Newb looking for advice and info on a new compact tractor and attachments

[dustycoyote]

You sound like you have thought it thru. 52hp, Cab, forks, HST all correct in my book. Front,third function you too will want. Hard piping up to the front of FEL arms, I hope. Push button on lever as a minimum, totally separate lever is wonderful, if they offer it. Teeth on bucket (bolt on) will help greatly in getting down into virgin ground as you grade the roadways. The Backhoe will have locks to keep it 'folded' up. No worries there. Yes, I loaded and towed with tilt bed. I lifted it a bit to cut the angle of the ramps. Pulled it in, then lowered trailer down. I set up chains so I pull in far, chain length for front is set so I run it thru a ring I have bolted in. Then back tractor up until that chain is tight (directly over the two trailer axles) then I run a rear chain thru a ring I have on my rear hitch and use a ratcheting chain binder to make that tight.
Does this LS come with Universal Skid Steer Quick Attach? You will want that. You don't want some Proprietary Quick attach, like what JD offers.

thanks.
and yeah. it has the universal quick attach on the loader.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I have a question for you. Have you gotten any dozer work estimates? When you get the estimate, and it is only an estimate, not etched in stone, your whole plan may change.

I know for me personally, 20 years ago what the dozer guy wanted bought ALL of my equipment, and I'm not talking about just 1 new tractor.

If it were me, I think that I would get an estimate, if you can even get an estimate. If you are way out there, you might not be able to even get anyone to come out to look.

Just a heads up that I have not seen mentioned.

 

[dustycoyote]

I have a question for you. Have you gotten any dozer work estimates? When you get the estimate, and it is only an estimate, not etched in stone, your whole plan may change.

I know for me personally, 20 years ago what the dozer guy wanted bought ALL of my equipment, and I'm not talking about just 1 new tractor.

If it were me, I think that I would get an estimate, if you can even get an estimate. If you are way out there, you might not be able to even get anyone to come out to look.

Just a heads up that I have not seen mentioned.

Not a post that I am really happy to hear, but maybe the most important one so far.... I haven't gotten an estimate yet. I hope that the cost of the work isn't going to give me a hernia....

I should be able to get one. The land is fairly close and convenient to a rural farming town, just far away from me.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Not a post that I am really happy to hear, but maybe the most important one so far.... I haven't gotten an estimate yet. I hope that the cost of the work isn't going to give me a hernia....

I should be able to get one. The land is fairly close and convenient to a rural farming town, just far away from me.

I think that I would very seriously look into that before moving forward.

It very well could be a game changer, as in how you approach getting everything done that you want to get done-do on the property.

Good luck.

 

[Tony H]

thanks.
and yeah. it has the universal quick attach on the loader.

I went back and looked at the specs. Yup SSQA... Good. The dig power of the hoe was less then I expected. That was on the 2100 series, you said you got the 3100?
When I bought my land I had a lot of, well, gaining access to it. I went a different way. You are looking at an Ag tractor that can do construction work, I went with a construction tractor that can do Ag work (JCB MIDICX). it's priced very different though My removable hoe has a 13000lb dig force while yours has 2300lb, breaking up roots on stumps might be a struggle. My tractor is about 12 inches higher. Just keep an eye out and I didn't have issues. But that extra height really helps in viewing the bucket. I go crazy in my friends 3000 series kubota...cant see anything. Very tough with forklift work when you can't see the tips of the forks.

 

[Tony H]

somebody mentioned a couple pages back that I could have the dozer build the initial ditches and major drainage. How does a dozer do drainage??

Swales

 

[dustycoyote]

Swales

Ahhh. Got it.
I was thinking dirch along the side of the road...

 

[rScotty]

Looks really good for land clearing, but clearing land of growth is a relatively small part of the the work I need done. The biggest work that absolutely has to be done is driving a good road in and through the property. Everyone here has pretty universally supported the plan to hire a dozer to do that work (or to do it myself with a dozer, but regardless, the dozer is the tool to use). I only have a relatively small area that really needs to be cleared and I think I can get it done with the original dozer work.

The next most critical work is maintaining the road that I have built and my earthwork within the property;

• The road maintenance sounds like it can be done with a few different tools, and that a compact tractor would be just fine in doing that work. I just want to find the most optimal attachments for that work.
• The ongoing earth work is the part I'm most concerned about as I understand that a TLB is much more suited to this work, even in lighter soil like we have out here. I still think it is doable with a compact tractor, but per the comments here, it sounds like a TLB would be a much better option that would make the work quicker and reduce the possibility of abusing and breaking the equipment.

And since renting equipment really isn't a great option, that last part brings me back to the conundrum of potentially waiting for and taking a chance on used equipment that comes up for sale, or deciding that the LS would work for the type of work I would need it for.

Well, RustyCoyote, that conundrum you mention is exactly why so many of us end up with two tractors.

We all started out to only have one, and not only just one - but it was to be the perfect compromise between these two:

There's the Chore tractor - 25 to 40 hp, HST, hopefully a canopy, but probably no cab. It is handy, maneuverable, bouncy, can do anything but takes longer. Not exactly comfortable, but capable. Anyone can learn to run it. Half the value of this tractor turns out to be that being small, low to the ground, with visibility that makes it convenient to jump on and off it all day doing chores.
Your partner and kids will learn on that tractor. You bought it new on payments and are probably going to keep it 30 years. Or longer. It wouldn't surprise anyone if all it ever needed - ever - was routine service like the manual says and a few odds and end repairs. The FEL can easily carry feed and tools plus some fencing - and still have room for a small bale of hay or two.

And then there is the Working tractor. 50/60 hp and up to whatever. Definitely has a cab. In fact, it will seat two (friends) in the cab. Only downside to the cab is it takes two extra steps and a half twist to get in or out. So for chores it isn't so handy. Sure is comfortable though. It does have AC, heat and more controls than an airplane. Can pull or push serious dirt or snow - or pull an F350 out of a ditch. It might have HST but is probably power shuttle/shift. You got it used for cash from a neighbor who lost his shirt trying to grow row barley for homebrewers. Only 3000 hrs on it when you got it. Too much machine, but it actually cost no more than that little chore tractor you bought new a few years back. (smile) This one can carry round bales - or pull a baler to make them.

Of course either one could be a TLB instead of a Tractor and wouldn't that be sweet! Except that then they would both have to be either a Kubota or a JD because nobody else makes TLBs now,.. and frankly both of those are way too expensive.
rScotty

 

[hornett22]

I have my rear tires filled with washer fluid. My tractor is pushed past it's limits all the time in the mountains and hills of East Tennessee. I've never had a flat in the rear tires but if I did, washer fluid is fairly cheap and available everywhere.

I cannot recommend filling your rear tires enough!

 

[rScotty]

Not a post that I am really happy to hear, but maybe the most important one so far.... I haven't gotten an estimate yet. I hope that the cost of the work isn't going to give me a hernia....

I should be able to get one. The land is fairly close and convenient to a rural farming town, just far away from me.

There is a huge range of dozer prices. Guys who do it for a living are more expensive. But what bothers me more is they are often on a tight time schedule because dozer work is usually the first thing that holds up any new building project. Tradesmen already scheduled are getting nervous because nobody can move until the dozer is done....and it's raining. Or frozen. or whatever. That wouldn't be my choice.

My choice would be to ask around locally and find a semi-retired guy who has a lot of experience & maybe owns an old dozer. Perhaps a D4. Being partly retired means that he no longer works to anyone else's schedule. That lets him fit your work into his schedule and the weather. Some of those old dozer guys are pure artists the way they can shape land. I sure do hope you can find one. Not being in a hurry is your hole card.

The dozer guy that did my land would uncover big rocks the size of a picnic table which he put off to the side. He even found a couple of truckloads that he somehow got delivered & dumped. So there those bably boulders sat in a row off to the side for months. Then one day he rented (ouch) a big excavator with a thumb for a day and put each one of those big rocks right where he had planned to all along. All along the creek. Very nice work. I ought to take a picture.
rScotty