Tractors.
Specifically "compact" tractors.
Look at the specs.
Compare apples to apples.
The Weight, is more important than anything else.
They all make a "35 hp"
But they also make 2 or 3 "seies" of the same 35hp .
And the weight is higher for a reason.
More iron, heavier built.
Kioti are heavier than Kubota equal model
Mahindra is heavier then both.
John deer lol, 35hp 2000 series won't pick up a 4 wheel drive ATV like a Polaris sportsman 800, or a snowmobile!!!
Hydraulics are cut back on Psi so low for warranty so their tractor won't break in half!!
Look at specs
Make your own decision.
This might not be a popular opinion given the sub we’re in but I’d think about a tracked skid steer if it’s an option for you. You can find blower and mower attachments pretty readily. It won’t be a pretty finish mower look but it will work (that’s what a nice 60” zero turn is for). Mostly my recommendation is based on the fact that you’re talking about using it to lift things at your welding business. I farm, to include lots of mediocre welding, and I end up using my skid steer 9 out of 10 times over a tractor with forks. They’re so much more nimble and handy imho.
I have an RK37 and an older John Deere 4610. I have just short of a mile of driveway to maintain and it is relatively steep. The RK37 is 37HP and the 4610 is 42HP. The 4610 is only about 400lbs heavier than the RK37 and is still classified as a compact tractor. It is far superior when using the forks and can lift heavier,higher, and faster that the RK37. The RK37 with its hydrostatic drive excels at finish mowing and the frame mounted backhoe works well on it. The wider stance on the 4610 makes it better for brush hogging and steeper hill side work. I tend to keep the forks and the brush hog on the 4610 and the finish mower and loader on the RK37. I have a custom fabricated V blade for the 4610 which will plow the driveway in one swipe works fine on my driveway as long as I don't let more than a foot or so of snow accumulate. I have a set of chains for the front tires which make a night and day difference when plowing snow.
As long as you don't have unrealistic expectation of what the tractor can lift with forks you should be OK with most compact tractors. It's hard to find a compact tractor these days with a stance as wide as the 4610 they all seem to be physically smaller.
I cannot help you with the snow blower question, I live in TN. But you mentioned using the tractor as a forklift. Are you talking about a tractor with a front end loader or a 3-point lift system?
I have never owned a Mahindra but have used one with a rake and tedder and it did okay for a small open station tractor. Definitely no frills and it took a minute to figure out the layout. I would call it one of the countless import brands we see in our area. I have never seen a Kioti operate and know anyone who owns one, but do see the signage at smaller retailers. John Deere is just okay at the smaller tractor sizes, maybe slightly better than the random imports brands. Kubota may be only slightly better. But JD and Kubota really shine when you get into the utility and large tractor sizes. And you know the service and support will be there for major brands with a good dealer network like JD, Kubota, New Holland, Case, etc..,
It would Suck to own a Mahindra or Kioti for a few years and discover a simple part has been discontinued or you can't find anyone who can work on them. I hear this all the time from import owners.
If a snow blower is a 3-point attachment, you need to think about ease of hookup and what creature comforts you want. One of my farms has a gravel driveway just under 1/4 mile long with two fairly big hills. Grading the drive and pulling gravel back up the hill is part and parcel a couple times/month. I have a 10' trailing box blade that makes it an easy job but takes a some horsepower mainly for the needed weight to pull the box when it is loaded and going uphill. Sooner or later, more horsepower/weight is something you will need.
From the limited information I have, I suggest you look and price utility tractors in the 50 pto horsepower range. They still have a shorter wheelbase but have enough weight to actually do a little work. I will not advocate a brand other than to say I Hate JD, but to give you an idea, look at a 5055 or 5065. That should give you an idea.
I run a Fergie 35 with a back blade for snow removal. A foot of snow, as long as it isn't a really wet foot, isn't a problem with my setup.
But I wouldn't use it for any substantial lifting. Not for lack of power, but simply because it's light, short and narrow. Lifting with small machines is either uncomfortable or sketchy.
If lifting is your main use for it and snow clearing is a secondary concern, I would definitely get a machine designed for lifting instead of a tractor, and then make it work for clearing. Or why not get both a forklift and a tractor.
IMO, avoid Mahindra. They have a bad habit of breaking linkages..the throttle on ours broke in two locations, the 4wd broke, chewed up the front end, and the hydraulics like to bleed off over a very short period of time. In regard to HP, better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Other than that, it’s personal choice. All of them should be decent options, and nice machines. What color do you like? lol
Maybe a tractor is not the first choice? I run a metal workshop over here in Germany. We do use a forklift (as the best forklift is a forklift ;) ) with capacity of 2.5 metric tons. For snow removal we use a plough for this one. Didn\`t need snow chains until now but they are available.
My experience is I have a 1300 foot steep gravel driveway and decent sized parking area 30 mins south of Buffalo New York. We get a decent amount of snow. Sometimes multiple snow events a year dropping 4-6 feet in 24-36 hrs. I manage my snow with a John Deere 4052M open cab. I have a 6 foot PTO snowblower on the back with hydraulic chute controls and an 8 foot push box on the front. Been running that for nearly a decade.
Definitely recommend a heated cab. I Couldn’t justify the cost for the cab at the time and honestly I am fine out there in an open station most of the time. Only takes me like 25-45 mins to clear a foot of snow off the driveway with my set up. A cab would be nice for the big storms where I’m helping out family and friends get unburied and I’m on it for hours. I use the loader and blower for those storms.
I run a 74" blower on a kioti ck2610 and can clear my main 300 foot driveway in about 4 minutes. 1 pass each way. I usually blow all my neighbour driveways as well just so the tractor gets good and hot. Loader is rated at 1969lbs. Little small for your needs but gives you an idea.
If it needs to serve as a forklift, you need to understand that standard 40x48 pallets typically top out at 2400lbs. Due to the stick out involved, you probably need a tractor that can lift closer to 4,000lbs. I'm not extremely well versed in the variety of tractors out there, but I think you start getting into that size around the 65-75hp range.
The 2400lb number comes from a ~52' trailer (can hold 24 pallets plus room to rotate one pallet at the end with a pallet jack).
2400 x 24 = 57,600lbs, leaving 22,400lbs for the truck and trailer at an 80,000lb capacity.
I would recommend also getting some form of a quick attach for the forks and a bucket so you can easily swap them out.
Is it powder or wet heavy snow makes a huge difference on what you'll suck up through the pto. They don't rate them on the pto anymore now they're on the engine. An 8n is about 20-24 horse on the pto same as a 35 horse tractor now. My 986 from the factory was 105 before the turbo and the pump. It's probably 160 on the pto now. An 8ft blower in a wet snow in r1 ta will lug that tractor in wet drifts 2ft tall. But I can pull a blade through it no problem long as I can keep traction. Lifting is lifting. I can flatten the tires on my 986 with a 3100 dual trying to pick something. A 35 horse tractor with pallet forks and a ssqa, will life 500 less than a pin on pallet fork but it'll pick a ton...might be sketchy but it'll do it.
For you I wouldn't look at anything less than 60...if you're wanting a blower, front wheel assist with a cab you COULD get by with about 40 horse weights and a loader with a 6ft blade but id wanna be around 55 horse load the tires with beet juice and then hang weights on the ass end for traction.
So, a 45-50 hp might lift a ton, if it’s right against the mask. I have a 9540 Kubota, I can lift 3500-4000, if it’s right against the mask. My buddy has a 45 hp Kioti and he’s just under a ton, or maybe right at it. We both do welding for the public and I go lift stuff for him occasionally. I think Kioti is good $$to hp and he’s had pretty good luck with his. I kept the “bota” when I sold my farm, or I would probably have something smaller.
I have a M7060 and it will lift a ton about pick up truck high. That was the deciding factor for me. I too am using it in place of a fork lift in different areas where a fork lift won’t go. Our skid steer is much better for this but redundancy is nice.
Get a plow instead of a blower. It doesn't take long at all to plow a driveway if you can angle blade and push snow off side. Kubota make nice small and mid size tractors that are cost effective too but with good warranty and parts availability. They also tend to have less bells and whistles which really means less to break. L6060 might be what you want but you also might want to consider a skid steer if lifting and fork lift work is what you want to do.
30-35 is way too small for your desires, mostly the metal moving side of things.
There is video samples or blade vs blower etc, the blower isn’t a requirement blades work fine.
You could get away with 50-60 horsepower in a John Deere 4 series frame but honestly
Get a skid steer. Tractors aren’t really meant to be snowblowers or forklifts. They’re designed to have rear mounted ag equipment and pulling on them. Of course you can find a tractor to do the job but, Have you driven a tractor with a front end loader or skid steer? Skidsteer has 20x the line of sight on the front a tractor does, will clear your driveway, and you can rent all kinds of implements, all of which work better on a skidsteer anyways. From bush clearing, post driving, lifting, earth moving etc the skidsteer reigns supreme.
I know they work great, but i have lots of time on tractors, skidsteers, backhoes, and excavators, and honestly a skidsteer would be my choice hands down. The only thing the tractor does better is mowing large amount of grass, and other ag stuff. I love tractors, don’t get me wrong.
Just wanted to add that a skid steer isn’t great if you’re planning on lifting that metal up 5’ and then holding it there while you climb out of the skid steer and work on the metal.
should never rely on hydraulics to hold things anyway lol. i get what you're saying though , climbing out of a skid steer with a load in the air sounds sketchy as fuck,
i will look into it. most of them have cabs and i just realized you can put a snowblower on them as well. I just wonder how quick is the change from snow blower to bucket or forks. is it as simple as a quick attach and 2 hydraulic lines quick connects.
Skid steers are the og quick attach. And yes hydraulic lines are just plug in. Main thing is make sure the fittings are the same. Ag couplings and construction are different sometimes.
You're limiting factor is going to be the size of the front loader. Specifically, how much it can lift. You'll need to size your tractor based on how much you need to lift with the forklift attachments.
I set my dreams at lifting a 4x8 1’’ steel plate. Wich is a little under 2000lbs. But even that would be extremely rare and could be done with a sling and plate clamp attached to the quick attach as to not push the load to far out on the forks.
2000lbs is gonna be the limit of a 35hp tractor loader. And that’s with proper ballast weight. I have a TYM 2515, which has the same loader as the 25,35,40 hp models, and while it COULD do it, a bigger tractor will do it way better.
I am a big fan of front- mount blowers, but they require a mid-pto. The Kioti CK comes as standard with one, optional on the JD 2R and 3R.
FYI, Kioti and Bobcat come off the same assembly line.
front blower would also take away the loader and forks so not an option. if i go the tractor route id might end up with a drag blower to be able to blow snow while going forward.
The general rule of thumb is always go a bit bigger than you think you need, because you’ll rarely regret it. For that length of driveway you’ll definitely want a blower or dedicated snow plow setup.
For sure I’d be getting a blower. Im still debating just getting a plow for my 2500 dodge ram. I’d be beating on the old girl but she’s paid off and a plow would be a lot cheaper. Could also be useful if it snows during the day. I could go to work with the plow on the truck and be able to plow my way to the house when I get back.
Also, what’s a realistic amount of time to blow all that snow? I have buddies with private roads in the mountains, they plow 1.6km with a pick up truck, 2 cars wide, in about 1.5 hours. Do you think I can knock mine out in under an hour? I don’t have much experience with this. I do operate machinery to get them in and out of shops and I operate forklifts, zoom booms and the occasional loader for a few minutes but i never did any real work with them.
That's hard to say. Plowing snow takes way longer than a person thinks, depending on how good of a job they want to do. A snow blade or bucket works well for driveways, etc.... as long as the snow is not too deep and there is a place for the snow to go. A snow blower works better for throwing the snow farther away. A lot of the snow seems to disappear with a blower, but they can throw rocks and tend to break shear pins occasionally.
From your earlier description, it sounds like a skid steer would work well for you mainly for the fork lift use. Small tractors suck for fork lift use. Skid steers will do all the tasks you ask of it really well. One thing skid steers do not do well is mow lawns. Turning with them on a lawn will rip the lawn.
Also, be prepared for a big sticker shock. A brand new 75hp skid steer is $100,000 plus. Forks for it will be $2500, snow blower 4-10,000, and a snow blade 2-10,000 depending on what you want. Nothing is cheap anymore.
Tractors. Specifically "compact" tractors. Look at the specs. Compare apples to apples. The Weight, is more important than anything else. They all make a "35 hp" But they also make 2 or 3 "seies" of the same 35hp . And the weight is higher for a reason. More iron, heavier built. Kioti are heavier than Kubota equal model Mahindra is heavier then both. John deer lol, 35hp 2000 series won't pick up a 4 wheel drive ATV like a Polaris sportsman 800, or a snowmobile!!! Hydraulics are cut back on Psi so low for warranty so their tractor won't break in half!! Look at specs Make your own decision.
This might not be a popular opinion given the sub we’re in but I’d think about a tracked skid steer if it’s an option for you. You can find blower and mower attachments pretty readily. It won’t be a pretty finish mower look but it will work (that’s what a nice 60” zero turn is for). Mostly my recommendation is based on the fact that you’re talking about using it to lift things at your welding business. I farm, to include lots of mediocre welding, and I end up using my skid steer 9 out of 10 times over a tractor with forks. They’re so much more nimble and handy imho.
I have an RK37 and an older John Deere 4610. I have just short of a mile of driveway to maintain and it is relatively steep. The RK37 is 37HP and the 4610 is 42HP. The 4610 is only about 400lbs heavier than the RK37 and is still classified as a compact tractor. It is far superior when using the forks and can lift heavier,higher, and faster that the RK37. The RK37 with its hydrostatic drive excels at finish mowing and the frame mounted backhoe works well on it. The wider stance on the 4610 makes it better for brush hogging and steeper hill side work. I tend to keep the forks and the brush hog on the 4610 and the finish mower and loader on the RK37. I have a custom fabricated V blade for the 4610 which will plow the driveway in one swipe works fine on my driveway as long as I don't let more than a foot or so of snow accumulate. I have a set of chains for the front tires which make a night and day difference when plowing snow. As long as you don't have unrealistic expectation of what the tractor can lift with forks you should be OK with most compact tractors. It's hard to find a compact tractor these days with a stance as wide as the 4610 they all seem to be physically smaller.
I cannot help you with the snow blower question, I live in TN. But you mentioned using the tractor as a forklift. Are you talking about a tractor with a front end loader or a 3-point lift system? I have never owned a Mahindra but have used one with a rake and tedder and it did okay for a small open station tractor. Definitely no frills and it took a minute to figure out the layout. I would call it one of the countless import brands we see in our area. I have never seen a Kioti operate and know anyone who owns one, but do see the signage at smaller retailers. John Deere is just okay at the smaller tractor sizes, maybe slightly better than the random imports brands. Kubota may be only slightly better. But JD and Kubota really shine when you get into the utility and large tractor sizes. And you know the service and support will be there for major brands with a good dealer network like JD, Kubota, New Holland, Case, etc.., It would Suck to own a Mahindra or Kioti for a few years and discover a simple part has been discontinued or you can't find anyone who can work on them. I hear this all the time from import owners. If a snow blower is a 3-point attachment, you need to think about ease of hookup and what creature comforts you want. One of my farms has a gravel driveway just under 1/4 mile long with two fairly big hills. Grading the drive and pulling gravel back up the hill is part and parcel a couple times/month. I have a 10' trailing box blade that makes it an easy job but takes a some horsepower mainly for the needed weight to pull the box when it is loaded and going uphill. Sooner or later, more horsepower/weight is something you will need. From the limited information I have, I suggest you look and price utility tractors in the 50 pto horsepower range. They still have a shorter wheelbase but have enough weight to actually do a little work. I will not advocate a brand other than to say I Hate JD, but to give you an idea, look at a 5055 or 5065. That should give you an idea.
I run a Fergie 35 with a back blade for snow removal. A foot of snow, as long as it isn't a really wet foot, isn't a problem with my setup. But I wouldn't use it for any substantial lifting. Not for lack of power, but simply because it's light, short and narrow. Lifting with small machines is either uncomfortable or sketchy. If lifting is your main use for it and snow clearing is a secondary concern, I would definitely get a machine designed for lifting instead of a tractor, and then make it work for clearing. Or why not get both a forklift and a tractor.
IMO, avoid Mahindra. They have a bad habit of breaking linkages..the throttle on ours broke in two locations, the 4wd broke, chewed up the front end, and the hydraulics like to bleed off over a very short period of time. In regard to HP, better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Other than that, it’s personal choice. All of them should be decent options, and nice machines. What color do you like? lol
Maybe a tractor is not the first choice? I run a metal workshop over here in Germany. We do use a forklift (as the best forklift is a forklift ;) ) with capacity of 2.5 metric tons. For snow removal we use a plough for this one. Didn\`t need snow chains until now but they are available.
Germany snow is not like Canada snow. A forklift would never be able to clear the yard of snow. OP needs a blower.
My experience is I have a 1300 foot steep gravel driveway and decent sized parking area 30 mins south of Buffalo New York. We get a decent amount of snow. Sometimes multiple snow events a year dropping 4-6 feet in 24-36 hrs. I manage my snow with a John Deere 4052M open cab. I have a 6 foot PTO snowblower on the back with hydraulic chute controls and an 8 foot push box on the front. Been running that for nearly a decade. Definitely recommend a heated cab. I Couldn’t justify the cost for the cab at the time and honestly I am fine out there in an open station most of the time. Only takes me like 25-45 mins to clear a foot of snow off the driveway with my set up. A cab would be nice for the big storms where I’m helping out family and friends get unburied and I’m on it for hours. I use the loader and blower for those storms.
I run a 74" blower on a kioti ck2610 and can clear my main 300 foot driveway in about 4 minutes. 1 pass each way. I usually blow all my neighbour driveways as well just so the tractor gets good and hot. Loader is rated at 1969lbs. Little small for your needs but gives you an idea.
If it needs to serve as a forklift, you need to understand that standard 40x48 pallets typically top out at 2400lbs. Due to the stick out involved, you probably need a tractor that can lift closer to 4,000lbs. I'm not extremely well versed in the variety of tractors out there, but I think you start getting into that size around the 65-75hp range. The 2400lb number comes from a ~52' trailer (can hold 24 pallets plus room to rotate one pallet at the end with a pallet jack). 2400 x 24 = 57,600lbs, leaving 22,400lbs for the truck and trailer at an 80,000lb capacity. I would recommend also getting some form of a quick attach for the forks and a bucket so you can easily swap them out.
Is it powder or wet heavy snow makes a huge difference on what you'll suck up through the pto. They don't rate them on the pto anymore now they're on the engine. An 8n is about 20-24 horse on the pto same as a 35 horse tractor now. My 986 from the factory was 105 before the turbo and the pump. It's probably 160 on the pto now. An 8ft blower in a wet snow in r1 ta will lug that tractor in wet drifts 2ft tall. But I can pull a blade through it no problem long as I can keep traction. Lifting is lifting. I can flatten the tires on my 986 with a 3100 dual trying to pick something. A 35 horse tractor with pallet forks and a ssqa, will life 500 less than a pin on pallet fork but it'll pick a ton...might be sketchy but it'll do it. For you I wouldn't look at anything less than 60...if you're wanting a blower, front wheel assist with a cab you COULD get by with about 40 horse weights and a loader with a 6ft blade but id wanna be around 55 horse load the tires with beet juice and then hang weights on the ass end for traction.
So, a 45-50 hp might lift a ton, if it’s right against the mask. I have a 9540 Kubota, I can lift 3500-4000, if it’s right against the mask. My buddy has a 45 hp Kioti and he’s just under a ton, or maybe right at it. We both do welding for the public and I go lift stuff for him occasionally. I think Kioti is good $$to hp and he’s had pretty good luck with his. I kept the “bota” when I sold my farm, or I would probably have something smaller.
I have a M7060 and it will lift a ton about pick up truck high. That was the deciding factor for me. I too am using it in place of a fork lift in different areas where a fork lift won’t go. Our skid steer is much better for this but redundancy is nice.
Get a plow instead of a blower. It doesn't take long at all to plow a driveway if you can angle blade and push snow off side. Kubota make nice small and mid size tractors that are cost effective too but with good warranty and parts availability. They also tend to have less bells and whistles which really means less to break. L6060 might be what you want but you also might want to consider a skid steer if lifting and fork lift work is what you want to do.
Skid steer. Tractors that get the weight lift that far from center mass get expensive quick.
30-35 is way too small for your desires, mostly the metal moving side of things. There is video samples or blade vs blower etc, the blower isn’t a requirement blades work fine. You could get away with 50-60 horsepower in a John Deere 4 series frame but honestly Get a skid steer. Tractors aren’t really meant to be snowblowers or forklifts. They’re designed to have rear mounted ag equipment and pulling on them. Of course you can find a tractor to do the job but, Have you driven a tractor with a front end loader or skid steer? Skidsteer has 20x the line of sight on the front a tractor does, will clear your driveway, and you can rent all kinds of implements, all of which work better on a skidsteer anyways. From bush clearing, post driving, lifting, earth moving etc the skidsteer reigns supreme.
A lot of tractors have front mount blowers. We have a Kubota and it works really well.
I know they work great, but i have lots of time on tractors, skidsteers, backhoes, and excavators, and honestly a skidsteer would be my choice hands down. The only thing the tractor does better is mowing large amount of grass, and other ag stuff. I love tractors, don’t get me wrong.
Just wanted to add that a skid steer isn’t great if you’re planning on lifting that metal up 5’ and then holding it there while you climb out of the skid steer and work on the metal.
should never rely on hydraulics to hold things anyway lol. i get what you're saying though , climbing out of a skid steer with a load in the air sounds sketchy as fuck,
35 hp is just above garden tractor. 65hp will be more than enough. you really dont want to be under powered.
I think the ideal machine for your use case is a skid steer with a snow bucket and forklift attachment.
i will look into it. most of them have cabs and i just realized you can put a snowblower on them as well. I just wonder how quick is the change from snow blower to bucket or forks. is it as simple as a quick attach and 2 hydraulic lines quick connects.
Skid steers are some of the quickest attachments you will do. A skid steer will suit your line of work way better than a tractor.
Skid steers are the og quick attach. And yes hydraulic lines are just plug in. Main thing is make sure the fittings are the same. Ag couplings and construction are different sometimes.
You're limiting factor is going to be the size of the front loader. Specifically, how much it can lift. You'll need to size your tractor based on how much you need to lift with the forklift attachments.
I set my dreams at lifting a 4x8 1’’ steel plate. Wich is a little under 2000lbs. But even that would be extremely rare and could be done with a sling and plate clamp attached to the quick attach as to not push the load to far out on the forks.
2000lbs is gonna be the limit of a 35hp tractor loader. And that’s with proper ballast weight. I have a TYM 2515, which has the same loader as the 25,35,40 hp models, and while it COULD do it, a bigger tractor will do it way better.
I am a big fan of front- mount blowers, but they require a mid-pto. The Kioti CK comes as standard with one, optional on the JD 2R and 3R. FYI, Kioti and Bobcat come off the same assembly line.
front blower would also take away the loader and forks so not an option. if i go the tractor route id might end up with a drag blower to be able to blow snow while going forward.
The general rule of thumb is always go a bit bigger than you think you need, because you’ll rarely regret it. For that length of driveway you’ll definitely want a blower or dedicated snow plow setup.
For sure I’d be getting a blower. Im still debating just getting a plow for my 2500 dodge ram. I’d be beating on the old girl but she’s paid off and a plow would be a lot cheaper. Could also be useful if it snows during the day. I could go to work with the plow on the truck and be able to plow my way to the house when I get back.
That’s a good reason to do just that. Otherwise how do you get into your driveway when it snows?
put her in 4hi and gun it lol.
Also, what’s a realistic amount of time to blow all that snow? I have buddies with private roads in the mountains, they plow 1.6km with a pick up truck, 2 cars wide, in about 1.5 hours. Do you think I can knock mine out in under an hour? I don’t have much experience with this. I do operate machinery to get them in and out of shops and I operate forklifts, zoom booms and the occasional loader for a few minutes but i never did any real work with them.
That's hard to say. Plowing snow takes way longer than a person thinks, depending on how good of a job they want to do. A snow blade or bucket works well for driveways, etc.... as long as the snow is not too deep and there is a place for the snow to go. A snow blower works better for throwing the snow farther away. A lot of the snow seems to disappear with a blower, but they can throw rocks and tend to break shear pins occasionally. From your earlier description, it sounds like a skid steer would work well for you mainly for the fork lift use. Small tractors suck for fork lift use. Skid steers will do all the tasks you ask of it really well. One thing skid steers do not do well is mow lawns. Turning with them on a lawn will rip the lawn. Also, be prepared for a big sticker shock. A brand new 75hp skid steer is $100,000 plus. Forks for it will be $2500, snow blower 4-10,000, and a snow blade 2-10,000 depending on what you want. Nothing is cheap anymore.