New Member Looking for small Hobby Farm Tractor (part 2)

   / New Member Looking for small Hobby Farm Tractor (part 2) #1  

Stilgar762

New member
Joined
Feb 25, 2021
Messages
11
Location
Deer River, MN
Tractor
Ford 8n? or maybe a MS 35?
With all the questions I was getting on my first post I thought I would try this again and see if I might be able to answer some questions that would give members enough info that would help me choose a better tractor. I was originally looking at a 9N then moved to a 8N and Jubilees and 600s and now I am open to other recommendations but within budget. The big problem is I have no idea where to look for what tractor since I have no idea on the model numbering system. Below is a list of our property information and what we are looking for and what we hope to do along with some pics of the property and implements and stuff that came with it. I apologize in advance if I have the incorrect terminology or description. I am still learning all this. I hope this answers some questions.

Any feedback on helping us choose the right tractor is greatly appreciated!


The Property:
This is a homestead / hobby farm
PO used to have some sort of N series type tractor found in photos along with a IH Tricycle
Property is 60 acres mostly wooded with grown over fields from about 40-70 years ago.
Land is pretty much completely flat with about 2-3ft of top soil and a sand/clay mix beneath.
Land does get wet and stays wet for while and very soft in some spot
1/4 mile long drive way that needs plowing
Want to reclaim and maintain ATV trails
Want to reclaim and cultivate some fo the old fields for corn, maybe pumpkin and maybe wife was thinking a Christmas tree farm down the road
Lots of downed trees over the decades
Thick but young forest. POs over the decades harvested a lot of the mature trees. Stumps all over the property. A lot of poplar, birch pine, douglas and some oak. and some other older ones I cant ID

The Tractor:
We are in northern Minnesota but will to travel a few hundred miles for the right tractor
Budget is $4k maybe 5K
Looking for more "regular" sized tractors like the N series and Massey 35 sizes. Reason is for the ATV trails and being able to pull into shop for maintenance
One member mentioned a Massey Ferguson 35. I looked that that and thats has me really interest.
Would like to plow driveway
FEL would be a very nice feature
The low gears like the Massey 35 looks really nice to have.
Simple and fully rebuildable at home like the N series and Massey 35s appear to be. very simple. rebuild kits dont break the bank and sleeved cylinders makes for easy rebuilds.
Diesel is not out of the question
Implements in mind, FEL, back blade, snowplow, moldboard plow, disc harrow, drag harrow, PTO auger, Boom, Brush Hog
Live PTO? I DO NOT want a brush hog to drive the tractor into a fence or tree.

The colors on the map:
Yellow is where the old fields are
Blue are all the existing trails we have found so far
Pink is currently a 4 dam beaver pond we are taking care of this summer.
Property map.jpg

Pics of some of the items around the property

Unknown home made plow
154600416_216668043484296_503817749025552077_n.jpg

Some sort of moldboard plow?
154692935_3721401157945015_1358330870198821159_n.jpg

Large 8x8 trailer
155089267_507265610269524_4816720963679356943_n.jpg

3 point forks homemade
156424034_486866378985091_4253613340468798542_n.jpg

pic of similar item i found a Drag Harrow?
download.jpeg

10ft wide disc harrow hitch pin mount
154416533_830700774178345_1373794627159964529_n.jpg154959487_472155310629143_6282454634016036133_n.jpg
 
   / New Member Looking for small Hobby Farm Tractor (part 2) #2  
Just my opinion, because you will get by with what ever you buy, but a budget of 20 to 30k is what you need. The budget you have will put you into something older and well used. Not that you can’t get the work done within that budget but you might be looking at a lot of maintenance and repairs on something older. It might even be tough to get into anything that is 4 wheel drive with a loader on your budget. You could basically blow your budget just buying a new or newer brush hog.
 
   / New Member Looking for small Hobby Farm Tractor (part 2) #3  
Good post and you’re on the right track laying out your needs to help us help you.

A budget of $4-5K will get you an older 2wd tractor which is OK. All our fathers got’er done with that so you can too. The key is to get as much weight in a 2wd tractor as possible in the frame size you want. Err on the side of bigger over smaller. A heavy 2wd tractor with a diff lock and good rubber can be plenty capable.

The Massey 135 is a good tractor. So are the Fords of that era. Ford 2000/3000/3600/3910/4000 are all good.

Compare the weight of the tractors you’re looking at, more is better.

Weight = traction = work done
 
   / New Member Looking for small Hobby Farm Tractor (part 2) #4  
I have my dad's diesel MF 135 he bought new in 1975 and its still going strong with 5300+ hours. It was a wonderful upgrade from the gas 8N we had previously. The 8N was geared too high and that 'pushy' PTO could get scary when mowing. (no overrunning adapter). I see 135's priced at $3-5k. A 35 could be a good choice too.
 
   / New Member Looking for small Hobby Farm Tractor (part 2) #5  
Photo #5 is a TPH Spike Tooth Harrow. Most often used to smooth and cultivate kitchen gardens before planting.
 
   / New Member Looking for small Hobby Farm Tractor (part 2) #6  
Honestly, I think in northern MN, you're going to either need a 4wd tractor OR a 4x4 plow truck and chains on either one to plow a quarter mile driveway.

Just my opinion.

Rest of it "could be" done with an old 2wd, but I'd stay away from a narrow nose. You have areas that "stay soft" all year? Sounds like high water table and springs, very common for north MN. Good way to get any tractor stuck, but a GREAT way to get a 2wd tractor stuck.

Those old tractors "worked". But mostly they worked because that's all anybody had. Harbor no illusions that one of those is a great, or even "good" choice. You can do work with one, but it will frustrate you the whole time. Think of it like, "you can dig a broken screw out of a wall with a busted blade on an old pocket knife", but that doesn't mean it's the best tool for the job.

Again, just my opinion. And I think old tractors are "cool", just like old farm trucks. But there's cool nostalgia, and there's getting sh!zzle DONE. I'd love to have a nice clean old Jubilee or Farmall in the shed myself. But to take to parades and tractor shows, not to go out and do work with.
 
   / New Member Looking for small Hobby Farm Tractor (part 2) #7  
HOT DOG! A guy looking for the same kind of tractor we started with 50 years ago! Yes! You can find a good old 2wd tractor that will do everything you want.
Those old 30 to 50 hp US utility tractors from the 1950 to 80s were designed to be repaired and eventually rebuilt over and over again - most people don't realize that. Yes, many of the older ones are industrial gasoline engines - but that is just fine.

There are lots of better & newer tractors available today. We have several of them. But you can do the same work with older one if you choose wisely and are handy. You will be smart to pay good money for a good one. Don't fall into the junk trap.

Two wheel drive is fine. Many of the older tractors had the ability to widen the rear stance. If so, and your ground is muddy a lot of the timeyou may end up with dual rear tires or else buying new wheels with wide industrial tires. Either will work, but that's in the future.

You want: A name brand. Start with a name you recognize. You want a wide front.... no tricycles or row crops please. They are just too dangerous for a new guy. Trust me on that.
Gears of course, and the more the better. You also want an independent PTO with its own clutch if possible. And those old ones are front end heavy - that's required for the work they did, but if you ever want to put on a FEL, get a tractor with power steering.

The MF is a good place to start. IH, Case, some of the later JD tractors are very, very good buys. Get one you like and keep it a lifetime. 3 or 4 grand will buy the tractor, some maintenance, and good tires. A decent loader will add almost that much again to the price - but don't get it unless you have power steering. Our first three did not have PS, and I still shudder remembering the work we did.

Here's a picture of the one that finally ended up working for us. It's a 1958 JD two cylinder gas engine tricycle we got for $2500. It came with power steering, independent PTO, remote hydraulics, and the nicest 3pt hitch I've ever seen. Over the next few years we added a FEL and the wide front end off of an old JD model A donor tractor. That all came to about another $4500. Almost fourty years later now, and has lived outside (tarped) the whole time. It still works fine and has only required normal maintenance. I just turned down $12K for it.
 

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   / New Member Looking for small Hobby Farm Tractor (part 2) #8  
I’ve got the perfect one for you
classic-deere-tractor-t.png
 
   / New Member Looking for small Hobby Farm Tractor (part 2)
  • Thread Starter
#9  
Thanks for all the info! we are picking UP (tonight) a '53 Jubilee that happens to be only be 18 miles away. comes with a 6ft back blade, "Jungle gym" FEL with snow bucket and full live hydraulics. A Erskine Snow blower and a pile fo spare parts. almost new tires and chains. Is it's not perfect. but its cheap, reliable and will get us going. I am sure down the road we will end up with like a 3000 or 4000 series and still keep this one I think.
 
   / New Member Looking for small Hobby Farm Tractor (part 2) #10  
Glad to hear you found one and thanks for coming back to this forum and letting us know the outcome. Post a picture of it if you get a chance.
 
 
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