what tractor to buy?

shamban · Jun 30, 2004

I thought I already posted this but I don't see sooo....

My wife and I have bought 25 acres; 20 farmland and 5 woods. We are building a home and plan to start a small farm next year. We are looking for a tractor that can satisfy all our needs suxh as bushhogging, digging ponds, digging post holes, building a 1000ft driveway, clearing some woods, etc.

As most people, we are working on a tight budget, so I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations. Something that can do the job well and will not be more than we need. Are their any tough, cost effective machines you would recommend?

Thanks so much in advance for the help!

Joey

Zoomie · Jun 30, 2004

WOW!

There are so many good quality machines, both new and used, that making a list is a bit daunting.

If you want new, start with Kubota, then John Deere... if they don't have anything you like, take a look at New Holland and Kioti, followed by Massey Ferguson.

Then, if you still haven't found soemthing you like, give the Yanmar, Mahindra and Iseki "grey market" tractors a look.

For 25 acres, I'd want at least 30hp at the engine... if I could afford it.

familyman · Jun 30, 2004

Hi, Joey!

About 1 month ago I purchased a Kubota L2800DT (FWD) with a front end loader and a 7' backhoe. While I don't have your acreage, I have to do alot of the work you describe, plus alot of excavating around my foundation. I wanted a machine that was large and sturdy, but didn't need bells and whistles like hydrostatic drive or cruise control. This unit has a category-1 3pt. hitch which means it will take most common farming implements for sale at local dealers or from rental sources. The PTO (power-take-off), which runs the powered implements, is rated at 24 hp, enough for most chores. It's what's known as a non-live PTO which means that when you have the PTO engaged and step on the clutch, the PTO stops. A live PTO would require a 2-stage clutch (step on the clutch pedal 1/2 way and the transmission disengages, step all the way and the PTO disengages -- the L3400 has this). The 2-stage clutch is very expensive at rebuild time. The loader and backhoe are both sturdy and useful. The engine starts and runs strongly and although I haven't broken it in enough to run it at full rated RPM, it makes more power than I will use. The transmission is non-synchronized, which means you must stop to shift gears and works fine for me. It also has a shuttle shift which is great for forward/reverse work when using the loader. I chose the L2800 over the L3400 (the same machine with a larger engine and a live PTO) because: 1) both machines are rated by Kubota to run the same size implements, 2) the L2800s' single stage clutch will be easier and cheaper to rebuild, 3) the L2800 will use less fuel, 4) the L2800 was @ $1,000.00 cheaper.
I paid $19,900.00 equipped as described and got 0% financing through Kubota and I am very happy with the machine. If you have any questions I would be happy to oblige, just contact me through TBN. Also, I would suggest posting a query in one of the forums to see if any other L2800 owners could give you feed back. Oh yeah, the John Deere 790 is another excellent machine in the same category, and there seem to be alot of TBNers' out there who own them(I just didn't like the ergonomics).
Good luck!

Charley

lablovers · Jun 30, 2004

Based on the little info. I think that at least 30 HP is right. A lot of good tractors out there. Of course my bias is going to show through in that the Kioti LK3054XS is a great choice. It has shuttle shift and is available in a TLB package. This is what I purchased and you get a lot of bang for your buck. Or more like $20,000 bucks. They still have their 3 year no interest so you can use their money. You probably should go with Shuttle shift as a minimum or even HST if you like it and can step up in price. I have used the shuttle shift in a lot of tight situations and have no complaints. Take your time with your purchase, read everything you can, ask lots of questions and be satisfied with your dealer. Most of all enjoy the ride, this is a big purchase and you should make the most of it.
Good luck and post lots of pictures on delivery day.

NIXON · Jun 30, 2004

Joey .
First and foremost welcome to TBN ! There's are a ton of choices out there ! So it would be hard for me to recommend one tractor over another . What I'd recommend is that you visit every tractor dealer you can . Sit on , or better yet drive each machine . ( Keep in mind they look bigger in the show room .) From what you stated , a 25-35 hp tractor should be what you would want to look at . You might also want to think about transmission type . If you have a fairly open are a shuttle shift will save you a few dollars . If you have a fairly tight area to work ( lot's of forward and backwards motion ) an Hst might be worth considering .
Also look at your prospect dealer and his service dept . Good or poor service can make a lot of difference regardless of brand .
As you are on a somewhat tight budget, Look at Kioti, Branson/century ,and Mahindra . But also look at JD , NH ,and Kubota . Here's hoping you find a great machine for yourself . John

todd_arganti · Jun 30, 2004

Joey-

I was in a similar situation and looked at everything, drove myself nuts. Finally settled on a Farmtrac (Longagribusiness) 270DTC with loader 4wd shuttle shift live PTO 27hp 3cyl diesel for $13995. I only have a small 7acre track of land but for the options and money for me their was no comparison. None of the big 3 JD, Kubota, NH or Kioti could match it. Now I realize that this tractor is not as well known but here in NE Ohio, Ashtabula cty (Farm country) they swear by them. I do too now.

You may need the next step up which would be their 300DTC with loader is around 16,500. Check them out if you can. Good luck. Go to Farmtrac.com and take a look.

Bob_Skurka · Jun 30, 2004

If you are planning on actually farming some of that farm land, then I would stay away from a hydro transmission and look only at gear machines. Shuttle shift would be a good choice.

I'm also going to depart from some of the recommendations you've gotten regarding size. I typically recommend smaller. In your case I would be looking into the 40hp range. It will give you enough power to do some basic plowing, yet is still going to be small enough to work around the property. It will, however, not be a lawn mowing machine, you'll probably need to to a lawn tractor for some help with the mowing chores.

Now if you are not doing any "real farming" then I'd be looking at a 35-to-40 hp machine, and if you are not doing "real farming" then I would recommend a hydro transmission, but if it is a budget buster you could eliminate it.

I have a 30hp Kubota, and 1/2 the property you have, I find that there have been too many times when I was doing major work and I really wanted a larger machine. I didn't need a larger machine because by comparison I could do what I needed, I just wanted a larger machine. Your initial projects are already sounding much larger than mine, 30hp will frustrate you. I've brought in big equipment when needed, and I've brought in equipment & operators if I had no clue what to do. But you sound like you'll tackle the jobs so you need a machine to do actually do the job. I could not even imagine building a 1000 foot long driveway with the B2910, at least not if I wanted it done in any reasonable time. Going up to a larger frame, with more weight, and more horsepower would be the right thing to do.

If your budget won't let you go to a 35/40hp machine, then I would think you will need to factor in machine rental for some of your projects.

Henro · Jun 30, 2004

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Cost effective...there are some Chinese-made tractors that are relatively cheap and parts are inexpensive too...but it seems that when one buys one of those, if he has looked into them, he is willing to spend time fixing rather than using, at least to some degree.

In addition to what has been recommended above, I would suggest that once you start narrowing the field down that you ask more questions about the brand you are considering and get some valuable feedback.

I have a 30 HP (22 PTO) hst tractor which seems to fit my needs almost perfectly on 3.7 acres. I will have over 400 hours on it when it turns 2 years old at the end of July.

For 25 acres, I would go bigger than that. Especially if you are going to be doing a lot of farm type work such as plowing...

HST is great, but like Bob S. said (or implied) if you will be using a lot of ground engaging implements, out in the field, a gear transmission is probably better.

To20Chris · Jun 30, 2004

Your needs are similar to mine - I would recommend the same unit I bought - the Kioti LK3054XS, with a FEL. A very capable unit at a reasonable price. I'm very happy with mine! However, I would qualify that in one way - if "start a small farm" includes plowing or other ground engagement work, you may want to look into something bigger with draft control.

Dave___in___CT · Jul 1, 2004

Hi...

Consider buying a decent used commercial loader/backhoe (maybe bulldozer too) for the initial heavy-duty work...

Can sell it when done with the "big" jobs...
...should get most/all of your $$$ back...
...then buy the tractor setup... used or new...

Dave...