Buying Advice Opinions on 4wd compact tractor

[HHR]

I am new to the site and I need to purchase a 4wd compact tractor with loader to move 3 foot diameter rocks and climb steep grades. I don't know what brand would be best?
I have had good experiences with Yanmar diesels in skid loaders and I have had had bad experiences with 3 22-57hp Belarus tractors. Local dealers in my area are John Deere, Bobcat, Cub Cadet/Yanmar and Challenger. I have seen some Montana tractors around, but do not know how they hold up. Any input would be greatly appreciated!

 

[rekees4300]

Be careful on slopes with FEL, that's a dangerous combo. Be sure to get a tractor big enough to handle those rocks. Take a look at a JD 4720 (66 hp).

http://www.deere.com/en_US/ProductCatalog/GC/servlet/ProdCatProduct?pNbr=686DLV&tM=GC

 

[Grandad4]

Maybe I need to read between the lines better, but your message says your work mainly consists of moving 3 ft boulders - which could weigh upwards of 2,000 lbs each - in steep terrain. If that's really true, maybe a compact tractor is not the best piece of equipment for the job. Jockeying rocks that size is something you could do once in a while with the bucket on a compact or utility tractor, but heavier equipment would ordiarily be used to handle rocks that size routinely.

If you have a one-time rock clearing project that would be followed by the more typical farm and rural property management chores (i.e. brush clearing, mowing, road prep and maintenance, snow removal, etc.), you could probably equip a 50hp or more compact or utility tractor with a grapple that would get you through the rock clearing, but its cost would probably be comparable to hiring someone to do the rock clearing.

Maybe if you filled in some more details about your situation, you might get some more specific advice.

Of the brands you mentioned, Deere is probably the leader, with Bobcat next, Cub Cadet/Yanmar and Challenger tied in third and Montana trailing the others. All of them have good quality equipment, but the differences are in dealer support and overall stability of the brand. Just one guy's opinion... others may have differing viewpoints.

 

[Weldon]

When I was looking for a new tractor I didn't care what color it was but what each tractor had to offer. The three that made my final list were the JD 4320, Kubota L4400, and the Mahindra 4035. The first thing I would do is list all your requirements down before looking at a tractor. Then start narrowing it down to make and model based on your requirements. When your list is down to a few then go test drive them. Some paint colors cost more but look beyond the paint and name. My choice surprised me because I went with the least amount of HP but the Mahindra was so much more tractor at the same price as the Kubota and several $K less than JD.

If you have a Mahindra dealer near you I would check out the 5035. I'm very impressed with the 35 series tractors.

Now for moving large rocks like you have, I think I would load them on a trailer to go up any steep incline as opposed to the FEL.

 

[MKL1980]

Hello, my name is Marc. I wanted to shed some light on you about Montana. We are a dealer for them. And the are a **** of a little tractor. Built strong for a compact tractor. But I will be very honest with you. Getting some parts are hard as ****. We had 2 tractors down for over 120 days and Montana could answer any questions. I really like montanas and LS they are great tractors. We also have a LS dealership and I'm very curious how will it be to get parts from them. I seen people using tree cutters on a T-7074. Which is nuts but the little tractor handled hit like a champ.

 

[rd_macgregor]

If I did my calculations correctly, you are looking at moving rocks with an individual volume of about 4.5 cubic feet. Granite is 2691 #/cuft, so these boulders would be about six tons each (sandstone would be about 5 tons and even pumice would be nearly a ton and a half)! You might be able to drag them, but I don't know of any CUTs that will pick them up, even with the 3ph (unless you have a field of pumice boulders). If you have very rough (or soft!) ground, dragging could be a challenge, too.

Even if you could pick up a rock that heavy, carrying it up and down hills could be a serious risk with a conventional tractor.

BOB
http://www.simetric.co.uk/si_materials.htm

 

[SPYDERLK]

If I did my calculations correctly, you are looking at moving rocks with an individual volume of about 4.5 cubic feet. Granite is 2691 #/cuft, so these boulders would be about six tons each! You might be able to drag them, but I don't know of any CUTs that will pick them up, even with the 3ph. If you have very rough (or soft!) ground, dragging could be a challenge, too.

Even if you could pick up a rock that heavy, carrying it up and down hills could be a serious risk with a conventional tractor.

BOB

NO! Check your #/cuft number. Probably 269
larry

 

[MikeInEburg]

A safer method for moving rocks is to fabricate a sled - maybe 4X4 with 6'' sides. Nudge the rock onto the sled and then pull with tractor. If done right, this is significantly safer.
Mike

 

[MESSMAKER]

Look at getting an excavator for a day. It would need to be a good sized one to move a 3' rock.

 

[wade simpson]

RD MacGregor "rocks with an individual volume of about 4.5 cubic feet. Granite is 2691 #/cuft,"

I figured the volume assuming it is roughly a sphere (he supplied dia).

V=4/3 Pi (r cubed) I got 14 ft cubed