Looking for the right peice of equipment!!!!!

[AB Lawn Care]

Currently I run 1 Walker with 54'' mower and scag walk-behind 36''.In the winter I have a blower for the walker and a blade for the scag.This set up works good,but I want somthing diffrent.I don't really want to go to a plow truck or anything bigger becouse I do 100% residential,and few cleints want a plow truck doing their snow.I want somthing with a heated cab and can be driven around to the diffrent jobs.The walker is great but a cab is about $5000 CAN!!!And it is not good for driving around town becouse it is so low to the ground.I was thinking about a compact tractor aprox 30hp.With a heated cab,blade on front and blower on back.Does anyone run a setup like that for snow????Any good uses for it in the summer????I would ask this on the snow forum,but need to ask you some fellow lawn boys.Also any others setup's that you think would be good????Any help would be great!

[Eric ELM]

I use my John Deere 430 for doing snow removal. I made the cab for it and it gets heat from the motor or I could put in a regular heater since it's a diesel and water cooled. If you put on the bar type tractor tires, it will move lots of snow. It has a 54" power angle blade, down pressure, and I also have a 48" 2 stage blower for it that mounts on the same mounts as the blade does in only a few minutes. It has a hydro motor to turn the chute on the blower.

I use the JD to aerate in the spring and fall and I use the front blade and box scraper on the 3 point hitch to do preps for new lawn installs.

This is the biggest Lawn and Garden Tractor, but I feel the small Utility tractor would be a bit better for this. They have them in 4 wheel drive, which would be great. Northern has a 4x4 utility tractor for not much more than you would pay for that cab you mentioned. The cab for mine I spent about $250 for the material and built it myself. John Deere wanted $3000 for their cab 10 years ago and this one has held up good and is mounted to the frame instead of the fenders like the JD one is mounted. It is on my equipment page if you want to see it.

[double e]

Last year I purchased a Kobota 2500. Being mostly lawncare I was a little scared dishing out $15,000 for the 27 horse powered tractor with front end loader. I live in Delaware and we might see a good snow every three years. I got mine just in time for last years snow, and in 10 days sent away 12 payments on the thing. Sometimes I wonder how I ever did without it.

As for other uses I bought a bush hog ($600) for it. I have a couple development where I go in every month and cut the empty lots. U can pay for the bush hog in one day.
Its also good for grading lots. You will be amazed at the different things you can use it for.
Some attactments I just rent- like a rototiller and seeder,
I dont do enough work with them to buy them- I just tack on the cost of rental to the final bill.

As for snow removal I just push with the front end loader and then in reverse push with the box blade. It may take a little longer than a truck, because I need something on a slant that pushes on the side (any suggestion? and Price)

I conclusion you can't go wrong with a tractor if you willing to work and find work. In the summer I probably use my tractor for a job once a week. I charge around 45-60 dollars an hour. My payments are $233 a month. do the math.

[toddman35]

for your problem about and pushing with the loader, i had information a few months ago, from a companie that made cabs for john deere compact utility tractor cabs, and they made blades that fit on the end of the loader, with the bucket off, funny how that stuff kind of runs away on ya? if anyone knows what im talking about let me know, but assume that the blades would fit any kind of loader. Something you might wanna check into. Hope this helps.

[diggerman]

We used to use a JD 455 with a blade,modified old 400 series blower, bar tires and weight.we eventually shucked the transaxle and let it go as a trade to the dealer for a new 4100.We have really liked the 4100,it has high and low range,4x4 and hydro.We were able to use the same attachments from the 455.We ordered it with cab and heat.With the three point we can put a 5' rear blade on it and the hydro angle blade or blower on the front.For doing what you are wanting it would be great, there are other brands but with my trade and the attachments I already had this was the best option for me.We also have a 60" deck for mowing.

[cantoo]

Adam, I am thinking of doing snow removal in the future and I think a Steiner is the best one for your use too. There are a pile of attachment for the Steiners and they also do a really good job on grass with an outfront deck. Lots of hills around Stratford so the 4 wheel drive would work good. They have a fairly fast road speed. What I am thinking is to have a set of ramps and load the Steiner right onto the back of the truck, no trailer. You would drive to where you had a few driveways in a row unload and do them all then reload and go to the next one. I think it would work really good in subdivisions. I have a few neighbours that have chicken barns and they use Steiners for cleaning them out, I am looking at trying to rent one to try out when they don't need it. You might look into that too. Steiners aren't cheap but they real die hards. You can buy one of the ugly ones not the tractor style for a reasonable amount and they will work well for snow too. Take a look at the web site and see what you think.
I have a dealer near me that usually has 8 or 10 used ones for sale.
Jim Harkness Equipment in Harriston on hwy #9
519-338-3946
By the way I think Kitchener Tractor has a well used 4x4 Steiner with deck and broom for sale still, give Bill a call maybe he will let you demo it. Here is the website $4800 can.
http://www.agdealer.com/list/listing.cfm

[AB Lawn Care]

Thanks for the replys!

Cantoo-Do you know how much a stiner is new aprox???????Also where do you live??The reason I ask is the last time I was talking to bill,I mentioned you but he was not shure becouse I did not know your name and where you live.Any help on price would be great!!!The dealer in hickson you mentioned,is it a long distance call form where you live??Agian thanks for all the help!

[toddman35]

You might want to look into the john deere 790 if you want a compact utility tractor. you can view the specs at http://www.deere.com I like Diggers idea about the 4100. Plus with a compact utility tractor you can use them a lot of other ways in the summer. I think the 790 might be a little smaller than you are looking for, but they came out with a 990, that might be bigger than you need. If you want a 32 hp deere, then i would suggest the 4300. Hope this helps. I think the 790 is 27 hp and the 990 is 35 but im not sure about it.

[cantoo]

Adam, the Steiner I want is around $15000 with a deck and blade, the blower is extra. The used one Bill has is used quite abit but would be a good starter one. It needs new tires and some clean up paint. The dealer in Harriston is a long distance call from here. They are about 50 miles from my house, they are great Steiner shop but don't know much about the Walker's they sell. They have a fair bit of equipment there but the prices are way too high, they have brand new mowers that are 4 and 5 years old sitting in the show room. Too expensive and won't drop the prices to move them, the interest must be killing them.
Bill won't know me only my wife, I only met him once before. My wife always gives him a hard time about the prices of stuff, I tried to buy the Steiner last spring. I do all my dealing on the phone and she ends up driving to pick up the stuff. We're right on Lake Huron about 20 miles north of Goderich. Mention Dalbet Grass Cutting and the cheap Dutch blond and Bill will know who we are.
Now I'm thinking of trying to make a deal with my Ransomes on a Steiner but I really want to have them both.
By the way, we're going to Jutzi's auction in Breslau this weekend, no lawn equipment but there is some other stuff I'm looking at for resale. They sometimes have snow removal stuff there that isn't advertised and I would hate to miss a deal.
http://www.mrjutzi.on.ca/112500.html

[Edited by cantoo on 11-22-2000 at 03:10 AM]

[diggerman]

Are Steiner available with cab?I thought with the articulation that is was not possible to put a cab on one.

[cantoo]

I don't think they have a cab but I think it would be possible to make one using sliding or folding panels at the hinge section. It would be an interesting job but still possible I think.

[Superior Lawn Care]

I the winter i use a John Deere 4300 hydro 4X4 compact utility tractor with a 38hp. diesel. I have a bucket on the front and a 7 ft. blade on the back. I dont have a cab for one their too much and two just put on a set of carharts and you should be fine. The tractor is great because you can transport it to the basic area where it is needed and then just drive it to all your customers from there cause it will do around 25 mph (thats faster than loading and unloading it ever other block). It hjelps alot when you have a lot of customers in the same neighborhood. In the summer I have an 60" aerator, 72" belly mower, and a 60" bush hog but there are endless possibilities for it though. It all cost me around $27,000 brand new.

[John DiMartino]

I love my steiner,I would buy another in a minute.Do not be scared of the initial cost-these things are tough and will do many jobs and run much longer than the average lawn care equipment.I have the 60" mower,which is used about 60% of the time,a PB1 leaf blower,it is very powerful,a front end loader,a 5 ft york rake,and a 4 ft dozer blade.Here is one for sale with a cab enclosure. http://www.wantaddigest.com/ADS/IEO/AKBUX00A00008.HTML The steiner will leave the best cut possible for a rotary mower,even at 1" height.It has a full width rear roller-nothing can match its stripes-they are the best.

[diggerman]

I beg to differ on the cab,If you are going to finance the machine get the cab and most certainly if you are driving from place to place.We used to use a four wheeler but we sold it because the time that one of my plowers could stay out or was willing to stay out greatly increased with the cab.
I,m sure the stiener is a great machine but the fact is that if the machine doesn't work out the resale on a JD is going to be much better and the number of people looking for the Deere will be much greater.

My recomendation earlier was the 4100 because we use it for small drives and sidewalks,the 4200 and 4300 are also great machines but there are some draw backs I found.They are that from the 4100 to the 4200 there is quite a size and cost jump.They really are not consecuative machines and the 4200 can sometimes even be to large for the average home owner if you ever want to be rid of it.The 4100 also uses the same attachments as the 455 which are much more available used than the bigger machine attachments.Also the attacments themselves if you have to buy them new are alot more money on the bigger machine.Granted you are getting some more machine but will pay only about half for the 4100 in comparison to the 4300.