What to purchase...

[deklar]

After sinking over 4k in Husqvarna, to find out their "warranty" is anything but, and having to deal with their always-not-available parts (I have a tire & rim on order, which may not be here this year, and I've been waiting for months already) ... I need out.

The largest "tractor" I've owned is more like a power wheels toy car compared to these.. I've spent hours on the "build your tractor" page, there are so many options, so many abbreviations, I'm not sure what I'm looking at half the time.

So any suggestions would be appreciated..

I'm in need of a tractor with a mowing deck and snow blower (or possibly, a bucket may do instead). We often get feet of heavy snow in the winter (sub zero temps). From the little I understand, the commercial grade blower (gears, not chains) is desired. Mowing deck size, I'd prefer under or at around 60", side chute. A cab would be nice - but not required (and unless it has a/c, it must be easily removable come summer).

There are four vendors "near by", and I've reached out to most of them - but the sense is I'm talking to a sales person and not anyone that has actually used this equipment in the real world. I'm looking for honest answers and experiences from actual owners.

I'm hesitant to say how many acres of mowing or how long my driveway/sidewalk/etc are - because I prefer to buy quality over "what will get the job done, maybe". The Husqvarna I have does have a snow blower attachment - and it's pretty junky. The paired transmission in the tractor is sub-par and should never have been paired with the blower load required (thus another reason I don't care much for sales people who sold me it).

I need something that will last, that will work ... and something I can replace parts on without waiting a year for inventory to show up. Pricing - let's say between 25k and 40k.

Also somewhat important, I need to fit it into my garage (standard height door), which most likely answers the cab question.

Does anyone have such a configuration that works well for them today? Any suggestions? Thanks.

 

[Bmyers]

Look at some videos from John and see if this is what you are thinking might meet your needs.

https://www.youtube.com/@ritterjon

 

[rc51stierhoff]

Good day.

seems like snow removal your priority, however if you will have any other tasks or uses that might help us share some thought or perspectives. I think if you can estimate how much you might want to lift or pull or use a PTO for / size of implements it might help suggest weight / size of machine, however if you have a garage door requirement Or storage space constraint maybe clarify the must criteria if it matters.

on the topic of snow removal this is a helpful thread IMO that might be worth reading through (I am sure there are others)…

Pros and cons of snow removal options

A frequent question that comes up here revolves around "I have xxxxx. What should I use to remove the snow around here". Usually this results in a plethora of replies with each poster expounding on their own personal favourites. So I thought it might be fun and potentially more useful to...

www.orangetractortalks.com

 

[GrizBota]

I presume you want HST, 4WD and a mid PTO. Either a B or LX series will do what you’re asking. Either are in your price range. Probably LX if you want a nice cab. Both have a mid PTO to power the mid mount mower (and snow blower if you go that route). A bucket does a lousy job of clearing snow, although it can carry it around fine. A plow might work, but others in snow county will have better input than I on that front. Probably consider the R14 tires.

Or save the trouble upgrading later a just get an MX6000 now (just kidding). A real Kubota tractor will be an order of magnitude upgrade from that Husky lawn “tractor” you’re making do with.

Have fun shopping and outfitting.

 

[85Hokie]

Griz read my thoughts almost word for word!!! AND that may be scary!

 

[Jchonline]

If you cant share specifics of your property size, then its going to be hard to size the machine. However your garage door will likely be a limiting factor. Cabs are absolutely superior to open station in the winter. That said you probably cannot fit one, but you should get measurements and check.

For open station you can fold down the rops...but many either forget to put it down and bust their door or they forget to put it up which negates the purpose of having it in the first place...just consider that and have a plan to mitigate it.

You dont have enough room to build a place to store it that has a higher ceiling?

 

[GrizBota]

As mentioned, dedicated covered parking is optimal. A nice enclosed pole barn is sweet, but one of those “up in a day” steel tube frame structures on a gravel pad would work. You don’t want to have to shoehorn it in the two or three bay car garage and have to park a daily driver outside as a result.

But some folks leave them outside under a tarp too (I couldn’t do that myself).

 

[skeets]

Being cryptic about what you want/need to do makes it hard for anyone to give you and educated informative answer or recommendations to your question.
Things like lots of hills, kinds of mowing you want to do, gravel or paved driveway wooded trails, pulling wood out of the forest, all these things need to be brought up, there is a ton of knowledge here, and aint nobody gona try to sneak in your back door.
OK you are almost in the GWN, and yeah you get snow sometimes a lot of snow. So a blower might be the ticket, maybe not, again one size dont fit all!

A cab is the cats arse in the winter and if you go with the LX you can get a cab with heater and AC, but if you are going to mow, you need to understand low branches will do damage to a cab and there aint no easy way to take one off!
So you came in placing a question, to a bunch of very smart people willing to help you in any way they can, ask it in a respectful way, give full details, of the hows the whats and any other info, and you my young padawan with get the answers you seek and maybe make some friends along the way

 

[BobInSD]

... Cabs are absolutely superior to open station in the winter....

I live in a harsh winter climate and still decided that if I didn't want to be outside in the summer I might as well move to town. I forewent the cab and just try to spend as little time moving snow as possible. With a snowblower it takes me about an hour to clear the (6-700 ft?) driveway and the barnyard, so you can scale that accordingly. I don't have any critters to feed or any other need to be on the tractror in the winter, so you can also take that into account. Snow blower is a pita on an open station, plan on getting caked w/ snow. It was even worse before I got the snowblower with the hydraulic chute control.

 

[Rdrcr]

^^^^
Yep, moving snow in an open station isn’t fun but can be done. I do it every winter and do my best to avoid the misery whenever possible. If it’s in the OP’s budget, and it’ll fit in the garage, I’d recommend getting a cab. The LX appears to be a great choice but, without knowing more about his needs and setup, hard to be sure.

Mike

 

[DustyRusty]

Need to know his budget, proposed use, etc. Then we can help him spend his kid's inheritance.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

This is probably not the answer you want to hear, but it sounds like your primary concern is snow removal.

We get some heavy snow at my cottage, and in my opinion, the best option is a truck mounted plow. Period.

Spend the 4K on a plow and just be done with it.

Take the other 36K and decide which L series tractor to buy......

Oh and don't forget this little nugget of advice....

Paul

 

[BAP]

Leave the garage factor out of the equation and buy the best tractor suited to your needs. Worry about storage afterwards. If you buy a cabbed tractor it can sit outside and still be ready to drive. If you use your garage door size to limit what you buy for a tractor, then you are going to be VERY disappointed as time goes on. Of course, if you share some more information it will be easier giving you better advice, particularly how much area you are looking to maintain with it.

 

[Daferris]

Just a couple of things from my experience in Michigan. My barn has 2 doors 1 is a normal 9*7 car door the other 12*14 for the truck a LX ROPs will not fit the car for without folding the ROPs. My old B7510 would go in either door. 2). MMM mower decks are a PITA if you are doing dirt work between mowing it just gets in the way and taking the deck off every week gets old fast... keep your Husqvarna for mowing perhaps or get a zero turn.
Also as someone else said if your using the tractor in a wooded area the cab might be a problem. Branches will break windows.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Leave the garage factor out of the equation and buy the best tractor suited to your needs. Worry about storage afterwards.

I don't know man. I get the point, but thats easier said, than done.

Watching my new tractor get rained/snowed/birdsh!t on would eat at my soul and drive me nuts.

 

[BAP]

I don't know man. I get the point, but thats easier said, than done.

Watching my new tractor get rained/snowed/birdsh!t on would eat at my soul and drive me nuts.

It’s a tractor not a child. They are made to be outside and used, not to be garage queens.

 

[Hkb82]

With the info given and since you haven’t updated your thread with tasks you need a tractor for my advise is keep the lawn mower for grass invest the cash for a tractor into a safe investment and put your name on the local snow removal guys list.
If you actually have a need for a tractor then pls share with us your work load or tasks you need to perform.

and for what it’s worth I drive a cabbed m7060 in the woods all the time. Trees can break windows but that’s one of the reasons why we were given brains eyes and saws.

 

[ve9aa]

OK, my 2c....Without knowing how many acres you have and how long your driveway is it's hard to BEST advise.

We get TONS of snow in NB. I've been to Wisconsin 7 or 8 times. (a couple times in the winter) and I don't think you guys get quite as much snow, but yeah, heavy wet lake effect snow would be no fun to move with a small bucket.

I have a BX2380 tractor and a BX2830 snowblower. For me, where I am (top of a hill), snowblowing is all I've ever done and it works FOR ME. I watched for a decade my neighbour struggle with a big 1960's International 40-50hp tractor clear his driveway with a bucket (and I'd be done my longer driveway with a walk-behind and be inside sipping a cup of coffee and he was only 3/4 done his smaller driveway) and I swore I would never, ever be that guy, so when it came time to upgrade from my big 45" walk-behind blower, to a tractor I went with a front blower. (who wants to be always looking backwards? Not me!)....and with a bucket, you need to clear a swath 2 or 3 times what you actually need to drive on, as it gets smaller every snowstorm. With my blower I do very very little of that. What I clear is basically the path/paths all winter long. Chuck it once and forget it.

The BX2380 is a little rough on my back to mow with but my yard is old pasture and not "real lawn" so I usually mow with my tg1860 which has a type of suspension whereas the BX is a real tractor (ok, a SMALL tractor) but of course, no suspension.

Cabs are real expensive and not easy or quick to remove. Around here I think they're roughly $6000 for a BX and probably take a few hours to remove. You can get soft cabs for $1000

For now, it's open station. I am used to the cold though, so that could factor into the decision. That and my garage is LOWER than standard, so a normal cab won't fit ;-P

HTH
p.s.- I only bought it to mow and blow, but have since bought a bucket, backblade and of course PALLET FORKS !!!! This is a swiss army knife of machines. I don't wish I had a B, L, MX or whatever. (but I only have 2.5 acres, so...

 

[Runs With Scissors]

It’s a very nice tractor not a child. They z Mine was made to be outside and used, but some people like to keep them inside and out of the elements, wax and polish them so the paint doesn't fade. not to be garage queens.

I fixed it for ya, no charge.....

 

[Jchonline]

I live in a harsh winter climate and still decided that if I didn't want to be outside in the summer I might as well move to town. I forewent the cab and just try to spend as little time moving snow as possible. With a snowblower it takes me about an hour to clear the (6-700 ft?) driveway and the barnyard, so you can scale that accordingly. I don't have any critters to feed or any other need to be on the tractror in the winter, so you can also take that into account. Snow blower is a pita on an open station, plan on getting caked w/ snow. It was even worse before I got the snowblower with the hydraulic chute control.

Yes I didnt mention the Summer, but on our properties in TX and CO they also rule....No bugs, no 107 temps bearing down on you, no dust.... Open Station is great if you dont have any of those and you get in/out of the machine every 5 min....