Small farm needing tractor

[hillman]

9 hours ago, MTB98 said:

A Kubota L45 matches up really close to a Farmall M on paper. I don’t see where he gains anything with an M.  
OP didn’t elaborate on the shortcomings of the L45 but maybe those issues could be solved by adding more ballast? 

its not a farm tractor . I cannot imagine pulling/bouncing an M sized  disc across a ploughed field with the Kubota.- if it would pull it with turf tires. or doing any field work if the ground was rough. 

Like the op said its a construction tractor and a good one at that .  not meant for the farm field 

 The OP will never find a Farmall 450 because some guy in Penn. buys all of them 😮. Maybe you could pry one from him!

[B.B.]

I had a New Holland TC45 which is probably similar to your Kubota.  It originally had R4 tires and they were terrible for farm type work.    I bought a complete set of ag tires and rims and it made a world of difference.   We used that little tractor for just about everything.   

[MTB98]

23 minutes ago, hillman said:

Like the op said its a construction tractor and a good one at that .  not meant for the farm field 

43 minutes ago, mtbsobe said:

The kubota works but you can tell it has then horrible r4 tires.

 

 

If traction is the issue I’d look at replacing the R4s with R1s or maybe R3s. 

Ten acres is barely a “farm field” and if you’re needing to downsize implements a little for the Kubota it wouldn’t be adding days of work to the time spent doing field work compared to an old 40-70 hp tractor. 

[766 Man]

44 minutes ago, hillman said:

its not a farm tractor . I cannot imagine pulling/bouncing an M sized  disc across a ploughed field with the Kubota.- if it would pull it with turf tires. or doing any field work if the ground was rough. 

Like the op said its a construction tractor and a good one at that .  not meant for the farm field 

 The OP will never find a Farmall 450 because some guy in Penn. buys all of them 😮. Maybe you could pry one from him!

  Buying a 400 or 450 is not that difficult.  Sure the 1980's are gone where a seller is under pressure to greatly mark down the price on his tractor as the prospective buyer can go several miles down the road to find the next seller.  But 400's and 450's are out there but not everybody is selling one.  The OP might have to travel a couple hundred miles or more to find one.  Speaking of PA Lancaster Farming has more than one of those listed for sale per issue and it is not one seller hoarding them.  

[hillman]

Just now, 766 Man said:

  Buying a 400 or 450 is not that difficult.  Sure the 1980's are gone where a seller is under pressure to greatly mark down the price on his tractor as the prospective buyer can go several miles down the road to find the next seller.  But 400's and 450's are out there but not everybody is selling one.  The OP might have to travel a couple hundred miles or more to find one.  Speaking of PA Lancaster Farming has more than one of those listed for sale per issue and it is not one seller hoarding them.  

it was an attempt at humor....a joke and I agree with you

 

I looked at the 656 on Wengers site. pretty nice tractor. Wengers could fit it with a WFE and aftermarket 3pth and it would be twice the tractor the OP needs

Farmall 656 tricycle tractor

 

[hillman]

a 400 popped up on Facebook. Attica New York. says it runs really nice. if its a sound tractor I would over look its appearance

(1) Marketplace - 1954 Farmall Super M, Super MTA, 400 | Facebook

[cobfly]

11 hours ago, Pukeko said:

Not trying to belittle you, but 60 to 100 hp for 10 lousy acres!!How much would  you need if you had 500 acres ?1000hp on your reckoning.A 300 utility,Ford 3000 series ,Masse,y 135,235 ,D17 AC, then depending on budget474,574 IH,s and so on would be adequate  in my opinion. Often it comes down to dollars,so even a good Super M with  a.ftermarket 3 point hitch like Sandhillers would work It is just going to take a bit longer ,but you are saving a ton of money..Some of the older larger Ih,s get expensive if the PTO,clutches T.A.s etc crap out.. As far as narrow fronts go,a WF is slightly more stable on undulating ground when turning.When a tractor falls over,it is always from the rear when it cocks one of the wheels .If the NF is out wide, and not making a fast turn ,especially down a bit  of a  hill ,not the side of a mountain, there shouldnt be an issue .A trailing implement with considerable tongue   weight, helps keep the bum down, more than a mounted implement based on C of G,and you are not usually turning with it down anyway.Wheel tractors are inherently  unstable , more so with speed .One of the Ag Universities in the UK many years ago were doing experiments when the first ROPS were in their infancy .They had a couple of  different makes flop over at as little as 16 Degrees angle when severely mishandled,and they were wide fronts.Even on crawler tractors pulling heavy discs,fertiliser  spreaders,etc on hill country on contour work ,you try to minimise down hill turns  ,because usually thats the time it can  go pear shaped .and they are way more stable than any wheel tractor.I have many hours on those , and on scrapers(carry-alls,pans ,depending where you come from) and down hill turns  ,even when loaded ,you try to avoid because they can flop over before you realise  whats  happening. So  a WF or NF is fine if you are careful on hilly or undulating country. On flatter ground ,a NF works very well, especially in row crop applications with small or narrow headlands .Thats just my 2 cents, not everyone will agree ,but that their prerogative . ( NB. that spelling is correct) 

It's all good. At the time of my post he did not declare 10 acres. The bigger you get, the less HP per acre. I ran 80 acres with 80 HP. Now I run 140 acres with 300 hp. Life is good. I could double in size and still have enough HP. My friend farms 5000 acres with about 1200 HP.

[mtbsobe]

Yes I know 10 acres is nothing yo most of yas trust me. I'm only 39 wife 3 you g kids and just trying to make a life like I grew up with for my kids. 

 

There are 3 farms by me that farm probably 2000 acres between them all. And I've been out west and the farms ya all have out their are amazing but this is what we have. 

 

I did see that narrow front I posted about that. Just needs a 3 point which I could find and put on. 

 

I just went to look at a mf 65 1960 diesel 1900 dollars and it's sold.

 

Yeah the l45 I looked to putting r1 on it but no r1 can take the weight kubota told me buti don't always be leave dealers

Plus it be nice just to have a 3 point tractor so I can have projects going at the same time instead of taking hoe off and putting back on. 

[hillman]

31 minutes ago, mtbsobe said:

. I'm only 39 wife 3 you g kids and just trying to make a life like I grew up with for my kids. 

 

 

^ thats awesome

everyone is just trying to help . don't let it bother you. Your C would farm your land no problem. Maybe look at a WFE for it if it makes you feel more comfortable and spend the extra money on equipment for it. Or find a 200 or 230 with fast hitch and wfe. 

[mtbsobe]

Oh I know everyone's been great I am very surprised at the conversation started. The narrow front on the c is great for cultivating. I have a better avenue now. I know I could do what I need to do with more like 40hp range from an H with 3 point added up. For a more realistic approach. It's cool to have the hp toys but I don't really need. 

[hobbyfarm]

Boy that is a very nice looking 656 at Wengers.  Hard to believe 5 pages on this thread.  Everyone loves to talk about tractors.  The days of farming have certainly changed from little equipment to big equipment.  Im in the 50+ horsepower club to get anything done.  Newer tractors vs letter series mean more speeds and things get done quicker.

[MacAR]

11 minutes ago, hobbyfarm said:

Boy that is a very nice looking 656 at Wengers.  Hard to believe 5 pages on this thread.  Everyone loves to talk about tractors.  The days of farming have certainly changed from little equipment to big equipment.  Im in the 50+ horsepower club to get anything done.  Newer tractors vs letter series mean more speeds and things get done quicker.

If that thing wasn't a thousand mile, seventeen hour drive away I'd have it sitting in my shop right now. It's perfect for what I do. I have very little three point equipment; most of my stuff is pull type or mounted. I would suggest the OP look hard for pull type implements, as the add-on three points don't really work that well (in my opinion). I have one on my 300 and while it works, it's not perfect. That's the main reason I've transitioned mainly to drawbar implements. 

[hobbyfarm]

32 minutes ago, MacAR said:

If that thing wasn't a thousand mile, seventeen hour drive away I'd have it sitting in my shop right now. It's perfect for what I do. I have very little three point equipment; most of my stuff is pull type or mounted. I would suggest the OP look hard for pull type implements, as the add-on three points don't really work that well (in my opinion). I have one on my 300 and while it works, it's not perfect. That's the main reason I've transitioned mainly to drawbar implements. 

I drive within a mile of there several times per week.  Im half tempted to go look at it.

[MacAR]

3 minutes ago, hobbyfarm said:

I drive within a mile of there several times per week.  Im half tempted to go look at it.

Unless I'm badly mistaken, that tractor is one heck of a buy for someone. It looks like it's in really good shape, something we don't see much around here. The killer for me is I'd have almost the purchase price in hauling it back to Arkansas.

[lotsaIHCs]

This has been an interesting discussion. In the end a C would probably do most of what a 10 acre farm needs. It would be nice to have power steering and live pto so a 300/350/400/450/460/560/656/666 would all be on my radar. They would all be more than adequate, in my mind. Of course a 300 compared to a 666 is a world of difference. But either would do the job, with the 666 being maybe a little overkill for 10 acres!

[hillman]

The C will do this work but I would suggest 45 -50 hp to minimize the amount of time he would need off his paying job. IMHO it's counter productive losing wages to make a little money at home

some of those hp tractors can be very low maintenance 

[Pukeko]

On 11/30/2025 at 9:09 AM, cobfly said:

It's all good. At the time of my post he did not declare 10 acres. The bigger you get, the less HP per acre. I ran 80 acres with 80 HP. Now I run 140 acres with 300 hp. Life is good. I could double in size and still have enough HP. My friend farms 5000 acres with about 1200 HP.

Thanks for that.I wasnt aware he hadnt said the size of the place when you had posted,so my bad.I work for seasonally for a guy with up to 3000 cropped with 500 hp(green),so I get your point .Big implements ,(60 ft seed drill ,90 foot harrows etc)so cost per acre reduced.

[cobfly]

4 minutes ago, Pukeko said:

Thanks for that.I wasnt aware he hadnt said the size of the place when you had posted,so my bad.I work for seasonally for a guy with up to 3000 cropped with 500 hp(green),so I get your point .Big implements ,(60 ft seed drill ,90 foot harrows etc)so cost per acre reduced.

Yeah, I was referring to small farmer.

[acem]

A Farmall C is plenty of tractor for a 10 acre patch of ground.   Dad's only tractor in the 50's was a Super C.  He was running cattle over several hundred acres.

But you have a real job and can afford something more so get what you want!

10 Acres would make a nice truck patch. 

 

[MacAR]

15 minutes ago, acem said:

A Farmall C is plenty of tractor for a 10 acre patch of ground.   Dad's only tractor in the 50's was a Super C.  He was running cattle over several hundred acres.

But you have a real job and can afford something more so get what you want!

10 Acres would make a nice truck patch. 

 

Lot of little farms up here in the hills had a Cub for their first tractor. My great-grandpa bought one new in 51 or 52. Ain't good for much but beats following a mule. He had about 10 acres of cotton, same in corn, and a three or four acre truck garden. It did fine for him until he bough a 2000 Ford later on in the 60's. 

[lotsaIHCs]

Something like this would be plenty for 10 acres I would think. Of course the rearend is going to fly apart the minute you put an implement on it. Sarcasm. I think you'd be hard pressed to find one made before mid 59 that hasn't had the recall performed. Says 3 point so either add on or mistaking the fast hitch for a 3 point. Or has been converted. 

 

https://www.bismanonline.com/560_farmall_tractor_2

 

I have no connection to this ad. Just posting to represent what might be out there. 

 

[hobbyfarm]

32 minutes ago, lotsaIHCs said:

Something like this would be plenty for 10 acres I would think. Of course the rearend is going to fly apart the minute you put an implement on it. Sarcasm. I think you'd be hard pressed to find one made before mid 59 that hasn't had the recall performed. Says 3 point so either add on or mistaking the fast hitch for a 3 point. Or has been converted. 

 

https://www.bismanonline.com/560_farmall_tractor_2

 

I have no connection to this ad. Just posting to represent what might be out there. 

 

Cheap enough.   That would be about double that price here if listed for sale 

[yellowrosefarm]

1 hour ago, lotsaIHCs said:

Something like this would be plenty for 10 acres I would think. Of course the rearend is going to fly apart the minute you put an implement on it. Sarcasm. I think you'd be hard pressed to find one made before mid 59 that hasn't had the recall performed. Says 3 point so either add on or mistaking the fast hitch for a 3 point. Or has been converted. 

 

https://www.bismanonline.com/560_farmall_tractor_2

 

I have no connection to this ad. Just posting to represent what might be out there. 

 

I'm glad that's in ND, because the last thing I need right now is another tractor..............................

[lotsaIHCs]

Just now, yellowrosefarm said:

I'm glad that's in ND, because the last thing I need right now is another tractor..............................

It's temptimg, isn't it at that price?!?!?!

[stronger800]

Not to me it isn’t.

I’m holding out for Lorenzo’s though