Tractor Suggestions

[Soundguy]

to get soemthing in the 20-30hp range.. you will be getting a scut... all the ford and mf tractors the siz of the classic N, 00, 000, and mf 35/135 etc.. are going to be in the 30hp range and up.. to go smaller you will be looking at the jap subcompacts... which are going to have inferior parts support compaired to ther older brothers... especially when it comes to front axle parts.. and steering components..

 

[MasseyWV]

to get soemthing in the 20-30hp range.. you will be getting a scut... all the ford and mf tractors the siz of the classic N, 00, 000, and mf 35/135 etc.. are going to be in the 30hp range and up.. to go smaller you will be looking at the jap subcompacts... which are going to have inferior parts support compaired to ther older brothers... especially when it comes to front axle parts.. and steering components..

A subcompact or SCUT is exactly what I had in mind but I'm not accustomed to using the terms so it didn't occur to me until now.

What you are suggesting coincides with what I've been finding while conducting research but I was hoping that I might have missed something. That said, I'm almost certain that I'll ultimately go with old iron like the Massey 135 or the Ford 3000 but wanted to try and eliminate any lingering doubt first.

With regard to size, the thought that keeps ringing in my mind is: "Sure it's bigger than what you want but bigger is usually better."

 

[Soundguy]

for instance.. try to find a crankshaft for a ford 1100 or 1300.. or a front 4wd axle for a scut like that. you'll be looking a long time..

on the flip side.. just about every nut and bolt made for a ford 3000 or a mf 135 can be bought, new, salvage, or repop.

it's a numbers game. the later jap scuts were made for a couple years each and moved on.. the older models were made for like a DECADE.. etc.. you churn out a few hundred thousand of a modle, and it tends to have good support.. especially when it shares a ton of components with other models.
i can hit my local cnh dealer and buy odd parts off the shelf for a ford N.. like tranny gasket... yet go ask for something for one of those scut's i mentioned.. likely NOT on the shelf.. that ford 4spd trans gasket was used in a bunch of models...

soundguy

 

[MasseyWV]

for instance.. try to find a crankshaft for a ford 1100 or 1300.. or a front 4wd axle for a scut like that. you'll be looking a long time..

on the flip side.. just about every nut and bolt made for a ford 3000 or a mf 135 can be bought, new, salvage, or repop.

it's a numbers game. the later jap scuts were made for a couple years each and moved on.. the older models were made for like a DECADE.. etc.. you churn out a few hundred thousand of a modle, and it tends to have good support.. especially when it shares a ton of components with other models.
i can hit my local cnh dealer and buy odd parts off the shelf for a ford N.. like tranny gasket... yet go ask for something for one of those scut's i mentioned.. likely NOT on the shelf.. that ford 4spd trans gasket was used in a bunch of models...

soundguy

I know exactly what you mean and parts availability has been one of my greatest concerns from day one, regardless of what I eventually purchase. There's nothing worse than having something that's broken down and discovering that you can't get the parts you need. Been there, done that, one too many times.

 

[RollingsFarms]

you MIGHT be able to come across a decent John Deere 650/750 which will be in your desired hp range. Those were jap made(yanmar) but parts for them shouldn't be too hard to find being a Deere. I've noticed the prices for the 650/750/850/950/1050 going up though here lately. I sold my 950 3 years ago for $5500 with only 1,200 hours and I'm seeing ones with 1,500 or MORE with price tags of $6,000+.

 

[Gary Fowler]

750 JD is nice little 19 HP tractor with a very frugal Yanmar diesel engine. I dont know if they came with Power steering, but my BIL has one and it isnt. I see them advertised for 4-5K usually with a 4' bush hog. They are very narrow wheel spacing though, his has turf tires and is not more than 4' wide and the tires are at their widest. I dont think I would recommend it for hilly terrain.

 

[MasseyWV]

you MIGHT be able to come across a decent John Deere 650/750 which will be in your desired hp range. Those were jap made(yanmar) but parts for them shouldn't be too hard to find being a Deere. I've noticed the prices for the 650/750/850/950/1050 going up though here lately. I sold my 950 3 years ago for $5500 with only 1,200 hours and I'm seeing ones with 1,500 or MORE with price tags of $6,000+.

The John Deere 650/750 seem like they might be a good choice if the price was right. Also, I thought the Mahindra 2615 was sized about right, although I have yet to see one that is priced anywhere near my maximum budget, unless it was completely trashed.

 

[dex3361]

I like to watch the tractor auctions online. It gives a good base of what the value of a given tractor may be. You may also find a tractor that you have to bid on here. Auction Time

 

[MasseyWV]

Oh a whim, I went to my father-in-laws house and took a good hard look at his Massey 135 tractor which has been my first choice all along but I still can't shake the feeling that it's larger than what I want but it sure is a nice heavy built tractor.

The smaller tractors, suggested so far in this thread, are much closer to the size I would like to have, but there is that dreaded issue of price. It seems that the smaller used tractorss are more expensive than the larger used tractors, regardless of their condition.

I've got half a mind to wait another year and buy a new tractor, but then I'd have to play the dealer pricing shell game, which I would rather avoid entirely. That, and I don't want to have to wait, yet again.

Decisions, decisions.

 

[BigBoyinMS]

If the price is right for the Massey you could buy it and use it till you find exactly what you want then sell it. As popular as they are, they trade pretty well.