Looking for a tractor with front loader

[6sunset6]

I have 600 ft of blacktop , the front of the garage, the front of the barn , a turnaround, and a gravel road to the woodshed and the nearest door to the fireplace. Even my F350 4wd truck would not handle more than 6-8 inches of snow. Sold the truck. Put a plow on my Ford NH 1320. Could push maybe 6 inches. So to avoid getting up in the early am to plow I got a 64 inch rear mount blower. I make one pass backwards through everything and then I can plow. I just put a hydraulic cylinder on the chute so I don't have to reach around behind to change the angle when the wind is blowing in my face. Plowing is fast once the cut is in but If I had a lot of $$$ maybe I would have gotten a front mount blower. Except that I have A QA on my loader frame and I use forks to move skids of firewood up the the door. I suppose I could use forks on the back. Too many choices.

 

[johnny123]

I really appreciate all your replys and will try to answer your questions..

Most of the property is easy to work,no hills or anything like that..

I will not be removing any large trees,but the thought of a back-hoe has been in the back of my mind...But I can rent a machine to do the big work..

As far as plowing a garden,your probably right about the tiller...

And I was not aware that most if not all the small tractors were diesel power..

And I do think the bucket would be ideal for getting the snow out of the bottom of the drive and this is where it drifts the most and the plow truck does his thing

Once again,I am open to more suggestions or ideas...I will have to do a search of the area to see what I can come up with..I would like to find a good used one if possible,but have heard that is almost impossible to do..Not sure..Thanks again for your replys. Johnny

And thanks for the dear john letter

 

[johnny123]

I have not thought much about the transmission..I guess a regular clutch modle would be ok..after all my truck is a manual shift

 

[jbrumberg]

Johnny123:

I had a geared tractor for over 20 years before I switched to HST (also got a FEL at the time). I do not know how I got by without either once I got them. If you intend to do a lot of FEL work you would be better off with HST, shuttle shift, and/or a syncronized transmission. There are a couple of other transmission types out there that let you go from forward to reverse quickly and painlessly. For really "delicate" movement HST allows you to really "inch" forward/backward. You will lose some PTO power with HST, but I do not feel that it is that significant (for my purposes at least). I have had no problems running my tiller or rotary cutter with my tractor, and I handled the largest snow (15" with 3' drifts) last winter with no problems. Good luck on your search. The major tractor brands have tractor selector programs on their websites that will help you select a tractor model based on your input. The programs appear to be "weighted" toward FEL use and acreage, but they do give one a relatively accurate idea of what size tractor you will need. Be patient- the "right tractor will come along. Do not rely totally on the tractor data statistics. The tractor "information sheets" are primarily the product of Sales and Marketing Departments and will compare their respective tractors to the competition with different sets of criteria. Try a lot of tractors and "try" a lot of dealerships. Size for size the major brands are relatively competitive. Dealer "feel" is just as important as tractor "feel". In the long run a good dealer will probably save you money despite the original cost of the tractor. Keep asking questions and hopefully we will provide you with honest and accurate information to help you in your "journey". Jay

 

[WayneB]

I have about a 900' driveway and for a number of years I did it with a back blade and FEL. Last year I purchased a woods snowblower and it has worked great for me. Still have snow banks but they are about 30 feet away.

I have a Kubota B-7500 which is a bit small, but does everything I need it to do and has not failed me yet. I would think a tractor between 20 to 30 HP with 4 wheel drive would do everything you need to do. My tractor has a standard transmission, but I am sure you would like the HST if the pocketbook can afford it. I was replacing a very old tractor that was standard so it wasn't a big deal then nor now. Power steering is good option to have when doing work with the FEL!

I am in favor of a snowblower over a plow. For me the FEL was a must have so I went with a rear snowblower. Plus the cost of the front mounted blowers was really way up there.

I find something almost every day to justify owning my tractor and you will also.

Wayne

 

[johnny123]

Does anyone on here know of a good place in New York to look for a good used tractor..I really hate to have to buy a new one at this time...After all I can rent a back hoe to remove my tree stumps...And right now my main plan is something with a bucket or plow for snow removal this winter..

 

[mboulais]

Mahindra makes some very stout tractors. Check tractor wt and 3pt lift capacity of all brands you consider. That 790 won't even measure up to a 20 hp Mahindra. Seriously though, those are both good items to help compare apples to apples along with engine displacement/hp. As far as used go, anything I have seen with a loader 28 hp up to 40hp start around $9k at a dealer more or less regardless of sheet metal condition / appearance.

 

[RoyJackson]

Mahindra makes some very stout tractors. Check tractor wt and 3pt lift capacity of all brands you consider. That 790 won't even measure up to a 20 hp Mahindra. Seriously though, those are both good items to help compare apples to apples along with engine displacement/hp. As far as used go, anything I have seen with a loader 28 hp up to 40hp start around $9k at a dealer more or less regardless of sheet metal condition / appearance.

LOL, we'll see which one is still around and working and which one is holding down weeds in 20 years!

 

[mboulais]

LOL, we'll see which one is still around and working and which one is holding down weeds in 20 years!

I suspect they will both be around and working, but I enjoy poking at the green ones (especially yanmars). When you do compare wt and 3pt lift along with hp you will find that you need to go up a series to match up & that means $$$. I have a lot of Deere fans in my family and for the life of me I can't figure out what their Deere tractors and gator ever did to earn that loyalty. They aren't inherently superior to all other brands. My father and sister both own 790's. I have driven my father's and it is good tractor, but it is light and wieght makes a difference when putting hp to the ground.

Looking at mfg websites to get the same 3pt lift and at least as much wt and as much loader capacity as a Mahindra 2615 4wd I had to go to the 32hp 3320. He would need to drop a bit more coin for that.

 

[George2615]

Johnny123,
You can check with Gary's Equipment in Clay, NY, Lawalls Tractor in Batavia (A member here) and Wallace Tractor in PA (Also a member) for starters. I'm sure there are other dealers who may even PM you if they see you're looking for a used tractor. If you make a deal tell them I referred you.

George