Tractor AND a truck?

[JP11]

Oh no... Indecision once again.

To go over the nuts and bolts. I thought I was locked into the 30 to 40HP range. 70 acres, majority woods.

Planned to just hobby along cutting wood, plowing 1500' driveway, cutting rough trails to walk dogs on thru the woods.

Had kind of thought CK30HST.

Anyway... all of the sudden I thought..

Why not get a smaller tractor like a CK20HST.. maybe get a backhoe too. Trails will be narrower... and just by an old truck to plow the driveway. It's as good as gold to be in out of the snow and mess while plowing.

A 20HP will still allow me to log SLOWLY in the woods for my home heating needs. Narrower trails. I'll keep a rider to mow the lawn. Minor bushhogging.. and occasional driveway maintenance.

I realize that ALL jobs would be slower on a CK20. As I would probably be down to a 5' or smaller BB and rotary cutter.

3k saved on a smaller tractor can be well spent on a truck that would plow a whole lot faster and more comfortable.

AM i losing my mind?

Looks like I'll have a bonus check of about 10k after taxes. That's the 'guilt free' part.. Now just have to trade in my 2518 cub with blower.. and come up with a bit o cash. Looking to spend 15 to 17k on the setup.. not including plow truck, and cheap lawnmower.

Thoughts?

Thanks
JP

 

[OrangeGuy]

IMO 20 HP is much too small for 70 acres and $3K won't purchase much of a snow plow truck. You will end up disappointed with both rigs. Stick with your original plan.

Orangeuy

 

[Bob_Yohon]

Forget the truck. You blow a motor or tranny in January then what? Money on a new tractor with a 2-3 yr warranty will make you sleep well at night. I could go on and on but as OrangeGuy said.......stick with the plan.

 

[slowzuki]

From looking after 2 old plow trucks for doing our driveway, DON'T DO IT!

Working on a broken down truck in the cold is way worse than snowblowing without a cab.

 

[mwood]

Look at it this way: you get what you pay for.

If you find a truck for $3k, then there is something wrong with it. I'm not saying it's not going to run, but it either has engine wear from high mileage, drivetrain wear from high mileage, or the engine and drivetrain are fine but the body is shot. Since plowing is hard on the drivetrain and engine, i'm gong to bet that a good truck bought specifically for plowing with a good transmission and engine has no doors, no windshield and no body left. (Gross generalization here... i know that). In which case, you'll be just as warm on the tractor.

Get the tractor only. You'll get a nice warrenty to keep you warm at night and you won't have one more engine to worry about which may break at any time. Plus, the tractor will be bigger so you'll be happy with it in the summer as well /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[KiotiJohn]

I can't make one comment when it comes to ploughing snow, as I have never had to do that, even when I lived where there was snow. But when it comes to moving logs, my CK20HST has done a very impressive job of it.
As you say, the 70 acres is mostly woods, so I can't say the CK20 isn't enough tractor, it may or may not be.
I know that the CK20 CAN handle a 5' brush cutter, but I use a 4' and probably that's best. I use a 4' boxblade, and I know I could use a 5', but it would be less than optimal if I had a lot of ripping to do with it.
As for smaller trails, I don't know if you mean you could only MAKE smaller trails with the CK20, or you would only NEED smaller trails, but you can make the trails as wide as you want with the CK20, just takes a little more time.
All in all, I would recommend you keep to your original plan, buy the CK30, and find out what you have to do to put a snowblower on it. It does have some means of using the splined front PTO that comes off the engine, but I don't know if a front-mounted snow blower would work off of that or how it would be accomplished. A mid-mount PTO is offered, and once again, I don't know how a snowblower would be used with it either, if it even can be.
I do know that a rear snowblower work though. A larger blade could be used as well, and the loader has quick attach avaiable so you could probably use a front blade as well as a rear blade. The CK30 would serve you much better most likely.
Just one more thing in case you do decide to do the CK20:
A few days ago I volunteered to do some clean up at a house not far from here where a tornado had ripped up and twisted off nearly all of the property's trees. The CK20 was AWESOME. I had the backhoe on and dug out one cedar that was about 3' across, used the FEL to move HUGE pieces of cut Oak and Pine, at times having the BH bucket holding one trunk, and the loader full of cut pieces. It was amazing to all involved that this little beast could do what it did. I can't count how many people commented that they had misjudged what I would be able to do with the Kioti CK20. John

 

[WilliamBos]

Hi,

I agree with all of the guys above. What if you find a half decent truck, but loose a motor or tranny, or worse, the plow pump lets go, you are lokin at $1200-$1500 for a new pump ( depending on type CDN dollars anyway !!) Stick with your original plan, and if you need a snow blower, Buhler/ Farm king makes some good priced units. Also if you buy a blower, the type that requires backing up to blow the snow is better ( IMO )

Take care

Will

 

[JP11]

Thanks

I am a bit surprised by the replies. I figured there would be a few tinkerers who said.. Yeah, get a old winter beater to plow with. BUT NONE?

Is there that much of a tractor bias here?

So.. tractor with a rear blade to get by for the first year's budget hit. Then buy a rear PTO snowblower huh?

JP

 

[MicroPilot]

I don't believe I would call it bias. I've read many posts where the TBN collective has said, get a machine for the job, the tractor isn't optimal.

These guys all have experience doing the type of work you described and are telling you what they've found. Basically to me, who has NO experience in this area, it sounds like they are saying a beater model $3000 truck will be more trouble than it's worth. Put the money into a bigger tractor, with an upgrade to snowblower in the future.

 

[slowzuki]

Bias? I owned an old truck with a Meyers Plow. Sold the truck and put the plow on a newer old truck with fuel injection at least.

I also use a tractor with a blower on it. The tractor is not mine so I have to borrow it, otherwise the trucks would be gone!

Last winter I got off easy, I only had to drain the plow pump once, remove solenoids once and weld up the mount twice. Oh and buy an alternator for the truck and a battery. And it only plowed like a dozen times, an hour each time.

 

[JP11]

Ok. I guess I just never really saw that many tractors being used in snow removal. Seems like around me, there are lots of plow trucks.

Must just be a 'hobby job' and guys looking to make a couple of bucks and justify a nicer truck.

I'm just having a bit of sticker shock getting into the 15 to 20k price range.

JP

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

I'll be the contrarian here (no news for anyone who knows me /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif ) and vote for getting the truck. I've got a couple old plow trucks and the maintenance has been minimal. One is an old 4x4 Chevy 350 P/U with like new BFG All Terrains on the ground that starts fast and runs smooth. I moved it a while back and forgot to lower the blade. I figured it would drift down soon enough so I decided not to worry about it. The other day I looked at it and the blade hadn't dropped an inch! I went and got the keys and lowered it. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

The other is a Ford F-Super Duty that, in three years, I've only put on rear brakes and replaced a couple lines, I think. I know I've put batteries in each because I usually put batteries in everything if they even start slow one time. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

I'd sell the Chevy for $3500 and the Ford for something more because it has a dump bed on it. I wouldn't trade having a plow truck for a plow on my tractor at all. I can't drive my tractor over to a friend's house and do the drive for them. I kind of like doing that kind of stuff when it snows. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Besides, I like the idea of having a 'spare' vehicle around anyhow. If I get up and, for whatever reason, my Tahoe is inoperable, I'm not stuck calling someone for a ride. Also, there's just something to be said for the fun of driving your clunky old truck around on a Saturday. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif