Small tractor advice

[bdog]

I have no experience with the subcompacts. I have a full size farm tractor and a skid steer that I do virtually everything on my acreage with. I am doing a lot of stuff around my house in areas with a nice lawn. I have 6 gates so I can fit a lot back there but am worried about tearing up the grass, rutting, etc. I really need no implements other than a FEL to move materials. Rock for landscaping, sand for leveling the lawn, etc. Virtually all I envision using it for is moving materials into sensitive areas. I mow these areas with a reel mower and have a zero turn for other areas. No need for a mower on it. Any recommendations? I assume I need something with turf tires?

I contemplated renting but many of things are drug out over a period of time due to my work schedule so buying seems to make more sense. The subcompacts seem cheap enough.

 

[dodge man]

I personally would look at smaller compacts, like 25 hp Kubota or JD. The small bucket on the Kubota BX frustrated me at times. I now own a JD 2025R and am much happier with it.

 

[i7win7]

Have a BX with MMM and FEL. Air filled R4 tires. 4wd harder on lawn than 2wd. Ballast makes FEL work safer but harder on lawn. A landscaping tool may be better if you only need loader capability. Maybe one of these.
Compact Utility Loaders, Dingo Compact Utility Vehicles | Toro

 

[ultrarunner]

What kind of payload are you anticipating for the loader?

I have a BX 23 and Deere 110 plus L3800 in the family...

The BX continues to amaze me but it is limited.

My friend has a gator with dump bed and turf tires... it is his hauling machine and easy on the turf.

 

[MossRoad]

Our little PowerTrac PT425 is very gentle on lawns. Fits through a 4' gate. Great for moving material like mulch, sand, rock, etc... from point A to point B. Much faster than a traditional tractor.

PowerTrac makes smaller HP models as well as larger. Might be worth a look.

Power Trac

 

[Diggin It]

I really need no implements other than a FEL to move materials. Rock for landscaping, sand for leveling the lawn, etc. Virtually all I envision using it for is moving materials into sensitive areas.

Sounds like all you need is a dump trailer.

 

[bdog]

Me and manual labor don’t get along real well. I have to spread around 30 tons of sand and probably 5 tons of landscaping rock. I don’t really care how much I can move at a time as long as it isn’t ridiculously small and a machine is doing the work. I was thinking something along the lines of a BX18 or 23. I also need to set some landscaping boulders all under 500 lbs.

 

[bdog]

We rented a dingo when prepping the lawn for the sod. They work well but cost twice what a small tractor would and I bet the tracks will tear up the grass when turning.

 

[MossRoad]

Are you interested in resale value, as in, are you gonna sell it once the small tasks are completed?

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Over in Tx, you have a really great selection of the subcompact tractors. JD, Kubota, Branson, LS, Kioti, TYM.... the choice is yours. They will all do want you want. There are a few lightly used ones at dealers now. For example, an LS MT125 w/ loader at RCO tractor near Austin, 2019, about 50 hours for $10K. Simply a lightly used trade in. New can be had at around $12k. Shop around