What are the general rules of tractor sizes?

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

When I was getting quotes from that dealer they said they use plain water.

Around here it’s windshield washer fluid, it has a lower freezing point for the Ohio winters.

Guys are also using Rim Guard, it’s beet juice, sticky, expensive and a gallon of that stuff weights quite a bit more than windshield washer fluid.

Heaviest per gallon is still calcium but nobody uses that now.

 

[Willie B]

Here the traditional fluid was water mixed with calcium chloride. All tractor tubes eventually leak, and the mixture is incredibly corrosive. These days people use a variety of freeze protective materials. Second hand automotive anti freeze is cheap, but not animal, or ground water friendly it is very toxic. Windshield washer fluid works, RV anti freeze works, molasses works, and beet juice is a recent option.

 

[Millalien]

Decide how big of a tractor you want, then double it. :laughing:

Yup.

I put money down on a B7300 (16HP) and two weeks later bought a 3320 (33HP). (The upgrade was power and not color related).

Thinking back, I would killed that little Kubota and I've never been frustrated with my machine's HP. Suits me just fine.

Have I been in situations where I wish I had more power? Sure. Why just yesterday I struggled moving a big stick of doug-fir. So, I walked over to the shop and fired-up the tractor - problem solved.

For me power and time vary inversely and i can usually make up for a power shortage with additional time, and vice-versa. I don't think I have a single power tool that does what a hand tool can't, but my old brace bits are awefull rusty at this point.

 

[Millalien]

I added fluid to all four tires of my 32hp tractor, got the gross weight up to 5000lbs. Now instead of a cute little machine that struggled doing difficult dirt jobs, it actually works up to it's actual HP capabilities.

+1 on that. I most often run out of traction before I run out of HP. My rears are filled, not my fronts, but now that I'm thinking about it, I'm thinking about filling the fronts as well. We use Rim Guard - it's been fill and forget so far.