looking for another tractor

[SenileTexasAggie]

I am new to the forum, having just joined Sat, Apr 25. I am hoping you folks can provide me with the professional help my wife is always telling me I need.

My previous tractor, a 2005 New Holland TC48DA, died a painful death a few weeks ago. It was no fault of the tractor but the idiot who was operating it (me). So now I am in the market for another tractor, new or used. I am looking for a good source of reliability info, akin to what is available from Consumer Reports for used cars, but instead for tractors. That way, I hope to avoid tractor manufacturers or models with a history of trouble.

Here is what I have: 160 acres, with ~80 in pasture and 80 in woods. I currently have no plans to cut the woods except to perhaps built UTV trails through them. I do cut the woods along the edges, where they have encroached into the pastures. Currently, 50 acres are leased to another farmer for hay cutting, with the other 30 being a bit overgrown (lots of trees interspersed) which I cut. I have the following implements: shredder/rotary mower, wood chipper, box blade, landscape rake, (SSQA) bucket, grapple, tree shear, stump bucket, hay bale spear, pallet forks.

I appreciate whatever advice you can provide.

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[jeff9366]

How did the weight, power, transmission and amenities of your NH TC48DA suit you?



New Holland TC48DA

2003 - 2008
Boomer TC-A Series
Compact Utility tractor
Series: TC45A ← TC48DA → TC55DA
Production
Manufacturer: New Holland
Type: Compact Utility tractor
The New Holland Boomer TC48DA was unable to make the advertised 3-point lift of 3,465 pounds or 12 GPM of hydraulic flow during official testing. Measured performance was a lift of 2,789 pounds and a flow rate of 11.3 GPM.

Variants
CaseIH Farmall DX48
New Holland TC48DA Power
Engine: 48 hp
35.8 kW
PTO (claimed): 40 hp
29.8 kW
PTO (tested): 40.98 hp
30.6 kW
power test details ...
New Holland TC48DA Engine
Shibaura 2.2L 4-cyl diesel
Fuel tank: 13.5 gal
51.1 L

Mechanical
Chassis: 4x2 2WD
4x4 MFWD 4WD
Steering: power
Brakes: differential mechanical wet disc
Cab: ROPS. Canopy optional.
Transmission: 12-speed synch shuttle

Hydraulics
Type: open center
Valves: 3 (optional)
Total flow: 12 gpm
45.4 lpm
Steering flow: 5.52 gpm
20.9 lpm
Tractor hitch
Rear Type: II/I
Rear lift (at 24"/610mm): 3,465 lbs
1571 kg
Power Take-off (PTO)
Rear PTO: independent
Rear RPM: 540

Dimensions
Wheelbase: 74.8 inches
189 cm
Weight: 4,315 lbs
1957 kg
Front tire: 9.5L-15
Rear tire: 14.9-28

Page information
Last update: February 1, 2020
Copyright: Copyright 2020 TractorData LLC
Contact: Peter@TractorData.com

 

[rademamj1]

Despite serious effort at finding a Consumer Reports for Tractors, or something like a Car and Driver reviews for tractors. I could not find anything those comparative reviews. So instead, your going to have to do your own research, as to strengths and weaknesses of tractor brands.

Start with looking at what your wanting to do with the tractor and focus that way. With such a large property, I would start with 33Hp to 50Hp range. The subcompacts in the 18 to 26 Hp range are probably just too small for your property size and future tasks.
Especially if you get that 50 acres back. And used tractors are getting high prices, close to newer tractors.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Not trying to pour salt into your fresh wound, but would you mind briefly describing how you killed your last tractor?

Might help us know which way to steer you on the next one.

 

[3gunr]

With that much land to deal with ,I would be looking at 50 hp min and 60 to 70 hp would not be over doing it.

 

[SenileTexasAggie]

How did the weight, power, transmission and amenities of your NH TC48DA suit you?

I really liked it. It had a manual 12x12 transmission and all of the power I needed except a time or two when the loader (LA 16) could not pick up a log or tree truck. I would gladly buy another one if I could find another in decent shape. I looked on tractorhouse DOT com and there were only three listed in the entire USA. along with only 3 for its bigger brother TC53DA. It was an open station style tractor. If I buy another tractor, I am considering a cab.

Not trying to pour salt into your fresh wound, but would you mind briefly describing how you killed your last tractor?

Might help us know which way to steer you on the next one.

In the next edition of Webster's dictionary, my picture will be next to the word idiot. On Monday and Tuesday a couple of weeks ago, I cut down every cedar tree I could get to in the pasture that I mow, part of my thinning out of the trees in that area. Unknown to me, sometime on Tuesday a tree or limb bent my oil dipstick tube, causing oil to blow out of the crankcase. On Wednesday, I went out to pick up all of the cedar trees I had cut down. I noticed that there was a small amount of oil on the shop floor on the right side of the tractor. I decided that I would look into the source of the leak when I got finished picking up the cedar trees. While I was picking up the trees, the oil pressure light came on. Here's the bigger idiot part -- for some reason I thought that the oil pressure light was on the left and the light that was on simply meant that the tractor was not running. I thought that perhaps I had dislodged the wire, as I had done that numerous times with the neutral safety switch (I finally had to bypass the neutral safety switch because it kept getting torn loose by brush). So I kept working for 2 hours or so with no oil in the engine. Finally, as I backed into the shop, the engine started making a really bad knocking sound (I wonder why ). Once I went into the house, I looked up in the owner's manual just exactly what that light meant. When it said oil pressure, I became physically ill, and it hit me that I had most certainly ruined the engine. The next day, when I went to check the oil level, I discovered that the source of the oil leak was a bent dipstick. I filled the tractor with oil and started it back up. It ran but then soon sounded like front load washing machine with a bucket of bolts in the tub.

Based on the above story, I expect you folks will now recommend I get a toy tractor, as less damage will occur when I tear that one up! I certainly deserve such responses.

Senile Texas Aggie

BTW, for those of you unfamiliar with Texas Aggies, enter into your favorite search engine "Texas Aggie jokes". It will explain a lot about me.

 

[airbiscuit]

The only advice I can give comes from anecdotal reports on TBN threads. I seem to have seen that some of the 5xxx series John Deere's had problems, and others did not. It also seems that some of the Mahindras have quality issues (but those made by TYM seem okay?). There is one recent model of Kubota (B3350?) that even Kubota dealers don't want to take in on trade.

I sure did like those Shibaura built New Hollands.

 

[rScotty]

I really liked it. It had a manual 12x12 transmission and all of the power I needed except a time or two when the loader (LA 16) could not pick up a log or tree truck. I would gladly buy another one if I could find another in decent shape. I looked on tractorhouse DOT com and there were only three listed in the entire USA. along with only 3 for its bigger brother TC53DA. It was an open station style tractor. If I buy another tractor, I am considering a cab.

SNIPPED OUT THE MIDDLE....

Based on the above story, I expect you folks will now recommend I get a toy tractor, as less damage will occur when I tear that one up! I certainly deserve such responses.

Senile Texas Aggie

BTW, for those of you unfamiliar with Texas Aggies, enter into your favorite search engine "Texas Aggie jokes". It will explain a lot about me.

Oh, I wouldn't be too hard on yourself.

But maybe that's because I just did some thing similar.... On the LandCruiser SUV I've owned for 22 years I just spent a month trying to figure out a problem that is going to sound equally senile. And perhaps it is.....

What I was seeing was the needle on the temperature gauge on the dash (labeled with the icon of a teapot) suddenly got erratic. On a late night trip, it began going from low to high when I accelerated from idle, and then back to medium when driving at a constant speed. It seemed to follow engine rpm exactly. No other symptoms except the gauge. But why would temperature follow rpm so quickly and closely? Being a pretty good mechanic, I devised several tests, and even raided the kitchen the next day for a candy thermometer which I strapped & taped onto the radiator hose. All of the tests - and the candy thermometer - confirmed that the engine heat was perfect and stable....so why was the gauge so wonky?

The software said that the temperature was stable, and confirmed that the gauge was reporting accurately. So where was the problem? I took it to the dealer and showed them the problem....they saw what I saw, but they didn't have an answer.
Their sorta young mechanic did say he wasn't so familiar with those old analogue non-digital gauges. OLD?!? What's OLD? This car is just barely old enough to vote! Hardly a quarter million miles. Wattayamean OLD! Phoofey!

On the way home is when it dawned on me. That icon on the gauge isn't a teapot with steam coming out the spout. It's intended to be a picture of a pitcher full of oil, and what is coming out the spout is supposed to represent a drop of oil. That's not a temperature gauge at all. It never was. That's an oil pressure gauge.....what I've been looking at is the oil pressure gauge. So of course it goes from low to high as the engine revs up and then back to medium at cruise. That's what it's supposed to do, dummy.

Sure enough, a little bit of scouting around confirmed the temperature gauge is below that oil pressure gauge, sort of hidden by the dashboard edge, works fine and is stable in the good zone. The temperature gauge has a thermometer icon just like you would expect it to. In fact, the icon looks a bit like the candy thermometer I forgot about and just remember it's still taped to the radiator hose. Better go rescue that.
rScotty

BTW, I went to High School in central Texas. So this might not be us at all. Maybe it's a regional Aggie problem.

 

[Beeenvenue]

Class of 86. Not getting into my own dumb stunts....
New to tractors and land. Have a kioti 3510se hst for 14 open acres with lots of undulations 5-10 ft high. 35 engine HP, 29 PTO. I can bog it down pulling a 5’ medium bushog in 2-4’ high heavy growth of weeds, especially in the morning or when wet. If I had 80 acres I would want more than even a 6’ bushog and while I think I could go to 6’ wide I don’t think I can or should try more. So for 80 I’d want quite a bit bigger and perhaps a batwing just so I didn’t spend all my time cutting.

 

[rScotty]

The only advice I can give comes from anecdotal reports on TBN threads. I seem to have seen that some of the 5xxx series John Deere's had problems, and others did not. It also seems that some of the Mahindras have quality issues (but those made by TYM seem okay?). There is one recent model of Kubota (B3350?) that even Kubota dealers don't want to take in on trade.

I sure did like those Shibaura built New Hollands.

Yep, I liked them too. Especially those motors had a nice sound. That 12x12 tranny is hard to beat The balance was good..good loader too. The hydraulics won't be hurt. And better yet, that is the era before all the new emissions equipment became mandatory. All in all, a desireable tractor even with serious engine damage. Those are moving engine parts, and if it didn't absolutely let go, it's rebuildable. In fact, from that era they are pretty much infinitely rebuildable. There's a time I would have loved to have a chance at such a nice tractor that only needed some mechanical attention.

I'd get a really good diesel mechanic - maybe an good old guy in an independent shop - a chance to go through that engine. We could talk about that; it may not be all that bad. And I'd let him or you price out a whole new or reman engine. A good job is going to take a while. It might easily be a year.

And that's not all bad either, because it strikes me that with 160 acres and all those implements that's a place just begging for two tractors.
Do I wouldn't let this screw-up rob me of a chance to get a nice new machine. Then next year you can decide to keep them both.
rScotty

 

[mred2]

I lived in East Arkansas a long time, many years ago. If you wanted a large tractor, a good bit of 100+ stuff in east Arkansas. But not a lot below 100 hp. If you liked the New Holland, you may want to look at the LS. I purchased an XR4150 that I really like. The good thing today is there are a lot of great tractors being made. Look in your area and test drive everything. You may find, as I did, just some just didn't fit you right. Mine is a shuttle shift, non power, 16 speeds. 50hp. It does what I want it to do. I can let other people speak about the other brands, but most of them are good. Look at dealers, pick the good ones, if you want a close dealer. Test drive a lot and then check out that brand and model. Most, other than Deere, will come with SSQA FEL. I think you can now order one with Deere. I assume that your attachments are Cat 2. Good luck with the search. Take your time and have some fun shopping.

 

[airbiscuit]

If you go with the two tractor plan, sometimes the higher hp tractors can be real bargains. My neighbor has a Kubota M9540 and it's a real nice tractor. If you look around a bit, you can find them with a cab and loader for $35k or less.

 

[finn1]

I like my Kioti. For you, an NX or maybe even a DK series would be adequate. Consider a HST transmission.

But, before I panicked and ran out and bought a new tractor, consider taking you tractor to a dealer or independent repair shop for an autopsy and repair quote. You will get almost nothing for it as is, and an engine tear down is in order to understand what is required to get it going again. It may be as simple as a crank kit, or as bad as a remanufactured short block, long block, or complete engine.

In any event, it would be cheaper than a new engine.

When I do something dumb, I just consider it part of the mandatory stupidity tax.

 

[SenileTexasAggie]

Thanks, all, for your inputs. I did have the dealer quote a price for a rebuilt engine or an overhaul. The dealer said that the engine is no longer available, and that to rebuild it would cost $10-15K, and that there was a chance that it could not be rebuilt. I have not priced the larger HP tractors, so I may look into that. But I keep running into the question of whether I am buying a tractor or tractor model with a history of trouble.

Thanks again everyone for your inputs. I will let everyone know what I decide to do.

 

[Egon]

If the oil was blown out of the dipstick hole it is very possible the rings, cylinders were well worn and ready for incipient failure. Do not blame yourself. An overhaul was in the near future.

As for a different tractor a larger used farm tractor may work for you. Probably stay with one of the major brands and have it checked out by a competent individual before purchase.

 

[rScotty]

Thanks, all, for your inputs. I did have the dealer quote a price for a rebuilt engine or an overhaul. The dealer said that the engine is no longer available, and that to rebuild it would cost $10-15K, and that there was a chance that it could not be rebuilt. I have not priced the larger HP tractors, so I may look into that. But I keep running into the question of whether I am buying a tractor or tractor model with a history of trouble.

Thanks again everyone for your inputs. I will let everyone know what I decide to do.

Now don't give up yet. Stick with me for a moment, here.

What you heard from the dealer is exactly why I would spend a little bit of time looking for an older mechanic in an independent shop. You need a different job than the dealer is set up for. They used to do that work but don't much anymore. It's not the dealer's fault, their world is now new machines rather than repairs. The whole world is changing....but the old one is still hanging on.

I believe those old mechanics are still out there, do excellent work, and cost far less. I'll tell you how to find them, because they aren't online and don't advertise. My guess is around 6 to 8K for a rebuild if the block is good - and he will know that before he starts spending too much of your money. I did that kind of work for awhile and know the type of mechanic you want... in fact, I guess I was the that type. Jobs like yours are bread and butter. Don't you go giving up without even a try.

There used to be a mechanical shop like that in most rural communities. The mechanic I'm thinking of would have connections to an equally competent machinist and the local automotive machine shop - as well as an excellent network for parts that is not part of the standard dealership. He doesn't advertise because word of mouth brings him all the business he wants. You may find him by asking other mechanics - especially those at diesel specialty shops. But the best source of info I know is to ask the owner or foreman of the local automotive machine shop. He will know who brings him work. Auto machine shops are almost always independent shops as well. It's a vanishing breed, but not yet gone.
Good luck,
rScotty

 

[mred2]

Agree with rscotty. The place I work for, in office, replaces a lot of engines. Little rebuild is done anymore. A short block will have a good warranty from manufacturer. Today most mechanics just replace parts. And not a good machine shop left in town. Don't give up but nothing wrong with having two tractors.

 

[kthompson]

Sorry about the tractor damage. When you find the mechanic rScotty is talking about and they are out there, ask their recommendation. They know the brands in their, your area. In my recent search for a tractor found machinefinder.com to be the best just understand it is John Deere's. It is very good at searching JD dealerships, not others. As to Consumer Reports not aware there is any one who reports on commercial products in any line. There is a reason the brand names become brand names. I now own three Kubotas. From 27 to 68 hp. From very simple (M6800 basic open station) to very complicated (L6060 with cab), yet of the four tractors I currently own my favorite is a JD5525. More hp than you want but I can run that tractor all day, get out the cab as clean as when I got in the cab and not beat to death. Some of that difference is due to the larger size but still thoughts from my experience:

Weight is your friend. It helps with traction, stability and ride comfort. Smooth hydraulics. Can you raise and lower implements with full control? How does it handle running wide open on a road with heavy implement on it? How is the clearance? Is it easy to install or remove the front end loader if it has one and same for the 3 point hitch. What are the stabilizers, are they easy to allow the lift arms to swing for installing or removing an implement. If manual transmission is it synchronized, if not a pain in shifting.

I would suggest you find a tractor or two you like and visit that brands shop and talk with the shop manager. I think mechanics are honest on their experience. FYI I posted about hearing from three different JD dealerships there was issues with the 5000e model JD. One here took me to task, seem he took it personal. Any time I have three sellers of a product it has an issue I trust them. Had a Kubota dealer tell me same thing with two traded in with him they were less than 1 year old. Have a good friend who owns a tractor garage tell me same. He went further stay away from any "E" model of any brand.The exact model was and is built in India. Per JD website a few days ago they still are. There are other 5000 models that are some mighty fine tractors.

To me when you are looking at any item that is a price point item, they had to either cut something, use less expensive parts, less convenient operation. It is up to the buyer to determine if those differences are important to you or not.

 

[fried1765]

Yep, I liked them too. Especially those motors had a nice sound. That 12x12 tranny is hard to beat The balance was good..good loader too. The hydraulics won't be hurt. And better yet, that is the era before all the new emissions equipment became mandatory. All in all, a desireable tractor even with serious engine damage. Those are moving engine parts, and if it didn't absolutely let go, it's rebuildable. In fact, from that era they are pretty much infinitely rebuildable. There's a time I would have loved to have a chance at such a nice tractor that only needed some mechanical attention.

I'd get a really good diesel mechanic - maybe an good old guy in an independent shop - a chance to go through that engine. We could talk about that; it may not be all that bad. And I'd let him or you price out a whole new or reman engine. A good job is going to take a while. It might easily be a year.

And that's not all bad either, because it strikes me that with 160 acres and all those implements that's a place just begging for two tractors.
Do I wouldn't let this screw-up rob me of a chance to get a nice new machine. Then next year you can decide to keep them both.
rScotty

^^^^^^EXCELLENT ADVICE !!!!

 

[fried1765]

Now don't give up yet. Stick with me for a moment, here.

What you heard from the dealer is exactly why I would spend a little bit of time looking for an older mechanic in an independent shop. You need a different job than the dealer is set up for. They used to do that work but don't much anymore. It's not the dealer's fault, their world is now new machines rather than repairs. The whole world is changing....but the old one is still hanging on.

I believe those old mechanics are still out there, do excellent work, and cost far less. I'll tell you how to find them, because they aren't online and don't advertise. My guess is around 6 to 8K for a rebuild if the block is good - and he will know that before he starts spending too much of your money. I did that kind of work for awhile and know the type of mechanic you want... in fact, I guess I was the that type. Jobs like yours are bread and butter. Don't you go giving up without even a try.

There used to be a mechanical shop like that in most rural communities. The mechanic I'm thinking of would have connections to an equally competent machinist and the local automotive machine shop - as well as an excellent network for parts that is not part of the standard dealership. He doesn't advertise because word of mouth brings him all the business he wants. You may find him by asking other mechanics - especially those at diesel specialty shops. But the best source of info I know is to ask the owner or foreman of the local automotive machine shop. He will know who brings him work. Auto machine shops are almost always independent shops as well. It's a vanishing breed, but not yet gone.
Good luck,
rScotty

^^^^^MORE EXCELLENT ADVICE !!!!