Compact Utility Tractors

[unclebilly]

[BK911]

So why is the local dealer so important?
All parts can be purchased on line, and a tractor isnt that difficult to work on.
Is this just for warranty repairs?

[Crowbob]

Gearheads may not be so dependent on the dealer for their tractors. Nevertheless, as you noted, warranty work is primary. In addition, you can't just call up any old towing company to take your tractor in like you can a car, depending, of course. Also, depending on the issue, simply calling up a dealer from whom you bought something will be much more likely to offer tech advice and what not.

In most cases, if something breaks on a tractor it will break within the first months or years of use. They don't wear out typically, especially in hobby or homestead use.

To repeat, subcompact tractors are frequently operated at and sometimes greater than their rated limits because nobody wants to accept the notion that that godamned tree trunk weighs a ton but their loader is only rated for 1500# or whatever.

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

OK, steep hills to me means zero turn mower. Low center of gravity, more stable. Ever been in a vehicle roll? It is NOT fun! These tractors will not be happy on steep hills. I had hills where I was and was not able to safely run my tractor in those areas. Zero turn was a no brainer. Get knobby tyres.


I do not wish to seem insulting! Please understand I am not trying to be insulting! 2.5 acres is really a rather small parcel of land. A zero turn will be quicker, safer, cheaper to operate and will provide a nicer cut. You can use them to pull a small trailer around. A tractor may be more fun but on hills it is MUCH more dangerous. I would suggest strongly looking at the chores you will be needing done. Mowing sounds like your number one. The other stuff you can rent a machine and not have to worry about the maintenance. It will be cheaper and give you more room to store your other stuff!

Several years ago we bought a 54" Hustler i full commercial mower with rear discharge. Fluids, filters, and blade sharpening. I take it on steep slopes. It cut stuff four feet tall without issue. It is faster and cheaper than my 60HP tractor with a 60" blade. We paid less than $7,000.00 for the demo model. Never had an issue.


Dealers are important when you get to those things you cannot fix or warranty work. Deere dealers are more important as if you have to do anything electronic/electrical THEY OWN the software, you are just buying the right to rent the equipment for whatever term. You cannot access their software and only Deere dealers have their software which changes year to year.


The small Deere you are looking at is likely made in India with a Chinese motor. The green paint is expensive though. It may have been "designed" in the USA but that might actually be the end of the connection.

[Mark Henry]

To me the thing with the "swiss army knife" small tractors is although they do an OK job, they're not outstanding at any one job. A sports car is outstanding in the twisties, an RV you can live in, but a sports car RV would fall short on both ends.
The "swiss army knife" small tractors are too heavy for soft ground lawns, too light for scraping and loading, backhoe is a PITA seating and moving and again too light, tilling would be maxing it out...etc.


I bought a new (then) JD x320 for my lawn, and a 60hp Fiat 640 4x4 (white 2-60) with a FEL, 7' snowblower, bush hog, blade,etc., for less that a commercial zero turn. I can lift a small car with the loader, I can also dig in and fill the 7' bucket and dump into a dump truck. I blow my 400' driveway in two swipes, bush hog 10+ acres, built a road, push down 10" round trees plowed 4 acres, hay round bales, lifted trusses, etc., etc.
But I've never expect my tractor to mow my lawn, that's what I have a lawn tractor for.

I thought about a backhoe attachment, but decided to just rent a mini excavator ($250 weekend), I've rented one twice in 8 years.
Last time in one weekend I dug a 400' water pipe trench, dug in 3x75' for new weeping tiles, 100' of drainage trench and a 50x80 pond and I still had time on the meter. Way faster and so far way cheaper than a backhoe attachment.

[greglepore]

I don't care about the tractor part, but Yanmar-YES.

You don't need anything bigger than what you're looking at for your property. What you're looking at is overkill but I get it, particularly if you garden/landscape.

I bought a JD 670 used (about 100 hrs) in the early 90's. Put a woods loader on it with jd quickattatch on the bucket, as mowing with a bucket on the front gets old very very fast.
What Paul said about bellymower on/off, mine was a pain.

I've never had anything as reliable as this little machine. It has been outside all of its life. It always starts no issue. When we divorced it stayed there, was abused by the kids moving snow etc and not doing basic maintenance, and 8 years later I go to get it as she's done with it, it starts right up, drive it on the rollback, unload, change fluids and put it to work. The Yanmar three cyl diesels are killer motors.

The only think I want for is a little backhoe, they're really more useful than anything else. But yeah, if you're not planting trees, a mini ex is better for the kind of work Mark is talking about.

[IROC]

Originally Posted by Groesbeck Hurricane

OK, steep hills to me means zero turn mower. Low center of gravity, more stable. Ever been in a vehicle roll? It is NOT fun! These tractors will not be happy on steep hills. I had hills where I was and was not able to safely run my tractor in those areas. Zero turn was a no brainer. Get knobby tyres.

Well, for sure a zero turn would cut more of what I need to cut, but not all. Same for a tractor, really. I am a pansy and don't want to roll anything over. There are some parts of my property that are simply too steep (I almost can't even walk it).

I do not wish to seem insulting! Please understand I am not trying to be insulting! 2.5 acres is really a rather small parcel of land.

I understand. I don't need a 911, either. I have more projects than simply mowing, though. I have a large pile of hay/horse manure that I would love to do something with. Trees I need to take out, a garden, a horse run-in shelter to remove, landscaping projects, a gravel driveway that needs work, etc. I also have a horse barn now that is essentially empty that I plan on converting to a workshop. Do I need a tractor? No, but I either need to hire this stuff done, rent something on occasion or simply not do it. Plus, I think it would be fun.

Several years ago we bought a 54" Hustler i full commercial mower with rear discharge. Fluids, filters, and blade sharpening. I take it on steep slopes. It cut stuff four feet tall without issue. It is faster and cheaper than my 60HP tractor with a 60" blade. We paid less than $7,000.00 for the demo model. Never had an issue.

I've thought about a zero turn, but it really only mows. I already have a 54" riding mower. Even with the tractor, there are areas I couldn't mow, but I could mow a lot more than I am now. Here's what I'm looking at courtesy of google:

The small Deere you are looking at is likely made in India with a Chinese motor. The green paint is expensive though. It may have been "designed" in the USA but that might actually be the end of the connection.

From John Deere's literature:

First the specifications. The 1025R is designed and manufactured in Deere’s state-of-the-art factory located in Augusta, Ga., though still powered by a Yanmar diesel.

Who knows?

Thanks for all of the responses. I am really open to a lot of different options and I realize that my life is not going to come to an end if I don't get a tractor, but I thought it would be fun and I actually have legitimate things to do with one...

[Mark Henry]

Originally Posted by Groesbeck Hurricane

The small Deere you are looking at is likely made in India with a Chinese motor. The green paint is expensive though. It may have been "designed" in the USA but that might actually be the end of the connection.

Home Debit green tractors I believe are made by AYP, same as most entry level riding mowers, last time I looked B&S engines.

Dealer x-series are made in usa, much heavier and the gas models use kawasaki engines, only way to kill them is to run them out of oil.

Some of the bigger tractors are made in india, yanmar makes one series (or used to) the rest in USA.

[IROC]

Originally Posted by Mark Henry

Home Debit green tractors I believe are made by AYP, same as most entry level riding mowers, last time I looked B&S engines.

Dealer x-series are made in usa, much heavier and the gas models use kawasaki engines, only way to kill them is to run them out of oil.

Some of the bigger tractors are made in india, yanmar makes one series (or used to) the rest in USA.

Yeah, reading a bit more, the JD tractors are made in the US - Grovetown, GA.

[tevake]

IN keeping with my hijacking practice, let me run this by you guys.

I've decided to sell on the 2wd tractor that I bought. The cost of getting the FEL mounted and rebuilt is too much to end up with such a compromised rig.

I'm heading out to look at this one today, it's 4wd and power steering, with FEL.
What do ya'll think.
Kind of high hours, seller said it never had an implement mounted on rear, wife uses it for her horses, to clean stalls, and move hay.
https://dothan.craigslist.org/grd/6535542727.html

Thanks Richard

[Crowbob]

Richard,

I would be more concerned about the hassles of shifting than the hours on he machine. 10,000 hrs is typical before engine work is needed, if maintained.

Around here, with some patience, one can do better than $6,500 for a 30hp clutch tractor and loader. Markets do vary, though.

It looks like that tractor has new paint.

[Crowbob]

Listen to the Hurricane.

I'd lost track of the size of OP's gorgeous spread. A SCUT is the way to go, everything considered. Also, what I've noticed is that people who tend to their land steadily lose turf. Turf as in lawn-that- needs-mowing.

Trees don't stop growing, the shrubs get huge, the conifers are doing what they were intended to do back when they were planted, such as being wind, noise or visual blockers. Pine needles need raking, not mowing. Everything imaginable can be hooked up to front or back of the machine and is compatible with the size tractor.

35 gal 12-volt boom sprayer from Tractor Supply hooks on and plugs in like nothing. I had to get bigger nozzles when I cast the nematodes on my lawn to infect my Japanese Beetle larva infestation. It's been a few years so they're almost depleted now.

[Crowbob]

The PTO rear bagger truly acts like a vacuum. Personally, I can take it or leave it for mowing turf but for sucking up mountains of leaves it's indispensable. Problem is the bagger and the chipper-shredder can not be mounted simultaneously and are absolutely not quick to attach or detach. Heavy and cumbersome they both are (the chipper supposedly takes up to a 5" stick). Thoughtful planning mitigates the down-sides of Swiss Army knife tractors.

You can get a tooth bar that clamps on the front of the loader and is effective for smoothing and ripping out undergrowth. They also make the loader a bit more capable moving dirt. The weight of the bar reduces the load capacity, however. Don't plan on digging very much with a SCUT loader.

Bolt-On hooks on the top of the loader bucket turns the Swiss Army knife into a hoist and also enables the load in the bucket to be securely lashed. Think lumber or posts. Around here, with any luck, you can get 10-yard dump trucks of free wood chips dumped iright in your driveway. A SCUT loader is designed exactly for the task of homeowners moving their piles of much around. And also for tilling an enormous truck garden, blowing out the driveway, for emergency power generation and for hauling the little camper around the place all summer long.

[Crowbob]

The Kubota BX and B series tractors have similar power ratings. The B is taller, and the wheels larger. That bumps them out of the subcompact category. The B is more tractor-y than a SCUT. Great ground clearance and superb ability to pull. Higher CoG makes them tippy especially with a loader. B's thus elevate the pucker factor. Foldable ROPS is a necessity.

[IROC]

Originally Posted by Crowbob

You can get a tooth bar that clamps on the front of the loader and is effective for smoothing and ripping out undergrowth. They also make the loader a bit more capable moving dirt. The weight of the bar reduces the load capacity, however. Don't plan on digging very much with a SCUT loader.

Bolt-On hooks on the top of the loader bucket turns the Swiss Army knife into a hoist and also enables the load in the bucket to be securely lashed. Think lumber or posts. Around here, with any luck, you can get 10-yard dump trucks of free wood chips dumped iright in your driveway. A SCUT loader is designed exactly for the task of homeowners moving their piles of much around. And also for tilling an enormous truck garden, blowing out the driveway, for emergency power generation and for hauling the little camper around the place all summer long.

Exactly the kinds of uses I'm looking at. Some of the steep parts of my yard (like around the old horse-riding ring), I'd like to terrace with railroad ties and fill in with something I don't have to maintain. The wife wants to build a fire pit/outdoor sitting area in the back - a load of pea gravel dumped in my driveway could be moved around with the tractor. Same with gravel for the chicken/barn area and mulch for other areas. Even stupid stuff like - I have a wood stove in the basement and a wood-burning insert in the den. There is a large, brick firewood storage area in the basement (which has drive-in garage door access). All of my firewood is up a hill and on the other side of the house. This past winter I was hauling wheelbarrow loads of firewood all the way around the house to the basement. With a tractor, I'd just load up the bucket and drive it around.

Silly stuff, but everyone I have talked to said that once you own a tractor you find all kinds of uses for it that you never would have thought of...

I am liking the Kubota stuff, too. A BX2380 or 2680 would be awesome.

[greglepore]

Yeah, Mike I'm moving the 670 to Virginia even though we're downsizing from 8 acres with horses to 2.5 suburban, mainly because I like to garden and I can see the need to install a bunch of beds. No way do I wheelbarrow anything uphill at my age and 130lbs. Moving stone, manure, topsoil whatever... . Honestly, not sure I'd invest in new, a mid hours 90's jd machine or one like the ford linked above would be ideal, I'm thinking a hydro like in the 7,8 or 900 series. Even my little guy at 18pto would be fine-it has a full sized 3 point.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by tevake

I'm heading out to look at this one today, it's 4wd and power steering, with FEL.
What do ya'll think.
Thanks Richard

I like it. I don't know who made that model (NH tractors are made all over the world by a dozen different companies http://www.tractordata.com/farm-tractors/tractor-brands/newholland/newholland-tractors-factory-sorted.html). I would do a search on reliability or problems with it. But it looks like it's well-made. The gear-type leveling box on the 3 point is something you don't see on cheap tractors. Wish my Kubota had one.
I took some pictures while using my tractor yesterday. I don't know what I'd do without a front end loader.



Lifting some heavy wheels and tires up to the storage shelf.



These pallet forks were a great accessory. They didn't cost much, but they really add to the usefulness the FEL. Operating the tractor with them on takes some getting used to. The tractor is already tippy with the loader lifted high and it just gets worse with these on it. It is easy to overload the hydraulics with them. I wish they were about a foot shorter. I'll get the torch out one of these days and shorten them.



Lift flooring up to storage with the pallet forks.

[IROC]

Great stuff..

[unclebilly]

Here is my new (I’m pretty sure I’m going to trade up) M5-111. I’m moving up from a M7060.



My M7060 has been great and would have been fine if the local dealer didn’t forget to put an oil line in while doing a recall service. Things went sour very quickly hence the importance of a good local dealer.

[dad911]

Originally Posted by tevake

IN keeping with my hijacking practice, let me run this by you guys.

I've decided to sell on the 2wd tractor that I bought. The cost of getting the FEL mounted and rebuilt is too much to end up with such a compromised rig.

I'm heading out to look at this one today, it's 4wd and power steering, with FEL.
What do ya'll think.
Kind of high hours, seller said it never had an implement mounted on rear, wife uses it for her horses, to clean stalls, and move hay.
https://dothan.craigslist.org/grd/6535542727.html

Thanks Richard

FEL on 4wd is much better. When you dig into a pile, front heavy, back gets light harder to dig.

I would be very careful with that CL tractor. A paintjob like that hides alot of sins.