What things are important on a new tractor?

[KevinPeter]

I am about to get my tractor. I have 25 acres that is almost all pasture on a gentle hill with a small pond at the bottom. We have a mile long gravel driveway. With my new tractor I will maintain the road and mow the fields and whatever else. Some day I might plant corn. I live in NC so snow shouldn't be a problem. I am anticipating the cost being about $20k to $25k.

This is what I have come up with so far:
- about 40 hp
- 4 wheel drive
- front end loader
- hydrostatic transmission
- mower deck (not a finish mower but for a field)
so far, I am leaning toward a New Holland.

I was wondering about many of the options mentioned in the posts I have read here. How important are these things - (some, I don't even know what they are)? Also, are there any options that I have missed that I should consider?

The "how important" list:
- Rear hydraulic remotes?
- Cruise Control?
- Reinforcing blade on the FEL?
- Self-leveling on the loader?
- Cab?
- 6' or bigger cutter?
- Welded-on chain hooks onto bucket - center & each end?
- Extendable rear 3pt arms vs. fixed?

The "what is it and how important" list:
- Cast wheel centers?
- Additional functions on the front loader - what possible?
- Rear Tires loaded w/ Rimguard?
- Shuttle type?
- Live power PTO?

Thanks for your help. I appreciate it so much.
Kevin

 

[flusher]

I am about to get my tractor. I have 25 acres that is almost all pasture on a gentle hill with a small pond at the bottom. We have a mile long gravel driveway. With my new tractor I will maintain the road and mow the fields and whatever else. Some day I might plant corn. I live in NC so snow shouldn't be a problem. I am anticipating the cost being about $20k to $25k.

This is what I have come up with so far:
- about 40 hp
- 4 wheel drive
- front end loader
- hydrostatic transmission
- mower deck (not a finish mower but for a field)
so far, I am leaning toward a New Holland.

I was wondering about many of the options mentioned in the posts I have read here. How important are these things - (some, I don't even know what they are)? Also, are there any options that I have missed that I should consider?

The "how important" list:
- Rear hydraulic remotes?
- Cruise Control?
- Reinforcing blade on the FEL?
- Self-leveling on the loader?
- Cab?
- 6' or bigger cutter?
- Welded-on chain hooks onto bucket - center & each end?
- Extendable rear 3pt arms vs. fixed?

The "what is it and how important" list:
- Cast wheel centers?
- Additional functions on the front loader - what possible?
- Rear Tires loaded w/ Rimguard?
- Shuttle type?
- Live power PTO?

Thanks for your help. I appreciate it so much.
Kevin

I would go with a slightly larger tractor, say 45 hp (pto). That way you could handle a square baler if you decide to turn your pasture into a hayfield.

Rear remotes are important and you want at least two. I have triple remotes on my new Mahindra 5525 (55 hp engine, 45 hp pto)

Get chain hooks for sure. They increase the usefulness of your FEL

I have two grab hooks welded near the sides of the bucket where it's strongest and one slip hook in the middle. The grab hooks are angled inward slightly so the chains don't slip off the sides of the bucket.

Get a cab if you intend to use a disc mower.

If you get a hydrostatic transmission on your tractor, don't worry about it--you will have a live pto that allows independent operation of the tractor wheels and the pto shaft.

 

[Builder]

For all the pasture mowing you'll have to do, The best option you listed that I'd suggest would be a cab for the health of your skin (skin cancer) & lungs (dust & allergens). One trip trough a nest of hornets will convince you of the need for a cab, too.

If you have 20+ acres of pasture to cut, a 6' mower would take a while. Have you seen the 7' twin spindle model sold by Bush Hog? It 's a foot wider and runs on relatively low PTO HP (25-40 I think). You could get by with 40HP, but 50 would give you more muscle at the PTO. I mowed with a 42HP tractor and the PTO struggled with a 6' mower in tall stuff.

 

[txdon]

The "how important" list:
- Rear hydraulic remotes?
- Cruise Control?
- Reinforcing blade on the FEL?
- Self-leveling on the loader?
- Cab?
- 6' or bigger cutter?
- Welded-on chain hooks onto bucket - center & each end?
- Extendable rear 3pt arms vs. fixed?

Kevin

Kevin, since you will be maintaining a gravel road the rear remotes (at least 2) would be FIRST on my list of must have options.

Weld on hook (at least one in center)

Cruise control is nice for mowing if the grass thickness is consistent.

Some loaders have a detachable front edge that can be unbolted and changed out after many years of wear. This depends on your usage If you get teeth for the front edge of your loader and only take the teeth off for smoothing the road you may not need this option.

Get the largest size cutter recommended by the manufacture - in the owners manual. Example - On my 50 hp 6' is recommended (A lot here usually get a foot or two wider than recommended, depending on the grass).

Expandable rear arms - you will be glad you got them every time you change implements.

Self leveling loader - I don't have one and don't miss it, but I have not dumped a load on myself yet either.

Cab- if you can afford it and have few trees get it. I would love one for-in this order- Dust, Noise, Air conditioning, Killer bees. All the pros in this county with newer tractors have cabs.

Check out as many tractors as you can, when you get down to your last two let us know the reason why you picked the two and the experience people on this board just might be able to help with any last questions.

 

[rutwad]

I am about to get my tractor. I have 25 acres that is almost all pasture on a gentle hill with a small pond at the bottom. We have a mile long gravel driveway. With my new tractor I will maintain the road and mow the fields and whatever else. Some day I might plant corn. I live in NC so snow shouldn't be a problem. I am anticipating the cost being about $20k to $25k.

This is what I have come up with so far:
- about 40 hp
- 4 wheel drive
- front end loader
- hydrostatic transmission
- mower deck (not a finish mower but for a field)
so far, I am leaning toward a New Holland.

I was wondering about many of the options mentioned in the posts I have read here. How important are these things - (some, I don't even know what they are)? Also, are there any options that I have missed that I should consider?

The "how important" list:
- Rear hydraulic remotes?
- Cruise Control?
- Reinforcing blade on the FEL?
- Self-leveling on the loader?
- Cab?
- 6' or bigger cutter?
- Welded-on chain hooks onto bucket - center & each end?
- Extendable rear 3pt arms vs. fixed?

The "what is it and how important" list:
- Cast wheel centers?
- Additional functions on the front loader - what possible?
- Rear Tires loaded w/ Rimguard?
- Shuttle type?
- Live power PTO?

Thanks for your help. I appreciate it so much.
Kevin

Just mostly reiterating what has been said, but we have hooks set up just like flusher's and they are very usefull. Extendable arms sure make the job of changing implements easier. I don't see a need for a self-leveling bucket. Rear remotes will defintely be worth it when the time comes that you need them, but we only have 1 set on our Kubota which I have never used. Cruise control is something I use about 2% of the time, even in a vehicle. I say a cab is the ONLY way to go, luxuries and health benefits. It will help preserve your hearing if you don't turn the radio up too loud.. 6' cutter is as big as I would go unless I got a cutter like Builder mentioned, but I have not actually seen one (gotta go check it out next). A single spindle 7' mower is alot harder to pull than a 6'. Your tractor HP should be fine for mowing or even a square baler, we pulled both with a Farmall H. Good Luck!

 

[pennwalk]

Kevin,

A lot of what you are asking about is stuff that adds capacity to your tractor but isn't necessary. it depends on how you are going to use it and how you might want to use it in the future.

About Loading the tires. Weight is traction. You need traction most for ground engaging activities. I have a much smaller tractor than you are talking about with unloaded tires. I have had all 4 wheels spinning when the box blade took too big of a bite. I got the job done but I could have done it quicker with more weight. The other side of it is that my tractor will almost swim through the mud when the fields are muddy because it is so light. I wonder if a heavier tractor would just sink in. Another way to weight the tires is foam. It is expensive but it lasts till you wear the treads off the tires and it makes the tires pretty much bullet proof. No more flats.

Chris

 

[Solo]

I don't have a lot of the things listed, but my preferences would be. Definetly at least two rear remotes for a blade or rake, quick attach bucket so you can change between a bucket and any other loader mounted attachments ie... front blade, pallet forks, and maybe a four way bucket if you have enough hydraulic flow. The cab, I would stick with an OEM, we have two Kubotas at work one factory and one an add on. Both are very loud inside when running at PTO speed but the add on cab has a very poor fit.

Solo

 

[putt_putt_green]

At least 1 hydraulic rear remote, 2 would be better.
Extendable draft links are real nice.

If you are going to be using pallet forks a lot, the self leveling loader would be nice.

A lot of the things you can do later without too much hassle. For example loading the tires with RimGuard and adding bucket hooks. Some items (for example rear hydraulics) are a lot cheaper if you get them from the get go.

 

[mojoinco]

Think backwards: What implements will you run, and what will you want to run, and what could you run?

Post hole digger (3 point mount and hydraulic type -- including the bucket or skid steer mount; hydro will require some flow). Box blade (top and tilt are real nice for this -- need two rear remotes). Regular blade. Tiller (pto power). Log splitter (rear remotes). Grappler (for moving brush and slash). Lighting (may need more alternator -- cab models come with larger ones and often lights). Snow blower in cold country (rear mounted are much cheaper, but a hydraulic boom/chute steering unit means a remote). Forks (skid steer type unit). Chipper/shreader (pto; more than you might think).

Look around your area for what folks are using (and ask them what they like and don't like). For example, in my area we have a lot of clay and 3 point mounted (pto driven) post hole diggers only work well if the ground is soft enough. But I can rent a low flow skid steer type unit from the local Bobcat people (because I have a skid steer bucket attachment).

 

[jdpharmd]

It depends what you are used too. As a roofer I was used to heat. Mowing w/o a cab in VA in not too bad as long as you avoid the 95+ days.

I was talked into the following but have not used them yet:
-quick attach bucket
-1 remote hydraulic

reasons given to me was that I would need them eventually and it was cheaper to buy when new than add them later.

As for the mower..... I maintain 10 acres of a 45 ac. lot with a 6' mower. I do "reclaim" the old field that has not been mowed in 10 yrs and have opted for a heaver-duty mower that has done well. Maybe overkill one fields established but needed for now.

Have fun.

---jeff