[Cerberus]

1. what kind of tractor do you have (year make model) 1986 Bobcat 843.
2. how long have you had it 10+ years
3. How do you use it (daily for work, casually for home or ?) plowing snow, moving gravel, digging holes, moving boulders and trees, running over brush, hoisting car engines (and cars) - basically whenever I need to assert my authority
4. what do you like about it - loads of power, endless attachments
5. what do you dislike about it - seat needs to be replaced
6. If you wanted to upgrade what would you buy - no need to upgrade, I do not need electronics or diesel urea additives to get the job done!

[ponyakr]

"...a very common old tractor..."

After using the older 2WD tractors for just over 50 years, and now having used this 4WD, loader equipped Kioti for about 12 years, I wouldn't consider buying a 2WD tractor, or any tractor which didn't have a loader.

Or, to put it another way, 4WD & a front loader are absolutely necessary equipment, IMO.

I can remember lots of times when our 2WD tractors got stuck. If those tractors would have had 4WD & a loader, they could have pulled themselves out of the stuck hole. The 4WD & loader have got our Kioti out of every possible stuck situation we've encountered, so far.

Had to chain poles or logs to the rear wheels of the 2WD tractors, & let the tractor climb up over the log. If that didn't work, we had to hook on to 'em with a milk truck & chain. Only once, Dad sunk his Ford 2000 so deep in a soft spot, that he had to hire a wrecker to pull it out, using a winch, with a long cable. Had to chain the front of the wrecker to a tree. The top of the front tractor tires were out of site, buried in the mud. Yeah, it was definitely stuck.

[i82much]

i’m in the “i want a new tractor so i have time to work on my old cars/trucks” camp, not the “i like working on my old cars/trucks so much, i want to work on an old tractor too!” camp!

[ponyakr]

Originally Posted by i82much

i’m in the “i want a new tractor so i have time to work on my old cars/trucks” camp, not the “i like working on my old cars/trucks so much, i want to work on an old tractor too!” camp!

LOL !

But there are lots of guys who are into restoring old tractors. I've enjoyed watching some of the old tractor shows, on the RFD network. Up in the Midwest, they have old tractor shows, many of which include a parade of 'em.

Guessing there are probably quite a few online forums about old tractors.

https://www.antiquetractorsforum.com/

https://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cgi-bin/boards.cgi

https://www.mytractorforum.com/forum...-tractors.159/

https://www.tractorforum.com/

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/index.php

http://www.ssbtractor.com/wwwboard/a..._tractors.html

http://vintagetractorengineer.com/20...cussion-forum/

https://kippax-farms.co.uk/machinery...tractor-forums

[i82much]

Originally Posted by ponyakr

LOL !

But there are lots of guys who are into restoring old tractors. I've enjoyed watching some of the old tractor shows, on the RFD network. Up in the Midwest, they have old tractor shows, many of which include a parade of 'em.

Guessing there are probably quite a few online forums about old tractors.

https://www.antiquetractorsforum.com/

https://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cgi-bin/boards.cgi

https://www.mytractorforum.com/forum...-tractors.159/

https://www.tractorforum.com/

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/index.php

http://www.ssbtractor.com/wwwboard/a..._tractors.html

http://vintagetractorengineer.com/20...cussion-forum/

https://kippax-farms.co.uk/machinery...tractor-forums

When I bought our place, the previous owner sold me a 1949 Oliver 77 row crop for cheap. It was pretty cool, started right up, I fixed a few things on it. But I drove it once and was absolutely terrified, our property is pretty hilly and I'd never driven a tractor before.

I wouldn't be surprised if I end up restoring old tractors too, but right now I've got a 3 year old, a 7 year old, five acres, a 65 goat and a 72 K10 that I plow with to worry about.

My 2016 2500HD and my 2020 3025e are about the only two things I have that don't stress me out!

[SRR]

That Ford 420 was an awesome tractor. It belonged to my neighbor but I had full use of it. The deal was if he ever wanted to sell I would get first dibs. He sold it to someone else who was sorry he bought it.
The old 8N was given to me in pieces missing a few things. I had it assembled and running in two weeks, it was a fun toy but not very useful. I sold it to a guy that was over the moon for it. He was amazed everything worked. lol That little lawn tractor was cool and wish I hadn't sold it.

[dataway]

Didn't really think about the 4wd aspect ... yep, if you even have a small hill on your property 4WD is the way to go, both my have it, and I'd probably dead now without it.

In retrospect I understand why lots of farmer have old tractors .... their farm is usually flat, and they are farming with the tractor ... not really doing the stuff most of us use them for

[61-63]

4wd isn't the only important thing. Hydrostatic drive rather than shifting gears is also a wonderful thing. As is an fel. Then weight on the back end to offset the fel when there is a load in it. Not having all four of these is a deal breaker for me. After them there's all manner of other good stuff.

[autobahn]

I have a 955 John Deere you should be able to reverse your wheels , from your present setup , it will give you a wider stance = stability! to those who will say you can't reverse the wheels READ THE MANUAL!! ya that 45" deck would suck my 955 has a 60" which at time I wish was wider,I'm going to look at the sickle mower

[mysticmissle]

1. what kind of tractor do you have (year make model) early 80's Case 580B extenda hoe

2. how long have you had it 8 years

3. How do you use it (daily for work, casually for home or ?) Home use, plow, landscaping, all sorts of uses

4. what do you like about it: it is a beat up old machine with good bones, runs like a top, leaks a little here and there, cylinders are easily rebuilt, every time I start to think its time to sell it, I can't dream of not having it. it is like a giant pocket knife, that I use often

5. what do you dislike about it: it is a beat up old machine. I have replaced a lot of lines, tires, I have less than <6k in it and it has more than paid for itself. probably still get close to that for it if I sold.

6. If you wanted to upgrade what would you buy: I probably do not need 4x4 but before the garage was in I would get it stuck all the time. learned how to get it out and also avoid getting it stuck is a skill. It is a little underpowered hydraulically for taking out large stumps, but it does 99% of everything I have ever asked it to do

[dataway]

Originally Posted by autobahn

I have a 955 John Deere you should be able to reverse your wheels , from your present setup , it will give you a wider stance = stability! to those who will say you can't reverse the wheels READ THE MANUAL!! ya that 45" deck would suck my 955 has a 60" which at time I wish was wider,I'm going to look at the sickle mower

Exactly what I did with my Ford 1715, swapped sides while keeping the treads facing the right way, added 6" to the track.

[goatless]

1-I've got a Kioti DS3510. 35 hp diesel, 4wd, 8 speed shuttle shift.
2-Bought it new in 2014.
3-Random construction work, landscaping and snow removal.
4-Runs like top, starts easily in cold weather, strong enough for most of my needs, light enough to transport with my pickup. Could probably sell it today for what I bought it for new.
5-Sometimes runs out of traction- it weighs about 5000 lbs. with FEL and backhoe, not enough use up all the power when pushing/pulling something stubborn. There are times I could use a bigger machine, but I just call my excavator for that.
6- If I bought something else I'd probably keep this one too.

See if this video loads- https://www.facebook.com/jeremy.bens...07730683339414

[joelau27]

I've got a mid-2000s model from Kubota myself – been with me for about 10 years. It's a workhorse around my five-acre property, mostly for mowing and moving soil. Really love its reliability and the power for its size. The only gripe? It's a bit rough on the comfort side, especially after a few hours in the seat.

What I like most is the ease of maintenance. Despite using it quite often, it hasn't needed much more than the regular oil change and blade sharpening. If I were to upgrade, I’d probably stick with Kubota for the familiarity, but I'd be looking for something with a comfier ride and a bit more stability on slopes.

I find that it's pretty handy to compare different models and features before making a decision. Sometimes, I'll check out wickhamtractor.com for ideas on specs and what’s new out there. Might be a good spot for you to get a feel for what your next machine could be.

[455dan]

Have a couple older tractors Ford 550 TLB moving 3x4x8' hay bale

and the Rhino tractor sporting 84" Inverted ( pull type) snow blower and a 14' stick of firewood and field mowing

[carbking]

Never thought about 4 wheel drive.

Grew up on a farm, started driving tractors when I was 5 ( in the hayfield).

Started actually doing farm work (plowing, discing, etc.) when 11.

Our farms were hilly. Had a variety of tricycle type 2 cylinder John Deere tractors over the years. Also one Allis Chalmers.

When plowing across the hill always plowed in the direction such that the wheel in the furrow was uphill.

No roll bars, and no even close calls.

Missouri has LOTS of springs (we knew where they were), but we simply avoided them in wet weather.

The only time either Dad or myself got a tractor stuck was when Dad was cultivating with the Allis (it had a mechanical lift, so the back wheels had to turn for the lift to function). Got in one of the wet spots, and the cultivator was down. By the time the rear wheels turned sufficiently to allow the lift to move all the way to the up position, the tractor was stuck. Pulled him out (and kidded him about it for years) with my John Deere model A.

Wish we had front end loaders then. Would have liked to have had a wide front end, but John Deere wide fronts were pretty rare in north central Missouri, and we bought used tractors.

Not saying four wheel drive would not have been handy, but farmed for decades without it. It may be that 4 wheel drive makes one braver in working with obstacles.

EDIT: as far as track width is concerned, some of the old 2 cylinder John Deeres had wheels that were easily adjustable for width. Loosen a number of retaining bolts, and then simply put the tractor in gear and attempt to move it. Its been too long to remember if forward or reverse would cause the wheels (on tracks) to move in or out, but the other direction would reverse the action. Others were on splined axles. Loosen the retaining bolts, jack up that wheel, and the width could be adjusted (not as easily as the newer ones with the tracks).

Now have a roll bar, and a front end loader; still don't have 4 wheel drive. Don't recall even seeing one when I was on the farm, and I did hire out to some of the neighbors in the summers.

Jon

[455dan]

Originally Posted by dataway

Probably not applicable here but ... if a person is handy, has the equipment and enjoys working on things. Buy a very common old tractor, if it's a JD the parts are probably still available, if it's another very common model there are probably tons of reproduction parts out there. Some of these tractors built up until the 70's were intended to last a lifetime, incredibly simple and reliable. Beautiful no, comfortable - probably not, but very capable and reliable. Most are so over-built the average user would never break them, and incredibly simple to repair. Long as it has dedicated hydraulics and a three point hitch you can do anything a modern tractor can do. And save yourself probably $20,000. But would not be as "Plug-N-Play" as a modern tractor.

There are many thousands and thousands of small farms still using 40+ year old tractors on a daily basis. Probably not an ideal solution though for someone looking for a small all around, easy to operate, grounds maintenance tractor.

That is what I started with, a 40 HP 1967
high hour Ford 3000 SOS Power shift with a Industrial 730 loader and power steering. It had REALLY fast hydraulics with the 17+ GPM front mount pump. PO installed oversize 14.9 x 28 R1's and fully loaded them with calcium chloride. I bought heavy duty H chains and then mounted a 1100lb Gannon box blade on the 3 point for plowing snow. Never got it stuck and it pushed snow and also dug like a champ for a 2 wheel drive tractor.

I would not have bought the pull type blower if my 1993 tractor did not have R1's, wheel weights, and 4x4 though.


Some pics of the old Ford 3000.

[Cliff R]

1. what kind of tractor do you have (year make model)

2021 Yanmar SA424


2. how long have you had it

Bought new couple of years ago


3. How do you use it (daily for work, casually for home or ?)

I use it nearly every day and have 350 hrs on it. Most of the work is using the grapple to move logs to the outdoor boiler or the bucket for moving dirt, working on the driveway, etc.


4. what do you like about it

It's a very capable tractor for the size (24hp). Plenty of lifting capacity and so far dead solid reliable.


5. what do you dislike about it

The 52" bucket was useless so I had a custom 60" HD bucket made for it. I wished it were green and yellow and squared off hood (John Deere's just look better IMHO).

6. If you wanted to upgrade what would you buy

At this size there isn't an upgrade, IMHO. I looked at John Deere, Kubota, Kioti, and New Holland. Went as far to drive 60 miles to a place that had used models I could test and glad I did. The little SA424 performed better in all areas than the other 25hp units I tested which included the Kubota B, BX and L series, John Deere 20 and 30 series. I really like the 3025E but it had an aluminum diff and no mid-mower PTO nearly as I can remember. The loader wasn't quick detach either.


Another HUGE plus was the price. To get a John Deere or Kubota L series with a loader and grapple plus adding 3rd function hydraulics I'd have been over $30,000. The Yanmar was $24,000 out the door with the grapple and 3rd function hydraulics to run it.

I also made a weight bar for it as I lift a lot of heavy logs and there isn't a flat spot on my property so I'm alway negotiating hilly terrain and moving heavy stuff with it. Made a chainsaw holder and another holder for my splitting maul on the other side of the loader. I also took a 30 caliber ammo can and mounted it as a tool box behind the seat. For some reason few of these compact tractors come with a tool box to keep pins, a hammer, pliers and a couple of screwdrivers in which you will ALWAYS need at one time or another .....

[Cliff R]

Here's a pic I took yesterday. It doesn't grumble much no matter what you try to pic up with it. They Yanmar uses a dual hydraulic pump that distributes the load so you can have full loader function while working and moving around, etc.

During my search for a compact tractor the Kubota L series came in a close second. I'd probably own one except during COVID there were no loaders available with the quick detach skid steer option and the 24hp model was "weak" doing loader work when I tested it.

[Frank T]

Thanks for everyone's responses

Since my original post I sold the JD750 and purchased a Kioti DK5310SE (HST) with a loader and Backhoe (easily removed). 125 hours and its been pretty good. I can drive around all day with the sickle bar attached and no tipping issues on my hilly property (rear tires are filled). Since then i bought a set of forks that have been quite helpfull lifting IBC totes of firewood and a grapple for clearing brush and moving logs. I also bought a used logging winch for pulling logs off the hills. So far so good - fingers crossed!

[Cammer-6]

we have 3 JDs
an older full size JD400 loader/backhoe
a 4310 compact tractor loader/backhoe
a 4610 compact tractor with loader
Ive purchased a backhoe attachment to put on the 4610 so I can sell the other 2.
all 3 have detachable attachments
the 2 newer ones are simple and quick to attach/detach.
In spite of what most think the 4610 is still a 4 series but its worlds apart
from the smaller 4 series ones like our 4310.
Heres a sample of how capable the 4610 is.

And a pic of the 2 smaller ones