Buying Advice Starting over

[nrbocke]

Hi everyone-
I recently had my building destroyed in a wind storm and I'm getting to start over with my equipment. My couple year old 46'' Cub Cadet is done for. I used this for mowing my 1/2 acre yard and also have been using it to mow an additional area outside of my yard so it looks nice (and easier/faster than 5ft shredder on tractor). So maybe been mowing up to additional 1/2-1 acre of brome and not sure if that was a good idea. My 8N was also damaged but I hope just cosmetic. Had to take the fan shroud off though because the fan was hitting hit and needed tractor available to move snow if needed this winter. Will find out this spring if front end of tractor can be adjusted enough to re-install shroud. I've been using 8N with a 5ft shredder (2 knock down the rest of my 5 acres and moving snow on 200 ft driveway. I had just inherited an Super H with a loader I wanted to use for snow removal but loader took the brunt of the damage; it is shot.

I can't make a decision on what direction to go. Would love some input. First off I'm keeping both old tractors since they are from family. The Ford doesn't do a great job moving snow with the blade because the way my driveway sits when it fills with snows there just isn't any place to push snow. You're pushing into existing depth of snow. But luckily we haven't had much snow in the last 5 years where I live in Nebraska, but we used to when I was a kid (it could be coming). Also I sit up on a hill and if the wind blows a lot of it will blow clean. So not sure if I need to priorities snow removal (loader) but I do need to be able to get to work. I would say all my landscape work is done other than the odds and ends that would pop up on 5 acres. So not sure I can justify new (or even used) tractor with a loader. 8N does an adequate job shredding (assuming can get shroud back on) just can't go very fast (5 hours to do everything every 1-1 1/2 months in the summer/fall) and isn't very maneuverable.

I've had people recommend just getting a big zero turn. I'm concerned a big zero turn wouldn't fit well in my yard and a smaller model wouldn't work well for pasture. Not sure about using for snow removal and would never have the loader if something popped up. I have 2 friends who both live on 4 acres and they just have zero turns. I would say my place is more "agricultural though". These are places that are flatter subdivided areas I guess you would call them. My land is a pivot corner which isn't close to being flat other than grading work done around building and house.

I think if I get a new tractor would like to got 30-45 HP. Something physically about as big as my 8N. I don't think I would like the smaller SCUTs seem to small compared to 8N. Would like HST and thinking a belly mower would work good (would still use my shredder to knock brome down after it heads out and knock down thicker grass where neighbors pivot hit and my geothermal drains. But then I would still need a smaller rider for my yard. I'm just not sure I can justify the cost of a tractor/loader (especially as big as I would like) and mower for my little 5 acre place.

Please let me know what you all think or if I can provide any more info.

Thanks so much!!!

 

[fried1765]

Hi everyone-
I recently had my building destroyed in a wind storm and I'm getting to start over with my equipment. My couple year old 46'' Cub Cadet is done for. I used this for mowing my 1/2 acre yard and also have been using it to mow an additional area outside of my yard so it looks nice (and easier/faster than 5ft shredder on tractor). So maybe been mowing up to additional 1/2-1 acre of brome and not sure if that was a good idea. My 8N was also damaged but I hope just cosmetic. Had to take the fan shroud off though because the fan was hitting hit and needed tractor available to move snow if needed this winter. Will find out this spring if front end of tractor can be adjusted enough to re-install shroud. I've been using 8N with a 5ft shredder (2 knock down the rest of my 5 acres and moving snow on 200 ft driveway. I had just inherited an Super H with a loader I wanted to use for snow removal but loader took the brunt of the damage; it is shot.

I can't make a decision on what direction to go. Would love some input. First off I'm keeping both old tractors since they are from family. The Ford doesn't do a great job moving snow with the blade because the way my driveway sits when it fills with snows there just isn't any place to push snow. You're pushing into existing depth of snow. But luckily we haven't had much snow in the last 5 years where I live in Nebraska, but we used to when I was a kid (it could be coming). Also I sit up on a hill and if the wind blows a lot of it will blow clean. So not sure if I need to priorities snow removal (loader) but I do need to be able to get to work. I would say all my landscape work is done other than the odds and ends that would pop up on 5 acres. So not sure I can justify new (or even used) tractor with a loader. 8N does an adequate job shredding (assuming can get shroud back on) just can't go very fast (5 hours to do everything every 1-1 1/2 months in the summer/fall) and isn't very maneuverable.

I've had people recommend just getting a big zero turn. I'm concerned a big zero turn wouldn't fit well in my yard and a smaller model wouldn't work well for pasture. Not sure about using for snow removal and would never have the loader if something popped up. I have 2 friends who both live on 4 acres and they just have zero turns. I would say my place is more "agricultural though". These are places that are flatter subdivided areas I guess you would call them. My land is a pivot corner which isn't close to being flat other than grading work done around building and house.

I think if I get a new tractor would like to got 30-45 HP. Something physically about as big as my 8N. I don't think I would like the smaller SCUTs seem to small compared to 8N. Would like HST and thinking a belly mower would work good (would still use my shredder to knock brome down after it heads out and knock down thicker grass where neighbors pivot hit and my geothermal drains. But then I would still need a smaller rider for my yard. I'm just not sure I can justify the cost of a tractor/loader (especially as big as I would like) and mower for my little 5 acre place.

Please let me know what you all think or if I can provide any more info.

Thanks so much!!!

Ask your wife!
SHE will explain to YOU what you can "justify".
Then "just" follow her "justification"!
"Just" a simple solution to your problem!

P.S. You "just" might be required to buy new living room furniture to complete the "justification" process.

 

[nrbocke]

The sad thing is my wife doesn't really care...I'm the one having issue parting with the money. I really don't have a good point of reference looking at the people around me. Everyone I know either is involved in AG and uses tractor(s) for their livestock/farming operation or they live on a small acreage with a zero turn. Even reading posts most people looking at CUTs either have larger pieces of land (20+ acres), more snow to move, wooded areas to maintain, and or foot plots/livestock. I just can't check off any of those boxes. While I could always go out and buy/finance a CUT I don't want to drop $20,000 plus (not to mention I would still need to replace my mower) that I could put towards other things. On the other hand I don't want to drop $5000-$10000 on a zero turn and wish I would have gotten a tractor.

 

[Oldtractorfixer]

It's all about the money. For the 8n parts are cheap and plentiful. New hood radiator etc. readily available from several sources on line. If you look a little used parts are probably not far away. Unless the engine block is broken I'd fix it for sure. Even if you want to sell it. As to the Super H, take another look at that loader. Most were pretty simple. Unless the big hydraulic cylinders are bent any welder/fabricator worth his salt should be able to straighten or make all the damaged parts in short order. Again on this tractor, parts are readily available. I'm guessing $1000-$1500 gets all the parts you need for both tractors. As to the zero turn, We have a Super Z 60" we use for about an acre of lawn. It will beat you to death if you take it in our fields. It will cut but those little wheels on the front follow into every hole, ridge or bump. Be sure to try one before you buy.

 

[Oldtractorfixer]

Also Zero turns are a pain on hills.

 

[nrbocke]

Thanks. That's exactly what I was worried about in regards to a zero turn. I'm just been surprised by how many people are recommending them over a tractor.
I think the Ford will be OK and I can get a new rider and be back to square one. I was kind of thinking about buying a CUT before all this happened because I thought the prices looked good (at least better than 5 years ago) and financing looked good. In the long run I always planned on restoring the Ford and International but I won't do that until I have something else to use.
I've also been surprised by the amount of people recommending not getting a loader. Been told they just get in the way and really wouldn't be that useful. So that's been discouraging. So if I took their advice I would have something better at shredding but still no way to move snow when it comes.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I would for sure look at fixing your tractors. Not much on the old iron tractors that cant be fixed for not a lot of money. You can get the whole top cap for an 8N including the shroud if needed. Most likely a little hammering with a wooden block can straighten up the hood and fix your problem there without any cost.
THE FEL are pretty tough to totally destroy and again, most anything on them can be straightened or re-manufactured for much less than new tractor.
Get your tractors in running order and then spend about $7-10K on a commercial grade zero turn for your mowing. The larger ones with larger tires make all the difference. I like my Ferris for the spring over shock absorber which really smooths the ride. Mine is a low end commercial grade or high end residential (which ever way you call it) and it works fine for my regularly mowed 6 acres plus I occasionally mow about 6 acres of pasture rather than hook up my bush hog. I can mow faster with my 52" ZTR deck than I can with my 7 foot bush hog and 70 HP tractor AND I can get really close to the trees and under trees where I cant go with my big tractor.
I sat on a high end Exmark with hydra-shock seat and it was really nice with a big deck( 72") , large tires and only $9999 in price. Look for year end close out models and perhaps could knock off $1000 off that price.

 

[nrbocke]

That's interesting that you can mow so much faster with "only" a 52'' deck compared to your tractor. That size would work a lot better in my yard than the 60''+ I was thinking I would need get to make up any ground on the speed of a modern tractor/bush hog.

 

[CADplans]

Well, believe it, or not,,, I think JD tried to clone the Ford 8N,,
Other than some upgrades (and of course safety stuff), the JD 4105 is a Ford 8N clone.

Wheel base, tire heights, weight, engine torque,,, all within a few percentage points.

I am loving the JD 4105!! :thumbsup:

I forget,, did the Ford have a 2 range hydrostatic transmission?? :laughing:

The one feature JD really missed on when cloning,,, THE PRICE!!

 

[Oldtractorfixer]

I am surprised that you are being told to skip the loader. I strongly disagree. I use a loader for driveway maintenance, moving bark dust, cleaning up after weeding, lifting anything heavy I get in the bucket or get a chain on. My wife has even lifted me up to clean gutters (single story house). You get more creative the more you use it. Once in a while in tight quarters around trees it might get in the way a little if you are mowing with it. And don't forget it helps a lot with snow. If you are buying a late model CUT they are quick attach so take about 5 minutes to take off and 10 minutes to put back on if you don't do it often. Faster if you do it all the time. To me you loose at least 25% of the usability of the tractor without the loader.