Tractor Research this Weekend

[PTRich]

In a Power Trac you could get the tractor, bucket, 60" front mount deck, brush hog and hydralic snow blade for around $12,000. It is considerably louder than the tractors you are looking at.
PTRich

 

[tdenny]

Roy,

I was just looking at the picture of your tractor and noticed that you have different type of tires on the back than on the front. Did yours come with this setup? Is this just an optical illusion?

Your 670 looks very similar to my 855. By the way you mentioned to me yesterday that you didn't like the headlight placement of the 855. I thought that this was really a non-issue for me since I would almost never work at night. Of course there I go thinking again - I actually worked at night last night and would have to agree with you. That was not very clever engineering.

 

[RoyJackson]

"...noticed that you have different type of tires on the back than on the front. Did yours come with this setup?"

The rear tires are bar turfs. The tractor was purchased like that. However, I've no idea if that was the original equipment.
They do a nice job...but not as aggressive as Ag's or Industrials. Probably not as tough as those either.

 

[tdenny]

I purchased my tractor with turfs already on it. I was actually hoping to get R4's but when you buy used you pretty much get what's there unless you want to spend the extra change. Any idea on how much it would cost to replace an entire set of tires?

 

[RoyJackson]

"Any idea on how much it would cost to replace an entire set of tires? "

Talk to your dealer...you may not need to replace the fronts.
My fronts are standard turf tires. The bar turfs on the rear are just a bit more aggressive then standard turfs.
I don't mow or run the tractor over the lawn when it's wet. The bar turf do leave marks on the grass occasionaly, but the grass does bounce back in a day or so...

 

[tdenny]

Thanks,

I will check it out with the dealer.

 

[frank_f15]

Td: its not only the 855 that has poor positioning of the headlights, i am not crazy about the lights on my kubota b2400, with the fel on the lights are almost useless, the only time i work at night is plowing snow(a lot of that) and could use more lights. have to get around to installing some on the rops.

 

[Ledgemere Farm]

Every compact I have seen appears to have the lights in the same place. Not very smart. I have to drive with the loader either "way up" or "way down" to see at night.

 

[tdenny]

Frank,

Gald to hear I'm not the only one with the problem. As I mentioned yesterday - I have worked at night the last two days and have now been subject to all of the things I kept reading about headlight positions. Funny thing is the lights are large and very bright and would light the work area very well if it wasn't for the large metal mass of interference. The FEL, however, in my case is probably the most important implement for my machine. I have a ton of material to move. This leads me to a question:

I read the manual for the loader and have heard on this forum the term "float" position for the loader. I am wondering how to take advantage of this. I know what it means but I'm just not sure how to use it. Any tips? My 855 has the loader control right next to the seat and it looks like the "float" position is out to the right. Whenever I move the control out there the bucket just tips forward.

 

[RoyJackson]

"Every compact I have seen appears to have the lights in the same place. Not very smart. I have to drive with the loader either "way up" or "way down" to see at night. "

The x55 series Deeres have the head lamps on the rear wheel fenders...back by the operator.
With a FEL installed, the masts of the loader block the headlamps...regardless of bucket position.

 

[fcpnorman]

What size mower are you using. I was told for every foot of mower, you need 5 hp at the pto. I am also trying to decide between a 30hp tractor, or something smaller to get around my 5 acres, with much of the same work-fel work, mowing and using a scraper?? A dealer was the one who told me that you need 5hp for every foot of mower??

 

[JonLeonard]

I dont believe the 5hp rule the dealer told you is what the manufacturers go by. All of the big 3 sell 60" mid mount mowers for their smallest tractors. The smallest mid mount sold, that I know of, is a 54" (4 1/2 ft) which by your dealers recomendation would require a 22.5 PTO HP Tractor, or about 27 gross hp.

The TC18/JD4010 both have 14 PTO HP, and both have the 60" MMM as an option. Not sure where the B7400 from Kubota falls, as noone seems to carry those.

Jon

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

I have the BX2200 which is, of course, 22 HP and a 60" MMM.
The MM PTO has a very high speed. I run the tractor about 3/4 throttle and it does a great job with no bog down. Of course I don't hog with the MMM so I guess it's all what type of mower you plan on getting....... I would think that different types of gearing on different brands of mowers would definately make a difference on how much HP is needed as well as width......
Tom