Newbie needs a Tractor

[jbrumberg]

WayneB- Thank you for the article.

Trace33- I tend to agree with Island Tractor.

Jay

 

[LBrown59]

Welcome to the forums! What is at the bottom of Jay's post is just his tag line... a signature. That is his setup and not what he was suggesting to you.

My signature is below this line___________________________________

 

[jbrumberg]

Add a post hole digger and a backhoe and my setup would more than likely meet Trace33's needs . This set up handles my 12.5A's pretty well- there are a couple of boulders I can not pick up, but once I get another car hood a.k.a. "stone boat" I'll be able to move them. I have dragged some pretty decent sized trees with the "29". I would love to have both (BH & PHD), but I really do not have a "need" (yet). If I got a BH my wife would probably learn how to operate the tractor and that attachment . Jay

 

[LBrown59]

Trace,
some tractors (like mine) come with one rear remote from the dealer. Some 2, some none. They can generally be added. I feel one is a minimum for utility, 2 is better.
Rear remote can also be used with a hydraulic top link to adjust the tilt on a box blade without having to get out of the seat of the tractor and break out a wrench. This is likely my next addition to my setup to complement the Harbor freight Quick Hitch I just finished adapting my BB to fit.

The NH sounds like a good deal, provided it wasn't used for 4000 hours on a construction site. (that can be a lot of abuse)

65% on the tires should be a description of how much tread is left on them.
R4 tires are "industrial" tread, which gives pretty good traction but is not as hard on grass as R1 (ag tread) tires.
The TC45 will be the next size up from the 30-40HP range tractors - in car terms, my 2535 would be a compact, the TC45 would be a mid-size.

larger frame means more weight, so more traction. it also means taller, longer, wider, and bigger turning radius.​

& a bigger longer heavier trailer to haul the tractor on and a bigger heaver truck to pull the trailer with.
Bigger is badder when ya don't need it.
​

 

[Riddler]

Trace, it is great that you are sorting out your tasks so well. Admittedly, it can be difficult to do without first hand experience with some of the work. Working backwards from the work to the tools, however, is the way to go.

I do all of the tasks you describe, and then some. If I can paint with a broad brush, I would say that you plan to do lots of "construction type" tasks. If you planned to do alot of mowing, tilling, discing, spraying and (even) snow plowing, I would say that your tasks include alot of "maintenance type" stuff as well.

I have both a small and large frame CUT (TC18 and TC45DA, respectively). I have a 16LA loader and a 758C BH on the 45DA, which has filled tires, R4 tires and a hydro transmission. The smaller tractor is a gear model with only a set of weights on the front.

You can do construction work like digging trenches, moving dirt, aggregate and boulders, dragging heavy loads, demolishing structures, grading, etc. with any size machine. Heck, the Egyptians did it by hand. But with the experience I have had with all of it so far, I wouldn't want to tackle it with a machine the size and weight of the TC18. If you have the budget, storage capacity and operating room for a mid or large frame CUT, like the TC40 that you have been looking at, you'll have a great deal more options in terms of attachments/implements, not to mention an easier time making things happen.

I can offer two more personal opinions that others may disagree with. For loader work and grading, I find the hydro transmission worth the extra expense. There is a reason that real, dedicated TLBs (not utility tractors fitted with BH attachments) are often (if not always) equipped with hydro transmissions. With a hydro, you can move piles of dirt or aggregate, use a box scraper, and do a variety of other work at a typical construction site more easily and efficiently than if you had to slip a clutch all of the time. By contrast, when you move at a steady, continuous pace, like when you mow, disc, plow, till, etc., a gear transmission works very well.

Similarly, for construction type work, my preference is for R4 tires. Better stability (especially when filled) and better flotation than R1s, with only a marginal loss of traction. In fact, I can't remember when I last broke the wheels loose on the 45DA, whereas there have been lots of times when I have been thankful that I had the widest stance and largest tire footprint possible on the machine.

Finally, although I own blue, I don't suggest that NH makes better equipment than JD, Kubota, Kioti or anyone else. Dealer quality and price were the primary factors in my original buying decision. Selecting a dealer that you're most comfortable with is a bit of crap shoot, but if you get it right, it is unlikely that you'll care too much about paint colors long term.

 

[otus_branch]

Howdy Trace,

For your tasks, it would be hard to beat a Kubota L-39. Plenty of hydraulic power, backhoe integrated into the design from the very start, no need to dismount the tractor to switch to the hoe (i.e.- one seat that swivels, vs. two separate seats on most ag-type tractors), yet also all the utility of a Cat. 1 3 pt. hitch when you need it.

Since budget is a consideration, a used Kubota L-35 could also be worth a look. But for us, the cheap Kubota financing of last year made a new L-39 as economical as taking a 3rd party loan for a cheaper L-35.

-otus

 

[Riddler]

Otus' suggestion is worth considering. If your mix of work is heavily weighted toward digging and moving material, L-35/39 it a great fit. It has a Class I hitch and PTO, so you can still run maintenance implements (mowers, tillers, chippers, etc.), but it's a better design and set up for construction stuff than, say, a TC45 w/ BH (like mine).

 

[Gittyup]

That L-39 is a real sweet setup!

 

[Trace33]

Well, I gotta say I got one helluva education. I learned more in the last 2 weeks than in the last few months of talking to dealers. At least now I can partially sound like I know what I'm talking about. Now the fun part starts, trying to find a deal on a machine I can afford.

Thanks to all of you, you guys are great. I don't feel like such an ignoramus any more.

One other question I had pertains to tires. So many of you mention water filled tires for extra weight. Are these special tires just for water or standards that can be filled either water or air?

 

[IslandTractor]

One other question I had pertains to tires. So many of you mention water filled tires for extra weight. Are these special tires just for water or standards that can be filled either water or air?

You can fill regular tires, tube or tubeless, up to about 75% full with liquid to add ballast. Be aware though that water is only appropriate for tractors that live in Florida, parts of Texas and Southern California etc. Most places were it can freeze require that you use some liquid that will not freeze solid. Options are windshield washer fluid (cheapest non salt), Calcium Chloride (cheapest, less pleasant to deal with) and beet juice (RimGuard, probably best but also most expensive). Windshield washer fluid is part methanol so is actually a little lighter per gallon than water. Both CaCl and Rimguard are heavier than water.

Dealers can install the ballast when you buy the tractor or you can install it yourself later. After filling with the appropriate # gallons (various charts you can find to determine according to tire size) you simply reinstall the valve and fill to appropriate pressure with air.