Used NH TC33D

[Raincoast]

Hi folks. Brand new here & new to tractors as well.
My lady & I are looking for a tractor / loader / backhoe to help tame our 6 acres of wild west coast rainforest.
Our land is pretty flat, but soft & very muddy in some low areas. We need to remove a bunch of small stumps, pile & burn tons of slash, dig lots of drainage ditches & a couple of drainage rock pits. As we clear & drain the land, we will need to level it out some.
I have been trying to educate myself & (with much help from this forum, Thanks eh!) have pared my choices down a bit.
We live in an isolated area with no local tractor dealer. The closest, a kubota dealer, is 40 miles & a ferry ride away. Any others are much further.
I'm pretty handy, so comfortable with buying a used tractor, but could use some advice.
Next week I'll be driving to the Fraser Valley to check out a couple of tractors. One is a 2003 NH TC33D with under 800 hrs on the clock. It has a 730? loader and a Wallenstein GX600 hoe. It has just been through a shop, replacing a bunch of hyd lines & a few lights & switches.
The pics look good. No dents, good paint, buckets lightly used & only showing rust in the heavy wear areas.

The other is a 1988, 65 HP JD 2555 with 4100 hrs. According to the owner, it has been recently torn down & all worn or suspect parts in the drive train replaced. The pics of this tractor look pretty good too. Lots of new paint, no rust. The PTO shaft looks shiny & new. It is on ag tires that look to be in great shape.
The JD doesn't have a hoe, so we'll need to get an aftermarket unit. (Looking at the 7' or 8' Liberty)

Being new to this, I find the JD a bit intimidating. But I'm confident I could get onto it pretty easily. The extra power is appealing, but manoeuvreability might be an issue. (We will be leaving lots of big second growth trees, & will need to snake around a bit to avoid knocking bark off)

The NH33D looks much more comfortable initially, but it may be less tractor than I will need...

So, whaddyathink? Any comments and advice will be gratefully received!
Any advice on value would also be helpful. The asking price on the JD is $18,000.00 CDN. Private sale, no taxes.
The NH is from a dealer & they are still working on the quote.

Also... I will be doing an inspection on both of these tractors next week. Anything in particular I should look for?
Thanks much. Dan

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

I'm sorry that I can't help you with either of those tractors specifically. I can say that the TC33D, while a nice little tractor, is a little tractor. A small tractor with a small backhoe can dig out stumps, but it will take a LOT longer than a large backhoe on a large tractor. The smaller ones just don't have the power to tear through roots and challenging soil the way a bigger one can.

My second comment is to check to see if either or both of those backhoes are 3 point hitch mounted (i.e., mounted to the 3 point hitch like a regular implement would be) or attached via a subframe that is mounted to the tractor's frame. A 3 point hitch mounted backhoe will put tremendous stress on your tractor that it was not designed to handle, and have been known to cause all sorts of expensive failures and problems. Even worse, there have been reports of 3ph mounted backhoes breaking the toplink of the tractor and causing the backhoe to fold up against the tractor - and the operator station is right where the backhoe and tractor fold up to meet each other. There have been tragic stories about that happening.

The bottom line is that I would avoid a 3 point mounted backhoe like the plague. Others may tell you they've been using one for years with no problem. Everyone has to assess their own degree of acceptable risk. Mine is lower than others. A frame mounted backhoe may cost $1,000 - $2,000 more. I'm not willing to risk my life or spending the rest of my life in a wheelchair for a few bucks.

Finally, that JD for $18,000 with 4100 hours and fresh coat of paint doesn't sound like a great deal to me. Those older JD's were built to last forever, but things do wear out and break. At 4,100 hours, anything could go at any time.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

Edit: Double post.

 

[Raincoast]

Thanks for the reply, Pappy.
The deal on the TC33 fell through yesterday when I found out the hoe was 3pt hitch mounted. Just too many good reasons to avoid that one. Pity... It's a cute little tractor, and probably would have done everything we need... If a little slowly.
I decided against the JD as well, for some of the reasons you mentioned and that my wife wouldn't likely be comfortable running it.
So little used equipment to choose from in our area. Looks like there might be a NEW tractor in our future.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

Well, a new tractor with a warranty sure makes me sleep better at night. I'm not as handy with a wrench as some people are, though.

The low interest rate financing on new tractors also helps to take some of the sting out of it.

My best advice for buying new is to stretch your budget to get the one you really need or want rather than compromising to save a few bucks. It's nice to jump on your tractor and think "Gee, I love this tractor" rather than "Dang, I wish I had bought that one that was a little bigger/nicer."

 

[Raincoast]

I hear ya Pappy... This is the process we're going through, right now. But the $thousands add up pretty quickly, when you really look at the bottom line. We pay 12% sales tax too, which REALLY hurts.
I'm pretty handy (25+ years an aircraft engineer & a lifetime of boats & other stuff) so an older tractor doesn't scare me... As long as you can get the darn parts when you need 'em.
Thanks for the good advice! Dan

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

For parts availability on older tractors, nobody beats John Deere. Good luck with your search.

 

[dave1949]

Welcome!

I would also consider a smaller (not mini) tracked excavator from the way you describe the land. Tractors get stuck awful easy in wet ground, even with 4wd. Even if not stuck, you may not get the traction needed to push heavy amounts of material with the FEL. Generally, the more you travel over and chew up wet ground the deeper and soupier the mud becomes. Getting worse before it gets better is a good possibility.

Except for leveling, the other tasks you mentioned are done better with a tracked machine than a wheeled machine in wet areas. Your area's used equipment market situation may not make that a reasonable idea though, in which case you may become good at getting unstuck. :laughing:

 

[Raincoast]

Yeah Dave, you're right. A track machine would do most of our jobs. We have thought about it, but haven't seen anything right sized for our needs. They're either tiny or ENORMOUS!
Years ago, I spent a day, up to my ears in mud, helping a buddy get the track back on his machine. I must admit the experience left a lasting impression.
Thanks for adding your thoughts.