New basic Tractor choices?

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
Just starting to have a look at what is about on the market to replace the old Zetor in the Spring! Possiby the last one I'll buy so probs going to have a nice spanker again, as I am never really that keen on 2nd handers having seen too many clunkers come back into "life" for some poor soul. Never actually bought a 2nd hand tractor in fact...

Looking for a new GFW tractor, 80-90hp, 4WD, FEL, capable of a spot of moderately heavier work now and then, but only doing 600hrs/annum as the workload is spread over other kit. Reasonable cab and usual bells and whistles inside. Good seat absolutely essential for my back!!!! Electro-hydraulics and usual sensible back end stuff like PUH, 3-4 D/A spools.

I have looked at a couple of "stockman" tractors from the bigger manufacturers and been less than impressed, and when doing a small amount of research, do hear some stories of less than robust engineering from mechanics working on them!

Not bothered if it's non mainstream at all, I have a Kioti 50hp compact that has blown me away at how good it is on build! :) However their range is a bit limited at the 70hp+ end of the market. Dealer a stretch too, since Reco packed up.

Basic engine tech would be appealing as with such low hours, I question the necessity of ad blue and the like.

AS you can probably tell,I am in no way a tractor junkie, so I'd value any suggestions of machines to look at in the coming weeks. The old argument against buying "Eastern or Foreign" tractors is a bit of joke in this day and age, with mainstream tractors being manufactured just about anywhere such as the MF Global range... China I think? NH in Turkey and India? etc etc
 

kill

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
South West
Kubota's where I'd be looking first as can come with a 5 year warranty and it's their own machine unlike alot of major manufacturers as they seam to virtually buy a cheap nasty foreign skid unit and fit their cab and engine.


A trip to Lamma would be well worth while if I was you and it's free;)
 
Last edited:

Cowabunga

Member
Location
Ceredigion,Wales
Your are not going to get basic engine tech from now on, so forget it. For the loader I would go for a 100hp tractor with four speed semi-powershift, high flow hydraulics, a good Grammer air seat and mechanical cab suspension in combination with loader suspension.
80 to 90hp is possible but 100hp is better, more versatile and probably cost not much more if the choices are of farm tractors, not light utility ones.

Look at the main farm tractors from MF, JD and Case/New Holland. Not the bargain basement poverty pack lightweight ones, seeing as this is to be your last new tractor. Get something that will last you out and that you can be proud of and will attract the greatest number of people to buy it when you have finished with it.

The contractor with umbilical slurry system landed here this evening and his NH TS100 has now passed the 18000 hour mark and is running like a dirty watch. It must have had a few repairs, but its still running. He sold a TM135 range command [unless it was a TM140] a couple of years ago, still good, with 15,000 hours on it. That's the kind of quality you get with mainstream tractors that are built strong enough for the job and looked after reasonably well. I know you will not run that many hours but 600 per year is still a substantial number of hours and it mounts up. Loader work is also fairly taxing on a tractor, especially if too lightly built for the job.
 

Cowabunga

Member
Location
Ceredigion,Wales
Kubota do make their own smaller lighter units, but they are not really up to the design and driver experience of the mainstream tractors just yet. They are reliable but repair prices when things do go wrong, and they do, can make your eyes water twice as much as with any other mainstream model. They are reasonably good serviceable tractors lacking the refinements expected by owners used to other brands. Unless they have new models since I had a good look last, which was about six years ago.

That's until you get to the 100hp+ tractors where they get more serious. The newer models built in France are especially impressive, even though they use 'cheap nasty foreign skid units' from ZF. They are rather good skid units though, but the OP isn't in that market.

Check the Kubota out and compare cab noise, comfort, room, suspension, whether eco PTO is fitted, the flow rate of the hydraulics, the pressure, whether the PTO can be turned by hand to allow easy implement coupling, all that kind of thing and more. Also the service intervals and cost, and parts cost including filters.
How easy is it to change out the PTO clutch? The 4wd clutch? The labour time and cost? The fuel consumption.

If all of those are more than competitive and make the potential customer happy, they have found their ideal tractor. If its a Kubota, great, I'm happy for them.
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
Kubota's where I'd be looking first as can come with a 5 year warranty and it's their own machine unlike alot of major manufacturers as they seam to virtually buy a cheap nasty foreign skid unit and fit their cab and engine.


A trip to Lamma would be well worth while if I was you and it's free;)

Ta for that. I actually had a look at a low mileage Kubota a few months ago, but it had been on a dairy farm all it's short life and wasn't for me.... ;-)

Local dealers seem to be pushing some deals so I will pop in an enquire when i am in Shrewsbury. (y)
 

balerman

Member
Location
N Devon
As said above you need proper size tractor for this,trouble is the don't really start till you get to 120hp from the main brands with a price to match.The next size down will do the job,but long term I would worry about reliability(Case Luxxum,NH T5,Deere 5R) and lots of electronics.I would look at Kubota.
 
Have a look at a 57 series Massey or GX series Kubota. The Massey will be a bit dearer but both makes would make great all rounders. We run Kubotas in small tractors and Masseys in the big stuff, We have recently purchased a Kubota 135GX and are very happy with it. Cant comment on the Masseys in that hp bracket, we have not brought a new one under 130hp for a long time. My brother brought a Massey 5450 a few years back with loader its around 100hp and his pretty rough with it and he has had no real issues with it so far. The 57 series is the latest incarnation of that series of tractor. Good luck with the shopping.
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
MF5610 or a Kubota. Zetor worth a look, but personally theyre not enough cheaper than the competition to justify what you get for the brass

Think the same on teh Zetor range these days. Had numerous new Zetors over the years, traditionally, we ran them for 2000hrs and got rid of them, as the problems started to mount up :) Did all we wanted of them, getting bigger each time from the mid 1970s, finished off with 95hp. All new .
 
Last edited:

Muck Spreader

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Limousin
I would have a good look at an M5111 Kubota. Was just about to order one before Christmas but the dealer had JD6220se come in PX which turned my head. So only time will tell if it was the right decision. A part from the obvious that it was half the price, the lighter weight of the Kubota did concern me as a loader tractor as did limited front tyre width.
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
As said above you need proper size tractor for this,trouble is the don't really start till you get to 120hp from the main brands with a price to match.The next size down will do the job,but long term I would worry about reliability(Case Luxxum,NH T5,Deere 5R) and lots of electronics.I would look at Kubota.

Problem is "what is a proper tractor"? I neither need nor want 120hp, long experience is that 90hp is more than adequate for my needs and unless the Contract farming arrangement goes tits up, I don't see myself doing much mainstream arable work in the future.... But who knows!! Kubota seems to get a few thumbs up. As I said, from experience the Kioti is probably the equal of Kubota build quality but not as well known for larger tractors here in the UK, also a little more basic on smaller tractors.
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
Have a look at a 57 series Massey or GX series Kubota. The Massey will be a bit dearer but both makes would make great all rounders. We run Kubotas in small tractors and Masseys in the big stuff, We have recently purchased a Kubota 135GX and are very happy with it. Cant comment on the Masseys in that hp bracket, we have not brought a new one under 130hp for a long time. My brother brought a Massey 5450 a few years back with loader its around 100hp and his pretty rough with it and he has had no real issues with it so far. The 57 series is the latest incarnation of that series of tractor. Good luck with the shopping.

The Massey Global models, appear a reasonable solution I agree. Low..ish tech and enough bells and whistles can be specced on purchase. Ta for the thoughts... actual shopping will wait until end Feb, when I see how the finances are looking ;-)
 

balerman

Member
Location
N Devon
Problem is "what is a proper tractor"? I neither need nor want 120hp, long experience is that 90hp is more than adequate for my needs and unless the Contract farming arrangement goes tits up, I don't see myself doing much mainstream arable work in the future.... But who knows!! Kubota seems to get a few thumbs up. As I said, from experience the Kioti is probably the equal of Kubota build quality but not as well known for larger tractors here in the UK, also a little more basic on smaller tractors.
600hrs a year is still a fair bit of work,and some of the things you stipulated are higher end items like 3/4 spool valves,electric hydraulics which are all available on 90hp tractors as options,but you will then bump up the cost to similar to the smallest in the next range up.Six years ago myself and 2 neighbours all bought 100hp loader tractors of the size you are talking about(MF5440,Deere 5080R and NH T5070)all 3 have had expensive problems,transmission,brakes and fuel system,all less than 3000hrs.I cant help feeling if they had been heavier built ranges ie MF6400,NH T6 and JD6M/R they would have coped better,none were doing heavy work either really.
 
Had to call into my local valtra stealer yesterday ,he's now selling mccormicks as well,he had a couple of new ones on show, a 5 series and 6.He made the comment that the 5 was a lighter type tractor about 3.5t,and the 6 4t+ ,but both have the same engine.
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
Your are not going to get basic engine tech from now on, so forget it. For the loader I would go for a 100hp tractor with four speed semi-powershift, high flow hydraulics, a good Grammer air seat and mechanical cab suspension in combination with loader suspension.
80 to 90hp is possible but 100hp is better, more versatile and probably cost not much more if the choices are of farm tractors, not light utility ones.

Look at the main farm tractors from MF, JD and Case/New Holland. Not the bargain basement poverty pack lightweight ones, seeing as this is to be your last new tractor. Get something that will last you out and that you can be proud of and will attract the greatest number of people to buy it when you have finished with it.

The contractor with umbilical slurry system landed here this evening and his NH TS100 has now passed the 18000 hour mark and is running like a dirty watch. It must have had a few repairs, but its still running. He sold a TM135 range command [unless it was a TM140] a couple of years ago, still good, with 15,000 hours on it. That's the kind of quality you get with mainstream tractors that are built strong enough for the job and looked after reasonably well. I know you will not run that many hours but 600 per year is still a substantial number of hours and it mounts up. Loader work is also fairly taxing on a tractor, especially if too lightly built for the job.

Thanks for the thoughts. I suspected I would struggle finding a low tech engine nowadays. Wishful thinking I guess...

Excellent point on having a strong enough tractor for FEL work. Seen more than one over the years that was not really man enough, as the load lifting has increased over the years from a small fork of muck to 3/4t silage bales.
 

rookswood

Member
Location
Gatwick
If you need a solid loader tractor around the 90hp bracket you can’t go wrong with the MF 5610. Everything you need on the joystick for loading and great visibility but can still hold its own in the field.
 

Mursal

Member
Thought you were Irish there for a minute ........
Gods own County, Shropshire of course .................. :scratchhead:

Strong local dealer backup worth a bit?
Otherwise you could go for an older low tech tractor, but you already have on of those. Massey or John Deere for residual resale value, just pick the right model.
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
Thought you were Irish there for a minute ........
Gods own County, Shropshire of course .................. :scratchhead:

Strong local dealer backup worth a bit?
Otherwise you could go for an older low tech tractor, but you already have on of those. Massey or John Deere for residual resale value, just pick the right model.

Strong Irish connections, if that counts... :)

Massey sounding better from comments here and elsewhere. Will sound out the local Dealers I think.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 80 42.3%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 66 34.9%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 15.9%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,293
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
Top