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THHConst
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 4 Garner NC
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2006-10-09          135815


I am looking to buy a compact tractor.I have looked at Yanmar, Janima, Nortrac, Mahindra as well as the Green Blue and Orange. I have 6.5 acres that I bush hog and a 300 ft drive way to maintain. I want to build a fence and use it for digging holes. I would like to get one with a FEL. I will also use it for bush hogging yards for a realestate company, so it will make a little money.
Any info will be helpfull and appreciated.




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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2006-10-09          135816


Lot's to think about here. There's lots of issues if you want to mow for others, including liability, wear and tear, and towing requirements. Many conclude it's not worth it. Brand wise I think Nortrac is Jinma. They will likely be the cheapest and have the most maintenance and repair needs. If you can't make the repairs yourself they likely wouldn't be a good fit. Yanmar labeled machines are generally 'gray' market, so parts and repairs are harder to come by. JD is often Yanmar but with JD modifications and green service and parts networks. Kubota makes their own. Any of the major brands should give you good service and often the dealer is more important than the brand. ....


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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2006-10-09          135818


When you use the brush hog off your property, how will you get to the job site?

If you venture too far above the 25 HP range you are going to need a really heavy truck and trailer. ....


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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2006-10-10          135834


THHConst,

Well my guess in reading your name you have a construction company so probably have truck and trailer covered. If not DR brings up a good point.

I would think you need four wheel drive and would want a Hydrotrans for your FEL use.

You will find many here who like and are very pleased with the color brands and for reasons. I would do as KW suggested and visit with the dealerships. A good salesperson will help you pick tractor to fit your needs and the equipment. If they can not do that, next dealership. Listen to the way they talk to their customers, do the customers like the dealership or is there tension between them.

If you are going to be "bush hogging" I would start with what you will be cutting and work backwards.

If you are new to bush hogging, it can be very dangerous. It will amaze you how far a piece of wood (any debris) can fly and the damage it can do. ....


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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2006-10-10          135840


Rankin, you don't think a decent 1/2 ton will pull something like my 33hp New Holland? It weighs about 3000lb. --plus the trailer and bushhog (I have always had diesel 3/4 tons so I'm just curious.) Personaly I think my size machine is the perfect size and hp---oh boy I can see green and orange eyes rolling now. ....


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Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3034 Northern AL
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2006-10-10          135841


EW I pulled my 750JD with trailer and loader without a problem, but it is about 1000 lb lighter. I had the trailer towing package on an F150. I moved it down from KY without a problem. I think it would do it but would not want to make a habbit of it. Ie the odd tow a dozen of times a year yes, but everyday like you do no way. ....


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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2006-10-10          135843


Earth, Maybe........ But not your tractor, brush hog, wheel ballast and an FEL.

That would probably weigh over 5000 pounds and max out a 7000 GVW trailer. ....


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THHConst
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 4 Garner NC
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2006-10-10          135845


Y'all can qiut arguing about the truck and trailer. That is not what the question is about. I have a 3/4 ton truck with a diesel engine and a trailer that can carry plenty. Trust me I have put them both to the test many times.HAHA!!
So back to the tractor question, Please. ....


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THHConst
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 4 Garner NC
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2006-10-10          135847


What about Mahindra. The price is less than the Green, Blue, and Orange.? ....


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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2006-10-10          135848


Mahindras are okay, but I've noticed metal parts rust very easily and some plastic parts fade or break down quickly in sunlight. My buddy has one a brand new one and from a distance they look ok until you get right up on it and the quality fades.

Montana makes a nice one too as does Kioti.

I do commercial brushhogging and grading with my blue hydrostat and for me and my needs it's the ticket (however I have not driven anything else since my bro-in-law gets a Ford employee discount).

I'd stay away from Nortracs. I knew a dealer and once in a while I'd look at them (laughing at them more accurately).
They look like the hoods were formed by a guy with a hammer and a big rock. The paint was bad. And LOUD! Man they sounded like tractors from 50 years ago.

And to be totally honest, if you're in business, image is everything. I wouldn't be caught dead on one. It was bad enough when I used to show up at a customer's house with a restored 1947 Fordson and get jeered at. If you can afford a Nortrac, take the money and use it as down payment on something respectable.

But I'm jis' sayin'. ....


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Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3034 Northern AL
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2006-10-10          135849


I would look for a tractor that has a good reputation. The Kioti DK series is good. The older series are not as good but still respectable. There is a dealer in NC that sells the import Kioti which might be an inexpensive option for you.
You have some very competitive NH dealers in your area. It seems Tarheel will match about anyones price, and beats most deals. For example they have listed pricing on a TC40A and loader on the web for $18,700 and a TC30 with loader for $13,700.
....


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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2006-10-10          135850


Another way to look at the size issue is to consider how big the typical property is that you may be bush hogging. Then consider how fast you want to cut it. That will dictate the size of cutter you need, which will then tell you how much pto hp you will need. Once you know the size you can start looking at brands. If you need a 10 foot cutter the compacts we're talking about will be out of the question. ....


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Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2006-10-11          135855


One thing that you should consider, if you are only going to buy a five foot cutter don't buy a six foot wide tractor if you are going out to commercially mow!!! There ae some nice 30 horsepower compacts that are about 55" wide that will handle a five foot mower. With a five foot cutter on good ground you should be able to mow 2.5 acres an hour at 5mph. ....


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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2006-10-11          135857


It may sound like an echo in here..... but if brush hogging will be a major use, you really do have to build the tractor around the brush hog.

I will venture another opinion here that may cause some strife. If you are interested in the highest quality tractor line out there right now..... go to your local Kubota dealer.

If I had to replace my current Deere that is where I would start. ....


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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2006-10-11          135858


Earthworks brought up a very important point and that is image of a business.

Keep an eye out for someone (with tractor at least the brand) you are considering and ask them about the service and such they are getting. Take into consideration how they are using or not using it compared to how you will. How hard and how often.

You want to be sure parts are there when you need them. I have friends that bring up that on some of the non main brands. That is also true for your cutter and other equipment.

A way I found that works for me, find a dealer with two different brands, ask their experience between the two. Most are honest.

On the humor side, many of us understand Earthwork and his "blue" feeling. Sadly it is blue for a reason. ok, just kidding. Without a doubt in the construction market it is probably more than 50% Kubota HERE. Could be 75%. A mixture of green and blue being most of the balance. A few Kioti and very few of anything else. With small farm or homwowner tractors, more green and blue than orange.
....


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THHConst
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 4 Garner NC
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2006-10-17          136016


Thanks to everyone for their input. I quess I will stick to looking at the big 3 as well as kioti. I would like to buy one tractor and thats it, for a while anyway. ....


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lencamp
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 30 Trufant, Michigan
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2006-10-21          136162


I vote blue because I own a TC33D. In 600 hours the only thing I've replaced besides oil and filters is a glow plug relay. ....


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