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Michigan Mike
Well-known member
Just like the 1210
Buying a new Sub Compact Utility Tractor
- Thread starter Michigan Mike
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hydrogeoman
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- Nov 4, 2023
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I have owned a MF 1705 for 3 years. I still own a vintage Yanmar 1500d (love it for the nostalgia, but there is no comparison to the MF). I am on a 2 ac lot so I can't really speak to working 40 acers with the MF, but I can say for the types of things I use the tractor for, I would be completely content keeping it for a much larger acreage.
Here are the attachments I have"
-FEL - (this thing can lift as much soil (clay) as you can fit into it) It is very strong. I have never had anything too heavy for it to lift,
-60" Belly mower. I can mow any height of grass, and it doesn't even blink power wise.
-42 inch LandFarm tiller - my favorite, most used attachment. I wish I had a 48", but got the 42" to fit my narrow Yanmar 1500d.
-LandFarm 6ft rear snow blade. I plow 150' of driveway in winters. Works fine, but would love to have a front mounted blade.
-Subsoiler (TSC) - here is where the SCUT is pushing the limits of what it can do. It can pull the subsoiler in moist soil, but a heavier tractor is what is really needed for ripping compacted soil.
-48" harrow rake - no problem
I looked at JD, Kubota, and New Holland. I am a green fan, but could not justify price (plus getting two different prices from two different salesmen at the same dealer annoyed the hell out of me) . The New Holland was close, but i found the MF used (54hrs) for a great price and I could not be happier. Given new prices (if it is a concern), my vote goes to the MF. That red looks sweet when it is clean and waxed.
Good luck with your choice!
Here are the attachments I have"
-FEL - (this thing can lift as much soil (clay) as you can fit into it) It is very strong. I have never had anything too heavy for it to lift,
-60" Belly mower. I can mow any height of grass, and it doesn't even blink power wise.
-42 inch LandFarm tiller - my favorite, most used attachment. I wish I had a 48", but got the 42" to fit my narrow Yanmar 1500d.
-LandFarm 6ft rear snow blade. I plow 150' of driveway in winters. Works fine, but would love to have a front mounted blade.
-Subsoiler (TSC) - here is where the SCUT is pushing the limits of what it can do. It can pull the subsoiler in moist soil, but a heavier tractor is what is really needed for ripping compacted soil.
-48" harrow rake - no problem
I looked at JD, Kubota, and New Holland. I am a green fan, but could not justify price (plus getting two different prices from two different salesmen at the same dealer annoyed the hell out of me) . The New Holland was close, but i found the MF used (54hrs) for a great price and I could not be happier. Given new prices (if it is a concern), my vote goes to the MF. That red looks sweet when it is clean and waxed.
Good luck with your choice!
BruceMc
Well-known member
When I bought my BX25, Kubota was having a BOGO on attachments. I bought the plow blade and chose the forks mostly as an afterthought. Turns out I use the forks all the time, especially in the summer.
TurnipTruck
Well-known member
Ditto. I have a Deere 4105 ( economy model, no options, no emissions) and the forks are on all summer and the bucket on all winter.
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scooby074
Well-known member
Forks are an absolute requirement IMHO. I use mine all the time
I recently bought a Kubota BX23. Backhoe included and bought a 60" brush hog. I moved 30 ton of gravel for my driveway and also moved firewood with the bucket. I have no issues with the pedals. I maintain 2 acres. I used the brush hog 1 time and probably wont use it again. I also bought a Kubota ZT for mowing.
I went through the same debate a year or so ago and I went with the larger Kubota L2501 for our 7 acres. I know it’s larger than you have been looking for but It has been a great tractor. It is fairly basic but has handled everything we have thrown at it. It will handle larger attachments and open up options. The single pedal is a non issue IMO. For mowing, I recommend a zero turn rather than trying to utilize the tractor.
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RAYJAY
Well-known member
if your looking at the new holand also look at LS tractors IRC LS was making them for New holand, bought a LS here and great Tractor, also if you go high HP you will get into the regen type of tractor
RAYJAY
Well-known member
why LS is a strong tractor been running mine for years ...
If you had them you’d find uses for them all the time. Putting things on pallets makes it really easy to move them around or put up for storage. Plus all the things forks can do that aren’t using pallets at all. They can dig, pry, move brush, etc.
In my experience and opinion, the LS machines aren’t engineered and built to the same level as JD, Kubota or Kioti. If you compare them all directly side by side you can notice the differences. They’ll get work done and are ok machines. All the small tractor brands are good, some are just better.
As an example look at the mid mount mower decks. JD has the drive over with auto connect needing the operator to only make the rear connection from the side of the machine. From there it descends all the way to old school pushing a mower deck under the tractor and making several manual connections like a 1940s Farmall Cub.
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Michigan Mike
Well-known member
WOW Five pages I am amazed and appreciative. Thanks YJ your input is aprecciated. At this point I am leaning towards the Kubota. The dealer is the closest one to me. And I will probably just dig a little deeper into the pocket book. As much as I like the MF I am somewhat concerned about long term parts and maintenance. Though at 73 years of age long term doesn't mean quite the same thing. Thanks to all the Garage Journal for their information and opinions. I will let you all know which one I pick.
RPH
Well-known member
Make sure you have enough weight in the rear for whatever is being carried. I bought the weight box at the same time. When using forks or bucket I have close to 1,000 pounds on the back 3 point tightened tightly.
I have nothing to put on pallets and no where to put pallets and I have had a grapple since the first tractor. One neighbor has a skid steer and doesn’t have pallet forks either, the other neighbor has a Kioti and has pallet forks but says he never uses them, both have grapples also.
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RPH
Well-known member
Grapples on the bx sized Kubota are too heavy. Even with the kit to increase hydraulic pressure up to 2000# it won’t lift it.
Grapples require bigger tractors weight to counter react the grapple weight and its load. 1800# bx even with weight box is not a grapple machine.
Grapples require bigger tractors weight to counter react the grapple weight and its load. 1800# bx even with weight box is not a grapple machine.
Everything can go on pallets. I can lift or move just about anything 4” up onto a pallet. Then I let the tractor do the work and save my back. Then set it down and come back to pick it up again.
Renegade1LI
Well-known member
Forks are the first implement after the bucket, I was going to get a grapple but after using the forks I have no need.
Renegade1LI
Well-known member
You really can't go wrong with any brand, they're all pretty reliable. If your use is around the house & hunting property I would look for best bang for the buck. Some 0% interest deals if financing, package deal with some implements, it's starting to become a buyers market again. I'm not brand partial so that helps, I bought a NH from a local dealer, great price, free delivery, machine met my needs & the money I saved bought a few implements. If your use is 10 hours a week or less & the machine is stored indoors & maintained any tractor will last a long time.
Crazyjake8493
Well-known member
The subcompact buckets are quite small, but they sure hold more than my wheelbarrow. My dad dropped off a bunch of sod today and a pickup bed full of sod took four full buckets with the tractor to take and dump it where I wanted. But coming from a wheelbarrow and shovel, four loads with the tractor was a piece of cake.
AC-WC
Well-known member
You can get a side discharge rear mount mower. I used to have a 5ft King Kutter with the side discharge. I traded up for a 6ft but the KK still worked. It was used when I bought it. Agco has it's problems but you can still get most parts for all their tractors regardless of brand going back to the 1930's. I can say it's always a PITA to move the 3pt mower off the back. They have lots of adjustments but it's still a PITA no matter what brand you decide. Not sure how well a rear mount will fit on your trailer. I have a car trailer and I can haul ours easily. Actually the fall is the 'best' time of year to buy the box blade. Think year end clearance. Also a great item to pickup at auction if you can find one small enough.
What is everything? I have nothing I would store on pallets that I can think of.
Storage totes, firewood, tractor attachments, building materials, livestock feed, hay and straw, things you want to keep up off the ground, IBC totes, the list is endless.
IDK what you have that couldn’t be put on pallets?
finn
Well-known member
I lifted a paletized SBC engine with attached transmission from my truck a few weeks ago, and after that a pallet of stone wall veneer that the yard man at Menards loaded on my truck. Home improvement centers are more than willing to load anything heavy or bulky directly to your truck or trailer right on the pallet it was shipped on.
Also use them to move 10’ sections of dock we pull from the lake for the winter. Also use them for hauling away stumps that are too big for the tractor bucket, and for unloading three auto lifts and a rotisserie.
Even used them to lift the refrigerator to the deck so we could get it into the house, and to unload a 60 gallon air compressor.
My tractor is a cut, not a scut though. The forks also fit the ctl quick attach plate.
Look at any home improvement store, and you’ll see that a large percentage of product is moved around on pallets. Keep a few used pallets around and you’ll soon see how they make your life easier, assuming you have forks and a capable tractor
zkdiesel
Well-known member
Kubota attachment for skidsteer quick attach works for me
I have none of that stuff to go on pallets, and I get it using pallets, I worked construction , all our material we stored on pallets, all the pipe fittings lotta times even the pipe was on pallets, and we had a forklift.
At my house. I have nothing that could go on pallets. My tractor attachments are on a rack on the end of my shed that I built and my firewood is all stacked.
I get what you guys are saying, but believe it or not, not everybody needs pallet forks, like I said before I’ve had the tractors for about eight years, and I’ve never once needed pallet forks.
zkdiesel
Well-known member
How are you supposed to carry your broken tractor with your bigger tractor if you don’t have forks?
FYI have 4 sets of skidsteer quick attach forks
4’ super hd, 4’ hydraulic adjust. 4’hd and 6’hd. Can’t have too many forks
You got your salad fork, you got your dinner fork, you got your extension fork…
(Said like Bubba in Forrest Gump)
finn
Well-known member
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Gatekeeping equipment. Nice
RPH
Well-known member
What grapple and what do you move with it?
Kubota bucket I have is about 1/5 of a yard capacity. Compared to the old John Deere I have for the bigger jobs is 2.5 yards. Breakout force is tremendous on it. Moving around the yard and detail work not so much. Different tractors different purpose.
Iluvbeer
Well-known member
I just went through this. Two months ago I bought a new home sitting on 20 acres and I already owned 10 acres a few minutes away from the new place that I have used for deer hunting the last several years. So now, I really needed a tractor to maintain the property and also put in food plots. I started researching tractors from every brand as I always want the best bang for my buck. I even went as far as to talk to shops, talked to owners, etc. One thing I kept hearing over and over was parts availability, and not just short term but long term as well. I talked to a shop that maintains the grounds for the state government and they buy a lot of tractors and then wholesale them after a few years and buy all new ones over again. SO this shop has had experience with many of the various brands. They now will ONLY buy John Deere and Kubota and not just because they’re good tractors but because they can keep them running, the parts support is there for them. They said that is the number one thing that sets all the tractors apart is being able to keep them working if and when they break. They have in the past purchased Kioti, TYM, and Mahindra.. The shop manager told me that those Korean tractors would sit months waiting on parts. He said one time a Kioti tractor sat for over a year because of a switch that went bad but he said the norm was for the Kioti’s to sit for months on end waiting on parts to arrive.. He said they now only buy JD and Kubota because when they need a part, they can get it.
So I started thinking what I need from my tractor and longevity was a major factor. I don’t want to have a tractor that 20 years from now I won’t be able to get a part for and it becomes just a wasted pile of scrap metal. So for me the decision was easy. I knew it was going to be a JD or a Kubota. I ended up going with a new Kubota L2502 and I chose that model because I didn’t want any emissions on my engine and no electronics. It’s as bare bones and old skool as a diesel engine can get. I expect to have many years of trouble free use from it, hopefully. And since JD and Kubota own almost 70% of the market today for compact tractors, I know there will be 1000 of my model tractor out there for every 1 of the Korean made tractors – and that means LOTS of aftermarket support as well as used tractors to pull parts from 20 years from now. The same can’t be said for these off-brand tractors.
I spend a lot of time in the tractor groups and one thing I see a LOT of is the cheap metal that’s being made into these Korean tractors. Kioti is by far the absolute worst of them for breaking stuff due to the cheap metal. Just this week seen a post of the rear axle breaking in half from the weigh of just an implement on the rear 3 point, not to mention the tons of bent loaders.
I understand people trying to save money buying the off brand Korean tractors but for me, the few extra $$’s knowing I bought something that will actually have support for down the road was well worth it.
So I started thinking what I need from my tractor and longevity was a major factor. I don’t want to have a tractor that 20 years from now I won’t be able to get a part for and it becomes just a wasted pile of scrap metal. So for me the decision was easy. I knew it was going to be a JD or a Kubota. I ended up going with a new Kubota L2502 and I chose that model because I didn’t want any emissions on my engine and no electronics. It’s as bare bones and old skool as a diesel engine can get. I expect to have many years of trouble free use from it, hopefully. And since JD and Kubota own almost 70% of the market today for compact tractors, I know there will be 1000 of my model tractor out there for every 1 of the Korean made tractors – and that means LOTS of aftermarket support as well as used tractors to pull parts from 20 years from now. The same can’t be said for these off-brand tractors.
I spend a lot of time in the tractor groups and one thing I see a LOT of is the cheap metal that’s being made into these Korean tractors. Kioti is by far the absolute worst of them for breaking stuff due to the cheap metal. Just this week seen a post of the rear axle breaking in half from the weigh of just an implement on the rear 3 point, not to mention the tons of bent loaders.
I understand people trying to save money buying the off brand Korean tractors but for me, the few extra $$’s knowing I bought something that will actually have support for down the road was well worth it.
Pallet forks are nice to have and can be quite handy.
I've used mine to pick up the old couch off the front porch and dump in the trailer for a land fill run.
Stacking the new washer and dryer in the garage until I was ready to bring them in the house. Then used them to bring the old ones out and down the five steps in the garage, same thing with the new set.
The mower deck on the 1025R goes on the pallet racking 5.5-6' in the air.
Once you have they, you realize they become a helping hand, not waiting for a friend to stop by.
In the grand scheme of things, when I bought my TLB, the forks were cheap enough and only added about $8 to the monthly payments. I spend more than that in Dr Pepper in the same month.
They open other options as well. I welded a section of SQ tube to the backing plate, leave the forks off, and slide in a ball mount to move trailers around.
I've used mine to pick up the old couch off the front porch and dump in the trailer for a land fill run.
Stacking the new washer and dryer in the garage until I was ready to bring them in the house. Then used them to bring the old ones out and down the five steps in the garage, same thing with the new set.
The mower deck on the 1025R goes on the pallet racking 5.5-6' in the air.
Once you have they, you realize they become a helping hand, not waiting for a friend to stop by.
In the grand scheme of things, when I bought my TLB, the forks were cheap enough and only added about $8 to the monthly payments. I spend more than that in Dr Pepper in the same month.
They open other options as well. I welded a section of SQ tube to the backing plate, leave the forks off, and slide in a ball mount to move trailers around.
We don’t need anything. I want a tractor, we live on 6-1/2 heavily wooded acres, always picking up brush piles. Spent the last two days using the grapple to move logs from a few trees we cut down that were dead, neighbor and I went in together and rented a lift to cut them down as they were close to our houses.
Most of my tractor hours are grapple and moving snow, I plow with a side by side but move the piles with the tractor.
I’m just saying, not everyone needs pallet forks even though some think everyone should have them.
Firebrick43
Well-known member
Any idea on how the fire started on the tractor?Kubota attachment for skidsteer quick attach works for me
Triumph1200
Well-known member
Didn’t read the whole thread so If this has been covered, I apologize.
For 40 forty acres I think a sub-compact is a little small. Travel speed is low and tire sizes on sub-compacts make for a rough ride. I see your in Kazoo, I’m right down the road in Mattawan with 80 acres, I don’t want to drive to the back of the property with my BX2380 and never have, have a bigger tractor for that.
Besides brand have you considered dealer distance and service availability/quality. How far do want to tow if the tractor needs service or drive if you need a part. I’m partial to our local Kubota dealer.
I’d look for a used B-series Kubota, not hard to find and parts are plentiful. If I was in your position, I’d be looking for a low hour B2650 to stay in your price range FWIW I have a BX2380 with quick attach loader, pallet forks, mid-mount mower for the lawn, 42” brush cutter for getting into place the bigger tractor can’t, third function for the grapple again for where the bigger tractor can’t. Feel free to reach out
For 40 forty acres I think a sub-compact is a little small. Travel speed is low and tire sizes on sub-compacts make for a rough ride. I see your in Kazoo, I’m right down the road in Mattawan with 80 acres, I don’t want to drive to the back of the property with my BX2380 and never have, have a bigger tractor for that.
Besides brand have you considered dealer distance and service availability/quality. How far do want to tow if the tractor needs service or drive if you need a part. I’m partial to our local Kubota dealer.
I’d look for a used B-series Kubota, not hard to find and parts are plentiful. If I was in your position, I’d be looking for a low hour B2650 to stay in your price range FWIW I have a BX2380 with quick attach loader, pallet forks, mid-mount mower for the lawn, 42” brush cutter for getting into place the bigger tractor can’t, third function for the grapple again for where the bigger tractor can’t. Feel free to reach out
You have to read more. He is not working the whole 40 acres
LB-1911
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Wil serve you well.- Status