Overdue new tractor thread

Ikarus1

Ikarus1

Avtomat Krishna-kov
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Since I had my little accident I haven't been able to post about my latest farm and ranch related purchase. I have been tractor shopping and doing research for nearly 2 years. It only takes paying for a neighbor to cut my acreage a few times to realize I need my own tractor. Had to jump through a few hoops financially and convince the wife how useful a compact tractor really is on a 10+ acre property.

I found a nice 4 yr old Kubota L2501 with loader and box blade about a year ago for $15K that I really should have jumped on but just wasn't doable. Now that same tractor would be 20K due to virus driven demand for used equipment.

I tried to find a Kioti CK series but dealers just aren't local. I realize that dealer support is just as important if not more so than any particular brand. Due to price and what I perceived as "living off reputation " i immediately wrote off John Deere. Mahindra compacts are made by TYM which are a 3rd tier Korean maker. I wanted a company that makes their own engines.

That leaves Kubota, Kioti and LS.

So last month we bought an LS MT235 35HP hydrostatic trans with loader, 60" cutter, 72' box blade, 66" tiller and 1200 pallet forks. My servicing dealer is 5 miles away. I paid the same for the entire package with implements as Kubota wanted for an L series alone.

LS makes New Holland compacts which have a good reputation with NC DOT and other large enterprises. LS has their US HQ in Battleboro NC and offers the same 2 yr bumper to bumper warranty and 6 yr powertrain. I am completely sold on the brand now that I have double digit hours on the machine.

I have added a cheap quick hitch from Agri-Suoply and it makes hookup easy.

So here are some pix...Mama is happy and so am I. The pallet forks are way more useful than one would imagine.

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BlackGun said:
LS? Never heard of that company.
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If you drive through Newton on 70 you pass them.

I'm looking land as well and looked at these. Seems to be a value for the price. I have also looked at the line Rural King sells. Those seem to be overpriced quite a bit
 
Looking good!

When I lived in KY and had 14 acres all I had was an old 8N that worked me to death. I loved it though. I'm jealous!
 
BlackGun said:
LS? Never heard of that company.
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LS Mtronic is a division of LG aka Hyundai. Huge Global brand that has made Ag equipment for 35 years under many other brand names. This tractor is the exact same as the New Holland Workmaster 35 minus the rear remotes and mid PTO...for ten grand less.
 
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SCshooter57 said:
Nice! My wife has made several comments about wanting to learn to drive our tractor. So far, I've been successful changing the subject...😁
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My wife is a very good (safe) automobile driver. She has a large suv (Subaru Ascent).

But, when she asks to drive my F250 or my tractor I get nervous...

I don't think she understands the dimensions of a very large truck or tractor... Especially not a tractor with a front end loader and something attached to the back...

When I say "Swing Wide!" she pays no attention, no matter how many times I try to explain the turning radius of our tractor and its large implements...

It's definitely frustrating.

Recently we have been looking at tag along camping trailers in the 25-30ft category. I'm comfortable pulling trailers. She has never tried...

But, many times she has said, "I want to be able to pull the trailer and go camping even if you are out of town on a business trip."

Each time she says things like this it makes my stomach knot up with the thought of $25k being jack-knifed into a tree or pulled through a freaking McDonald's drive through roof...

I have said, "I'll teach you to back up a trailer, but we have to start small, on the 4 wheeler with a 10ft utility trailer." She rolls her eyes and argues... She thinks she's ready to back up a freaking semi, never having even tried the 4 wheeler...

Sorry that turned into a rant... I love her, but she loves to argue about things that don't matter.
 
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LeeMajors said:
If you drive through Newton on 70 you pass them.

I'm looking land as well and looked at these. Seems to be a value for the price. I have also looked at the line Rural King sells. Those seem to be overpriced quite a bit
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RKs tractors are made by TYM. They're the same as Mahindra and use mostly Mitsubishi engines. My dealer (LOTLINC.COM) used to sell TYM and is now a top selling dealer for LS instead
 
Alabamacoastie said:
My wife is a very good (safe) automobile driver. She has a large suv (Subaru Ascent).

But, when she asks to drive my F250 or my tractor I get nervous...

I don't think she understands the dimensions of a very large truck or tractor... Especially not a tractor with a front end loader and something attached to the back...

When I say "Swing Wide!" she pays no attention, no matter how many times I try to explain the turning radius of our tractor and its large implements...

It's definitely frustrating.

Recently we have been looking at tag along camping trailers in the 25-30ft category. I'm comfortable pulling trailers. She has never tried...

But, many times she has said, "I want to be able to pull the trailer and go camping even if you are out of town on a business trip."

Each time she says things like this it makes my stomach knot up with the thought of $25k being jack-knifed into a tree or pulled through a freaking McDonald's drive through roof...

I have said, "I'll teach you to back up a trailer, but we have to start small, on the 4 wheeler with a 10ft utility trailer." She rolls her eyes and argues... She thinks she's ready to back up a freaking semi, never having even tried the 4 wheeler...

Sorry that turned into a rant... I love her, but she loves to argue about things that don't matter.
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The pulling is the easy part. The backing up is where all hell usually breaks loose with people. I used to be good at all that when I had a boat and took lotsnof trips. Did a modified 3 point turn with a boat on the back of a one lane country road one time. Think it might have been a 16 point turn or there about.
 
I have had a new holland workmaster 37 for almost four years now. It has been a tremendous help around the house and is used almost every weekend for some project. I think you will be pleased with your purchase for years to come.
 
I've got a baby Massy Ferguson. Been thinking of getting something bigger. The LS looks very interesting based on your info.
 
CZfool68 said:
The pulling is the easy part. The backing up is where all hell usually breaks loose with people. I used to be good at all that when I had a boat and took lotsnof trips. Did a modified 3 point turn with a boat on the back of a one lane country road one time. Think it might have been a 16 point turn or there about.
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Don't feel bad. I hit a 6" pine at Yellowstone at dusk that had a bunch of scars already. Ripped the hot water heater door off a brand new $60K 5th wheel
 
Awesome!

I'm getting older. Things I used to do by myself can now be a pain in the rear if I don't have help. How the heck did I not know about the quick-hitch? I need that in my life!

Thanks for posting that!
 
Slacker said:
I'm a fan of the LS Compact machines.
Love the mitsubishi engine.
Sweet powerplant.
I have owned a farm track brand rebranded LS since 2006. 38 horsepower Mitsubishi 4x4. I'm nearing 400 hours.
Very happy with my choice.
When she was still brand new.View attachment 325258
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awesome! I wished I had enough scratch to pull off the backhoe purchase but I was already at my limit with all of the implements.

Just FYI to everyone shopping tractors:
LS has made it's own Tier IV engines since 2019 in the new MT series, along with the bigger frame. The 35HP and 40HP turbo are common rail diesels just like in a truck, which played a huge part in my purchase. CRD just makes for a cooler running stronger pulling tractor.

Also, weight of the tractor played a huge factor as well. Mine weighs right at 3000lbs wet with a full fuel tank and my 200lbs in the seat.
It's enough that I don't feel the need for ballast in the tires right now. And yes I have gotten it stuck bad enough I wished I had AG tires when we got all that rain at the end of March. But not so much now ;)
 
Alabamacoastie said:
My wife is a very good (safe) automobile driver. She has a large suv (Subaru Ascent).

But, when she asks to drive my F250 or my tractor I get nervous...

I don't think she understands the dimensions of a very large truck or tractor... Especially not a tractor with a front end loader and something attached to the back...

When I say "Swing Wide!" she pays no attention, no matter how many times I try to explain the turning radius of our tractor and its large implements...

It's definitely frustrating.

Recently we have been looking at tag along camping trailers in the 25-30ft category. I'm comfortable pulling trailers. She has never tried...

But, many times she has said, "I want to be able to pull the trailer and go camping even if you are out of town on a business trip."

Each time she says things like this it makes my stomach knot up with the thought of $25k being jack-knifed into a tree or pulled through a freaking McDonald's drive through roof...

I have said, "I'll teach you to back up a trailer, but we have to start small, on the 4 wheeler with a 10ft utility trailer." She rolls her eyes and argues... She thinks she's ready to back up a freaking semi, never having even tried the 4 wheeler...

Sorry that turned into a rant... I love her, but she loves to argue about things that don't matter.
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How did you learn? I learned having someone yelling at me (that I took seriously) when I screwed up.
 
frakncylons said:
How did you learn? I learned having someone yelling at me (that I took seriously) when I screwed up.
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I grew up on a farm... My dad taught me.

We started with a 4 wheeler and a utility trailer when I was about 10. When I got good at that I got to use the tractor and utility trailer. By 13 I was pulling the cattle trailer to town with my dad's dually.

It was a process. And, I'm sure I got yelled at. I just don't remember it.

I do remember, the first time I drove the tractor, I drove right into the side of the barn because my dad didn't teach me how the clutch worked. Haha.
 
Nice tractor and size! We have tc45 nh on the farm that is very handy feeding and moving hay with the hydro transmission and been a good tractor over all. One thing I will caution you take care of the hood and head lights, dad managed to have a piece of steel slide off the forks while moving it and bust the corner of hood and headlight assembly. Found out the light alone was $400 we been looking for a aftermarket without any luck so far.
 
I was out riding my motor-skickle in the country between Angier and Benson earlier this week and got behind an old guy (older than me) on his tractor. I followed him for maybe a mile, then he turned onto hiway 50.

Since there’s no match today my wife asked me what I want to do today.
To which I replied: “I want to go look at tractors"
Her: “You don’t have enough land to need a tractor"
Me: “I used to think I wanted a big piece of land"
Me: “But at this late date I might be happy with just a tractor"
Her:
Me: “So I can ride around at 15mph in traffic wearing my oldest hat and nobody say anything to me"
Her:
Her:


Her finally: *shakes head* and walks off
 
fieldgrade said:
I was out riding my motor-skickle in the country between Angier and Benson earlier this week and got behind an old guy (older than me) on his tractor. I followed him for maybe a mile, then he turned onto hiway 50.

Since there’s no match today my wife asked me what I want to do today.
To which I replied: “I want to go look at tractors"
Her: “You don’t have enough land to need a tractor"
Me: “I used to think I wanted a big piece of land"
Me: “But at this late date I might be happy with just a tractor"
Her:
Me: “So I can ride around at 15mph in traffic wearing my oldest hat and nobody say anything to me"
Her:
Her:


Her finally: *shakes head* and walks off
Click to expand...


Tell her a tractor is safer than a motorcycle.
 
Alabamacoastie said:
I do remember, the first time I drove the tractor, I drove right into the side of the barn because my dad didn't teach me how the clutch worked. Haha.
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Similar story. My grandpa had both of his tractors up at the house and needed to put them back in the shed, so he put 6 y/o me on his International 444 and showed me where the brake was. He put it in low gear with just enough throttle to creep to the shed. I pulled into the shed, put on the brake and the tractor just started pulling harder as I drove into everything in the back of the shed. He never told me about a clutch.
 
Coming up on 50hrs quick. The tiller made this years garden easy even with some small stumps and typical yellow clay limestone.

The cutter keeps everything trimmed down to 3.5 inches

And the pallet forks dig stumps out like it was made for it.
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