Where to start? 30ish HP Utility Tractor

[Cooter76]

Hoping someone can point me in the right direction in beginning the hunt for a new(?) tractor.

A little background: I'm trying to help my dad (early 80's) find a small tractor for general maintenance-type work on 75 acres (mowing, driveway maint., hauling a round bale or two.) Dad's a retired farmer/rancher and all of his tractors need to be put out to pasture (some already have.) I've convinced him that he needs to replace his JD 1020 with something that actually works when you need to use it. I'm thinking something in the 33HP range with a FEL and 4WD would fit the bill nicely. He does have an old IH 806 he can use for heavier work. He also already has a box blade, brush hog and post hole auger that came with the 1020.

In doing a bit of research, I was surprised to find so many players in the small tractor game these days. (JD, Case IH, Kubota, Mahindra, Kioti, LS, etc.) Then there's new vs used, shuttle vs HST, Live vs independent PTO, etc.

Dealers: JD, Case and Kubota all have dealers nearby. There's also a Mahindra dealer, but he doesn't have a service dept (yet?) The nearest Kioti and LS dealers are 100+ miles away.

General questions:
- Do certain brands have independent PTOs or is this typically an option in each brand? I think that would be an important factor after dealing with the 2-stage clutch on the 1020.
- Any brands to absolutely stay away from?
- If buying used, how many hours would a tractor of this size have before the little stuff starts wearing out (shift linkages, etc.)
- How big a deal is Tier 4 emissions? Better to buy used and stay away from new-fangled technology, or OK to put away the tin foil hat and embrace the future?
- Are some of these brands built by the same company? (Think Mazda-built Ford Rangers)
- Looks like some tractor brands come with different brand engines. Any engine brands to stay away from?
- To HST or not to HST?
- Any other factors you think might be important, given the type of use I'm considering? Example: I was reading last night that the Kioti's can be difficult to dismount due to the small floor board.

Any advice would be much-appreciated!

 

[dusty3030]

I'd take him to a dealer (any brand) that has a bunch of inventory on hand and just let him sit on a bunch and make note about what he likes / didn't like.
In my experience an old man will let you know pretty fast what he doesn't like.
Take that then start shopping brand etc.
If he's going to use it a lot consider a cab.

 

[nybirdman]

When round bales are thrown into the equation everything changes.All depends how heavy they are.No 33hp tractors are going to lift large rounds.
You are sized right for about everything but large rounds.30-40HP ,4wd,FEL and I would add 3,000lbs.
In the Kubota line you are looking at the larger"L"series or the smaller Grand L's.
We have one gear shift and one HST,I personally prefer the HST.Kubota builds their own full line of tractors the others you have to research to see who builds them.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Just make it easier and more convenient, stay with JD or Kubota. If when you say moving round bails, would using the 3pt hitch be ok to move the bails? If yes, then go with either a JD 3039R or Kubota L4060. Have your dad test both the HST and gear models. If you need to use the loader to move the round bails, probably need to jump up in size to a JD 4044R or a Kubota L6060.

Good luck and enjoy the time with your dad.:thumbsup:

 

[Cooter76]

I'd take him to a dealer (any brand) that has a bunch of inventory on hand and just let him sit on a bunch and make note about what he likes / didn't like.
In my experience an old man will let you know pretty fast what he doesn't like.
Take that then start shopping brand etc.
If he's going to use it a lot consider a cab.

Definitely need to get him on a few tractors. Problem is I'm 3 hours away and already know what he doesn't like...shopping and writing checks.

When round bales are thrown into the equation everything changes.All depends how heavy they are.No 33hp tractors are going to lift large rounds.
You are sized right for about everything but large rounds.30-40HP ,4wd,FEL and I would add 3,000lbs.
In the Kubota line you are looking at the larger"L"series or the smaller Grand L's.
We have one gear shift and one HST,I personally prefer the HST.Kubota builds their own full line of tractors the others you have to research to see who builds them.

To be clear, I'm talking about round bales on the rear 3PH, not the FEL. Is a 33 horse still not big enough for this? The JD 1020 didn't have any trouble with hay (when it was running.) Am I not comparing apples-to-apples with a 33 horse tractor from the '60s?
When you say 3,000 lbs are you referring to the running weight of the tractor?


Thanks for the responses so far!

 

[jenkinsph]

Your dad might be better off with a new tractor in many ways bu I would not pressure him to make the purchase. Most old men can make these choices by them selves. He might rather have some assistance in fixing up his 1020.

If he does consider a new one I would look at the 4052R as a starting point. This tractor with ballast would be similar in weight to the 1020 but would be very easy to operate because the pedals are easy to use with no clutch and switch operated pto. A nice cab is definitely a wise choice for older guys. Some of the smart young guys have them too.

 

[Cooter76]

Your dad might be better off with a new tractor in many ways bu I would not pressure him to make the purchase. Most old men can make these choices by them selves. He might rather have some assistance in fixing up his 1020.

Duly noted. The pressure is minor, and an attempt at humor. My goal here is to provide assistance in maintaining the property.

 

[dusty3030]

The machine he has I'd try and see what he likes or doesn't like and really what does he do with it?
The one he has is heavy and actually has pretty good horsepower for it's size, but it's 2wd.
So if he wanted something with the same "heft" you are looking at maybe a Kubota MX series utility tractor.
I think a MX5100 or the new one I think is a 5200 with hydro if he likes that would be a good replacement for the one he is using. It should run anything his current one runs and be easier to use. Not too high off the ground either.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Don't forget older tractors were rated at the pto and not the flywheel like mode . Tractors.

 

[GManBart]

Hoping someone can point me in the right direction in beginning the hunt for a new(?) tractor.

A little background: I'm trying to help my dad (early 80's) find a small tractor for general maintenance-type work on 75 acres (mowing, driveway maint., hauling a round bale or two.) Dad's a retired farmer/rancher and all of his tractors need to be put out to pasture (some already have.) I've convinced him that he needs to replace his JD 1020 with something that actually works when you need to use it. I'm thinking something in the 33HP range with a FEL and 4WD would fit the bill nicely. He does have an old IH 806 he can use for heavier work. He also already has a box blade, brush hog and post hole auger that came with the 1020.

In doing a bit of research, I was surprised to find so many players in the small tractor game these days. (JD, Case IH, Kubota, Mahindra, Kioti, LS, etc.) Then there's new vs used, shuttle vs HST, Live vs independent PTO, etc.

Dealers: JD, Case and Kubota all have dealers nearby. There's also a Mahindra dealer, but he doesn't have a service dept (yet?) The nearest Kioti and LS dealers are 100+ miles away.

General questions:
- Do certain brands have independent PTOs or is this typically an option in each brand? I think that would be an important factor after dealing with the 2-stage clutch on the 1020.
- Any brands to absolutely stay away from?
- If buying used, how many hours would a tractor of this size have before the little stuff starts wearing out (shift linkages, etc.)
- How big a deal is Tier 4 emissions? Better to buy used and stay away from new-fangled technology, or OK to put away the tin foil hat and embrace the future?
- Are some of these brands built by the same company? (Think Mazda-built Ford Rangers)
- Looks like some tractor brands come with different brand engines. Any engine brands to stay away from?
- To HST or not to HST?
- Any other factors you think might be important, given the type of use I'm considering? Example: I was reading last night that the Kioti's can be difficult to dismount due to the small floor board.

Any advice would be much-appreciated!

I've been on and off a number of Kioti's and none were hard to dismount at all....that might have been directed at one specific model.

Right now if you buy an American, Japanese, Indian or Korean tractor you're going to get a decent machine. I would stay away from the Chinese brands...they have a reputation for needing constant work, or a lot of work to get sorted out.

I don't think there's a reputable brand mentioned above that uses an engine to worry about, regardless of if it comes from Mitsubishi, Yanmar, Iseki, Cat/Perkins, Shibaura, Iveco, etc, etc.

Some brands are made by other companies. Right now Case and New Holland sell compact tractors made by LS and Shibaura...all good machines, but you pay more than if you buy direct (when possible). Mahindra sells a couple of machines that are made by TYM and Mitsubishi as I recall, but they are also good machines. I think Deere still has a couple of the smaller machines made by Yanmar, but again, they're good machines.

If you find a couple that he likes, you can probably dig up the specifics here without much trouble....if they're made by someone else, if they have a history of any problems, etc.

If your dad isn't doing much ground-engaging work like plowing (doesn't sound like it), I think an HST setup is definitely the way to go...saves wear and tear on old knees, and makes many operations easier. The big thing would be to get him to try one as it might be something he hates after years of bigger machines.