O my, I am comfused

[Ooklaa]

I have been looking to buy a sub compact tractor for a while now. I have 2 acres, so I need it for mowing my lawn which some parts are hills. I am a wood burner and would like to buy log length wood so i can split my own, i have been buying split wood and paying more. i also have probably a good 3/4 of the acre that needs some loving, alot of downed trees and debree to be moved around.

So something that is strong enough to move log length firewood, yet can move around and not ruin my lawn while mowing it. Id like to get a loader with a grabble attachemnt, a wood splitter wood be awesome for the rear, and a belly deck mower or rear attachment.

Never owened on at all or been on one. I have used rented many times skid steer machines and dingos.

Dont wanna spend more then i should. I went to one dealer yesterday for some JD (closest one) stuff and they where Nice but very expensive. Decided to call dealers as others where 30 min plus further. Called about mihindra max and dealer seemed to busy over the phone and couldnt even quote me a price. Called a branson dealer who was very nice but, but i asked him about matching big reds prices and he told me they are """"""""" and all their attachments they give with their packages are cheap chinese ****.

Every time i look i find another name for a sub compact tractor and i a total loss now. Started searching for forums and found you guys. Its my first post so im not a robot and only mower ive owned is a JD d125, good machine just bought my new house last year and the d125 is gonna be given to a freind.

Im all ears and love learning and any one that is local id love to come buy and check out your machines so i can learn real time vs reading.

Niko..

 

[varmint]

Niko, welcome to TbN! You will find amazing amounts of information, opinions, projects, good advice and neat stuff here.
My advice is to get a separate log spitter, as they are more efficient and you can buy a great one for under $1500. Get turf tires. Get a skid steer type quick detach loader bucket and one set of rear remotes (minimum) which will power a grapple, a snow plow and who knows what other uses you will find for it. Pallet forks are another handy SSQA implement. (Or, go for the third function with your loader instead of the rear remote). Get a belly mower.
Get a Kubota. Maybe a BX or smaller B tractor, maybe used even if you can find a clean one. Bigger tractor will do more, more quickly, but will damage your lawn. Smaller tractor will do a lot, but more slowly.
Most importantly, have fun, and post what you find, with photos!

 

[TomSeller]

Varmint is giving you good advice. Totally agree that the splitter should be separate with a good quality gas engine. That way you can use the loader to move your larger logs to or larger blocks onto or up to your splitter.

Sounds like your Branson dealer needs to mature, I would be concerned there about that dealer, not so much the brand. Or maybe it is just the sales guy. Yanmar makes a good unit in that size, or Cub/Yanmar. Kubotas are top dog in that size. Maybe give the Mahindra dealer another look in person. I'm a fan of in person shopping for something like this, just make sure you can walk away from a sales person. Massey, Kioti and LS are good brands depending on the size you go with there may not be much inventory. Used Kubota BX are pretty common and usually lightly treated. That is where I would start. If you have a lot of grass get the turf tires as Varmint says and go with the LIGHTER machine. Some brands steer you to heavy which can be good for AG use but not for your grass.

 

[Ed of all trades]

To me the important thing is that the tractors are mostly good but not all dealers are close to the same. start going to dealers and find one that will treat you right. Talk to tractor people about who the good dealers are in your area. Go to where the farmers hang out and talk to them, they know the rep of all of the dealers. Find a good dealer and Then look for a tractor.
I have seen a dealer charge over $50 for labor putting on a new push mower blade. How much could they get from a tractor owner. Ed

 

[Ooklaa]

Ive talked to some farmers as i own a restaurant and have many different type of customers. They all own the big boys and are much older machines. Around my local area we got apples amd corn fields, some cows and sheep. I was looking into a seperate wood splitter but i fugured the horsepower coming from a rear pto if im saying that right is 4 times greater then the consumer ones. For instance the box stores sell 22-25 ton rated at like 5 horsepwper. The horsepower number i see for a rear attachment are like 18-24. I would assume that these attachments would be better and stronger then the stand alone units. But then again i have no idea. I have rented a wood spliter from home depot which was nice(22 ton) but never played with one that was a attachment.

Im also at a loss as i Domt really know how strong these machine are. 24 horsepower doesn't really see, like alot, i would think that they would be posting torque. Torque is what moves, pulls things and lifts. But maybe its differemt in a tractors sense.

I habe been reading the forum every spare minute. I appreciate what you guys do. Thanks for the warm welcome .

So anyome have experience with big red in texas? Would it be a stupid idea to order something like this 1000 miles away from me? The branson dealer near seemed like a cool guy and just was straight forward with me. Maybe he doesnt have the buying power that they do. The 2800h seems like the best deal from what i have read. Not to sure about the 2 year warranty tho. John deere is right down the road from me but on paper it looks like your getting less of a tractor for alot more money. The 4 year warranty looks good. Im not rich and like to stay around the 15,000 range after negotiations are done. Im gonna read about kabota tonight.

HOW CAN I TELL IF ONE TRACTOR IS BETTER THEN THE OTHER WHEN THE DEALERS ARE TELLING ME I CANT USE ONE? they told me i can take a spin around, but i mean for loading, cutting etc. Its a very hard market for a new customer to get in and the manufacturers and dealers dont cater to them im seeing.

 

[Ooklaa]

whatever company it is, is 25 percemt off to much to ask? Especially now that winter is coming? The john deere guy near me said he just recieved 10, 1 series tractors in a bunch of different builds. He to,d me JD forced him to take em. Its his inventory for next spring. But all of them are 2015. In my head im like why would u want so many leftover models for the 2016 spring?

 

[Utopia Texas]

I think the group in general is recommending the smaller units with turf tires because of the 2 acre sized piece of land you are working. Too large of a tractor for a piece of property can be a problem. I live on 30 acres and use my small Ford 1215 with 14 HP a lot more than I use the NH T4.75 at 75 HP.

 

[k0ua]

whatever company it is, is 25 percemt off to much to ask? Especially now that winter is coming? The john deere guy near me said he just recieved 10, 1 series tractors in a bunch of different builds. He to,d me JD forced him to take em. Its his inventory for next spring. But all of them are 2015. In my head im like why would u want so many leftover models for the 2016 spring?

Tractors are thought of in terms of age, by how many hours they have on them not so much what year they were manufactured. The tractors manufactured in 2015, even in the middle of 2016 would still be brand new tractors.. They are likely to still be brand new tractors in 2017 too. Not saying that manufactures don't make improvements in model runs of tractors, but unless they do, the same tractor can stay about the same for years. When people ask about the age of your tractor, they are asking about how many hours it has on it, not what year it was made. Unlike a car which last years model, carries a stigma with it. Now if a tractor sits outside on a dealers lot for years it may have faded paint, but they will still try to sell it as new.

Lots of good tractors out there, I have owned many different brands, my current tractor is a Kioti.

 

[KennyG]

whatever company it is, is 25 percemt off to much to ask? Especially now that winter is coming? The john deere guy near me said he just recieved 10, 1 series tractors in a bunch of different builds. He to,d me JD forced him to take em. Its his inventory for next spring. But all of them are 2015. In my head im like why would u want so many leftover models for the 2016 spring?

25% would be screaming good deal. Around here we look for something like 15% and I've heard it's a little harder to deal on the East Coast. Agree that year is unimportant. You won't be able to tell a 2015 from a 2016 without checking the serial number.

 

[Rustyferrious]

I have a Kubota BX25D with a few handy attachments. It's perfect for my 2 acre (mostly) wooded lot. I use a smaller JD riding mower for the relatively small amount of lawn I do have. I use the kubota for everything else. I can carry 10" & 12" diameter logs up to 15' long using the forks. I can also carry a fairly huge pile of brush that way too. I can carry a bucket load of concrete landscape blocks, crushed stone, field stone, top soil, mulch, small machinery, hay, and lumber as well. The back hoe is great for landscape projects, water runoff control, shed foundations, fence posts, planting and unplanting shrubs and small trees, etc. A bigger tractor would be too much machine for my lot. The other major brands make a similar sized machine. You really need to go and see the machines before making a decision. Look at Craigslst for used ones (just be a cautious as you would buying a used car). If you buy used, would be worthwhile having it checked out by a dealer, especially if you are not knowledgeable about tractors. I bought new because I didn't know what to look out for myself.

 

[Ooklaa]

:thumbsup: rusty. Nice pictures.

As to my questions about the inventory. Im pretty sure from a manufacturing point of view, if dealers are still sitting on 2014, 2015 models and its 2016. Their not gonna get any 2016 models. No matter if it says 0 hrs or not.

Its all about being patient. Thats my opinion i may be wrong.

Sois their something out their for 15,000 grand, loader, mower deck?

 

[boggen]

2 acres... is not a lot. it is a large "city lot" but to farm acres meh....

you are basically looking at an "over sized riding lawn mower on steroids" in order to get your FEL (front end loader) and 3pt hitch on rear end. others words a SCUT (sub compact utility tractor)

your moaning and groaning on 2 acres to cut down some trees. cut them down and cut them up were they fall and be done with it. toss chunks of wood into FEL of tractor and haul them out of the area. better yet pull a trailer style log splitter in with tractor. and cut up the trees and split them up and then load them into FEL general duty bucket and move them into stacked row for burning at later time in fire place.

===========
trying to go up to a large size tractor CUTS (compact utilty tractors) generally will give you higher ground clearanace and get you more away from a "riding lawn mower frame" to more of a tractor frame. along with adding overall weight (good for most things) but you are jumping up a lot in HP. that in 2 acres? seems a bit much. or less you have $$$ burning a hole in your pocket.

with above said. SCUTS... generally have a lot of features not there. that you might find begin showing up in a CUT to larger size tractors....
--such as "split rear brakes" a left and right pedal for rear tires. ((and on opposite foot than the go pedal))
--you most likely will not have "road gear" 20 to 25 MPH but lower overall max MPH. it can be illegal to drive down road even in town to out in country. to many drunks, no licenses so they hope on the riding lawn mower and go down the road....
--you will be missing "weight" weight can be king. when it comes to traction.
--3pt hitch return to position, meh forget 1 or 2 others for 3pt hitch control ability.
--you may not be able to run a "12v winch" even on larger tractors this may be the case. and generally suggested if they offer larger alternator get it, more so if playing to run a winch. other wise you will need a second 12v battery to run winch from. or end up with a tractor with a dead battery.

===============
--get 4x4 / MFWD or what ever they call it. it is worth it.
--get some sort of hydrualic / hydrostatic / or like transmission. stay away from "gear/manual transmission" preferably something that does not transfer power via a belt. a lot of riding lawn mowers. not sure on SCUTS. and transfering power back to rear end / final drive of tractor / rear axle.

--see about getting rear wheels filled with a fluid. for added weight. if you have a 12v "sprayer" for say atv, back of truck or towbehind. you can DIY filled tires pretty easily.
--see about getting rear wheels swapped around or what not with the rims to give you a wider stance. more so if you plan to have chains put on tires.
--double check manual some manufactures / make / model do NOT recommend filling front tires, and/or putting chains on front tires. ((seeing you are new york and dealing with snow))

================
look at "power trac" hope i got name correctly. they are combo unit / cross between a skid steer and a tractor. were everything attaches in the front. last time i checked the units were priced right at or perhaps cheaper than other manufacture regular tractors. the equipment / attachments cost a little bit more. but you pay just a little bit for everything attaching out in front of you with a nice clear view of what you are doing.

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to note it... i am not brand specific. when ya get into SCUTS. your better off just jumping on each machine and seeing how it feels. and make sure basic features are there and /or features are there that you want. other words their just to many of the units, and they change yearly with different features. major brands are out there should be safe. they sell to many i would imagine most companies... that it comes up in luck if you get a manufacture defect or not. the exception might be, not all manufactures have a free "online parts manual" for me that is a high bonus. wish they would shove the operators manual and the shop/service manual onto internet freely as well.

 

[boggen]

forgot two thing to add....

tractor itself, cab, FEL (front end loader), 3pt hitch backhoe tend to be high dollar ticket items. you are better off getting them all on the same bill hopefully a larger discount will happen. vs trying to deal with them little bit at a time later on. all other 3pt hitch attachments can be had via third party and more likely cheaper and/or better.

R1 / ag / agiruclture tires = pizza cutter tires. they are thinner tires with deeper lugs on them
R3 / turf tires are like riding lawn mower tires
R4 / industrial tires. are a cross betwene R1's and R3's in that they are a wider tire with deeper lugs on them
--generally you can replace R3 tires with R4's and vice vs on the same rim. R1's on other hand normally need another rim if you want to swap tire types.
--if your lawn is to wet. "stay off it" and let it dry out. all there is to it. R4's tend to be more acceptable tire between the 3 tire types. and/or perhaps R3's with chains when it comes to snow.
--there is one other tire type out there. "forestry tires" they generally have MUCH deeper lugs on them. and i doubt you would ever need them.

 

[jhasafety1]

Everyone has a preferred tractor brand, I bought a 2012 Mahindra Max 28xl and have never regretted it. I mow every week with it, have the backhoe, loader, tiller, box blade and rock rake when I need them. I take care of about 5 acres with it. Several are going to find fault with my choice, and say I don't need that much tractor. I just throttle it up and smile as I go about my business.

 

[4570Man]

If lifting smallish logs and mowing is the only task it needs to do a BX should be more than sufficient. I would rather have a little more tractor like a L3800. I have mowed some with my L3240 weighing about 6,500 pounds, but in the spring and fall or any other time the ground is wet you can forget about that. If moving already cut and delivered logs is the only wood you deal with a set of pallet forks would be more than sufficient and way cheaper than a grapple. I prefer a stand alone splitter. They are so much more convenient, and it keeps my tractor free to move wood. The advantage of a tractor mounted splitter is that a tractor usually moves more GPM at higher pressure than a stand alone splitter. I along with most TBN members have never wanted a smaller tractor. A lot of guys buy too small of a tractor and then loose money trading up to a bigger one.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

I have two Kubota BX tractors - a BX23 (tractor/loader/backhoe) and a BX2660 with a loader and a midmount mower. So I'm biased, but I'd suggest taking a hard look at the Kubota offerings. If you have cash, you can also look for a gently used low hour Kubota BX and save a few bucks. My BX2660 had only 125 hours on it. They are very dependable little tractors.

Don't give away your JD lawn tractor until you buy a tractor and use the midmount mower some. You may decide that you'd rather do the yard, especially the delicate parts of it, with the lawn tractor.

 

[s219]

If you're not shopping a Kubota BX in this price/size range, you're missing the top seller in the category.

As for model years, well, tractors don't really go by years, so it won't really matter to the JD dealer or customers when the stock comes in or when they sell. When there is a model changeover, you'll know because the tractor model number will change.

 

[Wagtail]

To me the important thing is that the tractors are mostly good but not all dealers are close to the same. start going to dealers and find one that will treat you right. Talk to tractor people about who the good dealers are in your area. Go to where the farmers hang out and talk to them, they know the rep of all of the dealers. Find a good dealer and Then look for a tractor.
I have seen a dealer charge over $50 for labor putting on a new push mower blade. How much could they get from a tractor owner. Ed

This. I won't push a particular colour. At 2 acres you may want to consider a separate Lawn Tractor, then outfit your SCUT with R4 tyres.

Good luck, G'day Mate and welcome to TBN from Downunder. Enjoy the site.

 

[Ooklaa]

Excellent info guys thankyou! I dont want my lawn to get ripped up at all. After i do all the moving and landscaping im going to leave about .14 of the property for my wood/splitting/cutting. Use the scut for all the moving of logs and split firewood. If a log splitter attachment is better then the store box versions id rather have that. As For mowing is a belly mower better or a bull behind? I won't get rid of my d125 but im hoping the scut can do a way better job of mowing the lawn and fall cleanup.

Investing in a machine like this for me means not having to buy or have extra motors around. I don't mind getting attachments, but if i can't get a log splitter and if the scut doesnt mow grass as good as a d125 that might just make me move away from these. Before i move in that direction tho i will exhaust every bit of information I can find. Im not afraid of having a machine that is too much for my property per say. But i domt also domt wamt to rent machines when i wanna do semi heavy work.

 

[Ooklaa]

Everyone has a preferred tractor brand, I bought a 2012 Mahindra Max 28xl and have never regretted it. I mow every week with it, have the backhoe, loader, tiller, box blade and rock rake when I need them. I take care of about 5 acres with it. Several are going to find fault with my choice, and say I don't need that much tractor. I just throttle it up and smile as I go about my business.

Whats a good proce for it?