What are the Best garden tractors

Yes I am looking for a list , maybe a top ten, of the best small tractors. I am looking to buy a tractor in the near future and I am doing some research. We have 5 acres of farm and would like something with a FEL and backhoe , tiller , post hole digger , woodsplitter, . But as small as possible and still not be underpowered for those and other implements. Also looking for something that is gas powered and not diesel, just for ease of maintenance and easy winter startup. Any suggestions would be extremely helpfull , thanks.

I don't think you really want a garden tractor. My suggestion would be to go to a Massey Ferguson model 35, 135, 50, 150, 65 or 165 OR a Ford 600 or 700 series or a Ford 3000 series or Maybe an Oliver 55, super 55 or 550 or an IH 300,400, 350,450,460,560 or 606, you'd probably be happier with a utility model. Or to put it another way look for a gas farm tractor 35 to 50 horsepower with power steering, live hydraulics and PTO and 2 point (Farmall only) or 3 point with draft & position control and a wide front (newer Farmall & everyone else).

For 5 acres, I suspect you'd be happier with a Sub Compact Utility Tractor (SCUT) or a Compact Utility Tractor (CUT), not a "garden tractor".

Unfortunately, in that class I don't think you're going to find anything in gas.

If you're absolutely set on gas, older Ingersolls would be something to look into. They came with a 3 point hitch and loaders were available.

In a small gas engined unit you're REALLY gonna be limited for backhoe applications. They just don't have the heft to deal with it.

A diesel SCUT/CUT would be MUCH more versatile and would last essentially forever with normal maintenance. In this class, I'd look for leftover new models or lightly used to avoid the whole nightmare of Tier 4 diesel requirements. Modern small diesels in good repair start well, at most you might want to add a block heater. Diesel starting issues are more likely to be an issue on larger, high hour engines.

If you decide to look into the diesel option, any of the big names is fine, and I'd concentrate more on a nearby dealer with a good reputation than a particular color. Just avoid the grey market and Chinese imports. If you can buy it out of a catalog for half what a name brand costs, you're going to get just what you pay for.

I also agree something bigger would be better

Buy a Super C Farmall with the fasthitch. The engine is easy to rebuild having wet sleeves. Hal

Examine your backhoe needs because it may be better to hire someone or rent one. switching between a hoe and the other implements is a chore. If cost is not a problem shop the kubotas. Starting a small diesel is no more troublesome than an old gasser. I must admit I love my super C, but it always requires a little tinkering to get anything done.

A Kubota with FWA would be nice.

I would agree with the others, just rent a backhoe when you need one. It beats the crap out of the small tractors.

yeabut a scut or a cut will do all of the above but....a ETD will do all that and a hole lot more.
It'll pull, plant, cut on the cant and not leave a bunch of tire tracks. Only sayin.

Yeah. Here's an old MTD. (mule team draggin')
These don't leave tire tracks either.

Maybe this ? 1720 ford, 27hp 4wd.

GlenC, Tiller may be difficult. When I checked on a tiller for an old ford, I would have get something in the 900 series, something that could go very slow, SOS, live pto. I found the price of a tractor and tiller got out of sight.

I found a 15 year old 17 hp John Deer garden tractor with a 30 inch tiller, hydrostatic drive, 48 inch mower for $1500. Works great. The price of a new tiller is north of $1500

Trying to find just one tractor that can do everything you want may prove to be difficult.

The price of an add on a loader and hoe, may be more than you can buy a backhoe for. My experience with add-ons is the hydraulics is very slow.

My Jubilee has no problems with a 12 inch PHD. But you put a loader on it and you'll have problem, no power steering. The front end isn't strong enough to put a lot of weight in loader.

I have pics of someone who added a hoe to a Massey 35. Broke the top link off the tractor.

You may find it better and cheaper to have more than one tractor. It's like doing wood working. There isn't one perfect tool to do everything, saw, plane, drill, miter, crosscut, rip, joint. I think the same is true with tractors. I have 3 tractors, a 1950 IH C, 53 Jubilee, and Terramite T5C hoe. Each can to something better than the other. I can't see all three tractors rolled in to just one. Not to mention, Today, I used the ford and T5C. I wouldn't want to remove the hoe just so I could use a grader blade to level dirt.

Just my $.02 here.

Like you I only want only gas tractors, that makes it even harder to find all the things you want rolled in to one tractor.
Post back and let us know what you buy


George

Jay ,what size is that plow? I have a 1900 Ford and want a plow for ti. Ron Mn.

Cub Cadets older line of compacts did include one with a gas engine. Check into them. Sorry I don't know the model number.

I really like that ford 1720 always have. It"s a diesel but my jd 2305 will do everything you want. A compact might do you better than a garden tractor but most are diesel. Always fun shopping for a new toy

If you really want a garden tractor, look at Power Kings.

Just my opinion, but if you have electric available where it will be parked, put a block heater on it and get a diesel. You'll use less than 1/2 the fuel. I have had very good luck with my 2 Kubotas.

I agree with a small farm tractor and renting the backhoe. Personally I'd want something with a granny gear for the tiller and decent hydraulics for the 3 pt stuff. A MF 65/165 gas would do it as would a 135 gas. Fords in the 6-800 series didn't have the granny type low range you need, at least not that I've seen. Power steering is nice too with a loader.

I think you might be better off considering diesel as well as gas. Just makes life easier.

also if you want a loader I recomemd to buy it already on a tractor

garden tractor?
loader- backhoe?
tiller?
5 acres?

Kubota BX-24/25
Doesn't matter that it's diesel, they always start.....
(personally I'd bump it up to a 'B' model equipped the same, HST, 4WD,
only a little bigger, but a better machine with more clearance)

You can do everything with a nice little Kubota or JD. But skip the backhoe and rent. For the $5000 or more a backhoe adds to the price, you can rent a big one many many times, and dig.

The compact tractor market is huge, you should be able to buy most of your attachments used in good shape. My neighbor maintains his 27 acres with a JD 2110 with a nice little loader, its plenty. Make sure you get 4wd.

I rented dozers and backhoe for 10 years before I could finally justify the price and usage. On 5 acres I just cant see you using a hoe that much that goes on a compact. Any thing big you would still want a lot more digging power.

I had a LT245DT Kubota, one of the handiest machines ever, I have 40+ acres, but my needs grew bigger.

My two cents.

No one tractor is going to be exactly what you need for every job you have listed.

The ones I ain't got

It's a dearborne 10-1 I think it's 2-12 or 2-14 I'm not sure, but the tractor pulls it fine on clay and rockey ground.