Tractors

C

Clemson5.9ZJ

#1
#1
Any of you got any of these big toys? My dad threw out the idea of looking for one the other day and I am trying to get some good ideas to shoot his way. We have projects around the house that need one with a loader, probably in the 25-40 HP range. I also thought about the possibilities of a little side money with grading with a box scrapper, tilling, and bush hogging.


Paging Joey Howell.... :cheers:
 
Shilohsho

Shilohsho

#3
#3
See if you can get a skid steer worked in to the conversation. Front end loader type tractors have benefits but it's not something you would want to get into the grading business with(you mentioned "side Jobs"). I'm just recommending looking at both, I have NO intentions of starting a DEBATE over which is better.
 
cannonball

cannonball

1
SUPPORTER
#4
#4
We have one out at our land very similar to the one larry posted. Maybe a step bigger I think ours is a 28 or 30 hp. Great tractor never had any issues with it other than popping beads on the front tires.
 
Ghost

Ghost

SUPPORTER
#5
#5
My Aunt and Uncle have a Kubota. They use it all the time mowing and stuff on their land in Aiken. To my knowledge they have never had a problem with it.
 
Steve97tj

Steve97tj

SUPPORTER
#7
#7
Harvard can tell you about tractors. His brother has several I think from his scdnr job and does work with them. I know we've talked tractors before atleast.

I've got a few older ones but they aren't front end loaders. I'd love to have a yanmar or something of the same size to do odd jobs around the house and our farm. The one brooks posted a picture of is a nice size one to do probably more of what your talking about.

If I was to do side work with something, I'd probably try and get an older diesel to bushhog and find a deal on a bobcat to do all the grading work. They are absolutely badass and the opportunity is endless with what you can do with one.


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matth_85

matth_85

SUPPORTER
#8
#8
I'm honestly not on the tractor "up and up" if you will but... From listening to Jay talk about them and being around them this is my opinion. A small tractor is only good for around the house. If you plan to do anything of size. Such as plow a large field or what not you need something with some size to it. Jay always said a heavy 2WD tractor for the money was the way to go. Maybe he will chime in sometime and tell you his experiences. He's been on and around a pile of them.
 
M

MountainGoat

#9
#9
Small tractors have there place but working with a plow or a field over a couple acres isn't it(or maybe they have more free time). A front end loader is a great investment, but....your tractor has to have enough *** to back it up. In my opinion anything under 35hp is a turd. My FIL has a small kioti 27hp with a front end loader. It struggled moving a dirt pile out of the yard but did get the job done. Its great for a garden and a 4ft bush hog , or spreading seed/fertilizer,but thats about it. I am used to a bigger tractor and this might bias my opinion. I mean really though, who ever said I wish it was smaller. Look used and don't hesitate to buy an older tractor. The old Perkins diesels are great motors. When finding a tractor go as big as you need then maybe a little more. Look for one that has parts available local. I am a Massey man but love a JD also. Kubotas are expensive and light and are toys. Would love to have an old Oliver with a Detroit....put that on the list. Steves idea on the tractor and skidsteer is spot-on.
 
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J

jp fan

#10
#10
We have a few here at the house and have had tons of trouble with a bigger New Holland, the Kubota has been awesome it starts up so much better in the cold weather and is just a tighter machine. I think it is a 38hp L3800 with a loader and backhoe and AG tires, the Hydraulics are strong and it has great power. Kubota had 0% intrest for 60 months not long ago they usually have a good deal going on
 
97TJGUZZY

97TJGUZZY

SUPPORTER
#11
#11
we only have about an acre garden that my dad plows, and all i have to compare the kubota to is our old 8N and our farmall Cub cadet. The kubota will straight up plow circles around both of those antiques. But we are talking small garden area. He originally didnt get it for plowing just moving some dirt around the house and he got a set of forks for it to load and unload air-conditioners for his business. His is the 32hp with a loader and its so simple to use, its like a big tonka toy for adults.
 
Steve97tj

Steve97tj

SUPPORTER
#12
#12
I've got an 8n and international cub and 2 cub cadets. 8n is the only one that runs currently and it will bush hog our several acres of land in a few hours, not what I'd choose to use if I was to be doing it for money.

My granddad and great uncle had a dairy farm in Sumter and I use to ride and bush hog with they're older ford 7000 that was like 80hp diesel and it would cut as fast and as clean as you could ever want. They had a lot of bottoms and muck in the field from cows and it would go through it and cut the damp stuff like it wasn't there which compared to the low hp 8n was a night and day difference.


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LBarr2002

LBarr2002

LIFETIME
SUPPORTER
#13
#13
We have a 40+ year old John Deere 2wd that has been used and abused for years but gets the job done. It mainly gets used for small food plots and bush hogging our yards these days. I don't remember the model, but it's a decent size, bigger than the Kubota I posted.

In a previous job I ran some bigger tractor (ford 6610 and John Deere 6000 something). Those things are awesome, but would be too much for anything I need.
 
C

Clemson5.9ZJ

#14
#14
Shilohsho said:
See if you can get a skid steer worked in to the conversation. Front end loader type tractors have benefits but it's not something you would want to get into the grading business with(you mentioned "side Jobs"). I'm just recommending looking at both, I have NO intentions of starting a DEBATE over which is better.
Click to expand...
Steve97tj said:
If I was to do side work with something, I'd probably try and get an older diesel to bushhog and find a deal on a bobcat to do all the grading work. They are absolutely badass and the opportunity is endless with what you can do with one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Thats not a bad idea at all. I have been able to find older Ford 8Ns on CL for around 3k. I have been impressed at what the skid steers can do when we rented them a couple times. And Matt that was what my neighbor was saying about having the smaller tractors. He talked down about the smaller Kubotas you see now but then again he is an old JD guy who has 30+ acres he mows and has 3 different big john deeres.
 
J

jfhowel

#15
#15
What kind of projects around the house? If you want to do loader work right it needs to have shuttle shift and that puts you in the newer tractor range (2000ish). I personally do not like the 8-9n as it doesn't have enough gearing for me, its too quick for our tiller at full power and its not quick with a loader. Do not get a hydro static. Me personally I would get an old 4wd Kubota with a loader, they are tough little tractors and never die. Feel free to send me any pics or info of anything your thinking of looking at.
 
O

Oldguy

#17
#17
If you are going to use a tractor for something other than a toy, you need to stay away from the 8N era of tractors of any brand
Some things you would want on a tractor you are going to use:
>Live PTO, meaning the pto is powered with the clutch in (this is a given on the hydrostat models)
>Power steering (a must for loader work)
>4wd; if you didn't think you need it, why are you on this site?
>If you get a loader, remote hydraulic connection at the bucket is great (operate a brush grapple, 4 in 1 bucket etc)..also get the "bob-tach" option for loader tool connections
> the tractor needs to have at least one rear hyd remote in addition to the loader valve. Some loaders use the rear remote connections for the loader, tying up the tractor hyd such that the loader has to be removed to use other hyd equipment. This rear hyd remote will operate a trail-type bush hog lift cylinder or a log splitter for instance.
>Glow plugs for cold start (Thermostart does not do well; read on)

I grew up on an H Farmall and an A John Deere. These are tough old machines but have none of the above but the rear hyd remote.
My more modern tractor (1989 year model) is a Massey Ferguson 390 (75 HP, 2WD) with no loader (have 743 Bobcat and an OLD Ford backhoe for loader work). The 390 does not start well at temps below 30 degrees ( the bobcat Kubota diesel has glow plugs and will start at 10 degrees with no problem; use it to feed cow herd when below freezing) . The 390 has a start-assist called Thermostart that builds a small flame via a heating element and diesel fuel in the intake manifold to preheat the intake air. I have replaced this unit several times and it just is not the best way to go. Once running, the Perkins engine is great and is very fuel-efficient. I run this machine about 60 hours a year cutting hay, spreading fertilizer, bushhogging 65 acres of pasture, and feeding the cows almost every day during winter.
 
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