Buying Advice Need advice on first tractor

[trimpy]

First off, my property is all hill and clay. I am looking into getting my first tractor and am stuck.

Tractor A weighs 5000lbs, is 86-90" wide, 41hp, and is 2WD.
Tractor B weighs 2600lbs, is 56" wide, 36hp and is 4WD.

Both come with similar FELs, though A has a little more capacity.

A is $18,233
B is $18,700

My tasks would be moving the occasional round hay bale, field mowing, snow removal (not much), gravel road creation and maint, various digging and grading, and running a single bottom plow to break some new ground for various small scale gardening.

 

[jerrybob]

Both would work for you but I'd go for 4wd. That feature can really make a difference depending on ground conditions. You don't mention some other important issues....like condition, number of hours, make, options like weights....etc.... All things being equal......4wd is the option I'd go for. Good luck.

 

[trimpy]

Both are new. I guess I am really concerned about stability, and after watching my neighbor tow my f150 like it was nothing up a slippery muddy slope with his old 2wd, I am questioning whether weight and stability are more valuable. Tractor A has a 4WD version for 3500 more, but I really want to keep things under 20

 

[JerryK]

It is hard to beat weight for traction. You better find out how much those round bales are, and look at loader capacity, too. I am of the school that buying bigger/heavier is better than getting one that will just barely do what you want. But it is your money...

 

[trimpy]

Yea, the round bales I get are 4x4s and weigh around 700ea... not those crazy monster round bales.

I have no brand loyalty, but the tractors in question are A: Mahindra 4025 and B: Kubota L3800.

 

[jerrybob]

Yea, the round bales I get are 4x4s and weigh around 700ea... not those crazy monster round bales.

I have no brand loyalty, but the tractors in question are A: Mahindra 4025 and B: Kubota L3800.

Both are good tractors.....good quality.

 

[Relic]

go with the 4wd and I bet U'll never look back.

 

[Ed of all trades]

4x4 will give you more stability on hills, going down hill on a tractor is one time some people don't think about but with directional tires you can have a nice slide, if all goes well.

 

[GManBart]

Yea, the round bales I get are 4x4s and weigh around 700ea... not those crazy monster round bales.

I have no brand loyalty, but the tractors in question are A: Mahindra 4025 and B: Kubota L3800.

You can pretty much get "all of the above" (weight, 4WD, power, etc) + a loader with at least twice the capacity, and more standard features (remotes, work lights, etc), and stay under, or right at, $20K if you look at either Kioti or LS, and probably Bobcat (close outs, so deals can be found).

I thought it would take a while to max out my LS, but I was wrong....even if I went two steps bigger, I still would run into situations calling for more....time to borrow the neighbors backhoe, crawler or excavator!

 

[vtsnowedin]

Unless tractor B can be set out wider then 56" with wheel spacers or rim adjustments I would go with the 5000 lb - 90 " wide machine. You will have the mass to hold back loads going down your hills and the stability to work slopes much steeper then can with the very narrow 56" machine and as soon as you touch the brakes going down a hill with a load behind you it becomes a factor of machine weight times the width of the rear tires.

 

[flusher]

First off, my property is all hill and clay. I am looking into getting my first tractor and am stuck.

Tractor A weighs 5000lbs, is 86-90" wide, 41hp, and is 2WD.
Tractor B weighs 2600lbs, is 56" wide, 36hp and is 4WD.

Both come with similar FELs, though A has a little more capacity.

A is $18,233
B is $18,700

My tasks would be moving the occasional round hay bale, field mowing, snow removal (not much), gravel road creation and maint, various digging and grading, and running a single bottom plow to break some new ground for various small scale gardening.

All hills? Get the tractor with the widest wheel track and the lowest stance. Want the tractor center of gravity as low as possible consistent with ground clearance requirements that depend on how rugged your land actually is. Safety first, last and always when working on hills.

For example, here is my 1964 Massey Ferguson 135 diesel that has been modified from a field tractor configuration to squat low for work in the olive orchards around here. The wheel track is 84" wide (measured to the outside of the rear wheels) and the centerline of the rear axle is 20" above the ground. The front axle spindles have been shortened to keep the tractor level. The rear tires are Goodrich 6 ply 18.4-16A (18" wide, 16" dia rim) and are 40" tall overall.



Good luck and be careful out there.

 

[enterprisebbc]

All hills? Get the tractor with the widest wheel track and the lowest stance. Want the tractor center of gravity as low as possible consistent with ground clearance requirements that depend on how rugged your land actually is. Safety first, last and always when working on hills.

For example, here is my 1964 Massey Ferguson 135 diesel that has been modified from a field tractor configuration to squat low for work in the olive orchards around here. The wheel track is 84" wide (measured to the outside of the rear wheels) and the centerline of the rear axle is 20" above the ground. The front axle spindles have been shortened to keep the tractor level. The rear tires are Goodrich 6 ply 18.4-16A (18" wide, 16" dia rim) and are 40" tall overall.

View attachment 301920View attachment 301921

Good luck and be careful out there.[/QU

 

[enterprisebbc]

you will never regret 4wd. You might with 2wd down the road. Do it once.

 

[GPintheMitten]

These are very different tractors. To me its not just a matter of preferring 4wd. While I like 4wd, I have several times wished that I had more weight.

Life is full of compromises. For me, and my uses, I opted for a light weight compact 4wd hydrostatic.
Someday, I may get an additional larger tractor to do hay with. It's all about what you are going to do.

 

[trimpy]

Yea, there are a lot of factors to consider. I tend to prefer simpler over complicated as well so I am sure that will factor in. I guess I am pretty nervous about tipping over.

Here are some shots of the land in question as well:

 

[Grandad4]

First off, my property is all hill and clay. I am looking into getting my first tractor and am stuck.

Tractor A weighs 5000lbs, is 86-90" wide, 41hp, and is 2WD.
Tractor B weighs 2600lbs, is 56" wide, 36hp and is 4WD.

Both come with similar FELs, though A has a little more capacity.

A is $18,233
B is $18,700

My tasks would be moving the occasional round hay bale, field mowing, snow removal (not much), gravel road creation and maint, various digging and grading, and running a single bottom plow to break some new ground for various small scale gardening.

Suggest you double check your specs. Mahindra website says the 4025 is 69.4" wide, not 80-90", and weighs 4,389 lbs. Still an old-school hoss of a 2wd tractor, but not something almost 8 feet wide!

As noted, these are two very different machines. The most similar thing about them is their price point. Can you do your work with either? Sure. There would certainly be some situations where the big machine would be better, such as pulling your one bottom plow (in dry conditions). Just my opinion, but I think the modern 4x4 would generally be more handy and convenient for everyday use. For any kind of loader work, a 4x4 hydro will out work a 2wd gear hands down. You would have to decide what your work will be like.

Hills are another story. Wide beats narrow for any side-slope travel while 4x4 beats 2wd for up and down travel due to traction and stopping advantages. Note that tractors only have rear brakes, but the 4x4 drivetrain means you have stopping power at both ends of the tractor. So most people favor 4x4 on hills because traversing side slopes is something to avoid regardless of what you're driving.

As for brand, both good machines. We've found Kubota to be very durable and reliable but Mahindra owners say the same about their equipment.

 

[trimpy]

Yea, my bad on the width. Its the 4WD version of the 4025 ships at 83" and can be widened to almost 90. The 2wd version is 69 and can be widened to 80"... so sayeth the dealer.

That makes sense with the traversal of a hill vs up and down. My property is bowl shaped so traversal is going to be hard to avoid.

I am glad that it really comes down to preference. I have some test drives scheduled this weekend, so we shall see. Thanks to everyone that chimed in!

 

[case245]

get the 4wd tractor i was on ice going down a hill in 4 high locked the brakes up i slid a few inckes on R1 s my 7040 83ooibs a light 2wd tractor is useless i own a 21hp 4wd case in 2wd that thing sucked wouldnt go no where even at 500oibs you ll not be happy with it

 

[vtsnowedin]

Test drives are cheap and very informative. Before you buy ethier of the ones your looking at test drive one of these. JD5045E. It has the weight, the power you want and the width and has 4wd. More money of course but worth it.