Buying Advice First Tractor purchase advice

[Omega Woods]

Congrats, CobaltSky. An excellent choice!

 

[CobaltSky]

I glanced at the first page, then skipped to the last.

You went from a big yard tractor to what you can use, you should thank TBN.

Thank you (for spending my money), TBN. :laughing:

 

[GoldenCityMuse]

Very nice, neighbor! A cab in the west is certainly useful.
And hey, being blown into New Mexico might not be such a bad thing! [grin]. I like it here.

I have a few more weeks before my Cabela's LM55 is ready to ship here.

 

[CobaltSky]

Very nice, neighbor! A cab in the west is certainly useful.
And hey, being blown into New Mexico might not be such a bad thing! [grin]. I like it here.

I have a few more weeks before my Cabela's LM55 is ready to ship here.

Cool. I called Sidney a month ago or so and they were out of LM45 cabs. Quoted me a nice price on that LM55 but with no TYM dealers close by, I decided to go another way, without even going to look at it.

I'm new to the west, but a road trip to NM is certainly on the agenda. I am ashamed that I haven't yet made it south of Westcliffe, and the wind pushed me that far

 

[varmint]

Nice learning curve in this thread. The OP spent some thought energy, and arrived at a great decision without a lot of time and money being wasted to arrive at what he probably really needs. Not exactly what he started thinking about, but once he uses it, a big smile will be pasted across his face, methinks.

 

[AxleHub]

Nice learning curve in this thread. The OP spent some thought energy, and arrived at a great decision without a lot of time and money being wasted to arrive at what he probably really needs. Not exactly what he started thinking about, but once he uses it, a big smile will be pasted across his face, methinks.

Greetings varmint,

I see the situation less as a learning curve and more as a failure to disclose really important information.

My point is that cobaltsky revealed is post 84 (I believe is the correct number) about this huge and dramatic event relating to Nov. 17th (well before this thread ever started). While we're all glad that child bearing and threatening event worked out well . . in no way did that event fit in with the opening post and considerations.

We could have cut 125 posts down to 45 or so in short order had we all known of the event and his feelings back then already in November and December. Much of the desire and product needs and budget concerns already existed but we were never informed of them in my opinion. Our desire to assist current and perspective tractor owners is a value to them (as i've experienced in my own needs). But while those viewpoints and experience are freely offered, they come at a cost of time and effort by the members. Each of us participates at a personal cost . . to benefit others.

I'd challenge anyone to go back and read the post where Cobaltsky reveals his Nov. 17th experience and thoughts (think it was post 84) . . and then go back to his first few posts at the start of the thread. I'm glad Cobaltsky had a happy ending to the birth. I'm glad he got the tractor he needed . . but I'm not glad that such key information was withheld early on because many of us that posted would have had far fewer and more focused posts and spent less effort in the process.

Until that post came out I believed there was a learning curve . . But after that post came out it became clear we were never properly informed.

Here's another example: something that came out in Cobalt's post #82 just 2 posts before his disclosure of his Nov. 17th event.

From post 82: "Everyone's situation is different, but you all have experience, and experiences to relate, where I have none. "

 

[CobaltSky]

Greetings varmint,

I see the situation less as a learning curve and more as a failure to disclose really important information.

My point is that cobaltsky revealed is post 84 (I believe is the correct number) about this huge and dramatic event relating to Nov. 17th (well before this thread ever started). While we're all glad that child bearing and threatening event worked out well . . in no way did that event fit in with the opening post and considerations.

We could have cut 125 posts down to 45 or so in short order had we all known of the event and his feelings back then already in November and December. Much of the desire and product needs and budget concerns already existed but we were never informed of them in my opinion. Our desire to assist current and perspective tractor owners is a value to them (as i've experienced in my own needs). But while those viewpoints and experience are freely offered, they come at a cost of time and effort by the members. Each of us participates at a personal cost . . to benefit others.

I'd challenge anyone to go back and read the post where Cobaltsky reveals his Nov. 17th experience and thoughts (think it was post 84) . . and then go back to his first few posts at the start of the thread. I'm glad Cobaltsky had a happy ending to the birth. I'm glad he got the tractor he needed . . but I'm not glad that such key information was withheld early on because many of us that posted would have had far fewer and more focused posts and spent less effort in the process.

Until that post came out I believed there was a learning curve . . But after that post came out it became clear we were never properly informed.

Here's another example: something that came out in Cobalt's post #82 just 2 posts before his disclosure of his Nov. 17th event.

From post 82: "Everyone's situation is different, but you all have experience, and experiences to relate, where I have none. "

Wow. I feel this post is a bit unfair. Forgive me for not disclosing a personal traumatic event on my first post ever, and not personally wanting to turn a tractor purchase into an impulse buy based on a single traumatic event. I even think I said later that all the tractor in the world wouldn't have made a difference that morning because I wouldn't have had time to get out and take care of it. I wanted advice based on my land, driveway, weather conditions, and budget, not the freak 1% chance of what happened here on 11/17.

Sorry if anyone feels I wasted their time. I feel like I received a lot of good and varying advice throughout, and I thank EVERYONE who contributed. In the end, I feel like I did my due diligence, and researched the **** out of the decision and hopefully I'll be happy for a long time going forward.

Without all of the good discussion here, and discussion with local folks, I would have probably arrived at a very different decision, and one that I may have regretted in time. There is always still that chance of regret, but hopefully you all have helped me minimize the probability of that. So again, I thank you all and apologize if anyone else believes that I wasted your time by intentionally withholding critical information.

 

[airbiscuit]

I'll say it again, You chose wisely Grasshopper!


How are you doing with wait? You are going to have so much fun with your purchase, and you will be happy for years to come.

 

[CobaltSky]

How are you doing with wait? You are going to have so much fun with your purchase, and you will be happy for years to come.

I'm holding up. Dealer was supposed to get it any time now. I haven't called, because I don't want to be a pest. I am wondering if they will delay it any so they can make one trip and deliver it with the land leveler at the same time (since the land leveler wasn't in stock).

I picked up some forks from Titan, but another poster has me concerned that the USA built set I bought will have too much looseness in the forks because the frame only measures 15 7/8", same as a set he returned previously.

I was all set to buy a Caroni TM1900 flail but they will not have them in stock until late May... So I am trying to decide to wait on that or go with a Chinese flail from eBay or Woodmaxx. I can't really find any feedback from anyone who actually bought the Woodmaxx. Not really any used flail mowers around here either. Things are just now getting a bit green out there and I am itching to get out and knock down the 2+ years worth of brown, to give things a better chance, so getting harder to wait for the Italian flail.

 

[fried1765]

I'm holding up. Dealer was supposed to get it any time now. I haven't called, because I don't want to be a pest. I am wondering if they will delay it any so they can make one trip and deliver it with the land leveler at the same time (since the land leveler wasn't in stock).

I picked up some forks from Titan, but another poster has me concerned that the USA built set I bought will have too much looseness in the forks because the frame only measures 15 7/8", same as a set he returned previously.













I was all set to buy a Caroni TM1900 flail but they will not have them in stock until late May... So I am trying to decide to wait on that or go with a Chinese flail from eBay or Woodmaxx. I can't really find any feedback from anyone who actually bought the Woodmaxx. Not really any used flail mowers around here either. Things are just now getting a bit green out there and I am itching to get out and knock down the 2+ years worth of brown, to give things a better chance, so getting harder to wait for the Italian flail.

Caroni equipment generally gets good reviews.
Control your itch! Try a little patience!
You will have that flail mower for many YEARS!
Late May is only 5-6 weeks away.

 

[brasco426]

I agree with fried1765. You didn't skimp out on your tractor purchase, so why now on the flail. I'd hold out a little longer to get what you really want. I'm still waiting on my hd BoxBlade to arrive it's been since February lol.

 

[vanguard]

I picked up some forks from Titan, but another poster has me concerned that the USA built set I bought will have too much looseness in the forks because the frame only measures 15 7/8", same as a set he returned previously.

I have pallet forks from titan and I love them. When I bought them my wife kind of fussed with concern that I wouldn't get much use out of them. It's been over a year and the tractor spends more time with the pallet forks on than the bucket. Sometimes it's the full forks and sometimes it's the just the base. My base has a receiver hitch and we use that to pull out small trees and fence posts.

I will say this, be advised that pallet forks makes you REALLY long. It's easy to turn the wheel without predicting how many things you can hit.

Side note: I was so happy with my titan forks that I bought a tree stump bucket from them. That thing is such a beast that I now look at them first for anything I need.

 

[TJP89]

You've just spent major money on a good tractor. Don't get anxious and rush into a sub-par mower that you will regret.

Why are you set on a flail mower? Just curious, but rotary cutters work just fine as well.

 

[CobaltSky]

You've just spent major money on a good tractor. Don't get anxious and rush into a sub-par mower that you will regret.

Why are you set on a flail mower? Just curious, but rotary cutters work just fine as well.

We don't have any heavy brush, it is mostly pasture grasses. I would like to be able to mow near the house and around kids and animals without fear of projectiles. I also see a flail as a good compromise between a rotary and finish mower. Something I can use on yard and rougher uneven pasture that can handle the occasional rock strike or sapling better than a finish mower would. I'm no expert, but this is where my research has been leading.

I have been leaning towards waiting for the Caroni. Wife seems to think I should, and she is always right.

 

[TJP89]

We don't have any heavy brush, it is mostly pasture grasses. I would like to be able to mow near the house and around kids and animals without fear of projectiles. I also see a flail as a good compromise between a rotary and finish mower. Something I can use on yard and rougher uneven pasture that can handle the occasional rock strike or sapling better than a finish mower would. I'm no expert, but this is where my research has been leading.

I have been leaning towards waiting for the Caroni. Wife seems to think I should, and she is always right.

Sounds reasonable to me. I just wanted something to hack through the woods with, so no need for a flail. Also, $200 for a decent one was too good a deal to pass up. I had actually never heard of flail mowers until I got on here, I think there was a huge thread that I read half of before I gave up on the topic. No one around me uses them, its just brushogs as we call them.

 

[paulfun9]

Wow. I feel this post is a bit unfair. Forgive me for not disclosing a personal traumatic event on my first post ever, and not personally wanting to turn a tractor purchase into an impulse buy based on a single traumatic event. I even think I said later that all the tractor in the world wouldn't have made a difference that morning because I wouldn't have had time to get out and take care of it. I wanted advice based on my land, driveway, weather conditions, and budget, not the freak 1% chance of what happened here on 11/17.

Sorry if anyone feels I wasted their time. I feel like I received a lot of good and varying advice throughout, and I thank EVERYONE who contributed. In the end, I feel like I did my due diligence, and researched the **** out of the decision and hopefully I'll be happy for a long time going forward.

Without all of the good discussion here, and discussion with local folks, I would have probably arrived at a very different decision, and one that I may have regretted in time. There is always still that chance of regret, but hopefully you all have helped me minimize the probability of that. So again, I thank you all and apologize if anyone else believes that I wasted your time by intentionally withholding critical information.

Don't bother wasting your time worried about a post like that! Some people just don't get it and never will!

I read your first post, relayed my experience the best I could based on the information that was already being provided by others and the only time wasted was having to argue with someone who took( as he proudly admits in other posts) YEARS to decide on which machine to buy. Talk about wasted time?

Good luck with your new machine and we all hope that we have helped you to make the right choice the first time around.

 

[murphy1244]

Don't bother wasting your time worried about a post like that! Some people just don't get it and never will!

I read your first post, relayed my experience the best I could based on the information that was already being provided by others and the only time wasted was having to argue with someone who took( as he proudly admits in other posts) YEARS to decide on which machine to buy. Talk about wasted time?

Good luck with your new machine and we all hope that we have helped you to make the right choice the first time around.

^^^ there should be a like button^^^^

 

[varmint]

Yeah, no one is forcing any of us to waste time here, so don't let it bother you. We all have bad days, and we all say things that perhaps don't really reflect who we want to be. And, I don't know anything about flail mowers, but it sounds like patience is its own reward, or something. Respect you wife's intuition, or maybe she knows flail mowers!

 

[CobaltSky]

Respect you wife's intuition, or maybe she knows flail mowers!

She doesn't know jack about flail mowers, but she knows how to read me, and she knows in the long run I would probably be happier spending a little more and waiting a little longer, despite my arguments that many (most?) folks that have bought the Chinese flails from eBay have been happy with them, and seemed to get a bargain. But like I said, she is always right in the end, whether facts support her or not
I'll have to see if AS will let me get on a waiting list or if I need to wait to order until they actually have them back in stock.

 

[CobaltSky]

Tractor was delivered on Friday, about 6 hours before a huge spring snowstorm hit. I would say we got about 20 inches of heavy wet snow. It finally stopped snowing about 5 hours ago. Coincidentally the tractor has 5 hours on it now. The driveway and turnaround are clear, along with a drifted section of the community road past our driveway. Glad I got the cab. It was toasty, no coat, no gloves. I'm smilin'