good tractor for food plots

[deadeye270]

I am not in an agricultural area and tractors/farmers are scarce. Also in our area hunting is made up of pine thickets with food plots. Most food plots are 1/4-2acres in size. I would like the abilty to use a tiller type implement. I am looking for a dependable tractor. I have heard good things about Kubota. What size/ HP tractor would fit the bill here?

[wtnhunt]

Kubota. They are priced fairly, and they are very under rated. I have a M 4700 4wd. It is really a bit big for just small food plots. An L or B size kubota in the 22-29 hp range would be perfect for food plots. We are probably eventually going to buy another kubota in the more compact size for yard maintenance and garden work.

[Strut10]

If you are going to be plowing up to 2 acres at a clip, you will want a tractor with a Category 1 3-point hitch. That way you'll be able to fit the size of implements you'll need for the job. I don't know how big you have to get in a Kubota to get that. I know my dad's 21 hp Kubota is a Category 0. If I were you, I'd look for an older, good used machine for way less money. Maybe an 8N Ford, 1010 John Deere, D15 Allis Chalmers, 454 International, Oliver Super 55 or 550, just to name a very few. You should be able to get something 35 to 45 hp in nice working shape for $3500 - $5500 easily.............a far cry from $20000 for a new Kubota of size.

[wtnhunt]

B series kubotas do have category 1 3 point hitches with lift capacities ranging from 1300-about 1700 lbs. They start around here last time I checked for under $10,000 and go on up to well over $15000 depending on what you want.

Just remember a used tractor you can get in over your head if you buy something that has problems, or has potential for problems.

[Strut10]

O.K. They musta changed the 3-point in the last 5 or 6 years. My dad's is a B2100 and is a Category 0.......unless there was a choice of hitch options??

You are correct in that a fellow can get into a "bill of goods" with a used machine. You really oughts have an equipment mechanic look it over......just like a used car...........if you don't know what you're looking at.

Still..........I think if I had to do my plot work with the B2100........I wouldn't have any plots. It's a good little tractor. But it's just that. Little. I don't have a lot of time to devote to food plot prep. We do a total of abot 7 or 8 acres. With our 584, a 3 bottom plow and a 10 foot disc it takes a couple very full days. You can but a lot of used tractor for $10000.

[wtnhunt]

With whatever you go with, if you do buy used, be careful. I have been down that road and learned my lesson the hard way with "good used" massey fergusson and john deere tractors. It is very frustrating to say the least when for every hour of work in the field you are spending an hour fixing your tractor, not to mention it can also get quite costly especially if you have a tractor that is green and has non stocked parts that have to be ordered in. Then you sometimes have the frustration of the wait factor for parts.

For the smaller plots, the compact tractors would be ideal. Just my opinion. Kubota has a great warranty, though it is doubtfull you would need it. The compacts are able to utilize both cat 0 and 1 with their 3 point hitch. I have a pamphlet here from where we looked at some b model tractors just last summer. The past couple summers kubota has run a promotional zero percent financing on their b model and some other model tractors too.

Not to try and influence your decision one way or another, but shop around. Look at masseys, look at deeres, look at mahindra and compare prices in like size tractors. If you havemore than one kubota dealer around, it might also be worth your while to compare the prices between dealers. I saved quite a bit on my tractor by shopping around so to speak.

[Strut10]

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..... not to mention it can also get quite costly especially if you have a tractor that is green and has non stocked parts that have to be ordered in.

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That's why we run Red!!
(...and if ya gotta go green, go Oliver)

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Kubota has a great warranty, though it is doubtfull you would need it.

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From our experience...........stay away from the Kubota hydrostats. Dad's 2100's hydro went out at 500 hours. Out of warranty, non-rebuildable and it was $2300 just for the new part. Other than that (if that's not enough) it's been a decent machine. But it's had more than its share of the "nickel & dime" stuff. Again, this could have just been our particular machine being a lemon, too. My father-in-law and his brother have been running 3 Kubotas (all std. shift) with few problems to my knowledge.

[AaronS]

A lot of good tractors out there. You have to consider your budget and needs. In new tractors I'd look at the Kubota L series, New Holland Boomer series, John Deere 3000 series, etc. Something between 30 and 45 hp with a front end loader. The lower end of that hp range will let you run a 5 foot tiller and rotary cutter, and the upper end will allow you to run 6 foot equipment. If you can swing it, buy a 4x4. You won't regret it.

If you're shopping for used, I would look in the same hp range. In the $3000 to $6000 range I'd look at older Massey Ferguson 135's, Ford 3000's and 4000's, and small John Deeres. You won't be able to get 4x4 on these models, but for the money they are hard to beat. Like mentioned above, have someone knowledgable about them give it a good look over before plopping down your hard earned money.

For somewhat less than new ($10,000 to $15,000 for a 39 hp tractor) if I would have had the money a month ago, I would be the proud owner of a used John Deere 1070 4x4 with front end loader. From what I've read this tractor is a bullet proof tank that would be ideal for food plot work.

For a wealth of info on tractors and tractor stuff, you can also check out tractorbynet.com.

[AaronS]

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From our experience...........stay away from the Kubota hydrostats. Dad's 2100's hydro went out at 500 hours.

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Sorry to hear of your dad's misfortune. Kubota has the most bullet proof hydro tranny on the market. I am on my 2nd Kubota (a little toy compared to real tractors). The first one I had was a B9200 (22 hp) and its hydro was still running great with close to 2000 hours on it (and 19 years old) when I traded it off.

If you will use it to mow a yard or do loader work, hydro is the only way to go. If you will be using it for mostly food plot work, save the money and go with a gear tranny. The gear tranny would be better suited for ground engaging implements anyway.

[wtnhunt]

There was a 2002 30 hp 4wd model L kubota in the paper here with loader and a 5 ft finish mower a couple weeks ago for $8500. I was pretty tempted to go and look at it.

[deadeye270]

that seems like a pretty good deal.

[AaronS]

Really good deal if it hasn't been abused.

[Texan_Til_I_Die]

I've got one of these:



with an 8 foot chisel, a 12 foot tandem and a 12 foot grain drill. But I'm doing quite a few acres.

[Tominator]

[ QUOTE ]
Kubota. They are priced fairly, and they are very under rated. I have a M 4700 4wd. It is really a bit big for just small food plots. An L or B size kubota in the 22-29 hp range would be perfect for food plots. We are probably eventually going to buy another kubota in the more compact size for yard maintenance and garden work.

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I agree with William. I have a BX1800 and it's just a hair too small for any kind of food plot over an acre or so. It has a Cat I 3pt on it, and weighs 900 I think.

[dogdoc]

I have a kubota L3400--does a great job on the food plots.