[AT] Misc tractor recommendations?

[jtchall at nc.rr.com]

John S., 2 vey good points you made!

  We don't deal with the amount of snow most folks on here get but 
occasionaly we get some pretty nice snow events. I agree that you can run 
out of HP real quick. We don't have anything with four wheel drive so that 
is a consideration as well. We generally scrape snow with a 40 hp tractor 
simply because it is gas (cranks easy). The only other one we have with 3pt 
is a 90 hp Deere that has always been addicted to a block heater and strong 
batteries in cold weather (anything under 45 deg.) Occasionaly the smaller 
tractor can't take a full cut with the blade, we just deal with it by taking 
a little extra time/more passes or switching to the Deere.

Never really thought about it but some estate sales I have been to really 
did have some nice equipment that had not been abused. I suppose sometimes 
the equipment may have been completely worn out if the fellow was older and 
had made a business decision that what he had to work with was going to do 
the job regardless of its condition until he was no longer able to use it.

John Hall


-----Original Message----- 
From: John Slavin
Sent: Saturday, November 02, 2013 12:58 PM
To: AT at lists.antique-tractor.com
Subject: [AT] Misc tractor recommendations?

Dean:

I have a quarter mile drive to get to the blacktop, so I spent a fair amount 
of time clearing our road myself.  If you really want to stay red and older 
iron, I'd at least suggest getting something with live pto and live 
hydraulics.  My old 450 works really well. It has wide front, which I think 
is important for snow. I added a 3pt aftermarket hitch and 3 pt blade. It 
already had my dad's international 2001 loader.  My dad had taken off the 
bucket and fashioned a front blade that's about 2 feet wider than the 
tractor.  I run the front blade about a foot off the ground and the 3pt 
blade takes the snow down to gravel.  You're gonna want a set of chains and 
a heat houser.  Now having said all that, my neighbor bought a little 50 hp 
Deere with cab and front assist.  The last 3-4 years, we've used that for 
winter road.  It's mighty nice to be inside a cab.  However, I keep thinking 
that he would have been better off buying something a little bit bigger, 
even if a little older.   !
It's not big enough to pull a bat wing mower in the summer and it doesn't 
have the weight to really roll that snow.

Keep your eyes open for an estate sale.  I've always thought that was a good 
source because there was nothing distressed about the equipment, the farmer 
just died.  And like somebody else mentioned, perhaps buy something a bit 
bigger than can be regularly trailered, and you'll be surprised how much 
tractor you can buy.

If is was starting from scratch, the first thing I'd look at what dealer you 
have available to you.  For me, the nearest red dealer is a hour drive away, 
whereas Deere is 5 minutes.  That's a no brainer for me.

As for mowing, I have a Sears mower with a 20 horse onan engine, with a 50 
inch deck.  It's a beast and has been reasonably reliable for a number of 
years.  But the transmission is junk.  It has lots of slow gears, one fast 
gear and no gears where you need them.  So I'd certainly get something with 
hydrostatic drive, if you're going that direction.  My mower did break down 
this summer and I borrowed my neighbor's Deere, zero turn machine.  It's 
very, very handy and maneuverable.  I'd seriously look at those if what 
you're mowing is reasonably flat.

John Slavin



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