Tractor Gurus

[MOverton]

I hope I am posting this in the correct thread. We are looking for a new tractor. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 HP, 4WD, with shuttle shift. Does anyone have any experience with something like this? What brand do you like and why? Any input will be appreciated. Thank You.

 

[troll3193]

When you say shuttle shift, I assume you mean just a forward reverse lever?



I just rented this past weekend a L35 Kuboto. Had a bucket on the front and a backhoe . Had a speed selector handle to the left of your left leg. Up by the steering wheel you had a forward/backwards shifter. All could be shifted without using the clutch. There was however a clutch for finer contol.



Nice tractor. . Made me wish I had one to play with all the time. Less HP than you are looking at, but had great power. I was really surprised how fast the cycle time onthe hoe was and how much digging power it had. .



Was 4x4 with the ability to shift on the fly. Also had a pedal to step on to lock the diffs.



Throttle was foot pedal, but also had a lever throttle back for operating the hoe.



And of course it was diesel...



FWIW,



Bryan

 

[Dieselnut59]

Kubota, definately!

My M9000 has hydraulic shuttle. It allows on the go fwd/rev shifting at full PTO speeds. A friend of mine has a M5700 which is basicly the same tractor and would offer around the 50 pto horsepower you are looking for.

Kubota makes excellent quality equipment.

 

[daveshoe]

You did not mention price. Just for your consideration,search the internet for ''gray market tractors'' These are Japanese tractors that will be of much better quality than the Chinese crate tractors you may be hearing about. My dad had a White / Iseki 4WD that was a nice tight little tractor. Paint quality was poor,but it had gobs of power with plenty of gear ranges. No shuttle shift.

Grey market tractors are defined as imported Japanese tractors that will not meet the new pollution standards coming soon. The supply will be drying up,but now is an excellent time to get one. I am considering selling my vintage Farmall and trading up to one of these units

 

[DavidBurt]

Alot depends on what you want to spend and how hard you want to work it. The last tractor we bought was a 75hp 4x4 New Holland 3cyl turbocharged (TN75) in 2004. The reason we went with New Holland is we have a tw15 wich is ford\New Holland 6cyl turbocharged that has been a extremely reliable machine. The model # for a 50hp New Holland 4x4 compact is tc55 I think. I like John Deere, my friend has a 30hp model that has been very reliable but doesn't have enough weight for the hp just spins the tires when he tries to pull anything heavy. Granted his tires aren't loaded and he has no weights on it. John Deere's don't come cheap. I don't know much about Kubota so can't give you any input on them.

Dave

 

[JHerr]

My order of preference:

* New Holland TN60 (This New Holland is a heavy-duty tractor, a step above compact tractors. The SuperSteer axle is why it is #1 for me... a very tight turning radius. )

* John Deere 4720 (Nice machine, but no SuperSteer axle)

* New Holland TC55 (Also nice, but I prefer the Deere 4720 to it)

I am very familiar with equipment. My personal feelings are that Kubotas are just too light for what I require.

 

[Murle]

Look at Zetor Tractors. Been running them now for 12 years I have a 70 Hp 4x4 cab air, 122hp 2 wheel drive, and a 106hp 4x4. Have over 2000 hrs. on all of them with no problems.

 

[24valver]

Try looking at a John Deere 5225 (45 hp) or a 5325 (55 hp). They are UTILITY tractors, not compact tractors. With 4x4, cab and the 24 speed transmission, that makes a great tractor. Oh, they are new models, but so far, I haven't seen or worked on any in the shop.

 

[Murle]

Try looking at a John Deere 5225 (45 hp) or a 5325 (55 hp). They are UTILITY tractors, not compact tractors. With 4x4, cab and the 24 speed transmission, that makes a great tractor. Oh, they are new models, but so far, I haven't seen or worked on any in the shop.

John Deere is over rated and overpriced. I have owned JD, Massey's and Case Now I'm using Zetor. Same warrenty just better service and half the price. In fact JD buys Zetors, paint them green and sell them as JD in Old Mexico. http://www.zetortrade.cz/eng/index.asp

 

[24valver]

John Deere is over rated and overpriced. I have owned JD, Massey's and Case Now I'm using Zetor. Same warrenty just better service and half the price. In fact JD buys Zetors, paint them green and sell them as JD in Old Mexico. http://www.zetortrade.cz/eng/index.asp

Go price a Deere machine and then price any name brand tractor, and I'll bet that the prices are pretty close. As for Zetor, how many dealers are in the country? And what about their parts? It isn't by chance that Deere as been #1 in ag sales since the early 1960's.

 

[IC Smoke]

KUBOTA



JD is nothing but looks, weve owned JD stuff before and now only have one. rest are kubotas





. 02

Ian

 

[MOverton]

Thank You

All,



Thank you for your replies. I went the other day and looked at a Kubota 5700 however I am wanting to take a look at one of the new 6040 but no one around here has one yet. Anyway, again thank you.

 

[CSnyder]

Well I am self employed as an equipment jockey and I buy and sell hundreds of tractors of all breeds each year, but I wanted a new tractor for my personal use to load and unload what I drag home so I shopped around and ended up buying a nice Massey Ferguson 471 with front wheel assist. Im happy with my purchase even though Ive only accumulated 270 hours in the 4 years Ive owned this machine. Ive never had to get anything fixed on it yet and the heavy duty 1070 loader on it is unstoppable. I can get the tractor to start without ether or plugged in down to about 0 degrees with no problems too. It features a 4 speed trans with Hi and low sides and a forward reverse mechanical shuttle shift. In my opinion these tractors have the best low profile stance for better stability. My particular model(471) is 67 PTO horsepower but if you want smaller you could check out the 451 or 461 models. Take a look at Ebay for some quick price comparisons. Hope this helps, Chris

 

[JRF]

Kubota

This is my first post to this forum. I do not have a diesel truck, but I do have a Kubota L5030 diesel tractor that I haul with my brother's 2001 Dodge turbo diesel. I bought the tractor, he bought the truck. Use them both for my hilly 45 acre farm in southeast Ohio and his flat 9 acres near Columbus. I looked at all the current popular models:NH, JD, Chinese, etc. Settled on the Kubota with the HST-would not trade it for the world. Handles any chore I could ask of it, uses very little fuel and starts every time. Got the bucket and four-wheel drive. Definitely get four wheel drive even for flat land, it makes such a difference in performance, and get the bucket-it is like velcro in that you wonder what you will use it for before you buy it, then you cannot believe all the uses you find for it once it is installed. I really like the foot pedal, did not think I would, but it makes work so easy by just moving your foot forward or backwards. This is especially true in hilly conditions. Take a serious look at the Kubotas, you will not be disappointed, and use the time and effort others have put into research to reach your conclusion.

 

[Dieselnut59]

This is my first post to this forum. I do not have a diesel truck, but I do have a Kubota L5030 diesel tractor that I haul with my brother's 2001 Dodge turbo diesel. I bought the tractor, he bought the truck. Use them both for my hilly 45 acre farm in southeast Ohio and his flat 9 acres near Columbus. I looked at all the current popular models:NH, JD, Chinese, etc. Settled on the Kubota with the HST-would not trade it for the world. Handles any chore I could ask of it, uses very little fuel and starts every time. Got the bucket and four-wheel drive. Definitely get four wheel drive even for flat land, it makes such a difference in performance, and get the bucket-it is like velcro in that you wonder what you will use it for before you buy it, then you cannot believe all the uses you find for it once it is installed. I really like the foot pedal, did not think I would, but it makes work so easy by just moving your foot forward or backwards. This is especially true in hilly conditions. Take a serious look at the Kubotas, you will not be disappointed, and use the time and effort others have put into research to reach your conclusion.

Could not agree more! You will love the "M" series, like the 5700 you checked out. After operating my friend's M5700, is when I decided it was time to get rid of my clunky 4630 New Holland (55 horsepower). There is a WORLD of difference in the ease of operation, smoothness of running, fit and finish and opertor comfort between the 1998 New Holland I had and the 2004 M5700 my friend has. I am totally sold on Kubota equipment. I love my M9000. Definately get the loader and 4x4. A cab is also very nice, especially when mowing in 100 degree weather.

 

[Murle]

Go price a Deere machine and then price any name brand tractor, and I'll bet that the prices are pretty close. As for Zetor, how many dealers are in the country? And what about their parts? It isn't by chance that Deere as been #1 in ag sales since the early 1960's.

As far as price,Zetor is about half the cost of the majors here in the US. For Example I bought a 106HP Cab and air 4x4 for 34,000. Less than half of a JD. Same warranty 2 years. Here is some history on Zetor... . Murle



The agricultural tractors' history can be traced back to the beginning of the 19th century, and is connected with the first attempts to utilize the improved steam engine for agricultural purposes. The first practically usable tractor using a combustion engine was constructed by American designers in the USA in 1901.







At the beginning of 1920s, the tractor industry started to develop in the Czech Republic. In 1927, the first company dealing with production of tractors of the more modern conception was Škoda Company in Plzeň. Other companies that started to produce tractors at the end of the 1920s were the Czech-Moravian Kolben - Daněk Company and Wichterle - Kovařík Company in Prostějov.



These first producers of the Czech tractor production industry were later on replaced by the trade mark, which, after the end of the Second World War, became the only representative of the Czech tractors producers - Zetor.



The predecessor of the Zetor tractors was produced in one of the biggest and most renowned industrial companies in Czechoslovakia - Zbrojovka Brno in 1945. The first prototype of a tractor was finished on November 14, 1945.



In the birth certificate of the Zetor tractors there can be found the date of March 15, 1946, where, at a small ceremony, there were handed over three Zetor 25 tractors. At the same time, there were introduced the Zetor 15 tractors. On August 17, 1946 the Zetor trademark was entered into the Trade Entrepreneurial Chamber of the Czecho-Slovak Republic.



The Zetor trademark was created by connection of the letter "Z" representing the name of Zbrojovka company and the two last letters of the word "tractor".



Through the development of the first Zetor tractors, not only the trademark of Zetor was established, but also its long-term existence.



Zetor Company is therefore the producer of tractors with almost 60-year tradition. However, it is also the only producer of such machinery on the Czech Republic.



Since the launch of the Zetor tractors production in 1946, there has been produced over 1. 1 million tractors, of which about 75 % were exported to 90 countries of 5 continents of the world. This significantly export oriented strategy of the company has been maintained till now. For example, 134,084 Zetor tractors were exported to Asia during the years 1961 - 2000, of which over 83,000 were delivered to Iraq, over 21,000 to India, 11,000 to China, etc.







After the launch of tractors production in Zbrojovka, in 1947 the production output gradually increased to as many as 3,500 tractors. These started to be used not only by domestic, but also foreign customers in Poland, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden.





Taken into consideration the fact, that Zbrojovka Company aimed their business efforts towards other areas, the production of Zetor tractors lowered. In spite of the fact that after the model Zetor 25, in the middle of 1950s, there were developed the more powerful models of Zetor 35 Super and Zetor 50 Super (in the wheel as well as the crawler version), their production was shut down at the end of the 1960s. Then, till the year 1975, Zbrojovka continued to supply some Zetor 50 Super components to a tractor assembly plant in Barma (Myanmar). The production of the Zetor engines for tractors completion and other end products was maintained in Zbrojovka.



On January 1, 1950, one of the Zbrojovka's plants in Líšeň was transformed into the Precise Engineering Plant Brno - Líšeň. This plant was the one, to which the production of Zetor 25 tractors was transferred in 1952. These tractors in modifications Zetor 25 A and Zetor 25 K, were produced till the year 1961. The Zetor tractors production found its stable place here, and it has been so up till now. Over the years, the company went through numerous organizational changes as well as name changes. As of November 1, 1976 the Zetor trademark became the name of the company as well.



The successor of the popular types of tractors was the tractor UŘ I, for which there was applied a - at the time - very progressive concept, the use of unified components. In the year 1968 there were produced the first UŘ II tractors. These satisfied the needs of higher performance. In 1981, production of these tractors was transferred to ZŤS Martin in Slovakia. The following period started by the launch of lot production of UŘ III tractors in 1991. These, thanks to their technical concept and parameters met the expectations and demands of our customers.







Shortly after the launch of UŘ III tractor production in 1992, the innovated UŘ I tractors appeared on the market as well, and these are offered to our customers till now, as an economical line of tractors, bearing the name Major.

The further development and innovation process of UŘ I tractors was characterized by the efforts to meet the more and more strict criteria and requirements for protection of the environment in the developed countries. In 1997 there was introduced a new line of tractors to the market, named Super. These fulfilled the valid requirements of the emission limits of the 1st degree. Later on, in 2004 they were replaced by the modern UŘ I tractors, which meet the stricter emission limits of the 2nd degree, and at the present are the part of the main trade program of Zetor company, known as the Proxima line.



In addition, the development did not cease when it comes to UŘ III tractors, either. They were significantly modernized and in 1998 they were introduced to the market as Forterra tractors. In 2002, the Forterra line was extended by a so far most powerful Zetor model with the performance of 120 HP. The present Forterra line presents the medium performance tractors. With the lower performance Proxima line tractors, they are able to satisfy the highest needs of our customers, including the latest regulations regarding the tractors operation. The following innovated generation of the Proxima and Forterra lines will appear on the market in near future.







The applied technologies create the fundamental conditions for production of high quality products, which we regard crucial. To ensure this quality, the overall tractors production organized and managed in compliance with ISO 9001 norms and regulations; till 1999 it was certified by the English Lloyďs Register. The product quality audit system of the crucial components (gear boxes, hydraulics, engines) and final products, which was applied till 1999, enables daily quality evaluation as well as taking the measures ensuring its improvement.



The ecological aspects of the production are also highly important. The stress is put on ecological production technologies as well as on own products. As an example, we can mention the replacement of synthetic paints by water-dilutable. Through this, there was achieved a significant decrease of emissions of organic substances in processes of surface finishing.





By signing the agreements on June 29, 2002 the Slovak HTC Holding entered Zetor joint-stock company. This company bought out cca 98 % of Zetor shares from The Czech Consolidation Agency.



The aim of the foreign investment of the HTC Holding, is to bring the Zetor trademark to the position at the world markets it used to have, to enlarge the present product scale of the products and to stabilize the economic situation of the company.



After the strategic partner's entrance to Zetor company, there was launched the restructuring process and there were taken measures to achieve the decrease of costs while maintaining the level of the sales of tractors, engines, and spare parts.



The applied restructuring measures had a positive impact in the results of the company. Zetor Company showed balanced net income since September 2002. The company saw the positive consolidated result for the year 2003 of 14. 75 mil. CZK.



The year 2003 was a significant year for Zetor Company with regards to its future, economic stability, as well as modernization and development of product scale. In 2003, Zetor sales reached the level of 2. 5 bill. CZK. The company's overall production was 4,629 tractors and the sales was 4,848 tractors, 1,099 engines, 1,076 tons of forgings, and spare parts for its daughter company Zetor_P. D. C. , with the value of 114. 9 mil. CZK. The portion of products exported was 96 %.

 

[MLeppen]

I have a Kubota L2500 4wd that is just tough as nails 27hp Diesel,and think they are the top of the line plus they make their own engines. Stay away from grey tractors some people have had a hard time with parts,literature,etc.

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