Tractors

[Jackfre]

What do you all run for tractors? I have 1.5 acres and have a Kubota BX 2660 with FEL, 60" MMM, 42" tiller, 48" box scraper, 48" Brush Bull mower and 52" Ratchet Rake. I just used it to remove and replace 60 yds of driveway material. It was kinda like trying to empty Lake Tahoe with a tablespoon, but it got it done. I had a pro price the job and his price of $5300 was fair, I just couldn't go it, so I ended up net cost everything for $1,800 worth of gravel and 40 hrs on the tractor. There are places I wish I had a larger tractor (no surprise), but all in all, the BX has been just right for the place.

Yesterday, I had it over at my daughters place removing old dirt/gravel from the walk-way. Replaced with a 10 wheeler full of 1/2 washed stone. Came out real nice, and the bigger tractor couldn't have done it.

 

[Jagmandave]

I have a similar sized ( I think) Yanmar 1602D, 4X4 diesel with a Koyker 4 ft bucket, box blade, bush hog and a tiller. It's low hours and I don't use it as much as I used to but when I need it it sure is handy. Like yours, you can't move that much at a time with it - any Bobcat would be much quicker - but I have fun with it and it's been dead reliable since the day I got it. I have three acres in the country that I hope to build on someday, in the meantime I maintain it with the tractor and my Exmark zero steer mower.

Last time I had gravel dropped they went to the top of the hill where the driveway ended and laid a beautiful 6" lift all the way down the driveway - when the rains come it tends to wash down some so the box blade lets me smooth it up nicely.

Wonderful little machine!

 

[Steevo]

Mine are all "Garden Tractors"
Primarily Bolens' from the 1970's and early 1980's

This is one I recently refurbished from end to end and did an engine swap on:

And this one is a future project:

 

[wnstwolf]

Jackfre,
I Started with the BX22, Then the BX24 with backhoe and just upped to a B3200. Problem with tractors once you get one you can not figure out how you did without it. Granted each move up came with a house move but to each buyer of the house the guy would pull me aside and ask about the tractor. I always made out great! I beleive any bigger than the current one and I would be too big but what do I know! I have about 5 acres to mow and have a 72" belly deck which for basic field grass does a great job. As we are about to plant 2/3 acres of "maintained" grass in the spring we may be looking into a smaller machine to manicure this time will tell. Other attachments include the backhoe, 72" plow blade, york rake and a huge tiller that I have dragged around for the past 5 years wondering why I have it since my wife is passing on the Garden again this year!

 

[chickenfarmer]

I have 3 acres with a large collection of shovels, rakes, and wheel barrels

 

[lzicc]

I started with a Kubota BX22. Traded that in for a Kubota L3800. The attachments I have that are not in the pictures is a box blade which I love, landscape rake, tiller and a rear blade. I agree with wnstwolf, I don't know how I lived without a tractor before. I have 2 acres and have done allot of extensive remodeling, building, landscape and would not have been able to do any of that without the tractor.

 

[IslandOlds]

Honda 5518 4WD, 4WS, front and rear Hydraulics and PTO at both ends. 46 inch dozer blade, 46 inch mower and 45 inch front count snowblower. Dandy size for what I need. Also have a 47 Ferguson TEA 20 and a late 40's Ford 8N, and a 1969 Ford LGT 100.

 

[Kevin54]

I mow my 1.6 acres with my 345JD, the other 5-7 acres I mow, I have a Cub Cadet 7272 with a 72" belly mower. It's also got a bucket for the front and a Posthole digger for the back. I want to pick up a 5' tiller for it this year. Sadly the Cub is only 2WD with turf tires, so no snow removal with it. I do need to get the starter off and repaired on it before the season rolls around though. I'd love to have a backhoe attachment for it!!!!

 

[99SVT]

A New Holland TZ25DA with a 60" deck. I have a 5ft blade and a utility trailer.

I have 4 acres of mowing to do.

 

[jlckmj]

1948 Ferguson TE-20 with a 72" Woods belly mower

Jim

 

[bmcdowell40]

I have a Ford 1720 with a loader, backhoe, brush hog, finish mower, post hole digger, back blade, box blade, trailer mover, landscape rake and carry-all.

I have 4 acres to mow and I used the tractor for building my garage with apartment. I used it to build the driveway, prep the building pad and install the underground utilities. I dont know what I'd do without it now. It gets used constantly.

 

[k9american]

JD 4510, 460 FEL, Woods RD8400 mower, chain harrow. 8 acres, 5 ponies. Grass cutting and manure management.

 

[Ajwelds]

Bobcat 873, Cat D2, Hustler Super Z diesel 60" rear discharge deck & Massey 263 Massey loader hydraulic top & tilt. 7' JD brush hog, JD backhoe, 6' Gannon box blade & 6' disc. Just ready to buy a bigger dozer

 

[Nogglefish]

Mmmm, tractor talk. I need to finish up my lift install and get back on my 4240. Had this ripper made:

 

[east_tn_emc]

Do you have any close-up pics of the engine swap? I am getting ready to do something similar on a Sears FF series tractor.

Mine are all "Garden Tractors"
Primarily Bolens' from the 1970's and early 1980's

This is one I recently refurbished from end to end and did an engine swap on:

And this one is a future project:

 

[Zick]

Got a BX2350, 60" mmm, FEL, front snow blade, & rear farm king snow blower.
Have a 2 acre lot with about 250ft driveway to clear each winter.

It's definitely one of my better investments!

This is when I got my snowblower this summer.

 

[Steevo]

Do you have any close-up pics of the engine swap? I am getting ready to do something similar on a Sears FF series tractor.

Sure, go to these forum threads over on MTF.

http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthread.php?t=106775&page=3
http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthread.php?t=113196

 

[bullfrog123]

2010 John Deere 3720 CAB. E-hydro, 300CX loader, 59" front mount blower, rear blade, landscape rake, 10' drag harrows, 8' spray rig (home made), 7' sickle bar mower, post hole auger, single shank ripper (home made), 8' Danish S-cultivator (home made), 6' box blade, and probly missing something from the list.
Use to have a JD 3203 open station hydro, while it was a good lil tractor it just plain sucked to move snow in the winter with it. 50hrs a year just in snow. Got the cab and front blower and now it is FUN to move snow. Also mowing in summer is nice with ac and tunes

I have 6 acre property with horses so loader is a must with manure handling. One thing to make these little tractors so much more useable...... fluid fill the tires!!!!!! It will add 500-1000lbs depending on tire size. You won't believe the difference in traction!!!!!!!!!

Did I mention how nice the cab is???

 

[camarotoolman]

64 cub cadet.

 

[38Chevy454]

I have a 1942 Ford 9N, with a 6 ft box blade (use with sides removed) on the back for snow removal duty on my driveway. 400 ft of fairly good slope from the street to house. It got a workout just before Christmas with over 24 inches of snow on the ground. No other uses at this time, might use the blade with the sides to smooth any new gravel for the driveway.

 

[csp]

At the house I have a Cub Cadet 7275 with a bucket. Usually has a 7' blade attached to the back, but I also have a 5' box scraper, 5' Rhino mower, post hole digger, several drag harrows, a spring tooth harrow, trench ripper, and a 5' Ford snowblower. This machine comes in so handy for so many different things. It's definitely one of the best tools I've ever purchased.

The farm has a JD 6400 with a 640 bucket which is mainly used for baling hay. It has an 8' blade as well as an 8' snowblower for attachments along with several hay rakes, harrows, plows, etc.

The CC sitting in the garage when the diesel gelled in the filter last winter when attempting to go blow snow.

 

[Darren Thomas]

I've been trying to find a good deal on a decent tractor myself. I have only 1 acre but would use it for landscaping, moving dirt, lifting materials into my truck and out, annual bark for the flower beds (moved from the driveway around to the back of the poperty etc...)

I really don't know much other than most of the smaller tractors cost about as much as a new car. I've been trying to find something for around $4,000 older and used but in good mechanical condition. Seems I'm a bit ignorant in that quest though.

Anyone have suggestions for an older model that might be priced for the guy like me?

I'd love to find something about this size with a bucket... would love a post hole digger and backhoe but I know those things can be seriously expensive alone.

 

[csp]

Stay away from Kubota and/or John Deere and the price drops dramatically. My Cub hasn't really given me any real trouble. It does have a goofy starting wiring setup which allows for a big current drop between the key switch and the starter, but a $5 dollar relay and ten minutes of my time fixed that. I paid $10k eleven years ago and it had 83 hours on it. Similar sized JD and Kubota were $5-10k more, depending on condition.

On the other hand, also stay away from the cheapie Chinese tractors. Nothern Tool sells these, just for an example.

 

[Darren Thomas]

Stay away from Kubota and/or John Deere and the price drops dramatically. My Cub hasn't really given me any real trouble. It does have a goofy starting wiring setup which allows for a big current drop between the key switch and the starter, but a $5 dollar relay and ten minutes of my time fixed that.

On the other hand, also stay away from the cheapie Chinese tractors. Nothern Tool sells these, just for an example.

Yeah, I love both brands but they do get a premium for the name. Problem is I really don't know which "off" brands are of decent quality with decent replacement parts and accessories available.

 

[Jagmandave]

Yanmar

BTW, Yanmar is Japanese, not Chinese..

Go to Tractorbynet.com for tons of info on this brand and pretty much any other

 

[bullfrog123]

BTW.... a post hole digger will only run you about $4-600. Leinbach is a good digger for the price. Mine was $500 WITH a 12" bit. Punched out 350+ holes in the last 3 years with no problems.

And 2nd the tractorbynet forum for any info you need!!!!!

 

[santagary]

Also a 3030 and RTV on tracks in the winter

 

[Mike in Ohio]

On the left is a Allis Chalmers WD45 that I use with a 6' landpride finish mower. In the middle is dads Allis CA, and on the right is my Allis B 1 of 2 I got from my grandfather, 1 of which his father bought new in 1946. Not in the picture is the '48 Farmall Cub with a 5' belly mower that I use for the part of the lawn close to the house.

 

[yucholian]

I have 9 acres which we built a house on 1.5 year ago.
Was a virgin land which meant a lot of work.
Bought a Kubota L3940 which is awesome.
As far as the backhoe attachment goes, it was nearly $10k extra.
If I was to do it all over, I would have bought a used mini excavator for that price to have 2 dedicated machines.

 

[ed_v]

Anyone heard anything good about Mahindra tractors? I was at the New Holland dealer last week and noticed they carry Mahindra as well.

Ed

 

[LennyTheLizard]

COOL THREAD!!!

I've been wanting a tractor in a bad way for quite some time, but I'm too damn cheap. I have 3 different shovels, a pick axe, a small 2 stroke tiller, and a lawn cart along with a lot of back-aches. I just can't imagine how many hours of my life I could have spent drinking beer or relaxing in the pool if I would have had a tractor.

I have 7 acres - with about 1.2 acre yard area. Do a little gardening, and do all of our own landscaping projects. The driveway seems to be manicured 1-2 / year. I'm just wondering how big of a tractor do you need to get any real work done.
I've been thinking 25-30 horse - must have a 3 point hitch and front loader. I've had my eye on a Kubota, but not sure if it's worth all the money.

Anyone have a Kioti? We have a local place that sells them, and they look like a Kubota knock-off, but they're not much cheaper!

 

[Mikea57]

I bought an older Ford 1510 3 years ago this May. It came with a 5' bush hog and a 5' finish mower. I have 3+ acres and I use it to mow that with but if I had more implements I'd use it for other things as well. I could use a bucket and a rear blade or a box blade to level out 2 large mounds of dirt on the property. (Half of the property is lawn and the other half is field grass.)

I found a small tractor business closing up shop and he had this listed for $5K. I had it checked out by an old friend who said that the combo was a good deal so I got it. Deals can be had but you gotta look for them.

These pics are from when I brought her home.

 

[KermitFrog]

My property is a little over 13 acres. I have a Yanmar 1610D (4WD) with a 3ft bush hog that I use for Ford 1700 with a 5ft Bush Hog and a FEL. Of course I have some implements too, disc, box blade, grader blade etc.

No pics, I do have a pic but it is too embarrassing to show. Note to self, don't do something stupid and then take a picture of it.

 

[gabeancounter]

My massey working on its new home.

 

[yucholian]

Anyone heard anything good about Mahindra tractors? I was at the New Holland dealer last week and noticed they carry Mahindra as well.

Ed

Mahindra is suppose to be a work horse.
Not as respected as JD or Kubota but reliable and affordable.

 

[Firefyter-Emt]

Making mine feel tiny here... 1974 Massey Ferguson. She's a work in progress, I have a fully restored mower deck on, and a custom built 48" snow plow. For the winter, there is a custom made 225lb solid lead filled weight box on the back. In the works is the original snowblower that is close to being restored, and a single bottom plow and sleeve hitch.

Mowing in the summer...

Pushing in the winter...

Weight box

 

[oldwino]

have a 29 horse New Holland to care for the vineyard and property...60" mower deck, front loader, spray rig, box scraper, etc. most of use is vineyard mowing with remainder road maintenance (0.4 mile driveway) and have been very happy. 120-150 hours a year for several years now with min. problems.

 

[jclem40c]

Us po folk run older farm stuff. I have a 1960's Massey 50 and a 1973 Massey 150.
Got 2 5' brush hogs, a 6' back blade, front bucket on the 50, home built log arch on the 150 and a disc harrow. Gitta find a 2 bottom plow so I can turn up a garden for SWMBO.
Oh, I forgot to add that if I get either one stuck I can pull them out with the John Deere
40 crawler.

John

 

[dleatherbu]

The short answer to the original question is that I use an IH 574 diesel for mowing and odd jobs around the barn and pasture. The longer answer is that I have been an IH (now CaseIH) dealer for over 35 years, also selling Woods, Cub Cadet, Bush Hog, Rhino, etc. Forums such as this can be a great resourse; I would be glad to be a part of that pool of knowledge.

 

[elmo771]

Heres my oldie T5B