Guideline for Buying a New Farm Tractor

Tractor rated by many methods such as Horsepower, Weight, Size and Lift Capacities. So let us see some tractor buying facts.

1. Horsepower
Horsepower is a common method by which to gauge a tractor’s size. If a salesperson was describing his tractor with drawbar horsepower, the competing dealer would use PTO horsepower, a higher number, for the same size tractor.

2. How much horsepower do you need?
If you want to operate a five-foot cutter (shredder), a good rule of thumb is 20 PTO horsepower (not engine horsepower) and a six-foot cutter requires roughly 30 PTO horsepower. If the tractor will be used primarily for loader work, then determine if you need lift capacity, such as to lift a round bale of hay, or bucket capacity, to move a specific size load of dirt.

3. Weight:
The fact is, weight has little bearing on the quality of a tractor, and furthermore, no matter what brand, tractors do not break in half. Weight is the cheapest item a manufacturer can add to a tractor. If you want a heavy tractor, there are many options and ways to add weight to an existing tractor if that is important to you.

4. Size, Lift Capacities and Front Loaders:
The size of a tractor can be very deceiving when gauged simply by horsepower.
Lift capacity is probably the most deceptive gauge by which to compare tractors used in the industry. Whether it is lift capacity of the loader or three-point lift, often times the number quoted is not the weight the tractor can actually lift.
A trade-off exists between actual lift capacity and speed. If a front loader will lift what seems like a lot of weight, chances are it will have a very slow cycle time

5. Four-wheel Drive:
Most tractors with less than 50 engine horsepower have four-wheel drive when operated with a front loader, this is due to the extra weight placed over the front of the tractor which will bury the front wheels in any soft or wet ground conditions causing a noticeable loss of traction.

6. Resale Value:
Buying a “name brand” tractor will ensure that in the future you will have no trouble finding a new home for your machine.