Newb in Upstate NY

[ripHST]

Hi all,

Just found this forum as I'm doing research into purchasing my first non-lawn tractor. I'll probably just start reading the "first tractor advice" threads, but thanks in advance for any help with questions I may come up with. Mostly I'll just mine the existing info.....I'm sure any questions I have now have been asked before.

A little background: I'm currently shopping around for land to build a house on and plan to do some improvements on my own. We haven't made an offer yet, but we found one lot that looks really good....just under 11 acres, about 2/3rds wooded, the rest open and grassy. A pretty deep ravine along one edge and a shallow and partly overgrown pond in one of the open areas. It's got some nice elevation changes as well.

I'll contract with a builder for the house excavation, but plan to do some clearing and possibly the gravel driveway on my own (2-500 feet maybe?) There will probably be a lot of brush hogging, stump pulling, log dragging and stone moving in the beginning....then mainly snow removal and leveling/grading after that for maintenance.

Anyway....looking forward to learning all about tractors. I've been looking for an excuse to buy one for years.

craig

 

[Dutch445]

Welcome Craig!
tons of great info here, and very good folks with a great knowledge base, on just about anything!
just hope there's no pallets in the fields you are looking at...

 

[3930dave]

Welcome, from the other side of the (great) Lake !

Rgds, D.

 

[flusher]

Welcome to TBN. Join the fun.

I had a 10-acre ranch in Northern CA about 120 North of Sacramento.

My tractor was a 2008 Mahindra 5525 (55 hp engine, 45 hp pto, 2WD, partially synchronized gear tranny 8F/2R, ag tires, triple rear hydraulic remotes) with a front end loader (FEL, 6-ft wide bucket, 2950 lb lift to 10.5 ft height, skid steer quick attach option). Cost:$18K new.

For your needs, I'd look for a 40 hp (engine) tractor, 4WD, hydrostatic tranny, ag tires, dual rear remotes with a 6-ft FEL and the skid steer quick attach option.

All the major tractor manufacturers have models with these specs.

I'd recommend making a detailed 5-year plan that lists the jobs you want/need to do with your tractor and the implements needed. Then go tractor shopping

Look around dealers in your area. Get familiar with tractor jargon. Test drive as many as you can before making your decision to buy.

Good luck

 

[TBN Support]

Welcome to the forum, Craig!

:welcome:

 

[nybirdman]

Welcome and enjoy your search.Ithaca is a very nice area;lots of hills+snow=4WD for sure.

 

[ripHST]

Welcome Craig!
tons of great info here, and very good folks with a great knowledge base, on just about anything!
just hope there's no pallets in the fields you are looking at...

thanks.....you mean from dumping? Man, I hope not. I walked it and looks pristine.

 

[ripHST]

Welcome, from the other side of the (great) Lake !

Rgds, D.

not far as a crow flies. Are you closer to the Toronto end or the Kingston end? My wife has family up near Kingston (on the States side).

 

[Dutch445]

thanks.....you mean from dumping? Man, I hope not. I walked it and looks pristine.

not referring to dumping, more of an inside joke... there just happens to be a lengthy discussion about pallets in fields:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/299453-pallets-fields.html

might want to set aside a few minutes, or hours, to catch up on that thread!

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

thanks.....you mean from dumping? Man, I hope not. I walked it and looks pristine.

Trust me, just let the pallets lie....

 

[ripHST]

Welcome to TBN. Join the fun.

I had a 10-acre ranch in Northern CA about 120 North of Sacramento.

My tractor was a 2008 Mahindra 5525 (55 hp engine, 45 hp pto, 2WD, partially synchronized gear tranny 8F/2R, ag tires, triple rear hydraulic remotes) with a front end loader (FEL, 6-ft wide bucket, 2950 lb lift to 10.5 ft height, skid steer quick attach option). Cost:$18K new.

For your needs, I'd look for a 40 hp (engine) tractor, 4WD, hydrostatic tranny, ag tires, dual rear remotes with a 6-ft FEL and the skid steer quick attach option.

All the major tractor manufacturers have models with these specs.

I'd recommend making a detailed 5-year plan that lists the jobs you want/need to do with your tractor and the implements needed. Then go tractor shopping

Look around dealers in your area. Get familiar with tractor jargon. Test drive as many as you can before making your decision to buy.

Good luck

good stuff.....thanks flusher. That gives me some good parameters to begin my search. You're right....gotta get the lingo down. I probably woulda struggled with FEL for a few minutes at least. So the skid steer quick attach.....that's to make it easier to switch implements? I like the sound of that. Any downside?

 

[ripHST]

not referring to dumping, more of an inside joke... there just happens to be a lengthy discussion about pallets in fields:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/299453-pallets-fields.html

might want to set aside a few minutes, or hours, to catch up on that thread!

Trust me, just let the pallets lie....

ha ha.....I better get reading. thanks guys.

 

[Wagtail]

G'day Mate and welcome to TBN from Downunder.

Enjoy the site.

If you stick with JD (despite personal preferences, we try not to push a particular brand <colour> here at TBN) you'll find that they have their own FEL attachment system/configuration. However, you can get a Skid Steer Quick Attach (SSQA) to fit the JD... but it does add more weight. The JD iMatch 3 Point Hitch (3PH) quick attach, or equivalent, is a 'must have' on the back.

Oh, and PALLETS RULE!

 

[Otto Syracuse]

Welcome Neighbor, lots of good dealers in your area. You will have many good choices!

Don't be shy, everyone is here to help each other.

 

[3930dave]

not far as a crow flies. Are you closer to the Toronto end or the Kingston end? My wife has family up near Kingston (on the States side).

Toronto end, but originally from the Kingston end. Never have made it to the races at the 'Glen yet, must fix that one day.....

You'll find that TBN'ers are very helpful, esp. when it comes to spending your money !

Rgds, D.

 

[flusher]

good stuff.....thanks flusher. That gives me some good parameters to begin my search. You're right....gotta get the lingo down. I probably woulda struggled with FEL for a few minutes at least. So the skid steer quick attach.....that's to make it easier to switch implements? I like the sound of that. Any downside?

No downside that I can see except cost--SSQA's are $1K type options. My tractor dealer says that due to demand he outfits all his new tractors with SSQA's now.

 

[George2615]

Welcome to TBN......................

 

[ripHST]

Thanks for all the welcome messages.....I've been occupied with research. I've gathered there are a few bits of consensus advice:

Dealer is important....makes sense. If you're going to need them, you want to be comfortable with them. I'm curious though, is this any more important than it is for a car or truck, for example?

Hydrostatic drive is recommended for newbs........is this safety thing or just an ease of use thing?

Color doesn't indicate reliability or durability but does relate to value.

As flusher recommended, a Quick attach option is suggested....I can see that and like the idea.

Err on the side of a bigger tractor rather than smaller (well duh...:laughing....well, I do wonder how big would be too big for the woods.

One thing that I was wondering about and haven't seen a lot on yet is new vs. used. I've gathered from some big equipment guys in he past that they recommend renting because of the inevitable high repair costs (their sentiment). Is that a concern with tractors or is used a good value option? I haven't started looking at specific tractors and compared prices yet so maybe this question will be answered then....but I'd love to hear about people's experiences.

 

[PhysAssist]

Thanks for all the welcome messages.....I've been occupied with research. I've gathered there are a few bits of consensus advice:

Dealer is important....makes sense. If you're going to need them, you want to be comfortable with them. I'm curious though, is this any more important than it is for a car or truck, for example?

Hydrostatic drive is recommended for newbs........is this safety thing or just an ease of use thing?

Color doesn't indicate reliability or durability but does relate to value.

As flusher recommended, a Quick attach option is suggested....I can see that and like the idea.

Err on the side of a bigger tractor rather than smaller (well duh...:laughing....well, I do wonder how big would be too big for the woods.

One thing that I was wondering about and haven't seen a lot on yet is new vs. used. I've gathered from some big equipment guys in he past that they recommend renting because of the inevitable high repair costs (their sentiment). Is that a concern with tractors or is used a good value option? I haven't started looking at specific tractors and compared prices yet so maybe this question will be answered then....but I'd love to hear about people's experiences.

Hi Craig,

Welcome neighbor!

I hope you find the information you need to get started here.

We have a pretty good group on here, you just have to make up your own mind as to what's right for you.

Thomas

 

[Infinite Wisdom]

For your consideration, I understand there is an excellent LS dealer in Trumansburg.

He keeps most of his inventory inside -- out of the weather.