[AT] Misc tractor recommendations?

Mon Nov 4 07:19:10 PST 2013

That sounds like a nice machine Len, you are right the 255 is heavy and 
using it in the yard or pasture when it's wet will leave ruts.
Mike M

On 11/3/2013 3:36 PM, Len Rugen wrote:
> I have a MF255 also :-).  I bought the 255 to be more HP than anything else we had on the farm, then bought the K3130 to be a landscaping tractor we could haul and it's the only loader I have.  The 3130 does a lot of work for it's size, I have the gear drive - shuttle shift tractor, not the HST.  We have done a lot of pretty heavy work with it, piling brush with the loader.  I got a tooth bar for the loader so it digs pretty good and haven't bent the bucket.  It is a Bush Hog loader, I think it's heavier built than the Kubota.  I have to be careful, limbs can occasionally find their way inside the engine compartment and attack the belts.  A weakness of these is breaking the plastic radiator tanks, loosing coolant and overheating the engine, which usually ruins it.
>
> The Kubota will run out of traction before it runs out of HP for loader or heavy/slow work, but for field work, say pulling a 10' drill, but it may be that that task hit the gap in the Hi/Lo range.  1Hi was out of HP, 4Lo was slow with excess HP.   The 255 would have left tracks the drill wouldn't cover :-)
>
> My 255 is in pretty good shape, just under 2900 hours, I bought it with about 1500.  My power steering is weak after it warms up, but only when going slow, it's not noticed at field speed.
>
>
> The 3130 has probably earned it's keep.  The landscaping business (my sons) still uses the tractor some, but a skid steer is faster for dirt work and he often just rents one when he needs one.  For me, the 3130 is the right size, a few more HP might be nice at times if it fit in the same package and didn't add much weight.
>
>   
> Len Rugen
>
> rugenl at yahoo.com - May also be used when responding as rugenl at prairiehome.k12.mo.us
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Sunday, November 3, 2013 11:36 AM, Mike <meulenms at gmx.com> wrote:
>   
> Len, how do you like your 3130? Like I said before, I have the Massey
> 255, but it's becoming a maintenance intensive machine. The use I give
> it is actually pretty hard on it. Small little jobs, running for 10-15
> minutes at a time and a lot of shifting; and it's too big for tight
> quarters. Do you ever wish for more power, or traction, or does the 3130
> give you everything you need? Thanks, Mike M
>
> On 11/1/2013 10:14 PM, Len Rugen wrote:
>> I have a Kubota L3130, it's not antique, but there is a time for modern.....  It is MFWD, had a loader and industrial tires.  It handles up to 18" snow pretty good, deeper and you "dig" through it.  I have a 6' 3pt finish mower, the industrial tires are a compromise between turf and ag, they don't seem to tear up grass as bad a ag tires.
>>
>> A loader is VERY handy, on small tractors, a loader without MFWD is much less handy.
>>
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>>
>> On Friday, November 1, 2013 8:03 PM, "jtchall at nc.rr.com" <jtchall at nc.rr.com> wrote:
>>    
>> Unless I'm confused, the M you have is WAY too nice to get dirty. Having
>> said that, other than towing a trailer around, there isn't much you can do
>> with it. The one here is only used for field work, no farm chores, just too
>> cumbersome.
>>
>> For maintaining the property, I would want something fairly modern--3pt,
>> live PTO, 12 volt, power steering. Also it would have to be something
>> reliable and that parts and a knowlegable mechanic are available locally.
>> Green, Red, Blue or Orange, you need the same work machine as everyone else
>> in the neighborhood.
>>
>> Every tractor here is older than me except one. It is a chore sometimes to
>> keep all of them ready and reliable at a moments notice. We got in a
>> situation just a few years back in which all the lawnmowers were ancient and
>> worn out (dad had amassed 3 Deeres and 3 Cadets). Not having enough money to
>> put them all in top condition, I got dad to sell 3 and I bought a huge
>> Cadet. He never complained and I don't have to help fix a lawnmower every
>> week. Plus it covers 3 times the grass in the same time frame.
>>
>> If you really want an old tractor to maintain the place, look into one that
>> has been rebuilt from the radiator to the drawbar, or get a fixer-upper and
>> do the work yourself.
>>
>> Woods makes a great finish mower. My cousin mows his 2 acre front yard every
>> week with one, aprox 7 foot cut, behind a 35-40hp Deere. It has 4 gauge
>> wheels heavy enough to carry the mower completely. It cuts as pretty as any
>> lawnmower ever built.
>>
>> Just my $.02
>> John Hall
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Dean Vinson
>> Sent: Friday, November 01, 2013 7:19 PM
>> To: 'Antique tractor email discussion group'
>> Subject: [AT] Misc tractor recommendations?
>>
>> My rural home-hunting plans are proceeding, and it appears we may have a
>> deal on a very nice old 35-acre place.  That's prompted me to consider what
>> types of equipment I'll need, and I'd be happy for any advice you folks on
>> the list can offer.
>>
>> Going in, my lone piece of equipment is a 1953 Super M Farmall, which
>> besides being just cool as heck will no doubt serve nobly on a whole range
>> of general chores--but isn't ideal for some of the things I'm considering.
>>
>> First up is plowing snow.  This place has a moderate-length gravel driveway
>> (couple hundred yards maybe) that according to the current owners tends to
>> get drifted over pretty deep now and then during the winter.  Any
>> recommendations on how to handle it?  I'm thinking 3-point rear blade on a
>> utility tractor, which would be a useful combination anyway.
>>
>> There's also a sizeable amount of lawn to mow, more than I'll want to do
>> with my trusty walk-behind push mower.  The current owners use a Kubota ZD28
>> zero-turn mower which they might sell rather than haul to their new home.
>> I'm tempted, especially if the price is right (don't know yet), but I'd
>> previously envisioned something like a Farmall Super A with a mower deck.
>> Any ideas for an old-tractor option that would let me finish mow in the
>> summer and do some light snowplowing in the winter?
>>
>> (An Oliver OC-3 with a dozer blade and a flail mower, maybe?  Can't blame a
>> guy for trying).
>>
>> Dean Vinson
>> Dayton, Ohio
>> www.vinsonfarm.net
>>
>>
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