too big?

mikespeed6 · Jul 17, 2014

I have just purchased a 10 acre piece of land that has got some pretty good elevation changes. I will not be farming it or keeping livestock and has few trees on it. I will be using a 5 or 6' rotary cutter same with a rototiller and FEL/digging (to build) a pond and clearing snow from the driveway. Now for the question would a MF1736 be too much/too large for what I need? I have looked at the Kubota L3800, 3901 and the 3350SU. I've also looked at the JD3032,3038e. I'm also considering a used MF1540. There are no other dealers close by other than NH that has a bad reputation so didnt even stop. Leaning towards Kubota or one of the MF. Any thoughts?

Sysop · Jul 17, 2014

You will want weight for dirt work or to work on slopes. I'd look at the weight of the tractor's base unit (no FEL or BH) and purchase accordingly. Weight can be added, but generally not very inexpensive, suitcase weights and the likes are generally a buck per pound, filled tires are a few hundred bucks (and that runs out on the ground if you ever get a leak). These are good additions to have, but having a heavy base unit for dirt work provides the best stability and ability with everything else equal. A 3000# tractor with a 1000# loader loaded and lifted is not going to be as stable as a 4000# machine with a 1000# loader loaded and lifted. A 3000# tractor isn't going to have as much traction on the ground as a 4000# machine would, doing dirt work with a light machine eats the tires up from all the spinning when driving the FEL into a pile of material. I'd go with the heaviest of the machines you like.

Poopdeck Pappy · Jul 17, 2014

If you're talking about digging a pond of any size, you're gonna need more than a FEL.

mikespeed6 · Jul 17, 2014

The 1736 weighs about 800 pounds heavier than the L3800 and the 3800 weighs about 500 more than the JD. I know I will need more than just an fel to dig a pond. The 1736 just seems so friggn massive by comparison.

MtnViewRanch · Jul 17, 2014

mikespeed6 said:
The 1736 weighs about 800 pounds heavier than the L3800 and the 3800 weighs about 500 more than the JD. I know I will need more than just an fel to dig a pond. The 1736 just seems so friggn massive by comparison.

From the tractors that you listed, I would go Massey. Nothing wrong with that 1540 either as long as it has not been abused. Those are good machines. I really like having the turbo on it also.

Bluegill2 · Jul 17, 2014

I bought a L3800DT two years ago knowing I really needed a slightly larger tractor. Price was too good to pass at 15K w/fel. Figured I run it a couple years then trade up. But have decided it's a keeper and isn't going anywhere. Very impressed with the power, traction & nimbleness. I'll get a larger one at some point, but will keep the 3800...

mikespeed6 · Jul 17, 2014

MtnViewRanch said:
From the tractors that you listed, I would go Massey. Nothing wrong with that 1540 either as long as it has not been abused. Those are good machines. I really like having the turbo on it also.

The local dealer doesn't have a 1540 on the lot but I found a low hour used one on an auction site im waiting on some additional info/pics of for a decent price. Perfer to see it in person but its 1200 miles from my house.....pretty sure you cant do too much damage to a sub100 hour tractor that wasn't a rental unit. Which do you own? Any issues?

RollingsFarms · Jul 17, 2014

mikespeed6 said:
The local dealer doesn't have a 1540 on the lot but I found a low hour used one on an auction site im waiting on some additional info/pics of for a decent price. Perfer to see it in person but its 1200 miles from my house.....pretty sure you cant do too much damage to a sub100 hour tractor that wasn't a rental unit. Which do you own? Any issues?

See if they can take a detailed video with their phone and send it to your phone or email. I recently bought a used tractor with 650 hours and I never set eyes on it other then looking at about 50 pics and a nice detailed 4:00 video where they went over every inch of the tractor and ran it and stuff. When the tractor showed up to my farm it exceeded my expectations condition wise.

mikespeed6 · Jul 17, 2014

RollingsFarms said:
See if they can take a detailed video with their phone and send it to your phone or email. I recently bought a used tractor with 650 hours and I never set eyes on it other then looking at about 50 pics and a nice detailed 4:00 video where they went over every inch of the tractor and ran it and stuff. When the tractor showed up to my farm it exceeded my expectations condition wise.

Do you recall which auction? I still need to drive one to see if how it feels....

RollingsFarms · Jul 17, 2014

mikespeed6 said:
Do you recall which auction? I still need to drive one to see if how it feels....

It wasn't an auction it was from a used tractor dealer on Ohio. He does auctions sometimes on auction time though. I've been watching his videos for a couple of years and noticed he always seem to sell nice used stuff and always pointed out all the flaws it had. In my tractors case it had a small scratch on one of the stickers. No big deal but he still pointed it out and that helped put me at ease about buying a tractor 900 miles away. Not to mention he gave me a better trade in for my tractor then I could get for it around here.

mikespeed6 · Jul 17, 2014

The guy I am talking with gave me a history on it and told me about some cosmetic damage so I too am getting a good feeling about it.

MtnViewRanch · Jul 17, 2014

mikespeed6 said:
The local dealer doesn't have a 1540 on the lot but I found a low hour used one on an auction site im waiting on some additional info/pics of for a decent price. Perfer to see it in person but its 1200 miles from my house.....pretty sure you cant do too much damage to a sub100 hour tractor that wasn't a rental unit. Which do you own? Any issues?

I don't own any Massey, came very very close to purchasing a new 1540 Power Shuttle though. I have 2 Mahindra tractors along with a few others. All of the newer tractors that we have, have turbos, love those turbos.

mikespeed6 · Jul 18, 2014

Well folks I went down to the local MF dealer today to drive a 1736 wound up buying a1635 that was returned off of a 1 year lease that has 60hrs on it with all the bells and whistles including rear wheel weights. Couldn't get passed the goofy pedal assembly on the Kubota and the JD seemed so cheap and cheesy with all that plastic. Not to mention the fact that the MF has almost double the lifting power and is a thousand pounds heavier than the JD. Pretty sure I made the right choice......

Roadbuilder6 · Jul 18, 2014

For your uses I wouldn't want anything smaller then a 1736. And NH are a very good tractor its just the LS conversions that aren't

RKJeepXJ · Jul 19, 2014

Roadbuilder6 said:
For your uses I wouldn't want anything smaller then a 1736. And NH are a very good tractor its just the LS conversions that aren't

What makes you say the LS built New Hollands are bad?

Poopdeck Pappy · Jul 19, 2014

RKJeepXJ said:
What makes you say the LS built New Hollands are bad?

It's complete nonsense. There are a lot of LS owners and LS-built NH owners on this site, and they generally seem to be satisfied with their tractors.

There has certainly been NO evidence of a pattern of problems with LS-built tractors.

Sure, there is anecdotal evidence of a problem here or there, but you cannot name a tractor brand for which that isn't true. Go read the Kubota and Deere forums here and see if their tractors are problem free.

jaydee325 · Jul 19, 2014

Poopdeck Pappy said:
It's complete nonsense. There are a lot of LS owners and LS-built NH owners on this site, and they generally seem to be satisfied with their tractors. There has certainly been NO evidence of a pattern of problems with LS-built tractors. Sure, there is anecdotal evidence of a problem here or there, but you cannot name a tractor brand for which that isn't true. Go read the Kubota and Deere forums here and see if their tractors are problem free.

We'll stated Pappy. When I see posts calling out a particular brand, I have fond memories of my departed father in law who ran a service station for over 30 years. Customers would ask him for a recommendation on a car purchase. His pat answer was " they are all junk, buy the one you like". (LOL)

k0ua · Jul 19, 2014

I don't know why you can't dig a pond with a tractor.. I believe you can. Provided you have dirt to dig in, and have plenty of time and diesel fuel.

Making a pond - YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGwAfabeaC4

john deere 2305 pond building - YouTube

Roadbuilder6 · Jul 19, 2014

RKJeepXJ said:
What makes you say the LS built New Hollands are bad?

Thats not what I said. I think LS makes an excellent tractor and looked very seriously at them. But on the New holland boomers made by Ls aren't very good. The loader is cheaper and the parts on it are cheaper then even the real Ls. I would know, I used to work at a NH dealer

mfreund · Jul 19, 2014

jaydee325 said:
We'll stated Pappy. When I see posts calling out a particular brand, I have fond memories of my departed father in law who ran a service station for over 30 years. Customers would ask him for a recommendation on a car purchase. His pat answer was " they are all junk, buy the one you like". (LOL)

He was right then and still is now! Buy one you can get parts for locally. They would like to sell you a tractor, but still have no problem selling parts to a tractor they did not sell.