Home Forums Miscellaneous Topics Rural Living Looking for a tractor

I have a small acreage 13 to be exact and am looking at something I can keep the weeds down with and move some dirt. This whole process is driving me nuts! Between being too small and too big for my needs and probably wanting more tractor than my need it's about enough to make a guy pull out his hair.

I think something in the 30-50 horse power range will fit my needs the best. However finding something in my price range in that size of tractor is difficult. However, finding something in the 90+ hp range in my budget is far easier. Then there is the fact that with a larger hp tractor I kind of need larger equipment to get out past the wheels to mow, scrape dirt, and while not necessary I like a front bucket at least as wide as my rear wheels puts me over budget again.

WTF is a guy to do! I'm looking about an $8-9K cash budget or $20K total with financing. I was going to buy a tractor last year but shattering my leg and being out of work for a full year between paychecks kind of made me lower my expectations of what I wanted. Last year I was ready to spend $40K but with the way "[bleep] happens" I'm lowering the expectations a lot.

I drove nearly 400 miles total yesterday to look at used and one new tractors ranging from $4-18K. The tractor I liked the best was a used 1999 Kubota L3010 HST with loader for $13K, but the 2017 Kioti CK3510 shuttle transmission was only $18K with loader. However I don't know if a 18 year old Kubota with 1000 hours is worth the money when I can get a new tractor with 6 year power train warranty for $5000 more?

Everything else I looked at was either rode hard or came in at the top of my cash budget without a loader. Or they were too small for my needs or way to large, 22 hp being the smallers and 110 hp being the largest. I'll get one too large before I settle for a small tractor.My main uses will be mowing, cleaning pens, landscaping, post hole drilling and moving an occasional round bale by 3 point.

You mentioned "financing" around $20k.

I got my Mahindra 4510Cab w/ loader with a 6' shredder for about that money. The tractor was used with 250 hours on it. 2012 model. The shredder is HD and new.

45hp is pretty handy.

Since then I have added a post hole digger, 6' rotary tiller (gear driven).

Nice to have the cab too....





Food plot I put in with it.

you will have a hard time finding a smaller tractor that move round bales well

Be thankful you're not in Alaska, the few used tractors in that range you see up here are clapped out and priced outrageously.

Tractors that size hold their resale because they are so useful. You're best bet is to find one equipped with all the attachments you want and pay what it costs. In the long run it'll be much less than adding attachements to a bare tractor. A year or two back their was a like new Kubota 30 horse (97 hours and stored in a garage) with loader, backhoe and box pan that sold on ebay for $19k.

They'll move the hell out of round bales with a 3 point hitch spear.

Not so much with a bucket spear...

Dude, you got a hell of a set up.

Thanks!

Between that one, and my 100hp, I spend lots of hours in them.

About the time you decide you have spent a lot of money on tractors, you decide you must have a barn for them...

I'd only finance $10-12K as I have the rest cash. Mahindra isn't popular around here, but I'm sure it's a good tractor. Closest place to get parts or look at a tractor is over 100 miles away, and the opposite direction I traveled yesterday. There are only three dealerships in Colorado to choose from and two are owned by the same company. I do have Kubota, NH, JD, Case/IH, MF, and LS all within a 30 min drive though.

I'm willing to travel to look at tractors as I'm close to KS, OK, and TX but I haven't got the nerve to buy one from one of the tractor trader magazines sight unseen. Work conflicts is my biggest issue though with traveling to find a tractor.

Cabs are nice, but most of the time they aren't in the budget. I have tons of tractor experience but all of them are larger tractors 100+ hp. I just get tired of driving 130 miles round trip to go get one of the larger farm tractors my family owns to maintain my property, I'm looking for something small to keep on my place.

I have a 40X60 shop with concrete floor and a 50X120 hay barn, so at least I don't have to build something to store what I buy.

Yeah, getting support and parts is an important consideration.

I have a 25 mile drive into town for parts for either of my tractors.

Take a look at TractorHouse.com LINK. You might find what you're looking for. There are a lot of tractor dealers who advertise on that site.

I found mine (Kubota L5030) through that site, it was at a small tractor dealership about forty miles from here.

I'm very fond of Kubotas as they are a great, solid tractor and hold their resale value. I wouldn't be afraid of a 1999 Kubota with only 1,000 hours on it IF it had been maintained.

Ed

http://www.tractorhouse.com/listings/farm-equipment/for-sale/10881541/2010-yanmar-fx28d

Hours aren't mentioned, but if it's in half decent condition can't pass it up at that price. Yanmar makes good diesels.

I've been all over tractorhouse.com for better than a month, and I find great deals but a lot are too far away. I have no issues with Yanmar diesels, they've been around for several years. My issue is buying a tractor sight unseen, it isn't something I'm comfortable with. I don't know how I'm going to like the ergos of the controls,the foot pedals and such.

I have been looking for a small tractor that can do a bit of food plot farming, pull my 200 gallon weed sprayer around, and keep the driveway plowed in the winter. We have a few in my area but most are 65 miles away. I have a skid steer for loading round bales and cleaning the corrals but, like you, I am tired of driving all around looking at them. I need a Kubota but cannot find a decent used one and the new ones are too expensive in my mind.

I wouldn't hesitate to drive several hundred miles to check out a tractor that seemed like it would work for me and be a good deal. A $100 for gas and $100 for a hotel room would be money well spent to find the right deal.

I agree, but it costs me more than $200 to find a tractor. The one you linked would take me a minimum of four days to look at. That's taking time off of work, not to mention the gas and hotel room. It would cost me closer to $1000+ just to look at a tractor in Oregon from Colorado.

We have a large membership here. Someone. Close would look for you I'm certain.

steering is way over rated. The smaller one will move them on the 3 point. Not good for unloading off a trailer or on hilly ground

I ultimately found mine on Craigslist after looking for months online and all over the 4 states I travel.

Keep your search current and have money handy. I found my Kubota on a Sunday and closed the deal within a few hours. The seller had 2 other prospective buyers on the way and many calls (several while I was there). I seriously checked Craigslist listings within 200 miles or so every morning and every evening. Yes, it gets old, but good ones tend to go fast.

I'm a big believer in the ability to get parts in case they're needed, and at a decent price. That's my beef with brands like Mahindra and Kioti. Now, having said that, I've never owned an "off-brand" and am only going by what I've heard people who have owned them say. I think a lot depends on how much you use a tractor, because if you use one almost every day, dependability should be at top of the list. Whereas, if you just use one every now and then, maybe you could by with a little less. One thing about the smaller tractors that I've found is that they lack the traction that a bigger tractor has, and that's because they weigh less. That might not matter in mowing, but when it comes to something like using a frontend loader, it will make a big difference.

Test drove a 2014 LS 40 hp tractor yesterday that had less than 3 hours on it. It really was a more substantial tractor than any I've looked at so far. 2700 lbs lift capability on the FEL almost 1000 lbs more than the L3901 I looked at as well, plus it weighed in at 4300 lbs vs. the Kubota's 2900. Too bad the LS is over budget, might have to hold out a little longer.

We have a local farm store here that has begun to sell LS tractors. I have looked at them, and they seem to be a well made tractor. I've been told, that this is the same company that makes the smaller New Holland and Case-IH tractors. When I was looking to buy a 40-50 HP tractor for what I call piddling work, I looked at a used LS. My main concern was parts. I was told the concern there was not the availability, but the time it might take to get them.

Well the CFO or Household-6 as she likes to call herself had a serious heart to heart with me yesterday. She reminded me that I've only been back to work a little over a month now after taking a year off for a shattered leg, and that our O'Crap account is still a little depleted. She's agreed to let me look for a bigger tractor in the future, maybe one with a cab.

Looks like I'm getting the Kubota L3010. It might be a little underpowered for some of my needs, but our household budget will like us better at $13,675 out the door vs. $26,250 for the LS. I feel like I did okay, they were originally asking $15K for the Kubota and I was able to negotiate them down to the price I got with a new 5' Land Pride mower and Rhino 9" post digger.

That's about exactly what I need. I'm real tired of running a snowblower into the wind!

And when the snow melts you can clean up after the dog

I have a 1958 Ferguson 35 around 38hp I was looking for something to plow garden work the gravel driveway and square bale some hay.I previously had a 8 n and upgraded somewhat to bigger and better.With chains plowing snow it's a tank and with a sickle mower in hay I can damn near keep up with a disc mower people probly laugh when they see me baling hay but it gets the job done on a small budget.

I sell John Deere for a living.I would look at a 3032 or 3038.On the 32 you should be able to get one with a loader for right at 20k.Deere has 0% financing and the tractor comes with a 6 year powertrain warranty.I sell a ton of this model and they are hard to beat for the money.

My Tractors

International 986 = $11,000 ~90 hp
M Farmall = $1,000
Super C Farmall with a Woods mower = $1,400

The Santa Fe Trail -- maybe not severe winters - cab needed?

I bought a JD 3032E with hydro static drive, FEL, and Frontier brush cutter brand new in May for $18,500. I use it for discing firebreak, knocking down brush in the thicker areas of planted pines and mowing a pecan orchard. 80 hours of use and love it.

I have a 3038E that I've been using for several years. No complaints with it for what it is and love the 0%. Very rare that it will sit more than a day without being used for something.

Edited to add complaint of the small fuel tank.....

My Kubota B2601 just turned 100 hrs. I bought it new in Oct. '15.I have used it mostly for snow removal, firewood retrieval and tree thinning here on 57 acres(pasture and timberland). I bought it with a snow blower, back blade, bucket and forks. It is also 4wd, which is a must with a low hp tractor. This was the smallest Kubota that has the quick change system up front. Changing bucket to forks takes seconds. It is the bobcat system. The tractor also has a class 1 3 pt hitch in the rear. There many implements available for this tractor. I did add a Pat's quick hitch system for the 3 pt.I also have a Bush Hog mower for the 3 pt. So far, this tractor has been faultless. Sometimes I wish for something larger but this is not the tractor's fault. I do not necessarily bang the drum for Kubota as I suppose there are many good brands. Kubota is the closest dealer, parts are common and the resale is great. The biggest issue I have is for my height I cannot see the tips of the forks when close to and level with the ground. We also have an old 8N which in it's day was fine. Compared to today's tractors it is slow, clumsy and is pretty much a brush hog puller.

Need to look at the weight of a tractor before you buy. Kubotas are good just don't weigh enough to do lifting A utility tractor needs to do all

^^^^^ lightweight build is a problem with all new tractors, even 50+ hp. In many situations a letter series Jd or Farmall will out perform a newer, higher hp, 4wd. The old tractors made huge torque at very low rpm, add the weight of build, and they are unstoppable. We used them to pull wagons with 500 gallons of maple sap before pipelines brought the sap down to a collection tank. Working from December to April the trails would go from packed snow to knee deep mud. Getting stuck was pretty rare.

Down here, a heavy tractor will get you stuck. When it rains in the sandy part of the country, and becomes soaked and saturated, the sand is now "quick sand" for lack of a better description.

In the black gumbo part of the area, heavier gets stuck faster as well.

Some guys down here I know add weight to their tractors by filling the tires with water, or getting their tires foam filled. Both add LOTS of weight.

Tag

Different part of the country that I don't understand. Here we fill tires with fluid that don't freeze, hang weights and chain up 4 months out of the year. Small light tractors can't put HP to the ground, lift anything and slide around or spin

There's a trade off on weight. A heavier tractor with slimmer, heavy lugged ag tires will definitely put more HP on the ground, especially when using ground engaging equipment. Same tractor is much more likely to get stuck when bushhogging in wetter areas like the banks of ponds or fence lines in low places (especially if the ground is uneven putting more weight on one side) than a lighter tractor with wider industrial tires. Lighter tractor is much easier to get out if it does get stuck as well.

Another trade off is with the lighter compact tractors that have a hydrostatic transmission vs a manual transmission. A bit of PTO HP is lost with the hydrostatic, but the trade off may be worth it depending on the type of work it's going to be used for.

I spent several weeks sowing down pasture this fall and using 3 different tractors. Heavy with a geared transmission used in long straight stretches are the clear winner for heavy lifting or ground engagement. Tight corners, uneven/wet ground, lots of maneuvering, the lighter hydrostostatics are so much easier.

Every one's situation is different, but I wouldn't own a tractor without fluid in the rear tires. I've had experience with both with and without fluid, and in the work I do around here, I need the traction that fluid provides. I'll give you an example....I had a Kubota L4200 that I used for a small tractor, FWD with frontend loader, no fluid in tires. It was constantly losing traction, with the rear tires spinning out. I sold it and replaced it with a NH TC45A, same horsepower, but lighter. It is also FWD, with frontend loader, and has fluid in the rear tires. It will outperform the Kubota easily, simply because it has the traction the fluid provides. On my large tractor that I use for the big jobs and haying the cows, I wouldn't consider using it without the fluid filled tires. I use calcium chloride, but am considering the switch to Rim Guard, a product that doesn't rust the rims.

JamesJr, I'm with you.

I'm here in sandy country, just like rocknbbar, and heavy tractors just don't do well here.
I have a Kubota L5030 FWD with a front loader and Rim Guard filled rear tires. No problems lifting to the capacity of my front loader nor problems pulling a gang disc or 16" bottom plow.

IMHO, the hydrostatic transmission is the only way to go for a small operation like ours where the longest straight stretch of ground I cover is a hair over 400 yards and I have a lot of trails to maintain, timber to manage, and every other horse ranch duty you can imagine.

Ed

Both my tractors have the shuttle transmission.

Love it!

To me, shuttle shift is the happy medium between manual and hydro. I want to use all the hp I bought and you lose some in hydro.

No doubt.

Just for Grits and Shins, I went to the JD dealership to look to see what smaller type tractors they had with somewhat higher HP engines...

They showed me a 65hp compact with the hydro. I thought it was a good size for the HP rating. Then I looked closer at the tractor...

1) It only had the hydro pedals.
If you had to shred like 10 acres or do something that required prolonged forward movement, then you would get real tired of mashing that pedal, or you'd spring for the optional cruise control.

2) The tractor had no hydraulic hook ups.
My intent in looking at tractors was to try and get a feel for what may run a Woods 12 foot batwing shredder. The shredder needs two hydraulic controls. One for the batwings, and one for the wheel height.

I realized that I was just looking at a high hp, overpriced lawn mower. It wasn't really a "tractor" at all....

That's the problem with a lot of the "economy" models out there today. My list of "must have's" on a tractor include hydraulic remote hookups, and I won't own one without them. The hydrostat tranny is ok on a smaller tractor that's used for light work, but I don't have it on either of mine. I like the shuttle shift, but the hydrostats typically don't hold up well under heavy use, such as hours of fieldwork at a time.

I don't know that I'd call it an "economy" tractor...

http://www.tractorhouse.com/listings/farm-equipment/for-sale/8788485/2016-john-deere-4066r

That's about what I paid for my full sized 100hp Case w/ loader.

The more I prowl around JD, and their prices, the gladder I am that I got the Farmall.

Economy and John Deere do not belong in the same sentence. Here in Iowa JD is King, but my family always had Farmalls and AC's. Think I am the 1st generation to own JD

JD is the one to buy new, if you will keep updating equipment. High resale prices get more of you money back. However that means if you buy used, you will pay too much.

I have bought Ford and New Holland and got my money back both times I traded. A good name brand (Kubota, Deere, New Holland ) tractor holds its value pretty well.


I would include Case as well as they are essentially the same as New Holland.

god bless you! ! !
i can't tell you of the old tractor and implement
wheels i've had to sand and weld and sand and fill
and sand and prime because some previous owner got
cheap and filled the tires with plain ol' water
instead of doing it right. i have a used mower right
now that i can't use because of the oddball wheel
pattern and the extremely rusted wheels from having
been filled with plain water by a previous owner.
my fronts on my tractor are in nearly as bad condition
from the same thing.

After over a year of looking/waiting our local dealer found us another loader tractor.

2002 JD 7510, 741 loader(should be sweet...), 3-point, and with only 1720 hours. One owner and the tractor appears to be in great shape.

Trading in our old 4250 that has over 10k hours on it.


I'm pretty happy with the deal. It's hard to find an 'older' tractor like this with such low hours.

Hardly broken in, Sam!

Ought to be a great tractor!

You get the 135hp?

Rockin', I do believe that what's they are rated. Should be about the same as the ol' 4250.

And it has a left hand reverser which I guess is uber handy.

Yeah they are the schidt!

Case has an electronic shifter, and my small tractor has a mechanical one. Both left hand operated shuttle type.

Love 'em!

When I'm doing lots of work with them, back and forth, I need to be mindful of when I switch vehicles... I broke the turn signal off of my UTV trying to go into reverse with it!

Kinda like trying to push the clutch in on another vehicle with an automatic transmission after driving a standard for awhile.

Kobota

is that anything like a Kubota?

back in Oct '10 I bought this new Kioti....CK35 4wd...standard

gear transmission...35HP...w/loader & 2 other impliments...

$17K & change if I recall..have since added brush hog & 12" PHD

planning on a 5' tiller this spring...has been a very good and

reliable machine...has 290 hrs now...have a 23 acre lot..so this

machine is about perfect for me...very useful....

Ah, the same model a friend got a couple of years ago after seeing the review at HERE at tractor.com

Haven't chatted with him for a while, but he went from a bigger (very old) tractor to this one, and I recall him commenting on how much diesel fuel he saved with this new smaller tractor that could still do all the jobs he needed.

John

Must be the Korean version...

Ed

ahh soh....

The 7510 showed up on Monday and other than a leaky air ride seat it appears to be a nice tractor. Hasn't been very cold lately but I have a feeling it will be a much better COLD weather tractor than the 4250 or 4450.

We bought a 1086 this spring and the 70a this fall.

Ben, a IH 1086 is a nice tractor.

The dilemma is, keeping a tractor that old running can be a crap shoot, (I know!)

Ben, how do you like the little Farmall?

Yeah we've got a couple other 86's on the farm. So we know them inside and out pretty well. Cheap horsepower...grin

Sam,

We just got in at the end of August. I've only really used it to Ted some hay and run a small brush hog. It's got a little engine and a turbo, it bombs over hills at full speed.

We were looking for a little tractor for a bit and my brother made the deal at the county Fair. End of the season special $18,000.

Okay gotcha Ben, curious to hear how it works out for you.



My dad calls our two old Versatile tractors cheap horsepower.

Practically free compared to the price of the new stuff!


That 1086 looks like it is in really nice shape.

There's a bunch of those 1086's around here so it wasn't too hard to find one in good shape. It seems to be mechanically sound and runs great. But it's it's 35 years old so who knows. New paint and AC are a plus though. Was a couple grand less than the 70 so you can't complain.


That loader tractor looks like itd be pretty handy.

Sam, what is the feed wagon tractor? 26, 56?

I see your are no stranger to tire chains.

I'm always looking on tractorhouse and all the good deals are a 1000 miles to the east!

It's actually kinda hard to find 100-150hp tractors around here. Lots of newer ones but decent used ones are rare.

We told the dealer what we were looking for and waited 1-2 years before he took that 7510 in on trade.


We have a 1066 that is a little rough around the edges and plan on trading it in.

Thought about a Farmall 95A but don't know anything about them.

Richard, that is a 656 Hydro.

From the late 60's?!


Straight 6 gas engine, and chains...


Damn good old tractor.

It's a 2-3 hour trip downstate to the Lancaster area. There's a bunch of large dealers down there who have a bit of everythinhereg. Plus most farms are pretty small around here so the 100-150hp tractors have been popular forever.
y
I know the A series tractors are the lightest weight and C's are heavier. So I guess it depends on what you'd be doing with them.

I also see Sam, you are no stranger to external tank engine heaters.
We use those, but, I like the in block heaters better, less wattage, faster warm ups. The old 706 Diesel will not take a freeze plug heater.

Great info and good point Ben.



Richard, mixed results here.

I know our 4250 used to start better with the tank versus block heater and when it's really cold we plug 'em both in.

And then blow a breaker....grin


The 656 even has a fancy transmission heater but of course we never use it. Some mornings it really whines but just it let it sit and warm-up for 10-20 minutes and she's good to go.



Biggest difference maker in IMHO is placing a cardboard 'wind shield'(overnight) on the windy side of the engine.



A big heated shop would be nice....

Sam, my father used to say, a tractor in a unheated building was 10d ahead of outside.
Course, those are not free either.
Do you get ice, on cab glass, and don't be "peephole drivin", now!

Richard, winter can be hard on machinery!

Hell just the sun alone ages.


My dad has been talking about building a shop for years but we just can't come up with a good spot close to the house, damn highway and a minor flood plain have us pinched for room. Gotta save space to stack hay!



Had a frosty streak in December but thankfully not much lately. I hate scraping hard frost off windows.


You guys get in on that nasty ice episode?

Yep, Sam, I was wearing my "ice fishing" cleats for over a week.
Methinks old man winter is just taking a break, he'll be back, and, with a vengeance, any time now.
Ever look into a hoop building? Not all that cheap, but versatile?

Ice is a nasty sonuvabitch.

Critters with hooves hate it!



Quonset style?

The hoop barns are the best thing since sliced bread. They are truly amazing, especially on a sunny winter day.

Don't buy one without 4 wheel drive