Posted by llamas on March 18, 1998 at 04:50:53:
In Reply to: best tractor? posted by Susan on March 17, 1998 at 22:12:22:
: We just bought a little 4+acre in Western Washington. We need to a tractor to prep and mow/maintain the property. I have 2 horses to do most of the "mowing". But, I need a tractor. My father is an old farmer/construction man (who loves JD's) but says a Ford is best for our needs. Its about a 2% grade with a bit of aswell to it. I want a front-loader (for snow and poop) with a disk and maybe a box scraper. I've been looking around, but I'm not sure what to look/ask for. I don't want to get taken advantage of (I'm female). What's the best older tractor and can I expect to pay more than 4k for one (my budget is tight)? Any advice about where to look and how much to pay?
You've probably noticed that brand loyalty is strong in the old-tractor world. My particular loyalty is to Fords. There's nothing worng with JD at all, they're fine machines.
But a JD in the price and size class you are considering will probably lack the most important feature on a "using" tractor, and that's a standard ASAE 3-point hitch. All Ford have these as standard. This alone is a compelling argument for a Ford - the ability to switch implements quickly and easily, and to buy new implements which will fit.
I would suggest that a loader (which may appear to be a wonderful work-saver) will not be of much benefit to you in your application and in the size of tractor you are considering. Unless you have drive-in stalls and dozens of horses, the advantages of a loader for manure handling are pretty minor. I keep a couple of horses myself and would not bother with a loader tractor - quicker and easier to just pick up their stalls into a dump wagon.
A loader makes the tractor harder to drive, and it limits manouverability with any other implement - it's always there.
In your situation I would be looking for a Ford 8N, with a back blade, box blade, carry-all paltform and crane pole. I'd be expecting to pay between $2750 and $3500 for one in good mechanical shape. Cosmetic appearance matters little to function, pay for it what you feel its worth.
Hope this helps, e-mail me if you have questions.
llamas