The Little Tractor that Couldn't - John Deere 1025R Review 

Hey Scott, appreciate you weighing in. I’m glad you’ve enjoyed your experience with the 1025R like I did. I really enjoyed the time I spent owning it, but I decided to trade in this machine for a more capable one which I alluded to in the video. I bought the machine from the previous owner of my home with no real intention of keeping it or using it. It really grew on me so I kept it for about 10 months. Thanks for your comment and for watching my video!

Nothing but bs click bait. I fail to understand why this tuber feels the need to review a piece of equipment that A, he has barely used and B reviewing a tractor that is clearly not the right machine for his use. He could have just reviewed a Philips head screwdriver and complain about it not working on flat head screws, it would have been just as relevant 😂

thinking of buying the 1025r for my property and I have 25 acres,have about 15 acres cleared and run 4 head of cattle on it to save on mowing it,the rest has alot of trees and bushland but has some hills and gullys,how would the 1025r go working on inclines etc of the hills

@@Oracle550 gear drive tractors tend to perform a bit better on hilly terrain than their hydrostatic counterparts but I imagine the 1025R would be fine unless it’s really really hilly. If you have that much land to manage, I’d look at a bigger tractor if within your constraints/budget. Particularly if you need to manage round bales for your cattle. This tractor would not handle a large round bale with the loader. My other tractor is a 50HP and it seems well suited to my 20 acres

@@LandFather I can't store hay so just buy one at a time when needed for the cattle,pick it up in my 6x4 trailer and just unhitch it and leave the hay on the trailer,lol.Have real steep areas but wouldn't attempt anything in those areas,just the lesser hilly terrain

That’s awesome you’re using the machine to generate some cash! How long does the 5 acre mow job take?

Thanks for watching. I’m glad you’ve enjoyed your 1025R. I miss mine occasionally but I found that a bigger tractor suits me a lot better for most of what I do

Thanks man! It’s really a lot of fun. How are you using keywords effectively? I’ve also subscribed to your channel. I’m glad you like your 1025R, I really liked mine, and if I hadn’t wanted a skid steer, I’d still have it for sure. Handy little machine.

@@LandFather Funny enough, I was watching a Scotty Kilmer video and started reading the description. He’s got different variations of his titles, common keywords, and descriptive phrases all throughout. I think this might be the way to go, but I’m no professional. Keep on rockin brother💪🏻

@@ArjunFarms thanks man. I’ll keep on trucking!

hi, thank you for watching and for the kind words. I try to kill em with kindness and reason. If I hadn't bought the 1025R for a good deal from the previous owner of my home I would never have selected that machine due to the limitations I discussed in the video. If you are open to any suggestions I would start with the biggest possible tractor you can afford (and tow comfortably) with the highest loader lift capacity. I would take a heavy look at Kioti if you have dealer support in your area. I don't think their value proposition can be beat in the compact tractor market right now. Additionally, I would drop the tractor backhoe and get a Chinese mini excavator because they are better and cheaper. It's hard to use the front of your tractor and the back of your tractor at the same time, and you avoid all the hassle of hooking up the backhoe. To be fair I've never used a tractor backhoe, but I've gone through the mental calculus and I think Chinese mini ex is a better call. I got mine with a 9 attachement bundle for almost exactly $9,000 which is still less than the backhoe my tractor would spec out for. Additonally additonally, I wouldn't get a mid mount mower for a tractor if I could avoid it. I would get the best used commercial grade zero turn lawn mower you can find and afford. I just upgraded my zero turn a few months ago, and it's been the best equipment money I've ever spent. I bought a used 2021 Scag Cheetah 2 (~$18,000 new) with 600 hours on it for $4,800, and it replaced an Exmark Quest E Series "prosumer" lawn mower (that sells for $4,400 new) and the difference is astounding. Honda civic vs Ferrari. Just a few things to chew on. Congrats on the impending land. Besides getting married and having kids, it's the best thing I've ever done.

Thank you! It’s been a lot of fun so far, appreciate the kind words

We don’t have to think long about prices of machinery has for sure went up!

@@firebug1337 even used equipment seems a lot more expensive now, hope you liked the video, thanks for watching

Everything is insanely priced. I need some attachments and even the used ones are nuts.

@@jeverhart99 I’ve found some good deals on used implements in the past year but you gotta move fast and they’re getting a lot harder to find

Thanks for sharing that. In a perfect world, I probably would have kept the 1025R, but couldn’t justify owning three machines currently. The dealership I purchased the skid steer from gave me a great deal on my trade in, and for now I’m very happy with my DK5310 and John Deere 333G, although there are certain tasks I’m going to miss the 1025R for. Part of me wants to look for a smaller, older machine (more like a classic tractor) just for fun, but I’ve got too much else on my plate right now to do that. Thanks so much for watching!

@@LandFather Yes, i would have like to have kept mine too as I did like it and think it is a nice teeny tractor. Just wrong for my needs and my terrain. I completely related to your video. Good luck with your property.

@@jeverhart99 thank you! You too

My other tractor is a 50 HP Kioti DK5310SE and it’s about the perfect sized machine for my 20 acres. Very capable. I’ve really enjoyed it. Just did a review on that machine as well. I do miss the 1025R a bit, but I much prefer the 333G that replaced it. Totally different animal.

I figured that out from the dealership rep when they picked it up, but thanks for the heads up!

That’s great data! Thanks for sharing

The machine is low on ass for any purpose, I’ve been curious what running the backhoe on it is like. What have you done with it?

@@LandFather Power isn't bad overall in my opinion. It all depends on what your doing and your budget. I'm currently digging out sono-tube footings in red clay/shale soil. The back end scoots around a bit with any quick movements of the backhoe hydraulics. Especially the side to side swing. I have the 8 inch bucket. You have to take light bites and take your time. To your point, this might be fine for light duty work on 1-2 acres but this is not going to get the job done fast. It's like a bass boat. You can buy the 21 foot Ranger or the 16 foot base model Bass Tracker. Gotta weigh the pros and cons and how to get the most bang for the buck. I got my 1025R with the 206B and the front end loader implement like yours for a steal. I couldn't afford the "2" series.

@@Tracker7266 it certainly beats the heck out of a shovel! What are you building on top of the footings? I wonder if adding some cast iron tire ballast would help with the side to side swing?

@LandFather I'm removing existing concrete sono tube footings from a portion of raised deck that was on the back of our house in preparation for doing a hardscape patio with concrete pavers on grade. I thought about rear wheel weights but I don't what that does to the tire rating. The outriggers also don't have any pads. Rubber ones are available for street use. The backhoe hydraulics are just a lot for this beefy, heavy-duty "garden" tractor. The 1025R has lots of "pros" ... and a few "cons." The cons are not the tractors fault but the implements that they're trying to make work on a lighter model tractor.

She’ll just have to get used to the bigger Kioti!

Thanks!

Yes off road diesel is ultra low sulfur, and I’m not sure about cetane rating in South Carolina. We rarely get cold enough to warrant being concerned about cetane rating. I know off road diesel generally has a higher cetane rating than on road diesel

The tires do help

it was a 15,000lb surprise

I liked that its a JD, and yes it would excel on something 3-5 acres. Very versatile and handy little machine.

Be perfect for my acre

@@Jimbo12716 yes it would!

Yes. Not a lot of run time. But enough for me to make the decision

Thanks for watching!

Hi, thanks for commenting. I bought the tractor from the previous owner of my home exclusively because I got a good deal and was planning on reselling it. 2 weeks after I bought this machine I bought my Kioti DK5310 which is an appropriately sized tractor for my acreage. I liked the 1025R so much I kept it for a year before trading in for a skid steer.

No reason to be a jerk!! He knows exactly what is going on with his property and equipment. F'n Troll!!

@@mathiaskral6410 Hey, good morning. Go pound sand.