Tough Choice!!!!

[jhbusa]

I finished some early Christmas shopping this weekend. I have quotes on a couple of real nice Christmas presents that I sure could use some help with. Here's the deal:

Do I buy a Kubota?

L5030 4x4 HST with 853 Fel HD bucket, rear lights, 2 remotes, 1 tnt kit, fluid in tires and Westindorf Cool cap canopy ...

$26,024

Or do I buy a nice new 57 hp LD Montana 5740 4x4 with sync trans (ya gotta clutch it). I can't find any info on this tractor and the website is lame. Sales kid kept calling the mkt rep for info he didn't have. I drove this unit with a CAB and found it pretty nice. It is $22850 without the CAB. I get 7-9 more HP but lose HST. I get 4 rear remotes standard versus 2 with Kubota. The lights are std. I get switchable independent and manual PTO which I found neat even with my limited experience on tractors. Kubota only had independent PTO I believe (and a MF to try to get in gear sometimes). The Montana Dealer and distributer are very local.

I'm buying almost $6000 in implements and trailor too.
BH 2102 with Carbide Drill, BH RBX 720 Box Blade, BH 286 cutter, 18 ft, 12k, electric brake trailor

I can't find info on Woods, Carver, Atlas or LD Montana implements or tooth bars on the internet. Nutin'.

The Kubota dealer is all Bush Hog which I've used a few times and like so far. I'd love to go with comparable quality brands that are cheaper.

Any help with this decision would be greatly appreciated, especially regarding LD Montana. By the way, the Montana with CAB was 25K. Still less cost than the Kubota. Talk about tempting!

I have 65 acres to maintain. About 1/2 is wooded in hills. There are a couple road / creek crossings and fences to fix / set up. I can think of 100 uses the first week. And digging post holes by hand in the rain ... suks!

 

[Inspector507]

Here's Woods on the web.

And here's Carver

And here's tootbars at Markham

 

[BigAl]

Welcome to TBN . How about filling out your Bio information a little more ? May I suggest you look strongly at a 20 ' trailer instead of the 18',if your truck can handle it . I have had both and the longer length is very nice when I have a rear mower attached or carry a few extra attachments on board the trailer .
Big Al

 

[frank_f15]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Sales kid kept calling the mkt rep for info he didn't have. )</font>

WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU? If it were me i would go with the proven machine.

 

[jhbusa]

Thanks Inspector 507, I literally have searched for hours. I'll work on that BIO bigal.

Thanks again.

 

[DmansPadge]

JMO, but if I'm going to spend $20k plus on a tractor its going to have a name on the side of it that everyone knows. And if the guy selling the tractor doesn't know anything about, I wouldn't walk out of there... I'd run.

The Montana might be a fine tractor. But the choice between a proven name and it would be like buying a Chevy/Ford pickup for $25000 or a truck that you've never heard of and nobody knows anything about for $22000!

You might want to look at the "all other brands" forum. I think there is some mention of Montanas in there.

Good luck!

 

[JayC]

I've never heard of Montana before. I would agree with the others and go for the Kubota. I can't justify spending that much money and then try to save a few bucks on a brand no one has heard of. They look like good tractors, but for the price I think it makes the Kubota look better.

 

[Dargo]

I have to agree with BigAl on the trailer size. I have a 24' trailer and with my L5030HSTC on it with the FEL and 6' bush hog, I actually hang off the back by about a foot. That would mean that an 18' trailer would come up about 7' short if you have an FEL and a 6' bush hog on it. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

On the tractor, I know nothing about a Montana. It could very well be a great tractor. I suppose I'm like the rest in that I'm much more likely to go with the "known" quantity and quality. You could get a fantastic tractor with a Montana; you could also get a lemon that nobody can get parts for. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Montana is made by LG. LG is a large conglomerate, makes TV sets, refrigerators, all sorts of stuff. The tractors are new to the US market, they are priced cheap, I have no idea about quality. The information I have found was very sparce. I was digging into them a couple weeks ago trying to find out some real information. There simply isn't much.

As for the choices, I'd go for the Kubota. Pure $$$ savings are only part of the story. Dealers can be divided between good and bad. If the "sales kid" is representing the dealership and he doesn't know about the product he is selling, then I suspect there is the answer you need to know about the dealer! A good dealer will send his reps for training. A good dealer will attend dealer meetings and will be an expert in the brand. A good dealer will also have a reputation in the community as being a good dealer. Then there is the stocked parts department and that is followed up with the experienced mechanics. LG might make a good machine, but I'll let someone else risk their $25,000.

As for the trailer, start looking at 22' (at the MINIMUM size) for that size machine. That or buy some of those red flags that mark oversize loads.

 

[jhbusa]

Thanks guys, I'm going with the Kubota. I do twice the homework as a normal person on buying anything and I agree with what you all noted. Here's an update on the pricing from another local dealer:

L5030 HST with 853 Fel, lights, fluid, HD bucket with edge, Tnt kit, 2 remotes, Westindork cool cap, and he don't know it yet, but I'll get the shop manuals too.

Box blade is Cammond BS72R - $800

Cutter is Bush Whacker (www.bush-whacker.com), this thing looks like a tank! $2000 as to the BH286 for $1875 with chains.

Post hole digger is a Danuser 20/40. I've asked for a carbide tip auger. $1200.

Kinda nervous about the post hole digger the F8 is more comparable to the BH2102. I got a lot of rock in NW Arkansas and SW Missouri.

Trailor is 18' by 7' with surge brakes. $2750. Rated for 10K. Bulldog hitch and ramps. If you have any input here as far as electric versus surge, bring it on. I'll do some searches on the forums for debates later tonight.

Regarding the 20' trailor, will a 1/2 ton 4x4 1997 Dodge SLT pull it?

I didn't want to write off Montana immediately due to a young inexperienced kid if Montana had a good, well established product. Sure drove nice and the CAB was sweet. It is going to be in the teens here in the Ozarks tonight.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Dargo]

I don't know what your truck will pull, but you may want to measure the total length of your tractor from the front of the FEL to the end of your longest implement. Seriously, with my bush hog, I'd be hanging about 7 feel off the end of an 18' trailer. That would put it in the range of "won't work" as far as I'm concerned. Unless you plan on making more than one trip to get your equipment to where you need it, I agree with Bob that you should look at a 22' trailer minimum.

 

[DmansPadge]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Regarding the 20' trailor, will a 1/2 ton 4x4 1997 Dodge SLT pull it? )</font>

I don't think you'd have a problem as long as your not pulling it long distances. A 1 or 3/4 ton would be a better match, but, I've got a friend who has a '01 Chevy extended cab with a V6 and he pulls a 28' tow behind travel trailer and doesn't have any trouble. I would advise to use a tow/haul option if your truck has it. If not keep it out of overdrive if you are getting up to highway speeds.

I think you are wise to opt for the Kubota. I think you are gonna be real happy... and real busy the way it sounds! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Good luck.

 

[jhbusa]

Thanks Dargo, I'll be pricing 20 and 22 ft'ers tomorrow. I can't believe there would be that much weight difference from 18ft to 22ft.

What is your opinion of surge versus electric brakes? That's a lot of weight back there. My truck isn't wired for electric brakes ... yet. What if I have to back up a hill with surge? Will they engage? Then what? (With my temper, I'll be disengaging them with a sledge hammer)!

I've pulled rental tractors with bush hog, loader, box blade and post hole digger in one shot. Seemed fine if I took it easy.

 

[Dargo]

I've only had surge brakes on a boat trailer. They worked well enough for me. I have electric on my current trailer. They work fine for me too. As long as I can stop it, I guess I'm happy. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[btolle]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Trailor is 18' by 7' with surge brakes. $2750. Rated for 10K. Bulldog hitch and ramps. If you have any input here as far as electric versus surge, bring it on. I'll do some searches on the forums for debates later tonight.

Regarding the 20' trailor, will a 1/2 ton 4x4 1997 Dodge SLT pull it?
)</font>

I would get the electric brakes. A contoller for your truck is not that expensive and allows you to adjust the amount of braking the trailer does. This is expecially important since you are going to be pulling it with a 1/2 ton pickup.

My concern with pulling heavy loads with 1/2 ton pickups is not whether it will pull it or not, it is whether it will stop it in an emergency situation where your life could be at risk.

I am not a trailer expert but am contemplating buying one myself. I figure I need about 2' more trailer than the length of my tractor with FEL and rotary cutter attached. That will allow me to set the tractor forward or back of center to balance it on the trailer so the tongue weight is correct.

Bill Tolle

 

[jhbusa]

Thanks Bill. I'm leaning toward electric if nothing more than to keep the cost down since I'm aiming for a bigger trailer.

I noticed the Danuser 20/40 post hole digger the dealer quoted me does not seem to be as tough as the Bush Hog 2102. I wanted a BH2101 but the brochure only took it to 9" auger so I moved up to the BH2102 (I wanted to hedge my bet on the future in case I needed a bigger auger). I started comparing and found the boom tubing on the BH2102 is 3 1/2 " OD and the DU 3". Should I be concerned? The 20/40 does take larger augers. I don't expect to dig more than 3 or 4 dozen holes the first year. (Almost warrants a rental ... I know ... call me lazy). What's the deal with single or double flights? I ain't puttin' the auger on a helicopter.

 

[btolle]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I started comparing and found the boom tubing on the BH2102 is 3 1/2 " OD and the DU 3". Should I be concerned?)</font>

The OD is less critical than the wall thickness of the pipe. If you tap on each one with a metal object the tinner wall pipe will have a higher pitch ring to it.

Or, see if you can get the specs on the pipe. Bush hog's stuff is usually pretty sturdy, I'll bet their pipe has a thicker wall so is actually stronger.

I would not want a digger that could not accommodate at least a 12" auger.

I would really consider renting instead of buying. Last time I rented a PHD it only cost $50 or $75 a day and with a big helper to put some extra pressure on it in a couple of the holes we drilled 15 holes 4' deep in about 5 or 6 hours.

Don't forget, if you own it you have to store it, keep it from rusting, and fend off friends and neighbors who want to "borrow" it and wear it out for you.

Bill Tolle

 

[jhbusa]

Good point on the borrowing, storing and especially rusting. I'm pretty diligent about taking care of my tools. This whole forum talks as if rust is a normal thing for farm equipment. It will kill me to see $5000 worth of implements rusting normally! I better get used to it I guess.

I'll think twice about the PHD.