I know you like B's Zan. Bring back my Tractor!

When gardens grow into small acreage farms, the decision to purchase a tractor is often necessary.  There are many things to consider before purchasing a tractor.  Do you need a new garden tractor or a more powerful machine?  Can you get by with a cheap antique model?  What features do you need and what’s available?  Let’s not forget storage.  You will want to protect your investment.  Here are a few things to consider.

1. What will you use the tractor for?  If you have a several acre yard, a zero-turn mower will make mowing the grass much easier and faster than a utility tractor.  In a large garden, a garden tractor with attachments may be the ticket.  If you have rough ground, brushy acreage, or more garden than you can currently handle, a tractor should probably be in your future.
2. What can you afford?  While financing could be obtained for any of the above, in the end, you have to pay for it!  Prices rise quickly as you add power and features.  You could get a used mower for a few hundred dollars.  A new zero turn mower will start around $2500 and rapidly climb up to $10,000.  On the “renegade” side, a small antique tractor (Allis Chalmers, Farmall, etc…) with a mower can usually be found for around $1500.  That makes the antique a pretty good buy, if you are a decent mechanic!
3. Attachments.  With a lawn/garden tractor or zero-turn mower, you will be extremely limited when doing anything other than mowing.  There are carts and power equipment with separate engines available for these units.  Antique tractors had hundreds of attachments back in the day.  Mounting points are specific to each model, so purchasing the implements along with the tractor is a good idea.  The new smaller tractors with a 3 point hitch will open up your options to about any job you can come up with.

I mentioned a 3 point hitch, these are available on old or new tractors.  Some models have them, some don’t.  If you are talking to someone about purchasing a tractor, some of these terms may help.

*Hydraulics – A pressured oil system used for basically for lifting.  A small lawn tractor may have hydraulics just to lift the mower deck.  Remote Hydraulics refers to separate connections at the rear or front of the tractor used to lift and lower attachments.

*PTO  or Power Take Off – This is simply a mechanism that powers something other than the transmission.  A lawn tractor has a PTO to power the mower deck, A dump truck has a PTO to power a hydraulic lift, and a full size tractor should have a PTO on the rear end to power implements (some don’t, keep that in mind).

*MFWD  -  Mechanical Front Wheel Drive (or what many call front wheel assist), FWD – Four Wheel Drive, RWD – Rear Wheel Drive, or your basic 2 wheel drive.

*Hydrostat – or hydro-static drive, refers to the transmission.  Instead of shifting gears, this allows a gradual increase or decrease in speed without adjusting the throttle.  (only available on newer models)

*Locking Differential – connects the drive wheels together if one slips.  If the right wheel spins and you get stuck, locking the differential will make both wheels spin at the same speed, possibly freeing you.

*3 Point Hitch – a hydraulic powered lift system on the rear of many tractors.  With 2 lift arms and a top link, this is the standard in implement attachment today.  If looking at antique tractors, you may come across a one point or 2 point hitch.  Make sure the seller has some equipment to match these mounts, as they are getting hard to find.

Well… that gives you a little ammo when you go searching for a new mechanical helper.  Take your time and  get what you want, it’s out there somewhere.  Try not to get stuck with a lemon!  Many of us with several tractors have a saying. “ If you’re only gonna have one old tractor, it should be a new one”!