Buying Advice Looking for advice for first tractor purchase.

[bheif]

Hi all......

Have spent several months learning all I can about this, and now that I have convinced myself (and my wife!!!) that we need a tractor, would love to get some advice on what I should be looking at. In general, I think I am looking at used rather than new, I am not wedded to any particular brand, and I want to make sure that whatever I buy will not be too much or too little to do the jobs I need it for. I'm hoping that this will be a 20 year investment.

We have a weekend place in Northern VT where we spend a lot of time. The tractor will live in VT, but I can see bringing it back to CT once a year to get jobs done there as well. We have 32 acres of heavily wooded land which is mostly hilly, and some of the hills are steep. The land was logged about 15 years ago, so there are a lot of 3-6 inch saplings/small trees and LOTS of brush. The land is also fairly wet, with a lot of small streams and mud, especially in the spring. We have about 2000' of gravel/dirt road - driveway portion of this is about 1000'. I currently pay someone to plow in the winter, and cut the grass around the house, but I have a 20 hp DR brush mower which I use to mow about an acre of meadow a couple times a year.

These are the tasks we want to get done - creating and maintaining a network of walking trails through the woods, maintaining the 2000' of road, cleanup of downed trees and numerous brush piles left from logging, occasional snow cleanup now (but at some point might need to do all snow removal when we are there full time), some tree removal work, a few small excavation projects around the yard (like creating some terraced garden beds), moving firewood, gravel and mulch and other stuff.

This is what I think I need - but definitely looking for input from those with more experience!! Compact tractor in the 3500 lb. range with 30-40 hp, 4wd, FEL with skid steer quick attach bucket, 3rd function hydraulics and/or rear remotes, grapple/root rake attachment, rear mounted wood chipper, box blade grader, and maybe a brush hog and log splitter.

Would be nice to have a trailer to move it all, but I have a RAM 1500 and I don't want a bigger truck. The RAM will supposedly pull 10k lbs, but I think the setup I'm looking at will be pushing the limits of what would be safe and comfortable for me to pull - so I'd probably need to have it moved on the couple occasions I needed the tractor in CT.

Sorry for the long winded post, but wanted to provide as much info as I could.

Thanks!!! Brian

 

[mddorange]

:welcome:
To TBN Brian. You came to the right place as we LOVE to spend other people's money.

I think you have a good starting point as that is about what I would have recommended.

I don't see any reason why your truck wouldn't be able to pull your tractor. You would want a trailer with brakes for sure.

 

[Tractorable]

Welcome to the forum and thanks for providing enough information for us to work with you on.

What’s the budget?

A Kubota Grand L (L3560 or L4060) or MX series sounds like it’d fit the bill. The Yanmar YT series are excellent machines too. The Korean brands (LS, Branson, Kioti) are strong and give you a lot of tractor for the money.

 

[bheif]

Well budget is somewhat flexible - obviously as little as possible! Realistically, I'd like to be under 20,000 and I think that is doable. 15,000 would be great.
I recently stopped in at a local auction to get an idea of what things were selling for. A 2007 Kioti DK35 (500 hours in great shape) with FEL and brush hog went for 14,000. For that money, I think I can buy from a local dealer, and I am a big proponent of supporting local businesses, even if I have to spend a little more. I'd also really like to have local support.

 

[nybirdman]

I think you are right on the money with your tractor "size".I would check with the local(VT.) dealers and put your name in for a decent lightly used tractor.I would go with R1 (Ag)tires for your application.As long as you stay with the major brands you should be o.k.
Love Northern Vermont by the way;have some friends in that part of the state.Lots of snow for sure.

 

[jeff9366]

The fundamental importance of TRACTOR WEIGHT eludes many tractor shoppers. Heavier tractor chassis weight is more important for most tractor operations than increased tractor horsepower. Bare tractor weight is a tractor specification easily found in sales brochures and web sites, readily comparable across tractor brands and tractor models, new and used. The most efficient way to shop for tractors is to list tractor applications first, then determine bare tractor weight needed to safely accomplish your tasks.

Within subcompact and compact tractor categories, bare tractor weight must increase 50% before you notice a significant tractor capability increase. It takes a 100% increase in bare tractor weight to elicit MY-OH-MY!

VIDEO: So you want to TRADE UP for a new Tractor? - TMT - YouTube

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 spreadsheet tractor and implement specs, often a revealing exercise. I have a column for cost per pound.

Selling a used tractor is easy. Selling multiple light implements in order to buy heavier, wider implements for a heavier tractor requires a lot of time. Depreciation on implements is generally greater than depreciation on a tractor.

Tractors over 3,000 pounds bare weight are generally offered in a utilitarian configuration and a deluxe configuration. Deluxe kit enhances productivity and operating comfort ~~~ but you must pay. Most tractors over 3,000 pounds bare weight are too tall to fit through an 84" height garage door, even with ROPS folded.

Heavier tractors are built on larger frames with larger wheels/tires. A heavier tractor with large diameter tires has more tractive power pulling ground contact implements, pushing a loader bucket into dirt and pushing snow. Large wheels and tires increase ground clearance, enabling a heavier tractor to bridge holes, ruts and downed tree limbs with less bucking and disturbance operating over rough pasture and woodland.



Safe hillside operation demands more tractor weight than level land operation. Heavier tractors have adjustable rear wheel spreads; wide rear wheel spreads hugely improve tractor stability. Four wheel drive is essential on hillsides. Four wheel drive supplies increased traction. When descending slopes 4-WD augments rear brakes as tractor weight shifts forward, decreasing rear tire grip.

Tractors optimized for hill work have liquid installed in the rear tires rather than air. "Loaded" tires are filled 50% to 75% with liquid, which lowers the tractor's center-of-gravity, increasing rollover resistance. "Loading" two compact tractor rear tires will increase tractor weight 300 pounds to 800 pounds over weight of identical two tires inflated with air.



A quality dealer, reasonably close, available for coaching, is important for tractor neophytes. Almost every new tractor is delivered with a glitch or two requiring correction. My kubota dealer is six miles away. I feel my local dealer continues to add value to my equipment. Dealer proximity is less important to those experienced with tractors and qualified to perform their own maintenance.

This is what I think I need: Compact tractor in the 3500 lb. range, bare weight, with 30-40 hp, 4wd, FEL with skid steer quick attach bucket, 3rd function hydraulics and/or rear remotes, grapple/root rake attachment.

Implements: rear mounted wood chipper, box blade grader, and maybe a brush hog and log splitter.

I think your weight projection is about right.

How much snow do you need to deal with at one time?

A FEL bucket with a snow edge can manage snow to perhaps 6", if you can stand the cold. If 12" of snow is a regular occurrence you will probably want a rear mounted snow blower. (Living in Florida, I am NOT a tractor/snow expert.)

Your budget may get you a minimally equipped tractor.
Unlikely you will find SSQA, 3rd function hydraulics and/or rear remotes, grapple/root rake attachment already on a tractor, within your budget. But, who knows? Used tractor prices are often lowest when snow is on the ground.

Kubota L3560 or L4701 meets your weight and horsepower desire but would price over your budget new. Many Standard Ls out there: L3800, L4400, etc. TRACTORABLE recommends MX series. Many older model MX tractors out there too.

I do not recommend PTO powered chippers. I had a top quality Wallenstein for a few years. Chippers require too much maintenance after the first year. I burn brush and buy chipped pine mulch 50 cubic yards at a time. Cheaper and safer in the long run.

I do not recommend PTO powered log splitters. Better a 110 volt or 220 volt electrically powered log splitter used near the house.
LINK: ELECTRIC LOG SPLITTERS - Yahoo Search Results
VIDEO: Attaching A Log Splitter To A Tractor (should it be done?) - YouTube

I would increase priority of a 900 to 1,000 pound Rotary Cutter/Bush, which will have a Category 4 drive line. No sense fooling with medium duty R/C in your conditions.

 

[Milo]

..... maintaining the 2000' of road, cleanup of downed trees and numerous brush piles left from logging, occasional snow cleanup now (but at some point might need to do all snow removal when we are there full time),.....

I'm not sure but a front snow blower might require a mid pto, I wouldn't want to clear a road your length going in reverse with a 3-point blower.

 

[dodge man]

I agree, you are looking at about the right size tractor. I think your budget is a little tight. Its enough for the tractor but it won't get all the attachments you want. You can always add those over the years once you get the tractor bought. I think you can tow that with your truck with a good weight distribution hitch but are probably pushing the payload limits of your truck.

 

[bheif]

Snow here can be extreme, but since I'm not living here full time, I have to have the driveway plowed. I'd only be using the tractor to clean up drifts and snowbanks and clear around where my snowmobile trailer is parked. At some point if we move up there, I might need to clear the whole driveway, but not now.

Thanks to everyone for the feedback! It seems like my conclusions on what I need are pretty good.

Any dealer recommendations in northern VT or NH?

 

[majorwager]

With a rear snow blower you will "wear" much of the show as blown. If the drive surface is gravel/stone that can be an issue.


As for an electric log splitter, they are an embarrassment to all but dainty florida dwellers. Splitting real wood generates debris. Why on earth would anyone collect that mess in front of their garage.??

PTO splitters do not require a separate engine to maintain. Split 3 chord the other day, tractor ran at idle, 5 gallons of fuel.