Subcompact tarctor

[Ickisrulz]

I am thinking about a subcompact tractor. I would like to be able to grade driveways, move gravel/crushed rocks, pull a box blade and mow the lawn. I would only be using it around my property for personal needs. Are these class of machines worth buying for what I need?

I have a John Deere and Kubota dealerships withing 10 miles of me. A Mahinda is about 45 minutes away.

What are you recommendations for a machine? How do I go about getting the best deal? I know how to buy a car, but is there much wiggle room when buying a new tractor?

Thanks.

[farmerjim]

How big is your place? How big (horsepower) of a tractor are you considering.
Don't pass over older (1985 and older) used tractors.

[Artful]

When I was part of garden at the community college they bought a Kubota diesel and were real happy with it but I wouldn't have called it subcompact.

[Vann]

With out knowing how big your place is and how much you expect from the tractor, that's hard to answer. Tractor weight has more to do with tractor ability than hp. My smallest tractor is a Yanmar 1500, it weighs in at around 1500 pound. I'm not sure of the exact hp rating, it's some where between 15 and 18 hp.

This is an awesome small garden tractor it will pull a small 4 blade disc well and I run a 5 foot finishing mower, and a 4 foot rough cut mower with. The downside is its weight. It doesn't have enough weight in the the rear or the front to be very effective at pulling a box blade or any thing even remotely heavy.

I have a 32 hp two wheel drive tractor that I've owned since 1986. It seems to have a good weight/power ratio and would do well for a small area of 5 or 10 acres. I run a 5 foot rough cut mower, 5 foot box blade, and a grater blade. This tractor also does very good for its size.

My 50hp tractor is my favorite. It's an older International 484, since buying this tractor I barely use the 32 hp tractor any more. If I had to start over and could only buy one tractor, for the work I do it would be a 50 hp, 4 wheel drive with a front end loader.

Just remember if you want a frontend loader 4 wheel drive tractors do much better than a 2 wheel drive tractor. Also 4 wheel drive on a tractor effectively gives about a 50% hp increase due to better traction.

[osteodoc08]

I'll second the 4wd. A friend of mines grandparents have a 1300 acre hobby farm and we used their big Case tractor for everything. It needed the 4WD at times and without it, would have been stuck or unable to get the work done.

You could do a lot worse then a JD or Kubota tractor.

[jcren]

We have a 65hp Kubota but I had the operunity to use a 18hp 4wd Kubota for heavy yard clean-up. This thing with a loader and boxblade and hydrostatic drive amazed the heck out of me. I am currently watching for a good used one myself.

[Vann]

Yes, 4 wheel drive makes a huge difference, a tractor with a 1000 hp isn't worth anything if it can't get the power to the ground. Not only is the 4 wheel drive better at pulling, it also adds weight to the front of the tractor where it's needed to hold the front end down. Climbing a steep slope with the front tires barely touching isn't fun. My biggest tractor is a JD 3155, with the front loader on it it weighs in at about 16,000 lbs. I don't farm anymore so I mainly use it for clearing ground, skidding trees, and moving dirt. If it wasn't 4 wheel drive I'd be just as well off using a 60 hp tractor with 4 wheel drive.

On a side note look close a Yanmar tractors. Yanmar makes tractors for JD and a few others. Plus they make a real good diesel engine. A friend bought a 32 hp Cub Cadet a few years back that was made by Yanmar and it looked like a good tractor.

[Ickisrulz]

How big is your place? How big (horsepower) of a tractor are you considering.
Don't pass over older (1985 and older) used tractors.

I am thinking 19-26 HP. We have 2.5 acres. We may get additional land adjacent to us at some time. Never more than 5 acres though.

[Vann]

IMHO, I believe that you are on the right track. You can do just as much work with a 20 hp tractor as a you can with with something much bigger, it may just take a little longer. If you have to you can always borrow or rent something bigger if needed. Also small tractors have good resale value.

Just make sure whatever pto implements you get are not rated to high for the tractors pto. Nothing is worse than cutting 5 acres in first gear because you bought a 8 foot cutter and put it behind a 40 horse tractor.

[Tenbender]

Let your pocketbook be your guide. None of them are US .

[TJF1]

I have a 40 hp Kubota 4 wheel drive you can`t do better.
this my 3 third Kubota in 40 years.

[Fishman]

I have a kubota 2910 and have had it for almost 15 years. Expensive but wow can you do some stuff with it. You should go visit tractorbynet.com and do some research. The BX series is in the size range you want. 4wd and a front end loader are mandatory.

[rockrat]

I have a JD 950, probably about 23 hp and have 5 acres. I also have a MF135 with the same hp, but two wheel drive I inherited. I like the live pto on the MF and leave the backhoe attachment on the JD. My sister has a JD750, probably about 18hp and I have run a 5' bush hog with it, but don't care for the pto setup as it won't start till the tractor is moving. Both the JD's are 4wd and believe me, has it come in handy here in Colorado. Both have buckets on the front. They have Yanmar diesels. The MF a perkins.

The small Kubota tractors, I hear, are good. I would look at the small MF or the Kubotas, with the kubota first. Might be able to get a belly mower for it , instead of a bush hog.

[Duckiller]

You can't buy a small American made tractor new any more. All small tractors are made in Europe or Asia.

[kenyerian]

I have a BX2670 4 wheel drive Kubota with front end loader , a 60 inch belly mower, a 60" blade and a 60 " bush Hog. I have 90 acres to work on and it is a work horse. Wouldn't want to be without one. A friend just purchased a Mahindra and is very happy with his also.

[Nicholas]

Hydrostatic drive is easier to work with than geared drives, but you give up some horsepower. Buy a tractor for the biggest jobs you expect to do and have a good weather tight place to store it. The tool I use the most is my tiller. Got mine at Tractor Supply. Almost never take it off and use it as a counter balance to the front loader. I have a 40 horse hydrostatic drive New Holland Boomer. You might want to check out there smaller tractors while doing your research.

[jonp]

With a set of chains you may never need 4wd but the one time you do you will be glad you paid extra for it. I was looking into a small 4wd one time for some clearing work. Pull small trees out, grade a road, blow some snow etc.. I settled on 25hp as what would get the job done and after borrowing a Ford tractor from a friend it was the right size for a few acres.

Don't forget to look for a good used one. Craigslist has a ton of them and you should be able to save some money on one. Unless the original owner was a real idiot it is kinda hard to hurt one. Just check it out thoroughly first before buying.

[garym1a2]

I have a Kubota B2400HD tractor with a loader. I think this tractor is too small to do much grading. In the thick Florida Bahia grass its under powered for mowing with a 4 foot Bush-hog deck if the grass is tall. The HST tranny is nice, when mowing I take off the loader as its quick change and makes a rough ride.
If I had to get another it would be bigger,

[bdicki]

I have a Kubota L3400 with a loader and a backhoe. I use a York rake to repair the dirt road in the spring. It's been problem free and I would buy it again.

[Plate plinker]

Kubota no nothing of mahindra . Neighbor bought a john Deere compact? I guess you might call it subcompact and it sounds like it is going to throw a rod I'll just say unimpressed.