Buying Advice Tractor I need vs tractor I want.

[RSR]

I don't understand the title of the post. Is there a difference between the two?

 

[jeff9366]

1) I guess the real question is if a larger tractor can do excavation type work and have value on the front end?

I kind of doubt that they're made for doing much earthwork.

2) So that's why I'm thinking small is fine.

3) Soil? I have no clue. I suspect it has some clay and shale and whatever else. It's mine spoils from 100 years ago when they strip mined coal in that area of Kansas.

1) Loaders are meant for lifting, not excavation work. Contract out excavation work.

2) Few here will recommend a <2,000 pound bare weight tractor for more than three acres. Loaders on subcompact tractors are best considered powered wheelbarrows.

The fundamental importance of TRACTOR WEIGHT eludes many tractor shoppers.

Sufficient tractor weight is more important for most tractor applications than increased tractor horsepower. Bare tractor weight is a tractor specification easily found in sales brochures and web sites, readily comparable across tractor brands and tractor models, new and used.

The most efficient way to shop for tractors is to first identify potential tractor applications, then, through consulataton, establish bare tractor weight necessary to safely accomplish your applications. Tractor dealers, experienced tractor owners and TractorByNet.com are sources for weight recommendations.

Five reasons owner/operators trade up from Subcompact Tractors:
More tractor weight.
More FEL lift capacity.
More ground clearance.
Three-range (3) HST (Lower LOW, Higher, HIGH) ~~ rather than two-range (2) HST.
Larger wheels and tires yield more tractive power pulling ground contact implements and logs, pushing a loader bucket into dirt and pushing snow. Larger wheels and tires permit heavier tractors to bridge holes, ruts and tree debris with less operator perturbation.

3) Probable your top soil is a mixture including excavated mine spoil, on which a tractor of <2,000 pounds bare weight, pulling proportionately light implements, will make little impression.

I have 5 acres and was always amazed at what I could accomplish with my 1025r loader, backhoe and mmm. After several years I realized mowing was very slow and bought a zero turn, wish I had initially invested the mmm money in the zero turn. Then as time went on I found the stuff the 1025r couldn't do, lift capacity, digging depth, etc so I sold it and bought a used 4700 loader backhoe and am getting the stuff done I couldn't.

With 10 acres you'll want bigger than a SCUT, sooner or later.

Selling a used tractor is easy. Selling multiple light implements in order to buy heavier, wider implements for a new, heavier tractor requires a lot of time. Depreciation on implements is worse than depreciation on a tractor.

VIDEO: So you want to TRADE UP for a new Tractor? - TMT - YouTube

 

[pmsmechanic]

If you are going to use a tractor for general clean up then I would buy a separate mower. Get your wife to try a front mount or a zero turn to see if she can use them. It get's old fast to be switching implements around every week just to mow the lawn.

That was my experience. I've never been sorry that I bought a dedicated mower. I kept my rear mounted mower for the tractor and if my wife and I want to we can mow lawn at the same time and be done sooner.

 

[4570Man]

I hate MMM mowers. I’d highly recommend a dedicated mower. I hate renting equipment too. I’d recommend buying an industrial piece and smaller tractor after most of the work is done.

 

[4570Man]

If you mean excavation, moving a few inches a soil around, yes what you are looking at is fine. If you mean digging a foundation, you need a dozer or at least a skid steer.

Digging a foundation with a skid steer or a dozer?? That’s a new one. You don’t have to move a lot of dirt for a foundation, a tractor backhoe is easily up to the task. A conventional to my area gravel septic system is a different story.

 

[desertdog71]

I'm considering that route. Mid decks aren't cheap and you can buy a dedicated mower for less in many cases.

I used a 38HP JD to do some rotary cutter work and it was bogging down on some of the stuff. So I know a smaller one will lug or just stop. So I'm afraid of getting something inadequate and regretting it. Also don't want to spend a ton on a bigger unit and never use it. I'm sure this is a typical problem for first time buyers.

 

[Diggin It]

MMMs are for lawns. Established lawns. They take out SOME bigger stuff, but not much.


For clearing any amount of brush, you need a rotary cutter at a minimum.

 

[PsRumors]

1) .
Selling a used tractor is easy. Selling multiple light implements in order to buy heavier, wider implements for a new, heavier tractor requires a lot of time. Depreciation on implements is worse than depreciation on a tractor.

VIDEO: So you want to TRADE UP for a new Tractor? - TMT - YouTube

I didnt seem to have a very hard time on my implements, but I was realistic on prices and didnt expect 80% of new

I got quotes from dealers of $11k trade in which was about 55% of new. I did get 80% of what I paid selling it myself. This was a 6 year old 270 hour Deere 1025r. Took about a month which was reasonable

 

[RalphVa]

Yeah, its another one of those posts.

I'm a tractor virgin and recently purchased some land. 10.3 AC of thistles, cedar, some sort of natural razor wire and groves of saplings of assorted flavors and spikyness.

The plan is to clear some of the nasty brush (I rented and got some of that done already) maintain the property, drag the driveway and my wife insists on a mid deck mower since I travel a lot and she has some inner ear issues that would make a 3pt finish mower more difficult for her to work with.

Long term what I need is probably just a 25hp sub compact. It will do most of what we need. Short term I need to cut a driveway, level a build site, dig septic and water lines, etc. I think it's probably better to hire those jobs out or rent equipment more suited for those jobs.

Any man will of course want bigger, badder, and more power. So part of me wants to go big and buy a riding mower. Maybe some of those jobs could be handled by a bigger toy. Once you spend the first $20K or so a few more thousand seems to go a long way.

Logic tells me just buy a baby tractor because all I'm going to do is mow, Bush hog, and drag a driveway (once everything is established.)

So with logic guiding me and looking to save a few bucks. I'm looking at LS MT125, Branson 2510, MF GC1725. The big 2 tend to want a few thousand more for basically the same machine. I'm not needing a Lexus when a Hyundai will get the job done.

So let's hear some wisdom.

I'm not "any man". I've 8.5 acres with all sorts of stuff on it and some hilly terrain. Found my 18.5 hp JD 4010 was completely adequate to take care of everything. Cannot get anything with that low hp any more, as I need a bit more ground clearance than in the subs (had one, a JD 1025R lemon) that just didn't cut the mustard. The JD 2025R is good, basically the same as the 4010 but with 6 more hp. Only run it generally up to around 2500 rpm because I just don't need all the hp it has. Old issues with driveshaft Ujoints are driving me to considering strongly a Kubota B for its replacement when the Ujoints come up needing some grease again that I cannot give them. Thinking the B2301; it wins on a spreadsheet against the 2025R.

Ralph

 

[dodge man]

I like mid mount mowers. I use my tractor for all my stuff. One reason is I have some hills and want 4 wheel drive for mowing.

I own 3 acres and owned a Kubota BX for 10 years, which is a sub-compact. I recently switched to a JD 2025r, which is a compact, although a smaller compact. If this stuff is new to you the larger size of a compact can seem huge but you will adjust to the size.

You also need to decide is your wife really going to mow? Before I got a tractor and had a riding mower and my wife said she was going to mow. The minute she hit a side hill she shut it off. No explanation, she just came in the house, not a word said. So in 22 years of living here she mowed for about 5 minutes. If she will be using the tractor she will need to be on board. One thing about living in the country if you don稚 mow for a couple of weeks, no big deal.

I would hire out all the big stuff to start but in the long run you will still want a little larger tractor, I would look for a 25 to 35 hp compact tractor. You will use it a lot and look at it as a long term investment.