Ideas for a small tractor

[Marigold4]

I'm thinking of buying a secondhand small tractor for harrowing, topping and rolling. Needs to be small in order to fit in my shed. Any ideas on best makes, what to look for, etc. I know virtually nothing about tractors so any advice would be welcomed.

PS I'm not in the market for a quad bike

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I used to work on a wholesale plant nursery. We used a kubota and an iseki. The kubota was great, the iseki was a pain to get on and off but it was 100 years old!!

 

[cauda equina]

I've got a Massey Ferguson GC2300 - apparently they're made by Iseki, I don't know if the MF branding bumps up the price
It does all the tractor things (3 point linkage, pto) and has a built-in cutting deck too so topping is dead easy

 

[Marigold4]

I've got a Massey Ferguson GC2300 - apparently they're made by Iseki, I don't know if the MF branding bumps up the price
It does all the tractor things (3 point linkage, pto) and has a built-in cutting deck too so topping is dead easy

That sounds lovely but I have no idea what those "tractor things" are! I am completely clueless, I'm afraid. All I know is I need a twisty thing at the back to make the topper work. 3point linkage? Pto? Built-in cutting deck? Sorry to be a pain but could you explain??

 

[cauda equina]

3 point linkage = arms at the back that you attach things to and go up and down
PTO = power take off - spinny thing at the back to power trailed machinery eg a topper or fertiliser spreader
Cutting deck = blades underneath so the tractor does its own cutting - it's basically a big ride-on mower

 

[jsprince]

Depends what you want to spend as well.
We have a Kubota which even with age holds its value well and has never had a problem.

We have a Kubota to which over time we have added topper, roller, chain harrow, tyne harrow, single round bale tipper, giant carry box for back.

For harrowing you can either still use a chain harrow which can be fitted to a tow bar or you could get a small tyne harrow which can fit to the 3 point link at back of tractor.

The roller can again be fitted to tow bar so shouldn't be a problem.

The topper can either depending on the tractor can either be mid mount underneath the tractor or basically a miniature version of the ones you see on full size tractors, which fit at the back via the 3 point link with a PTO shaft used to drive it.

The topper size would basically be dictated by the tractor engine power hp. We have a 6ft topper on a 30hp tractor.

Depending on where you are and budget you can either buy things separately or all in packages.

Here is a link to someone who does packages or separates to give you an idea. I have never dealt with them as in the end we bought new but they can at least point you in right direction.
https://www.cowlingagri.com

Also check out YouTube videos Americans love small tractors and they put up tonnes of videos about do's and don'ts.

Hope this helps.

 

[Marigold4]

3 point linkage = arms at the back that you attach things to and go up and down
PTO = power take off - spinny thing at the back to power trailed machinery eg a topper or fertiliser spreader
Cutting deck = blades underneath so the tractor does its own cutting - it's basically a big ride-on mower

Thanks you so much for taking the time to explain those things - that really helps

 

[thefarsideofthefield]

We used an old Landrover as our ' tractor ' . Was dirt cheap as perfectly driveable/useable but wouldn't pass an MOT , but that didn't matter as it was only used on private land .

 

[rabatsa]

Expect expensive. When we were looking it was cheaper to buy an old full size tractor over a small one. We have never regretted getting it.

 

[paddy555]

mine is a New Holland.Totally love it. I went looking for a Kubota but it was basically what decent make was available.
I also have a full size tractor but choose the New Holland every time if possible as it is great to drive.

Consider hydrostatic drive. That means there is no gear lever, you press the pedal front wards to go forwards and backwards to go back. So very easy to drive.
Some compact tractors come with turf tyres. They have a lot less traction. If you are going on fields make sure they put tractor pattern tyres on for grip.

As for a mower do you want a cutting bed ie permanently on the tractor and a PITA IMHO or do you want to use a trailed mower which you just hitch up behind when you want to go topping.

Do you want the tractor to do anything else? eg fetching and carrying if so it will need a box on the back. Would a front loader be of any help?
If the tractor is sitting there is might as well do all the work possible.

Look also at the gradient of your land. A smaller capacity tractor will cope with say a roller on flat ground. On steeper ground you may need something more powerful.

I think everyone agrees on one thing. Expect it to be expensive. These are very popular toys.

not sure how a landrover would work. Ours doesn't have PTO.

 

[Polos Mum]

OP I would get someone in to do jobs - local farmer might be £40-50 an hour and have all the kit and knowledge.
A nice old case with loader and kit is £20k easily and they are not something to be messed with - farming is dangerous

Either that or go on a course and learn how tractors work and how to drive / operate them.

 

[scruffyponies]

mf35. Best thing ever.

 

[paddy555]

OP I would get someone in to do jobs - local farmer might be £40-50 an hour and have all the kit and knowledge.
A nice old case with loader and kit is £20k easily and they are not something to be messed with - farming is dangerous

Either that or go on a course and learn how tractors work and how to drive / operate them.

there is a bit of a difference between a case and a compact tractor. Quite a lot of difference. If they feel happy driving a garden tractor then I am sure someone would be happy and safe driving a compact which is what OP is enquiring about. Any machinery can be dangerous you only have to look at quad bike accidents for that or the girl who was killed on the Polaris. It is always a case of being careful..

there are disadvantages to the local farmer. Firstly you want your field harrowed when the weather conditions are right ie the ground is right. Not to book it in and have the farmer turn up 3 weeks later in the pouring rain when the ground is a mud bath because he was too busy in the dry weather.

The other thing is that compact tractors leave a very light footprint on the field surface compared to a farmer's tractor.
I used to harrow and roll mine with a Case. There were always tyre marks left and many horse paddocks are relatively small so more turns. I now use a compact and can often not even see it has been there.

 

[milliepops]

In a previous life we had a kubota with some toys for it, agree... not cheap. but quite straightforward. Get one with a roll bar. they are lighter than big tractors but having extracted someone from underneath one with no cab or roll bar, they still do you a lot of damage if you come a cropper.

 

[Asha]

We used to use the local farmer for rolling/topping, but as paddy555 mentions we would have to wait our turn, and quite a few times theyd come and just miss the perfect conditions. (Especially when rolling)Plus their huge tractors couldnt always get into the smaller parts / paddocks.
We bought a kubota compact this year and its fab. I can now just crack on when i want. Ours has come with turf tyres, and the dealer has recommended to wait and see before we buy agri tyres, as he thinks we may just get away without. Time will tell. I topped the fields the other day and had no issues in the wet muddy parts. Just need to get myself a roller for spring now.

 

[honetpot]

We bought a small Tractor with a topper, I think it was a kubota, but its was some small that it was a devil to get in and out of, so I swapped for a Ford Dexter with a loader, we have pallet forks for it as well, and sold the small one. It has no power steering, but its going up in value, and my husband will not hear of getting a better one.
If you are just harrowing or towing a trailer and do not need the tractor to power anything, I would by a banger 4x4, I have harrowed with an estate car, if it's dry enough to harrow, you can use a car. I am thinking of getting a small one with a towed powered mower, just to do the back paddock and get where the tractor can not.

 

[scruffyponies]

I looked at modern compact tractors and concluded that for the same price I could buy a vintage machine which was not designed as a toy, in near showroom condition, built to last and zero depreciation.
Mine cost less than £3k. As well as topping and harrowing, rolling, towing and transporting, I can run machinery from it via the PTO, and use it as a forklift for shifting things around on pallets.

I had reservations about getting parts etc, but there's a thriving after market, and everything is available at a mouse-click, if you can work out what it's called. Full manuals available online. So simple to work on that I was able to service it myself.

 

[Sprig]

I wouldn't get a tractor at all. They are expensive and you will hardly be using it which will lead to maintenance issues. They are designed for hard work. How about a 4x4? We use our Freelander 2 for all of those jobs (we have a self-powered topper) and it is more than up to the job. If we have any bigger jobs (hedge cutting and muck spreading) to do then we pay a local farmer to come and do them (£35/hr).

 

[PurBee]

Any smaller john deere’s i can wholly recommend - they are such great, well-made workhorses.

Through pure luck we managed to find a JD855 - 3 point linkage full rear PTO - its only 24hp engine and 19hp PTO - so its really efficient on fuel.

Its just a wee bit bigger than a ride on mower so will fit into a shed. The rear wheels are larger than mowers and is literally like a mini JD tractor - we once used it to rescue our 2 ton land rover out of a muddy situation:


In the pic above we were using the land rover to move a 30 foot static caravan into position in the pis*ing rain! It had been dry but then, as usual, the heavens opened and didnt stop, so we had to get on with the job regardless before the continuous rain made the land even boggier.
The land rover eventually failed traction in the mud, so we hooked up the little JD to pull the landy which was pulling the caravan - it worked! lol!!! Then the JD helped pull the land rover out the mud at the end of the verrrrrry muddy messy job as it has a super ‘oompf’ 4 wheel drive function.

The JD can run a small flail mower, small topper, a rotavator, its pulled trailer loads of rocks of 1.5 ton around the farm. For such a wee thing you wouldnt think it had the power to run these PTO machinery but it really does it well. We have a rake and roller too for it which it handles very well.

Engine-wise and build quality is just A1 - we’ve had it 10yrs and have been meaning to give it some kind of full service for yrs, even recondition it and spruce it up….yet its run every year no issue, being stored outside …quality metalwork of over 40yrs can withstand mud/wet etc. Theyre built very very well.

The downsides:

Question what is your land like? Flat fields or very undulating and hilly?

Small tractors like this are not suitable for very sloped ground - they are narrow and if youre going across a slope, youll feel top heavy and lose traction with the highest wheel…almost toppling over. If you drive up and down the slope, going with the slope, you’ll lose PTO power as the engine labours to pull you up the slope. Yet down the slope gravity helps and there’s no loss of power, while running the PTO.
A larger, more power, conventional, heavier tractor is more suited to heavy sloped land of 45degrees+. It takes some experience to know how to safely execute a drive route across undulating, sloping, odd field shapes. If you have land like this its best to hire a local farmer to come in and do the few jobs essential.

The other issue with smaller compact tractors is finding the PTO equipment for them. Its an insane market and because compact tractors are not the ‘usual’ size - youll find very few attachments to buy secondhand. New price for such small PTO equipment are eye-watering. Like a mini round baler is 6k+. The 1.2m flail mower i use new was 3k - just to cut grass!! You wont find a small square baler to use with such a small tractor.

In hindsight - as i want to (now) make hay from more land - i’d get another small tractor. like a massey 135 upwards. 35hp - can use a small square baler, you’ll be able to find more choice of attachments secondhand from farmers dirt cheap. The masseys are a lot bigger in footprint for your shed, but do a measure-up and youll be surprised still how compact the masseys are. If you want to make hay, dont go for a 25hp machine - go up a level to a cheap, old but workhorse type tractor like a massey 135, - then youll be able to easily buy a tedder, topper, small square baler, on the 2nd-hand market.

Our JD came with many attachments so we use it for rotorvating areas to re-seed, flail mowing 7 acres, rolling, raking/de-thatching in spring and using a trailer to shift stuff around the farm. Also move big round bales tied on the back 3 point link forks! So its very useful due to its tiny size we can get it in amongst trees etc, small pathways around the farm, for doing land maintenance work and general small farm work. But if you want to regularly shift 2 ton loads and make hay aswell, and you have very sloped land, go for a more powerful machine, you’ll find it easier to get PTO attachments on the 2nd-hand market.

ETA- we also use the JD855 to pull a conventional small flicking-type muck spreader and fertilise the land - it manages it fine! We werent sure if it would…i have a wee video somewhere - but it does it great, and we have soft land here to pull 1ton+ loads through - so its a tough little machine.

 

[PurBee]

I looked at modern compact tractors and concluded that for the same price I could buy a vintage machine which was not designed as a toy, in near showroom condition, built to last and zero depreciation.
Mine cost less than £3k. As well as topping and harrowing, rolling, towing and transporting, I can run machinery from it via the PTO, and use it as a forklift for shifting things around on pallets.

I had reservations about getting parts etc, but there's a thriving after market, and everything is available at a mouse-click, if you can work out what it's called. Full manuals available online. So simple to work on that I was able to service it myself.

i totally agree - the modern compacts build quality isnt anywhere near as good as the older tractors. The price for new compacts are eye-watering. The old ones stand the test of time, and are much cheaper.

 

[sport horse]

Small agricutlural tractors are like gold dust! You do need rear hydraulics (up and down things at back), PTO (spinny round thing) - both of these to operate a topper. a 4 x 4 will not give eiyou these. Local farmers are fine but as others say they will fit in your small jobs around theirmuch bigger jobs and this may not be at the time you would like. Their machinery may well be much too big to use on smaller paddocks

I am very lucky in that I am surrounded by farming neighbours. They do my hedge cutting, hay making, muck heap removal, spraying (although their sprayer now means driving down one paddock and just reversing back up as it is huge!) and any other larger jobs that come along. We do our own harrowing, rolling, topping, arena maintenance etc It is great fun and two of my girls grab the tractor at the first chance! The arrangement is great and when the farmers have need of a small set of equipment they come and raid our yard!

Currently have a Kubota with a front loader ( super for doing muck heap!) and a Massey Ferguson. Our neighbours helped us source them and were kind enough to visit the local
Agricultural agent with us., Great thing about farmers is that they hate horses so over the many years their children have kept their ponies here and we are soon heading towards grandchildren!! I love good neighbours.

 

[showjumpingharry]

If its red, leave it in the shed and if its blue it just won't do. Nothing runs like a deere

 

[Esmae]

We have a 20hp John Deere, hydrostatic. Brilliant tractor. Had it years, starts 1st time, everytime (jinxed it now) Thoroughly recommend them. Prior to this we had an Iseki which was a complete pita!

 

[Marigold4]

If I used a Land Rover, could I still top the field? I thought I needed a special fitting at the back of the vehicle to make the topper work? Or would I just buy a different type of topper? If so, which one please?

 

[Marigold4]

mine is a New Holland.Totally love it. I went looking for a Kubota but it was basically what decent make was available.
I also have a full size tractor but choose the New Holland every time if possible as it is great to drive.

Consider hydrostatic drive. That means there is no gear lever, you press the pedal front wards to go forwards and backwards to go back. So very easy to drive.
Some compact tractors come with turf tyres. They have a lot less traction. If you are going on fields make sure they put tractor pattern tyres on for grip.

As for a mower do you want a cutting bed ie permanently on the tractor and a PITA IMHO or do you want to use a trailed mower which you just hitch up behind when you want to go topping.

Do you want the tractor to do anything else? eg fetching and carrying if so it will need a box on the back. Would a front loader be of any help?
If the tractor is sitting there is might as well do all the work possible.

Look also at the gradient of your land. A smaller capacity tractor will cope with say a roller on flat ground. On steeper ground you may need something more powerful.

I think everyone agrees on one thing. Expect it to be expensive. These are very popular toys.

not sure how a landrover would work. Ours doesn't have PTO.

mine is a New Holland.Totally love it. I went looking for a Kubota but it was basically what decent make was available.
I also have a full size tractor but choose the New Holland every time if possible as it is great to drive.

Consider hydrostatic drive. That means there is no gear lever, you press the pedal front wards to go forwards and backwards to go back. So very easy to drive.
Some compact tractors come with turf tyres. They have a lot less traction. If you are going on fields make sure they put tractor pattern tyres on for grip.

As for a mower do you want a cutting bed ie permanently on the tractor and a PITA IMHO or do you want to use a trailed mower which you just hitch up behind when you want to go topping.

Do you want the tractor to do anything else? eg fetching and carrying if so it will need a box on the back. Would a front loader be of any help?
If the tractor is sitting there is might as well do all the work possible.

Look also at the gradient of your land. A smaller capacity tractor will cope with say a roller on flat ground. On steeper ground you may need something more powerful.

I think everyone agrees on one thing. Expect it to be expensive. These are very popular toys.

not sure how a landrover would work. Ours doesn't have PTO.

Thanks. That's very useful. I'm hoping to get a tow along topper rather than a built in one. Hydrostatic sounds good. Although we live in a very hilly area my field is fairly flat, thankfully. Good tip about tyres!

 

[Marigold4]

OP I would get someone in to do jobs - local farmer might be £40-50 an hour and have all the kit and knowledge.
A nice old case with loader and kit is £20k easily and they are not something to be messed with - farming is dangerous

Either that or go on a course and learn how tractors work and how to drive / operate them.

Trouble is local farmer never comes when you ask, so field doesn't get topped and harrowed when I want it, only when he's free. Husband trained as an engineer originally and would enjoy fiddling around with it.

 

[Marigold4]

mf35. Best thing ever.

Just googled mf35. I'm in love!

 

[Marigold4]

there is a bit of a difference between a case and a compact tractor. Quite a lot of difference. If they feel happy driving a garden tractor then I am sure someone would be happy and safe driving a compact which is what OP is enquiring about. Any machinery can be dangerous you only have to look at quad bike accidents for that or the girl who was killed on the Polaris. It is always a case of being careful..

there are disadvantages to the local farmer. Firstly you want your field harrowed when the weather conditions are right ie the ground is right. Not to book it in and have the farmer turn up 3 weeks later in the pouring rain when the ground is a mud bath because he was too busy in the dry weather.

The other thing is that compact tractors leave a very light footprint on the field surface compared to a farmer's tractor.
I used to harrow and roll mine with a Case. There were always tyre marks left and many horse paddocks are relatively small so more turns. I now use a compact and can often not even see it has been there.

Agreed. Only looking for a diddy tractor so think will not be dangerous and would be great to do field maintenace when I want not when farmer is free. But also buying because I have suffered from "tractor envy" for years now and will get lump sum on retirement.

 

[rextherobber]

If I used a Land Rover, could I still top the field? I thought I needed a special fitting at the back of the vehicle to make the topper work? Or would I just buy a different type of topper? If so, which one please?

I , like previous poster, use an mot failure 4wd vehicle to do all my harrowing, topping etc. I have a topper which is very similar to a lawn mower, in that it has its own fuel tank and you pull it to start it, it takes no power from the tow vehicle, apart from being pulled along. It's a flail mower, the make of which I cannot for the life of me remember...it's an excellent piece of kit.

 

[Marigold4]

I looked at modern compact tractors and concluded that for the same price I could buy a vintage machine which was not designed as a toy, in near showroom condition, built to last and zero depreciation.
Mine cost less than £3k. As well as topping and harrowing, rolling, towing and transporting, I can run machinery from it via the PTO, and use it as a forklift for shifting things around on pallets.

I had reservations about getting parts etc, but there's a thriving after market, and everything is available at a mouse-click, if you can work out what it's called. Full manuals available online. So simple to work on that I was able to service it myself.

I do really fancy a vintage one - hubby would enjoy the maintenance too