Tips For Choosing The Right Tractor
When you run a successful farm, you undoubtedly make frequent use of your tractor to get work done. From tilling the land to towing equipment across your acreage, tractors prove their usefulness every day, and their rugged, tough design means they can last for decades. If you’re new to farming or your old tractor has seen better days, you may be in the market for an new one. You may be overwhelmed by the choices available to you, though, as there are many types of tractors on the market from dozens of different manufacturers. FMI Equipment is your local Spokane, Washington, tractor and farm equipment dealer, and to make your buying process a little easier, we’ve created this list of tips for choosing the right tractor for your workload.
Consider Implements
Every tractor serves at least one purpose, and sometimes more than one. Certain implements will take more power to operate, so figure out what kinds of tools you’ll be using on your tractor most often. If you’re simply mowing with your tractor, you may not need it to be very big. However, if you plan to tow trailers or pull heavy tools across a field, you’ll want a tractor that’s large enough to handle those tasks. One way that tractors can power attached tools is via a series of hydraulic pumps that infuse the equipment with energy. For towing, tractors often possess drawbars, which are rated for certain weights, so you should spend some time figuring out the heaviest weights you’ll want to tow so you can apply this to your purchasing decision.
The Best Tractor For Your Land
The type of property or field you possess will also affect the style of tractor you purchase. You want a tractor that can easily traverse the length and breadth of your land without getting stuck or mired down. If you have trees or other obstacles in your land, you should avoid a very wide tractor that can’t easily navigate around these. For very large fields, speed will become more of a consideration. Look at the specs and size of the tractors you’re considering and think about how they’ll function on your piece of land.
Power Is Key
Speed isn’t really the top requirement you should have for your tractor. Power is a much better indicator of the kind of work that your tractor will be able to help you complete. You will want to look for a tractor with a more powerful PTO or power take-off, which is usually a type of drive shaft that transmits power from a running engine to an attached implement or other machine. Without enough pulling power, your tractor won’t be able to tow or use tools as effectively, slowing you down.
Choose A Manufacturer
Not every tractor is a top-quality model, so you want to be somewhat discriminating in your choice of manufacturer. You need your tractor to have low maintenance needs and costs, high performance and dependability in hard conditions. Good manufacturers who have been in the tractor business for decades are generally able to construct tractors that don’t damage easily and are built more solidly, although these advantages do come with a higher price point. However, if you’re avoiding high repair fees and you’re able to do more work faster with a solidly-built piece of equipment, then your tractor will soon pay for itself.
If you still have questions about the many types of tractors available, come talk to us at our Spokane dealership. We can show you the great tractors we carry and help you narrow down your options further. FMI Equipment is conveniently located to serve all of Spokane Valley, eastern Washington, and northern Idaho, including the city of Coeur d'Alene.