which one?

praha · Jan 23, 2007

I need help
..looking for Mahindra tractor ...I don't have a farm, I don't live in the country. I have 10 wooded acres I need to clean, but I don't have to. I'd like to build a barn , but I can hire and pay to get it built./ that's what my family think, my wife think I need a psychiatrist/..
Well, I WANT to clean the woods, I want to push the dirt and prepare a ground for a pole building, I want to build a fence . white one, and most of all I want to have a tractor, never had one and life is short. Have it for fun, just like other toys we have and we, of course, don't need. If we bought only what we need, well, we would live a very poor life. In that case I am going to be a section8 recipient.......
Anyway, it doesn't have to be fancy. IT should be BIG, 2x4 I think is OK, No tight woods /only in front of me/ ,grapple fork will be welded or somehow included/foggy here/, possibly/30%/ need for a backhoe. 30 PTO HP min.
Post hole digger, some kind of groung leveling equipment, also occasionally moving logs for portable saw mill. ALL JUST HOBBY < no commercial stuff.
I thought Mah 3525 will be good, but a dealer said ,it was too much for my F 150 to handle. ALSO MAHindra 3525 doesn't have any backhoe avail. listed???anyone knows why? I think my F150 5,4l. could handle 7500 #, dealer wanted to sell smaller tractor.
Plus maybe, one day I will have a small hobby farm going. I wish I knew where to start with being a farmer idea. But it can wait I need the tractor first.

What tractor would you be looking for , if in my shoes. I hope I am not annoying I DO need to hear what someone with tractor experience think .
Thank you for your time in advance.
thanks,
Joe

shvl73 · Jan 23, 2007

I would think 4wd would be better suited for those tasks. An ag tractor as you've mentioned might work ok with chains on loaded rears and a weight box but, the box might be in the way for dragging logs and wouldn't allow a logging winch, if desired. I would think a smaller tractor could do all that you've mentioned easily, with greater maneuverability. An F150 might be on the light side for towing, check the rated capacity of your particular truck.
I have a 2810HST that I've been very happy with, although it is no longer a current model. It is my first tractor and has only 277 hours in three years.

jpm · Jan 23, 2007

joe how much money do you have so that we spend all of it on ALL the differant things we can add on?

Now to really answer your question you have to give more information n,s,e,w hilly/flat,wet/dry but least you have the right brand

specialkkl · Jan 23, 2007

I have a 2615 that is about 3,000 lbs with loader. Does everything I have asked on 34 acres. With trailer it is about 5,000 lbs. well within f150 towing. Unless your doing some real field plowing I don't see why you would need much more.

k54frog · Jan 24, 2007

-Welcome to TBN
-depending on the model of F150 the allowable towing limit could be as high as 7000 lb.
-be aware that having the power to get it going may be important but getting it stopped is MORE important...gotta have really good brakes (consider ceramic pads).
-You might want to look at the 3215 HST or gear...great specs & easy to maneuver. I would have gotten one for me except I only have 1 acre and the smaller 2015 suited my situation better (believe me, I tried to justify the bigger one!)
-assume 1500# for the trailer, 4000# for the 3215 tractor/loader/backhoe and the total comes to 5500#...probably do-able for your F150 but check the towing specs and act accordingly.

you could probably throw on a box scraper and post-hole-digger and still make the limit!
-Let the wife know that play can be good and that it is clearly theraputic and may help you avoid that shrink!

(trust me, I'm not a psychiatrist)
-Good luck on your decision
-Got any personal data? like where you are in this great country?

praha · Jan 24, 2007

Hi all, thanks for you answers,

I am glad you're saying Mahindra is good. I was originally goingto buy 35HP JD, their prices are pretty reasonable nowadays it was $21K something for HST 4x4 , with Indian motor. So, if Indian I thought , why not all the way...and cheaper.That's why I am here.

First, land is flat,/or will be when I am done..lol/
Second, post hole digger , a tree shovel and a teeth bar will be first 3 things I want to buy. plus FEL. Later, who knows. But these things are cheap/ at least seem to be I paid 900 for a root canal yesterday/.

I love big wheels/28/. and a red color. /not very intel. perspective when you look for a tractor, I know ../
Do not insist on that, thoug.
My rig is OK for 8000#.
WHY do you think I"d need the chains for the 3525?? It is 4300 lbs. Would 3000lbs. 4x4 beat it ?/like for ground scraping, log moving/. Would 2x4 dig in easy with this weigh??
I am , however, definitively opened for a different size.../ they should sell 2 sizes and I would havean easy decision..lol./

thanks,
Joe

praha · Jan 24, 2007

I did not answer following.....
2615......i did not consider, small PTO HP I thought, dunno............3215..well interesting, but MSRP is 0ver 16000 dollars with loader I am close to 20 000 dollars?? Am I??
Once I get close to 20000, it would be very tempting to buy Jd or NH. I'd like to stay within $ 16000 and buy Mah.

But MSRP vs. a real price might be 2 different things.
Joe

shvl73 · Jan 24, 2007

praha said:
WHY do you think I"d need the chains for the 3525?? It is 4300 lbs. Would 3000lbs. 4x4 beat it ?/like for ground scraping, log moving/. Would 2x4 dig in easy with this weigh??
thanks,
Joe

You may not need chains if the ground is dry and the tractor is properly balasted. I was thinking of muddy conditions. I do think 4wd will be a big improvement over 2wd. When 2wd starts to slip, engaging the differential lock improves traction but, makes steering difficult. 4wd would be easier, IMO.

Smithla · Jan 24, 2007

Welcome to the board.........

I bought a Mahindra 4005, 2WD with FEL, and while it did OK, it was easy to get the front tires bogged down, and you would have to use the FEL to push your way back out. Any time you put a load in the bucket, then it took weight off the rear tires, and I had them loaded with anit freeze and water. I only have 6 acres, and because of the small pines and other small trees, which I'm trying to get rid of, I just purchased a Mahindra 6000, 4WD with FEL, and its the greatest, digging and pushing up trees, whatever I ask it to do. However with the rear tires filled, it weighs in at almost 10K pounds. Build your pole barn and park it at the property, and that way you don't have to haul it.

You didn't say where you lived? My local dealer in Calhoun, GA sent me a picture of a used 6000, 4WD, FEL with a new Bush & Hog back hoe. Tractor has less than 400 hours on it.

Regards,

BobG_in_VA · Jan 24, 2007

Couple of things that I would suggest you keep in mind: If you get 2WD tractor with an FEL, its not unusual to 'pop' a tire off the rim on sharp turns with a good load in the bucket (I know it sounds strange, but it does happen..)and make sure any model you get has power steering (for 2WD tractors) as a load in the FEL will pretty much keep you from turning the wheel at a standstill. Good luck with your hunt...BobG in VA