Compact tractor

Just thinking out loud

I'm currently looking for a quad, but new and newer ones are bananas money. I came across, just for example, a secondhand Kubota L4200, 45hp, 4wd etc. for probably the same money as a new Yamaha Grizzly 700.

So the quad will go everywhere, but with a little creative digger-ing I don't see why such a tractor wouldn't go most essential places for me. Plus with a loader it could stack and move hay bales and do other things a quad can't. What size/load trailer might such a tractor legally tow on the road if I were to buy cattle?

Has anyone experience of these smaller tractors?

A 2wd tractor like a mf35 etc. is no good for me. We've had them and they just don't have the capability a 4wd would imo.

I want to avoid Chinese tractors tbh.

cclaireadrianne5

The Kubota L4200 is a solid choice, especially for the varied tasks you seem to have in mind. I've used one a few times, and with its 45hp and 4WD, it's certainly more versatile than a quad. Its ability to handle tasks like stacking hay bales is indeed a huge bonus.

Regarding the legal towing capacity on the road: it largely depends on your country's regulations. In many places, a tractor's legal road towing capacity isn't based on the tractor's size, but rather on the braking capacity of the trailer in tow. Still, it's always best to check local laws. Generally, a tractor like the L4200 can handle a decent-sized livestock trailer, but you'd want to ensure the trailer is equipped with appropriate brakes if you're looking at heavier loads.

On the note of 2WD tractors: I completely agree. Their functionality is limited, especially on uneven terrain or in wet conditions. The traction and power you get from a 4WD, especially in muddier situations, is incomparable.

9935452

The problem for me is you buy a quad for a reason.

A small tractor isnt a quad.

I have a honda fourtrax 420 and there are several small tractors at home.

The quad is used for checking cattle in fields down the road, very handy for checking the electric fence boundaries, water troughs and the like. Very easy to get it into a field.

You arent taking off wet gear like you would on a tractor.

It will travel very wet ground without leaving a mark, . A few years back we tried spreading fertiliser with a mf135 on duels. It left deep tracks. The quad left nothing spreading fertiliser.

I do a share of spraying with mine both with a boom and spot spraying.

Also have a weed wiper.

. I know a few lads who lately bought quads and couldnt understand why they hadnt bought them years ago.

My advice would be to borrow one of each for a few days and see which one you actually use