Looking for my True (Tractor) Love

[Gittyup]

Rimguard is fluid that is put in your tires by the dealer to add weight. It never needs replacing as long as you don't get a flat and lose it all.

With a grapple, I'd want the heft of a CUT for the loader lift capacity as well as the general weight of the tractor. The Kioti CK20 is about as small as I would go with that kind of set up. FEL lift capacity would be important metric if wanting to use a grapple. The bigger the tractor the more capacity it'll have. Many of the SCUTS are like only 600 - 800 lbs of lift. That's marginal except for light work.

Look in the "Owning/Operating" forum. There is a recent thread titled "How man TnT owners" that should give you a good idea what a hydraulic toplink/sidelink are all about. Also search for "tnt", "topntilt", "rear remotes" and so on. You'll find all the information you need about their uses.

Yes you can get a finish mower for just about any tractor. But, they cost about as much as a separate riding mower, and are less manueverable behind a bigger tractor.

Want a rider that won't give you belt fits? Look at those that have shaft drives. Probably talking used here, but a much better choice than a new cheapo belt-driven one. Some suggestions JD 400/420/425/445/455 (used ~$2000 - $5000) or even an older Gravely 800 series tractor ($400 - $600) - unstoppable, if you can find one in good shape. Older Cub Cadets are good too. Many others also make shaft driven mowers. You'll have to do your homework here. On the other end of the spectrum, my neighbor has one of those Homedepot JD riding mowers. He's had it for 4 years now and hasn't had to touch the belts....yet. Some of the Wheelhorse tractors are pretty good too, even though they do use belts.

The JD 2500 series would be a good fit for you or a bota B30xx series. In a Kioti the CK's are nice and come with lots of extras (I love my CK25). The TYM T273 is very nice. Mahindra, New Holland, and Massey Furgeson also have nice machines in this size.

You might want to think down the road where you might have to maintain the land you now lease out. That might say get more HP so you can run bigger implements. Me, I'd be looking hard at the DK35 or maybe even a DK40 (Kiotis). But these are bigger than you really need for your immediate tasks. But surely will meet your needs should your maintenance tasks grow. Buy big enough to start with and only buy once.

On the trailer. I bought one. Nice to have around. But, now wish I hadn't bought it. No more than it's needed, I say rent it, unless you plan to tow often. Otherwise, it just sits a lot, deteriorating in the weather and costing you to keep it tagged and in good running condition. And in Virginia you have to pay personal property tax on it each year to boot, and some counties/towns then will add their own local tax on top of that.

 

[Anianna]

I'm so glad I came here before going out to buy a tractor. You guys are giving me great information and I really appreciate it. Thanks a bunch!

 

[Gittyup]

You asked if you had to chose between just one: box blade or scraper blade. Opinions here are probably 50/50. The scraper is much better for snow, pushing dirt to the center or outside, and digging trench ditches on the sides of roads. The box is better for digging and moving dirt, flattening, smoothing, and finish and maintenance work on roads. Scraper blades are more plentiful used and you can usually pick one up for $300 of so. There is a good bit of variation in quality in both implements. The heavier the better; the heavier the more expensive too. In a scraper, you want one that angles on two axes. I also saw an awesome deal on a boxblade last week out of Winchester, VA. The BB was very heavy duty with retractable scarifiers. He only wanted $200 for it! It was easily worth 3 times that. So, there are deals out there used. But, you have to wait on them and be ready to jump when they first are advertised.

Me if I could have only one, and needed something to move snow, it would be the scraper (but only because of snow). But, the box is much much better at outright digging. Search in the attachments forum. The pros & cons of both have been discussed to death. If I had to buy new, I'd buy a boxblade. Then I'd look for a used scraper, just because scrapers are more plentiful on the used market.

 

[Anianna]

Gittyup, I'm in a bit of a conundrum over this subject myself. I eventually want to get both, but believe I will be limited in my implements because of my budget to start with. I figure I would get one now and one later, but am undecided over which would be better to start with.

The snow issue is not a big deal here. I would like to be able to move some snow, but if I can't, we have the 4x4 that has been great at getting us out of here in the snow and it doesn't snow that often.

My biggest problem is the low spot in the drive that needs repaired and all my gravel is hard packed into the dirt. Which of these implements would you personally prefer for this particular issue?

 

[mostly_gas]

I did not see that anyone answered the question on category sized 3 point hitches. My understanding is that there are 4 sizes of 3 point hitches,numbered 0 to 3, 0 being the smallest. SCUT will likely have a cat 0 or be able to take some cat 1 implements. CUT will likely have cat 1 sized 3 point hitch. In my neck of the woods most of the implements will be cat 1 that are sized for what you want to do and will be cheaper used.
Tires - R1 (ag tires or cleat type) will give the best traction, but if you use tractor for mowing they will also tear up your lawn far more than other types. Ask me how I know . Filling the tire with liquid helps with traction but again increases lawn damage. Turf type are best for lawn mowing but offer the least traction for doing other work. It can very expensive especially with 4WD tractors changing from one type to another because the wheel rim sizes required change with the change in tire type. My dealer quoted roughly $2,000 to change from R1 to turf type.
On your current lawn mower. Throwing belts is not the norm, so check for the belt to be correctly routed, and correct length and size, many of the riding lawn mowers use a non-standard belt size so you have to use their expensive belt. Ask me how I know. Also check to see if the brakes are fully disengaging which can also cause drive belt to jump.

 

[Anianna]

I did not see that anyone answered the question on category sized 3 point hitches. My understanding is that there are 4 sizes of 3 point hitches,numbered 0 to 3, 0 being the smallest. SCUT will likely have a cat 0 or be able to take some cat 1 implements. CUT will likely have cat 1 sized 3 point hitch. In my neck of the woods most of the implements will be cat 1 that are sized for what you want to do and will be cheaper used.
Tires - R1 (ag tires or cleat type) will give the best traction, but if you use tractor for mowing they will also tear up your lawn far more than other types. Ask me how I know . Filling the tire with liquid helps with traction but again increases lawn damage. Turf type are best for lawn mowing but offer the least traction for doing other work. It can very expensive especially with 4WD tractors changing from one type to another because the wheel rim sizes required change with the change in tire type. My dealer quoted roughly $2,000 to change from R1 to turf type.
On your current lawn mower. Throwing belts is not the norm, so check for the belt to be correctly routed, and correct length and size, many of the riding lawn mowers use a non-standard belt size so you have to use their expensive belt. Ask me how I know. Also check to see if the brakes are fully disengaging which can also cause drive belt to jump.

Oh, I misunderstood. I thought Cat 1 was a different type of hitch, not a size of the 3pt hitch. That makes sense now.

I have hard packed dirt and wild grasses. I also don't have neighbors to complain if it doesn't look up to snuff and I'm more for the utility than ensuring the snazziness of my lawn, so I'm thinking the AG tires are more up my alley.

When my current mower began throwing belts (about a year after I bought it), I went online to see if I could find an answer and it turns out there are a LOT of people complaining about the same thing regarding that model mower. The belt wears quickly as if it is rubbing on the pulleys and I haven't found a reason for it. The break is fully disengaged and there is nothing prohibiting the pulleys from turning properly. I always bought the branded replacement belt by the model number (I couldn't find an aftermarket equivalent anyway) and always threaded it as per the instructions for the mower. It has always been a hassle because the belts are relatively expensive (about $40) and the deck is not easy to dismantle, but must be removed to install the belt.

 

[62EOD]

Looking for a little help; how much tractor to buy? I just bought a 17 acre place, 15 acres was planted as alfalfa, the house sites on a .5 acre yard and the barn and arena is on about 1.5 acre. My plans are to keep the Alfalfa going. That means I need to buy all the equipment needed to bale the alfalfa, thinking about going with a 3 string baler. I am going to rebuild the barn and put up fencing around the whole property. I would like to make a .5 fishing pond on the property. Not really sure on how much tractor I would need to do all this.

 

[IslandTractor]

Looking for a little help; how much tractor to buy? I just bought a 17 acre place, 15 acres was planted as alfalfa, the house sites on a .5 acre yard and the barn and arena is on about 1.5 acre. My plans are to keep the Alfalfa going. That means I need to buy all the equipment needed to bale the alfalfa, thinking about going with a 3 string baler. I am going to rebuild the barn and put up fencing around the whole property. I would like to make a .5 fishing pond on the property. Not really sure on how much tractor I would need to do all this.

You should start a new thread or this one will be come very confusing.

 

[IslandTractor]

Tires - R1 (ag tires or cleat type) will give the best traction, but if you use tractor for mowing they will also tear up your lawn far more than other types. Ask me how I know . Filling the tire with liquid helps with traction but again increases lawn damage. Turf type are best for lawn mowing but offer the least traction for doing other work. It can very expensive especially with 4WD tractors changing from one type to another because the wheel rim sizes required change with the change in tire type. My dealer quoted roughly $2,000 to change from R1 to turf type.

You did not mention R4 tires with "industrial thread". That is a popular compromise precisely because of the issues you identified with both the turf and R1/Ag tires. R4's are often the best compromise for someone who is not exclusively mowing and who is not doing a lot of agricultural work. They are especially good for working in brush or woods as they tend to have more plys and are just generally tougher than the other two. Downsides are that their cleats clog up with mud pretty quickly in damp conditions compared to R1 and they are not quite a gentle on the lawn as turf tires.

 

[TripleR]

Gittyup, I'm in a bit of a conundrum over this subject myself. I eventually want to get both, but believe I will be limited in my implements because of my budget to start with. I figure I would get one now and one later, but am undecided over which would be better to start with.

The snow issue is not a big deal here. I would like to be able to move some snow, but if I can't, we have the 4x4 that has been great at getting us out of here in the snow and it doesn't snow that often.

My biggest problem is the low spot in the drive that needs repaired and all my gravel is hard packed into the dirt. Which of these implements would you personally prefer for this particular issue?

A box blade with scarifiers will probably work best for this. Unless you have a really heavy back blade or some downward pressure, it is not going to be able to break this up.

 

[LQPAPPY]

You might be able to use the fel to loosen up the driveway if you are not wanting to buy the box blade at this time. Just a thought.

 

[Gittyup]

The boxblade would be best to fix and maintain the driveway. I'll ask you again how you feel about the snow after this weekend.

R4 industrials are a good compromise and very tough. But, they aren't much better than turf tires in the mud. No free lunch. R4's are still your best bet, especially since you'll be going in the woods.

Craigslist and Searchtempest are great for finding used implements. Don't be afraid to drive a few miles to save a few hundred either. I picked up a chipper/shredder down in Christiansburg, VA (~300 miles away). I made the drive because I saved about $900 over the next lowest price. Paid $600 for a chipper that everyone else was selling for $1500 or more used. Also, drove 1.5 hours to pick up some telephone poles. Got 5 poles for $100, where 1 pole is worth that much. Found my father-in-law a Kioti CK20 with loader, backhoe, and bushhog, having only 250 hours on it for $8000. That tractor is easily worth $11K - $12K. Two hour drive one-way to pick it up. Beat the bushes and be patient. There are deals out there.

Oh yeah, and be careful digging into hard ground with a loader. It's a LOADER, not a bulldozer. You can do some digging with it. But, you have to careful or you can damage it, especially in front of a heavy tractor.

 

[Gittyup]

On lawn mowers, I hate belt drive systems. I swore off them years ago. Just too big a PITA. I have a JD425, which is shaft driven, both mower and drive train. There is one belt between the 3 blades supply power off the shaft-driven gearbox. That machine is going on its 17th season, ~1000 hours now. Still using the original belt on the mower deck. Shaft drive is the way go. But, it does come with a price....Worth every penny.

 

[Anianna]

I'll ask you again how you feel about the snow after this weekend.

Meh, it's not supposed to be anything like what we got just before Christmas and my truck managed it out of that. We're prepared to hunker down here if we have to, too.

On lawn mowers, I hate belt drive systems. I swore off them years ago. Just too big a PITA. I have a JD425, which is shaft driven, both mower and drive train. There is one belt between the 3 blades supply power off the shaft-driven gearbox. That machine is going on its 17th season, ~1000 hours now. Still using the original belt on the mower deck. Shaft drive is the way go. But, it does come with a price....Worth every penny.

I have to admit I had not heard of a shaft driven mower before, although I wonder if that's what the Gravely's were that I had to use for work many years ago. I do not recall belts on those. That is definitely something I want to look into. Thank you!

 

[pitt_md]

How do you spell GRAPPLE??

Removing debris from piles or moving scattered debris into piles is a common task for a new landowner. The need for an FEL is obvious for such a task but you also need to deal with how to clamp objects (rather than dirt) into a FEL bucket. There are a number of solutions depending on how much of this sort of work you will do and what your budget is.

Hands down the single best option is a detachable grapple. That can be purchased/delivered for about $1000. To attach the grapple you need what is called variously a QA (Quick Attach) or Skidsteer adapter or universal adapter (all synonyms for the same thing). Cost of the QA adapter depends on the tractor. Some companies (Kioti for example) provides them free with tractors 27hp and up. Dealers sell add on adapters for Kioti's smaller tractors (CK20) for about $350 or so. I don't know what such an adapter would cost for a Kubota or JD but I gotta believe someone is out there selling them.

If you don't want to deal with the QA adapter then there is another worthwhile option and that is to convert your standard bucket (part of the FEL package) into a "grapple bucket" by adding just the top arm of the grapple. This gives you a 2 in 1 tool (bucket and half grapple) that is very useful but not quite as flexible as a true grapple. Still, if your main use for a grapple is to clean up one major mess as you describe, that could be a very reasonable solution. You could either have the dealer install a grapple arm (arm costs about $350 or so, welding on to the bucket would probably cost a couple hours labor). Another option is a bolt on kit that you could easily install at home with a drill and a few wrenches. Those cost a bit more ($600 or so) but are flexible in that they allow you to remove the grapple part in a couple of minutes so it is not in the way when you don't need it. While less effective in moving brush and poles than a true grapple a bucket grapple is at least a thousand times better than trying to do that job with just a bucket and chain.

Whichever grapple type you choose, you'll need to run hydraulics to control the open/close of the upper grapple arm. The cheapest and perfectly satisfactory way to do this is to use the tractors rear remotes. That obviously requires rear remotes which dealers can install (parts about 350-500, probably a couple hours labor). Some tractors come standard with at least one rear remote. Once you have the rear remote you just need to get a hydraulic shop (or your dealer) to provide you with the appropriate length of hydraulic hose and matching fittings ($100-150) so you can run the hydraulic lines from the rear of your tractor (that is why they are called rear remotes) to the grapple. Lots of posts on TBN about the details of doing this. Takes about 20 minutes once you have the hoses/fittings etc. Again, dealer can do it for peanuts. Once you have everything set up you open and close the grapple from a lever that typically is just next to where your right hand will rest while sitting in the operator station. As my 7 yo daughter would say, easy peasy. There are other options for controling the grapple which involve tapping into the hydraulics that supply the FEL. Those options are all more expensive and might be worthwhile if you plan lots of grapple use but are definitely not the cost effective solution for occasional grapple use.

There are literally days of "what grapple" "what remote" "how to set up grapple controls" reading on TBN but the summary above should give you a pretty good idea of what is involved.

Pictures are of a grapple on a 20hp CUT. You don't need a huge tractor to use one of these effectively. There is a bucket grapple weldable arm and a bolt on kit shown too. Those (the bucket grapple types) can also be added to a SCUT without difficulty.

One option that IslandTractor did not point out is having the grapple built to fit your loader arms. The advantage is reduced cost of the QA and converting your bucket to use it and you save a little lift capacity because the QA 1 has weight and 2 extends the load on your FEL a few inches.. The down side is putting it on and off to suit your needs. It takes me about 15-30 minuets to change between the grapple and bucket.

 

[Gittyup]

Meh, it's not supposed to be anything like what we got just before Christmas and my truck managed it out of that. We're prepared to hunker down here if we have to, too.



I have to admit I had not heard of a shaft driven mower before, although I wonder if that's what the Gravely's were that I had to use for work many years ago. I do not recall belts on those. That is definitely something I want to look into. Thank you!

Yeah, we got hit by that xmas snow too. My little 425 plowed it with no problem. Shaft drive is the only way for me.

BTW, saw a nice bolens/Iseki little diesel tractor with hydraulic snow plow (angle and lift) and finish mower deck for sale pretty cheap on Craigslist. I think it was like $2800. Looked good. But, some are afraid of the reconstituted Japanese tractors. The plow setup alone is worth close to $1000. Would make for a nice mower and snow removal setup.

If you haven't already, you should check out tractorhouse.com and ironplanet.com. You can look at a lot of makes/models and see what they are selling for.

 

[IslandTractor]

One option that IslandTractor did not point out is having the grapple built to fit your loader arms. The advantage is reduced cost of the QA and converting your bucket to use it and you save a little lift capacity because the QA 1 has weight and 2 extends the load on your FEL a few inches.. The down side is putting it on and off to suit your needs. It takes me about 15-30 minuets to change between the grapple and bucket.

Yep. That is an option. It is not very popular mostly because you have to get the grapple maker to build a pin mount specifically and precisely for your brand of loader and that involves both research effort and a higher degree of precision manufacturing not all builders are willing to do. Still I agree with the advantages. One other disadvantage is that you cannot easily sell the grapple except to someone with the same loader pin mount (should you ever lose your marbles and consider life with no grapple). For someone who has a loader of limited lift capacity and who doesn't need to switch the grapple out every day or many times a day a pin mount grapple would be a fine solution. I think it would work especially well for loaders with less than 800-900lbs of lift capacity as you will save both the weight (70-100lbs or so) of the QA adapter and have the load closer to the lever point both of which increase net lift capacity.

 

[Anianna]

Yeah, we got hit by that xmas snow too. My little 425 plowed it with no problem. Shaft drive is the only way for me.

BTW, saw a nice bolens/Iseki little diesel tractor with hydraulic snow plow (angle and lift) and finish mower deck for sale pretty cheap on Craigslist. I think it was like $2800. Looked good. But, some are afraid of the reconstituted Japanese tractors. The plow setup alone is worth close to $1000. Would make for a nice mower and snow removal setup.

If you haven't already, you should check out tractorhouse.com and ironplanet.com. You can look at a lot of makes/models and see what they are selling for.

I didn't see that on the Richmond list. In which area is the Iseki listed?

I like Japanese cars, are their tractors comparable?

 

[IslandTractor]

I didn't see that on the Richmond list. In which area is the Iseki listed?

I like Japanese cars, are their tractors comparable?

In a word, yes.

 

[Gittyup]

I didn't see that on the Richmond list. In which area is the Iseki listed?

I like Japanese cars, are their tractors comparable?

It's on Baltimore's CL. And the correct price is $3150. They won't let you post links on here to CL or else I'd post the direct link.