Used NH 35da or Massey

[ND teacher]

I am new to this forum i am a member of a welding forum which has helped me over the years.
I have been looking for used compact utility tractors. I am on xmass break and have been spending many hours comparing different models of tractors.

I am looking at buying the tractor out of state because the tractors here are overpriced by 2-4 thousand dollars from what i can find online.

I was looking at spending no more that $15,000 and have found a few the NH TC 35da and fel low houred machine. The more money you spend the more options are out there. I was also looking at the Massey tractors, the dealership here pushes that they are a heavier built tractor.
The main thing i want the tractor for is loader work, I kicked around the idea of a skid steer but i dont like the damage or the weight of a skidder on my lawn.
I have a large drive way a one arce lot in town, but in a few more years i will probably be moving out of town on some acreage, so thats why i want a heavier larger frame tractor.
I have not test driven any of them because i will by them out of state and hate pretending that i am interested in a new machin when i cant affor one.
Thanks
ND Teacher

 

[Egon]

It sounds like you are not rushed for a tractor so just keep looking till what you want becomes available.

 

[ND teacher]

I have been looking for the past year or two at the tractors, I would like to buy one this winter still. We have an amazing amount of snow the last 3 years. I am on city council (Small Town under 300 people) so i can use the city skid steer for some work. We have a couple of bad apples in the community that frown on city council members using the skidder for personal use so for have my own tractor to use will bring me peace of mind. I needed skid steer for the last blast of snow we had. We were suppose to get 14 inches but it missed us we still received around 8 inches. I have been using a 2 wheel drive four wheeler with chains, weights and a 46" blade. I blew the engine up on it 2 years ago from pushing snow. The mechanic said air cooled engines get too hot for pushing snow. That was a $2700 mistake. So i figured why pay $5000-$7000 for a liquid cooled 4 wheeler when i would rather have a handy tractor. I have a jd LT 165 lawn mower but john deere wanted $2000 for a snowblower, weights, rack and chains. This would help get the snow up and over the ridges but it would be even slower. I have a rather extensive landscape project that will be coming up this summer that will probably last till the following summer.

 

[jlsmith]

What size hp tractor are u looking for. I could put u in a MF GC series for around the money u are wanting to spend and that comes with a backhoe.

 

[ND teacher]

Looking for something big enought where i could put a manure bucket on and clean out a small barn
Thats why i was thinking 35 hp. I like the frame size of the tc35 and the massey 1533

 

[ND teacher]

I noticed that there are alot more posts for the NH TC series with problems than there are for the massey 1533 1540 series tractors?
Why is that?
More people own NH than Masseys?
Masseys have fewer problems?

I did notice NH had more people willing to help when there was a problem.
Is this sight biased for certain tractor brands?

 

[MFRED]

I noticed that there are alot more posts for the NH TC series with problems than there are for the massey 1533 1540 series tractors?

I did notice NH had more people willing to help when there was a problem.
QUOTE]

I would be more concerned if your dealer is willing to help with a problem a bunch more than if some people on a forum are shooting suggestions at you.

I wouldn't take to heart any statistics gathered by observation of number of posts either.

If you need help with repairs on a machine, dealer input or a mechanic's view would be the most valuable. That's what should sway your thoughts.

 

[jinman]

ND Teacher, are you from North Dakota? Where you are might have a lot to do with how far a tractor has to be shipped and whether it would have a big impact on your price. Also, is pushing snow and mucking stalls all you plan to do with the tractor/loader? The loader on the TC35DA cannot lift as much as the one on the TC40DA or TC45DA due to less hydraulic pressure. If what you want to lift is 1200 to 1400 lb, you will be okay with the 35DA, if you need to lift 1600 to 1700 lb, you'll need the larger New Hollands.

Frankly, I would NEVER under ANY circumstances buy a tractor off craigslist or other online sale like eBay without inspecting the tractor hands-on. The risk is just too large. Also, I would NEVER buy a tractor without having a local dealer/service department I liked. If you aren't a fully capable mechanic, not having a dealer close by would be a deal killer for me.

As to tractor selection, I know a lot more about New Hollands that Masseys, but either one could be the right choice for you. I believe the problems you've seen with New Hollands are because there are more New Hollands sold than Masseys and thus more members on this website. That said, if you have a local Massey dealer, that might be just the tractor for you. A town of 300 probably has no dealerships, so you'll have to consider hauling your tractor to be serviced. Do you have a trailer and tow vehicle too? There are just lots of questions that need to be answered before buying that we can't know without knowing a lot more about you. Your profile says you have 1 acre. Is that all you need a tractor for? If so, you may be going a bit larger than is needed with the TC35DA or Massey 1533.

I wish you luck with your selection, but if you could work out a pay-as-you-go situation and continue to use the city skid-steer, that could be the best solution. I do think you are likely to have people look down on your using a city owned vehicle that has been purchased and maintained with public money without your reimbursing the city for your use and allowing others the same privilege. At some point, a machine of your own would be the best solution. Just don't rush into something you will regret because you were not careful. No brand of tractor is worth buying without inspection. That includes new tractors with warranty; much less without any warranty.

 

[ND teacher]

I am in North Dakota, the closest mf or NH dealership is 45-55miles away. I was going to haul the tractor myself. I do not own a trailer but have borrowed many trailers and that isnt a problem. So the hauling cost will add up. But not to the tune of $2/mile

I thought I read one of your threads that said used DA 35 and 40's were going for $10,000 under book value in texas and oklahoma? So i looked on craigs list for the first time ever and found some that were low houred and at a suprising savings.
The dealerships in our area a Used tc35 is going to start at 16,000 and one with low hours will bring you to $20,000 if its in great shape
Tc 35da 12000
I can get into a new NH 1520 with loader for 18,000 1510 for $17,000
Masseys 240houred rental machine 1529 is bring 16,000 1533=19,000 and a 1540 = $20,000

Tractor house's prices are better than here in ND but less than craigs list however a $15,000 tractor at a dealership found on tractor house or anywhere is going to cost me another $1000 in sales taxe

I am mechainically inclined and have worked on many gas engine vehicles small engines etc. Worked on minor diesel problems, starter alternators, Radiators, belts, water pumps, thermostats, batteries, I jumped accross a solonoid to get a 2-155 white started many times and made **** sure it was out of gear. But i am no where near a diesel mechanic by any means. I was not going to buy it over the phone. I am looking for an immaculate machine, low hours, and i require many pictures before i would even drive down. If everything looks good(hopefully under 700 hours they would be in good shape) i will drive down with a utility trailer and look it over for cracks, oil leaks check oils where ever possible and start up and run it.

I am having second thoughts on using it to clean barns out since another post said that they would never use a compact tractor for farm work too light, which i was hoping with a larger compact like the tc 35 would be heavy enough, if a 40 or 45 would be heavy enough i would rather size up, as of late i found a tc 40a for 14,000 500hours???

1 acre is it, I figure i would rather spend an extra 2-3 thousand to get into the larger framed compact, i was sold on the mcormick GC 40 i beleive but for $2000 more its a larger frame. In a few years I might be on some more acreage but then i was looking more towards a JD 4010 loaded old school 4010.
The landscape job is pretty big, My house is sitting on top of a gravel pile 3 foot higher than the rest of the yard so i want to do a retaining wall and a loader with forks would be nice to haul move objects around. I used to borrow my uncles JD 4115 handy tractor but very expensive and he is very particular with it. I always wash it and even polished it the last time i brought it back to him, but it is light for gravel work and i worry everytime i use it that it could break and i am a pretty good welder, O/A mig, tig, aluminum, smaw etc but i could never get the paint to match. When i did use it it seemed large enough but no ballast so the back would lift with a load of gravel. I wanted more size for working with gravel. I clean out my cousins barn with a large loader and i was hoping to go along the walls and pitchfork into the bucket and get into the small leanto s with the tc35 to clean them out with a manure fork.

I have had my eyes open for tractors the last three years but never had the money, i received a fist time home credit for 6500 and i was going to by blocks for a retaining wall but figured i would spend it on a tractor and make a rock or wood landscape or retaining wall instead. So yes i would like to pick up some rocks to and i have a trailer to haul them.

 

[ND teacher]

I hope that my threads dont come off as me being offended i am absorbing the info like a spunge and you are right you dont have enough info about what i am wanting the tractor for. THis might also help
I am the ag teacher, so I could use the loader a few times a year at school. we have a school garden that i borrow a tractor and tiller for. garden is 80'x60' By the way would a 60" tiller cover the wheel tracs on a tc 35 40 or 45?

I mow the lawn at my grandmas and cousins farm and use there 42" craftsman on a good day it takes me 4 hours with weed whacking and push mowing. usually 5 hours. I do some tree triming and pick up alot of branches etc. I do it for a butchered beef which is worth about 1000 and i pay extra for the processing, but its not enough money to justify the tractor. If the tractor would work for cleaning out the little barns i figured $20/hour to make a little side cash, if i had a brush mower i could probably make a little extra by moving around the rest of the yard by the corrals tractors etc. I have a good size driveway at the school that i have to shovel (dont have to but it wont get done if i dont) I do alot of welding so i want to build my own box blade, snow bucket etc. My drive way at home has a minimum of a 3' bank around the hole thing some places higher but i used the bobcat. The old lady seems to still slip of the road and end up stuck in the yard.
With the 4 wheeler i cant scrape the driveway to the gravel cause it takes alot of power, and even then it peels the grass off the yard so i set it up of the ground 1/2" but after each snow it adds up and she has a heck of a time getting out of the yard with the car. Im sure one day it will be a tranny repair.
I want the power of bobcat, tightest turning machine, thats easy on the gravel driveway and grass with the weight and versatility of a utility tractor at a low price.
Talked to another dealer last night and he recommended a workmaster 45 that too me was too big(I thought), other than that the prices are crazy were in cattle country and everyone wants or needs a loader. He also said that there dealerships dont get many used ones it at all.
Some of the equipment i borrowed last year

Intnational tractor and 60" tiller(SChool use)
case tractor 42" tiller (SChool use
Bobcat snow removal, landscape (personal use)
Forklift (SChool use
Telehandler (SChool use
Loader for yardwork (grandmas farm)

Plus i spent 100 plus hours shoveling gravel last spring and summer at home

 

[jinman]

The wheel width on a TC35DA with R4s is about 68" wide. A 60" implement on the 3PH will NOT cover the wheel width. It seems to me that the TC35DA would be a good choice for all the chores you mentioned, but you will need 72" implements on the 3PH to cover your tracks. The most common loader bucket on these tractors is also 72" wide. If you go and inspect that TC35DA tractor for $15k, you just might have the best solution for your needs. It's surely strong enough to do a good job of cleaning barns. I'd think even a smaller tractor would do that well. By the time you get a loader on the front and a scraper blade on the rear of the TC35DA, it's quite long. You can raise the bucket to make maneuvering easier, but then you have to consider that the overhead in the barn needs to be greater than the loader's 110" high reach. The HST and power steering make this tractor a dream to use and manuever in most circumstances. Back and forth loader work is where it will excel.

EDIT: Down in the NH forums, DoubleL just bought a 3040 HST tractor. That's the same tractor as the TC40DA. He posted pictures of his wife operating that tractor on the day it was delivered. I don't know many tractors that are as easy to operate as the TC35DA. If you get it, it will be easy for you and easy for you to teach anyone else to use. That's a big plus.

 

[ND teacher]

I was always going to build a balast box for the tractor then i read a forum on here about the advantages of loading the tires vs ballast box or wheel weights. I like the idea of having the weight under the axles and not on top of them, I dont like the weight on the lawn which would make a 3pt ballast box nicer but i would rather save on the tractors axles? I figured after reading a few other posts that chains will be needed probably next winter if i buy now, I would wait and see if loading the tires would be enough but i doubt it I pushed snow the other day with the s250 bobcat and the wheels are a spinning but the other machine with tracks in the machine is moving!

I am leaing now towards the tc40 cause i read your post on the advantage of a 4 cyl and your right i never heard anyone say they had too much power. I would like to make a snow bucket and have a machine to handle it but i do worry about the durability of the loader and what size of a snow bucket would a 7' work? The only problem i see is most of the tc40's that are in my price and hour range are non hydro. I would have to do a lot of clutching in my yard, but the tim taylor says arararar more power!
Side not in the month of december we had 32" of snow.
I have been working with my NH dealer here the last few days, He said the people around here want the bigger boomers and instead of taking a hit on a trade they will usually by a second boomer larger or so. Thats in a small town in Bismarck most of the boomers are the smaller ones that fit in small backyards etc. They quoted my a price of 42-4400 for a nh loader if the tractor is loader ready and 6000 if it is not, I figured maybe if i could pick up a loader ready tractor for cheap i could by the new loader and be on my way. I did see a CaseiH advertised for 12,000 but would the loaders be close to the same price as the NH

 

[jinman]

I think you have two chances of finding a loader-ready tractor that does not have a loader: slim & none. I don't know for sure, but I believe NH won't even let a dealer order a loader-ready tractor without a loader also. I believe you will either find a tractor with a loader or one without a loader and not loader-ready. It's a good thought, but I think your search would only be futility.

 

[pat32rf]

Some years ago I bought JD 4300 and wound up taking it to a few different buddies places to do small jobs for them. The first buddy then bought himself a used NH about the same size. A nice tractor loader combo with a snow blower on the back. All it lacks is a QD for the bucket.....
My other buddy bought a used Massey with a hoe from a Massey dealer that he has dealt with in past (lawn mower, ATV, etc). This one has a QD bucket BUT you need two right feet to use the steering brakes! He has a few cattle and a barn yard that always seems to be greasy. What a PIA trying to load round bales into the feeder, or clean manure! Neither one of us can get used to the treadle on his tranny, finding the best way is to only use the forward pedal, either pushing down on it to go forward or sticking our toe under and lifting it to go backwards.....(My last tractor was a Bota with a treadle that was a lot more comfortable)

 

[Carykong]

I own a TC35 hydro with loader,bought new. I use my loader all the time,mostly for loading logs on my sawmill and moving boards around. More lifting capacity would always be nice but I have always felt that the lower lifting capacity of the TC 35 compared to the TC 40 and TC45 helps to keep me within the safety envelope and puts less stess on the loader and frame. My loader goes into bypass a bit sooner and reminds me all the time to keep it safe. My logs can get very heavy. Yet, it always surprises me how much this tractor can lift and move around. Go to youtube.com and search "TC35 log skidding" and you will see what I mean.

The TC series is the best in my book and will be a classic one day just like the old Ford N series.

Good luck and have fun shopping for that special tractor deal.

 

[WM75Guy]

I have a 6' tiller behind my TC40DA and it covers the tracks just fine. A 5' will not.