Wow, now that's a tractor!

[hayden]

Great looking tractor with all the goodies.
Now you have to update your profile. Did you trade in your 2910?

Oh yea, I forgot that....

Yes, I sold all my other stuff, which took much of the edge off the purchase. The only thing I traded in was my snowblower, and I actually got more than I originally paid for it.

 

[hayden]

Wow doesn't quite cut it! Did you hit the lottery or spill hot coffee on yourself at McDonalds?? That's an awesome setup man.

I was actually considering a BushHog BH950 for my tractor. I'm not familiar with the Bradco, is it that much better than the Bush Hog BH905? Is it that much more expensive?

I've been lusting after a tractor upgrade for many years, and thanks to everyone's help here I knew almost exactly what I was looking for. After almost 7 years of very hard work starting and growing a company, we filed to go public and this was my present to myself. In a surprise last minute curve-ball, Dell made us an offer we couldn't refuse, so we are merging with them. Either way, I was still going to get the tractor (got my priorities right).

Now my gear has a fighting chance against my property. The B2910, though a great tractor, was just no match for the 250 ac family farm, so I feel completely justified in the move. Lots of folks here were pushing an M series, and I spent some time looking at them closely but I'm so sold on HST that I stuck with the L series.

As for the backhoe, I've never used a BrushHog backhoe. I owned a Kubota 4690 (7 1/2 foot) BH on my B2910, and I've used a Woods 9000 (9 foot) on an L3710. There's just no comparison to the Bradco, and unfortunately that includes the price. The 511 complete including the factory hydraulic thumb was around $11k, but after just an hour or so of playing with it I have no regrets at all. The specs really say a lot. Just look at the digging force of the Bradco's compared to Kubota, Woods, and I'm sure Brushhog. There's a big difference. It's darn close to a small TLB like the JD or Kubota models, but still no match to an excavator or full sized TLB. The operation is also extremely smooth - much better than the Kubota or Woods that I've used.

 

[canoetrpr]

Congratulations on the business end of things as well.

Do you think you got much of your money back on having a BH on your B2910 when you sold it?

I'm struggling with whether I should get a BH for my L3400 or if I should push it off until I upgrade to a cabbed tractor. I worry that I will just loose a lot of money in the process if I get a BH for this tractor now and then sell the tractor with the BH in a few years..

BH now = more uses right away and probably push off upgrading to a cabbed tractor for a few years at least.

 

[hayden]

Congratulations on the business end of things as well.

Do you think you got much of your money back on having a BH on your B2910 when you sold it?

I'm struggling with whether I should get a BH for my L3400 or if I should push it off until I upgrade to a cabbed tractor. I worry that I will just loose a lot of money in the process if I get a BH for this tractor now and then sell the tractor with the BH in a few years..

BH now = more uses right away and probably push off upgrading to a cabbed tractor for a few years at least.

I sold the tractor and backhoe separately so they didn't influence the price of each other. Of everything I sold, those two items lost the most value over the time I had them, but I have no complaints. All told between the tractor, backhoe, chipper, snow blower, and rotary mower, the equipment cost me about $7500 over the 7-8 years I had it. That doesn't count the cost of money, just the difference between purchase and sale price. I easily got that much value from the equipment, and I certainly got that much entertainment from it.

 

[canoetrpr]

All told between the tractor, backhoe, chipper, snow blower, and rotary mower, the equipment cost me about $7500 over the 7-8 years I had it. That doesn't count the cost of money, just the difference between purchase and sale price. I easily got that much value from the equipment, and I certainly got that much entertainment from it.

That is not a bad deal at all for 7-8 years of usage (and entertainment)!

I think I might bite the bullet and get a BH in the spring or so.

 

[R_Walter]

Is this merger now public knowledge, or are you letting it out of the bag?

I've been lusting after a tractor upgrade for many years, and thanks to everyone's help here I knew almost exactly what I was looking for. After almost 7 years of very hard work starting and growing a company, we filed to go public and this was my present to myself. In a surprise last minute curve-ball, Dell made us an offer we couldn't refuse, so we are merging with them. Either way, I was still going to get the tractor (got my priorities right).

 

[hayden]

Is this merger now public knowledge, or are you letting it out of the bag?

No, it's public.

 

[Mike_VT]

Peter, that is a sweet set up. After looking at all those goodies I couldn't help wondering where the grapple attachment was hiding. Seriously really nice!!!!! Mike

 

[Double Orange]

Peter, I forgot to ask earlier, does it fit your height clearence into the barn?

 

[hayden]

Peter, I forgot to ask earlier, does it fit your height clearence into the barn?

YES!

We had a pool going. I had calculated 1.5", then on re-reading the specs I discovered I was off by an inch and there was really on 1/2" clearance.

In reality there's a good 2" clearance, maybe even a bit more. I don't know if the tractor height is overstated in the specs, or if I rounded down when I measured the clearance (probably both), but it fits and that makes me happy.

The one remaining concern is what happens when I remove the backhoe. It weighs almost 1800 lbs and is definitely lowering the tractor somewhat. I just hope it doesn't spring up too much.....