Looking for yard tractor

[nkshoe64]

Looking to get a new yard tractor. We have 15 acres. Basically used for moving downed trees, boulders, general yard stuff. Looking at 25hp. Currently looking at all manufacturers, but concentrating on BadBoy, Kubota, BobCat, NewHolland, LS. ANY input Greatly appreciated. Basically looking for the goods, bads, uglies.

 

[flying belgian]

I think mine is 4 or 5 years old. I looked at Kubota, LS and JD. Ended up with the JD 1025. Just liked the layout of the controls the best. If you intend to use the loader for much the first thing you have to do on any of them is have the rear tires filled with fluid.

 

[WESnIL]

Or better yet put a ballast box on the 3 point hitch. Yes, make sure you buy a tractor with a 3 point hitch. Due to the laws of physics the weight in a ballast box is much more effective for weight transfer than filled tires.

 

[Buffalo Pete]

Buy one that has a dealer in your area, and he has handled that brand for many years. There are a lot of off brand tractors out there that may be cheaper, but getting parts can take weeks/months, especially 5-10 years down the road. Really happy with my Kubota of 3 years.

 

[Steve in IL]

I think mine is 4 or 5 years old. I looked at Kubota, LS and JD. Ended up with the JD 1025. Just liked the layout of the controls the best. If you intend to use the loader for much the first thing you have to do on any of them is have the rear tires filled with fluid.

Fully agree with Buffalo Pete. It’s really about the long term dealer focus to support your product. I think that Kubota is successful in part because most all of their dealers are stable and laser focused on this size of tractor. Another factor is that many of the current tractor brands, are just rebranded machines from some other manufacturer. IIRC Bad Boy is made by a division of TYM.

One other comment… Unless you are in tight spaces, I’m not a big fan of rear ballast boxes. I’d rather put that money towards a rear implement that I can use, that works as rear weight, like a good rear blade.

Good luck!

 

[nkshoe64]

Or better yet put a ballast box on the 3 point hitch. Yes, make sure you buy a tractor with a 3 point hitch. Due to the laws of physics the weight in a ballast box is much more effective for weight transfer than filled tires.

Also wanting a back hoe so that should help alot with weight instead of additional ballast box

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Just having a dealer isn't enough. It has to be a good servicing dealer. Even John Deere and Kubota have some real stinkers for dealers.

You need to find that out from other customers. The dealer isn't going to say, "We toss you to the curb as soon as we have your money."

 

[Steve in IL]

Also wanting a back hoe so that should help alot with weight instead of additional ballast

Just having a dealer isn't enough. It has to be a good servicing dealer. Even John Deere and Kubota have some real stinkers for dealers.

You need to find that out from other customers. The dealer isn't going to say, "We toss you to the curb as soon as we have your money."

Barnyard… Agree… That’s what I was trying to get to with my earlier post. It seems that too many JD dealers are really only focused on BTOs. They could care less about compact tractors. Same reason why Cat failed in the Ag biz. I find that most Kubota dealers don’t fall into the trap of having a “more important customer “.

 

[Blackhole49]

I have an 88, 92 and 2015 Kubota all bought used. Though they are around, one thing I have never needed is a dealer. This is 23hp.

 

[caterpillar guy]

My question is how deep with the hoe dig. I would want to be able to go about 6-10 feet with a hoe not just 3-4. I think most of these little tractors are over rated . They are just to light for the Horse they are rated . Like an H IS only 25 Hp and it weighs in at around 5000 as it sets without having to add a lot of weight just to pull your hat. And our 574 is about the same weight as the H without the loader. Will work more in the long run easier than these little might be models. Yes the 574 is twice the hp but not much bigger just wider. So more stable. Most of those offbrand makers don't last nor keep much for parts from what I see. Might be the same as some of theose when you get a Deere ,fiat or The other fiat but at least they have some parts or availability for them.

 

[560Dennis]

The Kubota above is the one I would look for .

 

[Geo-TH,In]

The Kubota above is the one I would look for .

I think I heard on the radio Kubota has zero interest on new yard tractors.
Some may say that there is no such thing as interest free.
They also said they will take off a few bucks if you pay cash.
In 2019 in talked them down on price and got interest free too.
I got the smallest L series Kubota with a cab and loader.
If you get a cab, you can't get a backhoe attachment.
That is no big deal to me. I have two terramites. Check out Kubotas is you want new.

 

[Jeff in ND]

I once had the chance to play with a backhoe on a JD 1025R. Not enough weight or power in the tractor to dig the very hard packed clay soil that was dry and rock hard. I am sure my lack of skill didn't help either (1st and only time I ever tried to operate a backhoe). If I were to get a compact tractor with a backhoe, I would want one a bit bigger than that 1025R. But, depends on the use case.

 

[Texasmark]

Looking to get a new yard tractor. We have 15 acres. Basically used for moving downed trees, boulders, general yard stuff. Looking at 25hp. Currently looking at all manufacturers, but concentrating on BadBoy, Kubota, BobCat, NewHolland, LS. ANY input Greatly appreciated. Basically looking for the goods, bads, uglies.

I bought a 2021 LS MT2-25s with a FEL which is a Hydro machine at the recommendation of the dealer....I was thinking about a different 25 HP LS model but he convinced me that the operator's station and operator's conveniences are superior to another 25 hp that I was thinking about......and operator's convenience was the reason I was trading in a 2016 of another brand with about 300 hours on it because of that.

It is my extra set of hands. I use it almost every day for something. It is small and handy, quick to start, fast change FEL meaning I can use the FEL implements I bought for my larger tractors with it....takes just a minute to change it.

On the hydro, one of the many things where it excels is in hooking up implements. I work alone and when connecting to the 3 pt., I can be on the ground along side the tractor and standing on the right side, can press on the F or R pedal for a little change in position with my right hand...like half an inch change in position, and have the 3 pt lift right there handy. Also doing any kind of shuttle work...back and forth...... a Hydro tranny is your game changer. The tractor I traded in was a manual shifter and that and the operator's station drawbacks were the main reason I traded it in. Also the hydro comes with an independent PTO.....that means that regardless of everything else going on with the tractor, you move the switch to ON and you have the PTO......soooooo much better than the tranny driven PTO of the predecessor that followed what the engine was doing, not independent of it.......ancient history.

 

[Texasmark]

I once had the chance to play with a backhoe on a JD 1025R. Not enough weight or power in the tractor to dig the very hard packed clay soil that was dry and rock hard. I am sure my lack of skill didn't help either (1st and only time I ever tried to operate a backhoe). If I were to get a compact tractor with a backhoe, I would want one a bit bigger than that 1025R. But, depends on the use case.

I have Houston Black Clay. I had problems getting it to move with a 100HP JD 4230 with cab. So if you want to work it you do it on its terms......has to be moist, not dry, not wet. I agree that a small tractor that you buy for odd jobs around the farm is not designed for heavy work....if you want to do that get a big tractor.....so I have 7 tractors, from 25 hp to 84, each with implements connected most of the time for the task for which it was purchased. Works out great for an old man trying to farm and working alone......now if it would just dry up so I can get my hay in and plant the summer crop.........you watch....when mommy nature turns off the spiggot, it will be off till September......been that way the last few years....soggy springs and drought summers.

 

[bc]

JD is offering 0% interest. Last year I started out looking for 25 plus horse. But at my age I don't want to be out bush hogging in the Kansas blowing dirt for hours or pushing snow in a blizzard and especially don't want to be doing it when I get to 80+ years old so a cab was a necessity which automatically added 10 grand to the equation and ruled out the small ones. Ended up with the 40 series and the price was only increasing by 3 grand for the next higher horse engine. Got a 4052R which give me plenty of horsepower. Got a trailer for it for 3 grand which couldn't be beat for price anywhere else and another 3 grand for a 6 foot garden rototiller. I use the rototiller or the 6' mower for a counter weight as I don't bother unhooking them just to do some dirt or snow work. Just have to be careful when backing. I really only wanted a 5' wide tractor so I could use 5 foot mowers behind it but I also had a 6 footer. Even the wife can run around inside the air conditioned/heated cab listening to the radio using the hydrostatic transmission and not get dirty. The dealer is close and I knew the salesman at Prairie Land. Ended up being cheaper than a lot of people pay for new pickups. Downside of the cab is mowing next to trees with low hanging limbs but that is being fixed with the bucket and a chain saw. I also considered the Kubota but there was no dealer very close. JD uses the Yanmar diesel and they are built/put together in Georgia.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

I once had the chance to play with a backhoe on a JD 1025R. Not enough weight or power in the tractor to dig the very hard packed clay soil that was dry and rock hard. I am sure my lack of skill didn't help either (1st and only time I ever tried to operate a backhoe). If I were to get a compact tractor with a backhoe, I would want one a bit bigger than that 1025R. But, depends on the use case.

I can say the same thing about a Kubota BX, Not enough weight or power in the tractor to dig the very hard packed soil.
My 20 hp terramites can lift and dig an impressive amount.
Bad news, terramite went out of business and parts are going to be hard to get.

 

[jm.]

Looking to get a new yard tractor. We have 15 acres. Basically used for moving downed trees, boulders, general yard stuff. Looking at 25hp. Currently looking at all manufacturers, but concentrating on BadBoy, Kubota, BobCat, NewHolland, LS. ANY input Greatly appreciated. Basically looking for the goods, bads, uglies.

The bad , of bad boy , LS and Bobcat is resale value. Not enough dealers and neither have anywhere close to a decent market share. Sop question becomes where are you going to be say 6 /8 years from now or trade in value. Then the real thing come is value for your money , if you shop and REALLY compact with a good completive dealer you can get the same features on a KUBOTA for very little more. Cant go wrong with buying the kUBOTA ./

 

[Texasmark]

The bad , of bad boy , LS and Bobcat is resale value. Not enough dealers and neither have anywhere close to a decent market share. Sop question becomes where are you going to be say 6 /8 years from now or trade in value. Then the real thing come is value for your money , if you shop and REALLY compact with a good completive dealer you can get the same features on a KUBOTA for very little more. Cant go wrong with buying the kUBOTA ./

Lots of LS popping up around here in various sizes. On resale value, the machine sells itself. I can't afford an orange or green.

 

[Texasmark]

I can say the same thing about a Kubota BX, Not enough weight or power in the tractor to dig the very hard packed soil.
My 20 hp terramites can lift and dig an impressive amount.
Bad news, terramite went out of business and parts are going to be hard to get.

On your Terramite bucket, that is an impressive log for that tractor to be lifting and looking at the bucket surely you ensure that it can't come loose and roll back on you. On an open station tractor you are a lot more vulnerable but it has happened with rolled hay, killing the driver.

Any idea as to why they went out of business?