Newbie needs advice, please!

[MountainMomma]

Hey there,

We just bought 40 acres that has been neglected for 30 years. Has hundreds of large multiflora rose bushes growing on it, two ponds that need dredging, and some grading work.

Two real questions:

1. How do you guys remove mature multiflora rose bushes? Please, be detailed and don't use a lot of acronyms... I'm just learning the jargon!

2. What is a good, used, general purpose tractor for us to buy that will do gentle hills (this is a WV farm with some steep places, mostly open and gently rolling, though). We need it to be able to mow, initially, and we have neighbors with BIG heavy tractors that we can hire for really big jobs. For the most part, we want to pull rose bushes, plow snow, lift rocks for building rock walls (we have PILES of limestone rocks to use) and mowing/bushwacking. Our budget is 15K max.

Someone recommended a Montana tractor that they like, 'cause it has a lower center of gravity. Did I read somewhere that Montana is going out of business, though?

Please suggest several brands/models 'cause I'm going to look at some starting tomorrow and would love to have a few starting places with dealers.

This is a homestead to be, not a working farm. My husband and I aren't particularly handy or mechanical, and we will be weekend warriors for the next year until we can move onto the land. All that to say please don't think "ultimate;" rather think "approachable for two newbies."

THANKS in advance for advice!

 

[flusher]

$15K budget, not handy mechanically and you're looking at used tractors---

You need to think about how you'd get service/repairs done on a used tractor if you can't do that kind of work yourself. Buy used off a dealers lot is one way to go. Or find a tractor repair shop to handle the work.

Something like a 5-10-year-old 45 hp Kubota L4400 with FEL could be squeezed into your budget.

My 2008 Mahindra 5525 (54 hp engine) with the ML250 FEL (6-ft wide bucket, 2950 lb lift to 10.5 ft height) cost me $18K new. You could probably find one today for under $15K.

Either of these tractors would handle your chores. And, of course, there are other brands that offer this size tractor.

Good luck.

 

[nybirdman]

I would approach the local "Dealers",explain your situation.What are popular tractors in your area?There is a lot of good equipment these days;but dealer support is critical.Montana is no longer is business,but they were built by LS so parts should be available from them(If there is a dealer close).Might be advisable to stick with the main brands.John Deere,Kubota,New Holland ect.
You are going to find used tractor prices are high,they hold their value well.
May want to look at Used Tractors For Sale at TractorHouse.com: John Deere Tractors, used farm tractors and farm equipment, tractors for sale, Case IH, New Holland, Agco, Kubota
At minimum I think you need a 30-40 horse power tractor with a FEL(front end loader) and a brush-hog(rear rotary brush cutter).
Good luck in your search.

 

[Grandad4]

Welcome to TBN. I'll take a stab at this, and others will add more, I'm sure.

We had a lot of multiflora on our place at first. I found that it was pretty easy to tear up with the front end loader on the tractor. What made the difference was having a "toothbar" - a set of digging teeth - on the lower lip of the loader bucket. The teeth would catch the vines even with the bucket raised high up in a tree and I could pull huge clumps of the vines out. For some reason the vines did not take well to that and after two seasons, pretty well died off.

There are many brands of tractors, and most of them are well-made, reliable machines. For small, non-agricultural tractors, the top brands are (in order of market position): Kubota, Deere and NewHolland. They each make fine equipment, but also not the cheapest, as you would expect. Other major brands are Mahindra, Kioti, CaseIH, CubCadet/Yanmar, just naming a few. Also good equipment, maybe a bit more frugal to buy.

I think Montana has had business problems and stopped selling in the US. Good tractors, but no dealer support. Same tractor now being sold as LS, I believe.

That raises the other key point. If you are buying a used tractor, you'll need to be able to find parts and repair for it if needed. With the top 3 brands that won't be a problem. Other brands have fewer dealers so you have to be choosy. You may have a very good one near you, or maybe not.

Your biggest problem is finding something big enough to do your work and still staying within your budget. I think you should be looking for something with at least 30 horsepower - better if 40 or more - with 4 wheel drive and a front end loader. You'll need a brush mower and a box blade, at least... and buying those new will probably take about $2000 out of your $15000 budget. I wouldn't be so concerned about which brand of tractor as finding a used machine in good condition and not all beat up or worn out.

I would ask some of your neighbors with large equipment to recommend some good dealers. Farm equipment dealers can be "mom and pop" outfits or big corporate operations. Either way, there are good ones and not good ones, so it's best to know something about their reputation before you walk in the door.

There is a wealth of knowledge here on TBN if you will take the time to read up some beforehand. And there are some on-line classified sites where you can see equipment listed for sale (Tractorhouse.com, Fastline.com, IronPlanet.com, just to name a few). Candidly, it's going to take someone a while to climb the learning curve... it's even more complicated than buying cars. If you take the time, you'll make a smarter, more informed purchase than if you run out and buy something right away. Best of luck, and don't be shy with questions.

 

[MountainMomma]

I am planning to work through a dealer in the nearest decent-sized town to us because of needing mechanical support/parts. There are about four or five dealerships there; it's a farming community. My issue is not knowing exactly what I'm needing.

Between our farm and any of these dealers, there's a mountain range and an hour's drive. Then there's a large, friendly farming community (surrounding our new farm) with lots of mechanically minded, real farmers. We have a church family there, and some relatives, so I anticipate learning as we go and getting some help from new friends in the community when we need it for small mechanical problems. Our biggest plus, imho, is that we don't NEED to succeed or die. Our biggest weakness is that we don't know what we don't know.

The question is, how old of a used machine to go with, and what size to start with, given our budget. Also, which brands are truly more reliable, and which are just "the names" that everyone knows. I feel like a dealer's going to want to sell us the largest, most expensive tractor he can. This is the main reason for me asking here before I go the rounds of Harrisonburg, VA dealers tomorrow.

Many thanks for suggestions so far... I didn't see the one immediately above until writing this post, so now I've edited it. That's a LOT of good information, and I'm reading back as much as I can, but all the letter abbreviations make it tough slogging. I don't really understand, for instance, what a PTO is, except that it gives torque to add ons, right? Can anyone else offer suggestions on researching/choosing?

 

[MountainMomma]

Also: can someone translate/explain "hours" to me? I get that it means "hours the engine has been run," like mileage on cars, but what is a lot on compact, diesel tractors (which is where I'm ending up, I suspect)?

Also, are there engines and engines? What engines are trouble, and which are the most reliable brands, if any?

THANKS again, in advance!

 

[Grandad4]

PTO means "Power Take Off". There is a shaft at the back of the tractor that you can connect a driveshaft to so you can send power from the tractor to an implement attached in back, like a brush mower, or a big rototiller, or a post-hole digger, or a fertilizer spreader, or... etc., etc.

I would not worry about a brand being inherently "unreliable". If you are buying used equipment, it's more important to find one that has been well maintained and used carefully. If that's the case, whether it's brand A or brand B doesn't really matter; it will do its basic job.

Gotta run. More comments later.

 

[b737drvr]

Mountain Momma,
Welcome to TBN. I, like you, am a newbie to tractors and rural living. We are in the same boat as you are in, but perhaps a few steps further along. We purchased 50 acres last year, and have just recently moved on to the property. We have about 30 acres of timber, and scrubby land, and about 15 acres of mowing. I asked the same questions you had, and eventually settled on a new Kioti DK40 HST. (40HP) w/ front end loader. I got an 84" rear scrape blade, a 72" bush hog (rotary mower), and a 65" PTO powered tiller. I was out the door for $25,500. I know this is probably a little more than your budget, but not being highly mechanically inclined, I decided to buy new just for the warranty. I looked around for used (in Michigan) and found the used prices for similar models to be only $4000-$5000 less than new. I thought that that was a small price to pay for knowing I was getting a new vs. getting used where I didn't know the history or care that a tractor had had. I probably haven't helped you that much, but I just wanted to say, "hi," and let you know that you are not alone. There are lots of great guys on here that know lots about tractors. Good luck!

 

[MountainMomma]

THX, B7! That was great to know! :thumbsup:

OK: I hear you guys. Used = well maintained. How about the hours thing?

 

[TripleR]

I agree with NYBirdman as all I can give you are generalities or such specifics as to confuse you. I bought my last used tractor from a dealer I trust and later bought a new one for a different farm. They are from a farming back ground and know their tractors. A dealer will have checked out everything before buying and know the tractor better than anyone.

Experienced tractor buyers can get good deals from individual sellers, but it will be hard for someone who knows little about them to pick the right size and get one that will be dependable.

We traded in a tractor last year that was so trouble prone, we took a big loss by making sure the dealer knew about all of the problems. He then sold it to a tractor repair shop. They fixed it up for their own use, but I would have hated to see a private party wind up with it.

Ford 3000, 4000 and 5000 Series tractors are available, reliable and fairly affordable as are several other brands. There really are too many models that will work and to answer your questions specifically would take pages.

As for me, given your situation, my preference would be a 4WD of 35-50 HP, HST with FEL.

If I can think of anything specific, I would re post.

 

[TripleR]

THX, B7! That was great to know! :thumbsup:

OK: I hear you guys. Used = well maintained. How about the hours thing?

There are a lot of posts regarding high hours and what constitutes "high hours", here is just one.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/buying-pricing-comparisons/201883-2500-hours-lot.html

 

[k0ua]

Well it looks like you have been given some pretty good advice already, I would emphasize keep reading and then asking questions. A few simple abbreviations or term: FEL Front End Loader, 3PT Three Point Hitch, the hitch attachment point on the back of the tractor that implements fasten on to. QA or Quick Attach, or SSQA Skid Steer Quick Attach, means the attachment plate on the Front End Loader (FEL) to allow you to quickly remove the bucket
of the FEL and put some other attachment on, like a set of pallet forks, or round hay bale spears. The Skid Steer part is because they were originilly developed for Skid Steer Loaders (think Bobcat) and they are a standard. There is also a Quick Hitch that goes on the 3PH (back of tractor, remember) that allows you to hook your 3point implements quicker and with less swear words. There are several brands of those, and different schemes, like John Deers I-Match, Pats Easy Change, Carters, etc. Now we come to tires, R1 are Agricultural tires. with a very aggresive tread, R3 Turf tires like on a garden tractor more or less, and R4, Industrial tread, like you would find on a backhoe. You will find a large difference of opinion here on the best tires to have on your tractor, bottom line all tires are a trade-off, you must select the type that fit your terrain, and type of work best. I find that the R4 Industrial type are a good trade off for me. Now comes the transmission selection. there are many, from simple Gears, to Syncronized Gears to Shuttles, in many flavors and brand names. I prefer the HydroStat, for many reasons. But like tires (or even worse) there is a huge difference in opinion on this, but I urge you to drive a hydrostat equiped tractor of any brand before you buy. I think it makes that much of a difference. Now as to buying used, I wish you all the luck in the world, and many here have had good luck at finding a good used tractor at a good price. I did not. I searched for several months, and all I found was worn out junk, and good used tractors at near the same price as new. My first tractor was new, at above the price I had budgeted for it. I got a lot of use out of it, and later traded it for a another new one, just before the Manufacture went out of business. (Long) Be carefull, You cannot go wrong by sticking to the major brands, I happen to like Kubota, But I would not hesitate buying any of the major brands, and even some of the second tier promising up and coming brands. But think it through, and find a good stable reliable dealer of the brand you are interested in. Bottom line is just keep posting, and asking question, and we will all try to help as best as we know how. Like anything else you are going to get differing opinions on a lot of the subjects, but you need to look at the overall response and form you own opinion.. Thanks and good luck.

James K0UA

 

[KU Gator]

Once you have a tractor with a front end loader (FEL), you might want to look into a ratchet rake. They are now sold through Tractor Supply, although your local one may need to order it.

Ratchet Rake, LLC - Tractor attachment, Bucket attachment, Loader, Skid loader, Kubota, Skid steer, Landscape rake, Brush remover, York Rake, Harley Rake, Rock Rake, Tractor rake attachment, Construction attachment, New Holland, Bobcat, Fire safety,

I would also suggest that you not rule out buying new. It will likely overshoot your budget of $15K to get something that will be suited to your needs, but most of the Manufacturers are still offering 0% financing. No one likes to make payments, but it could leave you the capital to buy other things you will need. And you will likely have a lot of years ahead that you can count on a good running tractor plus a couple of years of warrenty coverage. In the Kubota line, a basic L series tractor like the L3800 should
be about $20K.

 

[MountainMomma]

THAT rachet rake is cool! Bookmarked! THANKS!

 

[Grandad4]

MountainMomma,

I'm going to suggest you consider buying the Compact Tractor Buying Guide, authored by the founder of this TBN forum. There's a link to it on the Home page of TBN. While I have not read it personally, it's written precisely for someone like you who is new to tractors and needs to know the fundamentals.

Beyond that, if you can buddy up with some of your neighbors or friends in the community who have some experience with farm equipment, you can learn so much from them.

I will say this also. This equipment is capable of doing amazing things. The power to lift, pull, push carry and turn things beyond the ability of one, five, ten or twenty strong guys, and it never gets tired. But that strength also means there are a hundred different ways machinery like this can kill or maim an operator who doesn't know what he or she is doing, and it can happen faster than you can say "Oh shoot!". So, please take the time to learn everything you can before you begin to operate your own.

On a brighter note, you'll also find getting work done on your own place is a very satisfying part of owning property. All the best in your plans.

 

[bigbull338]

your going in the right direction as your doing your homework.dont let the need to learn overwhelm you.you can get by with a 35hp tractor if need be on your budget.a good clean tractor is hard to find.an most times they are $3000 or $4000 less than new.after you make the rounds at the dealers,narrow down to the brands you like the most.then go back to those dealers an drive the tractors an see wich best fitts you.

 

[MountainMomma]

MountainMomma,

I'm going to suggest you consider buying the Compact Tractor Buying Guide, authored by the founder of this TBN forum. There's a link to it on the Home page of TBN. While I have not read it personally, it's written precisely for someone like you who is new to tractors and needs to know the fundamentals.

Beyond that, if you can buddy up with some of your neighbors or friends in the community who have some experience with farm equipment, you can learn so much from them.

I will say this also. This equipment is capable of doing amazing things. The power to lift, pull, push carry and turn things beyond the ability of one, five, ten or twenty strong guys, and it never gets tired. But that strength also means there are a hundred different ways machinery like this can kill or maim an operator who doesn't know what he or she is doing, and it can happen faster than you can say "Oh shoot!". So, please take the time to learn everything you can before you begin to operate your own.

On a brighter note, you'll also find getting work done on your own place is a very satisfying part of owning property. All the best in your plans.

Thanks for that sobering advice. We're trying to do due diligence. I appreciate all the good advice, and the book recommendation. Looked on Amazon.com and couldn't find it... where can I buy it?

 

[BillG_in_TX]

Thanks for that sobering advice. We're trying to do due diligence. I appreciate all the good advice, and the book recommendation. Looked on Amazon.com and couldn't find it... where can I buy it?

The Book!

 

[whiteshepherd]

From experience STAY AWAY FROM MONTANA!!! I have an R4344 that is now a $23,000 lawn ornament. Diesel fuel pump went and I cannot get a replacement or an answer. Stick with Kubota, Ford, Deere or someone who has been around for awhile

 

[MountainMomma]

OK...

I bought THE BOOK and am reading it.

I went to two dealerships this past week. I drove a Kubota compact and it was surprisingly manageable. It then rained, so I didn't drive a Kioto, but I have a question. The very experienced salesman at Kioto said that, comparing apples to apples, of the c. 35 horsepower models, the specs reveal that the Kioto tractor is fully 30% heavier. He said this would help me on slopes.

Without starting a firestorm, anyone want to offer advice on whether this observation should seal the deal? Kioto is more expensive by about $1,000 if I buy it outright, and more like $3500 if I finance.

Thoughts?