Buying Advice Looking for purchase advice

[kirkkw]

New to the forum - been reading for several months. Started out dead set in buying a Mahindra then explored Kioti and finally LS. At this point, I have settled on LS and plan on that being what I buy - barring the unexpected. Never owned a tractor before and my tractor experience is limited to about 3 hours digging post holes.

Question: What size of tractor should I buy considering these anticipated uses?

House is on rocky ground north of Leander (Austin). Have 5 acres and a 100ft long dirt driveway. Plan to use the tractor to move dirt around, smooth driveway, and with a front end grapple move and stack cedar trees I plan to chainsaw off at ground level.

May also try to hire myself out to for various jobs i.e., brush hog, dirt moving, landscaping, tree clearing (chainsaw and grapple) etc. Who knows if that would ever come to fruition.

I am thinking of either 35-40 hp with most likely shuttle shift, if for not other reason the price difference would buy implements.

Looking at XG or XR series.

What say ye?

 

[wcampbell47]

Moving dirt and rocks around will require FEL which I think you are planning on. Don't know LS models - but you need 4WD. If you are new to tractors and equipment recommend HST. I started with gear but thankfully made the switch to HST. Nothing (IMHO) beats HST for front loader work. Would not go back, not even to shuttle shift. I think you are in the right hp range. For a smooth driveway I do my best work with a land plane - not the same as a box blade. Reading in another thread the consensus was that a chainsaw and grapple was the most difficult way to clear trees. Backhoe was preferred to dig on four sides of the tree and push over. Brush hog, have 2 of these and wish I had one with the rounded top. The rounded top does not collect clippings to the degree that flat deck ones do. Moisture gets in the clippings and sets up rust. Most good brushhogs have a stump jumper. Hauling this stuff around will require a heavy duty 3/4 ton or better. Recommend a 20 foot trailer. I use a 20 foot car hauler 10,000 lb gvw. Wish it were tilt bed!!! Using 10,000 lb aluminum ramps from Northern Tools. Those standard steel ramps are heeeaavy and can become a pain if you move to several sites in one day.

You want to buy LS - Ok. Very well made tractor. What about financing?? My experience with Kubota (3 times now) is basically sign and drive with 0% interest. You do have to buy an insurance policy on the tractor but that is cheap and covers a multitude of sins you might commit. Kids put sand in my fuel tank one year. Reported to the Sheriff who gave me a case number. Contacted KATC with the case number. Hauled it to the dealer. For the $250 deductible they cleaned the tank, replaced all engine oil, filters and new fuel filter. Basically gave it a service as well as cleaning up the mess. In 2012 at the first of December I signed on the dotted line and brought a new one home. By January 1st I had collected $4,000 in checks for work done and paid my first payment of $327. I charge $60 to $70 per hour for tractor work. Two days a month more than pays my payment.

Just because you buy a tractor does not mean you can operate one - efficiently or well. Practice at your place. Learn how to use the FEL and learn how to grade - level preferably. Start locally within your neighborhood or close by and concentrate on doing the best job you can and not how much money you can make. You can up your price once you become proficient. Get to know the kinds of materials used in your area, where you can buy them and locate someone to haul them for you. Crushed limestone should be plentiful and cheap in your area. Crushed granite as well (Marble Falls, Granite Shoals).

I have tried to cover some basics with do's and don'ts based on my experience. Everyone has a different level of risk tolerance and mine is pretty low. You will discover that there are people out there that are never pleased (alcoholics and bitchy women are just two classes) - avoid them like the plague. Choose your jobs. Go look at them before you commit. In a previous business I would not deal with doctors, lawyers or horse traders unless they paid on the spot. Well my brain is getting muddled. Will post more later - maybe.

 

[lostcreekranch]

Kirk;

Do yourself a big favor and call or, better yet, go see John Ryan at RCO Tractor on Old Bee Caves Road in Austin. John is very knowledgeable on the LS Line and will not hard sell you. I passed by two other closer LS dealers, when I bought my LS XR4046HC in late 2014, because of John and his staff.

Good luck!

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[lostcreekranch]

Here is link to RCO;

RCO Tractor - Compact Tractors and Utility Tractors from LS Tractor USA and Yanmar of America on Sale Now!

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[lostcreekranch]

Here is link to RCO;

RCO Tractor - Compact Tractors and Utility Tractors from LS Tractor USA and Yanmar of America on Sale Now!

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[lostcreekranch]

Kirk;

Here is link to RCO;

RCO Tractor - Compact Tractors and Utility Tractors from LS Tractor USA and Yanmar of America on Sale Now!

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[lostcreekranch]

Wow! A triple post!

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[George2615]

Kirk,
Since it is your 2nd post, Welcome to TBN.................
Lots of good info posted here.
I agree with what's been mentioned. get the HST (not much difference in price), at least a 20' 10K trailer. I use a 22' PJ full tilt bed 14K trailer to haul mine around.
To hire yourself and tractor out I'd recommend you get insurance, both for the tractor and liability. I have Inland Marine (PDI Physical Damage Insurance) coverage for the tractor and a separate liability policy. People today are too willing to sue you at the drop of a hat for any damages. Also mentioned, pick and choose your side jobs wisely.
I've heard many good things about RCO Tractor also. John can explain the advantages of the XR over the XG series.

 

[ozley]

Wow! A triple post! Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

You win something for a triple post I would think.
RCO is a good place to start your tractor life.

 

[lostcreekranch]

Using the EDIT function you can easily delete the two extras. This is a prime time to learn the skill.

Duh! I delete duplicates but, never had a triple. Maybe the "skill to learn" is to figure out what causes the double posts?? Huh?

Can't be that we are all idiots? Huh? Can't hear you Jeff? :-(

If you respond to a thread ........ Hit send ONE time ....... And get a double post, is that the responders fault or possibly a problem with the app??????

I use the iPad app almost exclusively and double posts are off and on, no reasonable explanation to why they occur other than a quirk with the app?

If you want to be a smart ***** at least know what you are talking about!

My 5 cents worth!

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[kirkkw]

Thanks for the advice, I am going to spend some time studying to fully appreciate the information provided. I greatly appreciate the info. Subsequent questions will follow once I narrow my options and decisions.

Ken

 

[Fallon]

A HST eats up 15% of your HP compared to a gear transmission, but boy is it worth it. Push forward to go forward, push harder to go faster, push reverse pedal to go reverse. Let off either pedal & the HST will slow the tractor to a halt faster than it could get it up to speed.It's that easy. No constant clutching to deal with. A HST is mechanically simpler than a power shift transmission & as long as you keep your hydraulic fluid clean should be equally or more durable than all the clutches & other parts in a power shift. If you were farming or skidding logs, the efficiency of a power shift might be worth it, but I'd wager not. I can & do poke my pallet forks within an inch or 2 of the window of my truck loading & unloading without worry even if my truck is down. I'd be worrying & not getting as close if I was in a gear machine, especially if it was downhill to my truck.

Basically get in a HST & a power shift, run around the lot a little & see if the dealer has a pile of dirt, snow or doesn't mind you making sandcastles in his gravel. Spends some time on each doing loader type stuff & I'll be you will be a HST convert in no time.

Tires... R1 ag, R3 truf, R4 industrial
R1 ag tires are skinnier & have the big lugs on them. They are designed for maximum traction in minimum traction mediums (mud & snow)
R3 turf look like big balloons because that's what they are. Big so they spread out the weight & rounded so they don't tear up the lawn. They have the worst traction. (some people prefer R3 tires with chains in the snow & ice though)
R4 industrial tires are a compromise. They are wider so they don't tear things up as much, they are heavier duty so they last longer (especially on pavement, which destroys R1s). They have better sidewalls so they have a better carrying capacity. Because of these compromises, they don't have as much traction in mud & snow, & they don't self clean unlike the R1s.

I went with R4s on mine & have been generally happy with the compromise. No issues blowing out my front tires when pushing my loader to it's max. I get pretty good traction most of the time. Last 2 winters I did fine plowing, although turning while plowing was mostly a dream. I added chains to the font wheels this year & it REALLY helped, I can turn as well as plow about 30% better.

Loaded rear tires. CUTs are generally borderline unsafe with a loader & unloaded rear tires. Loaded rear tires keep your back end on the ground when lifting heavy loads. You still need proper ballast on the back (that weight hanging on the back unloads weight off the weak front axle onto the heavy rear axle). As a new guy I'd recommend getting the rear tires ballasted from the get go no matter what tires you get.

Why LS? Closest dealer? Got the best vibe from the dealer? Not a wrong way to go, but I'd recommend checking out the competitions stats & feel once you decide on a specific mode or a few. Just to make sure you can get a different take on things.

 

[Fallon]

Learn you tractor & learn your skills before you try to sell them. You need to figure out your operating costs. Fuel, grease, oil, scheduled maintenance, unplanned maintenance, breakdowns & the most important part, insurance. Once you know how much it costs to operate & properly insure, then figure what your time is worth. You need to also account for transportation costs as well. You'll need a 3/4 ton truck to haul thing in all likelihood & a 20' trailer. They cost money to buy, operate & insure. It take a fair bit of time to load, transport & unload a tractor before yo are ready to work. You need to plan on making money on that not loosing money.

I was in your boat, cool new tractor & started wondering how I could make some bucks with it from time to time. After investigating insurance stuff I determined the number of hours I'd have to work to cover insurance maid my potential laid back part time gig after work more work that I was willing to take on. May come back & revisit that decision at some point, but for now I'm just doing favors fro friends.

 

[kirkkw]

I was in your boat, cool new tractor & started wondering how I could make some bucks with it from time to time. After investigating insurance stuff I determined the number of hours I'd have to work to cover insurance maid my potential laid back part time gig after work more work that I was willing to take on. May come back & revisit that decision at some point, but for now I'm just doing favors fro friends.

I can easily relate to that logic. Will be retiring in the near distant future (figure that out) and using the tractor to make a little money is only one of many options that may or may not be available to me. Time will tell.

Keep all the good advice coming.
Ken

 

[kirkkw]

A HST eats up 15% of your HP compared to a gear transmission, but boy is it worth it. HST is mechanically simpler than a power shift transmission & as long as you keep your hydraulic fluid clean should be equally or more durable than all the clutches & other parts in a power shift.

Tires... R1 ag, R3 truf, R4 industrial

Why LS? Closest dealer? Got the best vibe from the dealer? Not a wrong way to go, but I'd recommend checking out the competitions stats & feel once you decide on a specific mode or a few. Just to make sure you can get a different take on things.

You have just about convinced me toward HST. Actually, if you are old enough to remember Get Smart he said something like "missed it by this much".

R4 tires make the most sense for me. No finish mowing and land is rocky with mostly shallow rock called caliche or limestone. Very little chance for mud I suspect.

Why LS, couple of reasons. 1. quality - they have been making tractors a long time 2. good dealer in Austin according to this site. I have not yet had any contact with dealer but have seem many positive posts here. I did consider Kioti and Mahindra but came to the conclusion LS in the 35-40 range was a better choice due to dealer. Maybe I am wrong about all that? I have to say, the Kioti are a little less expensive.

Ken

 

[kirkkw]

Learn you tractor & learn your skills before you try to sell them.

That is wisdom in action. I would never sell before I can deliver. Calculating costs is something near and dear to my heart as I am holding Tx CPA #34060.

 

[kirkkw]

Moving dirt and rocks around will require FEL which I think you are planning on. Don't know LS models - but you need 4WD. If you are new to tractors and equipment recommend HST. I started with gear but thankfully made the switch to HST. Nothing (IMHO) beats HST for front loader work. Would not go back, not even to shuttle shift.

Looking at XG XR 3037 4040 but maybe a 3032 would be plenty for me. Based on the suggestions here it seems I should buy HST. Why would I ask the experts then do otherwise as it seems everyone says HST

I think you are in the right hp range. For a smooth driveway I do my best work with a land plane - not the same as a box blade.

Watching videos at Everything Attachments convinced me I need a box blade rather than a land plane if I had to chose between the two.

Reading in another thread the consensus was that a chainsaw and grapple was the most difficult way to clear trees. Backhoe was preferred to dig on four sides of the tree and push over.

My brother has the chainsaws and I plan on getting the tractor. I don't know how much use I would get out of a backhoe since the soil is pretty rocky. Cliche/limestone with not a lot of soil over it. I have read on a Tx Ag site that the cedars around Leander will die if cut off at ground level. Maybe I misunderstood what it said.

Recommend a 20 foot trailer.

You are the second to suggest 20' so that is noted.

Using 10,000 lb aluminum ramps from Northern Tools.

Checked those out - reasonable price also found some USA made ones at Discount Ramp

You want to buy LS - Ok. Very well made tractor. What about financing??

Don't plan to finance it.

Just because you buy a tractor does not mean you can operate one - efficiently or well. Practice at your place. Learn how to use the FEL and learn how to grade - level preferably. (Marble Falls, Granite Shoals).

Seems you know this area well.

Ken

 

[kirkkw]

Removing cedars from property in Leander

Top Removal Method « Texas Natural Resources Server

 

[lostcreekranch]

Kirk;

RCO Tractor is about 2 miles north of 290 on Old Bee Caves Road. Probably 15-20 minutes from Leander.

2 hours from our Ranch.

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[wampum]

I guess its just me but I am not big up on HST tractors. I have owned one, and several older gear tractors including Internationals,Deeres and Allis Chalmers. I also have a newer shuttle shift.The Older tractors I agree where harder to shift but I got by. I still have an International 464 and I do not have a problem at all with it,it is an older shuttle.The shuttle is very easy to use,loader work is actually easy and is not a problem.

The HST tractor was also simple because all you did was move your foot.The newer shuttle shifts to me are just as easy,with all you do is move your hand to go from forward to reverse.

To me it is not a big deal to operate a shuttle or gear.I hear this and that,well you better buy the HST if you have hills.Well I have plenty of hilly property and going to the right gear is just second nature now.If you want to get the HST go for it it will do great for you.But I do not believe down the road a shuttle is that much of a problem.

In winter the worst problem on hills to me is sliding.And that usually only happens on ice.I use to run a D-9 at work. A really exciting event is when you hit ice on a slope.Dozers make great sleds on frozen spoil.You just have to ride it out,you are not going to stop it.Habit tells you to put the blade down but it will stop when gravity allows it to.