TRACTOR FOR YOUR BLOCK
10+ TIPS TO BUYING THE RIGHT
A tractor is the most powerful machine a block owner can buy, and the biggest time-saver. But what do you look for if you’ve never bought one before?
Everything is bigger on a lifestyle block. In the garden, the area to mow is hundreds of square metres; when you move compost it’s by the cubic metre, not the bag; when you need to haul something, you’re going 200m+, not 20m. What jobs will it need to do? Make a detailed list of the different jobs you do or anticipate doing: • mowing and catching lawn grass • topping pasture • moving hay/feed, compost, firewood • carrying young livestock • driveway maintenance • fencing • drain clearing Will it fit? The physical size of tractor you can use will be limited by things like tree height, gate and race width.
A good salesperson will be able to suggest other options if the tractor you are considering is too big to move around your property. For example, they may recommend a model with a lower chassis but with additional horsepower. Where will you store it? A tractor is a robust machine, but it needs to be stored somewhere dry and secure. Do you have a shed? Is its entrance high and wide enough?
A good tractor will have a ROPS (rollover protection structure) that sits up high and wide, to protect the operator from being crushed should the machine roll. However, these can sit too high to get through a standard-height shed door. Measure the height and width of your doorway. Look for a folding ROPS option if your shed door is too low. What is your property like? The geography of your property is going to have a big impact on your choice of tractor. This is why a salesperson will want to come out on site (see box at right) and give you advice on what will be the best options.
Does your block have sloping terrain? This can be the biggest limiting factor in your choice of tractor.
Other geographical factors that need to influence your choice are how much land you have, the roughness of the terrain, and how wet or swampy it is.