[AT] Compact tractors

Tue Dec 15 19:40:19 PST 2015

Mike,

Loader lifts front end and then put cribbing under tires and back out. Have done half a dozen times already.

Also have MF 35 Deluxe I really like, but no loader on it, and meet to rebuild the 3 point lift after a few other projects are done.

Thanks
Dennis

Sent from my iPad

> On Dec 15, 2015, at 9:19 PM, Mike M <meulenms at gmx.com> wrote:
> 
> Dennis,
> For 10-15% of new, I would say you can't complain either. I had a Massey 
> 255 and too many times when i got on soft ground the front end would 
> plow in like you described and I was done. I use this tractor daily, it 
> was getting to the point where I was working on in more than I was using 
> it. It had the Perkins diesel however that was hard to beat. If I were 
> you, I would find a way to rig a winch to the back of the tractor, maybe 
> some sort of 3 point attachment. You could pull yourself out, and are it 
> would still be way cheaper than 4x4.
> 
> Mike M
> 
> 
>> On 12/15/2015 6:46 PM, Dennis Johnson wrote:
>> Warren,
>> 
>> I recently got a shuttle shift IH 2504 loader tractor (Industrial version of IH 504) with shuttle shift. The shuttle shift works great. First time I had used one and I can see why they are great. It is a little old, has linkage play, etc. but it is still great. Mine is 2 wheel drive so front can bury front easy in soft soil. Need a heavy box blade for the rear with a few counter weights.
>> I got it for about 10% to 15% of the price of a new 4 x 4 version, so I can't complain too much. Had to rebuild the bucket, and replace a few hoses, but still not a bad deal.
>> 
>> Thanks
>> Dennis
>> 
>> Sent from my iPad
>> 
>>> On Dec 15, 2015, at 11:55 AM, Mike M <meulenms at gmx.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Warren, i think you'll learn to love the shuttle shift, it give's you almost the same control for loader work without the hydro whine. It also allows you to use it as a regular manual transmission, which was nice for me, since I was used to that. I have the Mahindra 4035 shuttle shift, and have been happy so far. I use it hard and the dealer actually encourages me to "run the snot" out of it.  Your dealer can make all the difference in the world, I have had one problem with mine the hydraulic pump started to leak, after I used the loader to move 60 tons of crushed asphalt. I called the dealer, and he told me the problem was rare, but he has seen it with some rough castings on the pump. Rather than waste my time with trying to find the leak, he ordered me a whole new pump. He picked my tractor up on a Thursday night and had it back to me the next afternoon, no problems since.
>>> 
>>> The county recently took down a bunch of old growth Maple, Hickory, and Oak trees because they were starting to die, I used my tractor and bucket to haul a butt load of it home. I surprised myself with what it would haul. Hope you get your back hoe situation taken care of.  Here's a picture of the wood I've hauled home so far, the picture doesn't do it justice, I'm going to be very busy for the next few weeks.
>>> 
>>> Mike M
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> On 12/13/2015 8:11 PM, Mogrits wrote:
>>>> To add to this, I went up there and they did not have a 2538 HST on the
>>>> yard, but they did have a 2540 shuttle shift. It turns out the 2538 is
>>>> brand new and set to be a "price point" tractor. They don't think they can
>>>> actually get one until after the new year.
>>>> 
>>>> My reasoning for the hydrostatic was for FEL work but after running the
>>>> 2540 I realized the shuttle shift would work just fine. So, I bought a
>>>> Mahindra 2540 Shuttle with a FEL and a backhoe as well as a set of forks
>>>> and a canopy. I have used it some but not as much as I'd like since we took
>>>> a weeks vacation after Thanksgiving.
>>>> 
>>>> In short I am very pleased but I do have a few complaints I intend to share
>>>> with my Dealer. Mahindra installs a subframe to receive the backhoe
>>>> attachment and it was delivered installed. I wanted to drop the backhoe and
>>>> use the three point and that's where the fun began. They have a hydraulic
>>>> fitting that badly interferes with withdrawing the retaining pin on the
>>>> upper right side of the hoe. I had to loosen the fitting and turn it to a
>>>> very unnatural angle to withdraw the pin enough to remove the backhoe. This
>>>> is made unnecessarily messy because the hydraulics are needed to rock the
>>>> hoe off the tractor so the pressure could not be relieved first.
>>>> 
>>>> Then, when I needed to install the three point arms which cannot be mounted
>>>> along with the backhoe, there is interference with a 19mm bolt that mounts
>>>> the hoe subframe to the tractor. This bolt was obviously installed using an
>>>> impact wrench and without mine I'd have never been able to get them out. To
>>>> me, this is a serious drawback to a fellow who wanted to change attachments
>>>> in the field, as I need an assortment of wrenches as well as the 19mm
>>>> impact socket to get the arms attached.
>>>> 
>>>> I'm not sure if anyone else has ever had this issue with another brand
>>>> tractor and if it is normal or not.
>>>> 
>>>> Other than that, the tractor is very powerful, starts easily, does not do
>>>> the new diesel "regen cycle" kubotas do to meet emissions and seems to be
>>>> very fuel efficient. It is also very comfortable and the controls are well
>>>> placed, if unfamiliar to me as an inexperienced operator. I do wish it had
>>>> an onboard toolbox considering it needs tools to change some implements.
>>>> 
>>>> I have not figured out where to put my cupholders and stereo yet, but will
>>>> keep you informed.
>>>> 
>>>> Warren
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>> On Wed, Nov 18, 2015 at 3:38 PM, Mogrits <mogrits at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> Thanks to several of y'alls responses I checked out the Mahindras online
>>>>> and figured out the comparable model and called our Mahindra dealer about
>>>>> 40 minutes away.
>>>>> 
>>>>> I called asking about a 1500 series tractor but after we talked a while he
>>>>> had me moved a class up to a 2500 series for the same price as the Kubota
>>>>> and only a little more than the New Holland. I'm going up there friday to
>>>>> see for myself but it is sounding like I may have a Mahindra 2538 HST in my
>>>>> future.
>>>>> 
>>>>> What sold me mostly was the added weight and one particular video online
>>>>> of similar rated tractors lined up trying to lift a pallet of sakrete. The
>>>>> New Holland and Kubotas tires came off the ground while the Mahindra lifted
>>>>> it and drove away. That seems backed up by what a lot of y'all said about
>>>>> the Mahindras seemed to be a little more old styled and of heavier castings.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Warren
>>>>> 
>>>>> On Tue, Nov 17, 2015 at 11:51 PM, Scott Williams <
>>>>> swillia5 at rochester.rr.com> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> For that kind of usage, and with the employees using it as well, one of
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> advantages of the newer machines is the almost "automatic" shifting and
>>>>>> forward/reversing offered on a lot of machines.  I noticed as soon as I
>>>>>> got
>>>>>> my '72 Massey Ferguson 135 that if it had a loader, it would be a lot of
>>>>>> work to do the back and forth shifting to move things around (I don't
>>>>>> have a
>>>>>> loader.)  As it is, I am loving it for what I need clearing brush, but if
>>>>>> it
>>>>>> was for professional work (where time is money) I could see the major
>>>>>> difference in time that a shuttle shift would for many operations.  Even
>>>>>> with the clearing brush, the shifting and changing hi/lo takes a lot more
>>>>>> time.  For running a mower around a field, manual trans is great, but for
>>>>>> a
>>>>>> lot of other site work, it is a lot slower.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> The clunky shifting and taking your time with the work is part of the fun
>>>>>> of
>>>>>> old iron, but not the most efficient way to get certain jobs done.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Scott
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>> From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
>>>>>> [mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of Mogrits
>>>>>> Sent: Monday, November 16, 2015 10:51 PM
>>>>>> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [AT] Compact tractors
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Hi Herb!
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I visited the Kubota dealer today and actually drove the L3901. I think it
>>>>>> will do what I need. The salesman I talked to was an owner of the
>>>>>> dealership
>>>>>> so I did not get a lot of sales talk from him. He asked me all the right
>>>>>> questions and knew his stuff. He educated me a good bit. One of the things
>>>>>> he asked me was why I walked in thinking I wanted that model tractor. I
>>>>>> told
>>>>>> him I'd looked at the specs on line and thought the horsepower rating was
>>>>>> about right considering my Jubilee was slightly less hp and considered a
>>>>>> double bottom plow capable tractor. He was smart to tell me compacts
>>>>>> didn't
>>>>>> work that way because they don't weigh enough to get all their horsepower
>>>>>> transferred to the ground. I'd never thought of that. Then again, I never
>>>>>> planned to pull a double bottom plow with it anyways.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I want a new compact for this tractor because #1, I want at least one key
>>>>>> turner in my stable of tractors. If this makes sense- having an operable,
>>>>>> reliable tractor will give me more time to work on my older tractors. As
>>>>>> it
>>>>>> is now, each tractor usage consists of 3 hours of expedient tractor repair
>>>>>> to perform one hours work with it. If I can reliably do my chores quickly
>>>>>> I
>>>>>> can then have time to lovingly work on my old iron.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> #2 reason is precisely because it is so light. Trailering it will not be a
>>>>>> huge hassle and this tractor will be used on my construction jobs to do
>>>>>> light sitework with the bucket and to dig some footings and occasional
>>>>>> trenches for conduits, etc. Truth be told a skidsteer would do this better
>>>>>> but they weigh so much I then get into a situation of buying a road
>>>>>> vehicle
>>>>>> to tow one legally with all the additional insurance and CDLs that
>>>>>> involves.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> #3 Reason is related to #2, and that is that I will have employees
>>>>>> operating
>>>>>> it sometimes. Now we all know employees are rougher on equipment than we
>>>>>> are
>>>>>> ourselves, but they are far, far rougher on equipment they perceive to be
>>>>>> inferior or antiquated, and it is rare the employee that can diagnose an
>>>>>> ignition or fuel issue in the field and meanwhile, their timeclock is
>>>>>> ticking away.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> So for this tractor, it has to be new or damn near new.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Warren
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> On Mon, Nov 16, 2015 at 12:14 PM, Herb Metz <metz-h.b at comcast.net> wrote:
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Warren,
>>>>>>> Don't get around much any more; so had to google Nortrac.
>>>>>>> There are some benefits to 'restored common tractors'; only problem
>>>>>>> being finding one, especially with front wheel assist.  Don't know
>>>>>>> what JD, IHC, and lessers offered;  AC only had a 6000 series where
>>>>>>> FWA was optional, so parts availability may become a concern there.
>>>>>>> After AC demise in 1985, AGCO became eventual owner and they are not
>>>>>>> very interested in AC parts manufacture.  Suggest monitoring various
>>>>>>> forums if you decide to consider a used tractor.  One of the problems
>>>>>>> 'used'  do not have is "too much blankety electronics"; that comes
>>>>>>> from a Kubota owner of several years who was not getting much sympathy
>>>>>>> or assistance from the local dealer when I was shopping for a gin
>>>>>>> pole. The guys tractor was out in the woods (where he could not get at
>>>>>>> it to retrieve it) and he was needing to know what all electronics he
>>>>>>> could check  to determine what was keeping it from even attempting to
>>>>>>> start. Unfortunately, this was not the first such occurrence.
>>>>>>> On a side note, the Cumming, GA tractor show (Nov 13 & 14) had a
>>>>>>> restored
>>>>>>> 1958 Ford with F.W. Assist ; a local guy found it in Minnesota.
>>>>>>> According to previous owner, Dodge Power Wagon had a contract with
>>>>>>> Ford; primary purpose was logging.  Today it has a soft future as a
>>>>>>> good looking trailer queen.
>>>>>>> Herb(GA)
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>>> From: Mogrits
>>>>>>> Sent: Monday, November 16, 2015 8:31 AM
>>>>>>> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
>>>>>>> Subject: [AT] Compact tractors
>>>>>>> I'm in the market for a compact tractor. I've narrowed it to a Kubota
>>>>>>> L3901 or a Nortrac 35XT.
>>>>>>> Both come with a font bucket and a rear backhoe. Does anyone know any
>>>>>>> firsthand information on the Nortrac or for that matter the Kubota?
>>>>>>> We have a local Kubota dealer but I've yet to learn who or where I'd
>>>>>>> get Nortrac service from.
>>>>>>> Thanks
>>>>>>> Warren
>>>>>>> 
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