Small tractor advise please

[cubby]

OK my dad is currently plowing snow and splitting wood and cutting wood (buzz saw pto run) with a 1958 8N ford tractor that we restored last year and turned out to be a fun experience. Well the day has come that they are going to sell the fire place and just pay the heating bill versus feed the stove all winter. Not that they can't afford the bill, but just getting to old to go get 5-6 cords to feed the stove all winter, mind you they lite it in OCT. and keep it lit through March. Well dad doesn't want to give up moving snow and the drive way and in the neighborhood. So I would like to get some advise on a small multi purpose tractor? The only 2 I know of is John Deere and Kabuto which both seem to be really good brands. But what I'm looking for is gas or diesel, cab or no cab, do they have heat in cabs, attachments that come in handy on them, and maybe what they are worth would be nice. Sorry for the novel just trying to get some info for my old man to be comfortable while playing

 

[rdnorman]

have you looked at skidsteers like cat 242. they have heated cab options and alot of bucket/atatchment options. another opion i seen the other day was a old forklift with a plow mounted where the forks go.

 

[mtbroncrider]

i kinda like the montana series....if I could talk the wife into it i'd have one...LOL

how about a JD gator with plow

 

[ruffryder]

How much snow we talking about moving?

 

[coyoteman]

Jd and kabota are both good tractors. Get him a cab. They have heat and a/c. I would prefer the diesel as long as he knows how to handle his fuel in the cold temps.

 

[cubby]

Were talking about moving maybe 6" at a time give or take a few inches.
and he can handle the fuel. thanks for the ideas and keep them coming

 

[Tim Healy]

cat 216B

 

[ruffryder]

Were talking about moving maybe 6" at a time give or take a few inches.
and he can handle the fuel. thanks for the ideas and keep them coming

How long of a driveway? Or other area?

 

[801]

ya might consider a tractor with the loader on the front and a snow blower on the rear!!! They are sweet!!!!

 

[Surly1]

Might wanna check this site out:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/index.php

I was going to purchase a compact tractor this fall, but decided to go with a skid steer. Main reason being, the loaders don't do too good digging (and I have landscaping to do this summer). Also seems to be tough to find the compacts with cabs, until you get into the larger ones (like a 38 HP and above, which get a little big for residential use). Personally the best deals I found when pricing them are on the new Bobcat series of tractors, lots of good reviews and decent prices. JD's are too much money for green paint, and the Kubota's are pretty expensive too. Overall, from what I saw in my area you are better off buying new, than looking for used, because pricing is about the same.

Also make sure you get one with the "Bob-Tach" on the loader (most new ones have this now, but it is an option). This way you can change out attachments on the front (bucket, forks, snowblower, etc). Also for snow removal a bucket on front, and 3-point blower does seem to be the setup most guys go after.

 

[cubby]

Pretty big yard to clear and about a 2 mile streak of side walk

 

[ruffryder]

Pretty big yard to clear and about a 2 mile streak of side walk

I assume an actual plow truck is overkill.

 

[polarisfornow]

here's a thought. When I was young we had a ford 8n on the farm that had a loader on it. And it had a 3pt blade on the back that we would flip around so it was facing backwards. with chains on the tires it worked pretty well for the south dakota winters. I would suggest liquid filled tires as well as those were pretty light in the rear with a loader on...

 

[HawkShot99]

In my current apartment I have to plow my driveway. The apartment comes with a Kubota BX series tractor, dont remember the exact model, but it is low 20's HP, and a diesel motor.

It has a bucket on the front, that a plow is mounted to, and a 3-point hitch on the rear. In the winter the 3-point has a big wooden box on it filled with sand/salt for traction, and then easy to put down on the drive.

It has chains for the tires, but I cant figure out how to put them on, but it has been working great so far.

The only complaint I have with the setup is that the plow is not setup to turn side to side, so I can only push the snow straight, but with the layout of the driveway and parking lot it works out really well.

Out in the barn there is a roto-tiller thing, a bush-hog and a belly-mount finish mower for it, but I have not used any of those yet.

The diesel has some serious power for the plowing, but there is only 1 gas station within a 20 minute drive, and they dont sell diesel, so I need to keep a decent amount on hand with anti gel for when we get a big storm.

 

[cubby]

Thanks everyone for the ideas. I will have to do some home work before jumping in to this for my old man. Any more comments are welcome also

 

[xrated]

Cab if you can.

We have a Ford 1700 we use year round for working and since the plow truck took a poo a few years ago it is all tractor now. MN winters, driveway is a hill, plus road running along a lake (drifts). We have a big blower for the PTO, it has been on once to see how it hooked up and ran and once to move it to where ever it is sitting now. Reason being, first no cab to keep the snow from hitting you, and the biggest reason is who the heck wants to drive turned backwards looking over your shoulder for that long.

Blade on the back and bucket on the front do a fine job of clearing snow out of the way for my old man.

 

[Thistledoo]

I have sold dozens of Massey GC2400's

google or u tube it great tractor and not a ton of money. Built in Japan not like some of the off breed stuff. Can get a front end loader or have sold quite a few with a front mount blower!! Works awsome!!

Check it out....maybe u have a massey dealer near u??