What size tractor?

• Sep 2, 2010

• #1

E

eleuthros1

Senior Member

I have 7 acres in North Carolina, there are some roads to bushog and 3 acres of garden to plow, plant, manage and harvest. I was looking at new tractors from John Deere and Kubota...in the midst of that I ran across a Ford 8N and the salesman told me it would work circles around the new small tractors. So I've been looking at them, but maybe a Ford 600 would be better because of having a live PTO.

I was planning to buy new but now I'm attracted to paying $3000-$4000 cash if the older tractors are really that good.

I know everyone has opinions, just trying to sort through all the options.

 

• Sep 2, 2010

• #2

Glynr

Senior Member

Do not waste your money on an 8n go with a Ford 2000 or 3000 if you are going used. You will be glad you did.

 

• Sep 2, 2010

• #3

E

eleuthros1

Senior Member

I was looking at them too. Are they still like the old tractors weight wise? My understanding is that they are much heavier than the newer tractors which makes them better for plowing/sub-soiling.

 

• Sep 2, 2010

• #4

contender*

Senior Member

I agree about the 8N, a day on one of those and you'll wish for a front tine tiller and a sling blade...
I bought a JD 850 for just over 3, so far a great tractor for what I need...

 

• Sep 2, 2010

• #5

Canuck5

Food Plot advisor extraordinaire !

We have an 8n, but I would much rather have a Ford 2000 or 3000 or 4000. The 8n has it's limitations and the hydraulic capabilities on some of the older Ford (or other brands), is light years better than the 8n.

 

• Sep 2, 2010

• #6

E

eleuthros1

Senior Member

So what's the difference in the 2000 3000 and 4000?

 

• Sep 2, 2010

• #7

E

eleuthros1

Senior Member

I looked up the specs on those tractors. I'm going to be farming 3 acres. Is the 4000 or 3000 overkill?

 

• Sep 2, 2010

• #8

Canuck5

Food Plot advisor extraordinaire !

Horsepower, for one. The 3 point hitch on these 3 Fords will provide a lifting force and a downward force. On an 8n, gravity is the only thing pulling the 3 pt hitch down. These other models of Fords, probably also have a separate hydraulic adaptor, so if you bought a piece of equipment that used a hydraulic ram, then you'd be all set. An 8n (typically) doesn't have this "remote" hydraulic adaptor.

On the 8n, unless you modify them, the PTO shaft has to be in operation, for you to be able to use the 3 pt hitch. On these Fords (or JD's or MF's or Internationals), the PTO will be off and you can still use the 3 pt hitch. This gets inconvenient, when you have a bush hog on the back and you want to travel down the road. Maybe this wasn't the case when they were new, but ours is a little on the worn out side.

 

• Sep 2, 2010

• #9

Glynr

Senior Member

8n 27.32 pto hp, 2000 31 pto hp, 3000 38 pto hp, 4000 46 pto hp

 

• Sep 2, 2010

• #10

Canuck5

Food Plot advisor extraordinaire !

I'd really love to have a 3000, but I'd be content with a 2000. You really want to buy the best tractor you can, with the least amount of hours on it, at the best price, so all that will get rolled into your decision making process.

 

• Sep 2, 2010

• #11

T

Twenty five ought six

Banned

eleuthros1 said:

I have 7 acres in North Carolina, there are some roads to bushog and 3 acres of garden to plow, plant, manage and harvest. I was looking at new tractors from John Deere and Kubota...in the midst of that I ran across a Ford 8N and the salesman told me it would work circles around the new small tractors. So I've been looking at them, but maybe a Ford 600 would be better because of having a live PTO.

I was planning to buy new but now I'm attracted to paying $3000-$4000 cash if the older tractors are really that good.

I know everyone has opinions, just trying to sort through all the options.

Click to expand...

eleuthros1 said:

I was looking at them too. Are they still like the old tractors weight wise? My understanding is that they are much heavier than the newer tractors which makes them better for plowing/sub-soiling.

Click to expand...

A 8N is great if you have a garden, and want to play around. Put it in the same category as having a pick-up truck of the same vintage -- something neat to play with, but not something you would drive to work every day.

I don't know who told you that an 8N is good for sub-soiling, but it must have been someone who has never tried it.

If you are doing bushhogging, I wouldn't even begin to consider a tractor that didn't have a live PTO. All you have to do is have the bushhog push you down a ditch bank once to really really understand what I'm talking about.

We had a 8N on our lease, and it just isn't intended for that kind of work.

I'm not sure how someone could say that an 8N is "much heavier" than modern tractors -- a tractor weighs what it weighs -- if you want a heavier tractor, buy a heavier tractor. Plus even a lightweight tractor can be made heavier very easily.

A real sleeper in tractors as far as I'm concerned is the MF 135 diesel --Perkins diesel, will last a lifetime, and you can find them in the price range of the OP.

You will pay a little more, but a Ford 601 series diesel.

For working a deer lease, there's no comparing a 600 series to an 8N. As another poster mentioned, the hydraulics on an 8N are nowhere as near strong as on a more modern tractor, plus the 8N is subject to electrical issues.

 

• Sep 2, 2010

• #12

B

bnew17

Senior Member

how important is power steer with these tractors. is it a must?

 

• Sep 2, 2010

• #13

Canuck5

Food Plot advisor extraordinaire !

And there are lots of other tractor makes out there that have stood the test of time, too. John Deeres, Internationals, Massey Ferguson's, etc ....... Fords are something that I grew up on. You can even look for newer versions of these models, since a lot of people are trading in 2 wheel drives, for 4 wheel drives.

How many tractors do you plan to buy in your lifetime? LOL Just make sure you get a good one that has enough "options" on it to take care of what you might want, 5 years down the road. I wouldn't say an 8n fits that bill.

 

• Sep 2, 2010

• #14

Canuck5

Food Plot advisor extraordinaire !

Yes, 25-06 has hit the nail on the head. You don't want to have any issues, with a bushhog on back.

Bnew, you look like a young strapping feller! LOL Power steering is nice when you're going slow, in tight situations and need to do a lot of turning ... but otherwise, you can probably get by without it.

 

• Sep 2, 2010

• #15

win280

Guest

We attempted to subsoil with a Massey 431 last fall 50 H.P. wouldnt do the job.
Changed over to a ford 5000 and it was all that tractor wanted to subsoil.But we buried it as deep as we could go and in hard red clay.
But bushhogging is a snap with the 431 Massey,but a pain with the Ford 5000
I would make a list of what you need the tractor to do and look at tractors that are best suited for those purposes.
Some are designed for plowing and some are better for pasture work.
manual trans/hydrostatic
live pto
2wd/4wd
loader/no loader
ps/no ps
availability of parts/repair shops willing to work on your specific model in your area.JMO

 

• Sep 2, 2010

• #16

C

CAL

Senior Member

If it were me I would look for something in the 30 hp range with power steering and front wheel assist.The front wheel assist will give you the pulling power of a 40 hp. two wheel drive and more too.Make sure it has power steering too.Ya asking for trouble with gas tractors,remember I said that.Ya can't hardly beat a Kubota for small tractors.I have 3 and never worked on any of them.One is a 1976 model and I have never put a wrench on it for a repair yet!
To my knowledge all of the other tractors have someone else to build there small tractors except Kubota.The salesman trying to sell you a 8n is a salesman and only a salesman.An 8N Ford is the Model T's of farm tractors.In it's day it was a super tractor but remember,people went from plowing a mule to an 8N tone of the undesireable features of an 8N is when pulling a bush hog it will keep pushing the tractor forward even after the clutch is pushed in till the bush hog stops turning.A very dangerous feature! Good luck with buying a small tractor.

 

• Sep 2, 2010

• #17

E

eleuthros1

Senior Member

The 8n is out of the picture now. I want 2wd, live pto, manual transmission, power steering and diesel.

I have no real brand preference, I spent several years running a Deutz 4x4 tractor on our hunting land. It would be WAY too big for the NC property.

It needs to run a bushog, harrows and a single blade plow. Maybe a spreader and a sprayer.

 

• Sep 2, 2010

• #18

T

Twenty five ought six

Banned

bnew17 said:

how important is power steer with these tractors. is it a must?

Click to expand...

I don't know about a "must" but I wouldn't want to have a tractor without it.

Like I said, we had an 8N and after an full day of working, you were whipped.

Plus you can bet the steering box is worn, so every time you hit a stump or big furrow with a front wheel, the steering wheel wants to whip you.

 

• Sep 2, 2010

• #19

Jim Boyd

Senior Member

Get 4 wheel drive - it is a must for deer land... inevitably you are gonna want to go in the woods or get through a wet field.

If you can get a FEL - please do - it is THE MOST usable device on a tractor.

I think Deere and Kubota may still be doing the 60 months and 0% financing...

I have a new Kubota - 30 hp - and it is the best thing since sliced bread... and I am using their money to pay for it - so to speak.... no interest.


My .02.

Jim

 

• Sep 2, 2010

• #20

B

bnew17

Senior Member

im having trouble finding one with power steer, live pto, 20-45 hp, diesel , $3000-$5000 , and relatively low hours! Is that asking too much??? haha. yall keep your eyes open if you see one let me know!