Picking a first tractor

   / Picking a first tractor #11  
Front end loader is like a pickup truck. Once you have had one, you can't image life without it. A lot of good advice here already. I would suggest to buy a tractor with FEL. Adding one later can be a pain depending on the machine you buy. If you have a CAT 1 three point hitch, with 540 PTO, and an FEL, you have the basics to do a lot of things. You are then limited by only the weight, horsepower and size of the machine.
 
   / Picking a first tractor #12  
I’d rather have a BX tractor with a loader vs a 50 hp tractor without a loader. A tractor without a loader is made to pull things and in the absence of things to pull it’s not good for much.
 
   / Picking a first tractor
  • Thread Starter
#13  
The ford is 4x4, with fel, about 400 hrs. I will need to learn on how to wrench an old diesel.
 

Attachments

  • CF24478F-DD73-44AB-B5D9-B79C530BE48A.jpeg
    CF24478F-DD73-44AB-B5D9-B79C530BE48A.jpeg
    482.9 KB · Views: 131
   / Picking a first tractor #14  
Sitting at my desk, the Ford appears to be in excellent condition for $7,000.

You will need to learn hydraulic repairs long before you need an engine repair.


For working over the blackberries with destruction the goal, consider a Ratchet Rake bucket attachment to tear Blackberries down in manageable segments, then mow prostrate vines. Spray inevitable sprouts with Gordon's (brand) "Brush Killer" from Tractor Supply Company (TSC).



 
Last edited:
   / Picking a first tractor #15  
4) old Ford 1700 low hrs for $7k.

A nearly identical Ford 1700 with a loader sold for $3000 two days ago near me. Granted, prices are regional and it was a good deal, but I would highly suggest you drive a tractor with a hydrostat (old or new) before spending over 5k on an older geared tractor for a 5 acre property. I'd wager you'll be going forward and back more than some might realize - especially after you figure out how incredibly handy loaders are! Price-wise, you might find that Ford 1520/1620 are about as good as it gets in the HST department before entering the JD 4300(compact series) and above price realm.
 
   / Picking a first tractor #16  
Going forward and back on a geared tractor is hard for some people, but not so much for others. HST has drawbacks, too. Price, power loss and noise all come to mind. Great advice to try out the tractors in which you are interested. If you can drive a manual transmission car, you may be more comfortable with a gear drive. If you have bad feet/legs you may want the HST.
 
   / Picking a first tractor #17  
Going forward and back on a geared tractor is hard for some people, but not so much for others. HST has drawbacks, too. Price, power loss and noise all come to mind. Great advice to try out the tractors in which you are interested. If you can drive a manual transmission car, you may be more comfortable with a gear drive. If you have bad feet/legs you may want the HST.
I wouldn't say a gear tractor is hard to use at all, in fact, my personal preference tends to be JD's power shift / Kubota's glideshift etc for most of the "farm work" I do. Wet clutch is the only option, since I'd rather not be splitting tractors every two thousand or so hours.

For 5 acres though, there's really no comparison in work efficiency between HST and old gear transmissions. Getting things accomplished in close quarters is just so much quicker and easier. The Kubota 3710 and Ford 1620 I use never lack for power or display any transmission noise whatsoever. I should have had the wife video me on the 1620 the day I pulled our neighbor's Deere 5302 down the county road and up his fairly steep hill after his clutch went out around our corner - it was enough to convert my die-hard old school Deere son to an HST "appreciater" :)

The real decision for the OP should be treadle pedal or two pedals, ha!
 
   / Picking a first tractor #18  
First question is why would you want to get rid of the holly? It takes many years for holly to be come mature enough for harvesting. I'd be asking around the local garden stores to see if they needed a supplier for holly. And when you say "volunteer brushes," I'm assuming you meant volunteer plants/seedlings. And these could be viewed as an asset depending on your local soil conditions and how easy these are to dig up and pot for sale or transplant.

As CBF stated, we need much more info, about your property and your intended use, in order to give you relevant opinions.

Also, I'll have to assume you are storing the tractor inside or under cover of some sort. A bigger tractor will of course require a bigger space.

Even without any more info, I think the Massey 1715 - a good little estate lawn mower tractor, horse stall cleaner - would not be your best choice for a 5+ acre wood lot. How mature are your trees? Do you heat with wood? Are you considering using a chipper in the future? Do you ever have to plow snow, groom your driveway, or pull cars out of ditches? And how established are these blackberries you want to get rid of?

When i first got my property, it was over run with blackberries, 6 feet high in some places, and no way of knowing what was at ground level. For clearing those areas, i just rented a small bulldozer for three days.

Hold this, as just opinion: But there are stages to a property. Particularly if it is raw land or if it is neglected land. First stage, you are going to need some big guns to get the job done. Rent these big guns. Then, there is a middle stage that you will want to make relatively small changes to your property. A 14-25 HP tractor, with FEL, and Box Scraper works well in this stage for making patios, and paths and moving materials.
Then, there is, after everything is established, a maintenance stage. The mid-sized tractor 14-25 HP will still work, yet it will be slightly cumbersome if you need more precise landscaping work.

So later, we just bought a garden/lawn tractor to do that work, mostly mowing, while still keeping the 14 HP Compact Tractor to deal with the odd heavy lifting, such as pulling cars out of ditches, clearing snow, hauling firewood, or dragging out the occasional fallen, mature tree.

If I had any advice, I'd say get a tractor with a wide stance. Even though you say you have just a slight down slope. First few years, had mine on three wheels, more than i want to say, till I learned to respect how the machine worked on even small slopes. And your ROPS is only as good as when you are wearing your seat belt. :)
 
   / Picking a first tractor #19  

Ford 1700 Transmission​



Ford 1700 tractor photo
1979 - 1982
Hundred Compact Series
Compact Utility tractor
Shibaura built
1600
Series:150017001900
1710
Transmission
Gears:12 forward and 4 reverse
Oil capacity:23 qts
21.8 L
Three speeds, plus reverse, in four ranges.
 
   / Picking a first tractor
  • Thread Starter
#20  
Appreciate all the advice above. I am trying to rent a 25hp kubota to see if it can handle what i need before investing in a 35+ compact tractor.
 

Tractor & Equipment Auctions

BUYERS PREMIUM & PAYMENT TERMS (A51219)
BUYERS PREMIUM &...
2018 Ford Explorer AWD SUV (A48082)
2018 Ford Explorer...
2018 Nissan Versa SV Sedan (A48082)
2018 Nissan Versa...
Tubing A500 Grade C 6in. SQ X 1/4in. X 28ft. (A50860)
Tubing A500 Grade...
2016 SDLG L948F WHEEL LOADER (A51242)
2016 SDLG L948F...
1996 Ford E-150 Van (A50860)
1996 Ford E-150...
 
Top