Noob Here...Seeking a Tractor Education, Please

[airbiscuit]

Are you planning to remove 10" stumps, or just moving the trees after they're cut?

 

[9973720wb19]

Thanks for all of the responses thus far. I have a 61" Ferris for mowing. Land is flat-to-very-small-inclines.
Usages, in no particular order, would include:

Spreading gravel
Digging post holes
Digging trenches for water lines and electrical runs
Clearing an acre of small trees...< 10" diameter...and moving the felled trees
Tilling soil for garden...approximately 1 acre or a little less

Sounds good. When I got my first tractor I didn't realize how important it was to develop a relationship with a dealer. Unlike a car purchase (0ne and done), you'll need good advise about attachments best suited for your tasks along with a proper fit on your tractor. good advise and support in my opinion is more important than the brand of tractor. pretty much any brand will last a long time with proper maintenance. Go with a dealer that spends time with you...a smaller dealer that doesn't have a steady stream of selling $300,000 Combines and large sprayers all the time might appreciate your business more. I'm on first name bases with most employees at my dealer...sales, service and parts. Over the years, you'll buy up, trade in, and swap out equipment as tasks on your property become completed and or change...it's good to have a dealer that is supportive. Oh...and things break too!

 

[RalphVa]

Define what you want to do. I do fine with a 1500 # tractor and 18.5 hp with FEL and bush hog or wood chipper behind on our very much sloped 8.5 acres. Whereas, my neghbor has a 52 hp "Lamborgheny (sp?)" of a tractor for his 5 acres, with about the same slope as mine. Dirt moving stuff takes about the most hp and weight.

On sloped land or anywhere there could be stuff to drive upon or holes to drop into. ALWAYS run in 4wd unless on pavement; otherwise, no 4 wheel brakes. It'll just skid downhill in 2wd and do your pants a package.

In doorways of any kind, remember you have a machine that turns sharply and is about 17 ft long with a bush hog and FEL.

If you have foldable ROPS, it can do mucho damage to doorway tops if left up.

 

[Raul-02]

Tractors seem to shrink after about twenty hours of operating experience.

LOL

 

[JM7500]

Kailor,
Welcome. I'm from north Alabama as well but recently moved to southern middle TN. I bought my first tractor last March. We have about 75 acres but nearly all is wooded and only keep up about 12 acres. Before purchasing my tractor, I looked at what implements I wanted and what size implements to determine the tractor size. For me, I the most demanding implement is the 6" MD rotary cutter. This set the PTO hp required. From there, I developed a spread sheet with all the models available. I narrowed things down based on specifications, price and other intangibles (like my opinion of the dealer after visiting). My list quickly narrowed down to 4 tractors that met my needs. I went with a dealer that gave me the best price and quickest delivery. I have been extremely happy with my decision, but also think I would have been happy with any of my final 4 selection. Be sure to budget for implements. The grapple (and 3rd function) was well worth the cost for clearing down trees and brush. I keep the grapple attached and only install the bucket when necessary. As a new tractor owner, having a dealer that will answer my questions and help me out has been invaluable.

 

[schoeny]

Get a 9n ford or t-20 Ferguson simple , well built has a good 3 pt hitch , can find lots of cheap attachments online , and can find restored ones from 2 thousand to 3500 hundred

 

[airbiscuit]

Not a fan of those old Fords. The 9n only has a 3 speed transmission, and the more modern 8n has a 4 speed transmission as follows:

1. Fast
2. Very Fast
3. Way too Fast
4. WTF

 

[4570Man]

Get a 9n ford or t-20 Ferguson simple , well built has a good 3 pt hitch , can find lots of cheap attachments online , and can find restored ones from 2 thousand to 3500 hundred

The most productive thing you could do with that ancient relic would be to scrap it to build something better. The second would be driving in a parade.

 

[4570Man]

Thanks for all of the responses thus far. I have a 61" Ferris for mowing. Land is flat-to-very-small-inclines.
Usages, in no particular order, would include:

Spreading gravel
Digging post holes
Digging trenches for water lines and electrical runs
Clearing an acre of small trees...< 10" diameter...and moving the felled trees
Tilling soil for garden...approximately 1 acre or a little less

I’d recommend a mini excavator over a tractor over a tractor for doing that. The mini x id light years ahead for clearing and digging ditches, it can spread gravel good enough to get by, you can get an auger for digging post holes and you could hire someone to till the garden.

 

[LD1]

I'm just dumbfounded someone would suggest wasting $3k on a dinosaur N series fords

Nothing against them, they have their place.

But there is NOTHING in the tasks listed that an N series would do well.

Spreading gravel.....nope. even if you find one with a loader, they are pathetic and frustrating to use. No power steering, no weight, probably only gravity down and a trip bucket. Bette Ethan a shovel but pure misery

Digging post holes....ok it can probably do that as well as any other tractor

Trenches....nope. An old backhoe for them is gonna suck, and probably not easy to remove for other attachments, and too small of a tractor for a 3ph hoe.

Tilling a garden. Forget it...too fast to work well with a tiller. And no live pto sucks for about any PTO atrachment
Clearing trees....the no loader and no backhoe is gonna make that problematic.

Moving trees...same deal