Help me buy a compact tractor - information overload...

[jeff9366]

Found package deal pricing with trailers and everything on tractor house.com (really, cheaper in Texas? ROAD TRIP...) and some good deals in Illinois.

If your LOCATION was filled in on your T-B-N PROFILE about now someone would write you where the dealer with the sharp pencil is, near your home.

Package Deals: Shady Internet Tractor Package "deals" - YouTube

 

[4570Man]

If your LOCATION was filled in on your T-B-N PROFILE, about now someone would write you where the dealer with the sharp pencil is, near your home.

Package Deals: Shady Internet Tractor Package "deals" - YouTube

I’m glad we have a self appointed location police. Knock it off. No one else cares.

 

[majorwager]

4570 man,

Agree, some folks just prefer a little privacy, The OP named a city from which he lives 45 minutes. Do we need more?


As an aside, many larger kubota dealers do offer factory package deals. Jeffy doesn't understand folks have search engines and an intellect.

Treats folks as if they are unable to tie their own shoes.

 

[ericm979]

The package deals usually have the absolute cheapest trailer and implements. Spending a little more on them can get sturdier ones.

If you get get a SSQA loader which I'd strongly recommend you can put any SSQA bucket on it. That can give you a few more options.

A wider track on the rear wheels makes for a tractor that is more stable on slopes. If you will be working on slopes that will be important and unfortunately working against your width restriction.

R1s wear quickly when used on pavement. They're also rough on lawns.

When I asked here about operating on a leach field I got 50% sure no problem and 50% no way you'll ruin it. There's a lot of youtube videos showing where people ruined their leach field. If yours is getting mowed now it's probably ok to use equipment that weighs that much and has that much footprint (R4s have a larger footprint than R1s, spreading out the force). But if the leach field is ever wet at all I'd reconsider operating on it.

B3350s had a lot of problems with their emissions equipment. I was considering them when I was shopping last year and even the dealers were discouraging me.

Cut a piece of PVC pipe to the width of the tractor you're considering and walk around the restricted areas with it, keeping in mind that when turning the bucket takes a longer arc than the tires. That'll help visualize how well it'll fit. I did that and ended up deciding that a larger tractor would work. There's one spot where it's pretty tight to operate but it's doable and still faster than the old B7100. Everywhere else I've been glad I went larger. The wider tractor can handle slopes better and pretty much all our land is steep.

 

[GirlWhoWantsTractor]

Limitations

• In order to get to back yard, the side areas are tight at 72" - so we'd like to stay under 60" width for the tractor - including bucket - 60" absolute TOP

Not sure why you need a 35HP tractor to maintain 2 acres. Also, it won't fit within the under 60" width you need. Aside from the width of the tractor itself, you want your implements to be a bit wider than the tractor for obvious reasons. A 5' implement is of course 60" wide and will give you just 6" of clearance on each side through your 72" space. If you're comfortable with that, you're looking at a max tractor width of around 54", including the tires.

If you're new to tractors, you may be underestimating the power and capability of a 25HP tractor.

 

[Jam242ti]

I just went through this process last fall and understand totally. This may be sacrilege but most of the brands are good quality, most source major components from the same companies. So a big decider for me was the ergonomics of the operator station particularly the location and operation of the FEL joystick, the operating pedals, the brake, the locking differential etc.... The next criteria was quality and convenience of the dealer, and the last was price. In my HP/weight range the Yanmar happened to have the most effective operator station for my body size, two dealers within 50 miles and one makes house calls, and the price was in the low-medium range for the less than 25hp category. I do have one small recommendation when test driving tractors. Wear the boots or shoes you will most often be wearing when operating the tractor my foot pedals are a little to close together for me and occasionally I find myself pushing both at the same time. I don't have large feet (9) but with my work boots I need to be careful until I learn better habits.

 

[Tompet]

With your budget and outline, I would suggest a Kubota B2650 rather than the B3350. You mentioned a B26 which would work well, but you would be looking at used according to your budget over desire for new. The 2501, though heavier is more of a bare bones setup vs the B2650.

Whatever you get consider adding SS quick attach to FEL.

Whether Kubota or another brand, Kioti, LS etc., new and in your budget you'll be in this size range. Which will be fine. You will enjoy having the backhoe for your tasks. I traded up specifically for a more capable BH with full bucket rotation and swing.

 

[GirlWhoWantsTractor]

With your $25k+ budget you should have many choices in the 24-26HP range, except perhaps for Deere and Kubota, which tend to cost a bit more. Kioti, RK, Branson, Mahindra, Massey Ferguson, Yanmar--are also good brands. Sounds like you want max power in a smaller package; so compare size, weight and lift capacity. Then drive them all and get price quotes on paper--price "out the door"--including the implements you want. Since width is critical for you, I would bring a tape measure. Specs are sometimes deceptive. Also get a feel for the dealer. Tractor *salesmen* are a pretty mixed bag IMO, so also speak to a manager, or better yet the service manager, if you can. I like to take a peek at the service bay; should be clean and orderly. Also I like to ask questions I already know the answer to--from TBN--to test their knowledge.

You might want to rethink the backhoe. A lot of dirt moving tasks can be done with a FEL equipped with a PTB. You can make ditches with a rear tilt blade. Not sure what you mean by "digging/trenching for hardscapes," but it would take a lot of trenching to pay for a $10k backhoe, and once that's done, will it just sit in your garage? Renting a small excavator might make more $$$ sense. Plus, with that machine you can scoop and scoot.

 

[deezler]

Limitations

• In order to get to back yard, the side areas are tight at 72" - so we'd like to stay under 60" width for the tractor - including bucket - 60" absolute TOP
  
  Currently looking at Kubota and something like a B3350 - but then.... saw Kioti, John Deere, and others - and that led to the information overload.
  

• 
  
  You have 15 acres and somehow only have 72" around your house to move around?!?!?
  
  Don't buy a tractor for minimum width! You need weight and width for balance, stability and capability. Just make the narrow areas of your property wider, or go around the narrow spots and get a little used riding mower for backup if you have to.
  
  I started with 19 acres but sold off two parcels to end up at 10 acres now. I'm looking very strongly at the Kioti CK3510H, as it seems to represent an excellent balance of capability with affordability. Not too big, not too small, plenty of power, and should be reliable if this forum is any indication.

 

[Yanmar Tractor]

If youæ±*e interested in the Kubota B3350, cross shop the Yanmar YT235. Premium features, a little more weight than the B, 60 wide with R4ç—´, and has a 60 bucket. Japanese quality, assembled in Georgia.

There are 16 Yanmar Tractor dealership locations with 200 miles of Wilson NC.

Dealer Locator - Yanmar Tractor