Best multi-purpose tractors?

[SIMelissa]

Currently, my favorite tractor is the Case Puma, customized with extra power and rear wheel weights. It can take a front loader, which makes it a very versatile machine. But, I've found the tractor / log fork combination to be lacking. The tractor wobbles under the weight of big logs and the fork vibrates from the strain and sometimes the moveable finger on the fork just lets go.

Unfortunately, the more powerful, heavier tractors do not take a front loader. That means they are not good for logging, cleaning, lifting bales or feeding critters. Am I missing something? Do these bigger tractors have a different front add-on that I have not yet found?

How do the rest of you deal with the daily routine of caring for livestock, growing crops and doing a bit of logging? Do you have a separate vehicle for each of these tasks? If so, which are your favorites?

FYI -- I play *mostly* vanilla, plus Seasons and a couple of other in-game mods. I figure it best to get a good feel for the game before adding a bunch of mods. This way, I hope I'm able to recognize mods that are "cheaty" or make the game so easy that it is no longer fun.

[GIJoe597]

I mostly, in fact I try to exclusively use modded vehicles. Not ridiculous mods, such as a tractor which has a top speed of 70 mph or such. Just normal John Deere, Massey Ferguson or Ford tractors which I can find to use from a few sites. It feels appropriate to use these tractors as I am playing on a US map.

On my current, well only single player game I have, I am attempting to be a dairy farmer. I have found John Deer tractors, mowers, loading wagons. As well as plows/cultivators to use. Even changed the in game train to be a Union Pacific with appropriate markings.

That is what I do to cope with the issue you type about.

The Valtra tractors are good starting multi purpose tractors if you do not care which brand you use.

[UnableRogue]

The best all rounder I found is a tie between Deutz Fahr Series 7 and the Lamborghini.
Both have near identical stats. They have front loaders. They can travel 60km\h. Both can be equiped with 270hp engines. They can handle 10m logs without tipping. (I do use the 2400 weight attached to the back though) They are my favourite all rounder tractors.

[Match Grade]

I pretty much always end up with a pair of Valtra's. The T supports a front loader and can pull a surprising amount of tools and then I have an S to handle the bigger stuff and/or work another field while the T is busy. Both also support rever driving which can be handy at times.

[SIMelissa]

Thanks for the answers. It seems that there are no front attachements for the heavy-duty tractors, which I find odd. So, unless I make logging a main priority--which I currently have no plans to do--I'm pretty much stuck with a lower-power logging option.

Maybe one day I'll try a game that focuses just on logging or just on raising livestock. That would likely give me more reasons to try out some of the other equipment.

[Rev Counter]

Originally posted by SIMelissa:

Thanks for the answers. It seems that there are no front attachements for the heavy-duty tractors, which I find odd. So, unless I make logging a main priority--which I currently have no plans to do--I'm pretty much stuck with a lower-power logging option.

Maybe one day I'll try a game that focuses just on logging or just on raising livestock. That would likely give me more reasons to try out some of the other equipment.

For forestry I'd give a wheel loader a try

[UnableRogue]

Originally posted by SIMelissa:

Thanks for the answers. It seems that there are no front attachements for the heavy-duty tractors, which I find odd. So, unless I make logging a main priority--which I currently have no plans to do--I'm pretty much stuck with a lower-power logging option.

Maybe one day I'll try a game that focuses just on logging or just on raising livestock. That would likely give me more reasons to try out some of the other equipment.

You're welcome. I only use in-game mods too and I'm sure I saw a mod that converts the 3 point attachment to a front end loader. That may be an option for you.

[Aldodrem]

I like the 700 challenger stock. The single track drive system is really nice for the maneuvering

[GIJoe597]

Originally posted by SIMelissa:

Maybe one day I'll try a game that focuses just on logging or just on raising livestock. That would likely give me more reasons to try out some of the other equipment.

My next start will be an attempt at dairy farming with the seasons mod. Should be interesting.

[Kaeru Gaman]

a handy machine for working at the livestock is the Kramer you'll find in the frontloader section. a nice little fellow with a telescope arm, an acceptable pace on the street and the possibility to attach a trailer. can handle the sheep or pig spot on it's own.
also the JCB compact loaders are nice, and they even have bigger shovels.
not to forget the Liebherr, wich is just saving nerves when needing to load a lot of stuff, it has a 6000l shovel.

I also play mostly vanilla, my preferred mods are GroundResponse and DisableCameraCollision.
on my base map, I still play a long run on Goldcrest, I have a JCB, two Kramer and a Liebherr, and I don't use any frontloader attachment.

I do no logging so far, so I don't have a preferred machine for that, but I guess I would try one of the telescope loaders for it.

PS:
oh and for the Tractors, I got a Deutz Agrostar 6.61, just because I love it, for small tasks and the Valtra S with 400hp and broad tires for heavy duty...

[lPaladinl]

Usually it's better to just buy tools specialized to do more specific jobs. If you want to do logging, get the logging trucks, not a tractor.

Most Tractors will wobble when using front loaders, the best way to avoid it is to avoid lifting things very high. You only need to get them barely off the ground to be able to drive, and you only need to lift them higher when sitting still to load onto or off of something.

Larger Tractors stop using Front Loaders entirely. They're just too big to use the standard loader arms in the game. I don't know about any mods adding front loaders to bigger tractors.

Also check out the telehanders and wheel loaders specifically.

[Tankfriend]

Best thing you can do is get specialized equipment, really.
If you can't or don't want to, get an extra weight and attach it to the back of the tractor to balance out the front-heavy loader+log combination.

[NitroMachine]

Tractors with front loader attachments are only designed for light or medium loader work, if you're doing logging or moving a lot of material for feed you'll want a telehandler or wheel loader. Telehandlers are overall the most versatile with being able to move a sizeable amount of goods and also being able to load/stack things at a greater height than other machines due to the telescoping arm. For the heaviest of heavy work you want a wheel loader, they can't reach as high as a telehandler but they can handle the most weight and can move the most material at one time.

[SIMelissa]

The info in this thread is invaluable! I have not yet used a wheel loader or telehandler. I did try out one of the logging machines, the one with the cutter on the end of a cable. I could not figure out how that thing worked. To me, it was a little like trying to write a letter with a wet noodle!

I don't have an aversion to specialized equipment. It's just that at this particular time in my current save-game, my farmer gal is small-time, focusing mostly on raising a little livestock and growing enough to feed them and make some extra cash to buy better harvesters and such. Most of the logging is to clear a path for better mowing, easier driving or to create a new field. I will probably branch out into more logging for logging's sake when I enter my second winter and have more time, and hopefully more money.

I never thought of putting a weight on the back of a tractor. Great idea!
I have gotten pretty good at figuring out how to balance my tractor by raising the log high and low and adjusting for uphill / downhill. Unlike most of the loggers I've seen, I tend to be too lazy to cut my trees into a nice, even pieces. I just toss those monster long pieces onto the trailer and hope for the best. Works well now that I found a hole in the sawmill fence that helps me avoid making a turn at the bridge. ;-)

[Tankfriend]

Alternatively, you can run your logs through a woodchipper and fill a conventional tipper with it. Much more comfortable to handle, though you need some serious tipper capacity to save on trips to the sale point.

[Arrancar]

Pretty much anything around 250 HP that can have front lodar for me. I use front loader on these tractors only with bale spike when I create cow food.
For Silage/Manure handling I prefer Wheel Loader with SIlage Fork (10k l).
But if I had to pick one, I recently "fell in love" with DF series 7 with this cool black warrior design