Best Loader Tractor.

[JayWalt]

I havbe a IH 300u wth loader I'm selling. Its just too heavy and too big and tears up the yard, also no PS. I'm looking for something smaller. Looking at a 185 loboy, but no PS, hearing of front axles breaking and so on, like most other loader tractors, the front end is always the weakest link, as well as the steering. What is the best smaller 2wd tractor out there for loader work? I'd prefer something I can still get parts for. Dont tell me to buy a CUT, I'm not spending 15,000, or less on a import POS.

All opinions and makes are welcome.

 

[Tim Shultz]

too big an salty for what you want, but my boss has a case IH JX 75 that is REALLY sweet for loader work. Tim

 

[Anonymous-0]

For a small loader tractor , I'd go for a 1000 series Ford New Holland [ Shubara built ]..I sold them in the early 90's 1710-1720 thru 1910-1920 tractors..Our local natural gas co. used 1910 and 1920 tractors with Bradco loaders and backhoes..Tough little machine..

 

[TGIN]

Turf tires make a big diferance at tearin up the ground but you lose alot in traction , thats why ya see so many of the smaller yard tractors with 4 wheel drive . These small 4x4 loader tractors have been around a while now , alot of used ones on the lots . A friend has a little 950 Deere and it supprises ya what he can get done with it .

 

[RodinNS]

Honestly? Thers's no such thing. The older FWA utilities with 40+ HP stand up fairly well to loaders, but even those will need king pins from time to time. 2 wheel drive front axles just don't stand up well to loaders... and I don't think it matters much what color it is. What you have is probably as good as any. Going smaller and lighter is only going to excaberate the problem.
A compact utility with FWA is probably the best solution really. The FWA will help somewhat with the ripping and tearing anyway, and they are lighter.

Rod

 

[buickanddeere]

4x4 with a loader. Operate two otherwise similar machines, one 2WD and the other 4WD.
You will want nothing to do with the 2WD afterwards.
There will be fewer, not more scuff marks on the lawn with 4x4.
Everything has something somewhere on it imported. Or the design egineering may have been done off shore to save you $$$ on something US built.
Do you expect the rest of the world to import your exports?
Do you burn imported fuel in your vehicles?

 

[JayWalt]

guys, I know CUT have been around for a while, but they still command a high price unless u got some POS import. But still, even the best out there worries me. I think about the time they starting making CUT, is when they just started engineering for cost cutting and screw the longevity. You can say what you want, but the best caseih, and jd's today still arent made like they were 40 years ago. What used to be a solid cast steel front axle, is now a piece of square sheetmetal, and not very thick either. I dont know, CUT just worry me, alot of stuff to go wrong in them buggers.

I guess Time will tell, if I come across something I can thorughly test and am imoressed with, I might lay out the cash.

I'll look into the new hollands that were mentioned

 

[JayWalt]

I meant the cheaper foreign ones whose dealers are very few and far between, and parts support is nill. Like the one I sene at a homier tool sale, forget the name of it

 

[JayWalt]

roy, the 100 serie's front axles dont look very beefy according to the parts site...
The steering box and the pitman arms (i think they are called that), look pretty tought tho.

 

[RodinNS]

I think the CUT's would surprise you if you give them a chance. The Ford/NewHolland's were good, as were Kubota and a bunch more for that matter. Do watch out with anything older than a 10 series Ford though as they are organizing obsolesnce of the hundred series rather quickly... The 10 series will be next.
IF you want a tractor that's light enoguh to not tear up the lawn, you need a light compact utility. If you want a loader, then you need FWA for any propulsion on those things. Can't have everything......

Rod

 

[2t2@IA]

No recommendations on particular unit. Important thing in my opinion is to get a loader to match the tractor. If the loader is too powerful, the tractor will suffer. If the loader is too light weight for the tractor, the loader will not stand up over time.

 

[msb]

NH Boomer and Land Pride loader.

 

[Don-Wi]

I guess I'll ask the question- Whats a CUT? Compact?

POS I get....

Donovan from Wisconsin

 

[Anonymous-0]

the only thing easier on the grass would be a subcompact. I traded down and picked up a Kubota BX2200.

Easy on the grass easy on me - 3 years latter not a problem.

 

[Anonymous-0]

x

 

[Mike M]

What are your needs as far as how big of mower you need to run and how much weight you need to lift ?

I got a real nice Kubota with 60" belly mower and loader,hydro,ps,3pt for $8000 in Ohio. You would be surprised at how good these tractors are.

 

[bjr]

I read this and have had the same thoughts about FEL's. I think bigger is better, the 580CK series of Case construction loaders actually take a load without breaking. When I bought a tractor I just resigned to the fact that a loader wasn't something I wanted. Just too many stories of transmission housings breaking on ALL the brands. Just this last week a local fellow was tryin' to get rid of 4 yr old 30 hp NH with loader and you guessed it broken in two. Could have picked it up for a little over what the loader cost but wasn't interested. Loaders have just caused too much grief in my judgement. bjr

 

[Mike (WA)]

I have a loader on an Oliver 550 diesel, and it was OK until I bought my wife a CUT POS- JD 4010 (a Yanmar with a pretty green and yellow paint job)- 18.5 HP, 4WD, construction type tires (kind of halfway between ag lugs and turf), hydrostatic drive. Guess I'll take the loader off the 550 now, as I never use it anymore, and its kind of cumbersome to just carry around. That little tractor is just about the handiest thing since sliced bread. If you must get an older 2WD, get the heaviest outfit you can find, so you aren't continually breaking things. Probably an industrial version- everything is heavy, power steering (MUST have), and designed to work for that purpose.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Jay: I am on my third CUT (Compact Utility Tractor) and none of them have been POS. All were 4wd. Because of its age the oldest (Ford 1910), was manual shift with ag tires. The newest is a New Holland TC45A with shuttle shift transmission and ag tires. In my experience the secret of not tearing up lawns is to use 4wd only when needed and cut your front tires so they almost have no lug. Watch when the tractor turns on sod, it is the front tires that give you the little tufts of sod. I have stayed with manual transmissions; I'm too old to change and still know how to shift. Besides for me it is easier to repeat my speed in a shuttle operation, like loading. All of your CUTs will have power steering. On the newer Fords and NHs for example, they have separate pumps for the power steering and the hydraulics. There are good usable used 4wd CUts out there for under $10K. In my experience repairs and breakdowns are almost non-existent.

 

[Rexalot]

My best... Ford 871 SOS with power steering and a "Superior" mfg loader. Put the pins in the shifter and go back and forth all day...