Tractor Talk

This past weekend I was using my tractor a great deal to skid logs and clear brush and it got me thinking about tractors in general. By far, I believe the tractor is the most vital piece of equipment for small farming. It has so many functions and can reduce work load tremendously. When I talk tractors with other tractor owners, I am always entertained by the varying, but strong, opinions and preferences.

Which tractor is the best tractor to own? Wow, asking that question at a crowded feed store is like asking group of drunks in a sports bar in Columbus which Ohio pro football team sucks worse. You get my point. So how do you choose the right tractor if your in the market? There are thousands of resources and opinions on the internet that address this topic and instead of adding another I figured it could be more helpful discussing the steps that lead me to my decision.

I guess it would be helpful to mention what kind of tractor I do own. I purchased a new Kioti (pronounce Coyote – clever Chinese) DK35 back in 2002. This was my second tractor. My first was a used Kubota which I referred to as death on four wheels, but that is an entirely different story. I continue to be impressed by the Kioti. It has managed to handle all the work I have thrown at it and has held up well over the past 11 years.

When I was in the market to buy this tractor, the first concern was budget, of course. I knew John Deere and Kubota were the top of the heap when it came to tractor brands and I knew immediately I could not afford one. After owning a used tractor, I really wanted to go with a new model so I wasn’t inheriting someone else’s problems. There were key elements I was looking for in a new tractor:

#1 – Four Wheel Drive

In our area of West Virginia where flat land is rare, a two wheel drive tractor is almost pointless. Tractors are all torque and it is very easy to get the front wheels off the ground with a two wheel drive. I watched my brother do countless unexpected wheelies on his old Ford 9N. Not for me. 4×4 was a must.

#2 – Diesel Engine

If tractors are all torque, then a diesel is torque on steroids. My old Kubota tractor was a 22 HP diesel 4×4 that could climb trees and unfortunately, I tested that theory one time. Torque is your friend (as long as you can control it) and it helps you move many former immovable objects. Diesel also offers better fuel economy as far as consumption goes, but the current cost of diesel is eating into that benefit.

#3 – At Least 35 HP

I ended up with my absolute minimum in HP due to budget. I was very interested in a 45 HP but that step up was considerable in cost. On the tractor scale, mine is considered a small farm tractor, but with the work I have done with it over the past 11 years, I am very satisfied with the size. I couldn’t image trying to maneuver a much larger tractor on my logging roads and small trails. If I had a tractor with a cab, all of the windows would be gone by now due tree branches and limbs.

#4 – Front Loader

I can not say enough about how critical this accessory is. Choosing it forced me to come down from the 45 HP option but I knew I would not regret it. A front bucket can:

Lift anything that needs lifted – logs, dirt, sand, hay, animal carcasses, people, etc

Haul stuff from point A to point B – firewood, gravel, even wet concrete

Facilitate extraction from the mud even when the front axles are covered up

Be a perfect impromptu ladder or man lift (much to the chagrin of the wife)

Operate as a jack to lift the front of the tractor for maintenance (just make sure the hydraulics don’t bleed off or it could be a bad day)

One of the biggest benefits of the front loader I have come to love over the years is the ability to stir up a brush pile fire. I make it a point to pile brush up for burning so that I can easily access it on all sides with my tractor. When the center of the pile burns out, I simply use the bucket to shove all the unburned brush over the fire’s hot spot. Throughout the course of a day, I can have an entire pile burned up with little leftovers.

#5 – Ag Tires

For some reason, tires are a real sticking point for people when it comes to their tractors. To me, ag tread is the only way to go. Sure they can carve up a manicured lawn in one pass and are a hoot on the driveway when it is a solid sheet of ice, but any other time, they get me out of mud and don’t get clogged up. Some people prefer turf tires (which look like golf cart tires to me) because they are gentle on the grass. Others like industrial tread which is a less aggressive version of ag tread. While these are nice on gravel an dry ground, I have seen them clog quickly in our West Virginia red clay mud. At that point, they are as useful as racing slicks. Make sure the tires you want are on the tractor you are buying. Don’t assume you are going to switch them out easily after you buy it. Tractor tires are VERY expensive.

#6 – Seatbelt and ROPS (Roll Over Protection System)

These are now standard on almost all tractors, but the used market is still littered with tractors that have no roll bars or seatbelts. Some guys assume they can jump from the tractor as it starts to roll so they are not interested in a roll bar or seat belt. This is like saying I am just going to duck if someone tries to shoot me. Sounds logical – totally impossible. My uncle jumped from his tractor once as it was rolling but it caught up with him. Fortunately, it just smashed his knee as he landed between two large rocks that took the brunt of the tractor.

My first tractor did not have any safety equipment (pictured below). The time I had it up on two wheels like a farm version of the Dukes of Hazard was when I realized how nice it would be to have a roll bar. My Kioti offers a nice feature of a folding roll bar. Self defeating if I don’t put it back up, but it does allow me to get into buildings with low clearance or onto small trails with much overgrowth.

There are quite a few more features that the Kioti has that are very helpful, but I will refrain from detailing them all for the sake of everyone’s sanity.

When I had decided what I wanted in a tractor, I looked extensively for the best deal. I ended up driving to Weston to purchase my Kioti. My apprehension in buying a Chinese tractor was soon eliminated as the tractor performed splendidly on our property.

Attachments and accessories soon followed and now the tractor is the most utilized piece of equipment on the farm.

If you are in the market for a tractor, I encourage you to itemize the options that are important to you and are necessary to complete the work you are intending to do. Do not neglect safety. Tractors can be very dangerous if used recklessly. Most dealers offer a testing area so you can play in the dirt with them for a little while to get a feeling for it. Take your time and have fun selecting your next tractor!