Tractor Sizing Am I on the right track with what size tractor I THINK I need?

[Piston]

TripleR,
I have, however not for the specific tractors mentioned, but I'm on my way there
I actually haven't found tooooo many reviews, it seems like most of the tractors I'm interested in only had a few reviews, some not any. Still helpful though and thanks for the reminder.

[TripleR]

TripleR,
I have, however not for the specific tractors mentioned, but I'm on my way there
I actually haven't found tooooo many reviews, it seems like most of the tractors I'm interested in only had a few reviews, some not any. Still helpful though and thanks for the reminder.

I check there from time to time myself though I am through buying for quite some time. The model numbers are pretty confusing, so I will check with Tractor Data which sometimes has specs and sometimes not.

[Birdhunter1]

Birdhunter,
I know it varies from time to time and also different areas of the country, but do you have an idea on a rough cost of how much it is to rent a decent sized excavator like you did for your driveway? I have been considering that as well for the rough work, even though I'll most likely hire out the driveway and major land clearing, but its an option.

The only excavator I have rented was a Bobcat 325, it weighs in just under 7000 lbs so it can be pulled by a 1/2 ton pickup and it was like $240 or so a day. I've rented twice at my old house to dig a line for a sump pump line and another time for a sewer line. At the new place I used it to run a floor drain and clean out the ends of my water line trenches and where my electric and water lines crossed. I have done some small stump jobs with it but if you are talking stumps over 12" trunks you'd probably want a bigger machine. It can do a 20" stump (I did it at least), but it takes a long time. A good friend of mine has a large concrete business and he had his Bobcat 442 excavator which needs a big 3/4 ton and larger to pull. It put the hurt on some big stumps after we dug the footings.
A tip to make stump removal easier is to leave about 4-5' of the trunk attached, or better yet don't cut it at all, dig the stump and push the tree over, then cut the trunk. A thumb on the excavator helps but isn't required.

I told my wife today that if we had this to do over again I would have bought a tracked Bobcat (like a T180 or T190) 4 years ago instead of my tractor, I've done alot with my tractor but I find when I have some big dirt jobs like I currently have going on I can get more done in a day with a bobcat than I can with a tractor in 4 days, and I am good on a tractor.

[ModMech]

I check there from time to time myself though I am through buying for quite some time. The model numbers are pretty confusing, so I will check with Tractor Data which sometimes has specs and sometimes not.

From what I have seen, this is a function of Nebraska Testing or not. If the model WAS submitted for Nebraska testing, then the data is listed.

I have also seen where pricing, weight etc are missing from some models, this seems to be mainly due it it not being submitted or substantiated on some of the less common models.

[Piston]

I found an L4610 with 600 hours for 18k in good condition. its hydro and comes with a box blade. Its a 2004, but when I look on tractordata.com it says they were only manufactured in '01 and '02? Is tractor data wrong on this tractor?

I have read some opinions on the L4610 over the last 4 hours and overall they seem positive and it seems like it would fit the bill for what I would need.

Does that price seem a little high or is it about right? I looked on tractorhouse and found one in PA for about 14k with 1,000 hrs on it. I am located in MA if that helps. Also, I want to add the hydraulics for the grapple, is that difficult to do and cost prohibitive? Or should I just hold out for a tractor that already has forward hydro?

Should I take a look at this one or keep looking for a better deal?

[ModMech]

That's a 40 PTO HP unit, the price seems high by ~$4k to me, considering you can get a NEW 40 HP unit for that or a few grand more.

[jake98]

My main objectives are:
-Clearing 8"-20" DBH hardwoods for firewood (I currently have a PTO driven winch I will use with the new tractor)
-Skidding log length pines to my sawmill, anywhere from 12"-25" DBH (I also have a heavy duty log arch for logs that are too large to skid)
-Clearing a lot of brush/overgrown blueberry fields to reclaim some fields
-Box blading the driveway
-snow removal
-brush hogging, moving dirt, lifting logs onto the mill
-picking up and moving/clearing a LOT of rocks and rebuilding a LOT of stonewalls

I will also want a root grapple for the FEL for both picking up brush, and loading logs on the mill. I would like a FEL capacity of close to 2,000lbs.

The land is everywhere from level, to gently sloping, to steep. Most of where I will be working is not the steep area. The great majority of trees on the land are of small to medium size.

You dont need 40-50 hp for anything on that list, unless you really want to put a ton on your loader. I do all that with 25 hp and it's plenty.

[Piston]

You dont need 40-50 hp for anything on that list, unless you really want to put a ton on your loader. I do all that with 25 hp and it's plenty.

I think that would be the limiting factor, I do want a roughly 2000 lb capacity. Also I'm not sure (only from what I read so i don't know this) that a 25hp would be able to handle the size brush hog I'm looking for?

[jake98]

I run a 60" brush hog with no problem. When I first mowed my folks acreage the brush was taller than the tractor. I move 12"-14" dia. lengths of trees around 20' long and my grapple is heavier than it ought to be too. You said you have a Dyna-hoe too, right?
When I bought mine, the same tractor was available with 25, 30, or 35hp. I didn't think I'd need the extra hp and still don't..

[Piston]

Your right I do have the dynahoe and that is a good point. I could always use that for the really heavy lifting when I need it. I would prefer a tractor that could handle it so I don't have to use two machines but I'll keep that in mind. I always hear people saying you'd rather go large than small when buying. I also don't know if I'll keep the D-hoe after I'm done with the majority of the land clearing.