Tractors with no FEL

[Gatorboy]

<font color="blue">I get the impression that virtually all models come set up for an FEL which means I'm paying for hydraulics and other stuff I don't need. </font>

When you buy a car wtihout a radio or cruise control, etc. The car is still setup for those items in wiring, connectors, etc. A tractor is the same way.

If you don't feel you need a FEL, then don't purchase one. If you change your mind down the road, you can always get one later. My tractor doesn't have one -- it's used for mowing only.

 

[MikePA]

<font color="blue"> What do you expect out of a bunch of baby boomers! </font>
My 4 years of experience on this board indicates that people who do not buy a FEL with their initial tractor purchase usually regret this decision. While any purchase needs to be based upon tasks the person knows they want to accomplish, it should not be based solely on this. To do so is like navigating by your wake. Even people who had a specific task that required a FEL, have found many other tasks they can handle faster, easier or safer with a FEL It's got nothing to do with being a 'baby boomer'.

To use one of DrRod's specific tasks, yes, you can drag logs with a tractor, but it's easier to carry them with a FEL, a FEL equipped with pallet forks, or a set of quick attach pallet forks.

I am somewhat amused by people who find it a virtue to not use modern conveniences. With any modern convenience, including a wheelbarrow, you are trading money for time. If everyone had the "If it was good enough for grandpa, it's good enough for me." we'd still be farming with horses.

DrRod - My New Holland tractor (TC25D) does not come 'set up for a FEL'. All the hydraulic lines, hoses, controls, etc. come with the FEL.

 

[gmsssi]

Now that you look back, how many times could you have used a FEL or paid someone else to do that type of work?

 

[DHD]

I agree with you DrRod,
if you don't want a FEL,
don't get it.

I have a neighbor who bought a new 4WD tractor with a FEL and he is sorry he wasted his money on the FEL because he never uses it.
I've run my Ford 2000 for the last 15 years without the need of a FEL.

With a FEL you would probably want to fill your tires and possible add a ballast box to the back of the tractor.
But what if you don't want the weight, true you can remove the FEL and the ballast box, but what do you do with the liqiud in the tires?

I just bought a B7800 without a FEL because I wanted a tractor for mowing my lawn, that was light as possible and had the power to operate my 72" RMM.
I also wanted to house my new tractor and have limited space in my garage. Without a FEL, I am able to use my garage to park the tractor with rear mount implements attached. With the FEL I would not have had the room and would have had the additional expense of another building.
Even with this light tractor I can grade my driveway just as easily with the same 84" grader blade I use to use on my heavier Ford 2000 with liquid filled tires.

A FEL is just an attachment you can get later if you finally see the need for it, but if you never have a need for it then why waste your money.

 

[Osconda]

DrRod,

Since most TBNers have FELs on their tractors, I guess you shouldn't be surprised that the recommendation is to get a FEL but that was never your question to begin with. If you get a tractor with a FEL and you almost always leave it in your garage to be tripping around, that might be as frustrating as not having it at times.

I think you should do what you feel comfortable with and can afford of course. It will be more costly overall to get a FEL later than when buying a tractor but it's not always about money. Say you go ahead and accept the fact that it will cost you more (find out how much more) to get a FEL later. Put a few bucks aside every month for this future purchase. If after awhile you realize you don't need the FEL then do something nice for the wife or take a vacation or payoff off your tractor early.

Almost all of us buy things we don't need. But we buy them because we think we need them. This is really clear when you have a garage sale or move from one place to another. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Maybe that's all you need to solve your storage problem...GARAGE SALE!

It would be good for you to fill out your profile. Let us know what size tractor and options your considering and we'll help you pick the color. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

BTW, when I recently bought my tractor, the dealer told me they order all of their tractors "loader ready" meaning they're setup to easily add a loader at a lower cost, than ordering everything separately later. But the dealer also told me they can order a tractor that is not "loader ready" for less up front costs. Of course, if you go this route with NH or any other brand you'll probably have to wait longer to get your beast.

Enjoy this courting period with your future tractor and make the best decision you can. May you have a long and happy tractorship! Be sure to send us pics of the wedding....uh, I mean taking delivery. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[DrRod]

Thanks again for all the thoughtful comments. I didn't mean to set off a referendum on the utility of an FEL but it did get me thinking.

I'll also go back and fill out my profile but by way of introduction, I'm a hobby farmer with a weekend place in sourthern PA -- a bit outside of Orbisonia if that means anything. I share a log cabin and 165 acres with my brother (he does all the hunting and fishing and I do all the farming). /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Most of the land is mountain timber but I have a couple of acres of Christmas trees and about eight acres in old hay or sparse weeds. I just hate to see the brush take over and I can't get anyone to mow it for me -- most farmers are gone, guys with equipment are too far or too busy, and guys with time on their hands don't want the work (that appears to be why they have time on their hands).

I bought an Alamo flail mower to pull behind my ATV and it just hasn't worked out. It snags on stuff and has even flipped over a few times -- definitely not a desirable situation -- and its real hard to keep the ATV at a steady pace. So I want a tractor primarily as a big mower and to maybe plant some game-friendly cover crop -- in short, to play farmer.

We have a new Branson dealer pretty close by (20-30 minutes) who seems genuinely interested in serving the local farmers and I like to support guys like him. But I'd also like to get a "name brand" tractor -- something I grew up with like a Massey, JD, or NH -- all available within a 90 minute drive. The Branson dealer says he'll come by once a year to service it and can swing by should I have problems or questions and if his word is good on that it would be a big plus.

He has a 4220 with turf tires and no FEL which he'll sell me for $16,700 including a 6' brush hog which I think is a fair deal. Probably more HP than I need but I've read in here numerous times that you won't regret more power plus the 4 cyl engine and bigger/heavier tractor is smoother running -- plus I like its looks.

So that's the view from the Rod-Scope.

And for me, this site and the people on it have been just great. Thanks again.

Rod

 

[RedRocker]

My place is covered in Oak, never been kept up, so I have a lot of deadfall, brambles and brush. I looked at a lot of tractors and decided a CK30 was the best bang for the buck. It's heavy, pretty small for the HP and has exceeded my expectations for the tasks I've asked of it. I use the fel to pull brambles out of trees and scoop up brush and deadfall off the ground, box blade to pull up the stubborn stuff and a rotary cutter on the smaller stuff. I'm just beginning to figure out what all this machine can do. I'd say a dealer is as important as brand, don't get too hung up on the old names, most of them are made overseas these days.

 

[ByronBob]

Boy this is hard to explain. I respect your opinion that you have no use for a FEL. I did have 1 use for my FEL when I bought it.
But as projects came up or different situations for that matter, I went and got the tractor because the FEL would sure make this or that easier on me and my body. Before you realize it the FEL becomes almost as critical as the tractor itself.
I needed to work on my truck a little while back. Sure the lift jack works but my god the FEL got me another 18" of height. The examples are endless. So some people here are adamant and other aren't. But I believe we are all trying to say just reconsider it even if for a few minutes.

 

[bncsauve]

While you're at it, you can't live without a backhoe either /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[PineRidge]

I'm in agreement with you, our last tractor didn't haver a FEL. When we purchased the tractor new quite frankly we just didn't see a need for one. After all we were only using it to clear the property for a pond, the home to follow, and a pole barn so we really just couldn't justify the money spent on the FEL.

Well the lot was finally cleared, the pond was finally excavated. Then came the house and finally the pole barn. And the business kept expanding so we needed more HP so we sold the last tractor and purchased a New Holland with, you guessed it a FEL and a few other toys.

And now that we have had a chance in the past 2 years to use it, and use it I gotta say this. Don't know how we ever got along without it!

You will find tasks, you will make tasks, but most of all it will save you lots of time and back-breaking labor that you couldn't have done otherwise without it. Take the advice of others and purchase the FEL with the tractor, I really don't think that you will be sorry that you did, take it from me we tried it both ways.