Tractor recommendations

Started by grover, May 05, 2013, 08:25:53 PM

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ChugiakTinkerer

Quote from: Adam Roby on October 07, 2016, 05:13:34 PM
Big Red is done!  Breaking her in next weekend, a buddy needs to load a trailer with dozer parts (tracks, etc) and we're going to see if she can handle it or not.  Better I blow a line in the city with his mechanic father present than alone in the middle of a field.



Quoting just because that picture deserves to be seen again.  Nice work Adam!
My cabin build thread: Alaskan remote 16x28 1.5 story

Adam Roby

Thanks a lot everyone, its nice to see a plan come together and having everyone like it is icing on the cake!


cbc58



Mike 870

Wow, looks incredible,  I'm actually taking mine to get welded tomorrow.  I don't think a paint job is in the cards though.


Adam Roby

Photobucket seems to be down so I can't upload any videos.
I don't like to do this since not everyone has Facebook, but here is a Facebook video link of me driving the tractor off the trailer.
Was a bit hairy with the tilting mechanism and the clutch is jumpy, but I made it!

https://www.facebook.com/adam.robillard/videos/10153769725667024/

Redoverfarm

Couldn't get it.  Said it was unavailable.  Guess we will just wait.   :(

MountainDon

Notice that came up....

Sorry, this content isn't available right now
The link you followed may have expired, or the page may only be visible to an audience you're not in.
Just because something has been done and has not failed, doesn't mean it is good design.

hpinson

Check that it is world viewable. Change that on a little dropdown that should be near the content, usually somewhere near the top.


Adam Roby

I just set it to public....  photobucket still seems to be down, if it doesn't work I will repost tomorrow.

Redoverfarm

It worked this time.  Still hard to believe that is the same tractor you started with.  Good Job.

MushCreek

Now that you're done with Big Red, you're ready for another project! Wanna work on Sven, a '65 Ford 3000? Needs a little TLC (OK, a LOT), but the price was right, and it runs like a champ.

Jay

I'm not poor- I'm financially underpowered.

Don_P

No welds on the bucket or arms, looks good... and fast  ;D

ChugiakTinkerer

I've got the bug now too.  I'm working on my tractor-buying strategery and am on the fence about a backhoe attachment.  Here's a summary of my current assessment of needs and wants:

  • Property is completely wild, 10 miles from any road.  I need to clear a site for our cabin, make some trails down to the lake, and haul gravel
  • Access to property will be in winter, subject to state permit to travel across state land (needed for equipment bigger than an ATV)
  • I'm hauling my sawmill out to the property, and loader w forks will make lumber management much easier
  • I'll need to pull some stumps, a backhoe makes that much easier
  • 4WD and loader are a must, looking at HST as preferred
  • Will need to clear a large area to serve as helipad in case of emergency med-evac
  • I like the size of the 25HP units with loader and backhoe, but worry they will be too small
  • Not tied to new or used, but nice financing is currently available for most new models

I don't really have much need for a backhoe that I can foresee at the moment.  This is a remote cabin, so no septic or buried plumbing is likely.  Renting a backhoe is somewhere between impractical and impossible.  I think as I write this I'm talking myself out of buying the backhoe attachment, but I appreciate other folks' perspective on the idea.

My cabin build thread: Alaskan remote 16x28 1.5 story


Mike 870

I used to want  backhoe also, then I rented a TLB for the weekend.  After using it, I decided renting is a good option for a backhoe.  I also realized having your backhoe on tracks, aka a mini excavator is very handy.  A TLB is really suboptimized, does backhoe work ok, but not as fast as a dedicated mini xcavator.

Buried this a couple weeks ago, BX25D got it done, but I'd rather have a heavier tractor for loader work.

MushCreek

It takes a lot of machine to dig stumps. My contractor did some of the preliminary work with a mid-sized track hoe. He simply pushed most of the trees over, then dealt with them on the ground. He only had to dig around the bigger ones. Later, he was using a large tracked skid steer (over 100 hp.) and it was slow going by comparison.

It would probably make the most economic sense to just hire someone with an excavator to come out and do the heavy lifting. I have a half acre full of old pine stumps that may or may not be rotted enough to come out. If not, I'll pay someone to grub it off.
Jay

I'm not poor- I'm financially underpowered.

NathanS

Good choice on the Ford. There is going to be plenty of parts availability for the 3000. I have been blown away by what my little 1510 can do. It has saved me hours and hours of painful labor.


Today it took the cake. That is a 900lb stove in that crate.


cbc58

#142
Anyone know anything about Smart Trac tractors from Yecheng Tractor Co ?   might be same as Mahindra ?  Are they any good?  Someone is selling a model 354 w/loader near me.  Any info appreciated.  Tks

ChugiakTinkerer

I'm new to the world of tractors, having just started my search for the perfect machine.  The Smart Trac brand is new to me, but I do know that a lot of the off-brand machines come from the same manufacturers.  If you can identify the engine and major components you may get a sense for parts availability.
My cabin build thread: Alaskan remote 16x28 1.5 story

cbc58

After a little more research have learned that Smart Trac tractors are made by Jimna.  Quite a few negative reviews on them but there are some people who like them.   Someone locally is selling a 2006 Smart Trac 354 with 1,400 hrs with loader and backhoe for $4,800.  Sure sounded good.

After seeing that red beauty posted here - makes you want to buy a tractor.


Adam Roby

Quote from: MushCreek on November 06, 2016, 06:29:44 AM
Now that you're done with Big Red, you're ready for another project! Wanna work on Sven, a '65 Ford 3000? ...

That's a sweet looking ride you got there, and it looks strong, arms are thick and should handle a fair amount of punishment.
Mine has welds everywhere, but for the price I paid it was worth it. 

It looks similar to mine in that the bucket can't actually pick anything up when flat to the ground, is that right?  When on the ground, mine at full pull back is level with the ground, makes picking up rocks quite difficult.  Its get a bit of an angle as the arms rise, and I can dump no problem but I never realized it could not lift from ground level... not sure I am explaining myself right.  I might be able to move some brackets around to compensate a bit.

Don_P

Is your tilt cylinder fully closed at that point or is the bucket hitting the frame?

Adam Roby

The tilt cylinder is fully closed...  there are some other spots to pin it but it seems its already at the more tiltiest spot, and much further would require some trimming of the brackets that hold the cylinder.

Are there different types of buckets, or tractor uses I suppose that would warrant this kind of setup?  Maybe snow or hay pushing?

Don_P

I looked back for a pic of that end, is this it? If so the tilt cylinder looks like it might have been replaced, would a shorter cylinder give you more tilt or would the frame bind at the mounts... disconnect the cylinder and see if it can knuckle under more if it is not easy to tell. Next thing if that is looking right, would a shorter cylinder give enough travel at the extended end of the stroke.


MushCreek

My bucket is kind of like that, too. In my case, the bracket on the bucket is hitting the cylinder body. There's still about 2" of travel on the cylinder. Mine has very crude brackets- either replaced at some point, or just crude work from the factory. When I take mine apart to rebuild it, I'm going to see if the bucket will curl more with better cylinder placement. My bucket is pretty rough; I'll either patch where it has worn/rusted through, or look around for a replacement.
Jay

I'm not poor- I'm financially underpowered.