Ready to pull the trigger on 1026r and need reassurance.

[bradrich18]

I've had my 1026r for a year now. I have the 60d mower and I scalped my lawn the first time I used it. Then, I adjusted it and haven't had a problem since. You just have to play with it and figure out what works for you. I also have steep slopes that I mow. I can't safely cut them side to side, so I drive down & back up. The tractor has no problem doing any of this, I just put it in 4 low and take off. Sometimes I put my box blade on got a little added weight. I think it would be a good choice for you. Good luck & nice place!

 

[TripleR]

We have a BX2660 as well as a JD2305, very similar to the 1026R; no doubt the SCUTs are very capable and we love ours, BUT if we did not have other tractors, we would not have them and would have gone bigger.

A 1026R will work for you, but in my opinion, not well. I would go a bit bigger and giver very serious consideration to two machines. Once you mix in so many tasks and a certain amount of property, any one tractor is going to be a compromise which you have to determine if you will be happy.

As mentioned a BH can be handy, but expensive and the small ones pretty weak compared to a regular BH. I am certainly no expert, but having owned a full size back hoe, we now just rent when needed. We find renting preferable in other instances. We just got finished using a tracked skid loader for eight days on one of our farms; did stuff we couldn't with our tractors and the rental place will pick it up. We won't be using our storage space, doing maintenance ot having our money tied up.

Of course what works best for me may not for you.

Congratulations on your property; looks good now and will only get better.:thumbsup:

 

[tkoza]

1026r will work on ski hills to 40% grade

100% grade is a 45 degree angle

the 260 backhoe will dig almost any soil with the 16" bucket when used properly breaking out with the bucket not the dipper or boom

and will dig to a depth of 6 feet - the weekness is were to put the material if you plan to dig large areas

if you are thinking snowblower you may not want the auto connect pto - it has to be removed from the tractor to access the the mid non-auto connect pto the snowblower needs

for the loader i suggest a larger bucket 53" or larger

while a x7xx mower might work it is near in cost to a one series which would have possibilities

the 60d puts the 62c to shame - i mulch and never have buildup

 

[bigtiller]

1026r will work on ski hills to 40% grade

100% grade is a 45 degree angle

the 260 backhoe will dig almost any soil with the 16" bucket when used properly breaking out with the bucket not the dipper or boom

and will dig to a depth of 6 feet - the weekness is were to put the material if you plan to dig large areas

if you are thinking snowblower you may not want the auto connect pto - it has to be removed from the tractor to access the the mid non-auto connect pto the snowblower needs

for the loader i suggest a larger bucket 53" or larger

while a x7xx mower might work it is near in cost to a one series which would have possibilities

the 60d puts the 62c to shame - i mulch and never have buildup

I did not know that. I had been trying to decide wheather or not to buy a 1026R ever since they came out, and this is the first the front pto has come up.

 

[lilranch2001]

Nice looking place!

I am not sure of the model, but there is a smaller Deere model that has had mega tranny case failures.
I would read through all the Deere threads before buying one.

Some of the Deeres are great tractors, but it seems they have at least one dud

 

[KennyG]

Nice looking place!

I am not sure of the model, but there is a smaller Deere model that has had mega tranny case failures.
I would read through all the Deere threads before buying one.

Some of the Deeres are great tractors, but it seems they have at least one dud

I think you are referring to the fan cooling on the 2305. This is one of the major improvements on the 1xxx series that replaced it - no more fan cooling. The 2320 and larger tractors never had the fan cooling.

 

[jenkinsph]

If I am not mistaken the 1023, 1026R and the 700 series all have oil coolers.

 

[finley31]

Well I took another trip to the dealer yesterday and sat on a few different models, and I still think I'm gonna go with my gut and get the 1026. I like the lower stance of it compared to the 2000 series, and it just feels so good sitting in the seat on it. Now I just have to work up the courage to go through with it. My wife is even teasing me about shuffling my feet on this, so I have to make a move!

 

[madmax12]

If u r still on the fence with the backhoe, do some YouTube searches for johndeere loader backhoe, or models similar to the 1026. There are videos of deere, Kubota, massey, etc digging with the small backhoes.

Depending upon your perspective you will be either really amazed or unimpressed.

I was talked out of it for my "needs"... But it is worth watching the videos, if u cannot get a dealer trial on your lot.

And this is NOT trying to dissuade u from deere, just an idea...

Mahindra has a 30 day return policy...no questions.

If u told the deere dealer that, would he let u buy the backhoe, or trial it, with the option of returning it in like new condition, if it didn't meet your expectations???

Mahindra requires less than 10 hours on machine for return, or charges occur above that.

 

[johnwilldo]

Hi,

Great progress so far. Our property in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania is similar but perhaps not as steep. We have 23 acres with half in woods and the other in pastures and lawn. About two years ago we decided on a JD2305 with a 200CX loader, the 62" MMM, Frontier 48" brush hog and later added Horst Welding pallet forks. The JD2305 is a good fit for our applications, but even with the low center of gravity, if you get the tractor going across a hill rather than up and down you are in for a thrill. The four wheel drive is engaged on the steep part of the property and works like a charm. The MMM does not seem to scalp the uneven areas of the lawn and we use the brush hog to clear the fence lines and field mow. Like the 1026 R, the mower is easy to install and remove and, with the very short turning radius, it is as close to a zero turn mower as you can get. The FEL is very effective and I have used it to dislodge large bushes before hooking a logging chain and pulling them out. I am currently reclaiming some woods and brush areas to enlarge some pastures. I decided to pass on the back hoe because of the cost and it did not impress me that it was that functional for the price. I will rent a large back hoe to remove large stumps and dig into our heavy shale soil. A snow blower is on my wish list, but the FEL tilted forward does a pretty good job of moving snow. I also have a rear blade which "I"can use for snow removal. We winter in the southwest, so I have only had to move snow once last year in a very early late October storm. Later in the year, it is up to my kids to do the job since they occupy the property and maintain it while my wife and I are enjoying the warmer climate of the southwest.