Any advice on which one to buy?

[TheOldHokie]

I am currently shopping for a tractor, Kubota seems like a logical choice (dealer down the road). I have 40 acres (20 hay meadow, 20 woods) only 10 manicured acres. My main use for this will be dirt work, but I will be using brush hog and land planer/box blade. Over all everything is on a gradual grade for the land. My wife has plans for a rock wall so I can get stones around 800lbs. I'm on a budget of around 13k.

My questions: HST concerns me buying used, I've only ever owned manual transmission. Any opinions?

A loader is mandatory around 1000lbs so the L2501 tripped my trigger, but it appears to not have a live pto. Is this true? I don't want my PTO to stop if I push the clutch.

Final question: 4wd vs 2wd? I've never owned a 4wd machine so I legitimately don't know the benefit.

None of the above. If your budget is that tight and you need that sort of capability find yourself an older and bigger farm tractor with loader.

Dan

 

[BAP]

Many gear drive tractors use a 2 stage clutch. Pushing the clutch pedal 2/3-3/4 of the way stops the tractor from moving and pushing all the way stops the movement and the PTO. Take the parameters that you posted about your budget and loader needs, put them into used equipment searches like Tractorhouse.com and others to see what you can find. Don’t be pushed into spending more than you can afford. Many will try to convince you to spend thousands more buying new just because of cheap financing. That’s a bad trap to fall into with any purchase if you can’t afford it. There are many good deals on some older tractors out there, particularly if you look into 30-70hp range. Don’t stick strictly to Kubota to fill your needs because there probably isn’t enough of them around to be able to find one.

 

[TheOldHokie]

Many gear drive tractors use a 2 stage clutch. Pushing the clutch pedal 2/3-3/4 of the way stops the tractor from moving and pushing all the way stops the movement and the PTO. Take the parameters that you posted about your budget and loader needs, put them into used equipment searches like Tractorhouse.com and others to see what you can find. Don’t be pushed into spending more than you can afford. Many will try to convince you to spend thousands more buying new just because of cheap financing. That’s a bad trap to fall into with any purchase if you can’t afford it. There are many good deals on some older tractors out there, particularly if you look into 30-70hp range. Don’t stick strictly to Kubota to fill your needs because there probably isn’t enough of them around to be able to find one.

Exactly and witth 40 acres closer to 70HP than 30HP.

Dan

 

[fried1765]

Excellent advice. Just in case our OP isn't familiar with those terms:

Carryall:

View attachment 91660

CountyLine Carry All at Tractor Supply Co.

Find CountyLine Carry All in the Hauling Attachments category at Tractor Supply Co.The CountyLine Carry All is ideal for small moving and carryi

www.tractorsupply.com

Weight box:

View attachment 91662

Now, an IBC tote isn't what most people think of when they think of a weight box, but it gives you an infinitely adjustable weight box that is easy to fill and empty. If you aren't using it in freezing weather, all it needs is plain water, and you can put enough in it to overload most tractors. Some might not like their weight sloshing around, and that's a valid point, depending on what you're doing. You can always just use the cage and fill it with rocks, too.

But if you insist on a conventional weight box, suit yourself:

tractor weight box at DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo. Privacy, Simplified.

duckduckgo.com

As you can see, they come in all kinds of flavors.

A "Carryall" is definitely not the best solution. IMHO.
Agri Supply sells a set of three point forks that will lift 2,000 lbs,..... and forks are much nicer than angle iron.
Agri Supply item # 72511........$299
I use my rear 3pt. forks for all sorts of things.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

When I said 'carryall' , I meant a 'generic' style of 3ph lifting device. Both the yellow one and the red one posted are 'carryall' implements to me.
Something that you can use to lift up a 'skid' to move 'something' from point A to B.

they're easy to make, affordable to buy and are a very versatile implement.

you can have 3 skids of weight 'light, heavy, just right', choose the right one for the loader operations.
The one I made uses forklift forks, has a 2" rcvr on it, so more than a 'carryall' I suppose....
it's hauled skids of pavers, stones, 3500# logs and pulled every trailer I own.

 

[Flintknapper]

I'd highly recommend 4wd on ANY 'compact' tractor destined to do front loader work, unless all you use it for is moving wood chips.

A larger, heavier 2wd tractor 'might' suffice if it has a locking rear diff.

If the OP plans to do any digging, heavy pushing or loading a bucket from dirt/gravel/rock piles... you need good traction and tractor weight helps as well.

 

[hedgerow]

I am currently shopping for a tractor, Kubota seems like a logical choice (dealer down the road). I have 40 acres (20 hay meadow, 20 woods) only 10 manicured acres. My main use for this will be dirt work, but I will be using brush hog and land planer/box blade. Over all everything is on a gradual grade for the land. My wife has plans for a rock wall so I can get stones around 800lbs. I'm on a budget of around 13k.

My questions: HST concerns me buying used, I've only ever owned manual transmission. Any opinions?

A loader is mandatory around 1000lbs so the L2501 tripped my trigger, but it appears to not have a live pto. Is this true? I don't want my PTO to stop if I push the clutch.

Final question: 4wd vs 2wd? I've never owned a 4wd machine so I legitimately don't know the benefit.

I have been in the farming game for well over forty years. I moved and feed a ton of round bales with a G JD and a stanhoist loader. Next was a 3020 gas with a 46A JD loader used it for years then moved up to a 4240 and JD725 loader. I like my MX6000 with loader for general around the farm things mostly spot spraying in the summer. I do most of my loader work with a 100 HP skid steer. If you budget is thirteen grand I would look for a nice 3020 JD with loader. Parts are easy to get and that tractor is big enough to do some serious work on your acres. The thing I like about older JD tractors are JD is still in business so parts are easy to get. You can buy a farmall, ford or a white for less money but parts can be a issue. Good luck with which ever way you go.

 

[Fordtech86]

Many gear drive tractors use a 2 stage clutch.

The gear drive L2501 does not have a 2 stage clutch. No live PTO either.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

I am currently shopping for a tractor, Kubota seems like a logical choice (dealer down the road). I have 40 acres (20 hay meadow, 20 woods) only 10 manicured acres. My main use for this will be dirt work, but I will be using brush hog and land planer/box blade. Over all everything is on a gradual grade for the land. My wife has plans for a rock wall so I can get stones around 800lbs. I'm on a budget of around 13k.

My questions: HST concerns me buying used, I've only ever owned manual transmission. Any opinions?

A loader is mandatory around 1000lbs so the L2501 tripped my trigger, but it appears to not have a live pto. Is this true? I don't want my PTO to stop if I push the clutch.

Final question: 4wd vs 2wd? I've never owned a 4wd machine so I legitimately don't know the benefit.

I think this is about what fits your budget and needs. The GlideShift is a hydraulically controlled, fully synchronized, shuttle gear tranny. Not quite as convenient as hydrostatic for loader work but adequate.

 

[RichardD]

The L3010GSt shown above should work, but would be at about the minimum. Also I noticed the John Deere dealer in Wamego has a used Kubota on the lot, but I didn’t check it out. You might take a look at it. I personally would stay away from the tricycle type of tractors unless you really know their limitations. I grew up with narrow front end JDs and just like a tricycle they will tip over easily, especially if not on flat ground. There is a reason the 3 wheelers went away and the 4 wheeler utvs took over. To many accidents. Good luck finding one that will fit your needs!

 

[fried1765]

nE

When I said 'carryall' , I meant a 'generic' style of 3ph lifting device. Both the yellow one and the red one posted are 'carryall' implements to me.
Something that you can use to lift up a 'skid' to move 'something' from point A to B.

they're easy to make, affordable to buy and are a very versatile implement.

you can have 3 skids of weight 'light, heavy, just right', choose the right one for the loader operations.
The one I made uses forklift forks, has a 2" rcvr on it, so more than a 'carryall' I suppose....
it's hauled skids of pavers, stones, 3500# logs and pulled every trailer I own.

N

Nearly impossible to fit that "carryall" shown into a normal pallet.
3pt forks are a much better idea,.
The forks can slide into, or under a pallet, and at $299 they are not very expensive.

 

[D2Cat]

The L3010GSt shown above should work, but would be at about the minimum. Also I noticed the John Deere dealer in Wamego has a used Kubota on the lot, but I didn’t check it out. You might take a look at it. I personally would stay away from the tricycle type of tractors unless you really know their limitations. I grew up with narrow front end JDs and just like a tricycle they will tip over easily, especially if not on flat ground. There is a reason the 3 wheelers went away and the 4 wheeler utvs took over. To many accidents. Good luck finding one that will fit your needs!

Be sure to check out that tractor at the Deere dealer. Often times an off brand tractor gets sold at a very reasonable price!!

 

[GreensvilleJay]

curious, and finally found where the yellow 'carryall' came from, so here's another picture of it sliding into a skid.

'normal' skid ..hmmmmm, around here a 'normal' skid is 40x48 , all made from 2by6, consisting of 3 runners and decking. 40" wide ,as 3 fit real easy on the 11' wide racking, 4' deep cause the 2by6's came that way(free 'offcuts', 1,000s of them). We've built hundreds of them.
One trick with storing stuff on skids , is to double up. The 'lower' skid keeps the good one off the wet ground and easier/cleaner to grab or drop the good skid.

If forked carryall is same or close to price of the angle iron one, yes the forks could be a better deal, again depends on the ultimate use.

BTW, if you stack the load closer to the tractor,you'll be able to lift more.

 

[fried1765]

curious, and finally found where the yellow 'carryall' came from, so here's another picture of it sliding into a skid.

'normal' skid ..hmmmmm, around here a 'normal' skid is 40x48 , all made from 2by6, consisting of 3 runners and decking. 40" wide ,as 3 fit real easy on the 11' wide racking, 4' deep cause the 2by6's came that way(free 'offcuts', 1,000s of them). We've built hundreds of them.
One trick with storing stuff on skids , is to double up. The 'lower' skid keeps the good one off the wet ground and easier/cleaner to grab or drop the good skid.

If forked carryall is same or close to price of the angle iron one, yes the forks could be a better deal, again depends on the ultimate use.

BTW, if you stack the load closer to the tractor,you'll be able to lift more.

I do not buy TSC "County Line" products.
They are the lowest quality products in the tractor attachments marketplace!

 

[PaulL]

I think a B class machine is a bit light for your needs. They're good if you need a machine to finish mow as well as doing some dirt work. But if you have no mowing needs, an L is much better value for money. With 10 acres of groomed, and 40 acres total, an M isn't out of the question. Again, not a lot more expensive, and it's a lot more tractor.

I'd get 4wd. Dad had an older Ford 2wd, quite large. He went to a smaller 4WD Kubota (M class), then eventually to a large 4WD Kioti. The M was quite a bit more capable than the Ford, despite being lighter and lower HP. 4WD makes your tractor a lot more capable, and means you can have a smaller overall machine.

You'll be looking used. An L could come with HST, and I'd recommend you get it if so. An M might come with hydraulic shuttle, which is just as good for loader work. Plain gear drive with a foot clutch and gear stick is pretty annoying for loader work. In and out of reverse all the time, no synchros often on reverse (depends on machine), heavy clutch. It can be done, but I wouldn't do it by choice.

 

[GeoHorn]

Here’s a consideration for you if you are still thinking about a 2WD tractor with a loader:
Lets say you are picking up a pallet of bricks on a hill… not a slope…you’re too smart for that… you’re facing a slight incline is all and facing uphill….not sideways …on your 2WD tractor with loader…and as you pick up those bricks… the rear wheels get a bit light…
Now a 2WD tractor only has BRAKES on its REAR wheels…. so now you start sliding downhill BackWards…!!

Get 4WD tractor if you intend to use a loader with anything other than horsefeathers and put it in 4WD anytime you use the loader.

 

[Flintknapper]

Here’s a consideration for you if you are still thinking about a 2WD tractor with a loader:
Lets say you are picking up a pallet of bricks on a hill… not a slope…you’re too smart for that… you’re facing a slight incline is all and facing uphill….not sideways …on your 2WD tractor with loader…and as you pick up those bricks… the rear wheels get a bit light…
Now a 2WD tractor only has BRAKES on its REAR wheels…. so now you start sliding downhill BackWards…!!
Get 4WD tractor if you intend to use a loader with anything other than horsefeathers and put it in 4WD anytime you use the loader.

For the OP's purposes....I am in the 4wd camp along with others making that recommendation but not for the reason cited above (by itself).

The issue you presented would be 'ballast' related not brake related. You could experience the same thing with a 4wd tractor if it were not in 4wd and even if in 4wd you only have engine braking to slow you down. Operating a tractor beyond its design limits will always expose you to danger.

A 4wd tractor is just more useful and allows a tractor to perform more work than its 2wd counterpart. But the same safety concerns exist when operating any tractor. There are a number of ways we can get ourselves into trouble using a tractor. Improper 'Ballast' being one of the more common pitfalls.

Sounds like the OP is working on land that has slopes and appreciable elevation changes....so hopefully he is aware of the challenges that presents. Bad things can happen fast on uneven ground especially when using a front loader.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

We've pulled MORE 4WD cars/pickup out of the ditch here than 2WDs in winter. Conclusion... 4WD is 'bad'. Actually ,it's really about the skill of the driver. We now have generations of drivers that have ABS, 4WD and a zillion other 'features' and those folks do NOT have good basic driving skills.
I've had dozens of 2WD tractors for 1/2 my life and only ONE 4WD, the BX23S. ALL have done what I wanted to providing I was SMART and CAREFUL.well, cept when I beuried the BX23S in a 'oopsy, boggy' patch last year. Had to walk home to get the 2WD D-14 to pull it out.
If you can get a 4WD unit, yes ,it'll be better BUT generally they cost more to buy and repair(4wd stuff).