I am not even sure if this is the best forum to post in, and certainly not sure about anything related to tractors. My mom bought about 15 acres in east Texas a little over a year ago and we are now realizing the need for a tractor to help maintain fallen limbs, mowing, maybe some light grading of the property, etc. Can anyone recommend the best brands with regards to value for money spent? I don't care about the name or anything in particular but do want something that will hold up well. Also, what attachments and size engine would be necessary? Is there any rule of thumb when buying a used vs new tractor to look out for, like hours used, etc? Thanks so much for the help, I'm pretty clueless to all of this as I grew up in the suburbs of Houston and now live in the suburbs of Dallas. Tractors aren't my thing.........yet

Paging CanyonAg....

Kind of hard to tell how much HP you need from what you described. Getcha an old JD 4020 and be done with it.

I have a DX55 tractor. Its a 55HP Case Tractor, 4wd. I have a 6' shredder and a 6' grapple on the skid steer quick attach. This is what I use to maintain my 20 acre lot.

The tractor has been completely trouble free (knock on wood) since 2004 when I bought it. The best thing I ever got was the grapple recently. You can pick up a 15', 1800lb limb and just carry it wherever, then drop the shredder and mow where it fell.

Sounds like a 30ish HP Kubota with front hydraulics is what you need.

I have a JD 110 TLB, the more I use it the more I enjoy it, I would recommend it to anyone

+1 for the kubota

Check out Houston county equipment in crocket

I've bought a Kioti RX6010 this year and have really, really enjoyed the upgrade. I had been using a Massey Ferguson 235. No loader, no cab, no MFWD, and no power steering. Needless to say, I used the MF when I had to. Rarely a day goes by when I don't use the Kioti.

Whatever you get, I would get one with a cab, loader, MFWD, and at least one remote (preferably more). Get a loader that you can easily change attachments on. I use a pallet fork and a hay spear as much if not more than I use the bucket. If it is heavy, I use the pallet fork to lift it. Also built myself a basket for the loader. Trimming trees, putting up Christmas lights, picking peaches, etc., use the loader and the basket to in place of a ladder for lots of things. Safer and 10x faster.

Also have post driver, mold board, and 3 point shredder. The shredder is just a hair wider than the tractor, so it makes maneuvering easy without accidentally hanging anything. One of the reasons I like a cab is because of bees. I shred over bumble bees or around regular bees and wasps far more than I would like. I much prefer them to be unhappily bumping up against the cab than stinging me. Shredding or plowing also kicks up the dust, which the cab keeps out.

I sewed wheat this year pulling tandem IH 5300 grain drills, and the tractor pulled it fairly well. Not something I'd want to do routinely, but it worked.

quote:

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Paging CanyonAg....

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Thanks, but this is totally out of my league. I've never owned a tractor of less than 150hp, not counting Dad's antiques. Row crop and wheat farming don't really have a need for the type of equipment the OP needs. If a plow isn't 30 feet wide, I don't know what to do with it.

You guys are handling it fine.

And just to give the Techie a little grief:

SEWING



SOWING



[This message has been edited by CanyonAg77 (edited 12/23/2012 11:33p).]

I use a 32hp J. Deere tractor w/front-end loader (FEL) to maintain our 26 acre shooting range. Tasks are essentially the same as yours. It does just fine. I also have two older tractors that have manual transmissions. I much prefer the hydrostatic transmission of the Deere, especially when mowing or doing FEL work.

IMO, unless you will be plowing up the entire property, 30 to 35 hp is fine. This will allow you to run a 6' shredder. Also, get one with an FEL. You might not use it often, but it sure comes in handy when you do need it.

As for brands of "good tractors" -- Deere, Kubota, Case, and New Holland are highly regarded. They all have their good points and bad, so I would let the presence or absence of dealer support be the biggest determining factor in the purchase decision.

+1 for Houston County Equipment, my family has bought several pieces of equipment from them and always had a good experience. Kubota is my favorite small tractor out there as well, we've got a 35 year old one that is still being used, as well as a 10 year old with no problems out of either. One of the farmers I work with, a dedicated red tractor guy, keeps a Kubota in the barn for using around his cattle.

If you know nothing about them here are a few bits of advice:

1. Buy new if you are on your own. If you don't know what you are looking at no way to tell if it runs right.
2. Find a buddy or local farmer to help you. Just go hang out at the feed store with coffee and you will meet someone. Ask them where you should look.
3. Find a good service place to help maintain what you purchase.
4. YOU MUST GET A FRONT END LOADER!!
5. You will need a wide brimmed hat to wear while on the tractor.

1. If you're planning to do a lot of loader work, get 4wd.
2. If you plan on moving round bales with said loader, get a tractor no smaller than an M series kubota.
3. Determine how fast you want to be able to mow the place if that is your goal. That will determine what size shredder you will need and therefore what size tractor. I highly recommend not operating equipment that requires Max HP for more than 15-30 minutes at a time, so you need a significant safety factor.
4. Spend extra to get synchronized transmissions, shuttle shift, live PTO, etc. Spend money on a tool, not a toy.
5. Make sure a full service dealer is close. Well made tractors still break down.

Out of the box suggestion - an old butane JD 4020. Reliable starting that will do anything, but only for 4 hours or so before you have to refuel with LPG. Because of this, they can be had much cheaper than diesel versions.

I have a 65 HP Mahindra with a quick change bucket/pallet forks. It is not 4x4, which was a mistake. I wanted a JD, but this was in my budget. I bought it in 2008 and only have 450 hours on it.

QUOTE: "Paging CanyonAg.... "

Had to chuckle a little at that. Asking a high plains cotton/wheat farmer about east Texas utility tractors is like asking me about which space rover we should use on Mars. :-)

Until you've slid sideways down a sandy hill and found your tractor perfectly parallel parked between two pine trees you don't know tractors in east Texas. That as a qualifier, I know ET tractors.

BTW, when Dad saw me walking back to the back 40 with the chainsaw, he said, "Stuck between two trees, huh?" Sheepishly I said, "yup".

Seriously, 45 HP with a FEL and a 6' BH, disc and a box blade should do fine. Brand recs as discussed above. If your land is hilly, or if it has wet spots you intend to mow, a 4 WD is really handy. Pays for itself about the third time it saves you from walking out to find a tow.

Merry Christmas to all you "tractor guys".

Yeah, I've stuck my 2wd tractor...well, my BROTHER suck our 2wd tractor in some deep mud on his land once. We couldn't get a 4x4 truck near it, it was so mushy. (even a 2WD tractor with those big fat float tires and mud lugs can get through some deep nasty mud....leaving huge ruts, of course) When you stick one, it is STUCK. You wait for the mud to dry up, some, and then you just drive the tractor out. It can easily break itself free even if buried to the axles.

Have a New Holland TN 75 4x4. My tractor has a cab with A/C which comes in handy in Texas Summer. I also have a front end loader, fork lift loader which I use for round bales and we have a plow for our fields when we plant seed.

Kubota tops my list, but can't go wrong with a JD. My strong suggestions (most already suggested):
-Front end loader
-Shuttle shift tranny (hydrostatic is even better, but $$$)
-4WD..for small tracts, whatever the budget, buy/size the tractor to have the 4WD. Modern tractors have the HP to effectively use 4WD, sometimes lacking the weight (which can be added).
-30HP and up can handle a 6ft shredder, pull a 6ft grader blade, modest size disc, etc

I got a Mahindra 3016 28hp.4wd. on 5 acres. Although it handles most things I want to do on this property. The hp. is a little shy. 15 acres you might want to step up the hp. closer to 35-50 if you can afford it.

Hardest thing I've pulled is a small 5ft. disc plow and in the soft dirt it kinda slows down a bit for the gear I want to run in. But other than that its ok.

The extra hp. will also help when trying to dig around with the front end loader.Thats really where I have problems with only having 28hp.

Man... I just went out and watched a video of a guy using a box blade (not knowing what that was) and now I'm wanting a tractor. Even though I have no farm or ranch.

It was too cool!

[This message has been edited by crag (edited 12/24/2012 1:12p).]

Get a Kubota with four wheel drive and a front end loader. They are a must.

Crag-- get it and bring it to my place--free storage and all the play time you could wany

Kubota deal (semi-east TX)

http://collegestation.craigslist.org/grd/3500299344.html