Small Farm Tractors...Opinions, Facts, Information....Help

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Mahindra - I know absolutely nothing about them but a radio ad said they were made in the U.S. I thought they were Indian.

Mahindra is made in India.

[Ryan Mooney]

The small baby homeowner tractors tend to cost more than more industrial sized machines on the used market. Part of this is because the industrial machines will have more hours (sometimes a LOT more hours - check that) and part of it is that the homeowner sized stuff is in general high demand so it tends to hold its value pretty well.

The mini Yanmar tractors from the 80s-early 90s like Daryl has (correction I see his is a Ym220D which was officially imported and unusual for that era) are John Deeres by another color and can be had with low hours for comparably reasonable prices (they were often used on small holdings in japan and often didn't get a lot of hours). Getting support for them can be hit and miss because they're "grey" market tractors that aren't officially supported by the mfg (there are new yanmars that are) but they seem to just run forever if you do at least the minimal maintenance (and the yanmar motors were widely used so there tend to be parts available). My last tractor was a YM1500D and at 25HP was plenty on a 5 acre place, moved big honkin rocks, tilled the pasture/garden, tilled and flattened the neighbors arena, etc.. sometimes I had to take it a bit slower than I would have if I'd had a big tractor but overall was quite happy with it (sold it with the property). Also a plus is that if fit through the garden gate without having to widen the gate IMHO the 1500D would be a bit on the small side for your purposes.

One thing you have to remember on the smaller tractors (and some of the midsized/bigger ones depending on how they're built) is that the front end loader is a loader, not an earth digger and trying to pull dirt up with it is likely to cause some problems. You can LIFT dirt or rocks or whatever already in a pile but trying to dig into unloosened dirt will tear something up. Your best friend for that on a mini tractor is a box blade, and it'll make your life a lot easier on a bigger tractor as well - definitely get a box blade. You can't understand how incredibly handy a box blade is until you've had one.

A backhoe attachment is handy, a buddy has the kubota BX25 with one and its handy as all get out (which imho is a bit light for the price a used L series would be imho a better all around tractor). However if I needed to do a LOT of earth moving, I'd probably opt for a smaller tractor and add a loader/backhoe in the size range of a case 580 or JD310 (or even a baby dozer depending on the project) since its a whole different type of machine and then re-sell it when done.

[Keith Outten]

My first tractor was an eleven HP Kubota diesel. It had a FEL but would only lift about 400 pounds. It did have a live PTO and at the end of the day it was capable of a lot of work as long as I took my time.

I now own a John Deere 4105 forty HP 4WD diesel with an FEL and a long list of attachments, the latest are a 74" tiller and a cultivator I recently purchased for my garden. The FEL will lift about 1400 pounds. The 4105 fits my small six acre place well and is capable of unloading material and machines when I get deliveries for my sign shop.

[Mike Lassiter]

Don't discount consideration of a newer compact tractor from Kubota, Deere, etc. You can often get a good buy on a trade-in (or zero percent financing on a new one with a full warranty) and they are just as easy to work on than the older machines. I use a Kubota subcompact to maintain our 4 acre property and it's a real workhorse...and even "non-mechanic" me can handle most maintenance and repairs. The diesel engines run "forever", too...

Oh, and don't buy anything with just 2WD. You WILL get stuck at some point and 4WD increases the versatility. IMHO.

I have the same belief. If you use a front end loader there will come a time when you have a full bucket of (whatever) and need to back up going uphill. Or lifting something heavy that even on flat level ground will cause the weight on the rear wheels to not be enough to give traction. I have a 4720 John Deere cab tractor with dual rear wheel weights on each rear tire and fluid in them as well. I would have been either stuck or unable to travel the direction I needed to without MFWD. I have watched a rear tire spinning on top of the ground on level ground in it more than a few times doing loader work. It is a must have for me with the things I get into sometimes.

[Jesse Busenitz]

Steve I don't know all the differences between a M and Super M but we have a Spr M trike and that thing does at least 20 MPH.... Yeah kinda stupid. I was just using that thing the other day to drill some post holes. Trike comes in handy to position your auger in the back, as you almost have zero turning, using the brakes:-) We also have two 4020s and I think they are the best all around farm chore tractor, maybe a bit bit for a hobby user. Also to who ever said 4-wheel drive is better..... Yeah you can get out of more, but you also can get stuck worse....DAMHIKT

[Don Corbeil]

I have a very similar tractor, a JD 4120, and have been using it for 2 years now. I got it used (less than 200 hrs) and a few implements from a divorcee who was unloading the ex hubbie's farm tools. It was a steal. Does everything I ask of it, and more. It has a 400X FEL which was necessary for our needs. For implements I have a JD brush hog, which gets a ton of use, a box blade, a three spear hay fork, and a V-plow for irrigation ditch work. It came with a quick attach on both front and rear, something which I strongly recommend. The 40 HP 4WD is a good amount of power & grab for most everything we use it for on our land.

Edit:
Rich - I know the JD's tend to cost more, but ours has been a workhorse w/out problems. Based on what you say you want to use it for, a brush hog might be an essential implement for 20 acres. I've cut everything from pasture grass to 2" diameter oak brush. It's a heck of a tool for clearing. Just make sure the kids and pets are inside - I've hit rocks and other debris unintentionally which were then sent flying at high velocity our from under the tool. It would have inflicted serious injury to anything that was standing around.


4120.jpg hog.jpg

[Jebediah Eckert]

My first tractor was an eleven HP Kubota diesel. It had a FEL but would only lift about 400 pounds. It did have a live PTO and at the end of the day it was capable of a lot of work as long as I took my time.

I now own a John Deere 4105 forty HP 4WD diesel with an FEL and a long list of attachments, the latest are a 74" tiller and a cultivator I recently purchased for my garden. The FEL will lift about 1400 pounds. The 4105 fits my small six acre place well and is capable of unloading material and machines when I get deliveries for my sign shop.

+1. I have the same setup and am happy with it. I shopped all the brand and they all had zero percent financing. I wasn't sure if I was going to use it or not. I soon found out all the prices I was quoted went up a few thousand if I took any part of the financing. John Deere didn't care if I did or didn't. Decision made. All the major brands make quality tractors.

[Jim Becker]

Picking a new or used compact tractor relative to brand really needs to revolve around the local dealer environment. Being able to access service and parts is important. Where I am, there are three Kubota dealers within 10 miles of my house. There is a New Holland dealer about 15 miles away. The (new) Deere dealer is about 17 miles away, but didn't exist back in 2002 when I was making my deal. You can imagine what color you see the most around here, including in my driveway. I actually bought my current machine (BX22) from the dealership that's across the Delaware river because they offered more in trade and a better discount than the most local dealer...to the tune of about $2000 aggregate better price. If there was more of a "green" dealer presence, I likely could have been just as happy with a Deere, but my big orange power tool has been unbelievably reliable and a workhorse, even with it's small size. Especially once I learned not to "baby" it.

[Tom M King]

I started with a 6' bushog, and a finish mower. After I got the stronger tractor, I wanted a wider cutter than the width of the back tires. I ended up with a 7' rotary cutter (Bushog type-actually Hardee brand), and decided to get the two tail wheel version. The two tail wheels keep it from scalping the ground, when you go over a hump, much much better than the single tailwheel.

With sharp blades, it cuts as cleanly and closely as the finish mower did, so I sold the finish mower. I fabricated a door on the back that allows me to sharpen the blades with a 9" sidegrinder. It gets the call when there is more than a fraction of an acre to mow, and will cut, with sharp blades as good as a lawnmower.

It does a good job of cutting close to a fenceline, and keeping our riding trails in good shape thanks to being barely wider than the tractor wheels. It's still heavy enough to cut whatever you can push over with it.

I also welded an ATV sprayer boom on the back that can spray a 30' wide swath, and there is a 40 gallon tank welded on the deck of the cutter. The "ATV" boom is only about 5' wide, so it doesn't hang over the sides. A hand wand stays up by the seat, so it I want to spot spray something, like a Poke weed, from the seat with a flip of a switch and the hand wand. I use the boom by opening and closing valves near the pump on the tank.

It stays on the tractor all of the grass growing season unless we need to use something else hanging on the back.

[Ethan Melad]

We've got an older 35hp White 4wd with pto, 3pt hitch, and bucket. Its great. I think White went out of business in the late 90's, but I see them used and parts are available pretty easily.

[Rich Riddle]

I never guessed so many woodworkers had tractors.

[Jesse Busenitz]

I never guessed so many woodworkers had tractors.

Well I grew up on a farm so..... Just the other day I had to work on the motor on my 20" Grizz jointer so instead of working in the sawdust, I go the forks on the 4020 and lifted it up in the air and worked standing up.... very handy.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Steve I don't know all the differences between a M and Super M but we have a Spr M trike and that thing does at least 20 MPH.... Yeah kinda stupid. I was just using that thing the other day to drill some post holes. Trike comes in handy to position your auger in the back, as you almost have zero turning, using the brakes:-) We also have two 4020s and I think they are the best all around farm chore tractor, maybe a bit bit for a hobby user. Also to who ever said 4-wheel drive is better..... Yeah you can get out of more, but you also can get stuck worse....DAMHIKT

Wow, 20 MPH on an M ? I bet that is a scary thing! We were moving hay equipment one time in the sandhills, some of them pretty steep. I was pulling a rake with an H, and was the last in a line. As we pulled up to a gate at a pretty slow clip, my tractors brakes failed. I think I was 12 maybe, but made the decision that my moms tractor in front of me looked safer to hit than the 1/8 mile of increasing slope and rough terrain. It was an interesting day.

I agree that the 40 series deere is pretty darn good. 4wd is used to save some kind of crazy tractor use I think too, like carrying too much load with a loader.

[Art Mann]

Mahindra is made in India.

A few tractors are partially "assembled" in the US from 100% foreign parts, partially to facilitate easy shipping. The advertisements mislead people into thinking they are buying US made. I believe Mahindra may be one such company.

On the other hand, I don't believe there are any real US made compact tractors any more. Even if you buy green painted ones, you are buying a piece of equipment that was manufactured somewhere in the orient. If I am buying a foreign made tractor anyway, it doesn't matter to me whether it is sold by a domestic company or not. I will go strictly by reputation and value. Mahindra is fairly new but they are developing a pretty good reputation around here and there are several dealers within 50 miles. Not sure whether I would buy one.

[Larry Edgerton]

I had a string of old tractors. Fix them up and sell them, had some fun. Then I bought a modern compact 45hp New Holland with a quick change loader/forks. Bought it new and it will probably be here till I am gone. It is so much handier for misc. type work than old iron. No chains in the winter is a huge plus. I use it in the woods and on the off-camber stuff the 4wheel drive really helps, and I would not want another loader tractor without it either.

Yea, you will never get me on an old tractor again.......