Starting my search for a SCUT

4203 Views 79 Replies 18 Participants Last post by MARK (LI), 3 mo ago

soloz2

Discussion Starter · 9 mo ago

Just beginning my search into subcompact tractors. I've wanted one for a few years, but struggled to justify the price, as I've been getting by with my old Wheel Horse garden tractor and my Cub Cadet lawn tractor on my property that's a little over an acre. Really, the tractor would have been useful for a couple years now as we've been hit with EAB and have been working on removing the dead ash trees from my property. We started with 86, and have about 20 left to go. We also have added a greenhouse, expanded the garden, and gotten a small flock of chickens.
In the future, we are looking into possibly getting a PTO stump grinder as opposed to paying someone to come grind stumps for us.
We are planning on extending the garden once more, adding more chickens, doing landscaping (redo the paver patio, add a gazebo, fire pit, and maybe a small koi pond), and planting a bunch more fruit trees. Right now, we have pear, apple, and peach.

Things I would like to be able to do:
Move mulch, stone,sand, etc around my property so a loader is important. I'd also like to be able to use the loader to unload or load heavier objects in the back of my truck so I don't always have to ask a neighbor for help.
Add and maintain an in ground garden
Post hole digger for fence posts and probably to use to plant trees. (We will plant probably 30-40 trees)
Move logs/help with firewood processing
Use PTO to grind stumps, 4’ tiller, and maybe a chipper in the future
I will probably use for snow removal as well. I have a 38" walk behind snow blower, soI would probably start with just a bucket.
I'll also pull my utility trailer and splitter around my property.
I probably won't use it to mow as I have a nice lawn tractor and would just assume to put the $3k for a deck towards a zero turn when I'm ready to replace the cub.

I would love a grapple and a backhoe, butI probably won't get those due to expense. I will likely rent a mini excavator when it comes time to dig the koi pond, then use the tractor for everything else. I’m thinking about starting with tractor, loader and ballast (load tires and/or ballast box). I’ll use a post hole digger soon so would probably go with that and forks right away, possibly a tiller, but I may wait until after the stumps are ground before making a larger garden.

I stopped and looked at a 1025R and then went to the Massey dealer and looked at a GC1725M. Both were nice. I felt the JD was more comfortable, but I liked how quickly the MF could move the hydraulics. I haven't really looked closely at specs, but I felt both would probably do what I want. Surprisingly the MF was only $500 less than the JD and the JD dealer is way closer.
I have primarily been looking at the 25HP models to maximize PTO power for implements like stump grinding that I imagine would benefit from as much power as I had.
I was thinking about looking at Kubota and maybe LS or TYM, but those dealers are all farther away. Is there anything I should be looking at or asking about when I'm looking? I just want to make sure I cover my bases.

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soloz2

Discussion Starter · #3 · 9 mo ago

UrbanTractor said:
You are very much on the right track with the GC and 1025R. I would recommend a trip to the Kubota dealer to check out a BX (2380 or 2680) as well.

But do not under-value the convenience of having good dealership support nearby. The best tractor in the world will need dealer support and/or parts from time to time. If it is a logistical ordeal to trailer the machine back to the dealer, or even to drive there for parts, that is a big ownership downer.

This may be a non-issue for you since you are not planning to buy a BH. But of note on the BX machines, you cannot add an oem BH to a 2380 or 2680 later if you change your mind. You need to go all in on the 23S to get a BH upfront, or accept that you will have to trade later if your needs change and you want the oem BH. I do not know whether the same is true with the MF GC series. But JD will sell a BH for the 1025r to you later if you want to add one. (At least they used to. Worth double checking!)

Thank you. I did see that Kubota only has the BH as an option on the bx23s and not the other models. The MF dealer said it was possible to add a BH later, but they wouldn't advise it as it would require substantial work and cost significantly more than getting one initially. JD said you could add one later, but to not wait too long as they will sell a "kit" of everything you need for a few years before they stop selling the "kit" and you would have to purchase everything individually which would be substantially more $.

The comment about the trailer is valid. I presently do not have a trailer I could move the tractor with. I've been planning to get a new utility trailer for a bit, but have managed with my little 4x6' HF trailer so far. The MF dealer is about half hour away, while the JD dealer is about 15 minutes away. It's about 12 miles so while it would take forever I could drive the tractor to the JD dealer if necessary.
I've had a bit of hit/miss with the JD dealer. I went there first when I bought my property to buy a lawn tractor and when I engaged the blades the entire tractor shook and the salesman told me it was "normal" so I went down the street and bought my Cub. The Cub dealer turned out to not be great and they now no longer sell Cub and do sell LS, but I refuse to give them any more of my $. I did recently buy a new chainsaw from the JD dealer as they were able to get the saw I wanted (MS 400c) while others couldn't, but it took them making several requests to get it from another location. The parts department seems to be way better than sales. I did like the MF dealer a bit better, but either would probably be alright.

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soloz2

Discussion Starter · #6 · 9 mo ago

Shawn T W. said:
In my opinion ... I choose to use a heavy implement instead of a ballast box(BB), or weights ... Only advantage I could see to a BB is if you have really tight maneuvers ... Otherwise spend you money on an implement ... Loaded tires alone aren't enough weight, but does help, for full disclosure I used windshield washer fluid, not the heavier beet juice ...

Do you have a gravel driveway? If yes, I'd buy a land plane, it is heavy enough to act as a BB, and serves another purpose ... I'm not sure if a rototiller would be heavy enough alone ... Mine has the advantage of being pushed out farther (better leverage) because I also have a Quick Hitch on the CAT1 3pt ... If you plan on swapping 3pt implements often, I recommend one of those too!

My Massey Ferguson dealer reminded me that the loader lift specs are "at the pins" which means literally hook that weight directly to the pin ... I have the optional Skid Steer Quick Attach (SSQA) on mine, so I can quickly change from bucket to forks ... But ... That bracket/adapter puts the weight farther out from the "pins" so you can't pick up as much weight as the specs say, PLUS you need to add in the weight of the bucket/forks ... And the SSQA adapter ...

If you skip down to post #160 you will see that I was able to gain 40 pounds, by stacking the weight closer to the "pins" ... Meet "Baby Fergie"! In post #161 you can see the bucket full of rocks, with the Bush Hog brand 4' rototiller acting as my ballast, so it works with my loaded tires and Quick Hitch!

I don’t think I’d want an implement on the back all the time, and My driveway is paved… but needs to be replaced so if I just continue to let it go I might end up with a gravel drive in time. 😂 I do have some right spaces that having something hanging off the back all the time would not be ideal so maybe a ballast box is best for me?

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soloz2

Discussion Starter · #11 · 9 mo ago

Renster of N.H. said:
Of course, I'm going to ask;

Is there a Kioti dealer in your area by chance?
If there is, you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you didn't at least visit them and investigate.

A CS 2520 will capably do all that you indicate above for very reasonable money. However, as pointed out - dealer support is just as, if not even more important than product brand.

Renster

I did look and there are a couple dealers, I would consider reasonable distance of about 30 miles,
but they are not in the direction I would normally travel.
More convenient dealers would be JD, LS (but I won't go to this dealer due to past issues), and Kubota, but Kubota is a bit out of the way. The MF dealer is opposite direction, but only about 25 min so it's feasible.

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soloz2

Discussion Starter · #12 · 9 mo ago (Edited)

lx176mainer said:
If you end up going non backhoe, then the rops on the MF is short and fixed. It is nice as you can get in any garage I bet and don't need to worry about folding it (I am taller than it sitting on the tractor and standing next to it if I remember correctly). When a upand unfolded the MF will also provide more room around your trees compared the the MF backhoe folding rops or the Deere.

Second thought: Post hole digger for trees sounds like a large auger and more likely to get hung up or stuck. Catch a root/rock and get it hung up and the PTO post hole digger is non-reversible. Less prone to happen with a 6" auger I would suppose. Just some food for thought.

Adam

I hadn't really thought about not having reverse on a PTO post hole digger. I do have roots and rocks so even the tow behind ones I've used in the past have struggled.
What would be better for digging to plant? I had also throught about a stump bucket and I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about a BH. I think that part really comes down to my SO as she normally sets and approves budget.

Speaking of the lower ROPS on the non BH MF. I noticed that and honestly really liked it. I have low garage doors, about 6' 4" clearance and would have to lower the ROPS every time or get the MF, so that is a pro for me. I also liked how quick the hydraulics worked and that the engine was backwards so it wouldn't blow hot air on you all summer.
I did feel the JD seat was more comfortable, so comfort plays a role here, they also were giving a discount instead of markup and had better financing. The MF sales guy was better though.
I left thinking either would suite my needs.
The dealer didn't have a dirt pile or anything so I couldn't try lifting anything and pricing was essentially the same as the JD which surprised me. There's another MF dealer farther away, I think they sell kioti too. Maybe I'll call and see what they have for pricing.

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soloz2

Discussion Starter · #21 · 8 mo ago

I had a little bit of time yesterday between an appointment and puppy training, but not enough time to make it to the two dealers I hand wanted to look at. One is a Kubota and the other sells Massey and Kioti. I searched and found another Kubota dealer that wasn't more than a mile or so out of my way and sung by there, but sadly, they only sold construction equipment. They did have a 25" Stihl ES Light bar that would fit my MS 400c for a reasonable price and I was sorely tempted as my saw is quite nose heavy when running the solid 25" ES bar... but I resisted. LOL.

I am going to try and head to the two dealers I mentioned above at some point. It's difficult as I am quite busy most days and the one dealer is not open Saturdays which makes it even more difficult. I am wishing for a loader right about now. Tuesday, I had a tree crew come out to remove 6 of the more difficult ash for me. 2 had limbs that were just dangling and were too high for me to get to with my pole saw and I wasn't going to start cutting into them without removing them, the others were close to and leaning into the road so I figured it would be better to let a pro handle those. Plus, they chipped up all the branches. Unfortunately, they put the chips in front of the garage so I can't get my car out until I move the chips. I could really use a loader right about now!!!

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soloz2

Discussion Starter · #23 · 8 mo ago

Shawn T W. said:
Just need a good head start😂 are you backed in, or pulled in?

That's something I don't understand ... Lots of these tractor dealers are closed on the weekend, and keep bankers hours! My MF dealer is open on Saturday 8-12, sorta ... Only parts and sales, mechanics have the day off ...

On my MF GC 1725 MB it has the foldable ROPS ... Quite a pain to drop, and put up, won't fold all the way down with the BH on either ... it won't fit in the garage up ... So it only went in once, I park it out in the barn now ...

Pulled in… the right bay is smaller due to stairs leading upstairs.

To be fair, a dealer not open on the weekend isn’t a deal breaker. I am self employed and only see clients 3-4 days a week and then teach and run a group so I can Usually find some time to get somewhere during the week. Saturday hours are just nice to have.

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soloz2

Discussion Starter · #25 · 8 mo ago

3 Legged Dog said:
I lost several Green Ash trees to the EAB as well. But they do make good firewood. It splits really clean. Cal

Absolutely makes great firewood. I put a stand out front and have been selling bags. Makes more money and seems to sell better than bulk since I don't offer delivery.

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soloz2

Discussion Starter · #29 · 8 mo ago

Well, my local JD dealer was having a sale on remaining 2022 models and offering a GC so I went back and got an updated quote of a 1025R with loader and 3rd function. They were all out of 2022 models without backhoe so they quoted a 2023 and out the door with 3rd function was $200 more than the previous quote of a TLB 2022! I think realistically, I am going to be looking at purchasing in the spring, but I may be looking closer at some of the budget brands and used units. I'll have to do some more research.

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soloz2

Discussion Starter · #31 · 7 mo ago

balconio said:
I looked at TYM and the value was impressive. Fairly cheap, heavy built in Korea, and mostly they use Yanmar engines. My local dealer had a T224 with loader and 54" deck for $15k. The T264 and T25 were $18k with just the loader, and they're a step above a subcompact with huge tires and bigger wheelbase. TYM makes rural king tractors too and they're pretty inexpensive too.

I hadn't realized TYM made RK tractors. I've seen lots of folks talk about how good the RK tractors are for the price. NO RK nearby so I ruled them out initially. I do want to take a closer look at Kubota and Yanmar. I'll probably also add TYM and Koiti to the list as well. I just haven't had time to get to any dealers and actually look of late with my work schedule. I mostly have time when they are closed.
I looked there's a TYM dealer only about 25 minutes away which isn't bad. I stopped there once to inquire about a part for my Cub Cadet and wasn't impressed, but that was during the height of COVID and as a dealer they were taking zero precautions. Not trying to be political. At the time, I was working for the local hospital system and knew how prevalent COVID was in the area. Times have changed a bit and masks are thankfully not so charged anymore. I no longer work for the hospital, but I do still work with a lot of immunocompromised clients so I am mindful and do my best to protect them.

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soloz2

Discussion Starter · #33 · 5 mo ago

Took a bit of a hiatus in my search as I just didn’t have time for any extra trips to dealers. Self employed is great, but sometimes it can get a bit hectic and the end of the year was just an absolute mad dash.

Our favorite local winery released my favorite Riesling that hasn’t been out since 2017 so we took my pup for a ride to get wine, a stop at the butcher, and look at tractors. Before leaving, I called around to a couple dealers on the way and one not far out of the way before stopping at Yanmar. Honestly, this was the dealer I liked the best thus far both when talking to them on the phone and then in person. Sales person introduced himself to my dog which scores points with the Mrs. LOL.
They had a 424 and a 325. They offered me a good deal on the 424 with a plow and bucket for $21k OTD which was good, but I’m not ready to purchase and I was honestly more interested in the ever so slightly smaller 325. It’s bigger than the other tractors I have looked at, but it just seems to offer more for less money. Just the way the tractors were parked I test drove the 424 since I understand both the SA 3 and 4 series are functionally the same with just different sized tires. I was impressed with the comfort of the seat and how small the turning radius was considering it’s bigger with larger tires. I also really liked how the new ones have the rear remote valves and greater lift capacity.
I got a quote for a SA325 with loader, 3rd function valve and grapple and with tax it was less than the quote I got for a 1025R with 3rd function valve and no grapple back in October. Before this the JD was at the top of my list. There were some things I really liked about the MF, but I just didn’t find the operating seat quite as comfortable as the JD. The Yanmar shot up.

I do think before I make a final decision I want to check out Kioti, Kubota, and maybe TYM.

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soloz2

Discussion Starter · #35 · 4 mo ago

I suppose I can't say that I truly do not have time, but I am rather busy. I started a private practice last year and also taught a grad course last semester so that has taken most of my waking hours and then my other side gig of selling firewood has taken up weekend and nicer weather time. Today I had time, but no desire to go look at tractors in the cold. I did place some calls and send some emails for updated pricing.
I think based on price a MF GC1725M, Kioti CS2520, Kubota BX 2680, and Yanmar SA325 are all right around the same price. The BX will have probably highest retail, good PTO power, but lower than everyone else lift capacity. MF and Kioti are right in the middle, but Yanmar just gives more tractor for the $. It's a bit wider and heavier so should be more stable, better lift capacity, and includes rear remotes. I'm really leaning towards a SA325. I know the Yanmar QA is something to either be aware of and deal with or swap to SSQA right away. I am wondering about long term parts and service. I've heard the older cub cadet scuts built by Yanmar do not have parts support anymore and are not that old. I'd like a tractor that will last 20+ years and a big part of that will be parts availability. Does anyone have any insight on this? I would hope actual Yanmar branded machines will be supported long term.

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soloz2

Discussion Starter · #39 · 4 mo ago

That’s pretty impressive! Probably a bit over 1k lbs and way farther out from the pins. I’ll be honest, I’m not sure how much lifting capacity I need, but I would want to be able to lift logs to more easily cut and move, load and unload my truck. Last year, I injured myself trying to get my new air compressor out of my truck alone…was just impatient and the top heavy compressor ended up on me. I did learn my lesson and have asked for help from neighbors to help me unload the fridge and freezer I got this year. I suppose most of these things are only a couple hundred pounds, but logs could be more. I have an old furnace in my garage I’d like to move. It’s probably several hundred lbs of steel.
My fear is not having a strong enough tractor for what I want, but also not wanting to upsize due to space and monetary reasons. I have seen videos on YouTube and definitely a gc1725m, 1025r, could absolutely do what I want. I do have some concerns about lift capacity with a kubota bx.

Nearby I see many JD and Kubota. Then everything else is a mix. Some kioti, MF, new Holland, LS, Yanmar. There are 2 bobcat dealers within 30min, but I have yet to see one driving down the road or up for sale. There are probably more Kioti than MF, LS, or Yanmar and that is shown in local dealers. There are 3 Yanmar dealers in a 100 mile radius, 5 kioti dealers, and professional 15 or more JD and Kubota dealers.
I’ll probably try and go look at Kioti and Kubota, but so far Yanmar was the most comfortable by far followed by JD. I just struggle to justify the premium for JD.

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Discussion Starter · #40 · 4 mo ago

steddy said:
The cub cadet branded SCUTs were pretty rare, just not many out there. Big reason they’re not well supported- not financially viable for the company or dealerships. The true Yanmar stuff is more common so the odds of long term support are a lot better.

There are A LOT of 20+ year old machines of pretty much all brands out there with a lot of hours on them that haven’t required much more than generic oil/fuel filters and mostly generic fluids.. basic maintenance stuff. It’s fairly rare to have lack of parts availability completely cripple a machine, but it does happen. Your odds are pretty good going with any brand, especially one that has a lot of product history, that you won’t have a major breakdown within your 20 year target, even mixing in a little abuse. Your odds are even better that lack of parts availability won’t permanently cripple your machine when something does break. Sure, maybe you’ll break a headlight or something that was discontinued and doesn’t exist on the used market. Just install an aftermarket light bar. Break an unobtanium hood latch on your 25 year old machine? Bungee cord will do just fine! if you break your transmission case or engine block that’s no longer in production and can’t be found used, well, now you might have a problem.

Yanmar isn’t nearly as common in North America as it is overseas. Lots of imported parts will likely always be available.

As far as lift capacity, I’ve always taken them with a grain of salt. Kubota and Massey I know for a fact are under rated based on personal experience. Couple examples- my L4610 is rated to tow maybe 6000-8000 lb. I’ve exceeded 30,000 lb on multiple occasions. Attached photo is my L4610 pulling a dump trailer (3000 lb) with conservatively 8 yards (27 scoops with a 1/3 yard bucket on an excavator) of soaking wet fill sand (3200-3500 lb/yard). I also had close to .75 yards of that same wet sand in the bucket on other trips with a full trailer. The trailer was far too heavy to self dump - I had to scoop out a bunch of sand as well as help it dump using the loader. And I did break the trailer(destroyed a rim and the studs) due to overloading. A Kubota L2900 is rated at maybe 5,000 lb towing capacity. I’ve exceeded 12,000 lb hundreds of times. By the way - those examples were with the 3pt hitch, not the fixed draw bar. They will lift a lot more with the 3pt than they claim in their literature. Safely? I dunno… but they will do it. I’m pretty sure the loader on my Kubota L4610 that’s rated at 852 kg will pick up more than 1000 kg (2200 lb, 24” ahead of the pins). Based on how easily it picks up .75 yards of VERY wet sand. I’ve also picked up and moved a 7’ wide 3pt twin auger 2 stage snowblower that weighs well over 1,000 lb. On a 400+ lb industrial lifting table. On a heavy duty 50 lb pallet. Using a 60 lb pair of forks. Clamped onto the cutting edge of the bucket. Center of gravity farther than 3’ ahead of the pins. Yes- my bucket is bent now, and I had to straighten and reinforce the forks. I often wonder whether or not some manufacturers include the weight of the bucket in their calculations…

Park a Mahindra and similar sized Massey or Kubota next to each other. Dimensionally they’re pretty close. Front axle housings, curb weights, loader arm dimensions, and cylinders are pretty close. How can the Mahindra be “rated” to lift so much more than the Massey or Kubota? It’s several hundred pounds from what I can recall off the top of my head. I honestly don’t know those answers but can only speculate my “rated without a bucket theory,” higher hydraulic pressure (either of which I suppose could be verified), or just a lower factor of safety being advertised because that’s how Mahindra or (other brand) handles their business. With The “big 3” Kubota, Deere, and Massey - which are pretty much legendary for dependability- similar models are spec’d really close to each other.

Thanks, this helps. I wonder though if down the road any less popular tractor might face similar issues.
Cub cadet yanmars are pretty popular near me so they seem like a bigger cautionary tale than maybe they are? At the same time there are lots of old Yanmar built JD tractors that don't have the same caution about parts availability. I know CC has changed hands and really cheapened their products. My CC XT2 mower has been good, but my neighbors older JD 240 will probably outlast mine. MTD has some good products and I like my lawn tractor, but it's no GT or SCUT and it's had a hard life. Just a couple weeks ago I needed to move some logs and my wheel horse was already loaded so I grabbed it out and proceeded to hit a couple lower stumps with the deck pretty good. I may be welding the mounts again this spring.

I guess at the end of the day, limited parts may not be as big a deal as long as there is dealer support. My understanding is that Yanmar dealers are not tied in anyway so bringing a cub Yanmar would be no different than any other brand for repairs. They would have to try and source parts too and may not be able to order them.

I just saw a sc2400 for $11k. I'd have to go back. I wish used prices were more reasonable overall.

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soloz2

Discussion Starter · #42 · 4 mo ago

UrbanTractor said:
I wouldn’t get too hung up on lift capacity specs. Different manufacturers often use different rating standards, so it’s not always an apples-to-apples comparison. Pretty much any current SCUT with an FEL and 3PH will be a big help around your property with heavy lifting chores.

Even a garden tractor with an FEL is a back-saver. I can’t tell you how many times mine has turned a 2-4 person job into something I can easily manage on my own:

View attachment 2581886

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When lifting any heavy object, it’s every bit as important to have adequate rear ballast as it is to have lift capacity. Whatever machine you end up with, plan to make an investment in a ballasting system:

View attachment 2581889

Thank you, Yes I do plan on loading the rear tires and probably getting a ballast box. I am wondering if the more expensive weight bracket and suitcase weights might be better, but I’ll probably start with a ballast box for starters.

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Discussion Starter · #44 · 4 mo ago

MARK (LI) said:
If it has a 3 point hitch , you can make something inexpensively...if you have a scrap yard near you, ask to look around and see if they have something that you can convert into a rear weight....post#7 in this thread shows what I did with elevator counterweights from a scrap yard

That's a great idea. I actually need to find a local scrap yard anyway as I have a non-working fridge and some old brake rotors I need to dump.

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soloz2

Discussion Starter · #46 · 4 mo ago

UrbanTractor said:
Your new scut can help you load those!

Oh I know! Actually at this point, I’m probably going to wait until I get a SCUT to load the fridge.

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Discussion Starter · #53 · 4 mo ago

steddy said:
I just re-read your original post. For as much 3pt work you’ll be doing (and apologies if it’s been mentioned already and I missed it), you might want to ensure your machine has position control on the 3pt. It’s been awhile since I’ve been SCUT shopping, but I’m not sure if too many SCUTs are equipped with it. It allows for much more user friendly 3pt operation. Usually it’s a feature reserved for the next step up, which truth be known don’t have a much larger footprint than the 1025r, BX, or GC size machines, such as the Kubota B series.

I agree, I think. I've been paying attention to the PTO HP and looking at position control, although I don't fully understand where it would be needed. I get where it might be useful and was looking at that.

Shawn T W. said:
I don't have position control ... I just eyeball it, and then lock it in ... The MF have a knob to control how fast the 3pt drops, and this also will lock/hold it where you set it ... If you move it, you may not set it back exactly like before, but for me, it's close enough, position control has a numbered position, kinda like a mmm deck height control, if I remember it right!

Basically if you want to lift something with the loader, you need ballast on the back, behind the rear axles ... Filled tires are more for traction aid, and lowering the center of gravity, so it's not quite as tippy ... The little tractors are fairly tall.

How do you lock in the position? I didn't think the GC1725M had position control.

UrbanTractor said:
JD 1025R (but not 1023E) has a position control 3PH. As does the Yanmar SCUT (I believe.)

The BX machines don’t have position control but they do have a “quarter inching valve” that permits better control over the rate of decent for the 3PH, allowing for fine tuning if not perfect repeatability.

The JD 1025R has true position control as does the Yanmar SA series. (I don't think the 221 does, but I wasn't looking at that one. I believe the new 223 does and the 324/325 and 424/425 do). I don't believe the MF GC 1725M has it. When I looked in person, I didn't see a log and the salesperson said it didn't.

Shawn T W. said:
Hmmm .. learned something new, thanks!

One thing to keep in mind in regards to loader lift ratings ... While they usually are using "at the pins" ... They also state at what height it will lift that to, then check maximum height to compare ... While my Little Baby Fergie may lift 1,000 lbs, it can not lift it to full height!

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My forks are way over rated for my little tractor, a set of lightweight 36" forks are much more appropriate for this size of tractor, in my opinion, could easily gain another 100 lbs lift capacity, the back rack also adds weight, while it adds a safety factor, depends on what is your moving, on how big and strong (heavy!) it is ...

How might I tell? I thought the height was as high as the bucket could go level and weight is what it could lift to full height? I thought the rated weight at the pins was full height and then greater than rated weight below, but I'm just learning here.

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Discussion Starter · #62 · 4 mo ago

steddy said:
Features I wish my tractor had: universal skid steer quick attach, 3rd function loader valve (for a grapple or 4 way bucket), and rear hydraulic remotes. They can be added of course, but they’re really expensive. I wish I would have looked for a tractor that had those features from the factory (or previous owner added), or put them on 5 years ago when it was like half the price they are now! Oh yeah… and maybe a heated cab with AC.

I think those thing are all reasonable to wish for and honestly as I'm looking at tractors I'm asking about 3rd function, grapple, and rear remote. One thing I really like about the SA325 is the two rear remotes. The only thing I won't get here if I go Yanmar is SSQA... unless I pay extra to adapt it. I'm not sure if it's worth switching or not. I think for the front I will want:
bucket
grapple
pallet forks
snow pusher/plow
stump bucket

I think out of this list, a plow can be had and my dealer said they can get a stump bucket from HLA. It's more expensive than others I've looked at though. I think I'd probably either switch to SSQA right away before buying a grapple, or I'd just stick with Yanmar QA and adapt just the stump bucket. It is something to think about.

I'm also trying to determine what I would need for rear ballast. I know this will vary from tractor to tractor. I like liquid as it's out of the way, but it would also be nice to be able to remove ballast when not needed so I'm not impacting my lawn anymore than necessary.

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Discussion Starter · #65 · 4 mo ago

3 Legged Dog said:
I bought a nice rear ballast box from Titan.

View attachment 2582406

It's Cat 1 with Cat 0 spacing, so it fits well on my SCUT. It has a trailer hitch receiver built in, and slots for pallet fork lift. It also has 2 tubes for rakes and other long-handled tools.

I put three 80 lb sand tubes in the box, so that gives me about 350 lbs of ballast.

I like the idea of a factory SSQA on the loader because the aftermarket kits tend to add extra weight, which reduces the total loader lift. It you want a future grapple, real pallet forks, stump bucket, etc. then you will appreciate SSQA.
Cal

I was looking at this one and the one from Earth and Turf attachments.

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