NEED another TRACTOR

[SPYDERLK]

About every year I wind up fighting with the weather and time during hay harvest. Regardless of planning there usually comes a time where both the tedder and the rake have to be ready to use instantly - either concurrently by 2 operators, or back and forth in sequence by one/me. The baler must sit ready at the turn of a key. ... What usually happens is that the tedder does the final raking and windrowing because theres no time to change to the rake in the closing time window. The tedder windrows are rather poor for pickup in the chute of a square baler. They are too loose and wide, and 1000' long tracks of missed hay are left at the edges. This can amount to 20 or 30 bales left loose on the ground per cutting unless we have managed to do final windrow prep with the hayrake.
,,,Therefore I want to get another tractor to dedicate to the hayrake. Virtually any 20HP with power steering and height control on the lift arms would serve this. While Im buying tho Id want to stick with all the good stuf so the tractor could fill in gaps year round and provide a more complete selection of implements at the ready. I am interested in 4WD Diesel with HST drive, AGs, and a multi speed PTO. I think the Kubot B8200 and B9200 :checkmark: offer these things. Im open to other major brands and models but havnt noted the same combination of important features. Does anybody have a lead on these ... or other advice?
,,Thanks!,
,,,,,,,larry

 

[wmonroe]

My parents have a B8200 that is their "all around" tractor, it has a belly mower and mows the yard, loader work, snow plow, blah blah. They also used to use it to bale hay when they had animals. It ran a pull behind JD sickle mower (9' ?), a 3 pt hay rake, new holland crimper, and an old heavy new holland baler. It did fine with the sickle, ok with the rake but with it lifted the front end was light (even with the loader on), ok with the crimper but a large enough clump of hay could stall it cold from full pto rpm, and it did surprisingly well with the baler. If I had the choice and was starting fresh I would get something with a little more power and weight because of the hills around here. With all that said though we put away hay with that tractor for about 15 years and they are still using it today with no issues. It is about 25 years old and has at least 4000 hours on it. If you have any B8200 specific questions I can try to answer them.

 

[newbury]

b7610

 

[DT86]

What kind of rake do you use?

 

[wmonroe]

What kind of rake do you use?

Good point, a pull behind ground driven rake would work very well behind my parents 8200.

 

[SPYDERLK]

My parents have a B8200 that is their "all around" tractor, it has a belly mower and mows the yard, loader work, snow plow, blah blah. They also used to use it to bale hay when they had animals. It ran a pull behind JD sickle mower (9' ?), a 3 pt hay rake, new holland crimper, and an old heavy new holland baler. It did fine with the sickle, ok with the rake but with it lifted the front end was light (even with the loader on), ok with the crimper but a large enough clump of hay could stall it cold from full pto rpm, and it did surprisingly well with the baler. If I had the choice and was starting fresh I would get something with a little more power and weight because of the hills around here. With all that said though we put away hay with that tractor for about 15 years and they are still using it today with no issues. It is about 25 years old and has at least 4000 hours on it. If you have any B8200 specific questions I can try to answer them.

b7610

What kind of rake do you use?

Thanks for the answers. It is a ground driven 4bar pull behind. Even our BX will pull it but does not have position control on the lift arms so its real problematic. I am interested in the Kub B8200/9200 HST model because its the only major brand compact tractor I know of that offers that and the 750rpm pto speed as well as 540. And particularly the 9200 gives enuf power for a wide variety of other applications. I will look into the b7610 to see if that one snuck by me.
,,,wmonroe, the B8200 does control position on the lift arms? Yes? The 8200 is much easier to find but Im going to hold out for the bigger model ... at least for awhile.
larry

 

[newbury]

My B7610 controls height etc. on the lift arms but not DRAFT. My M4700 controls both. I thought virtually all 3pt controlled position.

 

[SPYDERLK]

The BXs dont. You raise or lower and stop it where you want by centering the lever. Then it leaks down slowly. Height control sets height by lever position. It senses position and corrects to hold at the same liftpoint even if theres a little leakage.
larry

 

[newbury]

My B7610 controls height etc. on the lift arms but not DRAFT. My M4700 controls both. I thought virtually all 3pt controlled position.

My bad, the 7610 actually has a "quarter inching valve".

 

[charleyfarmall]

The longer the wheelbase the better the ride and the faster you can go. My favorite rake tractor is actually my 1956 Super C...
I have the competing green machine to the above mentioned tractors and even with a suspension seat the 66" wheelbase makes for a bit of a rough ride when trying to use it with the rake... It'll work though.