What is the best small tractor for a small farm?

[MikeC]

What is the pto hp on a M165 ?

MF 135 - 37 HP
MF 165 - 52 HP

 

[dun]

A lot of good ideas. If you get one with a loader make sure it has power steering. As to 4wd, there are times when it's the only thing that can get the job done. You have to determine if those times are frequent enough to warrant the extra dollars

 

[allenfarms]

I have worked in the Turkey business ALOT! and believe me, The only thing on a turkey farm that works harder than the men are the tractors. After hours and hours of tilling, haying, Loader work and hoggin, you can't beat a Kubota. For the price, warranty, and durability. We had a 70HP New Holland and It was a great tractor but the clutches in em are junk, In My area we have Orange, blue, and Deere. Most every one around here in our business has had problems with New Holland Clutches, and just about all of the folks in our are are goin orange over the last few years, they stand behind their rigs and a normal joe can afford one, unlike a Deere.

Also My uncle just bought a new Kubota at 0% interest and for 3 years.

I have trouble believing a word you say. So you turkey boys can tell cattlemen what tractor to buy because of how hard you work?

If the clutch goes on a tractor, any tractor , the first place to look is the operator.
If tractors go to the repair shop and keep breaking then the repair wasn't right. Look at the shop. Whats the name of the shop there that can't fix clutches?

There is no problem with New Holland clutches.

Tulsa - notice most of the experienced folks are leaning towards 50 - 65 horses in an older machine. Myself, I wouldn't be without a front end loader, but lotsa folks get by, especially if they do small squares. And lots of even bigger guys around here have never owned 4 wheel drive.

Look at the weight of some of this foreign stuff, I think a lot of them would break in half trying to do some of the work an older U.S. made machine can do.

First of all, I could give 2 $hits what you believe! And you darn right, any turkey farmer will use a tractor way more than the average cattleman. pushin litter, stacking it, loading it, caking, spraying barns, tilling, etc. My whole life is a tractor! lol And as far as clutches on the new hollands I am talking about, for 1) they wern't hydroulic, 2) they were used every day hours at a time pushing and stacking litter, stop and go, foward and back, I have never had one go out on me. A farm hand was on it when it when out both times! He was fired, but I just don't think it should have went out the second time, it was within 2 weeks of being replaced the first time. Also one thing I have noticed, even on the new tractors new holland guy here said yesterday, one reason Kubota's are so much less money is the weight difference. Havn't looked into so don't know one way or the other.

 

[glover36]

for some reason i think our 165 has 65 hp i may be wrong but it is bigger than the other 165 i have seen

 

[allenfarms]

Very true, the biggest reasons these clutches go out in the turkey farms is becouse someone will be stacking litter, driving the tractor up on the litter pile higher and higher and riding the clutch to hold it instead of a brake. Like AngusLimoX wrote about NH I think it is more the operator than anything.

 

[Family Tradition]

Saw last night that there will be a program on RFD Monday night " Tips For Buying Tractors for the Small Farmer " put on by John Deere. Of course it will be slanted towards buying new but will be talking about size and horse power. I bought a new JD last year a 5303 55 horse at the PTO so far has handled everything ok. When I bought it didn't have to be green just needed to fit the budget and be big enough to handle the job. Looked at all of them and JD won out with horse power range and price.

 

[allenfarms]

Saw last night that there will be a program on RFD Monday night " Tips For Buying Tractors for the Small Farmer " put on by John Deere. Of course it will be slanted towards buying new but will be talking about size and horse power. I bought a new JD last year a 5303 55 horse at the PTO so far has handled everything ok. When I bought it didn't have to be green just needed to fit the budget and be big enough to handle the job. Looked at all of them and JD won out with horse power range and price.

So your sayin that JD offered the most HP for the Dollar? :shock:

 

[allenfarms]

Saw last night that there will be a program on RFD Monday night " Tips For Buying Tractors for the Small Farmer " put on by John Deere.

RFD?

 

[6M Ranch]

If you're not going to use it for farming, my vote would be a Bobcat. There isn't a tractor made, that can touch a skid steer for speed and versatility. I can unload and stack a semi of hay in 20 minutes. Drive through 6' gates to clean pens, shovel out snow, etc. In 1 minute, I can hook up the auger and sink some holes. My neighbor with the IH, didn't want to use a bucket to clear out the snow, because it takes too long to change the implements.

 

[AngusLimoX]

First of all, I could give 2 $hits what you believe!

Sure you do, otherwise you wouldn't be backpaddlin.( And the vaguely disguised profanity does you no good ). But I give you credit for coming back in and qualifying your comments.

Weight has to do with how the main structure is constructed, steel has become very expensive so you have to look out for strength in components - in your case you want especially strong front axles for all the loader work you do. ( Especially with hired help running them ).

You say you do tillage - are your tires weighted? You ever wonder why? Why are there weight attachments on agricultural tractors? To get power to the ground and not spin out, minimize slippage.

If you ever pull heavy loads ( 20 plus rounds or the like ) you will appreciate an 8000lb machine over a 5000lb machine. It's not all about horsepower.

Some of these machines ( of all makes ) belong on doctors and lawyers estates, not farms.

Here's a good little link to find all sorts of specs on a large number of tractors.

http://www.tiscoparts.com/

 

[Family Tradition]

Saw last night that there will be a program on RFD Monday night " Tips For Buying Tractors for the Small Farmer " put on by John Deere.

RFD?

RFD TV a station that brocasts a lot of farm and ranch related programing.

 

[Family Tradition]

So your sayin that JD offered the most HP for the Dollar? :shock:[/quote]

Yes Sir I am. For a tractor in the range I was looking for.

 

[allenfarms]

Here's a good little link to find all sorts of specs on a large number of tractors.

http://www.tiscoparts.com/

I like this site. You know instead of trading in and going bigger, Since my M5700 is paid for, I would really like to get a Skid Steer. Do you know much about them?

 

[HAY MAKER]

Here's a good little link to find all sorts of specs on a large number of tractors.

http://www.tiscoparts.com/

I like this site. You know instead of trading in and going bigger, Since my M5700 is paid for, I would really like to get a Skid Steer. Do you know much about them?

I just bought a New Holland skid steer,good machine...........good luck
PS I have a small New Holland tractor TN75,bought it new about 5 or 6 years ago,lots of hours on it,it's never been in the shop,matter of fact still has the original battery and no clutch problems ;-)

 

[JHH]

I get by with an old ford 5000. It was my grandpa's and I bought it back a couple of years ago from the guy that bought it at grandpa's sale.

It has been a very good tractor with only minor repairs and has about 9000 hours on it. No clutch problems. JHH

 

[Daybreak]

Howdy,
Like some have said before,
The most important item to think about is, what implements do you want to use. Always get a tractor which has atl east 15% more hp than you think you will use.

Sorry, not a small farm , but
JD 6400 w/loader
JD 5500 w/loader
JD 4720 w/loader w/backhoe
JD 955
JD 455
Bobcat 753L