Small tractor work

feddoc

feddoc

Long Time Member
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I'm looking at getting a small-ish tractor to do some work. Gotta have a backhoe and front end loader. Kioti is Korean, Mahindra is Indian. What about JD tractors?

I guess I could get a Case Backhoe, maybe trade in the wife's belcher...

What kind of smaller hobby type tractors do you favor and whY?

I'll need it to dig up some stuff, move some rocks and level a couple pads.
 
I'd Get one Big Enough to do the Jobs!

Get One that Ain't F'N Made in China!

I'd Try & Find a Like New Tractor Just Old Enough Not to Have the Obama Juice on it!

Yes,Newer Tractors Require Obama Juice!
 
elkassassin said:
I'd Get one Big Enough to do the Jobs!

Get One that Ain't F'N Made in China!

I'd Try & Find a Like New Tractor Just Old Enough Not to Have the Obama Juice on it!

Yes,Newer Tractors Require Obama Juice!
Click to expand...

Newer 400 ton haul trucks require lots and lots of Obama juice elk....
 
I've used Ford, Agco, Kubota, & John Deere. JD was the best, Kubota was right behind JD, then Agco, and finally the Ford. All were in the 45hp range.
 
A 40-45 horse is a big enough tractor to feel big but small enough to frustrate you for everything but the small jobs.
If its only occasional work that you could do over a weekend I'd look at renting one. Get a brand new one that fits your job and none of the upkeep.
 
mtnrunner260 said:
A 40-45 horse is a big enough tractor to feel big but small enough to frustrate you for everything but the small jobs.
If its only occasional work that you could do over a weekend I'd look at renting one. Get a brand new one that fits your job and none of the upkeep.
Click to expand...
Thinking of that too. Local place has a 90hp I can rent for a month for just under 3K. A month will take care of most of the stuff I would like to have done.
 
I have had my Challenger 43 hsp 4 wheel drive for 15 years.

It has done everything I asked of it including powering though thick 8’ tall willows with the brush mower.

Fires right up even in sub zero temps.

Challenger was Catapiller’s small tractor line.
AGCO has the line now,, one of the few mostly American made.
 
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As I recall there are about 3 compact tractor engine manufacturers - Yanmar, Kioti, and ? Those 3 make the engines for everyone else to use in their tractors with a different name. I have a Bobcat 40 hp 4wd. Its about the heaviest tractor in that hp range. I love it and use it all the time. Its amazing what those things will do. I have liquid filled rear tires and I can lift about 1,600# in the bucket. I bought it about 5 years ago for $17,000. Had 160 hours on it. My only mistake was not buying it 20 years sooner !!
 
I don't know what type of work you'll do, but a small tractor might not be much better than a shovel when it comes to hoe work. If your hoe doesn't require outriggers, then it probably won't do much. I think you could pick up a used JD 310 or equivalent relatively cheaply now the work is slow. I have a 410 from the late seventies that was used on the job for tens years and then retired to occasional use. It still runs well, but has required a lot of hose and O-rings over the years.
 
Though it’s been a long time since this thread was updated, your recommendations are still relevant, guys. Thanks for sharing them! Still, I’d like you to help me make a final choice. I’ve found 2 tractors, and I can’t decide which one I should buy.
 

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