Pick a make and model. Full spec sheet, owner videos, and similar tractors on one page.
Find a model →Pit up to four models against each other. Engine, hydraulics, hitch, weight, warranty.
Open comparison →Written guides on choosing tractors, hydraulics, PTO, hitches, and maintenance.
Read articles →Mike reads a viewer letter from a new landowner who inherited a two-wheel-drive John Deere 990 and wonders whether to add a loader or sell. The video walks through three specific reasons to sell, 2WD traction problems on compact tractors, the crash-box transmission's limits for loader work, and the cost/value math on aftermarket loaders, then briefly names loader brands still available. Best for anyone weighing a similar 2WD compact dilemma.
Tractor Mike is a longtime tractor-industry insider with decades of hands-on experience in the equipment business. He built his channel to help first-time and rural buyers make confident decisions, and his guidance comes from that deep, long-term background rather than a sales pitch.
Mike recommends against it, saying 2WD compact tractors struggle with traction and the 990's crash-box transmission is not ideal for loader work.
Yes, aftermarket loaders are available from companies like Westendorf, Quicker, and Bush Hog or Rhino, which sell Alo or Quickie branded loaders.
Mike says the hydraulic system is the same as tractors that had front-end loaders, so hydraulics are not an issue for adding one.
No, Mike says 2WD compact tractors are a no-go with a loader due to quick traction loss, based on his own dealership experience.
