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

 

[schoeny]

as far as a relic goes had one on the farm growing up oil changes tune up and tires only money spent in 40 yrs of use, rake hay , pull wagons , 3pt bush hog mower, and bucket for cleaning cow yard for 30 beef cows , you tell me any tractor built now that will be that inexpensive to own over 40yrs

 

[LD1]

as far as a relic goes had one on the farm growing up oil changes tune up and tires only money spent in 40 yrs of use, rake hay , pull wagons , 3pt bush hog mower, and bucket for cleaning cow yard for 30 beef cows , you tell me any tractor built now that will be that inexpensive to own over 40yrs

Most all modern tractors will go 5000+ hrs with regular maintenance.

Nothing makes the old Ns special other than the fact that they made so many of them.

Doesn't change the fact that it's a terrible choice for the jobs that the OP wants to accomplish.

 

[schoeny]

has 10 acres , why would you want him to spend 25- 40 k on a tractor , all of the things you described can be done by a guy with a back hoe and bull dozer in a afternoon for a 1000- 1500 i see these little compact tractors on sale all of the time , they buy them and find out they are light and little power , better off buying used utility tractor that weighs 5000 lbs and used skidloader for 15k total

 

[LD1]

has 10 acres , why would you want him to spend 25- 40 k on a tractor , all of the things you described can be done by a guy with a back hoe and bull dozer in a afternoon for a 1000- 1500 i see these little compact tractors on sale all of the time , they buy them and find out they are light and little power , better off buying used utility tractor that weighs 5000 lbs and used skidloader for 15k total

Sometimes people just want a tractor.

I'm sure he has way more uses than listed to...or will find more uses.

You can't seem to make up your mind either.....5000# utility plus a used hunk of junk skidloader is alot different than suggesting an n series.

For some people....it isn't about buying the cheapest boat anchor they can find.

And someone who has NEVER owned/ran a tractor.....an N series or a 60 year old 5000 pound utility would be the last thing I'd suggest

 

[4570Man]

as far as a relic goes had one on the farm growing up oil changes tune up and tires only money spent in 40 yrs of use, rake hay , pull wagons , 3pt bush hog mower, and bucket for cleaning cow yard for 30 beef cows , you tell me any tractor built now that will be that inexpensive to own over 40yrs

Just because something has been around 40 years more like 82 years since the introduction doesn’t make them good. Pulling a wagon or hay rake is about the only thing an 8 or 9 n does well. Neither of which was on the OPs list. And you can get a way more modern but pre def tractor that will put in equally as reliable service. An 8 or 9 n isn’t good or even half way decent at anything on the OPs list. What exactly do you plan on him accomplishing with one?

 

[tradosaurus]

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 have 45 acres but only work about 5 acres, except the work I did clearing a walking trail.

A 30 hp tractor will go just about anything a 55 hp tractor can do, just slower. I had a L3301 for 2 years and then upgraded to an MX5400. Moving dirt takes half the amount of time, I can work my gravel driveway (900 ft) with less passes, my heavy duty rotary cutter doesn't bind through thick grass or heavy brush.
Buy once, cry once if you are able. Even with me reading this forum and asking questions I still had the salesman talk me into a tractor that wasn't as suited for the work I was doing.

 

[jeff9366]

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

Improvements in tractors since the Ford 8N/9N in approximate order: 4-WD, Industrial Tires, Roll Bars, Power Steering, "live" then "independent" PTOs, Loaders, Diesel Engines, heavier tractors with Category 2-3-4-5 TPH, Landscaping tractors of <2,000 pounds bare tractor weight, hydrostatic transmissions, shuttle shift gear transmissions, cruise control, Cabs with heat and AC. And, continuously, shields separating operator from moving parts.

I consider the old Fords much too hazardous machinery for our new-to-tractors OP.

 

[K5lwq]

I learned on a 8N when I was a kid. Although I do not think it is the right tractor for the OP, I do think for some new tractor owners it would be a good choice. If they can learn how to get work out of a N and keep it running, they will be miles ahead of the game with a modern tractor.

Of course tilling with a N is not going to work well but a turning plow and disk does. You just have to choose different implements and go about things differently.

 

[mcfarmall]

I live on 2 acres and have an M5660, just the right size for me and couldn't be happier.

 

[rademamj1]

Improvements in tractors since the Ford 8N/9N in approximate order: 4-WD, Industrial Tires, Roll Bars, Power Steering, "live" then "independent" PTOs, Loaders, Diesel Engines, heavier tractors with Category 2-3-4-5 TPH, Landscaping tractors of
I consider the old Fords much too hazardous machinery for our new-to-tractors OP.

You definitely made your point regarding tractor improvements over the many years. And we sometimes forget or don't realize it, until we see all those improvements listed.