Buying Advice What size of tractor?

[ruh78]

Hi, I am a new member to this forum, tho i've used it for research occasionally. I am in the market for a small tractor. I would like something reasonably compact to get around the yard with, but large enough to move 1800 lb round bales. If possible, would like to also unload 2000 lbs of wood heating pellets. I am looking for a used tractor, not new. I will only use occasionally around yard, pushing snow if it snows?, and moving bales off alfalfa field after baling, maybe mowing a little. Anyone have some suggestions? Thanks

 

[motownbrowne]

You're talking about something in the 3500-4500# (bare tractor) weight range if you want to lift those bales with the loader. So in Kubota flavor, that's the large frame Grand L series, the MXs, or the smaller M series. If you're gonna be doing it a lot, the M would be the tractor of choice. For occasional use, the others would do the job with a good amount of ballast hanging off the three point.

An MX or Grand L with industrial or turf tires will be okay on the lawn. Unless it's real dry, you'll know it was there, but it shouldn't leave deep ruts or tread marks unless it's got ags. Obviously there's plenty of other brands to consider, but that's the size range you should consider. An 1800# (are you sure about that weight?) bale is pretty substantial. It'd be pretty dangerous to try moving them with any less tractor than that.

Another thought is that a skid steer might match up with your tasks pretty well, except for the mowing, of course.

 

[jeff9366]

The best way to shop for tractors is to determine your tasks first, then determine how much bare tractor weight you need to accomplish as many of your tasks as possible, SAFELY. Bare tractor weight is a tractor specification easily found in sales brochures and web sites.

Shop your weight range within tractor brands. Budget will eliminate some choices.
I like to spreadsheet tractor and implement specs, often a revealing exercise. I have a column for cost per pound.

A quality dealer, reasonably close, is a priority for me; less so for others, well experienced in tractors, who do their own maintenance. For most new to tractors a quality dealer, reasonably close, available for coaching, is essential. My wonderful kubota dealer is six miles away.


It takes a 50% increase in tractor weight before you notice a significant tractor capability increase. It takes a 100% increase in tractor weight to elicit MY-OH-MY!

Selling a used tractor is easy. Selling multiple light implements in order to buy heavier, wider, implements for a heavier tractor is a pain and often a big hit in depreciation. ((Ask me how I know.)) Many who buy too light tractors buy too light implements.

BUY ENOUGH TRACTOR.​

You're talking about something in the 3500-4500# (bare tractor) weight range if you want to lift those bales with the loader. So in Kubota flavor, that's the heavy frame Grand L series, the MXs, or the smaller M series. If you're gonna be doing it a lot, the M would be the tractor of choice. For occasional use, the others would do the job with a good amount of ballast hanging off the three point hitch.

I concur.

 

[Jstpssng]

Based on your needs description, you also may consider a 40HP or bigger, 2WD Ag tractor. You can often find better prices on these.

 

[ovrszd]

Welcome to TBN.

I agree to shop used. You didn't mention a price range. If you are willing to spend $15K the choices are very broad. I suggest an older 6-8K lb 50hp 4wd tractor. Brand choice is up to your preference.

Start by shopping MachineryTrader.com | Backhoes for sale, skid steers, excavators, dozers. Also use Craigslist, I prefer Searchtempest to do that. Keep in mind that asking price and selling price will have a 10-20% spread.

Another valuable website when shopping is TractorData.com - information on all makes and models of tractors. It will provide specifications for the various models you see for sale. Pay particular attention to HP and weight when using tractor data. It will also tell you the technical specifications which might not be as important in the beginning of your search.

Lastly, tractor shopping requires large amounts of patience. Especially when having to educate yourself at the same time. Tractor prices will rise 5-10% between now and Summer. So you are a bit behind the power curve already.

Keep us informed of your progress!!!

 

[jeff9366]

ruh78

I am in the market for a small tractor. I would like something reasonably compact to get around the yard with, but large enough to move 1800 lb round bales.

If you just want to transport round bales a few inches off the ground, a 2,700 pound to 3,000 pound tractor-loader with a Three Point Hitch Bale Spear can do that.

If possible, would like to unload 2000 lbs of wood heating pellets.

If you work up a solidly braced ramp, a 2,000 pound tractor with 4-WD can pull 2,000 pound pallet off a truck or trailer using chain. But you will be unable to pull a loaded pallet over soft ground.

These are BARE TRACTOR WEIGHTS.

 

[oosik]

I would strongly recommend 4WD and 50 hp. Going to be moving bales out in the field, 2000 pound pallets of wood pellets, clearing snow and a "little mowing" on the side. Man, you are talking about tractor jobs - not some wimpy big box store belly mower.

 

[4570Man]

50 hp or a big frame 40 hp is about the bare minimum to do that. I could lift a ton pallet with my L3240 in best case scenario conditions. If it was evenly distributed forget it.

 

[ovrszd]

ruh78

I am in the market for a small tractor. I would like something reasonably compact to get around the yard with, but large enough to move 1800 lb round bales.

If you just want to transport round bales a few inches off the ground, a 2,700 pound to 3,000 pound tractor-loader with a Three Point Hitch Bale Spear can do that.

If possible, would like to unload 2000 lbs of wood heating pellets.

If you work up a solidly braced ramp, a 2,000 pound tractor with 4-WD can pull 2,000 pound pallet off a truck or trailer using chain. But you will be unable to pull a loaded pallet over soft ground.

These are BARE TRACTOR WEIGHTS.

Not being argumentative, but I have to disagree.

First, you can't carry a big bale a few inches off the ground without destroying the bale wrap on the way to the storing area. My JD2210 weighs 1900. Even if I add 800lbs to the front it ain't gonna carry a big bale.

Second, I'd never recommend fabbing a ramp to drag a pallet of anything off a trailer/truck. Again, you'll destroy the pallet in the process and end up moving the material by hand.

I'm with oosik and 4570man in regards to size/hp.

 

[rScotty]

Hi, I am a new member to this forum, tho i've used it for research occasionally. I am in the market for a small tractor. I would like something reasonably compact to get around the yard with, but large enough to move 1800 lb round bales. If possible, would like to also unload 2000 lbs of wood heating pellets. I am looking for a used tractor, not new. I will only use occasionally around yard, pushing snow if it snows?, and moving bales off alfalfa field after baling, maybe mowing a little. Anyone have some suggestions? Thanks

A person was just asking that same question the other week. That's not surprising; looking for that kind of general purpose utility or chore tractor is a popular quest.
I think he found a 1980 or so John Deere 2240 with a loader. Search the forum for 2240 and that should take you to that thread. The 2240 is a popular machine for all the reasons you are describing. Lots of them were made, and most are still in service. Old enough not to break the bank, and modern enough to be handy. The problem is finding someone who wants to part with one. 4wd was optional on that model but they all had power steering and modern hydraulics as standard. In the best of all worlds you would want 4wd, but don't pass on a clean 2wd; it will certainly do the work. Your local JD dealer might even know of one locally.

If you enter the make and model into Google it will direct you to TractorData.com which is a quick source of basic information on just about every tractor made.
There are lots of good makes and models of tractors. I mention the 2240 because if you can find one that will give you an idea of the size machine you are describing. Keep in mind you can do a lot of work with a smaller tractor but then it needs to be 4wd for sure. Used tractors are an odd market. There are so many rural folks with small acreage that the price of smaller machines can actually be higher.
good luck, rScotty

 

[ruh78]

Thanks for all the info. I can't decide between an older ag tractor (heavier, cheaper) or an utility - compact tractor (handier for more yard projects). I am impressed with the specs of the Kioti DK40 series with the KL401 loader. Anyone have experience with it? I was trying to stay around $12000. The Kioti's are a little more than that, I realize... There is a Challenger 297 for sale close by that is 55 hp, but I don't think it will lift what I would like it to...

 

[newbury]

/edit I composed this before/while ruh posted

Hi, I am a new member to this forum, tho i've used it for research occasionally. I am in the market for a small tractor. I would like something reasonably compact to get around the yard with, but large enough to move 1800 lb round bales. If possible, would like to also unload 2000 lbs of wood heating pellets. I am looking for a used tractor, not new. I will only use occasionally around yard, pushing snow if it snows?, and moving bales off alfalfa field after baling, maybe mowing a little. Anyone have some suggestions? Thanks

Size matters - I see your from Kansas, what is "small"? Less than 200HP?
How big is your "yard"? 1/4 acre? 4 acres?
What do you mean by "move" a ton? Pick them up and stack them? Barely carry them?
What in your mind is "used"?
What's your price range?
And what are your wrenching skills? Do you think you will need dealer support to change an oil filter or are you confident you can split a tractor and replace a clutch in one day?

As others wrote you are probably looking at needing something in the 50HP range.
My example is I "needed" to be able to lift a ton to get trees on my sawmill.
I've some wrenching skills so I wasn't too concerned about "fixing things", especially with the support found on TBN.
My price range was $15K tops.

My "yards" are 1/4 acre in Mississippi and 1/2 acre in dense suburban Northern Virginia. Plus about another 300 acre of forest around the 1/4 acre.

I ended up getting a 1995 Kubota M4700 w/ FEL showing 1400 hrs off a Public Service auction for $11.5K. First use was on my 1/2 acre in Virginia clearing a 30 year old growth of brambles, small trees and bamboo. The machine was definitely BIG for the yard.

I moved it down to Mississippi. I tried cutting the grass ONCE on the 1/4 acre. Could hardly turn it around.
Works great for moving logs.

So - if you just need to barely move those loads but need to "get around the yard" with it look for something in the sub-40 HP.

But give us more info about price range and wrenching skills.

 

[airbiscuit]

I've always found that the tractor I want is about $5,000 more than I want to spend

 

[buckeyefarmer]

In the neighborhood of 45-55 hp should do it. Look at loader lift capacity.
My L3940 will not lift a ton of pellets, so i break it down to half ton pallets. Doesnt take long to put empty pallet on and move 25 bags over.

 

[LouNY]

Hi, I am a new member to this forum, tho i've used it for research occasionally. I am in the market for a small tractor. I would like something reasonably compact to get around the yard with, but large enough to move 1800 lb round bales. If possible, would like to also unload 2000 lbs of wood heating pellets. I am looking for a used tractor, not new. I will only use occasionally around yard, pushing snow if it snows?, and moving bales off alfalfa field after baling, maybe mowing a little. Anyone have some suggestions? Thanks

1800# round bales ==== 80 Hp 8000# tractor
2000# pallet of pellets === 80 Hp 8000# tractor

1800# bales would be wrapped silage bales using a front end loader with a squeeze grapple in the winter, mud and snow not with a small tractor,
we do it with a CIH 125 Puma and a NH 6050

 

[ruh78]

Ok, I appreciate all the responses. I have decided that a compact-utility tractor in the 40-60 Hp range that weighs enough and has enough loader capacity for round bales, etc is what I'm after. This would be handier for most of the projects I have planned for the tractor than an older, heavier tractor. I have done quite a bit of research to arrive at this and still wouldn't turn down the right deal on an older lower HP ag tractor, but think I know which direction I'm looking for now. I have found a Kioti DS4110 in the $13000-14000 range. It is a 2010 Model with around 400 hrs. It has the R4 tires and the KL402 loader and looks to be in really good condition. Interested in any opinions, thanks.

 

[airbiscuit]

That looks like a pretty good price to me.

 

[ruh78]

They sold it before I could get there