My option of compact tractors ain't so auto good. I was wanting a tractor with a hrydrlic bucket so I could move some dirt a trip bucket just isn't up to.
I found this really nice Allis with a perkins diesel engine. My banker (wife) said no it was to big and big tractors have big costly parts that can break.
The thing only had a bit over 1200 hours used to clean a loafing pen, feed a load of chopped alapha in the summer. Farmer traided it for a larger New Holland FWA tractor.
Banker OK'd a totaly new 30 to 40 HP tractor and after looking around settled on the Kubota L3301 33HP.
Looking at the rear of the Bota you notice two things right off.
(1. The little thing the gray box on the back the size of a pencil box they called a took box. Put a couple lynch pins in there and it was over loaded.
(2. Track is narrow really narrow not any where as wide as a real tractor. Even the old antique Ford 2,8,9 N's are wider. very unstable if you do not have table top flat property. Ran over a frozen chunk of snow when plowing the drive way and puckered up so tight the seat has a perment pleat in it
Then note the dish in the rear wheels, you can't just go to a tractor salvage yard and buy a set of wheel weights for rear ballast and the Beet Juice in the tires isn't enough with just a bucket load of dry ASH fire wood crossing a field.
Want to buy wheel weights that fit it? cost about $1000.00 to fit the wheels.
OH you can make a ballast box for the 3 point. then the 3 point is usless for doing any work with a 3 point attachment.
That dam seat saftey switch, every time i would turn in the seat to see how the tool I was pulling was working or skidding a log the tractor would quit.
Now to me any one with a head on their shoulders and in the sun shine and not up their *** doesn't need a seat saftey switch, But that isn't really true with a compact tractor. they spent money on a seat saftey switch and a roll bar and seat belt to fix the to narrow track tippyness.
Any how I fixed the seat saftey switch first.
A tab installed holds the switch down and can be removed if the tractor gets sold.
Second thing was to get rid of the pencil box and install a real tool box.
Made the boc brackets a little long to add the J hooks to it. Hang the 3 pt draw bar on, hang lynch pins on when changeing 3 point tools.
Makes the 3 point useless but 385 pounds of cast wheel helps the bucket bounce. and can be dropped easy. I have 4 more i can stack up if need be.
Head lights are useles sif your doing any bucket work after dark. Why not add some place to carry a sledge, splitting maul, a double bit axe a short handle shovel or a scraper to scrap posin ivy vines off trees.
What a ROYAL PAIN IN THE KISTER to change a 3 point tool. Real tractors have a chain that allws the lift arms to sway and be easy mover to hook up.
Compact tractors had turn buckles and you need tools to loosen them up to move the lift arms.
A quick hitch is the answer to fix that mess. or pay as much for carl's claws.
A 20 minute job is reduced down to about 5 minutes to remove and add a 3 point tool.
If you use the tractor to work fire wood like I do you need a place to carry saws. Found a couple spots on the loader frame thr limbing saws fit. and made some for the RoPs for the bigger saws.
I muscled the rear tires right to left and left to right to widen the tractors stance. Still not as wide as a stock Ford N series tractor but better than stock.
Al
