# Tractor question



## scryan (Jul 11, 2008)

Greetings. I'm shopping around for a tractor for the 99 acres we just bought. I'll be plowing snow, skidding logs, just general "lots of land" kind of stuff. I just found this tractor online: "1997 Belarus 572 Tractor 4WD" at a dealership in Irasburg, VT, (http://www.ironsearch.com/IRONSearc...08&rowid=65E41EC9-5EDB-4258-9A08-A991D92AF6EF) and I have to admit I've never heard of the company before. Has anybody had any experience with Belarus? Anything I should keep in mind while I shop around? My price limit is about 15k, but beyond that I have no preferences as to brand. 

Thanks, as always.
Shawn


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## Chuck Diesel (Jul 11, 2008)

1070 John Deere w/440 loader


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## Swamp Yankee (Jul 12, 2008)

Shawn

Suggest checking with any New Holland or Kubota dealers in your area. I was at the Kubota dealer near me for parts this week and they had at least a half dozen low hour mid size tractors that are repos. New Holland was even making attractive financing available on these tractors.
This may or may not work for your situation but it may be worth the cost of a phone call or visit.
Good Luck and Take Care


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## Bigus Termitius (Jul 12, 2008)

Nothing runs like a Deere.


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## country boy (Jul 12, 2008)

Bigus Termitius said:


> Nothing runs like a Deere.



:agree2:


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## cuttinscott (Jul 12, 2008)

Bigus Termitius said:


> Nothing runs like a Deere.



Thats a good thing LOL



Scott


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## cuttinscott (Jul 12, 2008)

That 572 looks like a ok deal it would be a good deal at $6500 - $7500 parts are readily available from mcfaddens in Sharon Springs NY. He also always has a great selection of new and used tractors. I would rather see you find a used real farm tractor rather that a import kub/deer/newholl/etc. All those compacts now are mostly made in china/korea/india/etc. and the quality shows up in a few years.



Scott


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## tanker (Jul 12, 2008)

Look around,find a decent3020 or 4020 John Deere fromthe mid 60's,and have enough money left to aquire some attatchments to go with it.both in diesel are very fuel efficient and have enouh ass to them to do about any kind of a job you will need to do


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## Bigus Termitius (Jul 12, 2008)

tanker said:


> Look around,find a decent3020 or 4020 John Deere fromthe mid 60's,and have enough money left to aquire some attatchments to go with it.both in diesel are very fuel efficient and have enouh ass to them to do about any kind of a job you will need to do



I've even seen the 4020 in 4 wheel drive. They are rare, but I'd love to have one.


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## rms61moparman (Jul 12, 2008)

Bigus Termitius said:


> Nothing runs like a Deere.



Or smells like a JOHN !!!LOL


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## Brushwacker (Jul 13, 2008)

I have used my brothers case 930 with an 8' bucket in the woods(loading ,skidding, pushing brush and leveling dirt) many hours over 25 years and it has been very tough and reliable. It seemed everytime I used his 4020 (bushhogging mostly)something would break.Actually after 2 or 3 breakdowns I seldom would use it.Since some one will probably ask the hub and front wheel broke on me and it started leaking oil another. He eventually had problems with the powershift transmission and the dealer billed him $11,000
for the repairs. To me the front end seems stronger on the Case. I'm not saying JD is junk but that in the woods with a loader especially I'd choose that generation of Case over it with a manual transmission.
On well used equipment , standard manual transmission would be my choice because they are easiar and normally cheaper to maintain.


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## scryan (Jul 14, 2008)

Thanks guys. I figured it would come down to 'to Deere or not to Deere'. Can anyone recommend a good site to shop for used tractors/equipment online? Now I'm pretty much either at work or in the woods, so driving around northern NY & Vt looking at tractors sort of has to wait.

Work on the land is coming great by the way...slow...but great. :chainsawguy: We've pretty much figured out where the house is going to go, and I'm working on clearing what was one a nice stone walled pasture. I'll post some pics as soon as I figure out how! :camera: 

Later. 
Shawn


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## cjk (Jul 14, 2008)

http://http://www.tractorhouse.com/

Here is were I found mine. Its a 1979 JD 2640 with 542 loader. I have about what you want to spend into it and so far have no complaints. 

What kind of dealers do you have near you? I would concentrate on manufacturers they support. Sooner or later you will need parts to maintain or service your tractor so the closer the dealer is the better.

A 2wd is pretty good with fluid filled tires, even in snow. I have never driven a 4x4 so dont know what Im missing, and really dont want to know until I can afford to get one to go with the 2640.


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## newb (Jul 14, 2008)

Say what you want about cheap imports, but I've had my Kubota for 11 years and I'm still on my original battery. That tractor has been a work horse for me and zero money other than oil. Pete


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## Stihl051master (Jul 15, 2008)

Try a search on www.craigslist.com, there are always a lot of tractors on there for sale. Here are a couple links I found to some tractors that may suit your needs:

http://albany.craigslist.org/grd/755227132.html

http://albany.craigslist.org/grd/751437691.html

http://albany.craigslist.org/grd/732048991.html

http://albany.craigslist.org/grd/750686693.html

http://albany.craigslist.org/grd/739942767.html

The last couple IH's may be bigger than what you're looking for, but then again with a tractor it seems it's better to go a little bigger than be underpowered or too light and be breaking stuff. 

BTW - my dad bought a brand new John Deere 5103 which is around a 50hp diesel, and it cost around $14,500. It's been a great tractor. He uses it to bale hay, brushhog, plow snow, clean cattle pens, etc. It's a full frame tractor that's cheaper than most compacts with half the size and half the horsepower. Buying a loader would be over your price range, but it can be added on later.


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## Bearcreek (Jul 15, 2008)

newb said:


> Say what you want about cheap imports, but I've had my Kubota for 11 years and I'm still on my original battery. That tractor has been a work horse for me and zero money other than oil. Pete



I've worked on and run several different models each of Kubota, John Deere and New Holland and Kubota will kick their @$$ every time.


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## mranum (Jul 27, 2008)

We actually have a Belarus 530 2wd. Had it for about 10 years or more, overall for a cheap tractor its built like a tank and tough as hell. Its a "component" tractor meaning they use mainly the same parts in everything from 45hp -100hp in this series just putting in different engines, so basically our 55hp tractor is built with parts that were designed for 100hp. They do not have the spit and polish the American brands have but if you need a dependable tough cheap tractor they fit the bill.


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## tanker (Jul 28, 2008)

newb said:


> Say what you want about cheap imports, but I've had my Kubota for 11 years and I'm still on my original battery. That tractor has been a work horse for me and zero money other than oil. Pete



Kubota's are definitely not one of the cheap imports,in fact a pretty good machine.I just have a leaning toward Green and have used them a lifetime.Like I posted, a good 3020 or 4020 will do anything that he wants to do at a reasonable price and parts are readily still available too Scott


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## 572 (Dec 27, 2008)

I don't know if this thread is too dead for my input to be of value, but here it is anyway.

I have a Belarus 572 and I think it's a great tractor. Well, actually it is more of a tractor/skidder hybrid at 8000lbs and with more ground clearence than any other tractor I know. 

The good:
It is all mechanical with no electronics to break. 
It is good on fuel, and has an excellent fuel filtering system so you can go ahead and burn used oil in it without worrying.
Down pressure on the hitch is nice.
Very tough.

the bad:
Its all mechanical, so there are lots of linkages to adjust and hoses to break. (EX: if the hose on the oil ressure guage breaks you are out business because all the engine oil will blow out.
The transmission is a sliding gear tye so it isn't well suited for a lot of forward and backward stuff like loader work (though I get by with it okay doing snow removal)
Hard to find a good service guy


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## thejdman04 (Dec 27, 2008)

I would recommend a deere or kubota, they seem to stock parts for along while after the sale


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## fubar2 (Dec 27, 2008)

I was born into and raised with Allis Chalmers tractors. I still have three and am very happy with them. I would say Kubota would be my second choice but only if no Allis were avalibale.


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## Stihl051master (Dec 28, 2008)

fubar2 said:


> I was born into and raised with Allis Chalmers tractors. I still have three and am very happy with them. I would say Kubota would be my second choice but only if no Allis were avalibale.



Just admit it, it's because you love the orange.  I had a WD-45 a few years back - lots of power for a tractor of that size!


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## fubar2 (Dec 28, 2008)

Stihl051master said:


> Just admit it, it's because you love the orange.  I had a WD-45 a few years back - lots of power for a tractor of that size!



Well you may be right, my saws are orange too. The reason I mentioned Kubota is that I know lots of people that have them and Ive never heard any complaints about them. Me Im stickin with Allis though. Your right about the WD45 they were gooduns. One of my three is WD45, pretty high tech for its time.


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## Stihl051master (Dec 28, 2008)

My dad and I got some lift arms and built a 3 point hitch on mine, it worked pretty slick and made it ice to be able to use the standard equipment.


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## treeslayer (Dec 28, 2008)

Belarus is a russian made tractor, right? or eastern bloc somewhere.
made to be dependable.
god help ya getting it fixed if it needs major help.

99 acres? no question. John Deere, Allis Chalmers, or Kubota.

John Deere will cost more, but spend a little more now, or a whole lot later.

A simple solution, what do the farmers around you use?


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## 572 (Dec 28, 2008)

treeslayer said:


> Belarus is a russian made tractor, right? or eastern bloc somewhere.
> made to be dependable.
> god help ya getting it fixed if it needs major help.




Yes, they are made in Minsk these days. I think if something major went wrong with mine I would just buy a arts tractor since most of the arts on them are interchangeable. I can't see that happening untill the tractor is pretty worn out though. As far as little things goes, I’ve had no problem getting parts, but they are expensive, and it helps if you can work on your own stuff.

I would prefer to have an older Deere, Massey, or Ford, but price being important to me, that just isn't going to happen. I wouldn't want a modern tractor by any maker unless I was doing some serious high dollar work becasue I have heard lots of stories about the cost of breakdowns when they do happen.


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## treeslayer (Dec 28, 2008)

572 said:


> I would prefer to have an older Deere, Massey, or Ford, but price being important to me, that just isn't going to happen. I wouldn't want a modern tractor by any maker unless I was doing some serious high dollar work becasue I have heard lots of stories about the cost of breakdowns when they do happen.



Farming is high dollar work? they buy based on on numerous factors, I don't think its cause they can afford breakdowns. 

As far as new equipment breaking down, that's what warranties are for.

But I hear you though, 
the prices are astronomical for the high end models, huh?
I'm afraid to ask.


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## merlynr (Dec 28, 2008)

*IH for me or Ford*

A few people near me have Ford tractors and my neighbor has a 185 Allis that is reliable as I have used it while helping him round bale. That big diesel is easy on fuel. My favorite tractors are IH as I have a 52 H and a 73 454 gas and have had 450 gas with loader. I've also got an 8N Ford.


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## maplemeister (Dec 28, 2008)

SCRYAN:

I suspect you will find that tractors are a lot like pickup trucks. We all seem have our favorite brands for various reasons. I have an early 70's vintage John Deere 1020 with a loader and three point hitch that I use for plowing snow, moving wood, and general yard work. It is not a four wheel drive but gets the job done for me with big diamond pattern chains. There have been times when I got stuck on icy ground and could have used the four wheel drive option but I have always been able to get out by using my bucket hydraulics. If I were to make this purchase again I would look for a tractor with the four wheel drive option as I plan to do some woods work with this machine and probably will be limited to working on fairly dry ground with my current setup. My tractor is in the 40hp range and seems to have plenty of juice to get what I need done so far. 
I purchased this machine 10 years ago for $7500.00 from a farmer over in upstate New York through a publication called "Wanted Ads", that you can pick up at just about any quick stop store in the Northeast. They generally have tons of used equipment for sale. I bought it based on what I had heard about John Deere reputation but had no prior experience with tractors up to that point. The tractor has been virtually trouble free since I have owned it. I had to replace a starter solenoid and battery to date. That being said, A lot of folks around here also own Kubota's and seem to be very happy with them also. The older John Deere's seem to have a reputation around here as being better built but I do not know if that is a fact or not. Just passing on what other tractor owners have told me. 

Maplemeister:


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## blakey (Dec 29, 2008)

We had a Belarus 800 (I think 80 hp ) with the small cab when I was a kid back right around 1980 and it was a unique tractor. My dad bought it for cheap horsepower to grind livestock feed so I spent countless hours running it on the mixmill. It had some kind of a blind system in front of the rad and a knob in the cab to adjust it, so you had to keep an eye on the temp gauge. The transmission was a bit of a mystery, I never did fully figure out the shifting pattern but it was not a synchro mesh type, it would grind like crazy. The 3pt hitch was a bit of a mystery too, I recall my Dad trying to use it to plow the field and went back to the 65 hp tractor. It also had a big power disconnect behind the seat, and to shut off the tractor you had to push the throttle all the way forward. All the gauges and warning labels were in Russian so that was interesting, there were a couple warning lights I had no idea what they did.

I haven't seen the more modern Belarus tractors but I am sure they are much more refined, this thing was a very crude beast. It was replaced by an IH 3088 and it was a huge step up (lot more $ though) Anyway this was my Belarus experience many years ago, they are not very popular around here.


Here is a link to one like we had.
http://www.fawcett.cc/E-NewsLetters/20070709/eq-ft1212-Belarus800-02.jpg


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## maxfior (Jan 8, 2009)

...Well, I might as well add my $0.02. I have a few acres myself, nothing like you with you 99, man I wish I had the much, but... I LOVE my New Holland TC34DA. I've got a 60 inch bucket and 60 inch tiller and use it for pretty much everything around my farm. I think for you (and myself) it came down to who was the best dealer, then fit and finish of the machine. When I looked at how nice the NH was (compared to the others) I was actually pretty happy. Everything seemed to be right where you wanted it and everything was quality built. You honestly can't go wrong with any of the blue, orange, green, etc tractors these days, but just make sure you have enough power for what you are going to be doing, if you're doing a lot of loader work, moving dirt, and brush cutting I'd want at least something with 40 or so PTO ponies... For me, the TC34DA was a little smaller than the 35, but had the same 35 horse PTO and works excellent for cleaning out my barn, moving snow, dirt, tilling the garden, etc. Make sure you check out NH! Good luck!
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...ole NH comes in handy when you have lots of poo to clean out...
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Max


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## stumpjumper83 (Jan 8, 2009)

*Belarus tractors*

Here is what I know about belarus tractors. My dad has a 420A, (57hp.) 4x4 w/ loader and detachable backhoe. A friend had an 800 until he totaled it after 10 years of constant abuse. Overall they are very good on fuel, and tend to be overbuilt and crude.

So here is the story of a friends 800... The man owns an operates a flagstone quarry. Basically they peel the rock up in sheets, anywhere from 3/4 to 3" thick. Then you stack it on pallets. Now a pallet of stone can weigh 2 ton. The Belarus' job was to move overburden with the loader bucket, then after the stone was stripped, load the pallets on to a flat bed semi. He added about a ton of counterweight to the machine to help when moving pallets. After about 10 years of this the bolts connecting the clutch to the engine snapped, letting the loader and engine tip foreward and the rear to roll backward and slide slash roll down the hill.... After a couple hundred yards thru the woods and pasture the tractor came to rest and the operator was unhurt. Now he uses a cat 973 to strip and a big deere skidloader to move pallets...

Now Dad's 420a. It was the primary tractor we had for the farm when I was growing up. Bought new in '89. Now it has 2,800 hours. Ours has a reducer and reverser on the floor giving you 10 foreward gears and 5 reverse. Three sets of hydraulic remotes. Three point hitch. The 4x4 is an automitic slip sensing system, and it has dif lock too. You must work to get this tractor stuck. I used it in high school for skidding tops for my firewood business. It had no trouble dragging two or three full maple tops at a time. Once there was about 2' of snow on the ground it got hard to skid tops, It would get around in the woods, you couldnt drag much though. But we didn't have chains on it either, just loaded tires. About 3 years ago the backhoe became its primary use as dad found an ih 966 which is a much friendlier tractor in the field. In the woods I'd rather have the belarus, much shorter and smaller of a tractor, though the 966 turns better.

If your interested, pm me casue dad wants to sell his. Loader and a backhoe are both american made by Kelly Mfg. Backhoe is Pretty good sized, a little bigger than a large skidsteer hoe. Asking $6500.

Reason he is selling is that we are trading in several other tractors, ih 966, ih 2500A, and that tractor to get a new 90hp. 4x4 cab model w/ loader and because I have a Jd 450 C trackloader w/ a comercial backhoe attachment.


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## fishercat (Jan 8, 2009)

*we bought a Mahindra 3215.*

now it's called the 3316.love it.beat the heck out of it with the grapple.would buy it again in a minute.


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## Marquis (Jan 10, 2009)

*Friends don't let friends drive red/orange/blue tractors*

Have a ten year old JD 955 w/loader. You get what you pay for. Plus there are a lot of little things that I have noticed about the JD that others don't do. Some tractors have the individual brake pedals on the same side as the forward/reverse pedals...how you supposed to use a left or right brake pedal to turn sharp if you need that foot to push the forward pedal. Oh well, that's just me. I put a stump grinder and a chipper on the back of mine. LOVE IT. That way I only have one engine for all my machines. Go green if you can!!


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