Buying Advice In search of a sub-compact tractor

[TSO]

New Holland has very little to do with Ford, it is run from Italy.

Nothing, actually... Case-NH is now owned by Fiat. Nothing left to do with Ford.

 

[northtractorsearch]

Thank you everyone for your continuing insights, I am reading all of the points and considering them all. A lot of them are aspects I may not have considered

 

[jenkinsph]

Good luck choosing the right equipment and recommend you figure out what you need to do for the long term goals.

 

[check]

Jesus what a machine. I would only be able to use that in the winter when the ground is frozen, or mid-summer during a dryspell or it would destroy everything! I shall give Kubota north a call, I'm nowhere near them right now but you know - maybe I can be convinced. As far as price and spending money, I'm not rich, but I have no need to get something that will definitely be too small as I already have enough "struggle" to go around. From what it sounds like, I should be looking for something on the slightly larger end. Also it sounds like the Deere is kind expensive relatively speaking. How long ago did you buy yours Check?

I bought mine in the fall of 2008, and later found out that I virtually stole it, because everyone else was over $19,000, and the dealer also threw in a free three point hitch. Today the MSRP is $23,000, but I bet you could get a couple thousand dollars off of that for simply asking.

If you live in Milton, drive in to Toronto to have a look, because Kooy Brothers has a B 2650 sitting on their lot, and it has the mower on it. They are just off the 401, and you take the Weston Road exit. I believe they also have a BX 25 sitting inside the store.

One thing to remember: the BX 25 is much more stable if you have uneven ground. You will notice that the B 2650 sits a lot higher.

Keep us posted!

 

[AxleHub]

North,

A couple things I like in smaller tractors:

1. Forward engine cooling. Kubota, Massey/Iseki, and some Yanmar have their radiator and fan to the rear of the engine and air is blown forward instead of sucked in from the front. It keeps the engine compartment and operator much cleaner and keeps the operator cooler and is very efficient engine cooling also.

2. Differential lock . . . Greatly enhances traction under troubled conditions (in addition to 4 wheel drive). I'd be hard pressed to not have this feature.

3. Mid mount mower decks. Good scut brands offer SEVERAL deck options in each brand. If someone tells you scuts don't do a goods job of cutting grass . . it means they cut way too fast or used the wrong deck. My Massey mulcher deck looks as good or better than my zero turn produced and its commercial grade construction and rides smooth even on washboard lawn.

4. Insurance programs can be very inexpensive and beneficial when you look at the coverages vs costs - with products from the 3 makers I mentioned being especially attractive for things homeowners insurance doesn't cover.

5. The 3 brands I previously mentioned tyically have many add-on implements either produced by them directly or offered by several specifc 3rd party providers. Why is that different than other brands? Because the implements are sized for the capacities of the units so that payload/working load are not reduced. Often better strength to weight ratios or steel choices and designs.

 

[jenkinsph]

North,

A couple things I like in smaller tractors:

1. Forward engine cooling. Kubota, Massey/Iseki, and some Yanmar have their radiator and fan to the rear of the engine and air is blown forward instead of sucked in from the front. It keeps the engine compartment and operator much cleaner and keeps the operator cooler and is very efficient engine cooling also.

2. Differential lock . . . Greatly enhances traction under troubled conditions (in addition to 4 wheel drive). I'd be hard pressed to not have this feature.

3. Mid mount mower decks. Good scut brands offer SEVERAL deck options in each brand. If someone tells you scuts don't do a goods job of cutting grass . . it means they cut way too fast or used the wrong deck. My Massey mulcher deck looks as good or better than my zero turn produced and its commercial grade construction and rides smooth even on washboard lawn.

4. Insurance programs can be very inexpensive and beneficial when you look at the coverages vs costs - with products from the 3 makers I mentioned being especially attractive for things homeowners insurance doesn't cover.

5. The 3 brands I previously mentioned tyically have many add-on implements either produced by them directly or offered by several specifc 3rd party providers. Why is that different than other brands? Because the implements are sized for the capacities of the units so that payload/working load are not reduced. Often better strength to weight ratios or steel choices and designs.

My Deere x749 mower has all of these points covered.

 

[northtractorsearch]

North,

A couple things I like in smaller tractors:

1. Forward engine cooling. Kubota, Massey/Iseki, and some Yanmar have their radiator and fan to the rear of the engine and air is blown forward instead of sucked in from the front. It keeps the engine compartment and operator much cleaner and keeps the operator cooler and is very efficient engine cooling also.

2. Differential lock . . . Greatly enhances traction under troubled conditions (in addition to 4 wheel drive). I'd be hard pressed to not have this feature.

3. Mid mount mower decks. Good scut brands offer SEVERAL deck options in each brand. If someone tells you scuts don't do a goods job of cutting grass . . it means they cut way too fast or used the wrong deck. My Massey mulcher deck looks as good or better than my zero turn produced and its commercial grade construction and rides smooth even on washboard lawn.

4. Insurance programs can be very inexpensive and beneficial when you look at the coverages vs costs - with products from the 3 makers I mentioned being especially attractive for things homeowners insurance doesn't cover.

5. The 3 brands I previously mentioned tyically have many add-on implements either produced by them directly or offered by several specifc 3rd party providers. Why is that different than other brands? Because the implements are sized for the capacities of the units so that payload/working load are not reduced. Often better strength to weight ratios or steel choices and designs.

Do you know the cases where SCUTs have locking differentials? I looked in the Deere catalogue I have and it doesn't seem to indicate it

 

[jenkinsph]

The Deere 1025R has differential lock.

 

[AxleHub]

Do you know the cases where SCUTs have locking differentials? I looked in the Deere catalogue I have and it doesn't seem to indicate it

In scuts of the 3 I had listed here are ones I recall have a differential lock:

Cub Cadet and Yanmar sc2400 and sc2450 did.

Yanmar 324 and 424 but not the 221. SX series and EX series did.

Massey/Iseki. GC2400 series and newer GC1700 series and the 1500 series. I don't remember on the 1700 series.

Kubota BX series did have . . I believe the 2015s did but not certain.

 

[AxleHub]

My Deere x749 mower has all of these points covered.

I'm familiar with the x728 which is a 27 hp kawasaki gas . . . with 60 inch ride over mmm $12,000 with nofront valve, 3 pt hitch or fel. How does the x749 differ?