Thinking of buying a bigger tractor (40hp-50hp)

[Todd_C]

As many of you know, I own a TC 30. I dearly love my tractor but I am in the process of adding 10 more acres of land that borders the National Forest. A close friend is also buying 20 acres that adjoins my property, so I will have approximatley 40 acres to play. Most of the land is wooded with a few hills. My father and I used my TC 30 to remove a lot of tree stumps and soil for his garage. The TC 30 worked great, but it was operating at it's max capability.

I am thinking of purchasing another tractor in the 40hp to 50hp range. I like NH but I wouild like advice and pricing on any brand in this range. Specifically, I would like to hear input on MF 1455 or 1440 and similar Kubota tractors.

Thanks

 

[IH3444]

Kioti DK45S

 

[gmsssi]

I second that! The DK45s is hard to beat on price, features, comfort and strength. I did the same search for the same reasons and I ended up with the Kioti. Good Luck....... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Yalerider]

Branson 4520 /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Maka]

I would look at the Montana 4340. It is a very nice machine.

Thanks,
Maka

 

[tkcomer]

If you have a dealer, take a good hard look at McCormick. I was getting ready to buy one of those until I stumbled onto a used Case-IH DX-33. The GX 40 was more tractor than the DX-33 and was about $1500 less than a new DX.

 

[rockyridgefarm]

Check out the Deere 4720. The whole 4000TWENTY series is turbocharged and has tons of deluxe features at great price points.

 

[Soundguy]

All good sugestions so far. I'd also like to point out, if you don't mind a few hours on the proofmeter, and a scratch or two on the fenders, don't rule out a good return / lease/tradein model. Especially if it was dealer maintainded.. You can get a hefty discout and get more HP per $ that way. Might even kick you up a level in size for the same money. 20ac is alot to mow... You infer that you might have 'duties' on the other 20. Nothing like a big tractor to pull a big mower.

Other options are to keep the good rugged tc-30 and get a good used ag tractor.. let the big brute do the big work.. etc.

I read the tractor trader mag every week. Often you see a ford tw series or big deutz and a batwing mower go for under 10K$

Soundguy

 

[Todd_C]

Thanks to all for the advice. I've got a lot of irons in fire right now (another little one due next month, new land, remodeling, grandmother has cancer), but I am going to give this a lot of thought before I jump. I'm even talking with my homeowners association about selling our Ford 8n to buy something like a Jinma 204. I really like my TC 30 so I'm not in a hurry. I noticed that intrest rates are going up, so I may not be able to do anything until after Christmas. You can bet your last dollar that will drive the tires off several dealership tractors before I buy. I am going to try out all the brands before I buy.

Soundguy, I might just take your advice. I would like to have another tractor. I just don't know what the wife is going to say if I add another piece of equipement. Two years ago I never thought twice about buying a tractor, now all I drive is my tractor. My ATV is now home to a colony of spiders. My wife laughs at me when I drve my TC 30 a mile down the hill to our mailbox instead of driving the ATV or my poor Silverado that never moves.

 

[froggy]

Does the tractor trader magazine you read have a web site?

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Does the tractor trader magazine you read have a web site? )</font>


I -think- it is :

Heavy Equipment Trader

This is the main url.. it takes you to a menu.. sailboat.. sportscars.. etc.. then you will see heavy equipment. that means that you will see bulldozers, tractors, and construction equipment al together. Can usually find this in jiffy store news stands for about 2$.. it is state or at least region specific on the news stands.. so All I get to see is the florida magazine.

Yes... you can search their website too.. but the search function works about as good as the one here... you have to only use 1-2 words.. if you get wordy.. you either get -0- hits.. or 54,287,365 hits....

Soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I'm even talking with my homeowners association about selling our Ford 8n to buy something like a Jinma 204. )</font>

Does the 8n run good? Reason I ask, is the 8n will do most of the things a 204 will... and some of them better..( pull a 2-bottom plow, run a 5' rotary mower... ) though the 204 will do some things the 8n cant, ( run a roto-tiller ) and will have modern features.. like 2 stage clutch.. rops.. etc..

Both are 'hands on - you fix it' type machines.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Soundguy, I might just take your advice. I would like to have another tractor. I just don't know what the wife is going to say if I add another piece of equipement. )</font>

I hear ya!

I was in your boat a while back.. I had a nice rugged minty NH 1920 ( tad bigger than a tc30 ).. and needed more tractor as we picked up more acerage). I found a nice ford 5000 I wanted... it would pull a 10' mower.. and the tractor had a fresh -every-nut-turned- refurbishment by the local tractor mechanic.. was for sale for 8k$ I figured between those 2 tractors i'd be set.... Wife didn't like the 5000 for some reason.. ( said it still wasn't big enough.... she had wanted me to get a ford 8000 at one time... ). We found a Nh 7610s at the same NH dealer I got the 1920 at... had a few hours and a crumpled fender.... The owner offere dme top dollar on my 1920 and discounted the 7610s... I really couldn't refuse... it was a great deal.. but I do wish sometimes I had kept the 1920 and got the 5000... That is.. a 33hp tractor.. and a 67hp tractor.... As there are some things a 90hp tractor are a tad to big to do.... Oh well... it's done... can't go back!

Soundguy

 

[froggy]

Thanks.

 

[Todd_C]

Soundguy,

Our 8n is in good condition. We (homeowners) have used it since 2001 with very little fuss. The guy I bought my house from found the tractor from a family friend. They (homeowners) paid $2,000 for it. According to the paper work and owner's manual the tractor only had one owner. I have only used it for about 2-3 hours since I moved to my present house. I was looking at other 8ns on ebay and have been amazed how much money they bring. Our tractor looks original (except for the 12volt conversion). The paint is in good shape when compared to the tractors on ebay. Don't get me wrong, it's not perfect. I haven't been on the tractor for over a year. David (president) had it out this past Saturday helping me grade the road and it ran great. The president of the homewoners association asked me when I moved in if he could store the tractor, so he has it at his house. We are going to change the fluids this weekend (I hope). He said the gear shift boot tore and he believes rain may have gotten in the tranny.

The reason he wants to sell it is because we only use the tractor to grade the road. It works great, but there are several ditches that vary between 10"-16" deep. David (president) said he gets nervous when he pulls gravel near the edge. I know what he means as the TC 30 has slid into a ditch with me when pulling a heavy load of gravel; however, I have rops and FWD. I feel the 204 would be more controlable with FWD during the winter months and during "heavy" grading. I'm not always home and I travel several times a year so my tractor is not always available. David asked if he could just pay me and sell the Ford 8n, but I feel we need to keep two tractors, so he went for the 204.

 

[Soundguy]

When you change the fluids.. go back in with either 4.5 gallons of 90wt gl-1 or 3 oil available from TSc or napa.. etc.. or use the NH 134d oil or equivalent UTF oil.

gear shift boot canbe found at TSC... TIP: boil it for a couple minutes in water.. then quick as a flash slide it in place.. then let it shrink/cool.

The single sump has 3 drains.. a pipe plug in the back.. then a drain plug under the pump.. then a drain under the tranny.. start at the back.. go forward.

Crankcase will be obvious..

Service the air cleaner as well.

Soundguy

 

[n4807g]

I just bought a Farm Pro 8240 with a Koyker 310 loader, delivered for $26,000. I own a Belarus 572 (bought in 1992) with 635 hours. I live in NH and own 42 acres on the side of a small mountain. I use the tractor for mowing, maintaining about 1/2 mile of road and logging. If you're going to do any serious woodlot work I'd look at a "heavy" tractor. Something in the area of at least 7,000 lbs. One of the reasons I bought the Farm Pro was the fact that I now have two tractors. I can't afford to have a problem in the winter. All the "name" brand dealers gave me a trade in on the Belarus of $7,000 (I paid $12,500 with a loader in 92'). If you add the trade price to the purchase price of the Farm Pro I still would've paid more for any other tractor. Good luck with your decision