Tractors and Hobby Farming - R-pod Owners Forum

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Tars Tarkas View Drop Down

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Joined: 14 Jan 2013
Location: Near Nashville
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Topic: Tractors and Hobby Farming
Posted: 24 Jul 2020 at 8:24pm

Originally posted by offgrid

StephenH, good idea about the garbage cams. The previous owners just left regular cans and said the bears never came that close to the house. Apparently there are at least 4 in the immediate area according to the neighbors.

When we moved here 30 years ago a neighbor warned me about bears and a naked indian. I've never seen either, although, there was a bear spotted on a game camera in the other end of the county last winter. First known bear in the area since not long after Davey Crockett's time. You're more in bear country. Not tempting bears on purpose or in ignorance is the best practice for you and the bears. I have some experience with them in the Smokies.

Garbage cams might be really interesting for bears but I thought Stephen said garbage cans.

2010 176
FJ Cruiser

offgrid

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Posted: 24 Jul 2020 at 6:41pm

OK, back "on grid" so to speak. Going to need sat internet at the new place I think..,

So great suggestions here, thanks all for sharing your perspectives.

GlueGuy,I hear ya on the 100% slopes in the SC mountains. Folks from the East don't realize how steeply CA rises from from the coast. On your Kubota's inclinometer, what do you have your yellow tilt range set at? Is that for sideways travel or up and down? It's been suggested that I get a utility tractor and not a compact tractor for the work I need to do, 12 acres is considered a lot for a compact to manage here in VA. How much mowing do you do with yours? What benefits do you find compelling with HST over gear drive?

Pod people. that is good advice about the scraper blade vs the box blade. The box blade seems to be better for spreading gravel, the scraper for grooming. Of the two, you're not the first to suggest the scrape blade. Its also good for plowing snow I gather. Getting the auger stuck in the ground, wow. I'd never heard of a reversible PTO before. Have to look into that. I agree on older tractors maintenance wize, especially compared to the newer Tier V diesels that have all the particulate emissions systems. If yous stay below I think 25 hp then tier V doesn't apply but that would limit me to around a 4 ft brush hog probably on my hills. It might get pretty tedious mowing 12+ acres. Anyhow, an older machine won't have those issues and will be less expensive.

podwerks, you're right the more recent tractors are sourced around the world, with AGCO in particular it seems hard to even figure our where the machines come from. Because of all the mowing I'm leaning toward old school gear drive if I don't get a loader tractor for the reasons you suggest. There is a thing called shuttle shift which I guess gives you fwd/rev synchro on a geared tractor. I drove one compact utility loader tractor with is and it seemed like it might make the close in work easier without having the hydro drive inefficiency mowing. Might be the best compromise if I can find the right machine?

TT, Pod people, mcarter, three old MF fans, who would have guessed? Pod People, that's a great looking machine. I really liked the one I drove too, 'cept for the steering. Must keep all three of you in shape. The later model MF240 I tried seemed like a good fit for me, unless I decided to get a loader, in which case the lack of 4wd is an issue.

So here's the question, I can probably afford either a well used compact utility 4wd tractor with a loader, or an older utility 2wd tractor, possibly also with a loader if I'm lucky. What do you all recommend, considering that the loader will have lots of practical uses but most of my seat hour will be mowing my hills?

StephenH, good idea about the garbage cams. The previous owners just left regular cans and said the bears never came that close to the house. Apparently there are at least 4 in the immediate area according to the neighbors.

Olddawgsrule, no worries, I"m not going all he way to New England to buy a tractor, and I'm not in a huge rush to buy one anyhow, not even being sure yet what I want/need...God luck on your purchase!

1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Olddawgsrule View Drop Down

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Posted: 24 Jul 2020 at 4:48pm

This hits were you and I are in common. Then those areas we are not.. Life Dude!

I'm doing somewhat the same here, but... smaller.. only 3.5 acres... interesting terrain, though south exposure. Using what I have to make the impossible (by others) happen.. My life as it exists and happy with it.

I'm watching deeply for a strong/smaller style front loader. Those I have used, I've not better by, ya means a little hand work at spots, but what has not... Bang for the dollar??? You decide..

Sorry, but will not mention the one I'm looking for until I get it... You're within my driving range to get one.. Just think 'front-loader' a bit..

Safe Travels!

Byways no Highways
2017 Tacoma
Truck Camper Build
2004 F150 My Overlander

offgrid

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Joined: 23 Jul 2018
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Posts: 5290

Posted: 24 Jul 2020 at 8:17am

Wow, lots of good info here. I’ve looked at the tractor forums of course, but those tend to be divided by brand so you only get green options on the JD pages and orange lovers on the Kubota sites, etc.

Podwerks, you have the wrong sitcom. Since I’m only 25 country miles from Mt Airy, the model for Mayberry, it should be Andy, Opie, Gomer, Barney, and aunt Bee 😜

I’m not a Hokie, I have a brass rat from a nerdy place a bit further north. But I’ve worked with and hired several Hokies and been impressed by their education . So Blacksburg amenities did play into the selection process. We also wanted to get some cooler weather by gaining elevation while not being too far north and having those short winter days. Nice 4 season climate here but all are fairly moderate. Good growing economic region (at least it was...). Our long term plan is to live out here till we get too old, then hand it off to the kids and move over to suburban Blacksburg/Christiansburg, then to the very nice assisted living my dad is in, then try hard to check out before winding up in a nursing home...😝

I did a little more surveying, a few slopes are about 35% (19-20 degrees). That just looks scary. No significantly flatter spot at the top and to turn either. Not sure how the old guy mowed that with the old Ford 8N but he did...

I’ll respond with some follow up questions when I get back to somewhere with better data service...

Thanks!

1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

mcarter

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Posted: 23 Jul 2020 at 7:49pm

Also an old MF guy, last one I had was with a Sherman tank trans. It was a 50s model.

Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."

Tars Tarkas View Drop Down

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Joined: 14 Jan 2013
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Posted: 23 Jul 2020 at 7:42pm

Originally posted by Pod People

Older tractors are relatively easy for routine maintenance . Newer tractors have a lot of advantages, but are more complex in the wiring and hydraulics and will cost more $$$. I have owned my 1963 Massey Ferguson 35 for over 30 years and it has served me well. I have done all of the maintenance, rebuilt the carb and fuel systems, repainted it and kept it stored in my barn. These old tractors are pretty much bullet proof if you take care of them and do the maintenance. However, I also know people with newer Kubota and John Deere’s that love them and depend on them. Sometimes the decision comes down to what’s locally available at the time.

I have exactly the same MF 35. Had it for about 30 years too. It's been great on my 47 acres of Middle Tennessee hill land. I use it for bushhogging, driveway maintenance, skidding firewood mostly, a few other things from time to time.

Just about all the advice I've seen here has been spot on. I disagree about a reversible PTO for post-hole digging though. I've been drilling holes for 50 years without a reversible PTO. I have gotten stuck a time or two, but between the hydraulic lift and rocking the tractor back and forth, I've always gotten unstuck. The trick is dig a bit, pull the posthole digger up, dig a little more. But, I suppose depending on the ground you have, it's mostly a theoretical problem. A reversible PTO would be nice, but I wouldn't pay extra for it or not get a tractor because it didn't have it.

2010 176
FJ Cruiser

GlueGuy

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Posted: 23 Jul 2020 at 4:37pm

Our Kubota is going on 22 years old. It has held up well. 4WD, hydrostatic drive. I cannot for the life of me understand why someone would get direct drive. We have a front end loader, brush hog, and a box blade. We have toyed with the notion of a backhoe, but at $7500 and very rare use situations, we opted out.

bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost

podwerkz

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Posted: 23 Jul 2020 at 10:58am

Yeah and if you have a hole drilled in the bucket near the lip, right in the middle, you can install a hitch ball when needed and move your r-pod, or any small trailer, exactly where you need it!

r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten!

fwunder

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Posted: 23 Jul 2020 at 10:45am

SW Virginia? Are you a Hokie? Very pretty country.

I was doing some window shopping recently and came across this. It's a sub-compact comparison, but I thought it was a pretty good comparison between green and orange paint.

Personally, I would buy used. Neighbor lets me borrow their diesel Kabota if I need to use a bucket. It is fun!

2014 RPod 178 => MyMods and Buying Habits
2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6
Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks!

StephenH

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Posted: 23 Jul 2020 at 10:28am

If you do not have them already, consider purchasing bear-resistant trash cans. This is one example. http://www.kodiak-products.com/

StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...

ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS