Looking for most economical tractor to meet needs

[crittersitter]

Can you all give me some recomendations? I am looking for the most economically priced decent tractor to meet my needs. I want a compact with FEL. I will be lifting 800 pound round bales ( 2-3 bales per month), moving around some stone dust, manure, mowing about 4 acres of rolling pasture and other general tasks. What brand/price would be rock bottom and what are the bare specs. Thanks for all your knowledge!

 

[crittersitter]

Can you all give me some recomendations? I am looking for the most economically priced decent tractor to meet my needs. I want a compact with FEL. I will be lifting 800 pound round bales ( 2-3 bales per month), moving around some stone dust, manure, mowing about 4 acres of rolling pasture and other general tasks. What brand/price would be rock bottom and what are the bare specs. Thanks for all your knowledge!

 

[Soundguy]

Due to the bale moving.. you are pretty much stuck with the mid 30's hp range and + of compact tractors. Also.. check loader specs.. You may find that you have to get a larger 'green' tractor to get the loader lift compaired to a blue or orange one.

You can also look at chinese and other imports.. like montane.. and 2nd brands.. like mahindra, farmtrac.. etc.

A 3pt bale spear may let you get by with a slightly smaller tractor due to mechanical advantage.. but wither way.. you will need counterballance with whatever machine you get. Moving round bales is tough work on compact tractors... Utility and ag tractors don't mind it.

Weight as well as hp will be prime concern.

Soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

Due to the bale moving.. you are pretty much stuck with the mid 30's hp range and + of compact tractors. Also.. check loader specs.. You may find that you have to get a larger 'green' tractor to get the loader lift compaired to a blue or orange one.

You can also look at chinese and other imports.. like montane.. and 2nd brands.. like mahindra, farmtrac.. etc.

A 3pt bale spear may let you get by with a slightly smaller tractor due to mechanical advantage.. but wither way.. you will need counterballance with whatever machine you get. Moving round bales is tough work on compact tractors... Utility and ag tractors don't mind it.

Weight as well as hp will be prime concern.

Soundguy

 

[BillG_in_TX]

crittersitter,

Where are you located - USA? What area?
What's your pain threshhold dollarwise?
Are you looking for new or used?
Are you handy with a wrench?

 

[BillG_in_TX]

crittersitter,

Where are you located - USA? What area?
What's your pain threshhold dollarwise?
Are you looking for new or used?
Are you handy with a wrench?

 

[crittersitter]

I am in Virginia. I don't have a very large budget and was thinking of an old Ford 8N like what we had when I was a kid. Then I realized that I needed something with a FEL and got interested in the compacts. I kind of like the FarmTrac. Seems to have a pretty good lift capacity. I would certainly consider a good used tractor but am not handy with a wrench so I don't want something that's going to nickel and dime me to death. Could I find a used utility or ag that would be reasonable? I was hoping to stay under 10K used and only up to 15k new.

 

[crittersitter]

I am in Virginia. I don't have a very large budget and was thinking of an old Ford 8N like what we had when I was a kid. Then I realized that I needed something with a FEL and got interested in the compacts. I kind of like the FarmTrac. Seems to have a pretty good lift capacity. I would certainly consider a good used tractor but am not handy with a wrench so I don't want something that's going to nickel and dime me to death. Could I find a used utility or ag that would be reasonable? I was hoping to stay under 10K used and only up to 15k new.

 

[coasterez]

look at the kioti CK25 - a lot for your money. heavey. ~1200 lb fel lift, shuttle shift. But if you want to mow those fields faster, you'll need more hp(CK30, or DK35). Maybe a TYM330 would work too. Or a slightlly used Branson, Scorpian, or Century? But, the absoute cheapest are the chinese, beware - repairs and maintenance being mostly on you.

 

[coasterez]

look at the kioti CK25 - a lot for your money. heavey. ~1200 lb fel lift, shuttle shift. But if you want to mow those fields faster, you'll need more hp(CK30, or DK35). Maybe a TYM330 would work too. Or a slightlly used Branson, Scorpian, or Century? But, the absoute cheapest are the chinese, beware - repairs and maintenance being mostly on you.