daTeacha
Veteran Member
Okay, I think I've decided I'll be getting a Case tractor. Looking at the DX26 and DX29 on Saturday, I noted the following things: The 29, while visually much bigger, is only about 5 or 6 inches wider, has a longer wheelbase, but is shorter overall by .1 inch. It weighs 800 lb. more. Both will fit through my overhead barriers with the ROPS down with no danger of taking the top of my head off.
Question -- Would the extra weight more or less overcome the traction disadvantage of R4 tires compared to R1s if the R1s were on the 26 and the R4s were on the 29? I lean toward R4s for toughness in the woods, but R1s for traction in the goo.
Observation 2: The bucket of the 112 loader when seen from the side has a bottom that protrudes forward from the upper edge by about 6 or 7 inches. On the 114 loader, the bottom edge is almost directly below the top. The front edges of the sides on the 112 are angled while on the 114 they are almost perpendicular when the bucket bottom is flat on the ground.
Question -- Does this matter in any possible way that I'm somehow missing? I just wonder why they are different shapes.
Finally, purely an opinion question, would you guys pay the extra 2500 or so for the larger tractor for use in the woods? When I look at the 26, it seems much bigger than my B7100, and when I look at the 29 it seems huge.
However, the larger size also includes a fantastic seat, flexible link ends, a crank leveler on the link arms, a more spacious platform, 3 hydro ranges vs two (Yeah, both of 'em are hydro, and I'm getting to like it), about four hundred pounds more lift at both ends, more height on the loader lift, bigger wheels and tires, more power, etc. I can't tell how handy it will be in the woods compared to the 26, but I can't see where there would be a whole lot of difference. Steering brakes are useful on both with the cruise on. The treadle pedal on the 29 is a wide steel plate rather than a narrow bar with foot pads on either end. The loader controls on the 29 are on the fender and on the 26 they are on the loader, but both fall readily to hand. I can easily get on the 26 from either side, but the 29 will be mostly a left side mounting propostion, which may be slightly inconvenient at times.
Either one will be a couple of light years ahead of my Kubota in many areas. I just can't seem to decide if I want the comfort and ease of operation of the 29 or the apparent compactness of the 26. I'm looking at around $70 a month difference in payments, which is not a major concern, but a factor in it all. I know there is an element here that always opts for the biggest, baddest tractor, but there are some advantages to being compact and agile, too.
Does anyone just happen to have one of each? Are you able to note any differences other than those above?
My wife jokingly suggested that we should just get two, a 26 for her and a 29 for me. This from a gal who was befuddled by the lack of gears when she got on the 26 and drove it around the lot. She grew up running an AC WD-45 with narrow front, a wide front 8N and a few other things for her dad. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif She said neither one really looked like a tractor, mostly because of the drooping snout on them. She thinks a TC30 or JD 790 is more what a tractor should look like.
So anyways, now that I'm done rambling, which way would you jump and why? I think I could be happy with either one but lean toward the 29 for one set of reasons and the 26 for another set.
Question -- Would the extra weight more or less overcome the traction disadvantage of R4 tires compared to R1s if the R1s were on the 26 and the R4s were on the 29? I lean toward R4s for toughness in the woods, but R1s for traction in the goo.
Observation 2: The bucket of the 112 loader when seen from the side has a bottom that protrudes forward from the upper edge by about 6 or 7 inches. On the 114 loader, the bottom edge is almost directly below the top. The front edges of the sides on the 112 are angled while on the 114 they are almost perpendicular when the bucket bottom is flat on the ground.
Question -- Does this matter in any possible way that I'm somehow missing? I just wonder why they are different shapes.
Finally, purely an opinion question, would you guys pay the extra 2500 or so for the larger tractor for use in the woods? When I look at the 26, it seems much bigger than my B7100, and when I look at the 29 it seems huge.
However, the larger size also includes a fantastic seat, flexible link ends, a crank leveler on the link arms, a more spacious platform, 3 hydro ranges vs two (Yeah, both of 'em are hydro, and I'm getting to like it), about four hundred pounds more lift at both ends, more height on the loader lift, bigger wheels and tires, more power, etc. I can't tell how handy it will be in the woods compared to the 26, but I can't see where there would be a whole lot of difference. Steering brakes are useful on both with the cruise on. The treadle pedal on the 29 is a wide steel plate rather than a narrow bar with foot pads on either end. The loader controls on the 29 are on the fender and on the 26 they are on the loader, but both fall readily to hand. I can easily get on the 26 from either side, but the 29 will be mostly a left side mounting propostion, which may be slightly inconvenient at times.
Either one will be a couple of light years ahead of my Kubota in many areas. I just can't seem to decide if I want the comfort and ease of operation of the 29 or the apparent compactness of the 26. I'm looking at around $70 a month difference in payments, which is not a major concern, but a factor in it all. I know there is an element here that always opts for the biggest, baddest tractor, but there are some advantages to being compact and agile, too.
Does anyone just happen to have one of each? Are you able to note any differences other than those above?
My wife jokingly suggested that we should just get two, a 26 for her and a 29 for me. This from a gal who was befuddled by the lack of gears when she got on the 26 and drove it around the lot. She grew up running an AC WD-45 with narrow front, a wide front 8N and a few other things for her dad. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif She said neither one really looked like a tractor, mostly because of the drooping snout on them. She thinks a TC30 or JD 790 is more what a tractor should look like.
So anyways, now that I'm done rambling, which way would you jump and why? I think I could be happy with either one but lean toward the 29 for one set of reasons and the 26 for another set.
