Buying Advice Sizing and Buying Advice

[art]

Art,

Thanks for the reply.

Any reasoning on this sizing? Would we go this large because of the grading or for other reasons?

Should we go with four wheel drive?

Any thoughts on brands that are particularly easy to use, especially when it comes to attaching/detaching implements?

Your main purpose is to assist with chores to make your primary business work, or show better. I would feel that this is an extra to enhance your bed and breakfast so why would you want to spend so much time doing this when you might need to spend more time with your core operation.

You could get away with a smaller tractor but how much time do you have to put to the chores? Mowing normally works out for time with this formula width in foot x MPH divided by ten will tell you how long it will take to mow. 5'x5mph=25 divided by 10 =2.5 acres an hour.

Four wheel drive is important to you for the hills and easier operation with a loader.
Could you get by with a smaller tractor? Sure but I'd still stay around the 40 horsepower for a minumum and a hydro for the flexibility of speeds.

For brand stick with the ones with the most dealers for better representation anywhere.
We could get into quite a bit here as far as that! Kubota is number one, here the longest, most copied.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

45hp as a minimum, 60 as a maximum. (Speaking in terms of PTO hp too..) That lets you use CAT I implements, which are more common and less expensive than bigger stuff as a rule of thumb. I'm more of a gear drive fan than hydro's. Good brand choices would be (new) Deere, Massey Ferguson, Kubota, NH, and a few others. Make certain you're comfortable with the dealer in your area for whatever brand you select, even if it's a USED tractor. I'm also a big fan of SIMPLE, BASIC tractors. Initial cost is less, and maintenance cost seems to stay lower through the life of the tractor. I also lean more towards a smaller general purpose utility tractor than a compact. But that's a minor point.

45hp tractors will run 6' mowers with relative ease, pull 2, and sometimes a 3 bottom plow, 6' tiller, and is adequate power for hayin' with a small square baler.

Start by setting a budget. (Including implements) Work backwards from there to determine what you can afford.

 

[normanbobo]

what does everyone think about this tractor for our needs?

Big Blue Tractor

It might be too small .... 43 HP I believe.

 

[art]

It might just be the picture but it looks like the loader boom is not square to the tractor.
Nothing about hours and those are good for about 4500 normally.

 

[Grandad4]

Hard to tell from a photo. Tractors see rough conditions, and the "cosmetic", or appearance factors are less important than the mechanical ones. So some weathering and/or rust isn't a problem, although a tractor that is all dented and beat up has probably been used pretty hard and may not have been cared for well. Keep in mind that real working farmers generally don't have time to wash and wax their tractors after every use. But, since the tractor is a vital tool in their work, a wise farmer maintains his equipment as if his life and livelihood depended on its reliable operation. So, the main thing is if it has been maintained well and not overused and worn out.

Number of hours, how maintained, type of work done, wear on moving parts, any leaks, engine operation, gearbox and drivetrain operation, 3 pt lift, pto, brakes, steering, tires, clutch, electrical, loader, etc. Test drive in actual field condition, not just up and down the driveway. Attach the tiller, dig a strip with it, and remove it, for example.

If you don't feel confident you can evaluate the mechanical condition, maybe you can kidnap a friend who has some experience with farm equipment when you check it out.

That Ford is maybe a bit smaller than ideal, but if it's in good condition, it should be able to get you going with your place, and the price is certainly right. I would expect you'd be looking for an upgrade at some point in the future.

 

[normanbobo]

Willy, Please start another thread rather than jumping into the middle of this thread. I'm sure people will be willing to help and it will keep the conversations less confusing. thanks.

 

[flusher]

Oh, one other thing ... regarding cost...we will be buying used to keep the cost down as much as possible.

How much used--2-5 years, 5-10 years, older? Generally, the older the used tractor, the handier you have to be for servicing and repair to keep operating costs down.

For example, my big tractor is a 2008 Mahindra 5525 (54 hp engine, 45 hp pto, 2WD, gear tranny 8F/2F, power steering, triple rear hydraulic remotes) with the ML250 FEL (6-ft wide bucket, skid steer quick attach option, 2950 lb lift to 10.5 ft height). Cost about $19K new. This 3-year old tractor probably has lost $5K or so in value.

The little tractor is a 2005 Kubota B7510 HST (21 hp engine, 17 hp pto, 4WD, hydrostatic tranny, power steering) with a 4-ft wide FEL bucket.



If you want to get into older tractors, you could find a 1980s John Deere like my neighbor's JD 2640 (a 60 hp pto tractor) with FEL for under $10K.

Good luck

Good luck.

 

[jenkinsph]

If you want to get into older tractors, you could find a 1980s John Deere like my neighbor's JD 2640 (a 60 hp pto tractor) with FEL for under $10K.


Good luck.

Just to clarify, a 2640 is 70 pto hp the 2440 was 60 pto hp.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

How much used--2-5 years, 5-10 years, older? Generally, the older the used tractor, the handier you have to be for servicing and repair to keep operating costs down.

For example, my big tractor is a 2008 Mahindra 5525 (54 hp engine, 45 hp pto, 2WD, gear tranny 8F/2F, power steering, triple rear hydraulic remotes) with the ML250 FEL (6-ft wide bucket, skid steer quick attach option, 2950 lb lift to 10.5 ft height). Cost about $19K new. This 3-year old tractor probably has lost $5K or so in value.

The little tractor is a 2005 Kubota B7510 HST (21 hp engine, 17 hp pto, 4WD, hydrostatic tranny, power steering) with a 4-ft wide FEL bucket.

View attachment 225633View attachment 225634View attachment 225635View attachment 225636

If you want to get into older tractors, you could find a 1980s John Deere like my neighbor's JD 2640 (a 60 hp pto tractor) with FEL for under $10K.

Good luck

Good luck.

As mentioned in a later post, 2640's are 70hp (pto), and not too many with loaders under 10 grand, at least not around here unless it's a wreck. They sell near 10 grand w/o loaders here. I've got a 2440 and a 2640 w/Deere 148 loader. They're VERY popular tractors. They were built from 1977 until 1982.