Tractor Questions

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  • wcd

    Grandmaster
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    Dec 2, 2011
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    We are having growing pains at the old homestead. And it’s time to move up to a bigger tractor. We are looking between a 45 and 90 HP. What I am wondering is if it is a 4 wheel Drive one do they stay pretty level under a load. Or is the front end prone to raising off the ground? One of the models we are looking at is a John Deere 2030.

    Thank you
     

    phylodog

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    Mar 7, 2008
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    Far be it for me to talk anyone out of a new tractor but are front weights not an option to keep it on the ground?
     
    Last edited:

    wcd

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    Yes, it is a 4x4. I cannot see owning a tractor (or a truck for that matter) that isn’t

    We bought ours about 10 years ago we were in a very different place financially. $130k in medical bills. I felt like we were living large when we saved enough up to buy it $2500 was a lot of money at the time.
    3 cylinder?

    Thanks
     

    GodFearinGunTotin

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    Mitchell
    Just curious...what are you doing that’s lifting the front end of your tractor off the ground. I have a JD 5303 with a front end loader and have never seen that...but the heaviest thing I’m lifting is my bush hog. And yeah, if you can afford it, I’d get 4WD but mines a 2WD and have never been able to do what I wanted to do with it...but then again, maybe I’m not doing much in mud or slick conditions.
     

    therewolf

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    I use a heavy old box blade or a disker, on the rear, to help balance the load when I'm picking heavy stuff up with the front loader.

    It helps, if you are towing a load, to use the hitch or drawbar low behind the rear wheels. This will prevent a lot of traction issues, such as
    your front wheels rising.
     

    patience0830

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    Not far from the tree
    They make weights for a reason. A front end loader is useful in sooo many ways. Besides adding weight to the front you can use it to push the machine out of the muck. If you buy the loader, get fluid in the rear tires. Wheel weights are not enough to make the difference you need. I bought a 44 hp Kubota and have been real happy with it. The new JD (or the old stuff for that matter) will kill you for parts and service. Those people think their stuff is made of gold. Don't know how big your hacienda is but 44 hp 4wd does all I need on my 68 acres. 50+ would be useful if I was plowing and disking a bunch.
     

    wcd

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    Dec 2, 2011
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    Just curious...what are you doing that’s lifting the front end of your tractor off the ground. I have a JD 5303 with a front end loader and have never seen that...but the heaviest thing I’m lifting is my bush hog. And yeah, if you can afford it, I’d get 4WD but mines a 2WD and have never been able to do what I wanted to do with it...but then again, maybe I’m not doing much in mud or slick conditions.

    Mine does not have a loader. Usually the weight of the brush hog will rock it quite a bit when lifting it up and down. We have a small stream that is near our night time goat area so I try to keep it dug down once or twice a year. When doing so I use a middle buster that will dig in a bit but if it goes in too deep it will pull the front end right off the ground.
     

    wcd

    Grandmaster
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    Dec 2, 2011
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    They make weights for a reason. A front end loader is useful in sooo many ways. Besides adding weight to the front you can use it to push the machine out of the muck. If you buy the loader, get fluid in the rear tires. Wheel weights are not enough to make the difference you need. I bought a 44 hp Kubota and have been real happy with it. The new JD (or the old stuff for that matter) will kill you for parts and service. Those people think their stuff is made of gold. Don't know how big your hacienda is but 44 hp 4wd does all I need on my 68 acres. 50+ would be useful if I was plowing and disking a bunch.

    We have an area out back that I would like to bale up the hay from what I am told anything under 60 HP is pushing it. I would really like a loader not so much for moving dirt but to clean up fallen trees. we have a lot of those former owner was not real big on upkeep. Besides would give me an excuse to make my ranger bigger if I had a loader lol.

    Also it would be really nice to have fork to move around round bales. I looked at buying wider wheels and tires but that is quite a chunk and in the end I think I would still have a tractor that is too small with wider tires on it so not really a gain.
     

    wcd

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    Dec 2, 2011
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    Far be it for me to talk anyone out of a new tractor but are front weights not an option to keep it on the ground?

    Wow would love to have a new one but we are going to go preowned. For the most part it does some of the things I need it to do fairly well, but it is often more time consuming than a larger unit. A friend said to put about 200 pounds on the front says it will help get it back steering with the brush hog on it in. I am going to try that but still I think we are going to add another tractor. I do not think it could hurt to have another one that is capable of doing bigger jobs.
     

    ghitch75

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    Dec 21, 2009
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    4x4?



    Right now we have a Yanmar ym1700
    I think it is too light in the front end. It seems to be prone to getting the front end 3 feet off the ground which can be a bit unsettling.

    It’s a great tractor just a bit too small.

    200# of weights on the front will make a world of difference...YM240D

    YN465hi.jpg



    wheel spacers on the rear makes it much more stable on hills too....for there size these tractors will do a amazing amount of work....

    cdw3U1w.jpg
     

    Flash-hider

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    Sep 19, 2012
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    We have an area out back that I would like to bale up the hay from what I am told anything under 60 HP is pushing it. I would really like a loader not so much for moving dirt but to clean up fallen trees. we have a lot of those former owner was not real big on upkeep. Besides would give me an excuse to make my ranger bigger if I had a loader lol.

    Also it would be really nice to have fork to move around round bales. I looked at buying wider wheels and tires but that is quite a chunk and in the end I think I would still have a tractor that is too small with wider tires on it so not really a gain.

    I don't know how much you are baling but a 7' disk mower should have at least 50hp, 8' 60hp, 9'60hp. A 9' discbine 80+hp to run it good. We have run a 4x4 round baler with a 70hp tractor, the 4x5 we have now is pulled by a 125hp tractor mainly because it has a cab w/air. We move the round bales(900-1200lbs) with a JD 1020 with a 3-point spear and load out of the field with a JD 430 (nostalgic). The limiting factor to any work you think you want to do will be the tractor hydraulics. The 430 will work fine up to 1200lbs, beyond that it pick it up but lift is limited. Same with the 1020, gets it off the ground and to the cows but barely off the ground. As a added note I've pulled the front end off the ground on your 150hp tractor, pulling a 5 shank subsoiler, with 1200lbs of suitcase weights on the front.
    Also, if you go the MFWD route you'll will want to give series thought to loading those tire, too.
     

    wcd

    Grandmaster
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    Dec 2, 2011
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    Off the Grid In Tennessee
    200# of weights on the front will make a world of difference...YM240D

    YN465hi.jpg



    wheel spacers on the rear makes it much more stable on hills too....for there size these tractors will do a amazing amount of work....

    cdw3U1w.jpg

    Looks like yours is 4 wheel drive? Where did you get the wheel spacers? They would probably make a huge difference?

    Thanks
     

    dprimm

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    Jan 13, 2013
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    Just West of Indianapolis
    Mine does not have a loader. Usually the weight of the brush hog will rock it quite a bit when lifting it up and down. We have a small stream that is near our night time goat area so I try to keep it dug down once or twice a year. When doing so I use a middle buster that will dig in a bit but if it goes in too deep it will pull the front end right off the ground.

    Wait ... you have animals that will eat it and you mow?
     
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