[poppajohn]

Most compacts true speed is around 15 mph even without an implement. I drive a Fastrac occasionally and its a flyer at around 38 mph my mates got a Ford Big 6 conversion and even with a 5 bladed plough mounted he will leave a modern JD 6430 standing on the road.
Coley the trouble with a lot of Japanese compacts like mine ( Yanmar F17D ) is the bottom link arms are so long, they are mounted just behind the axle, theres not a lot of swing but fast speeds take their toll on the ball joints.
I would love to have seen the trailer wobble, reminds me of an old 135 I had, used to pull a 5 ton grain trailer and anything above 10 mph was a nightmare, our Fenland roads are not the most tractor friendly, anyway this thing had more ripples than Fatima the belly dancer. I was poodling along one day and the drawbar snapped, I went one way and the trailer and grain ended up in 12 feet of water in a dyke. At least the ducks and fish had a good feed!

[Coley]

Aye, compacts are marvellous machines (and fun) but I have always found their biggest drawback is overheating when asked to do anything strenuous, so now we are looking at the possibility of getting something bigger MF or JD as we are doing a lot of drainage and need something with a FL and capable of pulling a 5 ton trailer, will be keeping the various compacts and ride ons for the grass cutting though, might even look at doing some contract work as grass cutting is being handed over to parish councils.

[poppajohn]

I have never had an overheating problem, I "over service" though and never allow any sludge to build up, anti freeze is changed every year and I cost myself an arm and a leg in oil though!  I ran a JD 1020 for ten years, grand but the parts are daft prices now. Might be worth you looking at the smaller Fords with a f/l. Some of the ex golf club stuff has had an easy life just loading bunker sand. Tractor and Farm traders a good place for that stuff. That said there are a lot of Internationals around at the moment with loaders, but you hit the running an older machine problems.
If you have got spare cash TYM the Korean company have a good range about 40 hp mark, they are well put together and seem reliable.

[Coley]

There is some good stuff around and reasonably priced but its all in Devon or Somerset or other parts of the 'deep sooth' and I would like to try before I buy, re' the ex golf club gear, perfect, but its always a case of "I wish you had rang last week"
TYm seem good but as you say pricey, will just keep on looking picked the worst time of the year though

[poppajohn]

Try JJ Cook Farm Machinery at Lincoln, decent lad with a good range of kit. Prices are good on Fleming and Oxdale stuff and its British made. Best ring around the golf clubs and ask what they are flogging. Fact is if they have got a list of folk it cuts the middlemen out.

[Coley]

Cooks has nowt suitable at the moment, Qf at york is offering me a canny deal on a MF with loader plus a 3 ton trailer, doing a discount if I buy both also half price delivery which is another big saving, would have gone down today except this wedding has eveything on hold

[poppajohn]

Good luck with it then!