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Re: Sub-Compact Vs Compact Tractors.
Posted: Sat. Feb. 17, 2018 8:13 pm
by windyhill4.2
snuffy wrote: ↑Sat. Feb. 17, 2018 7:48 pm
Sounds safe to assume that my Wheelhorse 414 with 48" snow blade is worth more than the $800 I paid for it 20 years ago? I too usually do my elderly neighbors drive ways but my newest tire chains scars asphalt driveways pretty badly.
Put rubber chains on,customers that have them really like them.
Re: Sub-Compact Vs Compact Tractors.
Posted: Sun. Feb. 18, 2018 7:39 pm
by snuffy
Windy,
Thanks, that's why coalpail is on my nightly "day in review." I can know something, but I can't know everything. This place is better then mechanics illustrated (is that a magazine?) Thanks again. PS I forgot I bought a pair for my 00 VW MV but never broke open the box.
Re: Sub-Compact Vs Compact Tractors.
Posted: Mon. Feb. 19, 2018 11:47 am
by VigIIPeaBurner
I've always been a manual labor kind of guy. In '79 I got my first Gravely, a '58 rope start. 5 years later I got another Gravely, a '65 Convrtable could do anything with the right attachment (I have them all 'cept for the chain/circular saw!)... with me as rear wheels. Then I had several Massey-Ferguson garden varieties; one MF7 and two MF10's.
Got older and joints gave out. Neighbor was a Kabota dealer and started looking at the BX subs. Almost puled the trigger until I saw the 4wd subcompact GC2310 Massey with a full frame built for a hoe and an FEL. A cat-1 3pt hitch is tucked behind the backhoe. It was easy to see the GC was much more robust than the BX Kabotas. Got a '05 GC2310 (150 hrs) off of craigslist about 9 years ago and have done so many projects with it I don't know why I didn't have on 30 years ago! 23 hp diesel with a mid and rear PTO. Diff lock too. No problems other than the usual maintenance stuff. Just replaced the hoses - 65' of 1/4" on that little hoe! Finishing the dolly for the hoe to make de/re-mounting and storage a snap.
I clear snow and ice from my 115' drive and 3 car parking area with the FEL bucket. If I had a number of driveways to go I'd have a blower for certain. It would probably be a rear 3 pt hitch unit. I find the FEL too handy in snow; moving piles, close work around curbs, buildings, and garage doors. You need a lot of ballast on the back of the subcompacts to do the work they are capable of. The hoe on the GC is around 700 Lbs and I miss it when it's off.
Re: Sub-Compact Vs Compact Tractors.
Posted: Mon. Feb. 19, 2018 11:56 am
by windyhill4.2
snuffy wrote: ↑Sun. Feb. 18, 2018 7:39 pm
Windy,
Thanks, that's why coalpail is on my nightly "day in review." I can know something, but I can't know everything. This place is better then mechanics illustrated (is that a magazine?) Thanks again. PS I forgot I bought a pair for my 00 VW MV but never broke open the box.
Had a customer drop off his Cub Cadet tractor for repair & service just b4 this last snow.He has the rubber chains on this tractor for plowing snow. I just test drove it thru a 8" deep snow drift here at my shop...
Those rubber chains work very well for snow, i think they would be less capable on sheet ice where steel chains will work great.
Re: Sub-Compact Vs Compact Tractors.
Posted: Mon. Feb. 19, 2018 11:58 am
by windyhill4.2
VigIIPeaBurner wrote: ↑Mon. Feb. 19, 2018 11:47 am
I've always been a manual labor kind of guy. In '79 I got my first Gravely, a '58 rope start. 5 years later I got another Gravely, a '65 Convrtable could do anything with the right attachment (I have them all 'cept for the chain/circular saw!)... with me as rear wheels. Then I had several Massey-Ferguson garden varieties; one MF7 and two MF10's.
Got older and joints gave out. Neighbor was a Kabota dealer and started looking at the BX subs. Almost puled the trigger until I saw the 4wd subcompact GC2310 Massey with a full frame built for a hoe and an FEL. A cat-1 3pt hitch is tucked behind the backhoe. It was easy to see the GC was much more robust than the BX Kabotas. Got a '05 GC2310 (150 hrs) off of craigslist about 9 years ago and have done so many projects with it I don't know why I didn't have on 30 years ago! 23 hp diesel with a mid and rear PTO. Diff lock too. No problems other than the usual maintenance stuff. Just replaced the hoses - 65' of 1/4" on that little hoe! Finishing the dolly for the hoe to make de/re-mounting and storage a snap.
I clear snow and ice from my 115' drive and 3 car parking area with the FEL bucket. If I had a number of driveways to go I'd have a blower for certain. It would probably be a rear 3 pt hitch unit. I find the FEL too handy in snow; moving piles, close work around curbs, buildings, and garage doors. You need a lot of ballast on the back of the subcompacts to do the work they are capable of. The hoe on the GC is around 700 Lbs and I miss it when it's off.
I 've heard good things about the Massey tractors,can't think at the moment as to who actually makes them.
Re: Sub-Compact Vs Compact Tractors.
Posted: Mon. Feb. 19, 2018 12:06 pm
by VigIIPeaBurner
windyhill4.2 wrote: ↑Mon. Feb. 19, 2018 11:58 am
I 've heard good things about the Massey tractors,can't think at the moment as to who actually makes them.
Mine has an Iseki 23 hp engine in it. IIRC the motor is Japanese and the rest is US built. Didn't the old Bolens diesel tractors have Iseki engines too?
Re: Sub-Compact Vs Compact Tractors.
Posted: Mon. Feb. 19, 2018 1:29 pm
by windyhill4.2
VigIIPeaBurner wrote: ↑Mon. Feb. 19, 2018 12:06 pm
Mine has an Iseki 23 hp engine in it. IIRC the motor is Japanese and the rest is US built. Didn't the old Bolens diesel tractors have Iseki engines too?
Yes , that was the name on some of the Bolens,i think they also used some Mitsubishi .
According to Tractor data . com..... Iseki is the Manufacturer of your Massey.
I gotta get used to goggling this stuff more often,instead of hoping my memory will pull out something i learned yrs. ago.
Re: Sub-Compact Vs Compact Tractors.
Posted: Mon. Feb. 19, 2018 1:34 pm
by mntbugy
My little red puddle jumper.
PTO driven 60 in Meteor snowblower,DR. Chipper, 71 and 59 inch. Carroni finish mowers, 1947 Dearborn 10-8 two bottom plow,72 in scraper blade.
Re: Sub-Compact Vs Compact Tractors.
Posted: Sun. Feb. 25, 2018 7:33 pm
by Clousseau
I have a 3320 John Deere with a hydrostatic transmission and bucket loader, 4 wheel drive, and a rear mounted used 60" PTO snow blower, also a John Deere unit from the late 80's? The snow blower is heavy duty! Had a side mount PTO installed when I bought the tractor so I could install a front mount snow blower, but leaving the bucket on is the way to go. My driveway is 350 feet long on a medium grade hill. Also have a 150' x 60' wide paved area in front of the barn. Needs to have chains on the front wheels for traction or it will not plow. Just last year I had to put studs in the rear tires to keep the rear of the tractor out of the ditch on an ice based driveway. Takes about an hour to do the entire driveway, whether it is 6" of snow or 16" of snow. Have lived here for 42 years, best piece of equipment I ever owned for keeping the driveway clean in the winter!