Compact Tractor

[Tom M King]

My old John Deere is still working hard. I had a guy come with an excavator to dig up some big stumps for me. I have a place to dump them just a few hundred yards away, so carried the ones that weighed less than 2,000 pounds, and pushed 3 that were well over.

This is not a compact tractor, but the 1979 70 hp Category 2 mentioned earlier in this thread.

[Bill Dufour]

In California tractors under 25Hp do not fall under CARB rules. above that they have retroactive smog laws that older engines can not meet. Eventually they will be banned in California. I know the op does not live in California but pretty much all car smog laws started in California and gradually got adopted in the 49 states.
At this time you can not bring in a non-compliant Diesel engine into the state regardless of what it is or is not attached to.
Bill D

[Bill Dufour]

Be aware that a real tractor has a international legal definition of horsepower. This is nothing like the hp claims for lawn tractors that are wildly inflated.
Bill D

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I have a 1976 Ford 1600. It has 4400 + hours. No loader so fairly useless according to others. I have a box blade, a trip bucket rear scoop, and a PTO driven Yanmar backhoe. All acquired on the cheap. I continue to be amazed by what I can do with my junky rig. Ford wrote the book on compact tractors IMHO. The ones made in Japan are very impressive to me. My neighbor has a 4WD 40 hp Nortrack. I get more done with my little 2 cylinder 24 HP Japanese Ford.

[Bill Dufour]

I do not think ford had anything to do with the design of your Shibaura tractor except maybe the logo and paint scheme. I have never seen or heard of a Shibaura tractor sold under it's own name. Many sub compact tractors are sold under several different names. The original Japanese name is usually the cheapest to buy used. Especially true if there are some with old school US names on them.
Bill D

[Ronald Blue]

I have a 1976 Ford 1600. It has 4400 + hours. No loader so fairly useless according to others. I have a box blade, a trip bucket rear scoop, and a PTO driven Yanmar backhoe. All acquired on the cheap. I continue to be amazed by what I can do with my junky rig. Ford wrote the book on compact tractors IMHO. The ones made in Japan are very impressive to me. My neighbor has a 4WD 40 hp Nortrack. I get more done with my little 2 cylinder 24 HP Japanese Ford.

Actually I think the Japanese wrote the book on compact utility tractors. You have an import that's painted Ford blue. Ford had nothing to do with it except to be the importer.

[Dave Lehnert]

Been a few years since the OP started this thread, I hope he found what he was looking for.
I have a MF 1635 and have been very happy with it.
Finding a small tractor can involve a lot of homework, as there are so many brands these days. Some good, some not so good, it just makes finding the right one for you more difficult.
I'll add a +1 for https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/, for those who may not know exactly what they're looking for. Great place to learn the lingo if necessary, also the common questions and issues that you might need to know, before and after purchase.

Well this thread started in 2018 and still have not purchased one. They sure have gone up in price over the last year or so.
Im still on the edge of wanting one vs needing one. The thought of another piece of equipment to take care of and taking up garage space has not helped.

[Ronald Blue]

Well this thread started in 2018 and still have not purchased one. They sure have gone up in price over the last year or so.
Im still on the edge of wanting one vs needing one. The thought of another piece of equipment to take care of and taking up garage space has not helped.

I can say my Cub Cadet/Yanmar has not needed anything except routine maintenance. I've put 115 hours on it in 4 years. It's certainly been a workhorse. Besides my own work I went around and cleaned driveways last winter after a large snow just as a good Samaritan. Probably ticked off some of those who want to make a buck doing it but that's okay. Anyway the point is most are very dependable. However I can also tell you that at least mine won't go under a standard 7' tall garage door without having the ROPS folded down.

[John K Jordan]

…I can also tell you that at least mine won't go under a standard 7' tall garage door without having the ROPS folded down.

I need 8’ clearance for my Kubota L3839 HST tractor. I think I have about 4000 hours on it and did have to replace a seal in a FEL cylinder and seal and bearings in a front drive axle. It costs $300-$400 to replace all the filters and fluids (including about 10 gallons of the recommended hydraulic fluid!) What hurts is diesel fuel for seven engines at today’s prices! Might have to rob a bank (or go back to work) when it needs rear tires.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Ronald Blue , Regarding "writing the book" I was referring to the 8N and other USA Fords. I have read that the Ford Motor Company played a big role in helping the Japanese industry come up with things to make other than war material during the post war years. I wanted a John Deere or a Kubota. I was able to get a blue Ford without borrowing money. (I sill want a John Deere and Kubota).

Toshiba and Ishikawajima Harima Industries evolved from the W. Edwards Demming philosophy. The factors behind Japan's post war economic growth include technology and quality control imported from the west. Ford commissioned Shibaura to build these tractors.

[Ole Anderson]

I'm confused. I was replying to a thread that showed up yesterday, yet it appears that I am the one that revived the old thread. How did that happen?

[Jim Becker]

I need 8’ clearance for my Kubota L3839 HST tractor.

I need a full 8' tall door for my little BX-22 in order to pull in without lowering the ROPS...it's a scary thing when one forgets that and the ROPS hits the door header. Going too fast means the front wheels get off the ground, too. LOL DAKHIKT!!

The Big Orange Power Tool was just successfully moved from the old property on a UHaul 6x12 with ramp. It will be nice having it here now. And I can unload my lathe and get it into the shop today, too.

IMG_0511.jpg IMG_0512.jpg IMG_0513.jpg

[Ronald Blue]

Ronald Blue , Regarding "writing the book" I was referring to the 8N and other USA Fords. I have read that the Ford Motor Company played a big role in helping the Japanese industry come up with things to make other than war material during the post war years. I wanted a John Deere or a Kubota. I was able to get a blue Ford without borrowing money. (I sill want a John Deere and Kubota).

Toshiba and Ishikawajima Harima Industries evolved from the W. Edwards Demming philosophy. The factors behind Japan's post war economic growth include technology and quality control imported from the west. Ford commissioned Shibaura to build these tractors.

The 3 point hitch system was developed by Ferguson and was patented. He partnered with Henry Ford and the Ford-Ferguson was built and later it was just the Ferguson after the partnership dissolved. Ferguson later merged with Massey Harris. Ford didn't do anything special with the Shibaura other then be the US marketer of it. If you look the brand up there are multiple models manufactured by them over the years. That's nothing different from what John Deere did with Yanmar early on as the market here developed and the other major US brands did the same with various Japanese tractor builders. Case IH partnered with Mitsubishi at one point. I'm not sure about now. I know John Deere now builds their own here but still use Yanmar engines.

[John K Jordan]

I.....it's a scary thing when one forgets that and the ROPS hits the door header. Going too fast means the front wheels get off the ground, too....

I've had that happen with one of my 25hp zero turn mowers when the ROPS connected with a low branch. I wasn't going fast either.

[Edward Weber]

Well this thread started in 2018 and still have not purchased one. They sure have gone up in price over the last year or so.
Im still on the edge of wanting one vs needing one. The thought of another piece of equipment to take care of and taking up garage space has not helped.

Sorry to hear you're still without one. not to add to you issues but you do have to allow in you budget and room for storage, at least a good quality cover and all of the attachments you may need. Many attachments DO NOT move easily without being lifted by forks or attached to the tractor, even the ones on wheels. Mowers, tillers box blades and so on, can all weigh several hundred pounds (at least mine do).
One man with a tractor can get a lot done, hopefully you can get one that fits your needs.
Good luck
Just to add a little woodworking to the thread, this is what my carry-all looked like when I first built it, it's not quite as pretty now.
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