How much tractor do I need

[Sulla]

It's getting close to decision time for me. I'm hoping I can get some thoughts on how much tractor I need and thoughts on brand bias to help me make a decision.

We have purchased and will soon close on 45 acres of raw land surrounded by national forest. We intend on taking the better part of the next five years to build our family homestead there. We will be keeping our present home thirty minutes away that I take care of myself. Lawn, snow, the basics. It's a small piece of property and easy to manage.

Some of the task I have in front of me are:

Timbering the land we want to cultivate
Milling lumber
Pulling stumps and clearing rocks
Prepare soil for planting
Building a barn, care takers cottage, large house, bunk house, wind turbine, observatory.
Two miles of class six road maintenance. (I'm going take the advice from is forum and get an old dump truck to plow)
Fencing
Live stock care.

This is a life long dream for us and this long list of projects are things I am looking forward to doing, call me crazy.

My current tractor is a Kioti CK20 HST with FEL and finish mower. I suspect it is to small. That said I like to try to use the least amount of tool necessary to to the job. If my 250 scooter can best get me to the grocery store no need to get an Ultra Glide for that. I guess I am saying I like to use the right tool for the job at hand and not go over board.

So far I have looked at a Kioti DK40 and John Deere 54xx series. Big difference in price and not really comparable as far as I can tell. The JD really grabbed me but the price put me off a bit.

I appreciate any thoughts you have on the subject.

 

[jdbnh]

look at new holland's workmaster 45 or 55 tractor. nice tractor bigger than a compact but good pricing. nice features

 

[VitaBene]

Sulla, The tasks you have planned are substantial for a CUT.

Have you considered keeping the Kioti and buying a used Backhoe (Case 580, JD 310 or 410 sized). Digging stumps and rocks are not easy tasks. You can also plow with them. My 580K was a great plow rig with a 10' Fisher plow.

 

[Sulla]

Sulla, The tasks you have planned are substantial for a CUT.

Have you considered keeping the Kioti and buying a used Backhoe (Case 580, JD 310 or 410 sized). Digging stumps and rocks are not easy tasks.

That is an interesting idea. Perhaps a used excavator. I used a ten ton Cat to build a drive way and build a wall this summer, it sure made short work of that job. I'm not sure I could afford it my budgets around thirty including the trade. If I keep then CK 20 that leaves about $15,000 for the backhoe or excavator.

I'l have to start looking around. Maybe an older one might work.

 

[TripleR]

I am with VitaBene on this one. Years ago we bought an old Case backhoe that my brother fixed up to use as we had stuff for which our tractors just weren't suited. We don't need one anymore, so it just sits in the shed and we rent something if we need it.

We have several tractors up to an M8540 and would still need to rent something occasionally to take care of the tasks you outlined in a timely manner.

When we built our house, we just spent the money to have someone come in with a dozer which got done in a couple of days what would have taken us months even with the backhoe. My daughter did the same thing last year.

I am not saying you can't do what you want, just don't try to get by going small.

Just my:2cents:

 

[Verticaltrx]

My Father just got a JD 5045E and it is a really nice little tractor, sounds about like the size range you would need(40-50 pto hp, utility class). I've put about 30hrs on it in the last week or two and it is a very sturdy, smooth operating tractor. While it's not quite as good as a power reverser or hydrostatic, the Sync Shuttle transmission works very nicely for loader work.

I've been using it for hauling fence posts, moving trees after clearing some land, seeding, clearing brush for a new fence line, and some grading. The loader lift capacity is very substantial for this size tractor.

With that said, I would use the tractor for all the work you can, then hire a large track loader or excavator to remove the stumps and clean up after your logging. Either of those machines will make very quick work of land clearing which would take days or weeks with even a decent sized backhoe. All of the other tasks you mentioned should be easily accomplished with a 40-50hp 4wd utility tractor with a loader.

 

[bigbull338]

with what all your wanting todo getting raw land ready for a homested id look at a MX5100 HST 4x4 w/fel.you can get that setup for $26,000 more or less.

 

[Sulla]

with what all your wanting todo getting raw land ready for a homested id look at a MX5100 HST 4x4 w/fel.you can get that setup for $26,000 more or less.

Bigbull338 I don't know much about tractor designations, what is an MX5100, that pricing seems pretty good.

 

[Sulla]

I am with VitaBene on this one. Years ago we bought an old Case backhoe that my brother fixed up to use as we had stuff for which our tractors just weren't suited. We don't need one anymore, so it just sits in the shed and we rent something if we need it.

We have several tractors up to an M8540 and would still need to rent something occasionally to take care of the tasks you outlined in a timely manner.

When we built our house, we just spent the money to have someone come in with a dozer which got done in a couple of days what would have taken us months even with the backhoe. My daughter did the same thing last year.

I am not saying you can't do what you want, just don't try to get by going small.

Just my:2cents:

I do expect to have to rent some big stuff from time to time. I just want to keep those times as fee as possible. I sit on my *** and move money around for a living. Part of this project is for my sanity, maybe more than just a little. I'd like to see something accomplished at the of of the day instead of adding up my paper gains and losses.

I will at least try to do everything myself. I'm quite certain I won't be able to do it all, but I want to try. I also want my kinds to see what it means to build something yourself.

Said I was crazy.

Thanks for the help

 

[bigbull338]

Bigbull338 I don't know much about tractor designations, what is an MX5100, that pricing seems pretty good.

its not a compact tractor its a farm tractor.it has 52hp wich is the right hp for your homestead.itll lift big 5 by 6 round bales no prob.the HST is an automatic 3 range tranny with low med and high.i have the LA844 loader on mine.an itll lift anything i need to lift.