atomship47
Chicago
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Joined: 06/12/2008
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i'm looking for any and all kinds of help. i know very little about atv's and even less about tractors. i'm trying to decide what to buy. here's my situation/intended use.
i have about 1 acre of very hilly and rough lawn to mow. i go through lawn tractors like a hot knife thru butter.
also, i do a lot of hauling, pushing, pulling, rolling, dethatching, etc.
we have a 250 yard long, steep, gravel driveway. i'm guessing there are a couple of sections that are 12-15% grades. i need to be able to move snow and scrap/grade this driveway.
if i had my way, i'd go with a 4x4 because i like to hunt in very hilly terrain.
so, based upon my needs, i'm leaning towards a kubota bx1850 tractor. however, i'm concerned about having a deisel engine vehicle without a heated garage in winter. also, the subcompact tractor with a mower deck and front end loader is going to be more expensive (i think) than a utility 4x4.
what are your thoughts.....
-would i be able to use a bucket (like the swisher system) to lift/move gravel on a 4x4?
-would this void the mfr's warranty?
-would i be able to scrape/level the driveway with a rear blade on a 4x4?
-what min engine size should i be looking at?
please help, i'm lost. and i'm without a riding mower. i don't want to have to mow the lawn with a push mower again!
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PaleRider
N/E Oklahoma
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Joined: 11/21/2006
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I would suggest a small tractor over an ATV for the things you listed. With much snow an ATV is going to struggle on a 15% grade trying to push snow. The BX1850 weighs in at almost 1300 lbs. Put on a box blade and a loader and the weight quickly goes up to 2500 lbs. Exactly what you need for pushing/pulling heavy weights. The loader on a tractor can be used for so many things you have not even thought of yet. With a tractor being built for this kind of work and a diesel engine your maintenance will be far less than this type of rough work with an ATV and a small gas engine. Starting todays small diesel engines in the cold is no problem either with the pre-heaters. And if it really gets cold just plug them in and they will fire right up even on those cold mornings.
Go to www.tractorbynet.com There is a ton of information about all sizes/brands of tractors there and the insight some of the other owners can give you will be very valuable in helping you make a decision on the brand/size/type of tractor to fit your needs.
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YOURADHERE
Louisiana
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I agree...we've got both a tractor and a utility atv for work. The tractor gets used 100x more than the atv. It's uses and practicalities far exceed that of the atv. Good luck.
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princevaliant1975
Them big hills west of Denver
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Fastline is a good resource for new and used equipment since a small utility tractor will be the best choice for your situation. I would definitely stick with a brand that has a dealer network close to home. I would also seriously look into something with MFWD and preferably a diff lock otherwise with out chains and wheel weights you will just be stuck all the time.
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RTY
Minnesota
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It's going to be more expensive, but I think you definitely want the tractor.
Here are 2 of the best sites for farm equipment:
www.tractorhouse.com
www.machinefinder.com
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Magnum Eagle
Ridgecrest, Ca
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atomship47,
A few years back I had a 16 horsepower Kubota tractor. It was a 3 cylinder diesel. I was amazed at the power it had and the quality (fit and finish) was great. I was, however, disappointed with the lifting capacity of the bucket (about 600 lbs). In order to pick up any substantial weight with the bucket I had to buy optional rear wheel weights ($) that affix to the inside or outside of the wheels (back end was too light). For the work you would like to do, I would heartily recommend a tractor, preferably a larger engine. The new versions have hydrostatic transmissions that just require moving the handle to change "gears" or direction and the three-point-hitch is moved up and down hydraulically. The power take off (a drive shaft) will allow the use of many different implements. The on-board hydraulic pump serves to support the use of a front bucket and other equipment. All-in-all I can't imagine going wrong with a tractor. I'm partial to Kabota because that is where my experience has been.
Good Luck in your searching.
Sid
* This post was
edited 06/19/08 10:23am by Magnum Eagle *
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atomship47
Chicago
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thanks for all the feedback. i bought a troy built mower with a kohler engine as a quick fix for my mowing needs. i'm on the hunt for a used tractor. from what i've seen though, the resale values are so high that it almost pays to buy new.
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pwillie
alabama
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Joined: 02/21/2005
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Kubota is offering nothing down and 0% financing. I have a 4X4 Kubota with a front end loader,and all the equipment.I chose Kubota because it was close by,and the financing.JD makes a good 20-30 hp tractor.I also have a Rhino and use it to pick up limbs and other trash that falls in the yard.
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