smarley
New member
Hi everyone,
I am new to the forum and to tractors/farm equipment in general. I have owned a diesel Dodge truck for many years so I do have some understanding of the differences between diesel and gas.
My wife and I are buying a small horse property here in Albuquerque that already has the arena/paddocks/grass turnout/barn/landscaping and house in place (2+ acres) and we will only need a piece of equipment for utility chores, arena/paddock dragging, hauling hay/manure etc.
We have pretty much decided on the arena drag below (5.5' model) and will need something capable, sturdy and long-lasting to do the pulling. As you can see, the manufacturer suggests something with a minimum of 20 hp to tow this 390 lb drag.
Arena Rascal® Pro Best Selling ATV UTV Arena Drag
We had originally looked at the smaller JD tractors, but after thinking about our needs, we decided that a multi-purpose piece of equipment would be a better choice and we have our sights set on a Gator. In looking at the current models, the standard lineup seems to be limited by HP (topping out at 21) and appears to be marginally capable of hauling the drag day in and day out.
With increased hp, he crossover XUV line seems to better fit our requirements. I see that the 825i has ~ 50 HP and will go 44 mph. This certainly would tow the drag, but it seems like overkill for my needs. The 855D is the diesel version but with reduced hp (23), so I seem to be back to being just over manufacturer's hp recommendations for the drag.
So the basic question is - what Gator model would you guys recommend for the person looking for a real workhorse with lots of low-end torque/HP to pull heavy pieces of equipment? Should I be asking more about torque than hp? I like both gas and diesel, so that would not be a limitation. I just want to make sure that we buy a vehicle that won't be challenged by the basic chores around the house.
Thanks for your help. This is a great forum!
Steffan
I am new to the forum and to tractors/farm equipment in general. I have owned a diesel Dodge truck for many years so I do have some understanding of the differences between diesel and gas.
My wife and I are buying a small horse property here in Albuquerque that already has the arena/paddocks/grass turnout/barn/landscaping and house in place (2+ acres) and we will only need a piece of equipment for utility chores, arena/paddock dragging, hauling hay/manure etc.
We have pretty much decided on the arena drag below (5.5' model) and will need something capable, sturdy and long-lasting to do the pulling. As you can see, the manufacturer suggests something with a minimum of 20 hp to tow this 390 lb drag.
Arena Rascal® Pro Best Selling ATV UTV Arena Drag
We had originally looked at the smaller JD tractors, but after thinking about our needs, we decided that a multi-purpose piece of equipment would be a better choice and we have our sights set on a Gator. In looking at the current models, the standard lineup seems to be limited by HP (topping out at 21) and appears to be marginally capable of hauling the drag day in and day out.
With increased hp, he crossover XUV line seems to better fit our requirements. I see that the 825i has ~ 50 HP and will go 44 mph. This certainly would tow the drag, but it seems like overkill for my needs. The 855D is the diesel version but with reduced hp (23), so I seem to be back to being just over manufacturer's hp recommendations for the drag.
So the basic question is - what Gator model would you guys recommend for the person looking for a real workhorse with lots of low-end torque/HP to pull heavy pieces of equipment? Should I be asking more about torque than hp? I like both gas and diesel, so that would not be a limitation. I just want to make sure that we buy a vehicle that won't be challenged by the basic chores around the house.
Thanks for your help. This is a great forum!
Steffan