GUIDE: Shopping/Sizing A Tractor
The best way to shop for tractors is to list your tasks first, then determine how much bare tractor weight you need to SAFELY accomplish your tasks. Bare tractor weight is a tractor specification easily found in sales brochures and web sites.
For most tasks greater tractor chassis weight is more important than tractor horsepower. This tractor fundamental is difficult for people new to tractors to comprehend.
Hillside work demands more tractor weight than flat land work. Heavier tractors have greater wheel spread making them more stable. Heavier tractors have larger wheels and tires better able to bridge holes, ruts and logs in the woods. Larger wheels and tires provide a smoother ride over rough ground. Heavier tractors have more tractive power pulling ground contact implements. Greater mass of heavier tractors resists rollovers when transporting heavy loads in the FEL bucket, the most hazardous of routine tractor tasks, especially hazardous on rough or sloped land.
Tractors under 3,000 pounds bare weight are offered in one configuration. Most, such as the high volume kubota standard L series, are prosaically equipped to hit competitive price points. Others, such as the Yanmar YT235 and Kubota
B2650/
B3350 series, include productivity and operator comfort upgrades as standard equipment.
Most tractors under 3,000 pounds bare weight are operated in residential applications on one to five fairly flat acres. These "residential tractors" fit in a typical garage.
Tractors over 3,000 pounds bare weight are generally offered in a utilitarian configuration and a deluxe configuration, on a common chassis. Deluxe kit enhances productivity and operating comfort ~~~ but you have to pay. Many are too tall to fit in a typical garage, even with ROPS folded.
Shop your weight range within tractor brands. Budget will eliminate some choices. Collect a dealer brochure for each tractor model in your weight range.
I like to spreadsheet tractor and implement specs, often a revealing exercise. I have a column for cost per pound.
It takes a 50% increase in tractor weight before you notice a significant tractor capability increase. It takes a 100% increase in tractor weight to elicit MY-OH-MY!
Selling a used tractor is easy. Selling multiple light implements in order to buy heavier, wider, implements for a heavier tractor is a pain and often a big hit in depreciation. ((Ask me how I know.)) Some who buy too light tractors buy too light implements.
A quality dealer, reasonably close, is a priority for me; less so for others, well experienced with tractors, who do their own maintenance. For most new to tractors a quality dealer, reasonably close, available for coaching, is important. My kubota dealer is six miles away. I feel my local dealer continues to add value to my equipment.
Horsepower is a primary consideration only operating PTO powered implements.
BUY ENOUGH TRACTOR.
