Help me Choose Please

[tradosaurus]

No for the one he quoted it is the 1530. The dealer situation is what I am really concerned about I think.

Hmmmm... I googled "Branson 1530" and "tractor 1530" and the only brand that came up was an old John Deere.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

re: I will use it primarily to auger post holes

have you considered a 'standalone, selfpowered auger unit ' ?? The 'kid' who did 20+ 'poles in holes' for me years ago had one. I asked , why not a tractor mtd one ?, he said his unit was easier,faster and more accurate. He did 16 holes in one line and everyone was bang on ! Also cheaper and simpler to maintain.
I KNOW it was a GREAT deal to use him, cost less than me renting a similar PHD unit, buying concrete mix,cement and mixing in my mixer....
options, always look for options...

 

[baddarryl]

Hmmmm... I googled "Branson 1530" and "tractor 1530" and the only brand that came up was an old John Deere.

My mistake. It is 3015. My apologies.

 

[baddarryl]

re: I will use it primarily to auger post holes

have you considered a 'standalone, selfpowered auger unit ' ?? The 'kid' who did 20+ 'poles in holes' for me years ago had one. I asked , why not a tractor mtd one ?, he said his unit was easier,faster and more accurate. He did 16 holes in one line and everyone was bang on ! Also cheaper and simpler to maintain.
I KNOW it was a GREAT deal to use him, cost less than me renting a similar PHD unit, buying concrete mix,cement and mixing in my mixer....
options, always look for options...

Almost. I have used mini skid steer in that way. i think a Ditch Witch. It was very good and excellent for tight areas, wet areas etc. Different attachments apply too, but one of the most important things for me is to be able to transport materials and offer new services that I currently don't. A tractor is far more versatile to me. Likely cheaper too.

 

[greg86z28]

Messicks did a review of these SSQA style post hole diggers, it looks pretty awesome.

Land Pride

www.landpride.com

I've always heard 3 point mounted post hole diggers are not the greatest - but I've never used one.

Sounds like you've got a few main criteria:
1. Weight - not too heavy to rip lawns (or if it is heavy, you can use plywood)
2. Lift capacity - 1,600 lbs was mentioned
3. Post hole digger
4. Budget (this wasn't mentioned but I'll assume it matters)

I'm not an expert in fencing or tractors, but part of me thinks this is the wrong type of equipment for the job. In my mind I'm seeing a nice residential/suburban setting with a giant L4701 or MX Kubota trying to do fencing. Seems like it'd be clunky to maneuver around properties in addition to heavy and not built to be gentle on the ground.

What do fencing guys in the area normally use?

How often do you need to lift 1,600 lbs? Is that weekly? 1 time per year? That metric alone pushes you into a big tractor. It might not be a great idea to overbuy/oversize if it's a task you don't encounter that often.

 

[B737]

I have not read this whole thread except for OP. I saw "Fence Company" and felt compelled to post. My brother has been in the fencing business for the better part of 35 years. We are very close, and as a kid I worked for him a lot. As an adult when I was laid off from my real job, I worked for him as well. I've seen him start fence companies from nothing, grow them, sell them, and repeat. Just giving you some background on where I'm coming from.

I don't think a tractor is the right tool for the job. You will get everything you need PLUS a lot more from a skid loader. You need a skid loader. A tractor is going to have too many disadvantages in your line of work, where a skid loader will really shine.

 

[Magicman]

"tractor 1530" and the only brand that came up was an old John Deere.

Mistake or not, I can verify that a 1530 John Deere is quite old. Mine is a 1974 model.

 

[PaulL]

Dad has a 3ph post hole digger. Great on a farm. But on a farm you're not quite so fussy on where the post goes, and you have plenty of room to manoeuvre. Most guys nowadays use a rammer anyway - they bang the posts in directly.

If I was looking at what you are, I'd be looking perhaps at a stand-on machine. They drill post holes just fine, and move around more easily. But skid steers do rip up lawns if you're not careful.

I think the tractor size you're looking at is driven by lifting pallets. But how far are you going to move that pallet - and why wouldn't you push the trailer to where you need things, and lift them off one by one? I think a big machine would ruin a lot of stuff in an urban setting.