Tractor Shopping

[Kevin1967]

Just to offer the other perspective, and not to contractict jsonlebleu, it's all a question what is important for you and how much you're willing to spend. For me, the grapple is my favorite tool and generally the one attached to my tractor. I get a lot of fallen trees around my yard/field, like this pair that fell in the last two months . You could do it with pallet forks, no question. But it's more joy with the grapple, and less work. I wouldn't cut anything shorter than 8 feet, and I can mostly just ride up to the mess, close the grapple on as much as I carry, drive it to its destination and drop it exactly where I want it. I don't even have to leave my seat much once the stuff is cut to those 8+ foot lengths, and with the grapple clamped tight on the load, very little falls out. I can't imagine it being nearly as quick and easy with pallet forks. But as folks here will often say, you use the tools you have. Before my tractor+grapple it was a tiny garden cart, a lot of struggling, a lot of yard/field distance to get the wood even remotely out of the way, and I can tell you that's a lot of huffing and puffing (for me, anyway). So perhaps my decision to grapple was a rebound thing, but I love it. I can do in 20 minutes what used to take many hours. And it's fun

Just to offer the other perspective, and not to contractict jsonlebleu, it's all a question what is important for you and how much you're willing to spend. For me, the grapple is my favorite tool and generally the one attached to my tractor. I get a lot of fallen trees around my yard/field, like this pair that fell in the last two months . You could do it with pallet forks, no question. But it's more joy with the grapple, and less work. I wouldn't cut anything shorter than 8 feet, and I can mostly just ride up to the mess, close the grapple on as much as I carry, drive it to its destination and drop it exactly where I want it. I don't even have to leave my seat much once the stuff is cut to those 8+ foot lengths, and with the grapple clamped tight on the load, very little falls out. I can't imagine it being nearly as quick and easy with pallet forks. But as folks here will often say, you use the tools you have. Before my tractor+grapple it was a tiny garden cart, a lot of struggling, a lot of yard/field distance to get the wood even remotely out of the way, and I can tell you that's a lot of huffing and puffing (for me, anyway). So perhaps my decision to grapple was a rebound thing, but I love it. I can do in 20 minutes what used to take many hours. And it's fun

Just to offer the other perspective, and not to contractict jsonlebleu, it's all a question what is important for you and how much you're willing to spend. For me, the grapple is my favorite tool and generally the one attached to my tractor. I get a lot of fallen trees around my yard/field, like this pair that fell in the last two months . You could do it with pallet forks, no question. But it's more joy with the grapple, and less work. I wouldn't cut anything shorter than 8 feet, and I can mostly just ride up to the mess, close the grapple on as much as I carry, drive it to its destination and drop it exactly where I want it. I don't even have to leave my seat much once the stuff is cut to those 8+ foot lengths, and with the grapple clamped tight on the load, very little falls out. I can't imagine it being nearly as quick and easy with pallet forks. But as folks here will often say, you use the tools you have. Before my tractor+grapple it was a tiny garden cart, a lot of struggling, a lot of yard/field distance to get the wood even remotely out of the way, and I can tell you that's a lot of huffing and puffing (for me, anyway). So perhaps my decision to grapple was a rebound thing, but I love it. I can do in 20 minutes what used to take many hours. And it's fun

Oh. You probably should have led with the "I have an 80hp tractor already" in your initial post. I was thinking, and I'm sure others were too, that you were some first-time buyer looking to get the tiniest possible machine to handle your 40 acres of woods. I retract most of my comment.

You're just looking for something that'll fit between some trees, in which case going for a more landscape-oriented tractor is probably a good idea, since your 80hp isn't going to be the best tool for the little small stuff anyhow. Knowing that you have a bigger machine that you can use for big/heavy work, I think a scut isn't such a bad idea.

Oh. You probably should have led with the "I have an 80hp tractor already" in your initial post. I was thinking, and I'm sure others were too, that you were some first-time buyer looking to get the tiniest possible machine to handle your 40 acres of woods. I retract most of my comment.

You're just looking for something that'll fit between some trees, in which case going for a more landscape-oriented tractor is probably a good idea, since your 80hp isn't going to be the best tool for the little small stuff anyhow. Knowing that you have a bigger machine that you can use for big/heavy work, I think a scut isn't such a bad idea.

Yeah, thanks. I probably should have. I don’t know anything really about the smaller tractors. I use the 80hp on our farm in Kentucky where I NTD fields, Bush hog, spray etc. That might still be my best option for a pile the timber company left here several years ago. I just think it would not work in the woods having to trim limbs so they’re not ripping my canopy off and trying to maneuver between trees.
My wife wants a smaller tractor to do the gravel driveway and make some small gardens here at the house.

 

[MiserableOldFart]

I have a 26 hp New Holland, and am looking to move to a larger tractor. Most 25hp tractors today have wimpy loaders, and for a property of your size, I''d seriously consider larger, ESPECIALLY if you think you might want to run a chipper off the PTO. My NH has a very capable loader for a tractor its size, only 100 pounds less than a Kubota L3901 to full height, but I still want a bigger bucket and stronger loader. I'm on 17 acres here, nowhere near what you're looking at.. Of course 25hp makes a lot of sense today financially because you don't have to pay for all the new pollution stuff. Depending on budget one beautiful machine worth a look, though pricey, are the Deer 2R series. I have seriously considered the 2038R but think I"m passing because I want a stronger loader still.

 

[Kevin1967]

I have a 26 hp New Holland, and am looking to move to a larger tractor. Most 25hp tractors today have wimpy loaders, and for a property of your size, I''d seriously consider larger, ESPECIALLY if you think you might want to run a chipper off the PTO. My NH has a very capable loader for a tractor its size, only 100 pounds less than a Kubota L3901 to full height, but I still want a bigger bucket and stronger loader. I'm on 17 acres here, nowhere near what you're looking at.. Of course 25hp makes a lot of sense today financially because you don't have to pay for all the new pollution stuff. Depending on budget one beautiful machine worth a look, though pricey, are the Deer 2R series. I have seriously considered the 2038R but think I"m passing because I want a stronger loader still.

Have you considered Branson or TYM? A Brasnon 2515 states it can lift 2200# on FEL up to 104" I believe.

 

[Williy]

why not check out the Yanmar YT235 34.4 ? hp bucket can lift 1300 lbs
I am going to get one this thursday Yanmar YT235C cab, backhoe & bucket not getting a grapple will use backhoe and pickup as backhoe will have a thumb kit

willy

 

[Bikenstein]

Thank you. Yeah, the position of the FEL hydraulic lever is bad in the Branson. I would prefer one next to my seat.
one thing the Branson offers is weight and heavy lifting. They are not as close as other dealerships either!
The other thing Branson has is shuttle shift without moving up into a higher class of tractor. My major concern with Branson are the dealers and service after. No dealership is close. One guy is a small operation and I didn’t like the other guy because he doesn’t want to budge on his pricing for anything! Even wanted to charge me for ballast in the rear tires.
The Kioti dealer threw in a few things with his offer. He also offers free pick up and delivery for service. Nobody offers that. Even though I have a trailer to do it, it seemed he wanted to earn my business. He has a nice big and organized shop.
It’s a tough decision to make! Thanks for the advice!

I forgot to mention, I have the hyrostat transmission. As far as speed and agility, I think the HST greatly beats the shuttle shift. You may feel differently. The Kioti has good weight and lifting capacity. That was one of the reasons I bought it.

 

[Philm56]

I looked at the Kioti 2610 and the Branson 2515. Both offered good package deal pricing which was partly factory incentives for the tractor/loader and partly discounts on attachments I wanted. Neither was particularly close to me both being 1 hour drives. When I asked the the Kioti dealer about handling 5x5 round bails with a hay spike on the loader he hesitated and said it would do it but he wouldn't want to do it on a regular basis. The Branson guy said no problem with its additional capacity. The other difference was Kioti couldn't tell me when it would be available (last year) and Branson had 3 2515's on the lot. Since I got the Branson I have unloaded a trailerful of round bales twice and picked one out of the back of my pickup once with no problem. I know handling 900-1000lb round bales may not be a thing for you but it does speak to capacity. That capacity comes from the flow rate of the hydraulic pump so is a good spec to compare as well. I did like the Kioti but am happy with my choice so far.

I forgot to mention, I have the hyrostat transmission. As far as speed and agility, I think the HST greatly beats the shuttle shift.

Agree. I was doing some work last weekend and jumped from the tractor to the UTV and my foot was looking for the reverse pedal.

 

[TractorTYMe]

My TYM T474 lifts 2152# on FEL....it weighs 4600# with FEL and Cab, and is one mighty little giant. It has the 48.3Hp Kukje (License made Cummins A2300N4 N/A engine)

 

[Williy]

I am leaning more towards the Branson or Kioti. Branson because of weight and lifting capability. Just not familiar with them. Seems all tractor motors are from Korea and tractors are assembled in the U.S. Everybody mainly says they are all good just depends on the dealers customer service. The only tractor dealer really far away is LS in Maryvill, TN.

Have you looked at the Yanmar YT 235C? Its really a great tractor
all controls at at your finger tips plus a 10 year warranty

 

[Kevin1967]

Have you looked at the Yanmar YT 235C? Its really a great tractor
all controls at at your finger tips plus a 10 year warranty

No I havent. No dealers located anywhere close to me at present.

 

[Williy]

No, I wont be cutting fields. If anything just small gardens. I am leaning to building boxes and putting up chicken wire to keep the deer out.

I dont think I will be hauling whole trees. More likely just picking them up cutting them with a chainsaw and loading them into my ranger to be taken and split.

The trees I have down are probably in the 4"-8" range, I have two really big ones down, roots and all from tornado. I have a guy coming over with heavy equipment to take care of that.

There is a very large pile of trash left by timber company where my property was logged several years before I bought the place. I would like the grapple to get into those and clean them up and burn them. also had some trees blow across a public road that have been cut and just pushed back into my property out of the road.

The steepest of my property is behind my house and I am getting quotes to have that cleared by a professional to open up my mountain views. Even at this location it is mostly seedlings, with a few small trees broken from ice storm or down.

I have a 90acre farm in KY, where I have a bigger tractor. I plant and bush hog move trees and stuff there, and its rolling. I don't think I can maneuver that tractor in these woods.

Thanks for the advice.

Mix up some vinegar, hot peppers, black pepper dish soap and water
in a blender and spray what ever the dear eat and they will not bother
you again

willy