</font><font color="blue" class="small">( For a few more bucks you could do the 4 wheel thing and would probably be thankful at some point you could spin all four )</font>
I do hear what you are saying about 4wd. Just isn't necescary on my property. I did own a NH 1920 up until this year, and used the 4wd exactly twice. Once when discing my pasture.. and it was very usefull. The other when I got stuck in a 'dry pond'. And the 4wd just burried both axles, instead of just the rear axle. I now have a large tractor if i ever need to disc.. so on my flat land.. 4wd is just a 'expensive' accessory. Besides.. if I really need pulling power to pull something.. I can drop a chain from my NH 7610s.. if that don't pull it in 2wd.. I doubt a 20, 25 or 30 hp tractor with 4wd would pull it either... just a weight / traction issue.
Another thing is price. I'm thinking of 2wd for a price savings. For one thing.. I'm gonna be making payments on the NH 7610s for a while.. and that dries up a great deal of my tractor budget. If I did spend more money.. I'd try to get more hp, rather than more drive axles.. though.. I guess if I got to 25 hp.. I'll be 'stuck' getting PS and 4wd no matter what. I don't think homier has 25 hp NO-PS and 2wd? do they?
Thanks for the friendly answer. I'm not trying to 'shoot the messenger' as Greg would like to claim.. I'm asking realistic questions that need to have a concrete answer before I plunk down 4-5K$. Because for half of that price I could have a new engine, clutch, brakes, seals, and steering rebuild on my 33hp ford NAA and for all intents and purposes have just as reliable tractor that will last another 50 years, minus live pto/2 stage clutch and rops. ( add another 490$ and I could have the rops as well.. another 250 and have power steering on the NAA.... in other words.. for about 3k$ I could have my NAA at about the same level as the 30hp jinma.. minus the 4wd and live pto/2 stage clutch.. etc... ) I just need to decide where that money goes. I wouldn't mind the newer small tractor.. However the old one that has been here for 50 years is just a bit 'time tested', and I know the in's and outs of it.. whereas I don't have the experience with the chinese units.. Hence my posts and questions here...
Soundguy