Very Frustrated :( Massey GC1720 vs BX25 Questions.

[flienlow]

Please forgive me in advance, but my whole tractor buying experience has been a giant exercise in frustration. I have a unique property that is very steep, and has a ton of stuff that needs to be done landscape wise. I need a small narrow tractor that can lift a lot, and dig
I have ruled out deere, I dont like Mahindra fit & finish at all, and both those tractor are going to be too big anyway (1025, max22)
From what I can tell there are really only 2 choices left.-Massey and Kubota
A huge deal for me is having a front grapple. The Landpride set up that kubota has is perfect.
However, on paper the Massey Seems to win as far as being a better tractor. Seems to have excellent fit and finish,great power and ergos.

BUT, it lacks for add-ons that the kubota has integrated so well (thumb, grapple, ect)
I also have not been able to see this tractor either. I have to put a deposit down, and wait for a tractor to arrive. On that note, there are no tractors available. I am clueless as to this, but there are none. One dealer had one, took all my personal info over the phone and then called me back to say it was sold. - I was, (am still) Pissed off about it. I tried to call AGCO for some assistance with my quest, and I am well convinced they and their dealers couldnt care less if I buy one or not.

All of this is steering me to Kubota. The dealers I have talked have all been great, but I am just afraid that the tractor with a 600lb lift capacity may be a little too light. I can only buy one tractor and it needs to be the right choice.
Attached are some pictures of rockeries that need to be redone, concrete that needs to be demo'ed & removed, and rocks I need to move.

Looking for insight as to whether a BX25 would be a good choice to lift these heavy items? I also need to lift a dock, to replace some dock floats.

 

[dragoneggs]

Tough to say, but the BX can lift a full bucket of 3/4crushed gravel, will pick up most of those rocks I would say... maybe the bigger ones might need pushing around but with the BH and FEL you should be able to get the job done. I was routinely moving about 500lbs of cement blocks at a time with min. Probably could horse around the poured concrete after busting them up a bit and keeping your weight centered. Don't know about you dock.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Please forgive me in advance, but my whole tractor buying experience has been a giant exercise in frustration. I have a unique property that is very steep, and has a ton of stuff that needs to be done landscape wise. I need a small narrow tractor that can lift a lot, and dig
I have ruled out deere, I dont like Mahindra fit & finish at all, and both those tractor are going to be too big anyway (1025, max22)
From what I can tell there are really only 2 choices left.-Massey and Kubota
A huge deal for me is having a front grapple. The Landpride set up that kubota has is perfect.
However, on paper the Massey Seems to win as far as being a better tractor. Seems to have excellent fit and finish,great power and ergos.

BUT, it lacks for add-ons that the kubota has integrated so well (thumb, grapple, ect)
I also have not been able to see this tractor either. I have to put a deposit down, and wait for a tractor to arrive. On that note, there are no tractors available. I am clueless as to this, but there are none. One dealer had one, took all my personal info over the phone and then called me back to say it was sold. - I was, (am still) Pissed off about it. I tried to call AGCO for some assistance with my quest, and I am well convinced they and their dealers couldnt care less if I buy one or not.

All of this is steering me to Kubota. The dealers I have talked have all been great, but I am just afraid that the tractor with a 600lb lift capacity may be a little too light. I can only buy one tractor and it needs to be the right choice.
Attached are some pictures of rockeries that need to be redone, concrete that needs to be demo'ed & removed, and rocks I need to move.

Looking for insight as to whether a BX25 would be a good choice to lift these heavy items? I also need to lift a dock, to replace some dock floats.

Have you considered something like a Toro Dingo rather than a tractor?

Toro | Compact Utility Loaders, Dingo Compact Utility Vehicles

 

[frogpond]

The Kubota should be able to pick up the rocks you show. You will always run into a few that are too heavy for your tractor--no matter how big a tractor you have. My wife and I have property in the same area (above Machias, near Snohomish). It's quite steep, and we constantly are moving rocks, pulling logs out of the streams, and dismantling piles of old logging slash. Our bx25d, which we bought last year from Sound Tractor in Everett, is a good tool for the job. We don't have a grapple, but we have added a piranha tooth bar, chain hooks, and forks, all from bxpanded. The tractor is reliable, and the dealership has been excellent to work with. As you anticipate moving heavy stuff on the front end, it would be a good idea to get the rear tires filled. Our tires are R4's, which seem to be a good compromise for the wet and muddy conditions we often encounter. Having said all this, I would still ask: Can you afford to look at a skid steer?

 

[Deerherd]

Steep terrain and "small, narrow tractor" don't really go well together as a general rule.

If you wanted to rip out the steps and reposition those rocks in the safest and most efficient way at the lowest cost, I would rent a mini excavator with hydraulic thumb and have it done in a day or two. From your photos it looks like you could reach those steps and rocks from the safety of your drive.

And I seriously doubt you will be moving your dock sections with a SCUT either. Looking at your pictures it's real hard envisioning how you could get the tractor down to the water's edge safely anyway.

If on the other hand you really want a tractor with a grapple because you really want a tractor with a grapple that's fine too. But there is no way you will remove those steps with it other than breaking it up by hand, loading it into the bucket by hand and then loading it into a truck by hand to be carried off.

Looks like a beautiful spot by the way!

 

[Pierrepont]

I think Deerherd's observations are very important to consider.

You have a unique property and unique needs that a traditional "small, narrow" SCUT may not be the best match for.

Good luck.

 

[radioman]

Wow .. after seeing your pictures and your consideration of getting a small tractor on a steep hill is going to be a tough sell to tell you its ok. I have BX24 and I gotta tell ya, I lifted quite a few things that really strained the BX past it limits and its not a good thing. Granted - my tractor is still in one piece,not bent anywhere but its not excuse to tell you its ok get either GC or BX tractor for the things you want to do. You will be able to do most of it with no problem, but the dock? I am not sure how heavy it is and how much water suction it will create while you try to drag it out from shore plus how firm is your shore. With small tire print on BX and GC on shore next to water is just asking for trouble.. I think. If you dont mind doing extra work to make things into manageable size and the rear tires are loaded along with rear weight, then it may be possible. There ARE add ons for the kubota and the best or only ones are third party stuff like BXpanded or broteks.

 

[msb1766]

Take a look at Avant they have about 100 attachments.
Compact Loaders: AVANT Tecno USA

 

[Ed of all trades]

I too would say that renting a skid loader or excavator for a week would be the thing to do and then you could do the rest with the tractor you buy. I think I can rent ether one for around $700 a week and if you break anything on your tractor it will most likely be that much. I have a Massey GC2400, just an older model of the GC1700 line and it is a good tractor, wish I had the backhoe. I use it on steep places I have but you have to keep from going sideways on the hills. Ed

 

[flienlow]

Toro Dingo looks like a nice little unit, but it doesnt have a mower. plus I am getting old & fat and like to sit down .

The Avant techo is cool!! ( but not what I need) I bet that is huge expensive.

I wish I had skid steer money! But....dont .

Worthy Of note, we also own 3 other rentals that need Lawn mowing and tending to from time to time, and I also just finished a remodel of a house that I (and my back) WISHED TO **** I had a small tractor with grapples so there is a need here. I also need to focus on my immediate need. Renting a hoe would be a great idea, but then you are racing against the clock to get things done, and I always find I should have done something else with it but didn't. Not to mention, I could use a small Kubota for 3 months straight from the price 1 trackhoe rental would be. If I really really need one, I can use a 304 that the family own, but its a couple hundred miles away. Nothing I have at my present house is ideal for a SCUT TLB, but if i go slow and plod along, I will eventually get it. I am just very nervous about spending a lot of money to hear hydraulic Squeal.