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  1. #1
    Member Corkpuller's Avatar
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    Gonna need a tractor

    Was wondering if any of y'all have any experience with small tractors. 25-40hp

    I have learned, since I started kickin tires, that we now have emissions crap on anything over 25hp.
    They are required to have a DPF (diesel particulate filter). These filters basically reside in the exhaust system and filter out the soot, in order for me to be able to place my mouth over the tail pipe and take a hit of clean air, thank you al gore.....

    And with this system, the tractors must run at high RPM's most ALL the time. ~2200 rpm's I believe.
    After a certain amount of hours, the engine must go through a "regen" process, in which the exhaust gases get hot enough to basically clean that DPF.
    If, you do not operate the tractor correctly (too much idling, or operating below ~2200 R's for several minutes) the damn thing will make you go in to a PARK regen mode. At this time, you can not operate the tractor, run the R's up and walk away until it completes the regen process.

    What a bunch of shit.

    However, from what I've studied, it's not that big a deal if you operate the tractor right. But it's certainly something that's new to me and I'm not sure I like the whole idea.

    OK, with all that said, I'm looking at Deere and Kubota.

    Do any of y'all have any LEGIT, read closely Chance, I said LEGIT, input on the CURRENT offerings in the 25-40hp class of those two brands?

    Thanks


    "ain't too smart.....but I'm always thinkin"

  2. Member Corkpuller's Avatar
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    #2
    The tractor will be used to shred underbrush with a rotary mower(brush hog), loader work for moving small amounts of soil, and a lot of Grapple work to carry the cut underbrush, and fallen trees, limbs to a burn pile. Also will be maintaining about 600' of rock road/driveway.


    "ain't too smart.....but I'm always thinkin"

  3. Member
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    #3
    Ahhhh. THAT explains why the older ones are going for so much money! I think I will rent one from Home Depot for $180 a day and not have the upkeep or maintenance.

  4. Member Corkpuller's Avatar
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    #4
    Quote Originally Posted by TrackerPro16 View Post
    Ahhhh. THAT explains why the older ones are going for so much money!
    you got that right.
    I have quickly learned that tractors hold their value WAY WAY better than boats and motorcycles.

    I believe the DPF came about in 2014.

    and FYI, 75hp and up require DPF and DEF.


    "ain't too smart.....but I'm always thinkin"

  5. Moderator adchunts's Avatar
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    #5
    Bought a 2013 Kubota L3800HST 4x4 new. Used it mostly to maintain 1/4 mile of gravel drive and general work around my 23 acres. Keep about 10 acres brush hogged. Had box blade and brush hog, along with bucket on front. I spent several months researching compact tractors before buying, and felt that the Kubota was my best bang for the buck. Mine did not have a DPF.

    You are correct about holding resale value. The first guy that came and looked at mine when I sold (divorce) bought it without even haggling on price. Should have asked more (thought I was asking a lot).
    Aaron Campbell
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  6. Member Stompy's Avatar
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    #6
    I don't believe the smaller hp Deere's are made by Deere anymore, believe they're contracted out. I've owned 3 Kubota's...my 4th will be a Kubota.

  7. Banned
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    #7
    I’m not Chance, but if he says “your nuts”, then you are. I’d find an older one and skip this BS, but I have a friend that has a JD. He says it’s a pita, but if you’re convinced to buy new, what ya’ gonna do...

  8. Banned
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    #8
    I believe Stomp is right about JD contracting out. Mahindra is a decent pieces of equipment and damn sure nothing wrong with Kubota as well. I have a JD skid steer I use at the ranch, bucket, forks, ditcher, auger, shredder, rock bucket, grubber attachments all work good. Been tossing around the idea of a tractor and Kubota would prolly be my choice but I'd find an older one, pre regulation shit they had put on them.

  9. Member Corkpuller's Avatar
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    #9
    I went in to Jasper and operated a Kubota L2501 -- 25hp Hydo unit yesterday. No DPF.
    That bi-sexual tredal pedal thang is something I'd have to get some seat time on to get used to.

    Salesman claimed they will run a 5' rotary mower no problem. And I've seen videos of it, but in thick stuff or small trees you have to slow down.
    If I want more PTO hp I'll have to move up to the units with the DPF. The L series 25, 33, and 39 hp units all are on the same frame and have the same lift capacity on the loader. The higher hp will allow you get things done faster with any PTO powered implement.

    Since I'll be retired for most of the use with it, going slow should be no problem.
    I'd just hate to buy a new tractor and immediately wish I had more hp.

    Deere dealer did not have the 33 hp unit with a Hydrostatic that I'd consider. I'll have to drive to Nacogdoches to try that one on.

    On the other hand, they claim the units with the DPF are quieter and you get no diesel fumes or stink. Since I'll be doing my work in thick woods, that may be nice.


    "ain't too smart.....but I'm always thinkin"

  10. Member Stompy's Avatar
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    #10
    I suggest you buy from a dealer close, whatever brand you buy, and make damn sure they have a service truck. At some point you will need one, whatever brand you buy.

  11. Banned
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    #11
    My buddy bought a small Kioti to avoid the dpf, he runs a 5’ shredder ok. But says it’s gutless on everything else. Can you rent 1 for a few days to see if it’s enough?

  12. Member Corkpuller's Avatar
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    #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Stompy View Post
    I suggest you buy from a dealer close, whatever brand you buy, and make damn sure they have a service truck. At some point you will need one, whatever brand you buy.
    10-4

    Jasper only has Deere & Kubota, and that's 40 miles away.
    I'm sure Lufkin prolly has all flavors but it's about 65 miles away.


    "ain't too smart.....but I'm always thinkin"

  13. Member Corkpuller's Avatar
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    #13
    Quote Originally Posted by grout-scout View Post
    My buddy bought a small Kioti to avoid the dpf, he runs a 5’ shredder ok. But says it’s gutless on everything else. Can you rent 1 for a few days to see if it’s enough?
    No option to rent exactly what I'm shopping for that I've found.

    What do you mean it's gutless on everything else? Loader? Box blade? Rear straight blade?


    "ain't too smart.....but I'm always thinkin"

  14. Member
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    #14
    Been running a Kubota L4400 for a few years now. It powers a 6' brush hog very well. The loader hydraulics lets me lift around 700ish lbs in the bucket. Mine is pre-emissions with a very basic non-turbo inline 4 cylinder. You really shouldn't be cutting any brush or trees over say 2.5" in diameter unless you get a heavy duty brush hog. Wait till you price that attachment $$$. Just a thought, maybe hire someone to clear your areas the fist time to get the large/thick stuff cut and then you could take care of it after that?
    Phillip "Wade" Norris
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  15. Electrical/Wiring/Trolling Motors Moderator CatFan's Avatar
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    #15
    New tractors don’t run at higher RPMs all the time. On some the regen only happens if you are running at higher RPMs and you might have to let it run for a couple of minutes if you start the regen, but it’s nothing to even think about. You probably won’t regen but a few times a year anyway.
    If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity,
    nothing else matters.​

  16. Banned
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    #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Corkpuller View Post
    No option to rent exactly what I'm shopping for that I've found.

    What do you mean it's gutless on everything else? Loader? Box blade? Rear straight blade?

    His is hydrostatic, believe that’s the right word? He puts it in H-N-L and presses the gas pedal forwards or backwards and it goes. He said that he can’t even get a full bucket of dirt while in forward because it lacks enough power to break the ground. Can’t hardly push brush piles because it’s weak.

    Loader pickup capacity is good.

    Now I don’t know how much difference there is in the 2, but he came from a 34hp manual transmission Kubota. So that might be what he’s comparing it against, we all know that you can make a manual do things that it doesn’t really like vs an automatic.

  17. Banned
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    #17
    I retired from one of the big tractor companies after 36 1/2 years in the business. But that was 10 years ago, and before DEF tractors really came into the retail market. So I'm not completely current any longer on brands and models, etc.

    The biggest compact tractors only weigh something like 2800 lbs. (bare), and they really don't have the guts and weight needed to handle a grapple on a front end loader. Heck, many compacts can hardly lift a full bucket of dirt. Compacts will handle a box blade and the larger ones will use a 60" rotary cutter (Bush Hog) or a mid mount mower. But they are very slow digging any appreciable amount of dirt, and they just don't move very fast while under a load.

    I remain a fan of the old generation cast iron tractors, especially if they have a shuttle shift or synchro shift and four wheel drive. Such 50 hp tractors have 5000 pounds or more behind them, and they have the weight to barrel through piles of dirt. And if equipped with 4x4, they're extremely strong pushing/pulling for their horsepower. John Deere, Ford or New Holland, Massey Ferguson, Case and McCormick all made cast iron tractors in many configurations.

    The best thing is that the retail market has a bunch of the older tractors on them, and they have an incredibly long life span. I'm talking tractors that you can pass on to your great grandsons if properly maintained. The availability of parts and service is what keeps these tractors going so long. Compact tractors now are a mish mash of different parts, and who knows if parts will be available in the future on a tractor with an engine from India, a transmission from Korea that was assembled in Uzbekistan or Turkey. And is a quality front end loader available for it?

  18. Banned
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    #18
    I'd read what Bamaman wrote a couple times, he hit the nail on the head

  19. Member
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    #19
    I've got a 2018 JD 1025R. It's probably the best piece of equipment I've every owned (I've owned a bunch). I bought it to clean up 3 acres and use for mowing. The loader lifted very large logs from big soft maples we cut down, I've spread a bunch of gravel with it, etc. Mows very nice too. I barely run it off of idle, except for mowing, then I run it at around 1800 rpms.
    2001 ChampioN 206 Yamaha 225

  20. Member
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    #20
    Can't really comment on newer models, but I bought a 2008 Kubota 7040 4wd new. Bought this tractor in Jasper after looking at Kubotas and JD. This tractor has never been in the shop other than oil changes. Not one single item on it has failed in 10 years. My cousin bought a new 90 hp JD about 4 years ago. Within the first year he had it back at dealership twice for fuel pump failures.

    If you decide to go Kubota, check with Normangee Tractor. Their prices are way under everyone else. I was able to use their quote to get Jasper dealership to come down several thousand more dollars.

    Bamaman is absolutely correct about the weight of newer tractors hindering their usefulness. My dads 1991 model JD 55 horse 2wd is technically weaker than my 70 horse 4wd, but toe to toe they are pretty much even. The old style JD outweighs my newer tractor by a lot. And in tractors weight equals power. I keep my rear tires full of water and added 750 lbs of steel wheel weights to help it out.

    And a final bit of advice. No one ever wishes they had bought a smaller tractor.
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