New member with few questions

[Marty Weatherup]

I found this site while comparing reviews on Yanmar tractors. Looks like a great site with tons of good information.

We currently live in Alaska but have our home listed and have made an offer on a home in Idaho. It was accepted and we'll be moving soon. I recently sold my Woodmizer sawmill and will be selling my old tractor rather than ship it down. My current tractor is a 1952 Clark tug tractor which has a blade on the front and forklift on the back. It served well for loading logs on the sawmill and moving stacks of lumber but was limited in other functions.

We are buying a place with 4.5 acres, very rural, 3.5 of the acres very usable, about one acre on a hillside. I'll buy another sawmill once we get settled and am considering what tractor to buy. I am over any fascination with old tractors and will be getting a good used compact 4x4 with a bucket and forks and may add some other accessories like an auger, blade/snowplow and rototiller. I'm thinking something in the 35 HP range should serve me well. I'll use it for loading logs on the mill, stacking logs, moving stacks of milled lumber and of course any other chores it can do around a rural property. I'll not be loading gigantic old growth trees on the mill. It will be logs from 8 inches up to 36 inches, and logs that size would be rare. I can control the size of the lumber stacks so as not to overload the capabilities of the tractor.

I'm not stuck on any brand. I would consider most of the popular makes of tractor. I mentioned Yanmar because I found one on Craigslist and was curious about them. They seem to be a good tractor.

Considering these parameters, am I on track with the size of tractor I'm looking at? I grew up on a farm running equipment and am a passably decent mechanic. I welcome your thoughts. Thanks.

Marty

 

[jeff9366]

The most efficient way to shop for tractors is to identify potential tractor applications first, then determine bare tractor weight necessary to safely accomplish your applications.

The fundamental importance of TRACTOR WEIGHT eludes many tractor shoppers. Heavier tractor weight is more important for most tractor applications than increased tractor horsepower. Bare tractor weight is a tractor specification easily found in sales brochures and web sites, readily comparable across tractor brands and tractor models, new and used.

I'll not be loading gigantic old growth trees on the mill. It will be logs from 8 inches up to 36 inches, and logs that size would be rare. I can control the size of the lumber stacks so as not to overload the tractor.

Thirty-five horsepower tractors will weigh from 2,600 pounds, bare tractor, to 4,000 pounds bare tractor.

The heavier tractors will be much more stable doing your mill work.

A 2,600 to 3,000 pound tractor will be ample for everything except your mill work.

Most tractor manufactures produce in every weight. Unfortunately, you must pay for EVERY POUND.

Here is the best site to find reliable used tractor specifications:

TractorData.com - information on all makes and models of tractors

 

[Marty Weatherup]

Thanks. Which brands of tractors in that HP range lean toward the heavy side?

 

[jeff9366]

Most tractor manufactures produce in every weight. Unfortunately, you pay for EVERY POUND.

Kubota has about 50% of the new compact tractor market. Deere has about 20% of the new compact tractor market. Both brands produce both 'economy' and 'deluxe' tractor models. The deluxe models are almost always heavier.

The major Korean tractor brands, Kioti, LS and TYM are typically priced about 15% to 20% less than comparable Kubota and Deere models.

Yanmar is generally in the middle.

After shopping used, many decide 0% financing and warranty on a several new tractor brands and implements make buying used not that attractive an option.


USED TRACTORS IN IDAHO: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nk...c=1&_salic=1&_sop=15&_dmd=1&_ipg=200&_fosrp=1

 

[/pine]

...After shopping used, many decide 0% financing and warranty on a several new tractor brands and implements make buying used not that attractive an option....

How is any financing an incentive to buy new over a reduced cost used machine?...when all financing (especially 0%) does is raise the cost over a cash sale?

 

[ericm979]

36" is getting up there in weight. A 36" x 8' cylinder of Douglas Fir weighs 2850 lbs according to calculators. That is more than the loader capacity of most tractors in the 35hp range. Also keep in mind that the loader capacity is rated without an implement on the loader. So if you add say a grapple, that's 450 lbs (for the grapple I have) off the loader capacity. I have tried to pick up logs about that size with the grapple on my tractor and it's not happening. My loader has a 2200lb capacity. Are there many trees that big where you're going in Idaho? If you need to use the tractor to lift them you might want to look for other options like 3pt forks or rolling them onto the mill via ramps and parbuckle.

Due to how it's structured, 0% financing often does not raise the cost of the tractor. Instead the cost of the loan is borne by the manufacturer as an incentive they offer to the dealer. That's how Kubota does it. Their incentive package changes quarterly. Sometimes there is a discount for cash but often the cash and 0% financing price to the customer is the same.

 

[Marty Weatherup]

There are trees that large in the area but they'll be rare. I've been using alternative methods such as parbuckles and log arches for the oversize logs for years. Most of the logs I'll be milling will be 20 inches and under. When I first had my mill I used a four wheeler and a parbuckle to load every log. Having the forklift on the back of the tug tractor has been a huge help. I doubt I'll get a grapple. I've done well with just the forks. I won't be in the woods hauling out logs. I'll buy a load delivered when I need logs or pick up a few hardwood trees from time to time. When folks hear you have a mill it's surprising how often you get trees offered to you. Have to be careful. Yard trees are almost guaranteed to have metal in them but sometimes folks will have a stand of trees or stack of logs they cut but never used and just want them gone.

I won't be buying a new tractor. I'll be looking for a good used one.

 

[Aquamoose]

If it helps you any, I wanted the heaviest tractor with the highest lifting capacity in the 30-35hp range and the Branson tops it in both categories. Lifts 2,100 lbs.

 

[KennyG]

How is any financing an incentive to buy new over a reduced cost used machine?...when all financing (especially 0%) does is raise the cost over a cash sale?

Looks like the OP is leaning toward used tractors, but this should be corrected again. Not all financing deals raise the cost. It depends on whether or not there is "dealer participation". If there is not, the manufacturer bears all the financing cost and, since the price to the dealer is set, it doesn't matter if it's cash or financed. I learned this when I bought my John Deere. I took 3 year, 0% financing since it didn't affect the purchase price. 5 year 0% was also available but it involved dealer participation, so the dealer would have had to raise the price. It works the same way with cars. I bought a Chevy at 1.9% because I couldn't negotiate a lower cash price - financing was through GM independent of the dealer.

 

[jeff9366]

Looks like the OP is leaning toward used tractors, but this should be corrected again. Not all financing deals raise the cost. It depends on whether or not there is "dealer participation".

Ten year interest rates in Japan are 0% today and have been for years. Kubota, Yanmar and other credit worthy Japanese companies can borrow at 0% in Japan for ten years and use borrowed money to provide 0% equipment financing in the USA.

If inflation is 1-1/2 % to 2% in USA a 0% financed machine may cost LESS in US/$ over the loan period than one paid for in cash at time of purchase. (Insurance is required on financed tractors but I maintain insurance after tractors are paid off.)