Mid ar large Frame? Blue or Green?

[rockyridgefarm]

I would like some suggestions as to model to go after. I had planned to wait another year to move up to a larger machine, but the timetable may have moved up.
I am fairly well set on NH, due to ergonomics, and the dealer’s reputation, though I am also considering Green.

We maintain 80 acres; much of it is very hilly and wooded. We have two small pastures and a 40 acre one in back. We mow them to keep weeds down. About 20 goats and 6 horses help us; if we knock down the high stuff, they keep it trimmed. I do not plan to raise hay, but will continue to purchase round bales. We have roads to maintain, water, septic, and electric to trench, a barn, house addition and pool to build, and general landscaping.

I am looking at the TC33D, TC35D, and TC40D. I would equip it with FEL, BH, and 6’ bush hog. The 33 interests me because we have lots of trees to get amongst, but the larger units might handle unloading 1200lb round bales better. I would certainly, make sure that the unit had adequate ballast. If I step up to the larger frame size, it looks like the 40’s 4-cylinder engine might be a shade better. I see that the 35 gets its rated hp at a higher rpm.

As to backhoes, I have looked at the Cadplan rigs, and wonder, why not go that route? Would they work as well as an OEM’s tractor-mounted unit? I am mostly trenching, and an occasional footing.

My wife is an avid tractor user /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif, and a large rig does not bother her, but it is nice that it fits her.

I like the TC30, but we aren’t ones to save a little, and then wish we’d had gotten something a little handier…

Then again, there are the 4410, and 4710…. I am not opposed to Orange, but really I’d be between Blue and Green.

Am I way off? I am not doing crops, so the old x acres = y HP isn’t really appropriate. My biggest, routine area of concern is those round bales, unloading them at delivery, and hauling them around. (it really gets old doing that by hand…/w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif)

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Have you considered a TN-65. It will do what you want a lot better then the TC's.

 

[Kodiak]

Hi:
There is a dairy close by here that uses a TC33D for feeding thier herd with round bales. They went with the Woods 1012 loader as it has a bigger lifting capacity than the N.H. 7038. As well as 550lb concrete counter weight. It also is equipped with a quick attach, so they can quickly change from Bale spear to bucket to forks. Great system.

They let me play try it out for three hours at thier farm. This was the major contributing factor in my decision to order our new TC29. We went with the TC29 because I want a gear tranny. And the TC33 was not available with the gear tranny and a live PTO. I to have decided to go with the Woods 1012 loader, because its sturdier constuction and more muscle than the N.H. 7038. I also decided to go with the Woods 7500 backhoe instead the N.H. 757, because of its tried and true design and very well built construction. The other deciding factor on going with Woods over the N.H. equipment was it came in @ $1000 cheaper as a package.

The Cadplans backhoe might be okay for occasional light duty use, but I think you would find ( especially with your hills ) that a factory built quality backhoe will suit your needs much better, last longer with fewer problems. This is one peice of equiptment where you really shouldn't be to frugal. Woods,Great Bend and Bradco as well as a few others all make good quality small backhoes. A strong suggestion here, please choose one with a subframe, much safer, and less chance of doing damage to your tractor.

Hope all this helps you out. I've had a Compact Utility Tractor equipped with a backhoe for over twenty years now and I'm still finding new uses for them.

Good Luck

 

[Woodbeef]

I'd tend to err on the side of caution and safety here and go as Robert has suggested with a smaller utility type ag-tractor. With your needs and terrain,I think you'll find that you will be much happier with the all around heavier duty construction of the ag-tractor. The NH TNs are a good choice,but do not forget the overbuilt dependability of the Valtra M100 series. www.valtra.com. The badge-engineered A/A and White tractors from SLH were good ones too.

 

[rockyridgefarm]

That is the info I am lookinng for. I probably have lighter use than a dairy, as to round bales. I should add that I do not look for my hay work to increase, because we are actually looking at pasture management to decrease our hay useage. We usually only have snow coverage for a day or two at a time, last year it was over a month, that was a major record...

I will look at the heavier machines, but I think that they are a little big for my needs, and I was reminded that my next door neighbor has a 110Hp rig with a batwing mower that can make short work out of those occasional BIG jobs.

But I am asking for advice, and am checkinnnng the stuff out that I am pointed at

Valtra looks interesting, there is a dealer down the street, and I will be looking at them...

 

[rockyridgefarm]

I talked to my dealer - he also pointed me to the larger units, but suggested the TC30. He is sending more info on it, I don't have anything.

I forgot to mention to him, as well as here, that I purchase SMALL round bales, around 800Lbs each. Wouldn't that make a difference as to the size requirements?

I am still leaning towards the TC's because of HST

Did I mention that our NH dealer is the Best on Earth?

 

[glennmac]

You want to maintain 80 acres and mow in excess of 40 acres of pasture. With a TC 30? I maintain 11 acres and mow about 7 or 8. I have a Kubota B2910, which is about the same size as a TC 30, and often wish I had a larger unit. It seems to me that the advice you are getting about an ag size tractor is completely warranted. If you must have hst, I'd get the TC45 or whatever the biggest hst is.

 

[rf33]

You might consider checking out the JD 5000 series, the NH TN series or the Kubota M series for something this large. I think that if you must have HST, then go with the largest HST model anyone makes, but I really think that with 80 acres and 40 acres to mow, anything less than about 60 HP is going to be pretty small for your needs. Some of the syncronized gear transmissions with the power reverse option can be pretty easy to operate too, although certainly not as easy as the HST.

With 40 acres to mow, you would likely want to consider a batwing mower too, unless you don't mind mowing for the whole day. Most batwings really don't take alot of HP to run, but they will definitely drag a small light tractor around as they are pretty heavy.

 

[rockyridgefarm]

<font color=blue>unless you don't mind mowing for the whole day</font color=blue>

Right now, we mow with a 4' Bush Hog. If we start in the spring, we are done by the fall. I am interested in its not being overtaken by weeds, but it not a lawn. I know I need to do better than I am now.

I am looking at the Class III boomers, now, (as well as JD)
I am going to really go over the TN series, carefully. I am also trying to figure out what I can eliminate from my expected uses, because a tractor big enough for some oof this is too big for the other parts. Here is a arial pic of my farm.

 

[rockyridgefarm]

oops too fast on the trigger

Here is my place