barrett

I am brand new to the forum. I inherited a 250 acre farm in NC, mostly pine trees, and one "sharecropper" for the farming. However, I do want to do the upkeep. I need to bush hog about a mile of roadside ditches, the edges of fields, and some in the woods, especially around a small pond. I might eventually grow a 1 acre garden. I guess I am going to be a gentleman farmer in my spare time.

I am reasonably mechanically minded and can follow instructions; however, I know nothing about tractors. (Although I did "help" my dad drive a small allis chalmers farm tractor when I was a kid.) Can you recommend a modest, but dependable tractor and rotary cutter for mowing ditches? I like the idea of a vintage unit, but dependable and cheap is more important.

I greatly appreciate your suggestions.

tractor beam

Barrett, welcome to the forum! The Ford 8 and 9 Ns are sure popular as well as the older farmall tractors. If you have the time, and patience, I would look at craigslist and hit tractor dealers in your area. The market is saturated, and there are good deals to be had, if you are dilligent. Far and away, you'll get the best performance from something newer, and preferably diesel, but then the cost goes up dramatically. What type of budget are you working with, I guess would be the best place to start? As far as rotary cutters, just about anything American made will suite you well. The Rhino, Frontier, and John Deere preoducts are the most expensive, while the King kutter and other off brands are cheaper and from what I've seen, they seem well built and durable in longevity.

__________________
Oh Beautiful for smoggy skies, insecticided grain,
For strip-mined mountain's majesty above the asphalt plain.
America, America, man sheds his waste on thee,
And hides the pines with billboard signs, from sea to oily sea. _______________________________________________ Some say I have a bad attitude...... "Screw them!"

barrett

Thank you tractor beam. I know little about tractor price versus size.
I do want to mow brush in ditches (we call it bush hog in my part of NC). So I think I need a rotary cutter with a bat wing. Is that correct? I don't know if I need a class I or class II hitch. One farmer told me I needed about a 37 hp tractor for bush hogging. Is that right?

$5K is the most I want to spend for the tractor and rotary cutter. Can I get something dependable for that price or am I guilty of wishful thinking.
Barrett

tractor beam

I would advise a 5 to 6 ft brush hog. For that amount, you should be able to do well. Have you embarked on the search yet, to see if you can find something you feel confortable with?

__________________
Oh Beautiful for smoggy skies, insecticided grain,
For strip-mined mountain's majesty above the asphalt plain.
America, America, man sheds his waste on thee,
And hides the pines with billboard signs, from sea to oily sea. _______________________________________________ Some say I have a bad attitude...... "Screw them!"

barrett

I live in Louisiana, but the farm is in North Carolina. I visit several times a year. I followed your advice and checked Craig's list. There seem to be a lot of Ford 8N tractors in the Anson County, NC area. I just saw what seems to be a nice one on Craig's list asking $3500 that is close to home. The problem seems to be that I need a ditch brush mower and a mower for the flats.

Does the 8N have the horsepower, 3 point hitch and other stuff to do the job I need?

tractor beam

Barret, unless your ditches are real steep, deep and narrow, a standard brush hog will suffice. That is, if you can drive the tractor in the ditch, without the risk of rolling, then the hog should be fine, but be sure to use a length of chain, instead of the rigid top link, this way, the hog can come up easily if the ground gets real funky. Brush hogs are real long, and if you get on really uneven ground, it will tweak the mower. The number one cause of damage to brush hogs, is bending the linkage, or your hitch arms, and either can be real expensive to fix. The chain implimented in place of the top link, eases that danger. A Ford 8N, would spin a brush hog just fine, and yes they have a 3 point.

__________________
Oh Beautiful for smoggy skies, insecticided grain,
For strip-mined mountain's majesty above the asphalt plain.
America, America, man sheds his waste on thee,
And hides the pines with billboard signs, from sea to oily sea. _______________________________________________ Some say I have a bad attitude...... "Screw them!"

tractor beam

I'm unsure on the older machines, but my Deere has an adjustable arm on the 3 point for pitching the impliment, also, and you might check to see if the 8N has that feature as well, or perhaps someone here...... one of our resident 8N members, will sound off.

__________________
Oh Beautiful for smoggy skies, insecticided grain,
For strip-mined mountain's majesty above the asphalt plain.
America, America, man sheds his waste on thee,
And hides the pines with billboard signs, from sea to oily sea. _______________________________________________ Some say I have a bad attitude...... "Screw them!"

barrett

The Ford 800N seems to be a good tractor for me. Not too expensive, and a lot of them available where my farm is.

I have discovered that good rotary cutters can be had for less than $1000. However, ditch bank cutters cost multiple thousands, and small ones like I need are virtually impossible to find in used conditions.

I like tractorbeam's idea about using the regular rotary cutter to mow the ditches. However, I have heard so many stories about tractors flipping over on banks, it makes me nervous. The ditches aren't too deep, but I think they are pretty steep. (I can't tell you angle.) Is there a trick I can use like a counterbalance on the other side of the tractor?

The Ford 8N looks like it has a center of gravity lower than most tractors. How long and heavy should the counterbalance be? How would I make and mount it. Thanks to anyone who can offer help. I am just learning.

irwin

If you're new to tractors I recommend staying away from any steep areas until you have a feel for the tractor and tractoring.. this could take awhile.. experience takes time and those older tractors don't normally have a ROPS (roll over protection system) You couldn't pay me enough to risk a roll over on a stock 8N or 9N..

It comes down to: what is your safety worth to you? I'd double the amount you have in mind to spend on a tractor and live a good long life. With a $10k figure you just might find something for $8k+ . Think of the extra money as insurance and an investment in health and ability.

Mickey

Not sure I'd be looking for an 8n or 9n as my first choice. They are popular and that adds a premium to their price. Something quite similar is the old Massey's like the to20, to30. Think I'd be looking for something a little newer but still in your price range. Maybe something like a Ford NAA, Jubilee or sim and maybe a MF 135.

I paid something like $700 for my 5' Howe mower about 4-5 yrs ago. Has worked well for me.

I can't speak for your ditches and how steep and whether it is safe to run the tractor in the ditches. Local advise would seem carry more weight with this decision. If the ditches are steep enough to call for a ROPS, maybe too steep for a newbie to attempt.

What ever you end up with I'd go for some ballast, wheel weights or filled tires. Want to keep the mass as low as one can for stability.

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JDB1937

I also wouldnt recommend an 8N or 9N Ford. They are, indeed, low to the ground and that is important for mowing in ditches. But they have 'flathead' engines, which means problems. People raised on them love them- but as for me, raised on a model B john deere: (signature indicates) they are quirky, difficult to start in the winter, maintenance intensive. Admittedly- the model B- while very reliable, very simple, very low maintenance (I've done almost nothing to my 1937 B in almost 18 years of owning it) it is not a low center of gravity tractor, not really suited for mowing ditches, and can tip over if not operated carefully.

I think the newer Ford tractors - gas engines- but OHV valve trains, like the jubilee, et al, and from others too- are a good choice.

wjjones

Welcome to the forum barrett, have you considered something like this?...http://nashville.craigslist.org/grd/1827185255.html

lsmurphy

Take it slow Barrett. I moved here from FL a few years ago, flatlander, well there just ain't no flat land round here. Take your time and get to know the tractor you buy before get in over your head. Know your limits and you'll get used to it in time.
A guy locally rolled his tractor on Friday and killed himself, happens in a heartbeat.

Scott

wjjones

For those hills and ditches you would want something low, and wide a low center of gravity is safer on hills.

rsmith335

I think you need a tractor with live live PTO which the Ford 9 N & 8N don't have. That way you can ease into areas, front wards or back wards SLOWLY and still cut. I agree with all statements above, be careful! Live PTO alows the cutter to cut while the clutch is dis engauged. I have a 51 Ford 8N and would love to have a live PTO. BE CAREFUL! Best wishes.

barrett

Thanks for all your advice. I am not too sure anyone can learn their limits on a tractor very well. One day, you learn your limit, and the tractor rolls over on you. If you are lucky, you live to know your limits from then on. I have decided to stay on level ground and buy whatever I need to reach into the ditch without driving in it.

Hydraulics powered sickle-bar mowers seem to be reasonably affordable, not as good as a flail mower, but OK. I'd like to hear opinions on this.

I would like to stay with a low center of gravity mower, which seems to be Fords and Massy Ferguson. The Ford Jubillee that someone suggested seem nice, but I am not wedded to any one tractor.

One of my problems is I live in Louisiana and visit home in NC a few times a year. I need to identify something to buy from here, and buy it there. I do have people that will check them out for me so I don't waste my time. The closer to Anson County (Wadesboro) or Union county (Monroe), the better. I hope to buy something by Thanksgiving when I visit again.

barrett

Oh, I forgot to ask, exactly what is a live PTO. Your email states the PTO runs when the tractor clutch is not engaged. Is there more to it than that?

JDB1937

exactly that, nothing more. The PTO and the transmission operate from different clutches- one doesnt affect the other. Handy when you want to go slow and still keep the PTO going.

lsmurphy

No, it's not like that. Just like you would not expect to drive a Cadillac like a small sports car barreling into a corner at 50 mph....

The tractor, if you take it slow and test it's limitations, it will tell you what it's limitations are and over time you'll get to know the tractor and how it reacts and behaves on your terrain and over time you will gain confidence in your abilities.

I was only suggesting that you take your time before you just go off and drive it into a ditch.

I now go places that at first I was not comfortable going....it just take practice.

Scott

barrett

So it seems I need a live PTO. Which of the affordable older models have them. How about the Ford Jubilee, Ford NAA, or Massey Ferguson 135 that were suggested.by Mickey or other suggestions. THanks.