tractor size

[Brute 23]

Buy the biggest you can afford. Never heard any one say... I wish I would have bought a smaller tractor. It's always the opposite.

 

[dun]

For a minimum I wouldn;t go with anythign less then 75 hp.

 

[skyhightree1]

I have a 986 and I use it to bale with sometimes its a nice tractor but it sure is thirsty.. Plenty of power always reliable however those torque amplifiers are costly on the 986&1086 to fix and the transmissions will cross up sometimes if you shift really fast and get caught in 2 gears a known issue. I have a 3020 I sold my 4020 also great tractors but I will tell you my 2 feed tractors are 2wd and I caught pure H... feeding in this wet winter.

 

[bigbull338]

to not smoke a tractor pulling a 5 by 6 baler you need a 95hp to 110hp.although an 85hp tractor will pull a 5 by 6 baler.

 

[nobull82]

Thanks for all the replys. My neighbor uses a 966 on his tmr and works good. I think I will look for a MFD with a fel and around 95-110 PTO HP should do everything and then some.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

That's probably what you need. But if you can find all that in a good tractor in good shape for under 20k I'll need you to get me one also :nod:. The mfwd part is the part that makes it difficult. Lots of good 100hp loader tractors for under 20k, but add mfwd to the conversation and it's a different deal. Not saying it's impossible, I'm surprised all the time by what people tell me they get for the money, I just never find the good deals myself.

 

[nobull82]

I hear that! I never get the good deals either but I can always dream lol

 

[denvermartinfarms]

You can probably find a good 986 or maybe a 4430 jd with a loader for under 20k, probably around 15k. But a comparable 4x4 tractor I think you'll start getting close at about 25k.

 

[nobull82]

I've thought about it, I'm on the fence about mfwd, not really sure if I need one yet as I know a lot of guys without them but when they get one they never go back and not sure how they got along without one. Sure would be nice to spend under 20 that's for sure

 

[Bigfoot]

If I didn't have have a 4wd tractor this week, I'd probably have to let my cows in the hay barn. This is the muddiest week I can ever remember. My dad physically got stuck in mud today. I could hardly get him out. I laid down an old tube gate, so he can maybe walk on it to get to where he needs to go.

 

[nobull82]

I can understand that it's very sloppy here to

 

[cowski]

I never used a tmr .but looked on a site that said 75 pto hp minimum. i roll and feed about a 1000 5x6 bales a year. i use a jd 5510mfd,pr tractor with cast hubs and weights and a mccormick cx70 with mfd. i have a 150 hp tractor that has not been out of the shed in 5 years due to the fact I have not needed it. when its muddy the 5510 will out pull it. i like that it does not have a computer like the cx70 does. the power reverser is nice. the 5510 is small enough to dig postholes and other small chores. if I had but one tractor for my cattle operation it would be the jd 5510 with mfd and a pr. i like the cx70 better for hay mowing.

 

[bigbull338]

i never thought we needed a 4wd drive tractor either till the winter of 2009 and 2010.it was so muddy that we stuck our 2wd drive 4 or 5 times.then we would have to get neighbors with 4wd drives to pull us out.so i bought the 1st of 3 4x4 tractors.now thats all we run.the 2wd drive is parked.but i would buy another 2wd drive to use in the summer.

 

[littletom]

This is my second winter feeding with 4x4 tractor. I can't imagine going back and hope I never have too. It would be awful right now. I think I would try to put alittle more money with it and get something like a case ih 5230 or similar. I have a 1086 and love it for a field tractor put about 300 hours a year on it, but don't think it would be a good feed or loader tractor.

 

[crimsoncrazy]

Find a a good old Case 2090.

 

[Dayton L. Kitchens]

I would go with the 40-50 hp range but my dad did virtually all of his work with a couple of 30 hp Ford 2000 tractors.

 

[HOSS]

I have a NH 95HP 4x4 model. I think it is about the perfect size to double as a chore tractor and for haying. It is short enough to be handy but has the power for other applications. For feeding in mud or snow having 4x4 was well worth the extra expense.

 

[John SD]

I have a NH 95HP 4x4 model. I think it is about the perfect size to double as a chore tractor and for haying. It is short enough to be handy but has the power for other applications. For feeding in mud or snow having 4x4 was well worth the extra expense.

Agree on all counts :nod:

95HP is a good all around size. Big enough but still handy for smaller jobs. MFWD gives the needed edge to do the work of a bigger tractor and in poor conditions when necessary.

I wouldn't want a tractor any smaller for safe and reliable handling of 1500+ lb bales.