciding on "want" vs "need" is often hard. I "want" one, but don't "need" it. Many years ago my dad and brother bought a used one and fixed it up as we had house being built, septic systems going in etc. We "needed" it and it got a lot of use. After the first few years it just sat in the shed and needs a lot of work to get it going gain, so we rent every few years rather than invest the time and money in fixing it; one of those "one of these days" projects whose time never seems to come around.

I have to fight the desire to buy one once or twice a year, even went to look at one a few months ago.

 

[GManBart]

I've heard some of you guys refer to "loaded" tires before. Is that something I should be getting done before the tractor leaves the dealer? Seems like it could be a useful thing if I wanna use the FEL for a fork lift to shuffle my wood around. Thanks. d:^) Schneeks.

This is yet another topic of some debate. Loaded tires help with traction, and stability. To a lesser extent they help keep the rear tires on the ground when lifting things with the FEL. What they can't do is take weight off the front axle when lifting things with the FEL. Putting weight on the 3pt takes weight off the front axle, limiting wear/damage.

In many cases the manufacturer will specify a certain weight to be used on the 3pt, but not always. I'd want something like 7-800lbs on the 3pt of that Mahindra for starters. Ideally, you want to be able to be able to try lifting something on the FEL that is too heavy, so that the loader goes into relief (doesnt move at all) and the rear tires still stay planted.

 

[Cherokee140]

First tractor, or tenth doesn't have any bearing on whether someone might need/want a backhoe. The same can be said of acreage...lots of people have around the same size property, a similar tractor, and a backhoe, and are very happy with the setup. My folks have around 5 acres, and my father bought a Terramite (his first machine) and has used the heck out of the hoe, which he swears is the most useful part of the machine....depends on your intended uses, not your experience level, or lot size.

You don't say......hmmm, never figured that. :laughing:

 

[Schneeky]

This is yet another topic of some debate. Loaded tires help with traction, and stability. To a lesser extent they help keep the rear tires on the ground when lifting things with the FEL. What they can't do is take weight off the front axle when lifting things with the FEL. Putting weight on the 3pt takes weight off the front axle, limiting wear/damage.

In many cases the manufacturer will specify a certain weight to be used on the 3pt, but not always. I'd want something like 7-800lbs on the 3pt of that Mahindra for starters. Ideally, you want to be able to be able to try lifting something on the FEL that is too heavy, so that the loader goes into relief (doesnt move at all) and the rear tires still stay planted.

I've been curious about this, even with my current tractor. How do you tell if you're overloaded outside of the obvious? On the L305 I don't have any weights for the front so it'd raise up when I had more weight than the front could hold down, but I don't know that I ever overloaded the 3pt itself. So what you're saying is that if I get something too heavy for the FEL on the new tractor it has relief valves that basically just won't let it function? That would be reassuring. Better to pop a relief valve than a seal, I'd imagine. d:^) Schneeks..

 

[GManBart]

You don't say......hmmm, never figured that. :laughing:

Since that post, and this thread, aren't about you, I'm not sure why you'd post his.

 

[GManBart]

I've been curious about this, even with my current tractor. How do you tell if you're overloaded outside of the obvious? On the L305 I don't have any weights for the front so it'd raise up when I had more weight than the front could hold down, but I don't know that I ever overloaded the 3pt itself. So what you're saying is that if I get something too heavy for the FEL on the new tractor it has relief valves that basically just won't let it function? That would be reassuring. Better to pop a relief valve than a seal, I'd imagine. d:^) Schneeks..

Well, 3pt lifting, and FEL lifting are somewhat different. I don't know for certain, but have to assume that the 3pt will also go into relief if you try lifting something too heavy, but I've never come close to the limits on any of my machines with the exception of my 8N. If you're heavily loading the 3pt, the reason to add front weight is mostly to keep the front tires on the ground so you can be able to steer, and secondly, to limit the possibility of a backflip. There isn't really a concern of damaging the machine with over loading the rear axles.

Without a counterweight, you normally can't lift enough with the FEL to make the loader go into relief...the rear tires will come off the ground long before that. For example, on my LS I moved the 1,300lb block of steel I used to make my counterweight by lifting it on my FEL with pallet forks. I didn't have any weight on the back of the machine, and the rear tires were very light...a sudden stop would have lifted them (and did once or twice). That FEL is listed as being able to lift 2,500lbs to max height, which would mean far more down at waist level where i was keeping the steel block. The loader was nowhere near going into relief. After I got the counterweight finished I was able to put the forks under something really heavy, use both lift, and curl to the max, have the loader go into relief, and the rear tires were firmly planted on the ground....nothing budged.

 

[Cherokee140]

I've been curious about this, even with my current tractor. How do you tell if you're overloaded outside of the obvious? On the L305 I don't have any weights for the front so it'd raise up when I had more weight than the front could hold down, but I don't know that I ever overloaded the 3pt itself. So what you're saying is that if I get something too heavy for the FEL on the new tractor it has relief valves that basically just won't let it function? That would be reassuring. Better to pop a relief valve than a seal, I'd imagine. d:^) Schneeks..

Yea...you don't want to blow seals.

I don't know if all are the same but with my little machine if something is too heavy it just will not lift. I have also lifted stuff that will only go up so high.....that is where I think the real danger lies. You really have something on there that is very heavy for the machine. And if you are doing all the correct things...keeping it low, going slow and all that, you can still get into trouble.