Help a noobie with tractor options -

[tractorless]

Great Site! I need some serious help. I want to purchase a tractor within a few months and really like the older styles. My problem is choosing what is right for me. What I'll need it for:

Snow - upstate NY >150" season
Mowing - 4-5 flat acres now - less with the addition of cows later
Wood - have 22 acres wooded and neighbor has 140 acres that I'm welcome to get firewood off of.
General cleanup - forclosure home with heavy junk all over.
Large Garden - single/double plow, discs??
My price range is only <$6000
Too many to choose from!!?? I've got belly mowers, brush hogs, loaders, snowblowers, plows, and attachments dancing in my head and I just don't know - not enough experience I guess.

Can anyone offer theie expertise and reccomend a few??

 

[Anonymous-0]

A utility type and size tractor in the 40 to 60 hp range should work nicely. I like the older Ford industrials with the heavier front axle, say a 3400, 4400 etc. Some of the newer ones, 345, 445 etc., and many in between, well they're really not new but later models. Hundred series Fords, '55 to '64 or the later thousand series Fords '65 to 90's are even better, but more than anything, the size is what I like, 40-60 HP in a small utility sized tractor is very useful.

Front end loader is a very handy thing to have, tractor should have power steering, live pto, remote hydraulics etc., the newer you look at should have most of these options, earlier many of the same features were not standard yet. If you want to run a snow blower or tiller, you want one with slow enough ground speed and live pto.

Aside from my preferences, Massey Ferguson, Deere, Case, and many others made utility sized tractors, I always liked the JD 301 and 401, + some of their smaller non row crop models, see what is for sale locally and keep in mind where you will get parts too. No matter what manufacturer, a good utility sized tractor with a fully hydraulic loader, is a real handy thing to have, check it out thoroughly before deciding, mechanical condition is probably the most important thing no matter what manufacturer and model you look at. I'd take my time and start looking, well in advance of purchasing, hopefully you'll find something decent, like I mentioned, very handy thing to have even if just a few acres, and remember to brush up on tractor safety when in fact you do buy one.

 

[rrlund]

Would only ad to that,buy something that there is a local dealer for. And I mean a reputable dealer that has been selling that make for some time. There are dealers around who are taking on these Korean and Indian tractors that won't be around a few years from now and you'll be stuck. Take somebody with you that knows tractors before you buy something used. It's easy to get burned,I think every one of us,even with experience has been had at least once.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Any of the smaller Masseys are good tractors. If you can find one with the 3 cylinder Perkins Diesel you can't go wrong. They are very straight forward tractors and parts are readily available. If you're just mowing pasture a 3 pt. rough cut (bush hog) type mower is all you need. If you're cutting a lawn then a finishing mower would do a nicer job. For cleaning up a loader would be the most help but would add to the price. An industrial model would be nice if you can find a good one. As for other implements I'd start of with maybe a rear blade. It can be used for a bunch of different tasks and they can found for a fairly low price. Dave

 

[ohio]

if you ever run a row crop tractor, you'll never get on a utility again. go try out a d-17 allis-chalmers.

 

[tractorless]

All good advise -

I was originally looking at the MF 34 or 135 but it seems that adding a loader puts me way over my price range. These fords you recommended seem quite well within the price range. As does the AC.

As for the mowers - I thought I might be unhappy with a brush-hog for the yard portion - gonna need both I suppose finish/hog.

Any other vintage machines to put on my radar??

 

[Lanse]

Farmall H, man. Best thing ever. I would get one with a 3pt. or put one on ( I can't price one out, all I can say is my friends dad got one at a tractor show for $450 used) They can haul firewood and junk. For one in working condition, atleast here, expect about $1200. Lots of power, fun/easy to use, pretty good on fuel, the list goes on. But thats just me.

 

[rrlund]

I'll be truthful with you,if I was going to semi retire to 10 acres,I'd have an Oliver 550 to play around with but that's just me. We have all Oliver and White anyway and have a good dealer that we deal with. You could drop those 550s from the space shuttle and get on and drive them away when they hit the ground. Agco dealers have parts and there are plenty of other places where parts are available,more so than 20 years ago in fact. Just a matter of personal preferance.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I agree with all the rest, get something new enough to have Live PTO, Live hydraulics, power steering, remote hydraulic hookups. Finding one with a loader allready installed would be the most cost effective, adding one later could be more costly than you want.
Also it should have a 3pt hitch. And has slow speed gears available. My 2 cents. Most American tractors from the late 50"s on up had these features.

 

[TimV]

Tractorless: Where in NY are you? An important detail is local dealer support, particularly if you're buying an off-brand tractor. A tractor up on jackstands for a month while you wait for parts isn't helping your chores get done. A quick trip around the back roads of your area will tell you a lot about what's popular in your area, which often translates into better availability of parts, implements and expertise.

 

[tractorless]

We are one hour north of Syracuse. Orwell, NY. I'll have to do some asking around.visit local owners and get their opinions on service. I'm thinkin there arn't many to choose from though.

 

[TimV]

Tractorless: It's not as bad as you think--I'm up by Watertown and there's pretty decent support for most of the major brands--JD, Case/IH, Ford, Kubota, etc. Seeing that this is dairy country (even the areas that are built up) there's still a fair amount of demand.

 

[amo]

small 4 wheel drive kubota with front end loader.

 

[ohio]

he won't get a very good one for 6k. but then again, a new one isn't, anyhow.

 

[cornfarmer]

One of the small Masseys would be nice. My personal choice would be an IH 656. They are in the price range, even with a loader (sometimes) and they are available both in utility (International) models as well as row crop (Farmall) versions. They came with both gas and diesel engines, and in gear and hydro versions. I have owned an International 656 gas hydro with a 2250 loader for years, and it has been a great tractor. The hydro makes a great loader tractor, and is excellent for jobs where pto speed must be maintained while travel speed varies such as blowing snow, baling hay, running a tiller, etc. The tradeoff with a hydro is poor fuel economy. Some people are afraid of a hydro because they are expensive to repair, but so is the transmission of a gear drive tractor. If you use the proper range (hi or low) and keep the oil and filters changed per the owners manual, they are all but bulletproof.
Some of the newer Fords would be good also, but get the thousand series or newer.

 

[paul]

If you plan to run a snow blower on a tractor, you _need_ 2 things: a slow reverse (preferably several reverse gears....) and a live pto.

Doesn't matter what color or brand you get, or size - you really will be unhappy unless you get those 2 options.

Many companies started with these options in the late 1950's or early 1960's.

--->Paul

 

[buickanddeere]

The only thing more expensive than purchasing a recent model machine in good condition. Is to purchase a bargain priced machine and keep it in good condition.
Those old Massey 35/135's with live pto & PS were a decent enough tractor.

 

[apz*jr]

I would say an old Ford tractor with a PTO.